Cardigan at Seventy-Five

Cardigan Mountain School at Seventy-Five

Cardigan Mountain School at Seventy-Five

Judith B. Solberg

Richard R. Rearick

Robert C. Hopkins

This book is published by the Trustees of Cardigan Mountain School

Canaan, New Hampshire

Copyright 1960, Cardigan Mountain School

Copyright 1995, Cardigan Mountain School

Copyright 2022, Cardigan Mountain School

First edition

Rumford Press

Concord, New Hampshire

second edition

Sherwin Dodge, Printers

Littleton, New Hampshire

third edition, ed. Judith B. solBerg

R.C. Brayshaw and Company

Warner, New Hampshire

dedicAted to the students oF

cArdigAn MountAin school

PAst, Present, And Future

And to their teAchers

Foreword

“only on the BAsis oF A greAt ideA.”

Bill Brewster, cArdigAn’s First heAdMAster, Penned these words in A hAstily written letter seeking support for a fledgling school for middle school boys in 1945. The world had just turned from war to peace and a small group of like-minded individuals were determined to serve a need: to build a place where boys could learn and grow in a challenging but supportive environment.

The story of Cardigan Mountain School is, like our namesake, founded on bedrock while constantly reaching for the clouds. Our features are influenced by both nature and the boys who walk the paths—marked and unmarked—to the summit. This book, through words and pictures, attempts to capture the history of an educational vision that began long ago; considering that one member of the original class survives still, Cardigan may yet be in its early days.

I am both pleased and proud that my friend and colleague Judith Solberg agreed to take this project on. Part artist and part technician, Judith details the School’s challenges and triumphs with focus and nuance. Building upon previous volumes by Robert C. Hopkins and Richard R. Rearick, she skillfully coaxes out the human story that connects us all through our time on The Point. Sifting through primary sources—letters, photographs, official and unofficial documents—she deftly connects the throughlines of each era as she highlights each unique moment in time. Readers may lose themselves in the words and images only to recognize that they’re right at home, communing with folks who may have lived a generation ago, in a place familiar to us all.

At Cardigan, the extraordinary is ordinary, and the ordinary extraordinary. As the current head of school, it is comforting to be engaged in the complicated work of helping young men—collisions of energetic forces—grow into who they will become under the watchful and sturdy gaze of this glorious mountain. Even when the weather makes visibility poor, we all know it is there. That constancy is the foundation from which all of our growth occurs.

We often say that one reason to celebrate the past is to inform the future. Cardigan’s path forward has never been easy, as it has been purposefully set over rugged terrain, but with the strength of a community that cares so deeply for our shared mission, the journey becomes the lesson. Whether you are an alumnus, a past parent, board member, faculty, or friend of the School, you will see yourself in the words and pictures that follow. Please join me in celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Cardigan Mountain School and the shared history that binds us together. I hope you enjoy entering—or reentering—a world that is part of us all.

Chris Day July 2022 Cardigan Mountain School

Preface

the history oF cArdigAn MountAin school hAs AlreAdy Been docuMented By two Very cAPABle and knowledgeable authors. Bob Hopkins, who wrote the 1960 edition, was a founder, incorporator, and trustee of the School who served from 1945 until his death in 1962. Dick Rearick, the author of the 1995 edition, was Cardigan’s business manager in the late 1970s and returned a few decades later as the School’s director of development. Both of these men brought an insider’s perspective to their writing; they knew the leaders of the School well, and their own work had influenced the course of the School’s history.

When Head of School Chris Day and Cardigan’s board of trustees asked me to write the third edition, I was most definitely not an expert on Cardigan. While I had worked in independent schools for decades, and I had written other school histories, I had never set foot on The Point. I was a tabula rasa. Being an outsider is both intimidating and freeing: all interviews bring new perspectives, all archival finds catch the attention, and you can ask any question—the most basic of questions—without losing credibility. You can structure your book with the cold rationality of a project manager. You have the discipline to spend so-much-time-and-no-more researching one topic before moving on to the next.

For better or worse, however, that neutrality disappears quickly. My first step toward writing this new edition of Cardigan’s history was to establish the Cardigan Archives, and as I processed materials into the collection, I began to feel affection for certain class years and long-gone faculty members, and to become nostalgic about the demise of this or that activity or tradition. I have to admit: I began to form opinions. I must also acknowledge that, once I spent an academic year on the campus close to students and the rhythm of school life, working with exceptional new colleagues (and with a husband working in the School’s administration), I was carried along into the School’s history myself.

There is value in having an outsider’s perspective, and also in being swept into Cardigan’s story: the two viewpoints simply lead to different observations. For this edition of the history, I used research methods that I hoped would preserve the best of both perspectives. First, I avoided using interviews to build my initial understanding (although at different points I did interview Cardigan’s past heads of school, and they were universally generous and helpful with their insights). Instead, I relied almost exclusively on contemporary primary source material. Setting aside Summer Session history, which merits its own research project, I slowly assembled archival material—trustee and corporation minutes, school publications, correspondence, films, photographs, and more—into a mosaic of the past, which became more detailed and nuanced with each added item. I then wrestled the mosaic into narrative form, hoping to provide readers with an insider’s perspective and give voice to those who had lived through the events.

I also structured the book in two halves, developing both an historical viewbook and a chronological narrative. The viewbook portion introduces the reader to life at Cardigan in the present day, offering historical context for current programs and traditions. In essence, it is a visual representation of the Cardigan Way, and a crash course in what it means to be a part of this vital, vibrant school community. Familiar themes rub shoulders with lesserknown historical facts, making this an accessible and fun introduction to all things Cardigan.

The narrative portion of the book builds on the work of both Hopkins and Rearick, but extends to include the years from 1995 to the present day. This section risked becoming “insider baseball,” in that it delves into the details of institutional challenges, strategies, and decisions that have shaped the course of the School for more than 75 years. Over this narrative, however, I have layered a montage of photographs and documents sourced from the Cardigan Archives. These images represent a campus-centered perspective that runs in parallel with the strategic work of the administration. Interested readers can learn how the sausage is made, while glimpsing the daily life of students and faculty during each era.

I suspect it would be difficult for anyone to remain an outsider for long at Cardigan Mountain School; it has always been a warm, welcoming community. Cardigan’s board of trustees and Chris Day took a leap of faith in entrusting me with this project, and they welcomed me with open arms. It has been my privilege to dive deep into the School’s history, spending several years getting to know the (past and present) people and programs. While sharing Cardigan’s story is a serious responsibility, I hope that this book communicates some of the joy that is always present on The Point.

Judith Solberg July 2022

Introduction

Picking uP the threAds oF Another writer’s story cAn Be coMPlicAted. One priority in editing this volume was to smooth the narrative transitions between the three periods of Cardigan’s written history: the Hopkins narrative (1945–60), the Rearick narrative (1960–95), and the current narrative (1995–present).

To that end, I have made certain technical decisions around handling these texts. The Rearick and Hopkins chapters have been copyedited to bring their style and format into closer alignment with Cardigan’s current publishing standards. However, I have not intentionally edited their meaning or content. I have adopted small exceptions to the Cardigan style guide throughout (for example, the removal of spaces from ellipses) in order to make all three texts easier to read. In a more significant deviation from Cardigan’s regular publication style, I made the decision to append only alumni class years to individual names. Had we included affiliations for parents, grandparents, and others, the length of the book might have doubled! Such is the strength of the School’s community.

Eagle-eyed readers may wonder why the title “Headmaster” and “Head of School” are both used in reference to the same role. Over time, preferred use has shifted from the former title to the latter. I use each head’s chosen title when writing about his tenure, and I quote titles verbatim from documents and publications. I used a similar approach when referencing the titles of other roles and departments throughout the book. Some faculty and staff surnames have changed over time. Generally speaking, I use the surnames that were in use during the period being described. If a name change occurs within the narrative, however, I have noted the change within the text.

Finally, this book relies on a large and varied number sources, including slides, photos, minutes, publications, letters, and other documents now held in the Cardigan Archives. I interviewed current and former heads of school for this book, and also reviewed interviews and oral histories created in other contexts. In the final section (1995–present), my intent was to cite all quoted sources within the text: any oversights are unintentional, and are likely to refer to information from Board and Corporation minutes. While we have no formal bibliography for the Hopkins and Rearick chapters, we do know from their correspondence that both men relied heavily on Board and Corporation minutes, and that Hopkins in particular gleaned a significant amount of information from the Bulletins that Cardigan Founder Hap Hinman sent to the School’s trustees and incorporators.

BOOK ONE: The View from The Point

A MISSION TO GROW

Middle school boys are at an exciting, important stage in their lives: they seek to discover who they are, who they can become, and what they are capable of achieving. Helping boys step on the path to self-knowledge and independence is our mission. Every day, they learn to look for the potential in their own mind, body, and spirit, and to discover a love of learning that they will carry for a lifetime. It’s an exciting journey, and it requires our boys to engage with the very obstacles which they fear may hold them back.

For 75 years, Cardigan boys have been growing into young men together. This book offers a glimpse of what those fleeting moments have had in common, and illuminates how this very special place in Canaan, New Hampshire, creates lifelong bonds.

MIND

Realizing Potential: engaging the Young Mind

A boy arrives on The Point with a unique blend of academic strengths and weaknesses. That’s why Cardigan faculty members focus on students as individuals, working with each boy to help him understand his own abilities. As a student learns to choose and use the tools he needs in order to learn, he becomes invested in his own achievement.

Cardigan’s first academic program to make this approach explicit was Language Training, instituted by Headmaster Wilfred “Dutch” Clark in the School’s fifth year to improve students’ reading fluency and comprehension. The program was so successful in helping boys find their academic footing that it has remained a staple (in various forms) at Cardigan ever since. In fact, its philosophy—to help a boy identify his own best pathway to learning—now underpins most of school life. Through the current PEAKS® department, boys engage in their own intellectual, physical, and emotional development on a daily basis.

The School’s founders understood the powerful impact of early education; they hoped that, as founder Hap Hinman put it, Cardigan would “help more than one boy to find himself early in life.” They envisioned a school where a young man would conquer selfdoubt and discover his full potential, and they knew that patient, informed support could help in that work. Today’s students continue to realize the founders’ vision, proving again and again that every boy has the ability to succeed.

Milestone MoMents

r 1949–50: The Corporation elects new member Dr. Donald Durrell, a Boston University dean with deep expertise on reading and language training

r 1950–51: Teaching veteran Dorothy Emerson is recruited by Dutch Clark to establish the Language Training program, known in later years as the Language Learning Lab (lll)

r 1957–58: Hopkins Hall construction includes a dedicated classroom for Language Training

r 1981–82: Department chair Bev Wakely consolidates Reading and Study Skills into an integrated program (Rss)

r 1989–90: Under Chip Dewar, a new Math Lab program provides additional support for both basic and advanced math skills

r 2004–05: Technology skills are integrated with the Rssprogram to create the Essential Study Skills (ess) program

r 2007–08: Cardigan pilots The Charles C. Gates Invention & Innovation Competition as a ninth grade elective

r 2008–09: PeaKs(Personalized Education for the Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills) integrates all individualized learning curricula within one department

engaging the Young Mind

“

Most schools take in a few of these students by accident or by design and offer them a ‘special program’ which is an insult to their intelligence. They sit through years of conventional classes without ever reading the text assignments or writing anything satisfactory to themselves. The brighter they are, the more frustrating is any attempt to meet requirements. And the frustrations of the uninformed teacher and parent find release in reports of willful mischief and stupidity. A long, high wall of misunderstanding stretches away around these boys. ‘They could do it if they tried.’ We think they do try, almost hard enough to demolish the wall, but they find it impossible and give up. For certain ones Language Training opens the door through the wall to scholarly success.” (Dorothy Emerson, “New Department,” Bulletin, February 16,1951)

3.

Caprow has been overseeing the department since its inception in 2008–09. The curriculum aims to give every Cardigan student the skills for success through an understanding of his own learning strengths and challenges.

6.

Facing Page: Cheryl Borek leads her eighth grade PeaKsclass through the process of making bread in 2017. The students mixed the dough, baked the bread, and served it to the School community during dinner as an exploration of healthy environments.

1. and 2. Littleton native Dorothy Emerson trained at Keene Teachers College and Columbia University, and was a language training specialist who established Cardigan’s academic year and Summer Session programs. Describing the work for trustees in 1951, she emphasized the need for “protecting each youngster who is really ashamed.”

and 4. Individualized support for reading and language remains a staple of Cardigan’s curriculum. Established as the Language Training program in 1950, this support later evolved into the Language Learning Lab. Pat Franz (pictured in 1993) worked in the lllfrom 1987 to 2008; Dorothy Linn, shown in 1964, was one of many faculty members who participated in LT from 1950–78.

5. Norm and Bev Wakely look on at the 1982 unveiling of the Stoddard Hall space honoring her work, which included integrating Cardigan’s reading and study skills programs.

PeaKschair Jarrod

taKing RisKs: Clubs, aCtivities, and new FRontieRs

Life away from home can be a daunting prospect, but once boys arrive on The Point they quickly discover the fun, friendship, and joys that are part of campus life. So it is with many worries: once faced, fears fade and are replaced by new skills and greater confidence. That’s why we constantly ask students to test themselves and try new things.

It is a philosophy that permeates Cardigan’s classrooms, our extra-curricular activities, and school life in general. Whether chancing a dousing during the Cardboard Boat Regatta, performing a musical solo, or scaling a mountain for the first time, we ask Cardigan boys to move beyond their comfort zones from the moment they arrive on The Point. Cardigan’s broad and ever-changing array of clubs and activities ensure that students continue to have new experiences: a boy can take a cooking class in the fall, learn to play chess in the winter, and connect with others through service in a senior living facility in the spring. We all build character by pushing through imagined boundaries. It can be daunting for a student to try something that he knows will be difficult, so Cardigan’s faculty members also push themselves to grow, shoulder to shoulder with the boys. When adults are taking an icy plunge for Polar Bear, competing in the Lake Run, and sharing personal experiences in Chapel, it’s easy to find a role model to lead the way.

The woodshop produces lots of scraps and great ideas never realized, just as team sports produce some losses, bumps, and bruises. These failures are what promote the growth in our lads. […] Our job is to teach students how to take chances in healthy ways (and yes, sometimes sprained ankles and broken wrists can be healthy!). We create lots of opportunities for boys to take calculated risks with supervision and support, and for a purpose. Sometimes a boy will discover his limits, but more often he’ll surprise himself with newfound abilities.” (Chris Day, “Risk and Reward,” News from the Head of School, Fall 2019)

above: What began as a “sidewalk surfing fad” in the 1960s stayed popular on The Point, with boys working their way up from small inclines to more challenging terrain. “When he has conquered the highest hills around,” the Chronicle reported in 1964, the Cardigan student “turns to other challenges, such as trick riding.”

Clubs, aCtivities, and new FRontieRs

1. The first risk a Cardigan student takes is stepping onto campus for the first time. Leaving home, sharing a bedroom with a stranger, hugging a sibling goodbye—all require a great deal of courage. Boys soon learn that growth, confidence, and fun follow as comfort zones expand.

2. The Charles C. Gates Invention & Innovation Competition exemplifies the kind of intellectual risk-taking that boys learn to embrace at Cardigan. Students create solutions to real-world problems through a process of trial and error, discovering that learning happens from every outcome. This remarkable program culminates in a challenging and empowering presentation that can earn participants their own U.S. patent.

3. Cardigan’s location means that boys can discover their inner strength via classic “man vs. nature” encounters. Today we see this in rock climbing, C.o.R.e., Mountain Day, and many clubs and activities. In fall 1972, it took the form of five boys taking on Gunnar Baldwin’s “Wilderness Encounter” program. It began with a September Polar Bear dip, followed by extensive training: “There were group exercises of various sorts which were designed to demonstrate the need for leadership. Then one afternoon [Baldwin] took them off into the woods until they were lost—so they would have to make meaningful group decisions without panic. For physical strengthening they ran a rope obstacle course, practiced drown-proofing techniques and learned rock climbing skills, including work with ropes and rappelling.” The boys’ experience culminated in November with a Saturday-to-Monday solo camping experience on Tug Mountain.

4. through 11. The sheer breadth of clubs and activities that Cardigan boys can try is astounding, with options varying by year and era to reflect the interests of boys and faculty alike. As Headmaster Chip Dewar noted in 1996, “the Club program in its variety of offerings provides more opportunities through which students can practice their life skills—communicating and working collaboratively with others, developing individual projects according to their interests and talents, developing techniques for conflict resolution, [and] experiencing the satisfaction of achievement.”

leaRning bY doing: hands on in the ClassRooM

Active and collaborative learning are fundamental teaching tools at Cardigan. We know from experience, as well as through current research, that a boy who is “doing” is a boy who is “learning.” When boys use both mind and body to work through a problem, they stay engaged, internalize knowledge in new ways, and build confidence. Middle school boys have very specific developmental needs, and we are experts at meeting them where they are.

It’s why we have a tradition of incorporating experiential learning into every aspect of the classroom experience. Humanities units come to life through mock trials and formal debates. Students care for plants and animals in the Living Lab and the Community Garden, with the Canaan Street Lake acting as an adjunct science classroom. Boys engage in the creative process through woodworking and the Charles C. Gates Invention & Innovation Competition, imagining “what if” and discovering their own solutions.

We know that we are preparing students to meet a changing world. When the body of a middle school boy is active, so is his brain; as our students learn to dive fearlessly into problem-solving, they build the tools they will need to unravel problems like entrepreneurs. Informed trial and error, creative thinking, and collaborative approaches are tools that help our graduates skillfully navigate uncharted waters.

When I asked what science background [a secondary school] would like to have matriculating tenth graders equipped with, the consensus was that scientific knowledge was much less important than a keen interest in science and an ability to gather data accurately. To achieve that end, our approach in the department has been to stress hands-on projects and experimentation whenever possible.” (Jamie Funnell H’09, “The New Science Center Labs to Provide Better Teaching Space for Science Program,” Cardigan Chronicle, Summer 1995)

above: The Living Laboratory in Bronfman was conceived of by faculty member David Auerbach in 2009, building on ideas tested by previous Cardigan teachers. A 1965 Chronicle article notes that “The science area of Hopkins Hall is presently teeming with an assortment of plants, reptiles, and small mammals. Mr. Walke’s Science Department has greatly increased the amount of ‘learning by doing’ in that area.” The Living Laboratory remains a major attraction for Cardigan boys, a beautiful realization of early goals for the program.

hands on in the ClassRooM

1. In spring of 1953, faculty member Don Stowe acquired a 1931 Model A Ford that Richard Hayes’55 described it as an “old jalopy […] pretty close to the junk yard.” The boys sought permission to work on the vehicle: “After stripping down the motor and installing new parts that were needed the boys got it started one afternoon. A short time later Mr. Stowe and [Chef] Clancy took a ride in it in the road, much to the surprise of the boys.”

2. “The log cabin on the Pinnacle is almost completed. Since it was first begun in the fall of 1971, Mr. Burt, with dozens of volunteering students, have spent many hours cutting, notching and shaping logs as it was done a century before. When completed, Mr. Wakely’s dream cabin will be a warm-up hut for Pinnacle skiers. The sketch on the front of this edition was done by R. Alden Burt.” (“Cabin in the Sky,” Words About Cardigan, Fall 1972)

3. In 1981 faculty members Bob and Thurza Small took the sixth grade to Cape Cod, reinforcing their “spring curriculum of integrated studies in natural history and ecology, geological structures and human history.” The annual tradition would continue until 2003; here, 1997’s sixth graders are accompanied by faculty members Jennifer Fletcher, Noah Cermak, and Gerald Cronin.

4. In addition to encouraging intellectual risk-taking, the Gates program epitomizes hands-on learning. It began in 2006 as the science department’s new “invention elective.” As program director Mark Holt described it at the time: “In a specially-designed lab, students will have the chance to solve everyday problems, work with their hands and build their prototype. This kind of project teaches the mind how to think creatively. It’s going to be a rewarding learning experience.” The first Gates students did their inventing in the garden level of the Chapel. Today, the Gates lab is located in Wallach, Cardigan’s center for innovative design, applied engineering, and creative arts.

Finding selF-exPRession: the aRts at CaRdigan

Cardigan boys have many opportunities to explore music, woodworking, visual arts, and theater. Arts programs both support and extend what can be taught in a traditional classroom, and our learning spaces reflect this philosophy. The Music Center is located beneath the Chapel; Humann Theatre is found within the Stoddard Center; and Wallach contains classrooms not only for math and engineering, but also the Williams Work Shop, visual and digital arts classrooms, and the Tsui Yee Gallery.

The arts are part of everyday life on The Point because it has never been more important for boys to learn how to connect and communicate with others. Music, theater, and the visual arts at Cardigan provide boys with a framework for exploring and expressing passion and hearing others’ voices, which are integral skills for a balanced life. Our students undertake studio projects, work independently and in ensembles, and learn the history of great art.

The foundation of our arts program is a supportive environment, creating a safe space to explore issues of identity and community. Through the vulnerable act of sharing his art with peers, each boy builds empathy. In turn, he learns to respect and support others as they present performances and personal artwork. The result is a community where art functions as intended: as a platform for exploring important questions, and for expressing feelings that words can’t yet capture. 16MIND

Milestone MoMents

r 1946–47: Sixth graders perform The Weather Clerk in Canaan Village under Barbara Sawyer’s direction

r 1950–51: Robert Sharp rehearses school choir for Sunday services and auditions students for a Cardigan Glee Club

r 1954–55: Harold O’Dell begins band and orchestra as extracurricular activities

r 1955–56: Music Appreciation is Cardigan’s first fine arts course; the organ is moved from Old North Church to the new auditorium in Hinman Hall

r 1956–57: Raymond Jenness organizes the first Cardigan talent show

r 1963–64: Walter Smith is hired as first director of music; Chapel construction includes art and music rooms in garden level

r 1964–65: R. Alden Burt is first faculty member with exclusive focus on visual arts (he becomes Cardigan’s first Art Department Chair in 1971–72)

r 1982–83: Humann Theatre and gallery space open in the new Stoddard Center

r 1995–96: Bronfman construction incorporates a new Arts Center

r 2017–18: Digital arts lab is added to the visual arts classrooms

r 2020–21: Visual and digital arts move to Wallach, Cardigan’s hub for innovative design, applied engineering, and creative arts

r 2021–22: Chapel renovation returns music classrooms to the academic quadrangle

the aRts at CaRdigan

“ Taking advantage of an unusual opportunity, the School purchased for $500 the complete shop of a hobbyist in Hanover: scarcely used pre-war Delta tools in excellent condition, equipped with benches and individual motors. It was an excellent buy in dollars and cents and gave George Fullerton a running start in getting his wood working classes under way.” (Hap Hinman, Bulletin, October 31,1946)

above: Since our first academic year, woodworking has been helping students learn patience, explore creativity, and practice attention to detail. For some boys, the Williams Work Shop has itself been a critical building block in their self-confidence.

18MIND

1.and 2. Instrumental lessons and performance groups may provide great education and experience, but student bands free Cardigan boys to pursue their own musical tastes. At top, “Nasil Basil and the Four Noses” play at a school dance in 1967;” at bottom, Jack Armstrong ’19 plays with the Wingnuts in Humann Theater in 2019.

3. Cardigan’s first department chair for fine arts, R. Alden Burt, was a working artist who instituted a campus Art Club. He “encouraged [boys] to drop in during free time to simply have fun,” he said, because “this is often their most productive time in the art room.”

4. Martin Smith ’67, was recognized as an AllState Actor in the 1967 New Hampshire Drama Festival for his role as Brutus in Julius Caesar. Smith, who would later work as an editor on films like Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace, has said that this competition and recognition during his Cardigan days “was the start, in a way, of my career.”

1.through 3. Three performances of Caesar (in 1975, 1988, 2018) illustrate a throughline between eras. While advisors, performance spaces, and stagings may change, Cardigan students always have the opportunity to perform for their peers.

4. Before Cardigan hired a full-time music director, multi-talented faculty members like Craig Allen (pictured playing the organ in Hinman Auditorian in 1956) would accompany students at vespers and other campus events.

Facing Page: Susan Rives taught visual arts at Cardigan from 1978 to 2010, and was then on the Summer Session faculty for another decade. “We are all interpreters of our world. The students I’ve worked with have inspired me and I hope I have inspired them,” she wrote in 1980. “Their visual interpretations have been exciting, creative, even shocking at times […] all of us are Michelangelos in many, different ways.”

walKing the talK: Role Models and MentoRs

The heart and soul of The Point are the members of our faculty and staff who make the well-being of Cardigan’s boys their top priority. We ask the adults in our community to commit to the School’s mission of serving Cardigan students, and to embrace the Cardigan Way as a lifestyle. This requires a conscious commitment to being a lifelong learner, constantly “helping the other fella,” and modeling the Core Values of compassion, integrity, respect, and courage on a daily basis.

Our remarkable men and women accomplish all of this and much, much more. In classrooms and offices, on paths and playing fields, and in the dorms and dining hall, they are there to offer students the consistent support that builds strong, trusting relationships. They stay in constant communication with family members, sharing accomplishments and insights. They hold each boy to a high standard and congratulate him when it is met. They offer perspective when homesickness threatens or coursework overwhelms, and they set off laughter at just the right moments.

Being a part of a campus community is by no means an easy life, but it is a fulfilling and meaningful one. We are proud of the faculty and staff members who fill Cardigan with positive energy and inspiration. Whether young interns or seasoned professionals with decades of experience, they go beyond their basic job descriptions to lead by example in every way.

“

To say that Jim [Marrion] instilled in me the notion of personal integrity would be an understatement. He gave me an image of an accessible hero whom I could aspire to emulate and reference, as I learned to navigate my inner and outer life. His generosity, knowledge, and spirit allowed me to participate in sports at levels that I had no real ability for, but this experience engendered a fearlessness in me that has led me—and continues to lead me—far.”

(Rob Morrow ’77, “Remembering Coach Marrion,” Cardigan Chronicle, Spring/Summer 2014)

Role Models and MentoRs

1. Following each commencement, Cardigan’s newest alumni form a receiving line to accept the wellwishes of the faculty and staff members who have helped to shape their experience. Here, Al Gray H’12, Josh LeRoy, and Allan Kreuzburg congratulate members of the class of 2019.

2.and 3. Assistant Headmaster Joe Collins H’92 was a fixture in the classroom and on the football field, but was especially beloved for his compassionate support of students. Often seen sitting in deep conversation with a struggling boy, Collins received a fitting memorial after his passing with the 2009 dedication of the Chapel bench.

1. Being a dorm parent means that faculty members can be a resource to the boys at any time of day or night. Here Dudley Clark H’05 offers some guidance to a ClarkMorgan resident.

2. Like Roger Noldt and Norm Wakely H’91, shown cheering the football team from the Claremont sidelines in 1957, Cardigan’s adults support our athletes. Faculty members, staff, and dorm families are often seen rallying around Cougar teams, both at home and away.

3. The Buildings and Grounds staff are always some of the hardest working adults on campus. After a 1958 snowstorm, Earl White helped clear the paths for faculty, staff, and students.

4. In the notes he used for a faculty meeting he attended in December, 1951, founder Hap Hinman makes explicit his philosophy on teaching.

BODY

Exploring thE outdoors: naturE as tEachEr

We have what other schools can only dream about: the magic of place. Nestled into our peninsula on the Canaan Street Lake, overlooked by Mount Cardigan, and surrounded by miles of woods, trails, and New England beauty, Cardigan students have access to all the inspiration that nature can offer. Prompted by the encouragement and example of the faculty, our boys explore their surroundings to the fullest.

The beauty of Cardigan’s campus can be a source of joy, peace, and inspiration. It also functions as a classroom, where students learn more about themselves and their world. The outdoors illustrates how we impact the spaces we occupy, and Cardigan boys explore their relationship with their surroundings in both formal and informal ways. Science classes study local flora and fauna, outdoor clubs venture off-campus to explore mountain peaks, sixth graders raise pumpkins and bunnies, Chapel attendees meditate on the changing seasons, Nordic skiers compete on miles of frozen trails laid on land and water—Cardigan life is, quite simply, defined by our setting. Our students discover an authentic love of nature, and graduate with the tools to be committed stewards of their future communities.

MilEstonE MoMEnts

r 1946–47: Faculty member Ted Peach leads regular hikes up Mount Cardigan

r 1956–57: Woodcraft, School Improvement & Landscape, and Forestry are offered as student activities

r 1976–77: Outdoor Environment, a precursor to Wilderness and c.o.r.E.programs, is offered as an athletics season option

r 1984–85: Students in the Wilderness program build a Cardigan ropes course

r 1995–96: The addition of the Freda R. Caspersen Science Labs supports an increased focus on environmental and ecological studies

r 2009–10: The Living Laboratory is established in Bronfman

r 2010–11: Cardigan Outdoor Recreation Expeditions (c.o.r.E.) Base Camp building opens

r 2018–19: The Farm Program is incorporated into the sixth grade curriculum

naturE as tEachEr

1. In 1949, faculty member Ted Peach said that Cardigan’s gymnasium comprised “the entire out-of-doors; and other things such as overnight camping trips, a rifle range in the basement, skiing, [and] skating; climbing Cardigan Mountain is a favorite sport.”

2. and 3. Cardigan’s first viewbook notes that “A love for animals and the desire to care for them is a natural part of the school life at Cardigan.” Working with animals helps young boys connect to the natural world and become comfortable in a nurturing role. Cardigan’s first students were assigned daily chores to care for cows, horses, and other livestock; today’s sixth graders learn about the cycle of life while participating in our Farm Program.

4. Canoe trips have been a staple mode of exploring the local surroundings, as in this 1960 outing along the Connecticut River. These Cardigan paddlers were met in Cuckoo Cove by Campcraft members, who hiked in separately to cook dinner for the group.

5. Mount Cardigan is a tempation and a challenge in all seasons. While students in the 1940s sometimes camped overnight on the mountain, in 1967 faculty members Earl Aldrich and Donald Blunt hiked these boys in from Orange Gorge. During this April outing they found the fire tower on Cardigan’s summit covered in rime, but by the next day it was “nearly bare of ice and snow.”

this page and facing page: The Canaan Street Lake: where boys fish, build huts and rafts, canoe and sail, swim, or simply find peace.

c1952

FostEring hEalth: WEllnEss at cardigan

In early days, Cardigan’s medical staff focused on physical needs—the health, strength, and safety of boys’ bodies. Faculty and staff were adept at providing the students with emotional, social, intellectual, and psychological support, which were initially seen as belonging to a separate realm. Over time, we gained a deeper cultural understanding of how these needs intersect with physical health. Students on The Point are now immersed in an integrated and proactive approach to wellness that draws on professional expertise across all of these fields.

How do we foster wellness today? In an era that will be remembered for its public health concerns, the health and safety of the boys remains top priority for Cardigan’s adults, and we take great pride in our incomparable medical staff. As we prepare students for the greater world, however, we also ask boys to share responsibility for their health. Whether this means nutritious meal choices in the dining hall, full engagement in athletic team workouts, or commitment to guided meditations in Chapel, small decisions lead to healthy habits.

We also help students to explore how social and emotional decision-making impacts their health. Our life skills curriculum is designed specifically for the needs of middle school boys, raising questions of self-care, social pressures, and relationships within a guided, thoughtful, and safe structure. The goal is to prepare Cardigan students for the emotional highs and lows that begin in boyhood and only become more acute during the teen years and beyond.

Wellness involves the whole person. Each student is encouraged to nurture his mind, body and spirit, and to intentionally seek a balance that will keep him healthy, happy, and confident. At Cardigan, every moment of the day offers an opportunity to put those skills into practice. 34BODY

MilEstonE MoMEnts

r 1947–48: Infirmary is located in Blodgett House, on Canaan Street across from the Lodge

r 1958–59: Infirmary moves to Fifield House (formerly called Williams Work Shop and Stevens House)

r 1986–87: Fifield House is renovated and dedicated as the William Knapp Morrison Infirmary

r 1987–88: The Life Skills curriculum is added to the academic program

r 1989–90: The board of trustees forms ad hoc committees to provide guidance on health services and counseling

r 1990–91: Cardigan partners with Mary Hitchcock Hospital (now Dartmouth Health) to provide student care

r 1991–92: A comprehensive medical form is added to the registration process

r 1993–94: Cardigan adds a school psychologist to staff

r 1997–98: Student Health is included in the board’s Campus Life Committee cluster

r 2006–07: The Hamilton Family Foundation Student Health Center opens in the former Hinman auditorium

r 2008–09: The pEaKs® (Personalized Education for the Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills) department integrates individualized learning and health curricula

r 2016–17: The board’s School Life Committee forms to “Support the administration in championing school life programs related to activities, health, and community that fully live up to our mission and are aligned with our strategic priorities.”

r 2018–19: Renovations to the Hamilton Family Foundation Student Health Center are completed; full-time counselor joins Cardigan's staff

1.and 2. Cardigan’s medical team has always offered the first line of defense against public health concerns. Above, Dr. Ben Gardner prepares to administer a coVid-19 vaccination; at right, Jim Casselman

3.and 4. Wellness includes the ability to navigate transitions, manage stress, build friendships, resolve conflicts, and have healthy communication. Whether talking through strategies with a trusted adult or working through related curricula with peers, Cardigan boys build the emotional and social skills that they will need to thrive within their changing world.

’60 receives his flu vaccination from Dr. Israel Dinerman as nurse Marion Noldt assists.

1.and 2. The lesson for students doing calisthenics in 1964—as it was for those taking part in a 2019 “Funsie Onesie Runsie”—is that physical activity outside of competitive athletics is also part of a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

3. After efforts to build a new health facility languished for several years, Headmaster Tom Needham suggested that converting Hinman’s auditorium could offer an inspired solution to the challenge. Here, Roz Burke emerges from the newly-opened Hamilton Family Foundation Student Health Center in October, 2006. Burke directed Cardigan’s health services from 1990 to 2012.

4. Dr. Robert Kenerson, who has served on Cardigan’s board for over fifty years, helped the School navigate critical shifts in managing student wellness. In addition to guiding the implementation of on-campus counseling and psychological services, Kenerson was instrumental in helping Cardigan to define its support for the first students with diagnoses of addand adhd. Kenerson praised the resulting program for providing boys “an early diagnostic break with remedial help in a very protective and nurturing environment.”

EMbodying sportsManship: thE EVolution oF cardigan tEaMs

Cardigan’s athletic program keeps our campus healthy, focused, and balanced. Daily practices offer students an outlet into which they can channel their abundant energy, and bring them together with friends and coaches to work as a team. Our beautiful location and excellent facilities enable boys to sample a broad variety of sports; skilled coaches encourage hesitant boys and give natural talents the critical early guidance that they need to excel. While they are having fun and trying new things, the boys also improve their strength, endurance, skills, and nutrition, building toward a lifetime of good habits.

Of course, athletics are about much more than the physical body. Finding success on a playing field builds confidence in the boy who may be still finding his feet in the classroom. With faculty members who teach, coach, and live in the dorms, we are able to acknowledge all of a student’s strengths. Our athletics program is an important part of seeing the whole boy, which helps him to appreciate his own potential.

Underpinning all of school life, including athletics, are Cardigan’s Core Values. We do not ask our athletes to win at all costs, but rather to “be the best” version of themselves— the secret ingredient to any winning team. Rather than focusing on physical prowess, awards like the Student Athlete of the Week recognize those with the positive attitude and determined work ethic that can motivate and encourage teammates. Teamwork and sportsmanship are paramount: in the classroom and on the playing field, Cardigan boys learn that success follows when integrity and commitment lead.

athlEtic tEaMs: MilEstonE MoMEnts

Fall

r 1951–52: Don Stowe and Norm Wakely establish a football team with ten players; their initial match is an 18–0 loss to Canaan Junior High

r 1959–60: Herbert Wexler, Ted Linn, and Thomas Wood coach students who compete against other schools for the first time using Cardigan’s growing fleet of Tech Dinghy sailboats

r 1964–65: A new playing field enables Cardigan to establish a fall soccer team under coaches Richard Benner and Sydney Johnson

r 1983–84: The first cross-country running team competes under coach Dave Dewey

r 1986–87: Coaches Lee McLendon, Jim Dingle, and Bruce Hennessey offer rock climbing as a standalone sport, distinguishing it from other wilderness activities for the first time

r 1995–96: Coach Noah Cermak leads a new mountain biking team; the team lapses but is reestablished in 2010–11 by Mike Fitzgerald

Football (Founded 1951–52)

3.

and

Lary coached Cardigan’s first undefeated football team in 1958–59. Thompson wrote: “This year’s team was not composed of outstanding players, but rather a group of boys who worked together as a unit to become an outstanding team. [They] never lacked in spirit nor enthusiasm. The praise received from officials, spectators, and opposing coaches and players for their good sportsmanship, hard but clean play was well deserved.”

1. Athletic Director Jim Marrion, who also coached Cardigan’s varsity gridiron team to six undefeated seasons, insisted on his players modeling good sportsmanship. A favorite Marrionism still in use on Marrion Field today: “Knock ’em down, then help ’em up.”

2. Don Stowe and Norm Wakely (third and fifth from left) are pictured in a faculty group in 1951–52, the year they founded Cardigan’s football team.

Don Thompson

Bill

4. A 2021–22 loss against St. Paul’s was “not only the first game played since the ’19-’20 season, it was the first game in many of the young Cardigan players’ careers.” Using the season to build skills, the team closed strong with a 38–8 win against Avon Old Farms.

“

At Cardigan, most wind comes from the northwest and it is twisted and deflected by trees, buildings, and land contours which surround our cove. The boys are taught to feel the wind and to watch the dark streaks which rush across the water in different directions. They tack to avoid ‘knocks’ (unfavorable wind shifts) or head up closer to the wind to exploit ‘lifts’ (favorable wind shifts). […] Maybe it occurs to boys that maneuvering for the ‘lifts’ and tacking away from the 'knocks' is like the rest of life.” (Jim Crowell, “Sailing,” Words About Cardigan, Spring 1979)

1. Quick reflexes and smart responses make for good sailors, and Cardigan boys have been known to hold their own against even collegiate teams. The 1971 team was undefeated, and placed seventh in the Mitregatta.

2.and 3. Equipment is critical to the sailing team. Cardigan’s acquisition of Tech Dinghy sailboats in 1958 allowed boys to compete for the first time in 1959–60 under Herbert Wexler, Ted Linn, and Thomas Wood. The purchase of a new fleet in 1989–1990 helped reinvigorate the team for a new era.

4. A spring team must “impatiently [await] the yearly phenomenon of the ‘going out of the ice,’” as the Chronicle noted in 1965, and Mother Nature has been responsible for many short seasons spent largely in anticipation. In recent years Cardigan has experimented with both spring and fall seasons to maximize boys’ time on the water.

1. David Johnson runs the first soccer team through some calisthenics in 1964. Conditioning remains key to the sport, as Coach James Dingle noted with a wink in 1985: “Our recent victories can be attributed to our weekly five-mile jogs around Canaan Street Lake and daily Raymond Berry sprints, which the boys anticipate with great enthusiasm.”

2. Norm Wakely’s remarks during the 1965 dedication of the new soccer field encapsulated Cardigan’s athletic philosophy: “May the teams that play today and in the future always excel in comradeship and sportsmanship.”

3. Familiar to both domestic and international students, soccer has the potential to bridge other cultural barriers. Today’s athletes hail from around the world, and Cardigan gatherings in Mexico occasionally feature an alumni soccer game.

4. Soccer rapidly increased in popularity beginning in the late 1970s; in 1981–82 Cardigan fielded five full teams for the first time. Here, long-time Coach Jeff Hicks sets strategy while his 1979 team regroups.

5. Fun is part of the formula for a team’s success. A 1986 Chronicle article notes that one soccer team's theme song “inspired their 5-2 victory over arch-rival Eaglebrook (the first win at the Reserve ‘A’ level in several years).”

“

At times, the rock can get cold. And pretty frequently the rock can get sharp. You can only make it to the top if you have the will to go on. In rock climbing, there is always a ‘problem’ or route that challenges your body and tells it that it’s incapable of ever succeeding. Rock climbing has taught me to never give up on anything in any area of life.” (Gianni Leslie ’12, “A Transformative Place,” Cardigan Chronicle, Spring 2011)

1. Cardigan’s current team practices in the Cougar Climbing Cave, a dedicated space in the Marrion Athletic Center.

2.and 3. Cardigan climbers have built their skills in many places—Winslow Ledges, Plymouth’s Rock Barn, and Rumney and Lyme cliffs. On-campus climbing was first envisioned by Bryan Colket’91 and Matt Tucker ’91. As seniors, these boys constructed a climbing wall as a woodworking project, attaching it to the ski jump for use by Wilderness participants.

4. As Coach Chris Kenny observed in 2003, “At first the challenge is learning to trust the equipment, but the more difficult part is learning to trust your ability.” Here, two students prepare to test their faith in 1981.

5. Before rock climbing and c.o.r.E.became separate athletic entities, students like this 1979 climber were part of the Wilderness team (also nicknamed “Rocks and Ropes”). Describing the team’s athletes in 1997, Jim Truslow noted that “This incredible group of Cougars competes not against other schools, but against the elements, the rock walls, and their own fears and expectations.”

“ Coach Gillespie stopped, and said, ‘We are going to run this hill until our top two runners do it in under a minute, and our bottom runner finishes in under 1:30.’ […] I slowed my pace, and ran in the back with Lex. I pushed him, and made him work harder than he thought he could. Lex and I finished the hill in 1:27. As a team we had conquered individually daunting tasks. Cardigan’s sports teams don’t just play to learn about the sport, they learn about life in the process. Getting through problems that teams face is a great way to learn how things work in the real world.” (Matthew Brightman ’06, “Life and Learning,” Cardigan Chronicle, Spring 2006)

1. The new cross-country team was part of a Cardigan milestone in 1983–84, as 175 athletes joined interscholastic competition. Athletic Director Jim Marrion noted at the time, “Never before have we had five soccer teams and so many athletes in the whole program of cross-country running, soccer, cycling, and football.”

2. It is not unusual for Cardigan’s runners to compete against older, larger, and more experienced teams. It’s one more challenge to be faced and overcome, making each success all the more sweet.

3. While cross-country runners compete as a team, it is also very much an individual sport. One student captured this when describing meets in 1987–88: “The length of race courses ranged from 2.5 miles at Eaglebrook to 3.1 miles at Tilton. Some members of our team considered these race courses ‘short but extremely hilly and difficult’ except for most valuable runner Charles Dewey who quoted, ‘V.u.a. was easy!’”

4. Coaches Andrew Mars and Jim Burnett helped design a home course for the 1990–91 team, who hosted four meets and brought home the only athletic victory on that year’s Parents’ Weekend. “Being able to run on our own course added much more excitement to the competition,” the Blaze noted. “It was great to be able to have some of the home crowd cheering us on.”

Mountain biKing (FoundEd 2010–11)

“

The fledgling cMsmountain biking team, a mixture of sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth graders, all competed during a torrential rainstorm at Vermont Academy—a rain that sent the delicate fall foliage unceremoniously to the ground. The boys were soaking wet even before the bikes were off the trailer, and they suffered and endured the elements with the grit and determination we have come to expect at Cardigan. Sure enough, the boys, mud-splattered, scraped, but happy, gathered in the finish area to cheer each other on (1 of the 10 earned a third-place rank) and compare crashes and cuts. As if on cue after the race, we overheard one of the boys say, ‘This was the best race yet!’” (Alex Gray, “Cardigan People: The School’s Highest ‘Core Value,’” Cardigan Chronicle, Fall 2010)

1. Faculty member Mike Fitzgerald spent the summer of 2011 constructing over six miles of campus trails for Cardigan’s young Mountain Biking team, describing the trails as “an essential asset for our program.” Following his lead, coaches like Travis Nevins have worked constantly to maintain and expand the trail network, which has more than doubled since 2011.

2.and 3. Even inexperienced bikers quickly embrace “racing over tree roots, up and over boulders, [and] into streams and puddles,” as a 2011 Chronicle noted.

4. The Mountain Biking program has grown considerably in the decade since it joined the Lakes Region Interscholastic Mountain Bike Race League. Four teams of Cardigan bikers now compete against athletes from New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.

athlEtic tEaMs: MilEstonE MoMEnts

WintEr

r 1946–47: Dolly Peach is Cardigan’s hockey coach during the School’s first academic year; the team establishes a continuing relationship with players in Hyvinkää, Finland, in 1976

r 1957–58: Following a decade of recreational snow sports at Cardigan, Dick Leavitt organizes Cardigan’s first ski team to compete in “cross-country, downhill, and slalom”

r 1969–70: A fledgling basketball team plays a single game against Mascoma’s JV team; full team schedules are not played until the Kenerson Athletic Center opens in 1976–77

r 1976–77: The Stella Wrestling Room opens as home to Cardigan’s first wrestling team, coached by Bruce Barrett

r 1990–91: Snowboarding is added to the snow sports offerings, coached by Athletic Director Jim Marrion

facing page: In 1956,

the School used fill from new athletic fields to reshape Clancy Mountain (now known as Clancy Hill) to create an intermediate ski hill for students. The slope’s motorized rope tow—initially powered by an old truck engine, but upgraded along the way—has helped introduce generations of Cougars to snow sports.

hocKEy (FoundEd 1946–47)

1. Cardigan today has four hockey teams, all of which teach character development and leadership, skill acquisition, and game sense development. Every boy can grow into his potential: our program has produced seven nhlplayers as well as countless alumni with a lifelong love of a spirited pickup game.

2. Sports schedules against other schools were casual and sporadic during Cardigan’s first decade, when intramural activities took more focus. Although Cardigan fielded a hockey team from year one, this photo of Coach Jesse Morgan with the 1953–54 team is one of the first formal images taken of the team.

3. In an increasingly sophisticated and pressurized sport, Cardigan hockey has remained true to School values and the team’s scrappy, wholesome roots. It’s an experience that remains open to everyone, as Jim Truslow captured when writing about 1999’s Reserve B team: “Many of this group had never skated before much less played hockey, yet their drive, desire and love of the game was no less apparent [than] that of varsity stalwarts […]. This team is the cornerstone of the Cardigan hockey program and the athletic program as a whole. There is a place for every boy at Cardigan to excel.”

4. In 1975–76, Coach Schuyler Peck ’63 arranged for the hockey team to travel to Finland to build skills and learn more about Scandinavian culture. Their remarkable experience with families in Hyvinkää planted the seed for a flourishing, decades-long relationship that now comprises an academic exchange program, international travel, a community of “Old Boys” in Finland, and—of course—hockey.

Coach Bruce Marshard ’64 was instrumental in forging Cardigan’s relationship with Boston-area hockey players. Arranging for a bus to bring local families up to see the School in 1972, he “spent the trip pointing out the beauty of the New Hampshire countryside and trying to convince the boys and their parents of the remarkable opportunity that lay ahead for them if they chose Cardigan. After a day of running around campus, enjoying a barbecue and playing an interesting game of what can only be described as ‘full-contact’ tetherball, the boys and their families were convinced that Cardigan was the place.”

this page and facing page:

Mother Nature permitting, students have always played hockey directly on Canaan Street Lake. Whether lake rinks have been simple (shoveled spaces with impromptu goal markers) or more engineered (railroad ties, boards, and snowblowers), the throughline has been a need for players to lend a hand in their creation.

During January and February we have had very little ice to skate on because of the snow. Mr. Noldt and Mr. Jenness would be down on the ice from 1:15 till 6 o’clock and then often after supper until 11 p.M.Mr Noldt […] cleared it down the middle but there was snow on each side. On Monday afternoon there was a hockey game so we had to get the snow off the sides. Mr. Noldt and Mr. Jenness were down there right after lunch and the hockey team got dressed as fast as they could and also went down to shovel. Since then all we have to do is flood it after each day of hockey practice.” (Dick Weeks ’59, “Winter Ice,” Cardigan Chronicle, March 12, 1958)

“

facing page: Despite many creative approaches to improving hockey conditions at Cardigan, for many years establishing a seasonal rink was an unpredictable and uphill battle. The opening of the Covered Sports Area in 1968 meant that players no longer had to shovel snow from the rink just prior to facing opponents, and the csa’s rededication as the Turner Arena in 1988 marked a transformative improvement: the addition of artificial ice. In 2005, renovations and the addition of the Wakely Center elevated the arena to a true four-season athletic facility that is at the heart of a stellar hockey program.

Under the direction of Mr. Heagy an attempt was made to burn the proposed hockey rink site behind the lodge. The work was hampered by excessive dampness of the ground and nothing more has been done since the snow arrived. It was the original plan to hire a bulldozer and have the site leveled, but the operator said it was too soft to bring his machine in. It seems that the lake will have to do for another season.” (“Heard Around cMs,” Cardigan Chronicle, October 1951)

“ Operation Mud is taking place on the arm of the lake to the east of The Point property, not far from the Clancy home. The work [on the new hockey rink] was begun by bulldozer, but when that machine sank into the ooze a few times, the boys themselves pitched in. Under the direction of Athletic Director John Morgan, Jr., the students put on boots and heavy old clothes and literally waded into the job of levelling off the site.” (“New Hockey Rink,” Cardigan Chronicle, November 20, 1954)

“ [Peter Albee] and several classmates, under the supervision of faculty member Bob Brayman, used chainsaws and axes to fell pine trees onto a frozen Canaan Street Lake [and] Mr. Brayman skidded the logs to a local mill where they were sawn into lumber to make hockey boards. The boards were set up on what is now called Marrion Field, and the rink was flooded. Unfortunately, the ice never froze, and the school was left with hockey-rink-shaped mud pit in the center of campus." (“Class Notes 1958,” Cardigan Chronicle, Winter 2019)

“ Most of us, at one time or another, have made little skating rinks in the back yard. Nothing to it; just need a hose and freezing weather. The method is the same here, except that for a hockey rink 85' x 200' it takes a lot more water and much colder weather. Traditionally this is a job for the hockey coaches during the Christmas vacation. Turn on the hose, flood the rink, let it freeze, then repeat the process until ice builds up to 4 inches or so. If, however, days are bright and sunny raising temperatures into the 30s, ice can only be made in the cold of night. So those left on campus during the holidays, led by Jim Marrion, trek to the csaafter the 11 pMnews to start the water flowing. And again early in the morning, way before dawn. At that, there wasn’t enough ice to use by the time the boys returned this year.” (Notes From Cardigan, January 1987)

alpinE sKiing (FoundEd 1956–57)

1.through 3. Cardigan began using local ski areas for practices and “home” meets by the 1990s, as the Eastern alpine program was gaining a renewed focus. In addition to nEpsacand Lakes Region competitions, some Cardigan skiers also began to participate in ussaraces and attend off-season training. A breadth of opportunities ensures that Cardigan skiers of all skill levels—from recreational to nationally ranked—continue to develop during their time on The Point.

4.and 5. Cardigan skiing is deeply rooted in grit. Whether boot-packing the slopes, clearing new trails, working as “Norpine” helpers, or felling trees for tow poles, early students helped build the snow sports program from the ground up—literally. As Toby Kravet ’56 once noted: “Boys who wanted to ski at cMsback in those days were no slouches, to be sure.”

6. The steeper slopes on the nearby Pinnacle were challenging for beginners, but ideal for training Cardigan’s more advanced skiers. Early students rode the two miles from campus to its slopes in the back of a pickup truck, seated on hay bales; a T-bar lift opened on January 7, 1965, Mr. Linn “had the honor of making the first run on the new slope.” The Pinnacle remained “Cardigan’s private ski resort,” as faculty member Wim Hart described it, until insurance and snowmaking concerns became too great in the late 1980s.

4 5

1.and 2. With a magnificent location for learning snow sports, founder Hap Hinman expressed hope in 1952 that the School would “[carry] out a program to put all all Cardigan on skis.” In keeping with his hope to make students “very proficient in the art,” Cardigan’s snow sports training remains fun but serious business. From early trustee Charles Proctor (“the father of American skiing”), to guest experts like Hall-of-Famer Hans Geier, to ski camp host and three-time Olympian Miheala Fera-deMaggio, to current coach and Olympian Julia Ford, skiing greats have always helped shape the program and its athletes.

3.through 5. After a decade of purely recreational skiing at Cardigan, faculty member Don Stowe began preparing the School for a competitive team by grouping skiers based on their abilities. In following years, the “Mansion slope” was used to teach fundamentals, as described in this student article from 1959. Intermediate skiers trained on Clancy Hill (shown above, today) until they were ready to try the Pinnacle.

1. Cardigan’s Nordic athletes learn both classic and skate techniques, and focus on achieving personal bests. It’s not unusual to compete against former teammates during meets and championships, which bring together teams from throughout the New England region.

2. In the summer of 1976, coach Stephen Heath (shown here encouraging an athlete in 1981) began building a 10–15 kilometer network of Nordic trails for Cardigan. The newsletter Words About Cardigan reported that, in addition to volunteers from the University of New Hampshire, during the fall “students from the intramural program have also put in a great deal of time on the trails and have made a major contribution.”

3. Cardigan has occasionally trained its skiers as biathletes, as in this 2014 image. When Eric Uhlig ’96 and Alex Keene ’96 had given the sport a try a decade earlier, the Chronicle reported that, “with Mr. Ramos’s hot chocolate as the prize, the Cross Country/Biathlon Team pushed oil.”

4. Recreational snow sports are a long tradition at Cardigan. They do build skills that can be applied on the School’s competitive teams, but—more importantly— they make use of Cardigan’s glorious surroundings to introduce boys to a pastime they can enjoy for a lifetime. Here, assistant headmaster Bill Everts prepares students for a “ski hike” during the School’s first year.

5. As this 1990 image shows, the Canaan Street Lake can be an alternative course for Nordic skiers. The first five kilometer lake loop was piloted in 1980 during a season with very little snow, and “in a triangular Parents Weekend meet, Cardigan placed second in Nordic, against Kuaand Vermont Academy.”

2 3

4 5

1. Cardigan athletes are lucky to compete on one of the most beautiful campuses in New England. A spring storm in 2007 that “devastated our network of trails” put a four-year halt to hosting, but rebuilding efforts enabled the team to welcome Nordic competitors back to Cardigan in 2011.

2. Cardigan skiers approach a course alongside the Canaan Street Lake in 1964. The School’s ski improvement club described itself as “a hard hitting, hard axe swinging crew,” and in 1962 and 1963 its members worked on the Nordic trails under the guidance of advisor Alfred Wilder. Wick Moses ’63 wrote that “as you ski the new and greatly improved trails, you’ll know we’ve been there and done a good job.”

3. Prior to the 1958 season, five boys spent a week helping faculty member Dick Leavitt to improve the trail. “This course was used last winter but was not in very good shape,” the Blaze reported. “Many trees, stumps and rocks were on the trail making it passable only with fifteen inches of snow. It can now be used with about six inches of snow.”

“ This team lives by the motto the few and the brave. We are small in numbers and do not have much experience, however, we are dedicated and we compete.” (Ed Ramos, “Sports Shorts,” Cardigan Chronicle, Midyear 2000)

above: Cardigan’s first competitive ski season in 1957–58 comprised Alpine, Nordic, and ski jumping events. Here, Headmaster Roland Burbank checks the time for Yasuteru Ohta ’59, on a course which “starts at the side door of Hinman and goes to the end of the point back around by the waterfront, crosses the road and up the ski slope and runs down the power line to the finish back near Hinman.”

facing page: For many years Nordic competitions paired cross-country events with ski jumping, and the construction of Cardigan’s ski jump in 1959 (dismantled in 1993) meant that “for the first time Cardigan is able to have a four-event Ski Team.” As faculty member and Hall-of-Famer Henry Woods noted in 1972, Cardigan’s jumpers “severely surprised older and more experienced teams from prep schools on more than one occasion. […] The boys haven't learned any bad habits that have to be broken, and since so much of the technique used in jumping is totally different from that used in alpine skiing, there is no disadvantage.”

snoWboarding (FoundEd 1990–91)

1. In 2011, a small but special group of snowboarders had a fantastic season that culminated in the team’s first win of a meet against Lakes Region secondary schools. As Coach Andrew Jaspersohn described them: "Always out-manned, but never out-gunned!"

2.and 3. Although it was termed an “extreme sport,” snowboarding appealed to Cardigan Cougars, who sought opportunities to snowboard as early as the 1980s. Students participated in the activity through Cardigan's clubs and recreational skiing programs before competing. The sport was a natural fit for those students who could be found skateboarding in the off-season.

4.and 5. When the competitive snowboarding team was formed in 1990 under Coach Jim Marrion, its focus was on freestyle competition. By 1998, the sport had evolved to include racing: “Competing on free-style boards much of the season, many boys […] had a lot of success. After the Christmas break, the longer, sleeker racing boards became available, and the results were staggering. Look out next year!” Cougars continue to compete in both slalom and slopestyle events.

1. In 1983–84, increasing interest in the game led the JV basketball team to be divided into A and B squads for the first time (both were coached by faculty members Joe Collins H’92 and Ed Ramos H’06). The reserve team in 1994–95 acknowledged the value to individual players of breaking into numerous teams: “The team […] thanked Coach Marrion for his help at practice and for forming the team and giving the boys a chance to have their own schedule.”

2.and 3. Cardigan built a “recreational-social center” (christened as the Kenerson Athletic Center) primarily as a home base for indoor activities during wet and cold seasons. Its gymnasium was completed partway through the 1976–77 season; the next year, the team was able to hold a full schedule of games wearing new uniforms donated by trustee Dr. Richard Morrison ’50.

4. An annual jamboree brings several regional teams to compete on The Point. The Cougars enjoy “feeding off the energy of the home crowd,” as during this 2021 win against Proctor Academy.

5. Senior Mo Bamba ’14 takes on his teachers in Cardigan’s annual varsity-faculty game. A classic scholar-athlete, Bamba (now playing in the nba) once told an interviewer that “When I moved out of New York to go to New Hampshire it was purely an academic decision. […] It was so I could be a better student and push myself.”

6. Cardigan began a relationship with the Boys’ Club of New York in the 1990s. Boys’ Club Scholars joined Cardigan’s community on The Point, and in 1998 the basketball players began a continuing tradition of connecting with their New York counterparts via exchanges such as the Boys Club Future Starts tournament. Wilky Collins ’96, the first Cardigan player to score 500 points in a season, said at the time: “So many coaches in the city are after you to play hoops and they really do care about that. But so few of them care about the rest of your life […] it’s not that way here. Teachers are coaches and coaches are teachers—they really care about you. I have real relationships with the faculty here […] it’s not that way in New York.”

“

Wrestling turned me around […] it changed me for the better in every part of my school life.” (J.B. Ritter ’81, “New Wrestling Room Marks 16th Year of Wrestling Program,” Cardigan Chronicle, Midyear 1996)

1.and 2. Cardigan’s invitational tournament, established by Coach Bill Barron H’11 in 1983, is still an annual tradition today. The tournament has welcomed as many as 26 teams from across the region—and occasionally from further afield, as when a Montreal team attended in 1988.

3.through 5. In the 1950s and early 1960s, wrestling was usually a rainy day diversion that took place in dorms (faculty member Don Stowe was known to supervise dorm rec rooms, where “boys took their mattresses downstairs and used them for padding on the floor”). When Cardigan’s Covered Sports Area was completed in 1968, its new wrestling room not only offered boys dedicated space for burning that exuberant energy, but also made a future wrestling team a possibility.

6. When the Kenerson Athletic Center opened in 1977, the Stella Wrestling Room was dedicated in honor of Frank Stella P’66, who had “donated the mats and wrestling equipment to the school several years ago in anticipation of the creation of the school's first wrestling team.” Bruce Barrett (a French Hall dorm parent and head of physical education at Mascoma High School) was finally able to establish that team in the new space. As Words About Cardigan noted, the boys competed in a truncated 1976–77 season: “The team, consisting of three seniors, fought hard and well in their first match against Holderness on March 2nd. They are looking forward to a full season of matches next winter.”

7. Rick Brickell ’78 and his parents founded the Rodd D. Brickell Foundation, a suicide prevention organization, after the death of Rodd ’79 in 1986. Rodd had loved the sport he first tried during a Cardigan club, and the foundation supported Cardigan’s wrestling team “as a means of giving back to wrestling what it meant to Rodd.” At Cardigan the organization has sponsored the team’s equipment upgrades, camp scholarships, and tournament awards, and supported wrestling room renovations in 1996 and 2004.

athlEtic tEaMs: MilEstonE MoMEnts spring

r 1946–47: Dick Sawyer coaches the founding baseball team, which loses three games against competitors Kimball Union Academy and Canaan Center

r 1958–59: Tennis shifts from activity to sport under coaches Dick Leavitt and Donald Thompson; the boys beat Proctor in a match on Cotting Field’s new courts

r 1964–65: A new playing field heralds the addition of a spring lacrosse team under coach Sydney Johnson

r 1976–77: Building on the “Wilderness Encounter” offered by Gunnar Baldwin in 1972–73, coach Charles Sachs offers Outdoor Environment, a program that will evolve into Cardigan’s later Wilderness and c.o.r.E.(Cardigan Outdoor Recreation Experiences) teams

facing page: Joe Collins H’92 sits in the dugout with John Fanning ’81 and Dan Moody ’80 in 1980. That year’s Blaze dedication to Collins reads in part: “As a coach he has inculcated in his players not only the fundamentals and techniques of football, hockey, and baseball: but the qualities of sportsmanship and tenaciousness which have characterized his teams.”

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From the short end of a 14-4 fourth inning score, Cardigan Mountain School forged ahead to an 18-15 victory over Proctor Academy’s baseball nine at Canaan Street May 14 as the home alumni members cheered along with the students. […] The game attracted the largest attendance of the year and the fans took an active part in the contest when Mr. Roger Noldt organized an impromptu cheering section. Mrs. Wilfred W. Clark served refreshments on the portch [sic] at The Lodge following the contest.” (“Mountaineers Finish Winning Ball Season,” Cardigan Chronicle, June 1, 1955)

above: In the 1950s, alumni weekend often coincided with important baseball contest (including the tradition student vs. alumni game). Here, Coach Don Stowe and the 1953–54 baseball team pose in front of the Lodge on Canaan Street.

1. Eaglebrook's former athletic director Jack Jones once noted that the rival teams “did do battle out on the baseball diamond, but with every strategy, bunt or steal, the level of play and sportsmanship were always [Coach Marrion’s and my] foremost concerns. Our two schools have shared plaques and photos and even athletic clothing, but the true exchanges we forged were of dual respect and friendship.” Here, Coach Corey Lawson is doused after a Cardigan win against Eaglebrook in 2019.

2. Cardigan’s current team attends spring training in Cocoa Beach, Florida. When they return after March break, they hope to bring warm, dry weather home with them to The Point.

3. Whether offering competitors cookies and milk, looking each other in the eye while shaking hands, or simply playing a good clean game, a warm welcome is part of sportmanship at Cardigan. In 2014, Bill Mitchell recalled Coach Marrion’s care for The Boys’ Club of New York's visiting baseball and basketball teams: “He did such a wonderful job making everyone feel welcome that it was actually a challenge to round everyone up to leave and go back to New York!”

tEnnis (FoundEd 1958–59)

1. The first four tennis courts on The Point were established in 1958 as part of Cotting Athletic Fields, and for years they were expanded and maintained with the support of incorporator Charles Cotting. The 1968 addition of indoor courts in the csa(now the Turner Arena) enabled practices to begin much earlier each spring. The outdoor tennis courts were relocated across Alumni Drive in 2004, making way for the construction of a four-season athletic facility.

2. Tennis remained a popular fall activity for years after the competitive spring team had formed. Both seasons brought challenges from Mother Nature: fall players often found the courts submerged by rain, while spring athletes might be required to shovel snow before playing a match. Creative solutions helped channel the boys' energy in both cases.

3. Tennis was a Cardigan activity long before the team shifted to competitive play against other schools. In 1950, John Byrnes noted that “The first thing we do is to tighten the net and roll the court. When we play, we usually play doubles; although we can’t play very well, we have a lot of fun.” Intramural play remains a staple on campus, with spring tournaments like this one in 2016 conferring sought-after bragging rights.

4. Faculty member Ed Ramos H’06 began guiding Cougars to the net during his second year at Cardigan in 1975. During his tenure, the team began to dominate in the Lakes Region League and in contests like the Fay School Tourney. During a dedication ceremony in May 2015, Ramos learned from friend, colleague, and fellow tennis coach Wim Hart H’08 that the courts were being named in Ramos’ honor.

5. and 6. The 1959 tennis team had only a single match against Proctor Academy. By 1997 team members were competing against high school varsity squads and had become some of the School's fiercest athletic competitors. A 2011 Chronicle article noted that “our JV Tennis team, which competes at the JV high school level against many of the same schools the varsity competes against, beat almost all of them handily, demonstrating further how talented and deep our tennis program is against high schoollevel competition.”

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c.o.r.e. (founded 1972–73, as wilderness)

Learning new skills, appreciating the environment, and building confidence and trust were all important in our program. However, challenging ourselves and each other and sharing our successes are what made the season rewarding for us all.”

(Lee McLendon, “Challenges and Group Commitment,” Cardigan Today/Tomorrow, June 1986)

1. The roots of the c.o.r.Eteam can be traced back to the “Wilderness Encounter” program begun under Gunnar Baldwin in 1972–73. It was based on the principles of Outward Bound, but “tailored the activity to the age and size of our boys and planned […] to take advantage of the environment around the School.”

2. In the late 1970s, the activity (then called Outdoor Environment) was being offered to small groups of boys—sometimes as a club, sometimes as an alternative to team sports. In whatever form it took, for the next decade, the content would expose students to a wide variety of outdoor skills.

3. As interest in climbing increased in the 1990s, the Wilderness team began to focus less on outdoor skills and more on “rocks and ropes,” eventually evolving into the new rock climbing team. In 2011, Cardigan Outdoor Recreation Expeditions were piloted as a summer program, using the newly renovated c.o.r.ECabin as a base camp.

4. After the c.o.r.ECabin had been in use for five years with summer programs, leadership retreats, and sixth grade curricula, Cardigan decided to once again offer a team option for outdoor education. c.o.r.Eteams have been included in the School’s athletic rosters since 2015–16.

lacrossE (FoundEd 1964–65)

Science teacher Steve Heath coached Cardigan lacrosse for more than a decade. Seen here in 1979, he capped his lax tenure with a 1990 winning season.

The 1990 varsity lacrosse team will undoubtedly be remembered as one of Cardigan’s finest. […] In addition to victories, their sportsmanship was noted by several coaches and referees (the team was penalized only 34 minutes while our opponents drew almost 75 minutes in the box). Coach Steve Heath demanded that each boy strive to become the best team player he could be. Obviously the team did not disappoint him.” (“Varsity Lacrosse Finishes 13-1,” Cardigan Chronicle, Commencement 1990)

1. Although they had received “spanking new lacrosse equipment of shoulder pads, helmets, gloves and sticks,” Cardigan’s first lacrosse team faced less than ideal field conditions. Their first practice took place in a rough field near Canaan Street “amid bumps and hollows and stubby shrubs.”

2. After Grandparents’ Weekend in 1984, Cardigan thanked spectators for showing as much spirit and grit as the athletes: “What courage! To cheer on lacrosse and baseball teams in 38 degree windy weather takes genuine fortitude! Congratulations to you all.” In 1968, headmaster Norm Wakely provided his own brand of motivation from the lacrosse sidelines.

3. A gritty, challenging 2019 season began with nine away games, but ended in triumph. Senior Rocco Pace ’19 described what he’d remember most: “The brotherhood of it. Not every school has this. It’s just amazing.”

4. Spring athletes learn to keep a wary eye on the weather. When April 1974 brought an unexpected winter storm, athletes had to navigate a fresh foot of snow: “The sight of the year was Steve Heath practicing his lacrosse team that afternoon in scarves, gloves, and high boots. Picture four boys using lacrosse sticks like shovels trying to find a ball that landed in a snowbank! Two days later under a bright sun we could hardly scrape together enough soft snow for a final snowball.” Pictured here is the 2007 lacrosse team having a similar experience.

SPIRIT

Living Core vaLues: spirituaLity on Campus

Although Cardigan has no specific religious affiliation, our mission calls us to prepare boys to lead a meaningful and responsible life. To “improve the spiritual life of the boys and the faculty, but without denominational aspects,” as headmaster Roland Burbank once put it, is an ambitious and complicated goal. Our aim is to bring everyone into dialogue around faith and morality. We draw on our diverse community to help boys understand a variety of faiths and belief systems, knowing that each provides a lens through which boys may consider empathy, understanding, and moral action. In 1961, founder E.M. Hopkins described the School’s vision of a religious program “free…from dogma” and “conducive simply to a spirit of worship,” and this remains our guiding principle.

Cardigan students discover that spiritual questions are integrated within all aspects of school life. Guided discussions happen during Chapel and in the classroom, our Global Community Initiative provides a natural forum for framing weighty topics, and the School’s natural surroundings prompt reflections on the ineffable. As in all things, Cardigan students learn by doing: community outreach, student organizations, and shared campus activities help boys discover the common threads of belief and humanity that bind together a community of any size. Our Core Values—compassion, integrity, respect, and courage— give them a shared language to describe these common threads.

Cardigan nurtures spiritual growth by challenging each of us to examine our own relationship with a higher power. We ask students to appreciate the diversity of individual faith traditions, to practice service to others, and to appreciate the divine in the world around them. This timeless framework assures that questions of morality, faith, and ethics remain a part of daily life on The Point.

miLestone moments

r 1946–47: Cardigan boys attend community churches, sing with Methodist choir

r 1949–50: the pastor of the Canaan Street Church, Rev. Robert Sharp, joins the Cardigan faculty

r 1955–56: Following the School’s move from Canaan Street to The Point, vesper services are held in Hinman Auditorium

r 1960–61: The Board of Trustees unveils plans to build Cardigan’s Chapel

r 1963–64: Rev. Arthur G. Broadhurst hired as the School’s first chaplain, holding the formal title of “Director of Spiritual Development”

r 1996–97: Rev. Dennis Robbins expands Cardigan curriculum to include world religions

r 2007–08: John Bayreuther is Cardigan’s first non-ordained Director of Spiritual Life

r 2008–09: The Board of Trustees includes Core Values within Cardigan’s mission statement

r 2013–14: Cardigan launches the Global Community Initiative program, teaching boys how to “Be the Change”

spirituaLity on Campus

1.through 3. Cardigan’s commencement was traditionally held at the Old North Church on Canaan Street, a “century-old church with doored-pews and handmade glass windows.” The final commencement service was held there in 1963.

4. Hinman Hall’s auditorium became the new home for chapel services following the campus’ move from Canaan Street to The Point. Andy Vallon ’60 wrote in the Chronicle that “Vesper Services [are] held every week. Mr. Leavitt discussed about different things such as gossip. It is held in the Auditorium which is mostly lighted in the front with candles. Lovely music is played by Mrs. Wakely on the organ.”

5.and 6. Founder Hap Hinman explained the initial approach to religious instruction at Cardigan in 1947: “Unless a boy is excused (and few excuses are granted), each lad has to attend the service of his choice Sunday morning.” In early decades, students attended Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish services held in Canaan and other nearby communities. After the Chapel was built, Cardigan invited neighbors to The Point for holiday services and welcomed families there to celebrate Commencement.

1. In his 2008 memoir, Rev. Arthur Broadhurst (shown here with the Religious Activities Council in 1966) reflected on his role as Cardigan’s first director of spiritual life: “I saw my role as that of a provocateur through providing an environment in which the natural questions of youth and particularly the questioning of and about religion could get a safe hearing, as a stimulator of thought on ethical and spiritual issues, and sometimes as conscience of the school.”

2. Outdoor chapel services, like this one led by Charles Lister-James in 2017, introduce boys to mindful reflection in natural surroundings.

3.and 4. The simple interior of the Chapel also emphasizes the beauty of our environment. Opening the curtains behind the altar reveals the glorious backdrop provided for Cardigan boys by Mother Nature.

this page: In 1947, students planned and presented a Sunday service for a local congregation whose pastor was away. Their efforts were well-received, as Dick Cass ’50 wrote in the Clarion: “The people who attended the service enjoyed it and wanted a group of boys to join the regular church choir. So a group of boys have been singing ever since then.” Music remains an integral part of Cardigan’s weekly Chapel services.

growing into Leadership: embraCing aCCountabiLity

Cardigan helps boys see that great leadership is rooted in service. Taking on a leadership role is not a quick path nor is it easy. In fact, a student leader must set an example and work even harder than those around him. Whether they are team captains, dorm floor supervisors, peer tutors, or Big Brothers, we call on our leaders to model the behavior they seek from others.

At its core, leadership is about more than titles or recognition: it is about community. In later life, the courageous and kind acts of a natural leader may not even be acknowledged. We ask each boy to aspire to this kind of greatness in his day to day life, especially in those moments when only he can hold himself accountable. Doing the right thing, going the extra mile, and “helping the other fella” are at the heart of the Cardigan Way. To help build this muscle, we encourage everyone in our community to notice and thank their fellow Cougars for big and small examples of “Core Values in Action.” It is no accident that Cardigan’s most committed servant leaders frequently become our community’s elected leaders. When you follow your moral compass, others will follow you.

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You can readily see […] that the boys have a large variety of work assignments which teach them to accept responsibilities, to use their hands. There’s more to this school business than textbooks and classrooms and it’s not difficult to see how much more can be done for a boy, and how much more a boy can do in Cardigan Mountain School than in a school with less assigned responsibilities.” (Hap Hinman, Bulletin, April 24, 1947)

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Each boy is given the opportunity to learn through the [jobs] program that there is a dignity in useful work, pride in a job well done, and a sense of personal worth. A sense of responsibility remains another goal, and since everyone works together, a sense of community results. Increased pride in Cardigan is inevitable as each boy realizes that in a small way he is responsible for the smooth functioning of the School.” (David Shelton H’00, “Manual Work Program Remains Strong,” Today/Tomorrow, Winter 1985)

1. The spring investiture ceremony announces the student leaders for the coming year. These boys are elected based on how their peers have ranked their ability to demonstrate Cardigan’s Core Values. As faculty member Doug Clark reminded students in 2019: “Leadership is not something that is deserved; it is always earned.” After the ceremony ends, leaders circle up together outside the Chapel.

2. Headmaster Bob Kimball told the trustees in 1948–49 that he wanted students “to stimulate their pride in their rooms and in the buildings through running their own inspections of quarters.” Here, faculty member Alan Kreuzberg, introducing students to the Jobs Program in 2013, demonstrates best practices in recycling.

3. School Leader elections as we know them began in 1958, but Cardigan boys have tested several forms of student government in the years before and since. Along with Cardigan’s student leaders, its all-school meetings, student councils, cabinets, and school senates have all had a hand in shaping the School at different points. In this image from a 1948 viewbook, a very early student board poses in the Lodge on Canaan Street.

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below and FaCing page: In a service leadership model, community is built on small acts of citizenship. Community members regularly submit examples of Core Values in Action to Director of Student Life Nick Nowak, who shares selections with students and faculty members. Each spring during Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week, the boys do the same for the adults on campus. “There is so much good that happens each day on The Point that deserves celebration,” Nowak noted in 2021. “Thank you to everyone for living, promoting, upholding, and sustaining the Cardigan Way.”

Eamonn noticed that Spartacus the turtle was stuck between the side of his tank and his water dish. I am super appreciative that Eamonn helped Spartacus get unstuck and safe.”

“ For different reasons, the snowboarding team had to join the alpine ski team multiple times this season. Spencer is always on time and helps out by loading other people’s board and equipment into the AV [transport] every single day. Also, it doesn’t matter how tired he is after we get back from the mountain, Spencer always takes care of cleaning the AV, empties the trash quite often, and always is willing to help out the coaches.”

“ June and Sungyun went about Turner Arena and picked up all the loose tennis balls without ever being asked—they just cleaned up when they were done. Doing the right thing because it is the right thing.”

“ One of the sixth graders hurt his leg and was in a lot of pain on the floor of the dorm. He was scared and upset and wasn’t able to put pressure on his leg. So Conley and Danny literally picked him up and carried him to the health center which both allowed him to make it to the health center on his leg, but it also made him feel so much better as he loved being helped out by our leaders.”

“ To everyone who has spoken in Chapel, at the mic during an all-school meeting, or in the dining hall for a presentation or a blessing, thank you for your courage! We have all benefited from your bravery.”

“ This morning at breakfast, after the boys had their food and had started eating, Ryan noticed that there was one boy that was eating alone and he went over to eat at that table with him. This was a super nice gesture, especially coming from someone new in our community.”

“ Today at the third lunch, Ayden was the fifth-to-last person on our side of the dining room to be served. He got to the specially-made yogurt parfaits, and it appeared that there was only one left. Before he asked for it, he asked the rest of us if one of us wanted it. Mr. Hines replied that there were more, but I told Ayden that it was super thoughtful of him to think of the rest of us before himself. Thanks for being a good guy, Ayden.”

engaging with the Community: serviCe and partnerships

Service begins with looking beyond the self. We ask each Cardigan student to engage with others, listen to new perspectives, and understand how he can make things better for someone else. Whether opening the door for a friend or organizing a fundraiser for a nonprofit, a boy who “helps the other fella” builds his own empathy and sense of purpose.

In addition to helping awaken Cardigan boys to the needs of others, service opportunities also encourage students to consider the health of the community as a whole. This comes in many forms: stewarding shared surroundings, working for neighbors in need, thanking unsung heroes, or simply spending time with those who crave connection. Each experience helps a boy understand how he is linked with those around him, and sharpens his gratitude for the pleasures in his own life.

miLestone moments

r 1946–47: Students are assigned weekly tasks to assist in campus upkeep

r 1953–54: Cardigan boys partner with the Canaan Street Improvement Society to support community needs

r 1955–56: Head of School Roland Burbank institutes citizenship grades which later factor into leadership assignments for the jobs program

r 1957–58: Student Council begins an era of creative fundraising by earmarking proceeds from the new soft-drink machine for the “Cardigan Chest,” a fund for charitable contributions

r 1968–69: Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center hosts a student visit as “it is felt that members should know more about the various charities that they help”

r 1984–85: Cardigan links jobs program assignments to grade level, ensuring that boys grow in responsibility and service over time

r 1987–88: National Junior Honor Society institutes service component, spurring Cardigan’s members to fundraise for the Peace Corps Partnership program

r 1989–90: New Headmaster Chip Dewar integrates community service goals with existing Life Skills and Club programs

r 2007–08: Cardigan institutes all-school Community Service afternoons

serviCe and partnerships

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Volunteer work done by boys in community service clubs extends beyond the walls of the School and into the local community. […] The experience instills in the boys a sense of their ability to contribute positively to the world around them. The boys are exposed to some of the diversity found in the larger society as well.” (Chip Dewar H’02, “From the Headmaster,” Cardigan Chronicle, Spring 2002)

above: During Headmaster Chip Dewar’s tenure, Cardigan placed increasing emphasis on student service. By integrating community service into the curriculum via existing programs like Thursday Clubs and Life Skills, Dewar ensured that every boy gained first-hand experience in helping those beyond The Point.

1.and 2. Cardigan founder (and its first headmaster) Bill Brewster had an enormous impact on the School’s students, faculty, and administration. As Words about Cardigan noted in 1973, Brewster’s “life of service to others was ruled by his philosophy and motto, ‘Help the Other Fellow.’” That phrase, later used frequently by faculty member Jim Marrion H’03, is now a familiar Cardiganism. Through service, Cardigan students learn to express gratitude for the neighbors who impact our lives in seen and unseen ways. Events like “community skates” in Turner Arena and cleanup days in local police and fire stations acknowledge and strengthen our interconnected relationships.

3.and 4. As they serve in organizations like the Student Council, Cardigan boys have made fundraising a creative art. Whether using soda machines, bake sales, dress-down days, or events like the Ritz-Cardigan dinners, students have raised support for everything from the American Red Cross to local churches to the School’s own scholarship funds.

this page and FaCing page: The allschool Community Service Days first instituted under head of school Dave McCusker expose students to a wide variety of service opportunities. Together with Cardigan’s servicefocused clubs and activities, the tradition helps build a habit of giving back. These images offer a sampling of the ways that Cardigan boys have given back to those around them through stacking wood, washing cars, organizing thrift store clothing, connecting with neighbors, caring for pets and farm animals, and more.

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2013

Finding Joy: Friendship and traditions

Cardigan prepares boys to thrive within an evolving landscape, but agile minds and adaptable spirits still need grounding in a secure foundation. Traditions on The Point become that foundation by connecting each generation to the one before, binding them together through common experiences.

Campus traditions evolve naturally from the rhythm of school life, as events repeat from year to year. Reflecting the energy of Cardigan boys, these events include spirited contests (like the Lake Run, spelling bees, or Green & White competitions) and opportunities to safely test personal limits (like the Polar Bear Club). Others traditions are collective experiences that mark moments in time. The Sandwich Fair, holiday dinners, Head’s Holiday, and Mountain Day are examples of traditions built around such shared memories.

Some Cardigan traditions have become deeply symbolic over time, evolving into rites of passage. In the 1940s, early students and faculty members scaled Mount Cardigan yearround, attempting the summit at least once every two weeks; from those early origins grew the Dawn and Sunset Climbs, which now bookmark the beginning and end of a boy’s time at the School. Similarly, the Cardigan necktie is more than required Commencement dress. It is a symbol of the most anticipated milestones of a boy’s time at Cardigan, as it marks the day that a senior steps into the brotherhood of welcoming alumni.

In practice, most traditions at Cardigan are simple and joyful—sometimes even downright silly—yet they mark moments in a boy’s development that hold special significance. Even years later, these memories evoke powerful emotions. As they navigate a changing world, alumni will always find common ground with their Cardigan brothers through these shared bonds.

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In addition to binding current students to those who came before, many Cardigan traditions speak to middle school boys’ desire for ritual, rites of passage, and belonging to something bigger than themselves.” (Dave McCusker ’80, Nine Years Later, 2016)

above: Seniors assemble for the procession to the Tie Ceremony in 2022, boutonnières freshly affixed to their lapels.

Friendship and traditions: dawn CLimb

this page and FaCing page: Mount Cardigan offers an obvious and accessible adventure to students. During the 1940s weekly ascents were common, and as early as 1955 boys were summitting on opening day. Headmaster Norm Wakely established the Dawn Climb tradition as we know it in the 1980s, waking new students in the early hours to hike up Mount Cardigan in time to witness the sunrise together. Today the Dawn Climb marks the beginning of each boy’s time at Cardigan, and the rising sun holds the promise of all the days to come.

Friendship and traditions: mountain day

this page and FaCing page: Described in the 1958 Blaze yearbook as “the first annual holiday of its kind at Cardigan,” the Mountain Day tradition connects boys to the stunning natural setting that is Cardigan’s home. The experience is greater than the sum of its parts: the excitement of anticipation, the effort of the ascent, the exhilaration of the summit, even the ravenous appreciation of the meal that follows—all become treasured memories.

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2020 1960

Friendship and traditions: Founders day

this page and FaCing page: To celebrate a successful win over Eaglebrook School in 1974, headmaster Norm Wakely declared that the whole School would attend the Sandwich Fair. Head of school Dave McCusker rolled this annual tradition into a commemoration of the School’s founders. In the spirit of Hap Hinman, McCusker explained that this School celebration was about “having fun and making your money last the whole day!” Boys must make hard decisions between food, prizes, rides, and fun, and in the end everyone wins.

Friendship and traditions: haLLoween

1. It happens when campus is aglow with fall foliage, the air is crisp, and nights arrive noticeably earlier. Excitement builds as cornstalks and pumpkins appear around campus, plans for costumes are shared in whispers, and cider donuts make an appearance. It’s a holiday that seems designed for middle school boys (and faculty children!)—Halloween is a delightful time to be at Cardigan.

2.and 3. During Cardigan’s early years, boys celebrated Halloween with bonfires, pillow fights (faculty too!), and Halloween dances. Students would even trick or treat on Canaan Street, as Jim Turley ’54 and Steve Knaebel ’54 did in 1951.

4.through 6. The pumpkin carving contest became an annual tradition in 1971, when prizes were first awarded for “most original, most scary, and funniest pumpkins.” The contest is a focal point of dorm spirit, and the spectacular results often adorn campus for weeks after Halloween. 4

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Special mention has to be made of Jimmy Douglass [whose costume] was a living pine tree—completely enveloped in pine boughs from head to toe. He could barely see through the branches and could move his feet just enough to walk. There was no way he could sit down nor feed himself, so he stood in a corner until the judging was done after dinner and had a late supper that night.” (Notes From Cardigan, November 1972)

this page and FaCing page: Snacks and meals, when everyone gathers together as a community, are the best time to admire costumes. Students win prizes in various categories, and everybody knows to expect the unexpected.

Friendship and traditions: Lake run

1. Our annual all-school race helps boys overcome self-doubt and discover that they are capable of more than they think. Today’s students start at Marrion Field, turn right as they leave campus, and return via Canaan Street as they complete the 4.8 mile course around Canaan Street Lake.

2. A 1950s tradition that fell away over time, the Lake Run was initially revived in the early 1980s as a community race. Competitors like these running 1981 ran the circuit counter-clockwise, unlike today.

3. The race includes the whole School community, and in 1989 Chip Dewar set a record for a headmaster’s time. A decade later, faculty member Carl Lovejoy teased in the Chronicle that “the word around the running world is that Dr. Dewar’s peak pavement pounding years may be behind him. The record is probably safe for at least a few more years.” Here, Dewar runs the home stretch in 1998.

4. through 6. To encourage students who may feel daunted when running the race for the first time, faculty and staff have tried a variety of challenges and enticements over the years. Joe Cougar is always present to egg on runners, as he was in 1991; teacher Alex Gray ran the course in full Chapel dress in 2006, and in 2015 Steff McCusker promised a candy bar to any boy who beat her time.

Friendship and traditions: ski hoLiday

1. Cardigan’s location within traveling distance of several resorts makes a ski holiday an obvious choice for an annual tradition. Since 1958, students have been surprised with a class-free day spent on the slopes of nearby mountains (seniors enjoy their very own ski holiday later in the year). The trails at Cranmore, Waterville Valley, Ragged, Loon, Killington, Sunapee and more have introduced countless Cougars to one of winter’s greatest pastimes.

2.and 3. Anticipation is half the fun: students in 1958 and 2015 prepare to board buses with equipment in tow.

4.and 5. Outings like the ski holiday are pure fun, but often entail a little extra effort from the School’s adults. Here, a young Norm Wakely supervises a parking lot lunch in 1959; faculty members help haul some extra gear from the Cardigan AV in 2020.

6.and 7. New England offers some stunning backdrops for the day’s exertions as ski holiday selfies by students (2009) and Head of School Dave McCusker ’80 (2014) prove.

Friendship and traditions: poLar bear

this page: The Polar Bear tradition is seen as an honored rite of passage. Those with the fortitude to make the morning plunge for four weeks in early spring are rewarded with the coveted Polar Bear tie. Maine native Steve Fairbanks ’58 was the first to make a habit of taking frigid dips in Canaan Street Lake. Members of Waterfront revived the practice briefly in the 1960s under the supervision of faculty member Gunnar Baldwin, and a decade or so later Polar Bear came back for good under headmaster Norm Wakely.

this page: Covid-19 forced the School into a remote model during spring of 2020, and Cardigan maintained old traditions in new ways. Head of School Chris Day made the plunge a family affair, on-campus faculty members like Ryan Frost and Al Gray H’12 trekked to Polar Bear through four inches of fresh-fallen snow, and students submitted proof of their own participation from afar.

Friendship and traditions: speLLing bee

1. Since the 1950s, spelling bees have been a classic Cardigan competition. In winter and spring, boys vie with each other in classrooms to represent their peers at the final competition, held in front of the whole School.

2. After decades of helping coordinate Cardigan spelling bees, retiring faculty member Wim Hart H’08 received a standing ovation at the conclusion of the spring competition in 2018.

3.through 5. In 1954, the spelling bee winner joined the Lake Run champion for a trip to the movies, but in 1972, the winners’ names were engraved on a plaque for the first time (boys may also take home individual trophies). None of that recognition tops the ultimate reward, of course: bragging rights!

6. Spelling bees were once a featured event during family weekends. The competitive bracket was serious business, and parents could be recruited as “timekeeping assistants.”

Friendship and traditions: headmaster’s day

1. Boys knew that Headmaster Bob Kimball would suspend study when a faculty baby was born, while Headmaster Norm Wakely tended to do so around his own birthday each May. Students’ hopes eventually became expectations, and the Head’s Holiday became tradition. The common denominators, no matter the season or the theme: extra sleep, no classes, great food, and (most definitely) a break from routine.

2.through 4. The head of school takes an active part in Headmaster’s Day. Dave McCusker battles a student with inflatables; Norm Wakely joins the line for a 1981 balloon ride; students vie for the chance to dunk Chris Day.

bottom and FaCing page: On Headmaster’s Day we have celebrated retiring faculty, welcomed circus performers, and even brought a carnival to campus. Tennis tournaments, inflatables, and the judicious use of the lake and sledding hills (depending on the season) are recurring features. It’s a day to have a good time as a community, being as silly as possible and coming back to “real life” refreshed.

“

Friendship and traditions: sunset hike

Three days before commencement the seniors climb Cardigan Mountain for the last time as students of the school. While their first climb as a new boy was at sunrise, this climb is at sunset. Looking west they see the campus with the light fading behind it, their thoughts on the future. Robert C. Hopkins says it best in the School hymn: When day fades into dreams/Of goals toward which we all will strive/To keep thy faiths alive/To keep Thy faiths in us alive/Together we will strive.” (Jim Burnett, “A Foundation of Integrity,” Cardigan Chronicle, Summer 1994)”

this page and FaCing page: Assistant Headmaster Jim Burnett and Headmaster Chip Dewar first implemented the tradition as a bookend experience to the Dawn Climb of Mount Cardigan.

Friendship and traditions: aLumni tie

above: Each senior receives his alumni tie on the morning of Commencement during a ceremony welcoming him into the Alumni Association. The colors of the tie remind us of core aspects of the Cardigan experience: green evokes nature and growth, while silver echoes the granite of Mount Cardigan and the strong foundation each graduate carries forward into his future.

FaCing page: Founder Hap Hinman wanted seniors to wear white blazers and striped ties for commencement rather than caps and gowns. It was sometimes hard to provide identical silver and green stripes, as these images show. In 1993 the School partnered with a manufacturer to ensure that the classic alumni tie will remain available for future generations of Cardigan boys.

1.through 4. Each senior receives his tie from an alumnus—often a father, sibling, or friend—and is congratulated by the other alumni in attendance.

5. Alumni (including honorary alumni) make a point to return for the tie ceremony each spring. Many have traveled to The Point to watch family members graduate, but others return simply to take part in the boys’ rite of passage.

6. The alumni tie ceremony, instituted by Richard Clancy ’67 in 1992, is an opportunity to explain the tradition’s symbolism to graduates and families.

7. Two formal class pictures are taken immediately following the ceremony. In one, the school leader is the only senior to face the camera.

ON THE POINT

Home AwAy from Home

Cardigan students have all of the joy and energy common to middle school boys, yet are also transitioning to the seriousness of purpose that marks young men. Our faculty members are expert at supporting the boys through this unique and special transition.

We want students to experience The Point as a welcoming and supportive space, where they can feel at home and be themselves. Programs like the Dorm Olympics, weekend activities, and Thursday clubs create regular opportunities for bonding and low-stakes silliness; areas like the Haven student center and athletic facilities are available for informal fun. Dorm relationships—with roommates, dorm leaders, faculty families, and (of course!) campus pets—offer another layer of warmth to campus life. Students can find support at any hour of the day, while also practicing being a “big brother” to others.

This thoughtfully interconnected web of sounding boards, cheerleaders, and mentors is the essence of a home-like campus life. Each boy can safely explore his growing independence, knowing that his Cardigan family is there to catch him if he falls, and to cheer him on when he succeeds.

“

When I was a boarding student, my dorm parents made the dorm feel like home for many of us. […] Like the ‘parents’ that I shared each meal with in the dining hall, they became part of my new, much larger, family.” (Emrys Elkouh ’17, “New Alumni ‘Ties’,” Cardigan Chronicle, Volume 67, Issue 2)

above: The Kenly Dining Hall in the Cardigan Commons opened in 2013. Moving the dining hall from Hayward Hall to the new, much larger space meant that meals could again be shared by the entire School community.

Home AwAy from Home

and

life.

3. and 4. Friendly, low-stakes competitions bring boys together to bond as they earn points for their dorm. In 1966, the Blaze reported that “the Green Team and the White Team […] played a total of 107 events since the beginning of the year,” including the “sidewalk surfing” shown here. Today, events like the Cardboard Regatta help dorm competitions kick off soon after school opens.

5. and 6. Many Cardigan boys get their first taste of being “big brothers” through living with faculty children, as when Chip Schutt ’58 offered a piggyback ride to faculty daughter Cindy Thompson in 1957. At bottom, students look on as Santa presents Jason Peck with a gift in 1980.

1. and 2. A campus full of young families feels even more like home, and faculty members are adept at integrating personal

School

Above, Hannah Burnett helps her mother Yuki congratulate graduates in 2019; opposite, a young Charles Wakely joins Bev Wakely for ski practice in 1957.

this page: Sometimes boys need a friend to provide companionship and nonjudgmental love; campus pets are always happy to fill that role.

this page: At Cardigan, friendships and a sense of home build each year as boys share experiences and grow together.

1961

2019

1987

2010

1957

1978

1964

experiencing grAtitude

It is a privilege to live, study, and play on The Point. Not wanting to take that gift for granted, adults and students alike regularly pause to consider who helps makes our world better. It is important for all of us to be mindful of the hard, sometimes unnoticed work that creates our safe and happy space at the School.

For this reason, Cardigan intentionally creates space for thanking others. Everyone is encouraged to share how they see others contributing to the community. We then acknowledge those people publicly, whether in Chapel, during all-School assemblies, or in the monthly “Core Values in Action” emails. During faculty and staff appreciation week, each student writes notes to those who—perhaps without realizing it—make his life better. And, of course, at Commencement we give graduates the opportunity to turn and thank family members for giving them the support that carried them through their time at Cardigan.

These organized, intentional moments of giving thanks are meant to build muscles of gratitude. Over time, students learn to appreciate others, and become increasingly aware of how they can help others in small and large ways. Experiencing and expressing gratitude is a powerful skill; through regular practice, we teach it to every Cardigan boy.

“

What a blessing it is to live in a community where before every meal we pause as a community to give thanks and express our gratitude, and where we recognize members of the community for their service that goes ‘above and beyond’ expectations.” (Dave McCusker, “Everybody Can be Great…Because Anybody Can Serve,” Cardigan Chronicle, Fall/Winter 2013–14)

above: Holiday meals place particular emphasis on gratitude, but all shared meals at Cardigan begin with a blessing. Over time, students hear (and share) a broad spectrum of concerns, celebrations, and belief systems during this moment—part of forging a community of gratitude.

experiencing grAtitude

this page: Commencement is a special day—joyful, yet bittersweet—as boys prepare to part from The Point. Graduates turn and thank their families during the ceremony, and then use the receiving line that follows to share final words of appreciation with mentors.

1. and 2. During faculty and staff appreciation week the School community takes time to write notes of gratitude, which are posted in the Cardigan Commons for all to read before being delivered to recipients. Here, a student composes a note in 2019, and a selection from the 2021 display in the Commons.

3. and 4. Cardigan boys find ways to thank those who keep the campus safe and clean. In May 1959, Neal Hines retired as Cardigan’s superintendent of property. Students took up a collection for a retirement gift, presenting it to Mr. and Mrs. Hines at their farewell dinner (along with two Cardigan plates). Sherwood “Griff” Griffin worked in maintenance at Cardigan from 1977 to 1996. When he received the 1989 Blaze dedication, the Chronicle reported that the announcement “brought the entire student body to their feet in wild applause.”

5. Cardigan’s healthcare team worked tirelessly to protect the community during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020–21. This acknowledgement during the April 8, 2021, outdoor Chapel service was one of many ways in which community members expressed their thanks.

welcoming otHers

It’s natural to be nervous about finding your place within an unfamiliar community. For a new Cardigan student, a warm welcome makes all the difference as he is finding his footing. That’s why a multitude of peers and adults stand poised to sweep him into the rhythm of life on The Point as soon as he arrives.

In next to no time a new boy finds himself on the other side of that handshake, naturally stepping into the role of Cardigan host. The first time it happens, he may not even notice: perhaps he will guide a visiting parent to a classroom, or converse with a lunch guest. Over time, his acts will become more intentional. Whether giving Green Key tours, offering snacks to a visiting team, or welcoming local families to Turner Arena, Cardigan students quickly learn the impact and importance of receiving others into their community. It is a lesson that they carry forward with them when they leave The Point.

The Student Council returned Saturday, September 11, a day earlier than the student body. The time for the Student Council passed quickly as meetings and unpacking occurred most of the time. The students returned Sunday with [14] new boys and 26 old ones. The students were greeted by the Student Council. They helped them unload their bags and get them set in their rooms. All in all we had a pretty successful day and the council had a big hand in getting the boys settled comfortably as a new year began.” (Stephen Fairbanks ’58, “Council Returns Early,” Cardigan Chronicle, September 30, 1957)

above: Older students make a real difference in helping new boys feel at home. During opening day in 1965, a student council member helps unload belongings.

this page: A tradition of hosting “community skates” in the Turner Arena gives Cardigan boys the opportunity to welcome guests from the local area. At top, skaters get an assist from students in 2013; above, a student greets arrivals in 2012.

this page: Cardigan boys have frequently served special guests at holiday dinners, trustee visits, and other festive meals. In 1950, white-jacketed student waiters pose outside the Lodge with their serving trays; in later years, students helped serve guests at events like the Ritz-Cardigan dinner and the alumni welcome banquet.

3. and 4. By including the local community in events like this 2018 Veterans Day celebration, Cardigan helps students learn about diverse perspectives, broadening their awareness and deepening their empathy.

1. and 2. The Host Committee was a precursor to Green Key, an organization that tasked boys with acting as official hosts to campus visitors. As it always has, Cardigan asks all students—regardless of role or title—to give special consideration to guests.

5. “Big brother” activities bring together younger students with peer mentors in 2012.

6. and 7. For many years Cardigan hosted dances where boys were asked to put their guests at ease, whether in a rowboat (1950) or on the dance floor (1980).

8. and 9. Family weekends offer boys the chance to lead the way, taking the role of the person “in the know” who introduces parents to various aspects of Cardigan life.

AN EXTENDED FAMILY

An ExtEndEd FAmily: StEwArdS oF thE School

Just as Cardigan’s faculty and staff directly serve our students, our board of trustees focuses on caring for the School itself. These dedicated men and women (and, in an earlier era, members of Cardigan’s corporation) have been the caretakers of the institution since its founding. Their work is to assess and predict needs, provide resources and solutions, and constantly press the administration to better meet Cardigan’s mission and aspire to excellence. Driving the work of these volunteers is an unusual tension: a sense of urgency around supporting Cardigan’s current community, paired with a patient, long-term faith that the seeds planted now will bear fruit for future generations. Our trustees guide the School through the difficult, necessary work of strategic planning and capital campaigns, prioritizing the needs of students, faculty, and staff. Their expertise—like their optimism and encouragement—has always been a critical factor in Cardigan’s success.

“

We at Cardigan believe that we can always improve, that we can always do what we do even better. […] Just as we set high standards for the boys who come here, we expect nothing but the best of and for the School itself.” (Savage Frieze,“Report from the Board of Incorporators,” Cardigan Chronicle, Fall 2001)

above: The strategic vision and support provided by Cardigan’s trustees has a direct impact on the boys’ experience on campus. Here, students cheer the groundbreaking for Wallach in May, 2019.

StEwArdS oF thE School

1. The School is strongest when its leadership advocates for the needs of the entire School community. Cardigan’s board of trustees welcomes volunteers from around the world, and strives to include members who offer a range of experiences and perspectives. The current board is deeply committed to its work; in the fall of 2021, after holding remote sessions for almost two years, many trustees gathered in person for meetings and the rededication of the Kenerson Center.

2. In 1999, Cardigan had to remove a beloved but failing maple tree from between Clark-Morgan and Brewster Halls. The School marked the location with a new flagpole area, incorporating a tribute in granite to some of the men who helped ensure Cardigan’s survival in its earliest years: Bill Brewster, Charlie Cotting, Ned French, Syd Hayward, Hap Hinman, John Hinman, Harvey Hood, Bob Hopkins, E.M. Hopkins, and John Kenerson.

3. Strategic planning is a holistic endeavor at Cardigan, involving trustees, faculty and staff, alumni, and the broader School community. The periodic, all-institution process produces a living document to guide the decisions that shape the School. In this 2014 image, staff members discuss how studies of classroom use and the physical plant reveal ways to support academic program goals.

4. Cardigan’s faculty, staff, and trustees collaborate closely, exchanging ideas through committee work and trustee/faculty forums. This precedent was set before the School opened, as illustrated in a 1946 group photo. StAnding (From lEFt):Robert L. McMillan (business manager), Richard A. Sawyer (assistant headmaster), John B. Kenerson, William R. Brewster, Harold P. Hinman, Sidney C. Hayward, Robert C. Hopkins, and William Everts (assistant headmaster). SEAtEd (From lEFt):Edward K. Robinson, Arthur A. Williams, Philip R. Allen, Ernest M. Hopkins, John H. Hinman, Harvey P. Hood, and Harold W. Stoke.

An ExtEndEd FAmily: A globAl community

Cardigan’s students and faculty bring with them a broad spectrum of cultural experiences—regional, socioeconomic, religious, and more. On a daily basis, members of the Cardigan community get to practice what it means to live meaningfully within a global society. In another example of “learning by doing,” boys live, play, and study with boys of different backgrounds. As they discover how our perspectives may differ, they also become aware of just how many common threads tie us together.

For international families, the decision to send their child to boarding school can feel especially daunting. Cardigan’s international relations team support parents through time zone gaps, technological snafus, and the myriad details that can be lost in translation. The team also makes sure that international students can celebrate meaningful cultural moments, enjoy delightful homestays (when travel is not possible), and find a sympathetic ear when they need to talk—in any language.

Of course, our diverse community extends well beyond The Point. Each year, Cardigan gatherings are held all across the United States and as far away as Finland, Mexico, and China. Cardigan’s Core Values transcend place, and as our graduates step into their responsibilities as global citizens, they find Cardigan family members all around the world waiting to welcome them.

“ Certainly, our friendships with our extended international Cardigan families evolve initially out of our shared interest in the School, but how quickly we recognize that our many other hopes and dreams—and senses of humor—are shared as well. As the world continues to shrink, it becomes clear that there are many more similarities than differences among us.” (Steff McCusker H’16, “Home Away from Home: Relationships and Place,” Cardigan Chronicle, Spring 2011)

above: By marking moments that are meaningful to their peers, Cardigan boys gain insight into other cultures. Celebrations on The Point have observed not only more familiar American holidays, but Chuseok, Day of the Dead, and Chinese, Mexican, and Nigerian Independence Days.

1.through 4. Cardigan’s first international student traveled from Nicaragua to attend in 1947-48. Since then, our community has continued to expand, as the flags outside of the Stoddard Center attest. International students share their unique perspectives in class, during Chapel, and through special celebrations throughout the year. To keep everyone in the broader community connected, Cardigan holds alumni and family gatherings around the globe.

5. Since 1975-76, Cardigan has been visiting (and hosting) students from a sister school in Hyvinkää, Finland. What began as a singular experience for the hockey team established valued friendships that deepen with each passing year. Exchange students and various athletic teams now travel in both directions, and Hyvinkää is home to a thriving alumni chapter.

6. Kari Kontu ’80 (far right) and John D’Entremont ’94 (second from left) were the first Finnish and American boys to make the exchange; Kontu would go on to become a Cardigan trustee.

7. The 2021 international relations team (from left) included director Joe Burnett, Yuki Burnett, Jungwon Park, and Pablo Rocha-Vazquez.

8. Cardigan programs like the Global Community Initiative, begun in 2012, build on the belief that all cultures share some universal values. Through speakers, activities, and service opportunities, Cardigan boys broaden their understanding and empathy, helping prepare them to contribute meaningfully to our global community.

An ExtEndEd FAmily: liFEtimE connEctionS

Only a year after the School opened, Cardigan’s first graduates began to return to campus for formal visits, meeting with founder Hap Hinman to drink tea and discuss the School’s future. Then as now, reunions involved lots of fun—baseball games against current students, cookouts at the waterfront, nostalgic walks through campus grounds—as well as more serious business. The first “annual meetings” soon included the election of alumni officers, discussions of strategic plans with the head of school, and fledgling efforts to organize fundraising drives.

Our alumni base now spans the globe, and is supported by dedicated staff members who bring together the School and its graduates. Today, Cardigan’s alumni director greets graduates on The Point, visits young alumni at their secondary schools, coordinates regional gatherings, and facilitates business mentorships for graduates working in similar industries. In turn, alumni take an active interest in the experiences of current students, returning to share personal experiences during chapel services and other campus events, and making more casual connections during class visits, in the dining hall, or on the sidelines of athletic games.

Our graduates find that Cardigan friendships only deepen across time and distance. Shared experiences and values create a unique bond, which also expands to include brothers from other classes. We are proud of the relationships our alumni have with each other, and with Cardigan; these connections honor cherished memories as well as the vital, ongoing work of the School.

milEStonE momEntS

r 1948–49: Headmaster Robert Kimball sends first letter to Cardigan alumni; tradition of Alumni Weekend with annual meeting is established

r 1951–52: Dick Rose ’52 is the first sibling of an alumnus to graduate from Cardigan

r 1952–53: Following the schools’ merger, all Clark School graduates become Cardigan alumni

r 1954–55: Alumni establish an Alumni Fund in support of the School

r 1969–70: Dick Morrison ’50 is first alumnus elected to Cardigan’s board of trustees, beginning a tenure that will last more than fifty years

r 1974–75: Cardigan enrolls the first sons of alumni, Charlie Morrison ’76 and Steve Haskell ’75

r 1975–76: First “Alumni Family Weekend” includes spouses and children of alumni

r 1978–79: Colin Davidson named Cardigan’s first director of alumni and development; Alumni Association adds Executive Committee

r 1987–88: First international and athletic reunions; Kim Kenly ’68 represents alumni on board’s Executive Committee

r 1990–91: Norm Wakely named Cardigan’s first honorary alumnus

r 1991–92: Alumni board and regional alumni chapters formed

r 1992–93: First Alumni Tie Ceremony held

r 2017–18: Launch of the Cardigan Career Network

thIS Page: Athletic competitions continue to bring our active alumni together long after graduation. Some notable firsts included the first alumni hockey game in 1988 (right) and the first alumni lacrosse game (at top), where former headmaster Norm Wakely and former athletic director Jim Marrion joined Head of School Dave McCusker on the sidelines in 2013.

Reunions strengthen bonds between old friends, students and mentors, and different generations of the Cardigan family.

1.and 2. Almost 50 years after presenting him with a diploma, Headmaster Norm

Wakely converses with Bruce Marshard ’64.

3. Founding faculty member Dan Fleetham holds court in 2015.

4. Headmaster Dutch Clark with alumni in 1954.

5. Jim Marrion and Joe Collins greet Mike Davis ’77 and Rick Brickell ’77 in 2011.

6. Tom Lovett ’55 speaks with faculty member Anthony Figueiredo in 2015.

Alumni work hard to strengthen Cardigan for coming generations.

4.and 5. In addition to its other work, the Alumni Association acknowledges valuable members of the School community. In 2011 Steve August ’69 received the Green Jacket, awarded to an alumnus who has distinguished himself in his service to the School or its Alumni Association, while Susan Rives H’09 joined Cardigan’s Honorary Alumni, recognized for their “extraordinary service to the students of Cardigan Mountain School.”

1. The Alumni Board reviews numbers in 2007.

2. The modest success of the first “alumni fund” helped support the Cardigan Chronicle and erect a memorial to Walter Gardner ’49 on Tug Mountain.

3. An alumni group joins the Dewars in making fundraising calls during a 1989 Cardigan phone-a-thon.

6. Hap Hinman and young alumnus Graham Balfour ’52 share a laugh during an early reunion weekend. The Hinmans traditionally played host for at least one gathering during Alumni Weekend, but when Cardigan’s founder was too ill to do so in May 1964, he instead surprised alumni by having “a beautifully decorated cake” delivered to their Annual Meeting.

7. Headmaster Bob Kimball sent the first known letter to alumni in 1949, sharing updates, requesting news, and extending a standing invitation for graduates to visit campus. As he put it, “Cardigan is really going places, and we want to have you with us as the school goes along.”

facIng Page: Cardigan’s support for alumni begins during their final weeks on The Point. We bring seniors together with alumni at their Senior Banquet and Tie Ceremony. We visit our young alumni at secondary schools, sending care packages during exam time and cheering them on at athletic events. Later, we offer them business connections and workplace mentors via the Cardigan Career Network.

thIS Page: At every age, we help alumni stay in touch with their Cardigan brothers—old and new—via events that we hold virtually and in person, around the world.

BOOK TWO: Cardigan Comes of Age

PART ONE: 1945 TO 1960

BY ROBERT C. HOPKINS

above: Robert Hopkins, author and founding trustee of Cardigan.

at right: Correspondence between Hopkins and then-Headmaster Roland Burbank offers a glimpse of how the first School history was planned.

172HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

Under date of 7 January 1958 I received a letter from Roland W. Burbank, Headmaster of Cardigan Mountain School which was much less formal than this bare statement of fact would indicate. The salutation was “Dear Bob” and the signature was “Ro.” Having been a salesman most of my life I failed to recognize his letter as more than a very cordial, courteous, appreciation for my tax exemption gift to the School. It was nice I believed, and still do, for him to acknowledge my modest gift when $500 to $10,000 gifts were cluttering up his desk. There was a bit about the progress of the new scholastic center, Hopkins Hall, in which I have a vicarious interest. By then I was relaxed and casually read on:

“I wonder,” wrote Ro, “if I could persuade you to take on what I think is a very necessary and valuable chore? We need a history of the school to date. I have in mind, at the moment, having a wealth of historical detail available […] would you be willing and able to undertake such a task?”

The last letter I had received from a Headmaster was one I now wish I had saved, for in 1908 he had urged me to consider adding Greek the next year to the schedule of studies I was already laboring under. My first reactions to these Headmasters’ letters were similar and best described as a feeling of hollowness in the stomach. I wanted in both cases to be cooperative for somewhat different reasons. Without going into detail as to what these reasons were for my disinclination to go through life with the admitted advantage of Greek comprehension, I felt strangely lured toward answering “Ro” Burbank’s letter affirmatively. This I did; and for better or worse the historical story of the Cardigan Mountain School is available in the following pages.

A list of living members of the “Cardigan Family,” their status, their locale, and the informal names to which they responded in 1960:

r WILLIAM r. BrEWStEr, “Bill”: Owner and Director of Birch Rock Camp for Boys, East Waterford, Maine

r roLAnd W. BurBAnK, “Ro”: Headmaster of Cardigan Mountain School, Canaan, New Hampshire

r cHArLES E. cottInG, “Charlie”: Chairman of the Board, Lee Higginson Corp., Boston, Massachusetts

r rALPH E. FLAndErS, “Senator”: Former United States Senator, Springfield, Vermont

r EdWArd S. FrEncH, “Ned”: President, Jones and Lamson Machine Co., Springfield, Vermont and Boston, Massachusetts

r SIdnEY c. HAYWArd, “Sid”: Secretary, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire

r dr. crAWFord H. HInMAn, “Doc” or Crawford: Practicing Obstetrician, Boston, Massachusetts

r HAroLd P. HInMAn, “Hap”: President, Cardigan Mountain School, Canaan, New Hampshire

r JoHn H. HInMAn, “John”: Chairman of the Board - International Paper Co., New York City

r HArVEY P. Hood, “Harvey”: President, H. P. Hood & Sons, Boston, Massachusetts

r ErnESt MArtIn HoPKInS, “Hop”: Chairman of Board, Nat’l Life Ins. Co. of Vermont

r roBErt c. HoPKInS, “Bob”: Retired, The New Yorker Magazine, New York City

r JoHn B. KEnErSon,“Johnny”: Ginn and Company, Boston, Massachusetts

r FrAnK M. MorGAn, “Frank”: Former President of Clark School— Retired, Hanover, New Hampshire

r JErALd B. nEWton, “Jerry”: Owner & Director of Camp Pinnacle for Boys, Lyme, New Hampshire

r cHArLES A. Proctor, “Charles”: Professor-Emeritus of Physics, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire

r JuStIn SMItH, “Charles”: Administrator, Hitchcock Clinic, Hanover, New Hampshire

r roBErt W. StoddArd, “Bob”: President, Wyman-Gordon Company, Worcester, Massachusetts

r FrAnK J. SuLLoWAY, “Frank”: Senior Partner, law firm of Sulloway, Hollis, Godfrey, & Soden, Concord, New Hampshire

r SIncLAIr WEEKS, “Frank”: Recently resigned from active service to his Country as Secretary of Commerce, 1953–59, Lancaster, New Hampshire

r J. WALKEr WIGGIn, “Walker”: Senior Partner, law firm of Wiggin, Nourie, Sundeen, Nassikas & Pingree, Manchester, New Hampshire

r PHILIP rAY ALLEn, “Phil” (Resigned): President, New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, Massachusetts

r donALd d. durrELL, “Don” (Resigned): Professor of Education, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts

r JoHn E. FoStEr, “John” (Resigned ): Industrial Engineer, Montclair, New Jersey and New York City

r JEnS FrEdErIcK LArSon, “Fred” (Resigned): Architect, WinstonSalem, North Carolina

r EdWArd K. roBInSon, “Robby” (Resigned): Treasurer, Ginn & Company, Boston, Massachusetts

r HAroLd WALtEr StoKE, “Doctor” (Resigned): President of Queens College, Flushing, New York

r JAMES F. WoodS, “Jim” (Resigned): Portland, Maine

dEcEASEd “MEMBErS” And FrIEndS oF cArdIGAn WHo LIVE In tHE FoLLoWInG PAGES

r HAMILton WALLAcE BAKEr: Boston, Massachusetts

r coL. cHArLES W. tEnnEY: Springfield, Massachusetts

r JAMES c. cAMPBELL: Pawtucket, Rhode Island

r rIcHArd c . cuLLEn: New York, New York

r d. SAMuEL GottESMAn: New York, New York

r ArtHur A. WILLIAMS: Holliston, Massachusetts

HISTORY, PART ONE: The First Fifteen Years

174HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

It is not an uncommon experience in this great Nation of ours that very real achievement develops from what, at the time at least, seems an inconsequential suggestion. The story which is to follow is that of the Cardigan Mountain School with modern fireproof buildings housing over a hundred students, with a Headmaster and faculty second to none in the pre-preparatory school field. Fifteen years ago this present achievement which is still growing started from an idea and a deficit. “A deficit” as defined by a former Finance Minister1of West Germany, “is the amount that you have less than you had at the time when you had nothing.” No better definition could be given of the monetary situation which existed when the Cardigan School, later changed in name to the Cardigan Mountain School, was founded. But we are getting ahead of our story, for much was to be thought over, prayed over and accomplished between the triggering suggestion of one man to the imagination and years of secret hoping of another.

William R. Brewster, Headmaster of Kimball Union Academy at Meriden, New Hampshire, was calling at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Preston T. Miller at Canaan, New Hampshire on the evening of December2, 1944. “Bill” Brewster had never been on Canaan Street before but even though darkness was closing in he was impressed with the wide and straight sweep of Canaan Street lined with its great maple trees. Bill, who had traveled over most of the United States in his capacity as a Headmaster of renown and the beloved head of Birch Rock Camp in Maine, always had an eye out for unusual locations for new schools, the need for which he envisioned even a decade before the missile age dramatized such need. To the Millers he exclaimed “What a wonderful place for a boys’ school.” He placed no particular importance to this comment inasmuch as his reason for making this call was to console the bereaved Millers for the loss of a second son to die in the service of their country. The Preston Millers were friends of Harold P. Hinman and his wife Marion. For some unaccountable reason, the Millers passed on to “Hap” Hinman the comment Bill Brewster had made. This review of the Brewster-Miller conversation did more than stick in Hap Hinman’s mind; it exploded there and set up a chain reaction which is the theme of the Cardigan Mountain School’s historical story.

Hap Hinman had been a resident of Canaan Street for several years. Canaan, New Hampshire, had been the home town of his wife, Marion. After their marriage they had made their home in Barre, Vermont, where Hap had risen to a high position in the granite business, the quarries of which were located there. They had two children; a daughter and a son, and as is natural with fathers, Mr. Hinman had great dreams for his growing boy’s future. When the boy died at 16 years of age in 1931, the tragedy left a void in these loving parents’ lives which could not be filled.

He became more interested than ever in observing the development of boys to responsible manhood and the methods which different organizations used to this end. In his travels he took his son along in the later 1920s not only for companionship, but for whatever educational value there might be for the boy in seeing different parts of the country. During this period there developed in Hap’s mind a thankfulness for the privileges which he knew his son enjoyed and would increasingly

so, as the years progressed, but also he felt the strong urge to contribute in some way to bettering the lot of less privileged boys. There arose almost unconsciously an increasing interest in this field which detracted somewhat from his enthusiasm for the granite business. He dreamed of the possibilities inherent in school work. He wondered if he possessed the qualifications for becoming the Principal of a High School. But his first duty was earning a living which would provide adequately for his growing family and he was pretty sure of his future in his business. Even so he liked to leave it when he could and talk with those in school work. He was interested in the growth of summer camps over the country, but chiefly in New England. Hap was a Charter Member and President of the Barre, Vermont, Rotary Club and took its good works seriously. During the year in which this history is being written, 1959, he was called back to Barre, where he was given a very real tribute by Rotarians there for the years he had spent strengthening their organization, and for his continuing loyalty to Rotary in Hanover, New Hampshire, where he also served these later years.

Hap had met Bill Brewster in the late 1930s at a Rotary meeting in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Brewster had already earned recognition as a promising educator by his success as head of the Day School in Newton, Massachusetts. This recognition was greatly enhanced after he took over an old New England preparatory school which had declined to an almost worthless plant, a vanishing faculty and a school enrollment of six students. As Brewster modestly put it: “There was only one way the school could go…it had just narrowly escaped oblivion.” It was a Herculean task which Brewster took over. The monument to his success now stands for all to see in Meriden, New Hampshire, where Brewster’s former able Assistant Headmaster, Frederick Carver, now directs Kimball Union Academy, a flourishing and well recognized preparatory school. Hap Hinman had come to learn more of the genius of William R. Brewster through his brother John Hinman whose sons had attended Brewster’s Birch Rock Summer Camp, and one had later gone to KuAto prepare for Dartmouth. Hap had reason to be impressed with the acumen of his brother John who was about to become President of the International Paper Company.

It is not too difficult now to recognize the logical sequence of events which took place after Brewster’s spontaneous exclamation over the beauty of Canaan Street as a location for a boys’ school. In Hap Hinman’s mind, which over the years had stored away thoughts of a boys’ school, the urge became paramount to call Brewster and ask what significance might be attached to his comment. Probably no one could have been more surprised than Bill Brewster to receive this phone inquiry from Hinman. “No,” said Brewster, “I am not interested in starting a new school. I have troubles enough right here at KuA.” “Look,” said Hap, “Come right over here [to Canaan] this morning. I want to show you a real location for a school; you haven’t seen anything yet.” Still protesting that no particular significance should be attached to his conversation with the Millers, Bill Brewster agreed, nevertheless, to drive over again to Canaan.

The “location” which Hap showed Brewster was known as the Haffenreffer Estate. This consists of approximately 140 acres of land very much in the shape of a triangle with its blunt point jutting out into Canaan Street Lake, a beautiful body of water fed by springs and edged

1Fritz Schaeffer

facing page: A view of the Haffenreffer estate, circa 1938.

176HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

by woodland. The unique feature of this crystal clear body of water is its elevation of two hundred feet above the main traffic artery of Canaan. From the even higher elevation of the property itself one sees a sweeping panorama overlooking valleys, foothills, and in the distance, soft colored mountains beyond. No wonder Bill Brewster was incredulous lest his eyes were deceiving him. He had traveled and observed much of the U.S.A., yet, since becoming interested in boys’ camps and schools never had he seen a location so perfect, and right there in his own front yard. When he could speak, he asked who owned this property with the sturdy mansion standing like a sentinel.

The Haffenreffer Estate had been given to Dartmouth College through the beneficence of Theodore Haffenreffer at the request of Harold P. Hinman. Hap, who had graduated from Dartmouth in 1910, had had an increasing interest in Dartmouth affairs. He had been his Class Secretary for 25 years and signally honored by being elected President of the Alumni Council for two terms. Through this intimate connection with the college administration, and even more through his progressive admiration for Ernest Martin Hopkins who had been inaugurated President of Dartmouth in 1916, Hap had come more and more to seek advice and counsel from President Hopkins. Hap had reviewed his efforts to obtain the Haffenreffer Estate for the college and found a receptive ear from the President. In May, 1939, Hopkins made a trip over to Canaan to explore the possibilities of the college using this property. With the increasing growth of Dartmouth, additional acreage became of more importance. Even though the Haffenreffer Estate was twenty-two miles from Hanover this presented no great handicap to Hopkins who had no inhibitions about accepting free equities with no strings attached. Moreover, he felt the Graduate School of Engineering, better known as the Thayer School, could make good use of this property for its field work. This idea gained fruition and for some summers classes from the Thayer School made the Mansion their headquarters while surveyors roamed the countryside. Thus the Mansion with recitation rooms and blackboards installed, more and more assumed an educational atmosphere. This aroused Hinman’s imagination.

Almost from the moment Hap had leaped at Bill Brewster’s rather off-hand comment he had thought of nothing else than getting hold of the Haffenreffer property. But before he made his move to this end he leaned more heavily than Brewster realized on the assurance that this idea of a new school had merit. In the words of Brewster himself: “Hap, in his ever persistent way, called me at least once a day for several days and would ask ‘Are you still hot on that subject?’ (of a new school). My answer was always an innocent, ‘Oh, sure.’” Then the bomb exploded… Hap called to say he had talked with none other than Ernest Martin Hopkins, who saw no impropriety in approaching Halsey Edgerton, then Treasurer of Dartmouth College, as to the purchase of the Haffenreffer Estate for the site of a new school.”

In Bill Brewster’s interesting letter to the author covering this particular era in the school’s history Bill writes that he hustled over to Hanover “the next day (April 1st, 1945)” to join with Hap in negotiating what turned out to be a favorable plan for obtaining the Estate. One of the known stipulations was that the then-named Cardigan School would make a down payment of $1,000, along with a demand note and a mortgage for $16,000. Brewster and Hinman left Edgerton’s office and were walking down Main Street when Hap suddenly turned to Bill and said: “We ought to have a bank account!” Brewster agreed, so they went into the Dartmouth National Bank and each deposited $100. This was the beginning of Hap Hinman’s genius in guiding the school from indebtedness to greater indebtedness to prosperity.

A few details having to do with the final deeding of the property from the college to the school exemplify down to earth Yankee trading. First of all it took Hap Hinman and Bill Brewster from April 1st to December 21st to raise the first $1,000—as initial payment on the $16,000—mortgage. Halsey Edgerton as Treasurer of Dartmouth was a renowned watchdog of the college’s finances as Hap and Bill well knew. They were therefore impressed all the more over Edgerton’s cooperation and fairness in waiting until December 21st to close this deal. They weren’t quite prepared, however, on that date to have Edgerton tell them the price of the mortgage deed was raised to $17,104. He pointed out that the school had taken over the property as of April 1st; that there was an accumulation of interest and pro-rated taxes in the interim. The first shock to Hap and Bill was a bit staggering but they both knew the original deal was a good one and that they were getting extremely valuable property. The papers were signed, the $1,000 were handed over to Dartmouth College. As Bill Brewster later could facetiously comment: “We had no more idea where we could raise $16,000 than $17,104 so why quibble!” r

at top: Cardigan founder (and its first headmaster) Bill Brewster. Photograph courtesy Kimball Union Academy archives.

above: Ernest Martin Hopkins and Hap Hinman.

1945 tHrouGH AuGuSt 1946

Mrs. E. M. Hopkins in those late winter and early spring days of 1945 used to facetiously say that unless she saw Hap Hinman sitting in the living room in Hanover she would fear lest his car had broken down between Canaan and the Hopkins homestead. But as everyone knew, Hopkins was retiring from the Presidency of Dartmouth and she was delighted that all this concentration on a new school was going on. It was no secret that Hopkins was giving much time and thought to this new school. What kind of school should be planned for? President Hopkins, who had served for years on the Board of Trustees at Andover and as President of Dartmouth, was well briefed on the secondary school situation all over the country and urged that a pre-preparatory school be founded. The reasons for such a school are so well stated in a letter he sent to Mr. “Phil” Allen a few years later that the author will here urge the indulgence of the reader until, in the sequence of events, this letter shows up in its rightful place in this historical story. Mr. Allen who was later a member of the Corporation of the Cardigan Mountain School had asked why any normal home would send boys of so tender an age as to qualify for grades six through nine, away from parental care. We dwell on this point as illustrative of the thoughtful planning which had to be done before even the organization of the new school was considered. The success of this school goes back to the sound reasoning which preceded its every forward step. The amount of time spent on planning and organizing by Hap Hinman long before the first pupil arrived was nothing short of prodigious. He has often said, however, that his reward

was the pleasure derived from working with men he considered great, among whom none surpassed Ernest Martin Hopkins.

The first meeting of the Incorporators was held at the Dartmouth Club in New York City, May 10th, 1945. “At that time, the group gathered to discuss preliminary plans and sign waiver of notice for the first formal meeting to be held at the Cardigan School June 9th, 1945. Those present at that meeting were2Messrs. Harold P. Hinman, Robert C. Hopkins, James F. Woods, James C. Campbell, John B. Kenerson, William R. Brewster, John E. Foster, and Sidney C. Hayward. Subsequently a second meeting on June 9th, ‘45, was held on Canaan Street, Canaan, New Hampshire as planned and formal action was taken to establish the school and adopt its Charter and Articles of Incorporation.”

Sid Hayward, who was later elected Secretary of the Trustees and who for years had been Secretary of Dartmouth College, points up more of the “tremendously important planning which had gone on before the first plan of organization was followed in respect to establishing a working Board of Trustees, seven in number, and a very valuable second group that formed the membership of the Cardigan Mountain School Corporation which was to elect the Trustees (annually) and to meet twice a year to consider top policies.”

President Hinman (who was elected by the original Incorporators as listed above) set his sights on recruiting membership in the Corporation of nationally known men. In this important matter, he was

2Names listed in order shown in minutes of that first meeting.

above: This photo of “sponsors and leaders of Cardigan Mountain School” ran in the Boston Sunday Herald on June 9, 1946, helping to promote the School’s opening. It is one of the few images the School holds of its first employee, business manager Bob McMillan, and also pictures the co-Assistant Headmasters Bill Everts and Dick Sawyer.

1. and 2. The School’s first official document records all of the founders’ signatures but that of secretary Sidney Hayward. During the first meeting of the Corporation, the Incorporators added a description of the official seal to the by-laws, and amended the Corporation’s name from “Cardigan School” to “Cardigan Mountain School.”

3. In addition to housing Cardigan Mountain School’s first students, the Canaan Street Lodge has provided homes to the Hotel Lucerne, Canaan College, New Canaan Academy, and private residents.

4. Bill Brewster’s article about the School’s opening ran in this issue of the Concordia Brewster briefly promoted Cardigan as a feeder school for Kimball Union Academy, where he was still headmaster.

1. through 3. The buildings on the Haffenreffer estate as they appeared around the time that Bill Brewster and Hap Hinman were inspired to found Cardigan Mountain School.

4. After Cardigan brought on Everts and Sawyer as assistant headmasters, Middlebury graduates Ted and Dolly Peach were the first faculty members to be hired. They wore many hats, but Ted taught English while Dolly (Everts’ cousin) taught Latin, math, and reading.

5. The Kimball ran this article about Cardigan’s first employee, Business Manager Robert McMillan, who was a protégé of Kimball Union Academy’s headmaster, Bill Brewster. McMillan worked to identify prospective students prior to Cardigan’s first academic year.

above: Hap Hinman’s Bulletin captured the financial turning point that secured Cardigan Mountain School’s future in March, 1946: a flurry of significant gifts from founding trustees and incorporators.

greatly aided by President Emeritus Hopkins of Dartmouth, who constantly emphasized compatibility among members of the Corporation, as well as very outstanding abilities and achievements. The result has been extraordinarily happy and fruitful. The Trustees are in their own right prominent and respected persons in the fields of education and business. They have worked with such respect for the Corporation as to make wholly productive and congenial the relationships between the two groups. Discussions in the Board of Trustees have led to reports to the Corporation on matters of most important policy where full understanding and decisions by both groups are important. Results have been achieved in a highly cooperative and friendly spirit.

When the original group of selected members of the Corporation first met that early day of May, 1945 in New York City it could have been as much a comedy as the serious conclave which those in attendance wanted it to be. Here were eight men gathered together who weren’t too sure why they had been selected with the exception of one or two. Certainly the procedure of starting a new school was foreign to the thoughts of most of these men. We little knew back in 1945 how important an adventure we were embarking on. We were, however, given some leeway to collect our thoughts by getting acquainted with each other and learning how legal the founding of a new school must be. The most important step we took was to “waive notice of a meeting of the Incorporators of Cardigan School to be held at Canaan Street Lodge at 8 p.m. on June 9, 1945…to adopt by-laws…to effect an organization, and to take any other action that may lawfully be taken at an Incorporators’ meeting.”

The volume including the minutes of Cardigan Mountain School meetings will assure the legally minded that we were peculiarly blessed to have at that time the advice and counsel of Jonathan Piper of Concord, New Hampshire, a highly respected friend of Bill Brewster. Piper had won a most important legal decision for Exeter Academy vs. the State of New Hampshire on the matter of taxation. Through his expert guidance we as laymen did upon motion duly made and seconded, unanimously vote:

To organise a corporation in accordance with the provisions of the foregoing Articles of Agreement of Association under Chapter 272 of the Revised Laws of New Hampshire, under the name of Cardigan School for the purposes specified in the foregoing Articles of Agreement of Association.

There was then presented to the meeting a code of By-Laws which had been drafted by counsel. The proposed By-Laws were read article by article and after full discussion, it was upon motion duly made and seconded, unanimously…voted and adopted…

The eight men who attended the New York meeting in May, 1945, as Members of the Corporation voted themselves in as Trustees at the June 9th meeting. It was also voted that out of this group of men the following officers be elected and were so voted:

r PrESIdEnt: Harold P. Hinman

r VIcE PrESIdEnt: Robert C. Hopkins

r cLErK: Sidney C. Hayward

r trEASurEr: James F. Woods

Optimism was growing and it was voted to designate the Dartmouth National Bank of Hanover, New Hampshire, as a depository for funds of this Corporation. Jim Woods was authorized to deposit funds and withdraw same from time to time. It is not suggested anywhere in the records that these duties became too arduous for some time.

At this June 9th meeting, John B. Kenerson was elected Temporary Clerk and “took the oath of office before Jonathan Piper, Justice of the Peace.” It was also voted that Kenerson be “authorized to obtain a seal for the Corporation.”

On July 5th it was attested by Johnny Kenerson that…Sidney C. Hayward had appeared and made oath before Notary Public (whose signature defies recognition) that Sid Hayward would perform the duties of Clerk faithfully, impartially, etc., etc.

Lest there be any raising of eyebrows over what might seem a short tenure of office for Kenerson as Clerk, it should be made clear that this was the first step toward concentrating the official personnel as near as possible to the school. Sid Hayward, an “old pro” in the office of Secretariat was 22 miles from Canaan, whereas John Kenerson was 125 miles away in the suburbs of Boston. As a school seal was necessary, Sid Hayward and Fred Larson prepared a de-

180HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

sign. The seal was made and presented to the new organization. It has served the school well to this day.

If there ever was a doubt as to President Hinman’s agility in moving toward the consummation of any deal important to the school the following would reassure such a doubter. A Trustee writes:

I recall being named to a small committee to arrange with Dartmouth College for the purchase of the ‘Point’ at the north end of Canaan Street otherwise known as the Haffenreffer property. This was owned by Dartmouth College. The other members of the negotiating committee were Messrs. Hinman and Brewster. I don’t think the Committee ever met, nor was I ever consulted in advance of the several steps in complex negotiations….This is not recalled with the slightest criticism of President Hinman, rather in a spirit of admiration. The many conversations with Treasurer Edgerton at Dartmouth needed to be handled by one of the Cardigan group. It was a case of one New England Yankee trader pitted against another and there would have been no room or reason in those private conversations for Committee activity!

Because of Hap Hinman’s genius, one conversant with the inner workings of this new school venture came to believe in the inevitability of the program as a whole either sooner or later. The minutes of the July14th meeting (and still in the year 1945) lend credence to this:

After viewing the Haffenreffer property, now owned by Dartmouth College, and which will be purchased by the Trustees of the School…

The fiscal year financial statement of December 20, 1945, showed receipts and disbursements as follows, which makes the above claim seem very brave:

r Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Hinman

r Mr. James C. Campbell

r Mr. William R. Brewster

r

r

$2,366.82 (including down payment of $1,104.75to Dartmouth College)

r cASH on HAnd $233.18

This was a happy way to end the first year of formal organization.

One and all accepted the formal organization as the fait accompli. This was a meeting held, Sept. 26, 1945, in the Canaan Street Lodge where the Trustees had been bountifully fed by Mrs. David Austin, attractive and genial wife of Dave Austin who operated the Lodge at personal profit.

There was the mood that accepted expansiveness of thought as a logical sequence to the pleasantries surrounding these Trustees. They in the secret of their own hearts felt they were contributing quite a bit to the school-to-be by paying their own car fares or burning their own gasoline up to and back from Canaan. They listened with serious and rapt attention to J. Frederick Larson, architect, who had been brought in to back up with well-drawn sketches Mr. Brewster’s conception of the school for which we should strive. These plans totaled a modest

$500,000. It is interesting, in view of future costs, to note the breakdown of this plant expenditure:

r Four Dormitories and Masters’ Houses$160,000

r Main Building $140,000

r Gymnasium and Crafts Building $150,000

r Tower $20,000

r Drives and Boathouse $10,000

r Development of Property $10,000

r Miscellaneous $10,000

r totAL $500,000

The Board approved Mr. Larson’s tentative development plan and bird’s-eye view of the plant.

There were some among the Trustees who felt expenditures were piling up a little fast. We had not at that time actually purchased the property. We were now voting approval of plans calling for a half million dollar expenditure for construction thereon. This was quite a projection from the $200 deposited in the Dartmouth National Bank by Hap Hinman and Bill Brewster. President Hinman quickly brought the question period to a close with: “Hells-bells, we’re getting nowhere by this kind of talk…you fellows have to have more faith, more vision… these plans represent the goal we have to strive for…we’ll raise the money…but you’ve got to get out and work. Now let’s take up the next matter for consideration…”

This was the pattern which other meetings were to follow. Hap had the vision and he kept the faith. He never knew quite how these plans were going to be realized but he would never countenance “doubting Thomases” even though he went through agonizing moments of discouragement himself. These he kept to himself until he had overcome them.

Bill Brewster had consented to become the school’s nonresident Headmaster working as advisor to two young men he had in mind as his resident assistants. Bill’s willingness to work in this advisory capacity took a big burden off the shoulders of Hap Hinman who knew little about courses, teaching personnel and innumerable details connected with the actual day to day routine of a school. John Kenerson was to be of help to Brewster because of his intimate knowledge of secondary schools, text books used, possible candidates available for our new faculty, etc.

The Trustees were now confronted with ways and means of enrolling students for our new school. It was suggested that a brochure be written on the school. The Trustees voted $400 to cover the expense. Robert C. Hopkins was assigned to write the story and supervise its production. In this he was ably assisted by Fred Davis, Vice President of Rumford Press who took the beautiful photographs used in the brochure and gave much of his time and effort to assure an outstanding print job at lowest possible cost. J. Frederick Larson, architect, furnished his conception of the school-to-be in a double spread sepia projection. John Cone did a masterful job in furnishing hand sketched illustrations. All in all this was accepted as a fitting piece of promotion and was used to the extent of a second printing. A last minute correction had to be effected since a change of name of the Corporation was voted by the Trustees at their meeting of October 13, 1945, to Cardigan Mountain School. Hap Hinman had never been satisfied with the original name: “Cardigan School.” He solicited help from Don Tuttle who was Director of the New Hampshire Development Commission and was greatly interested in this new enterprise. They ruled out any individual’s name. Hap and Tuttle finally thought of inserting

182HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

1. Traveling expenses from 1945–46 show Bob McMillan’s hustle to find enrollment leads, which was his primary focus and responsibility.

2. Wierum House on Canaan Street was home to the infirmary and the youngest Cardigan students from 1946 to 1948.

3. A January 1946 note to business manager Bob McMillan captures treasurer Jim Woods’ take on Cardigan's tenuous financial circumstances: “Brother do we need money.”

the name “Mountain” since Cardigan Mountain is the most dramatic piece of landscape visible from the school campus. Thus was Article One of the By-Laws changed. Article Two was also changed to read: “The Seal of the Corporation shall consist of two concentric circles with the words ‘Cardigan Mountain School’ between the outer and inner circles and the words ‘Incorporated New Hampshire’ around the innerside of the inner circle, together with the date ‘1945’ horizontally across the center.”

It was voted that ʼnot less than three nor more than 15 Trustees be elected for the ensuing year.”

J. Frederick Larson was elected to the Board of Trustees making a total of nine members.

The Board of Trustees formalized the purchase of the Haffenreffer Property from Dartmouth College.

Robert L. McMillan, whose services as Business Manager of the School were about to be utilized for a nominal fee, attended as guest of the Board. Bob McMillan came to us from the Lipton Tea Company where he had been sales manager after serving his country as a Major in the Air Corps.

At this meeting a first and vital step forward was made in anticipating a separate unit in the school organization with the title “Members of the Corporation.” To be sure the original Members of the Corporation had voted themselves in as Trustees but it was early seen that there should be a separation of these two bodies better to serve the interests of the school. As a first step to this end it was voted: “that the President appoint members of the Corporation after securing the advice of friends of the school such as President Hopkins of Dartmouth, and others.”

A charge of $1,000 was established as the tuition for the first year beginning the following September.

Things were beginning to fall into place and action was succeeding discussion. At a meeting held at the Algonquin Club in Boston March18, 1946, the following new members of the Corporation were voted in:

r ErnEStMArtInHoPKInS, Hanover, New Hampshire

r PHILLIPR. ALLEn, Boston, Massachusetts

r EdWArdS. FrEncH, Boston, Massachusetts

r JoHnH. HInMAn, New York City

r EdWArdK. RoBInSon, Boston, Massachusetts

r HAroLdW. StoKE, Durham, New Hampshire

r ArtHurA. WILLIAMS, Holliston, Massachusetts

r RALPHE. FLAndErS, Springfield, Vermont

r J. FrEdErIcKLArSon, New York City

r HAMILtonW. BAKEr, Boston, Massachusetts

The perspective which the passing of time gives an operation such as starting a new school lends humor to its telling and to an extent replaces the grimness of the situation at the time. As meeting after meeting came along the organization of the school became a reality whereas financing became more and more of a deep concern. It was argued, and rightly so, that if the school could begin with an enrollment of 35 boys current expenses could be met. The Trustees had upped the initial tuition figure from $1,000 to $1,100 and that would help. But where was some $20,000 coming from to meet the purchase of the Lodge on Canaan Street and refurbish same? The idea of operating the new school on “The Point” had to be given up since the Mansion was too small to furnish both dormitory and recitation room space. There were no kitchen or dining room facilities either. It was entirely natural that purchase of the Lodge should take place after conversations be-

tween Dave Austin and Hap Hinman. It was known that the operating of the Lodge was becoming too much of a burden for the Austins who had passed the prime of life; also the holders of First and Second Mortgages were receptive to a bit more collateral than a declining patronage of the Lodge guaranteed. Motels were creeping into the field formerly controlled by the old wayside inns and even the delicious meals offered by Mrs. Austin could not compete with the new trend of “drive-ins.” The picture of Bill Brewster doing the talking with Dave Austin while Hap Hinman offered what has become known in TV language as “cue cards” is a story to delight any raconteur. It should also be related that the Austins could not have been more cooperative during the transition of the Inn into a school building. Also, during the early years, the Annual Meetings of the Corporation Members and Trustees were held in the spacious and comfortable living room in the Austin’s home across the street from the Lodge.

No better contrast could be offered as to the variety of financial decisions facing the Board of Trustees than financing a $20,000 deal and okaying expenses for opening an office in Canaan where the school’s Business Manager, Bob McMillan, might hold forth. Rental for office space came to $10 a month; part-time office girl for 50¢an hour; telephone at $3.50 a month. Not having ready cash made the difference academic to all intents and purposes between these modest charges and $20,000.

Hap Hinman as head of all committees was given most of the responsibility in this early stage. It was not that the Trustees wished to evade any responsibility, but rather that Hap gave every indication of preferring to do things his own way and showing pretty conclusively he had been and would be successful. Every once in a while, however, something happened to show that the Trustees could contribute handsomely to this school endeavor. Jim Campbell from Rhode Island came through with a gift he had obtained amounting to $5,000. This was a terrific shot in the arm at the particular time since it came from an outside source and one entirely unrelated to the school. But Jim was to continue to meet all kinds of school needs by such gifts as a station wagon for the school when, in these early days, money just was not available for such purchases. But more about this loyal supporter later.

Much was accomplished at that joint meeting of Trustees and Members of the Corporation held in Boston, March, 1946. Details of the Haffenreffer property deed from Dartmouth College to the Cardigan Mountain School were gone over. Authorization was given to purchase or lease the Lodge with property backing up to the Lake. Hap Hinman had made his famous pronouncement as to the qualifications we should bear in mind in choosing new members for the Trustees or Corporation, namely: “they must have Affluence, Influence, Interest; and lacking any one of those three they must have much of the other two.” This was the opening challenge to all Trustees. The preliminary period of discussion and planning was over and the time for realistic action was at hand. It was soon evident that the Members of the Corporation were no less cognizant of the situation. John Hinman, who was a pillar of strength right from the beginning, but like other members of the Corporation had not had the occasion to make known generally what dimensions their interests might assume, neatly summed up the status:

You fellows have done a good job up to now…you have the organization, the property [Ed., purchase had only been voted], the assistants. You’re ready to go, but have no money…

This was obliquely seconded by E. S. French, one of New England’s staunchest citizens who suggested, “Let’s talk turkey….Get this thing

started now….Don’t waste a minute….To open in September we have a lot of work to do since we are starting from scratch….Get some money coming in…” That is just what happened for Jim Campbell, Bill Brewster, E. M. Hopkins, Ned French, John Hinman and Hap Hinman each pledged $1,000. It can be argued that while these very men over the years have far exceeded this sum in their gifts to the school, no gift has meant more to Cardigan Mountain School than the sum of these initial contributions. These got the whole conception of the school off the ground. This all was timely which accounts for its tremendous importance.

The next day in Canaan, New Hampshire, the deal for the heavily mortgaged Lodge was closed at a price of $15,500. A down payment of $1,000 was made. An unsecured note for $3,297.24 was given, plus a 5% mortgage for the balance. We had a building with 34 rooms furnished with beds and mattresses, cooking utensils, a baker, a stove and electric refrigerator. Almost in the twinkling of an eye each and everyone connected with this proposition felt he belonged at last to something concrete even though the building was wooden. The Lodge was attractive, but needed paint, papering, and a leaky roof repaired.

In the meantime Bill Brewster selected two young and attractive fellows to act as Assistants in running the school, scheduled to open September 17, 1946. These young Assistant Headmasters were William Everts—Harvard, 1938, and Richard Sawyer, Dartmouth, 1941. Everts had received his discharge from the Army earlier than had Sawyer and set up bachelor quarters in the Mansion. Bill Everts almost overnight became farmer, groundskeeper, and road cleaner-upper. He was shortly joined by Dick Sawyer lately of the Air Corps who discovered the Mansion attic full of bats. Their stories of breaking into the educational field would fill a comic magazine, for the menial tasks these fellows took on of their own volition were many. Hap Hinman in his Bulletin of April 24, 1946, wrote: “Bill Everts and Dick Sawyer eager to have the educational program begin in the fall…none will ever realize the physical labors these two young men have contributed towards this end.”

Treasurer Jim Woods obtained from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue a “Certificate of Exemption.” This put us on an equal basis for the solicitation of funds with other educational institutions and was a very necessary recognition at this particular time.

Other contributions came to give added courage to all, especially to Hap Hinman who from day to day faced innumerable problems of financing basic expenditures. There was never a moment when Hap could retire at night feeling the school was financially ahead; and it has taken little research to make one wonder how he had the courage to go on when accumulating funds disappeared in the quicksands of ever recurring expenditures. The other contributions just referred to:

r Charles Tenney $500

r Philip R. Allen $5,000

were almost immediately swallowed up in just one expenditure for a steam heating unit, radiators and oil tank for the Mansion. While the Lodge on Canaan Street was to be the main school building, the hope even then of getting up on the Point was strong. Under the guise of needing the Mansion to take care of the overflow of some 15 boys in addition to the number the Lodge could accommodate the expenditure for heating the Mansion became of primary importance. There was the recurring question as to the advisability of pouring money into the Lodge which was looked upon as a temporary location for the Cardigan Mountain School. However, the investment in rehabilitating the Lodge was little compared to constructing new buildings up on the Point. There was no final disposition to fight through for an immediate school

on the Point, but to many it was gratifying to have the Mansion ready for the emergency of increased enrollment.

As it was, the school was starting without a dime in the bank, in a renovated building but with no student in sight. The news that an application for admittance to Cardigan had been received was electrifying. Russel Thomas Chase from Old Lyme, Connecticut now has the distinction of being the first student to be enrolled in Cardigan Mountain School, but he actually never entered. This applicant raised the hope that Bill Brewster’s goal of an initial enrollment of 35 boys might be realized. There was the quiet mental assurance too that we had room for 15 more boys in the Mansion. After mature deliberation, however, the cost of maintaining a split operation and the inefficiency of directing same caused the Trustees to play it safe and voted at an August 2, 1946, meeting:

That the Fall enrollment be limited to about 35 boys who, with the required staff, can comfortably be taken care of in the Lodge and the Wierum House.

The lease of the nearby Wierum House was but the first of additional properties acquired on Canaan Street where the school was to be established for years to come. Whatever exceptions there were to such procedure, and there were many, all were finally convinced by the President that the costs of establishing the plant already well started on Canaan Street were much smaller than building a new plant up on the Point. As it was, the Trustees voted to authorize the President to negotiate a 4%, $25,000 loan on the school properties.

At this time in the school’s development Cardigan’s first bank borrowing started almost on the personal guarantee of John Hinman, who, from his earlier North Country days, had been a director of the Siwooganock Guaranty Savings Bank of Lancaster, New Hampshire. John had subsequently resigned because of the press of his later business responsibilities in New York, but at Siwooganock his word was accepted later as it had been earlier and this institution loaned Cardigan $25,000 at 4% and later added another $10,000. This was the beginning of Cardigan’s bank credit which has always been kept excellent through meeting amortization requirements promptly, and even ahead of time. In attaining this enviable position Cardigan is indebted to the support of outstanding men who are members of the Corporation and whose very names carry weight in financial circles.

This was a far cry from trying to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for a new plant, to say nothing of the delay in starting the school. However, there was evidence that the accommodations would be ample, for there was no great surge of applicants for the Fall Term.

This did not prevent all members and their wives meeting for the first time, June 1st, 1946 to see for themselves just what had been accomplished and to hear of plans for the future; 17 were in attendance. Enthusiasm was expressed by all and reached its peak when Phil Allen exclaimed he was going “to back the school until hell froze over.” E. M. Hopkins, who was sitting with his back to a roaring fire in the Austins’ hospitable living room appreciatively replied, while wiping his brow: “If the temperature of this room is any criterion, Phil, you’ll be with us for a long, long time!” After the laughter ended Hap expressed the feelings of all, that Phil Allen’s words were “sweet to the listeners.” Good fellowship existed.

The members were delighted to welcome Harvey P. Hood, President, H. P. Hood & Sons, Boston, Mass., to the Corporation. Harvey, one of New England’s best known and honored citizens, had been the choice of many institutions as a candidate to first seek for their Boards

184HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

of Trustees. He had but recently turned down two well-known boys’ schools as well as two women’s colleges. There was a limit beyond which he felt he could not serve well the various directorships and educational boards desiring his help. Harvey Hood’s acceptance to serve as an additional member of the Corporation meant much to Cardigan at this particular time in terms of prestige alone; but he in turn was to write, “the fact that Ned (French), Hap (Hinman), E. M. Hopkins were all interested in Cardigan was too much for me…” Paraphrasing an old adage that prestige begets prestige was never more true than in this instance. Looking ahead, it was Harvey Hood who in turn brought another most valued member into the Corporation, Robert W. Stoddard; but more about him later.

A telegram was received from Hamilton W. Baker who was confined to his bed in Phillips House in Boston which read: “To you men who have realized your dream of Cardigan Mountain School my heartiest congratulations and best wishes. I am wholeheartedly with you in spirit and regret that I cannot be present.” Mr. Baker had, as a member of the Corporation also shown his interest in the school in a material way two months earlier by contributing $3,000. There is no doubt but that his interest was the greater because his nephew was Bill Everts, of whom he was justly proud. Only two weeks later did we receive word that Mr. Baker had passed away. Suffering from an illness from which he could not recover, his loyalty to Cardigan Mountain School was an inspiration to those of us who knew his great desire to actually see for himself the achievement which already had taken place. The memory of his faith will live on.

There was an item in the minutes of the August 2nd Trustee Meeting which was to recur in one form or another for years to come.

There was a full discussion of the current financial situation of the school in which it was clear that additional support must be found if the school is to begin operating next month.

It was a bit disquieting that Jim Woods should submit his resignation as Treasurer just at this time. However, the Trustees accepted in good faith his reason: “because of pressure of other duties.” The Board expressed “very deep appreciation…for his fine work in behalf of…” the school.

Harold P. Hinman was elected Treasuer to hold the joint office of President-Treasurer.

The Board of Trustees closed ranks with the feeling a successor would be available as Sid Hayward dutifully made notes for the records.

The Trustees moved and voted (on the question of general organization)…

That the President appoint a finance committee, of which one member shall be the President of the Board, to authorize commitments and expenses in behalf of the Board of Trustees. (The President appointed the two additional members as follows: Messrs. Brewster and Hayward.)

The wisdom of this move was to be even more apparent later.

It was early established that Members of the Corporation had been wisely chosen. The original group carried the prestige which made it possible to attract other important personages.

Mr. Richard J. Cullen, an outstanding man particularly in the paper industry, was elected as a new member of the Corporation. He soon showed his appreciation by giving the school a check for $5,000. He prefaced this action by saying there were three reasons why he was making this contribution: his friendship for John Hinman, his admiration for E. M. Hopkins, and his real interest in and desire to help boys. This was but the beginning of Dick Cullen’s largess to Cardigan. It was such recognition that eased for the time being the worries confronting Hap Hinman who saw substantial gifts swallowed up by necessary expenditures. No one who didn’t have almost constant exposure to the problems as seen by Hap or knew how many things Hap wanted to see done beyond bare necessities can appreciate what this man carried around with him day in and day out. The reassuring fact was that money did come in and while there was no time when one could be sure such procedure would continue, nevertheless bills were being paid and interest on loans was being met. Also, there was that great guy Jim Campbell who always seemed to show up when the going got the toughest. Having given some $2,000, Jim would look around to see what was badly needed: he gave for instance a sailboat, a horse, paper supplies of all kinds; one time it was a typewriter; another time, he found a pick-up truck was needed, so bought a new Chevrolet ½ton. Smilingly he would say these were purchased for the school on the basis of “deferred payments.”

above: Compensation records show the School’s gradual addition of salaried and hourly employees as the first academic year approached.

Other problems had to do with getting additional members for the school faculty. Bill Everts had recommended an attractive couple, Ted and Dolly Peach, who made a most favorable impression and were made members of the Cardigan faculty. Dick Sawyer had married a delightful young lady, Barbara Kenney, who had graduated from Mt. Holyoke in 1939. The Peaches were graduates of Middlebury. These two couples in addition to Bill Everts exuded enthusiasm and created an atmosphere of youthful assurance which was the delight of boys and elders. There is no doubt that the trial and tribulations of being associated with this new educational venture dimmed into insignificance after the tensions of the war years. Cardigan is indeed indebted to them for all they gave to making that first year a success.

As the opening of school approached the financial picture brightened by additional contributions: an anonymous gift of S1,000, and $5,000 from Mr. E. H. Neese of Beloit, Wisconsin, whose interest was aroused by John Hinman and Richard Cullen. r

186HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

above and at left: Architect and Cardigan trustee J. Frederick Larson’s initial vision for The Point differs from today’s campus.

SEPtEMBEr 1946 tHrouGH AuGuSt 1947

Cardigan Mountain School opened on September 19, 1946, with an enrollment of 24 boys. This total was a disappointment only to three men who had been in almost daily contact with visiting parents. The figure of 35 had been held to as a minimum to expect. As far back as April 20, 1945, John Kenerson had written Bill Brewster: “Without question we will have no difficulty in the next three or four years of having more applications than we can possibly take care of.” John was making no wild guess for he knew the secondary school picture forward and backward. Also, Bill Brewster predicted up to almost the week before school opened that 35 boys would enroll. The third disappointed member of the Cardigan family was Hap Hinman. Hap had counted on tuition income from 35 boys. This lesser number of 24 boys, later increased to 26, caused no little concern to these three stalwarts as to breaking even in the first year of operation. To the other members of the Trustees and Corporation the opening was an auspicious occasion. Sight must not be lost of the handicaps Bill Brewster and Hap Hinman had to face in selling interested parents on a school which physically did not exist up to within three months of the then theoretical opening date. Bill Brewster now really wonders how the parents of these 26 boys had the courage to sign up only on the basis of a great idea. He relates how he would take the prospects and their parents up to the Haffenreffer property and ask a rhetorical question: “Where have you ever seen so beautiful a location for a school!” In the meantime his two Assistant Headmasters would be scraping paper off the walls of the Mansion or cutting the grass. To most who really knew the situation it was nothing short of miraculous that 26 boys eventually showed up.

A reception was given these boys by Mr. and Mrs. Brewster, ably assisted by Bill Everts, Dick and Barbara Sawyer, Ted and Dolly Peach and Bob and Natalie McMillan. It would have been difficult to select a more attractive group to welcome boys, many of whom were away from home for the first time. Mrs. Brewster had welcomed boys most of her life and had the gracious touch to which the youngsters eagerly responded. The fine appearing young men were boys at heart and knew how to gain the confidence of the hesitant and bashful to say nothing of the homesick youths. The attractive young wives had the poise and sympathetic understanding to reach the hearts of the most skeptical. Within these first hours an entente cordiale was established which was to last the rest of the school year. No wonder Hap and Marion looked on with almost unbelieving eyes. Hap’s dream of years gone by was unfolding there before him. None begrudged him these hours of happiness.

There was a man literally behind the scenes who was to become an enviable member of the Cardigan family and beloved by a generation of boys. He was distinguishable at this first dinner because he wore a tall chef’s headdress and had cooked a meal boys like. Dick Clancy had been selected by Bill Brewster fresh from the Army. Bill had known Clancy even before the war when he lived in nearby Windsor, Vermont. Dick, Nellie his attractive wife, and daughter have made the Cardigan Mountain School their home ever since. A father and his son recently called on the writer to thank him for putting them in touch with Cardigan two years previously. The father mentioned not only the food but its preparation, and said: “Jim can’t wait to get back to school and one of the outstanding reasons is the good meals served there…your chef there, Clancy, must be quite a remarkable fellow for the boys like and respect him so much.” As far as the boys are concerned “Clancy can do anything.” Right from the beginning he has been an influence for good. Among Brewster’s many contributions to the school, none has worn better than Clancy.

This year, the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees and the Members of the Corporation was of particular interest, for the opening of the school had taken place. There had been further gifts to report:

r $5,000 from Phil and Anne K. Allen

r $1,000 from Ralph E. Flanders

r $100 worth of books from Ned Robinson

These contributions put one and all in a happy mood to review the accomplishments of the previous year. Thus did the two groups gather together on October 12, 1946. The Trustees met together once again in the Lodge on the second floor where the financial situation was reviewed by President Hinman along with the opening of the school. Later the Members of the Corporation arrived and with the Trustees joined the school boys for dinner. The organization and discipline

above: At the October 1946 board meeting, the trustees reviewed the School’s financial commitments, including the breakout of expenses related to the boys’ riding program.

1. Onie and Bill Brewster set the tone during Cardigan’s first year, but because they did not live on campus, they relied on the young faculty to oversee most aspects of residential life(photograph courtesy Kimball Union Academy archives).

2. Chef Richard Clancy, pictured on the porch of the Lodge, was an institution in and of himself. Working at the School from its first academic year through to his retirement in 1977, he was beloved by generations of Cardigan boys.

3. Dolly Peach advised the first student paper, The Clarion, published in 1946–47. Pictured (from left) are staff writers Fred Lippert ’49, Alan Herzig ’48, Roger Bullard ’49, and F. Lee Bailey ’47.

4. Co-Assistant Headmasters Everts and Sawyer sent Cardigan parents a welcome letter containing some advice on preparing their boys for the School’s first academic year.

1. and 2. Hap Hinman noted that Bill Everts (shown above, second from left) was the School’s resident horseman and oversaw all barn activities in the School’s first year. A March 1947 article in the Clarion offers more detail: “The members of the barn are five horses, three cows, three pigs, and a few local mice and cats.”

3. Ted Peach reads to the students in the living room at the Lodge, while other faculty members listen (co-Assistant Headmasters Bill Everts and Dick Sawyer are pictured at left).

4. To provide trustees and incorporators with a window into campus life, Hap Hinman shared one of the students’ weekly job assignments lists in his Bulletin

in the dining room made a most favorable impression. White jacketed boys organized by Barbara Sawyer served the dinner. The boys entered into their various tasks with enthusiasm. It was learned that there was a rotation of the work so that no one group was exempt from tasks performed by others over the year. Each boy was responsible for the care of his room and teams of students carried on necessary chores around the premises.

After an enjoyable meeting with the boys, the Members of the Corporation and Trustees went across the street to hold their joint meeting in the living room of the Austins. A summarized financial report showed:

Trustee Officers: President and Treasurer, Harold P. Hinman; Vice President, Robert C. Hopkins; Clerk, Sidney C. Hayward; Assistant Treasurer, Richard A. Sawyer; Headmaster, William R. Brewster.

Committee to study organization of the school: E. M. Hopkins, Edward S. French, John H. Hinman, William R. Brewster, Harold P. Hinman.

All were asked to be on the lookout for a new Treasurer.

The new school year started auspiciously with a gift of a thousand dollars by Arthur Williams.

By adjournment time it seemed to all that a very neat package had been effected; the school was actually operating, some $40,500 had been raised by one way or another, and as far as could be seen funds would be available to carry operations through the year 1947. This was surely a far cry from less than eighteen months before when Hap Hinman and Bill Brewster each deposited $100 to the account of Cardigan. Members of the Corporation and Trustees departed their respective ways.

1946 Year-End Gifts were announced as coming from:

r Charles Cotting $250

r Robert C. Hopkins $250

r E. M. Hopkins $250

r John Hinman $2,000

Other expenditures including salaries, brochures, food, fuel, insurance, interest, taxes, etc., absorbed the balance.

This was recognized by all as a pretty good statement by the President and he was highly commended for all the effort he had made to bring this about. William R. Brewster received appreciation for the personnel he had organized for the new school; the 26 boys who were starting off the first year of Cardigan Mountain School. There was indeed a feeling of restrained satisfaction over all that had been accomplished.

Greetings were extended to Charles E. Cotting, Harvard 1911, a new member of the Corporation.

“Charlie” Cotting, one of nature’s most modest individuals, possesses nevertheless the keenness of mind and a dedication of his unique faculties to further a cause to which he has once given his support. To those who know him best it comes as no surprise that at the time of this writing he is Chairman of the Board of Lee Higginson to say nothing of his other various important connections. It is no wonder that Ned French marshalled the services of E. M. Hopkins, Phil Allen, and Harvey Hood to interest Cotting in joining the Corporation of the Cardigan Mountain School. Just how fortunate this selection was will be proven in the year to year story of the school’s progress.

E. M. Hopkins who had been asked to preside at this, the joint meeting of the Corporation and Board of Trustees, asked that a vote be taken “to make valid all elections that have taken place since the original Incorporators became members automatically.” The following were voted Members of the Corporation: E. M. Hopkins, Philip R. Allen, Hamilton W. Baker (now deceased, but by the wish of all, his name was recorded as a Member up to the time of his recent death), Charles E. Cotting, R. J. Cullen, Ralph E. Flanders, Edward S. French, John H. Hinman, Harvey P. Hood, J. Frederick Larson, Edward K. Robinson, Harold W. Stoke, Arthur A. Williams. President Harold P. Hinman should be included in this list, although his name does not appear so in the minutes of this meeting. The election of these named individuals was made retroactive to cover the period since the organization of the school.

Next, an election of the Board of Trustees was called for and the following were elected thereto: William R. Brewster, James C. Campbell, John E. Foster, Sidney C. Hayward, Harold P. Hinman, Robert C. Hopkins, John B. Kenerson, James F. Woods.

r Anonymous $1,000

r totAL $3,750

The winter semester started out on a well-established routine and over at the Lodge the next morning the Rising Bell sounded at 7 A.M.The boys washed, made their beds, fixed their rooms for inspection which might come any day at any time. From 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 “school keeping” jobs were assigned for the day. At 8:30 a.m. breakfast was served. Nine o’clock to 10:45 classes were attended. Ten forty-five to 11:00 recess came with milk, cookies or crackers available. Eleven to 12:30 more classes. Luncheon hour was from 12:45 to 1:45. By 1:45 each boy must be in his room for rest. Two forty-five to 4:30 was given over to supervised afternoon activities. A special study hour for those who needed it was set aside from 4:30 to 5:30. From 5:30 to 6:00 was wash-up and dress-up time with the supper bell ringing at 6:00 sharp. Seven to 7:30 was assembly time for the whole school. Seven-thirty to 8:45 Supervised Study in the Hall (dining room) took place. Nine p.m. lights out for all except seniors who could have until 9:30 to flick out theirs.

None of the boys was troubled with insomnia after this busy day. Various assignments had been drawn up for the boys to work on. These were designed to make the individual boy feel a responsibility toward the school while draining off excess energy; keeping him busy doing constructive things and lessening the opportunities for mischief. Needless to say, there were types of work the boys might not relish but having to take them if assigned developed a fundamental discipline which had its educational value. The different assignments were: waiters, dishwashers, assistant to cook, washing tables after meals, dining room sweepers, vehicles, furnace, wastebaskets, cook helpers Saturday and Sunday nights, woodboxes and fires, night lights, cleaning first floor, assembly, library and first floor halls, checking lights out, mailman, infirmary, extra work loading and unloading dishwasher, sweepers, drymoppers, assistant at church, livestock (outmoded in new school), senior lights, porch (outmoded) and outside policing.

Needless to say all faculty members including wives were busy from morning ‘til night and they put the kind of enthusiasm into the training and building up of these first year boys which was to prove so rewarding. Just to illustrate some of the extra-curricular feats per-

190HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

formed after busy hours of teaching: Dick Sawyer gave the boys training in baseball, Ted and Dolly Peach took boys on nature hikes, Barbara Sawyer was in charge of the office after getting the small fry up and dressed for school, and actually bathing them at night. There were some six of these smaller boys to whom Barbara was more than a house mother in the Wierum House away from the Lodge.

Bill Everts took charge of the boys over at the barn about 3⁄4 of a mile from the Lodge. Those boys who selected horseback riding were taught cleaning out of stables, watering and bedding down of horses and clipping same (five in number). Others were taught feeding of cows and pigs.

The school was fortunate too in having the temporary services of Deborah Austin who had recently graduated from Smith, cum laude, and was an attractive daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dave Austin. She worked with Dolly Peach on the school paper and dramatics.

Church (of the boys’ choice) was obligatory.

This is but a sketchy picture of how the week’s program might develop. During the winter months the program was given over to winter sports.

There were six teachers for the 26 boys which guaranteed close individual attention and supervision. The results at the end of the year were truly quite remarkable. Testifying to this was the letter from a grateful mother who wrote:

We appreciate all you have done for our son. The improvement is remarkable. At Cardigan he seems to have gained confidence in himself, especially in his studies which he so sorely needed…it is gratifying to find him so completely happy.

The first Commencement Exercises of the Cardigan Mountain School were held June 14th, 1947, in the Old North Church at 11 o’clock. The century-old church with doored pews and handmade glass windows contrasted its mellowed age with the young men graduates of a year old institution. “Parents, grandparents, faculty, Members of the Corporation and well-wishers among the townspeople totaling some 125 people gathered to see seven boys receive their diplomas.” This truly was an historic event at Cardigan.

After the Exercises a buffet luncheon was served up on the Point on the Mansion lawn. The panorama embracing lake, mountain and rolling hills under a warm sun was a sight to behold. These seven young men were already enrolled in Exeter, Governor Dummer and Kimball Union Academies. It was all hard to believe. The first year at Cardigan Mountain School was ended, and the result was good.

Contributions at the end of the school year were:

r Richard J. Cullen $5,000

r Arthur Williams $500

r Mrs. Lily Johnston $5,000

r Mr. and Mrs. Harold Hinman $1,000 (given to literally meet May 1 pay rolls)

r Nathaniel Leverone $50

r Samuel Aronowitz $50 $11,600.00

A “Baker Range” was donated to the school by the Dartmouth Club of New York City through its Manager, Ned Redman.

With all the success of the first school year mistakes were made, some serious insofar as they affected individuals; others humorous.

The dual role of a Cardigan absentee Headmaster who was Active Headmaster of another school was too much for any one man to carry through even though aided by two unusually capable young men in residence, neither of whom had had experience in this particular field of education. This is in no way a reflection on the inspired job done. To all intents and purposes, here were two ambitious fellows, one married, competing for the eventual headmaster’s position. The discipline of the school was dumped in the lap of one of these men by other members of the faculty. Little surprise is there, in looking back objectively, that strained relations did exist at the end of the year. Disillusionment set in and two young, attractive fellows left educational pursuits.

Some of the trouble lay in the meager accommodations afforded the faculty. There was little privacy. Pressure was on each individual with little time for relaxation. This was especially diffi-

above: Parents of Cardigan’s first graduates received a hand-written invitation to the commencement ceremony.

192HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

1. The first promotional viewbook of the School functioned as a fundraising brochure, and included photos of school life as well as Jens Frederick Larson’s sketch of the proposed campus on The Point.

2. and 3. Cardigan took a number of photos of school life in 1946–47 to use in its first viewbook. Here, views of a dorm room and the dining room at the Lodge offer prospective students a sense of life on Canaan Street.

cult for men just out of the service and for the girls who married them. Discipline was all right in a war as were privations; but in peace one hoped for a better break. How could these fine young people be expected to know what it meant to be associated with a brand new school which was continually battling to meet the pay roll? The school had not misrepresented anything; the young people joined up with their eyes open. It is a wonder things turned out as well as they did. All those presently connected with Cardigan Mountain School realize more each year how much these good people contributed. We have affectionate regard for them and hope they have the same for Cardigan Mountain School. The same holds true in the case of others who were to follow. All of us were living and learning, giving and taking.

The original brochure showed an entrancing color scene on the cover depicting a red “sugar barn.” Underneath the picture were the words:

Reading—’riting—’rithmetic plus Grandfather’s Farm

The idea of having boys run a farm was especially appealing to us in the early days. One thing we had a lot of was land, barns, hay, and a slightly exaggerated idea of balancing a farm budget. Also we had not counted on the short duration of the boys’ enthusiasm for farm chores.

To begin with we purchased a pregnant cow, the better to instruct the boys on the facts of life in the animal kingdom. The cow was not cooperative at all and gave birth to her calf when mankind least suspected. This was a great disappointment as the boys had worked diligently keeping the stable clean. And as for learning to milk the cow, that was entirely out. We were in no position to force this issue for we had had a hard enough time getting the boys to come to Cardigan as it was. So we closed out our bovine department. This was done at a profit, too, due to the fact we were selling a “fresh cow” rather than an expectant mother.

Our next experiment was the creation of a riding stable. “We obtained an excellent riding master and five horses one of which was given us by Philip R. Allen, the other four being borrowed from Mrs. Ruth Parks, the owner of a summer camp. “We soon learned,” as Hap Hinman relates, “that riding enthusiasm reached its peak during the fall months and that it diminished in direct proportion to the lowering of the temperature with the coming of winter.” Apparently, in addition to the upkeep, the horses “ate us out of house and home.” By spring only three or four boys out of an initial group of fifteen showed any recurring interest in horses. So, in the interests of a balanced budget we got rid of the horses.

By this time we were getting a bit fed up with the idea of continuing animal husbandry as a part of the educational program of the Cardigan Mountain School. Thus we quickly cancelled an order for thirty bushels of seed potatoes and one thousand chicks. We now were back in full cry for Reading—’Riting—’Rithmetic!

Bob McMillan, now partner of a successful Boston advertising agency, it will be recalled had joined the Cardigan Mountain School official family as Business Manager of the school. The hope had been that we had hit upon a formula which would bring increasing contributions to the school. This was an experiment that just did not work

out. As Bob can now afford to write from his position of strength: “These were dreary days and disappointing ones. Hap felt, I am sure, that I was a poor salesman but later on…he realized how very difficult it was to obtain funds from people who had college and church obligations as well as boys of their own to educate.”

This was all part of the trial and error period through which the school had to go. While we lost valuable dollars in the various experiments valuable lessons were learned.

The financial picture of the first school year as set forth in one of Hap Hinman’s periodic bulletins, shows, as of June 27th, 1947, the following figures:

r Building Fund $2,854.20

totAL $9,617.24

In Savings Bank $1,218.10

(Represents 5% of tuitions set aside for endowment as previously voted by the Trustees.)

It was characteristic of Hap’s realism that at no time did he allow any complacency to exist nor loss of momentum to take place in his drive for an outstanding school. “Sure,” he would say to the Trustees, “we have done well but we have to do better.” He always had a list of new and pressing needs for the school, for instance:

r For the Lodge $8,900

r For the Mansion $9,600

r For Barn Repairs $1,000

r For Insulating Shop $1,000

r Beach Wagon $2,000

Hap did not spare Members of the Corporation in presenting his continuing program of needs for the school. His thrusts at them were masked behind a genial smile when he would say: “The function of the Trustees is to present to you the needs of the school; it’s up to you fellows to raise the money.”

To one who had just joined the Members of the Corporation as a friendly group interested in educating boys this forthrightness came as a bit of a shock; but it was not long before they admired the President who knew what the goal was and preferred to mince no words to obtain it.

The Members of the Corporation had been well screened. They were men dedicated to the principles underlying the founding of the Cardigan Mountain School. They were remarkably successful in their individual business or professional pursuits. Their word carried weight with others of similar stature. They welcomed the direction given by Harold P. Hinman for he was always well prepared; his succinct presentations allowed a maximum amount of time for purposeful discussion. r

1947 tHrouGH AuGuSt 1948

As an item of interest let us review the amount of money listed [as gifts for the end of the 1946-1947 academic year], amounting to a total of $22,500 and which was presented by President Hinman as necessary for the proper functioning of the school. Also we might recall, these items were presented for reflection right after the books had been closed at the end of a successful school year in June. Here is what happened:

r Announced on August 6, 1947 $10,000.00

(Gift by John Herbert Kieckhefer)

r Announced on September 4, 1947$2,000.00

(From Arthur Williams)

r Announced on October 10, 1947$3,000.00

(From John Hinman)

r Announced on October 10, 1947$1,000.00

(From Harvey Hood)

This was an encouraging beginning for the second year of school. There had been an additional contribution of $500 from Charlie Cotting for the Scholarship Fund bringing that to a total of $1,500. A new and highly successful formula had been found for raising money through the cooperation of Members of the Corporation with President Hinman. President Hinman had little trouble in getting the support of the Board of Trustees for his program. The innumerable meetings with individuals for advice and counsel or with the Executive, Financial, Building, etc. Committees, can hardly be observed by an outsider without considering the whole operation cynically as a “one man show.” Surely no man ever gave more of himself for a cause in which he believed than has Harold P. Hinman. He has been and is a great leader who of necessity has stepped on tender toes. Strange as it may seem at this point Hap’s toughest days were ahead. There would be days to try his soul and test his stamina even more than he had experienced already. His fortitude is indeed part and parcel of this incredible story.

In one of the bulletins at this time Hap writes: “Late last winter (1946-1947) Bill Brewster, sensing the need for a resident headmaster, had urged the Executive Committee to look for such a man, stating that he would resign as soon as one was obtained.” Reluctantly this idea was accepted. “Personally, we believe that Bill Brewster, with his vast reservoir of experience, can be more valuable to the school in his availability as an advisor than he could be when tied down by innumerable details of operation.” Certainly the school was fortunate that this acknowledged leader of boys was going to be closely affiliated with Cardigan. Brewster would accept no remuneration for his many services to Cardigan.

The appointment of Robert Moody Kimball as Headmaster was announced after months of interviews. He was a New Englander, born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, where he graduated from high school in 1926, and in 1930 from Dartmouth College. Before coming to Cardigan he had been Assistant to the Headmaster at St. Marks School. Married to an attractive wife, they had a daughter, nine years old.

Bob Kimball was himself interested in a boys’ camp and was unable to divorce himself entirely from its summer operation which meant, of

course, that fall enrollment suffered. We had originally hoped to be able to open our own summer camp since all the ingredients for a unique location were at hand. Bill Brewster who for years had run his own camp in Maine had returned to it. The paradox was that Cardigan Mountain School had everything for a Camp except boys. There were those impatient to start our camp right then but cooler heads prevailed. The attention of all was to be concentrated on getting boys lined up for the regular fall term.

By October 10, 1947, when the second Annual Meeting of the Trustees and Members of the Corporation took place at the school there were 29 boys enrolled. There was no denying the fact of disappointment since one and all had hoped for at least 35 boys starting the second year at Cardigan.

However, Bob Kimball and his wife made a most favorable impression. The tidiness of the school was noted. The furniture which the Kimballs had added to the living quarters on the first floor was a delightful addition causing especially favorable reaction from the wives of the Cardigan family.

These fall meetings were becoming increasingly interesting the farther we went into the business of running or helping direct the running of a new school. The Trustees were faced with the ever recurring deficit since the tuition from 29 boys would not meet the operating expenses. Some of these boys would be unable to continue without scholarship help. The importance of how to meet increasing needs for the Scholarship Fund when current expenses could not be met was a thorny one and a subject which was briskly discussed by the Trustees and later by Members of the Corporation. Also, what was to be done about the creation of a Retirement Fund? We could not hope to compete with other schools for teachers without this fringe benefit. Remedial education was first brought up in these meetings but had to be dropped as beyond the limits of our present scale of instruction.

Everyone at Cardigan regretted the resignation from the Corporation of Harold Stoke who was leaving the Presidency of the University of New Hampshire to become President of Louisiana State University. He had served us well.

It seemed a short time ago that we were happy over the accomplishments of the first year of the Cardigan Mountain School! Now we were to learn that a successful school does not automatically go along after it is first started. More and graver problems were facing us. Also, in whatever direction you looked things needed to be done. The Lodge needed paint; the furnishings inside on the first floor which gave a homey look to the parents of prospective students were not possessions of the school; there had been serious pipe leaks; fire escapes outside the building were a must. These were illustrative of problems facing the administration of Cardigan the solution of which was made no easier by the slowness with which student applications had come in. However, the Trustees were not unmindful of those who had so materially helped in bringing the school thus far. Resolutions were passed and the Secretary was instructed to write letters of appreciation:

194HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

1. through 3. Although Cardigan students were housed on Canaan Street during the School’s early years, The Point was integral to daily life. Excursions up to “the Mansion” and its surroundings to ride horses, play football, and make use of the lake were everyday activities.

4. Faculty member Jack Heagy (left, with Ted Peach) joined Cardigan in 1947–48. Initially teaching English and history, he was also a beloved coach athletic coach. Heagy later helped in the language training program, and would become the first director of Cardigan’s Summer Session.

r To Dave and Harriet Austin for their past and recent help and aid to the School.

r To Mr. and Mrs. William R. Brewster for their devotion and untiring efforts, given without compensation, during the first year of operation.

r To John H. Hinman for his generous personal gifts and for the sizeable gifts which he has obtained from others since the founding of the School.

r To Harold P. Hinman for uncounted time and unlimited energy which he has poured into Cardigan Mountain School.

The concerns of meeting various school problems were kept well within the official family circle and never touched the carefree young life. Ted and Dolly Peach had indirectly focused the collective undergraduate attention on an undeterminable date, for the Peaches were expecting. Headmaster Bob Kimball had entered into the spirit of the occasion by announcing that a half holiday would be given the school if the baby was a girl; but if a boy came along a full day would be granted. Kind Providence answered the prayers of all 29 students who on November 8th were given a full day off. How did the boys choose to spend this day? By climbing Cardigan Mountain. Upon returning to the school tired in body and soul, one boy was heard to comment that it would be all right with him if the Peaches had a baby girl the next time!

Hap Hinman thoroughly enjoyed this by-play. He loved the boys and their reactions. Hardly a day passed that he didn’t visit the school and mix with the young fry. During the first year there were questions raised by the young faculty members whether or not he was breaking down the discipline by encouraging the boys to call him “Hap.” But as he admitted he “got a great kick out of this;” and who was to deny him this fun?

The truth is he also had a fondness for the Kimballs and the Peaches, and for those fine young people the Sawyers and Bill Everts. He drew a definite line of demarcation between his personal feelings and those of official lineage. This was more easily understood by the older generation at times than by the younger. One tracing the development of Cardigan Mountain School has no difficulty in determining Hap Hinman’s guiding principle: that which is good for the school took precedence over all other considerations. Were there any question in his own mind in coming to a decision of high policy he knew to whom to turn for advice.

By March of 1947 contributions to the Scholarship Fund had reached a total of $5,300. The more recent additions were:

r Edward S. French $500

r Charles E. Cotting $500

r John H. Hinman $1,000

r Arthur A. Williams $1,000

r Jim Campbell $500

r H. Richardson Lane $300

totAL $3,800

President Hinman had a good policy of looking forward to the SemiAnnual Meetings of the Trustees and Corporation Members and in fact letting them know in advance by means of Bulletins or reports from Committee Meetings just what to expect. A good illustration of such planning is noted in the minutes of a meeting of the Executive Committee held in Hanover, New Hampshire January 22, 1948. It was decided at this meeting which was attended by Headmaster Kimball, H.

P. Hinman, William R. Brewster and Sidney C. Hayward that it would be wise to concentrate on renovating the Annex to the Lodge, thereby increasing accommodations to some 50 boys; and to postpone for some years the development of school property on the Point. This was all by way of recognizing the excessive cost of building and lack of funds. Headmaster Kimball was in accord with this. Plans were made to secure, through investigation by Messrs. Hinman and Kimball, a local architect who would serve the school best and to get estimated costs.

At this meeting the Committee was reassured that Headmaster Kimball considered his position with the school a continuing one and that he contemplated no change at this time. (Recognition was given to “the valuable work of Mrs. Kimball…appreciatively.”) It was the consensus of the Executive Committee that future plans would need the active direction of the Headmaster over a considerable period of time. Added remuneration was practically assured “as conditions permit.”

The following represents the real punch line: “the Executive Committee is compelled to urge all members of the Board of Trustees, with the assistance of Members of the Corporation, to secure funds for the school…”

Thus by April 16, 1948, all were alerted to the directions the meetings would take. Plans for the school and problems were discussed. Mr. Brewster expressed confidence in the future under the direction of Bob Kimball who continued to make an excellent impression.

John Hinman took exception to a committee being appointed to raise funds as he favored group action. No committee was appointed. John emphasized his desire to see current requirements met (some $20,000) by September, as well as securing building funds for the future.

It is interesting to note that by the first of April the new Annex renovation was underway at an estimated cost of $5,033, plus a 5% bonus if finished by July 1st. This was the first major building project. As Hap wrote: “…the psychology of that fact is far reaching…it demonstrates action…progress.”

It also demonstrated to the groups meeting April 16th that Hap waited for no man and that funds better be raised.

E. M. Hopkins, whose words were always welcome, had this to say: “Compared with similar projects Cardigan’s progress has been good and needs no apologies. If you do not go ahead, you cannot get increased means…and if you do not get increased means, you cannot go ahead.” Later he said: “The surest signs of growth are that imperative needs keep rising.”

As one looks over this whole gamut of accomplishment, the intense loyalty and continued and substantial contributions by the members of the Cardigan School official family is extraordinary. The Scholarship Fund continued to grow as Hap Hinman added $1,000 to bring the total to $6,300.

During June and after the semi-annual meetings at the Algonquin Club in Boston had passed into history, John Hinman contributed $1,000, while Harvey Hood added another $1,000 for carrying out the renovation program.

Two years previous to this second year of the school actually in session, Ned Robinson had uncovered a source for scholarship money which in spite of excellent presentations seemed to have made no impression. However, the “source” became alive with interest through the persistent effort of Bill Brewster, Ned French and President Hinman. Thus it was that the Lindsay Foundation contributed a total of $2500 to be paid in installments of $500 each over the next five years.

E. M. Hopkins spoke of the publicity value of this gift as announced in the newspapers, for, as he wrote: “…The value of these scholarships does not lie so much in the money received as it does in the fact that

196HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

4. Understanding the power of public relations to help a young school, Hap Hinman sometimes invited members of the press to attend Cardigan board meetings. As a result, the famous Boston Herald cartoonist Joe Stern immortalized Cardigan personalities on more than one occasion. This example was published on April 17, 1948, and includes both Bill Brewster and Bob Kimball.

1. After Cardigan’s first academic year, Bill Brewster urged the School to replace him as headmaster with someone who could live and work on campus. Bob and Virginia Kimball (rear center) are shown here in spring 1948, standing in front of The Lodge with their faculty.

2. Richard Clancy and Rene “Frenchie” Therriault helped repair the School buildings along Canaan Street during the summers. Therriault worked as a maintenance staff member at Cardigan for many years.

3. The School’s 1948 graduates, diplomas in hand, pose in front of the Old North Church on Canaan Street. Guillermo Arguello of Nicaragua, Cardigan’s first international student, stands at front left.

above: When Ted and Dolly Peach’s son David was born on November 8, 1947, the seeds of the Head’s Holiday were planted. Bob Kimball declared a celebration of Cardigan’s first faculty child— classes were cancelled, and the whole School climbed Mount Cardigan. Hap Hinman reported on the celebrations in his Bulletin to trustees and incorporators.

Cardigan Mountain School is recognized as an active, deserving educational institution.” However, the money value just at this juncture was in itself of really great value for it released funds for construction payments the deficits for which had mounted to relatively sizable proportions. The school was continuing to run behind in meeting current expenses. The goal of enrolling 50 boys seemed as far away as ever.

The disappointment in the enrollment figures was the greater because the new Annex had been finished so that there were actual accommodations for additional boys. The Lodge had been repainted and this along with the new paint on the Annex gave the school a very prosperous look.

The second school year drew to a close with the graduating of seven boys who were privileged to be addressed by Bishop Dallas of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. Happy parents congratulated one and all connected with the administration of the school for stimulating the desire for education among their sons. The happiness of the collective gathering was enhanced by the graciousness of Headmaster Kimball and his charming wife.

Hardly had the sun set and the graduating boys left for their respective homes before the Executive Committee of the Trustees was called into session to discuss the raising of funds to complete the building and furnishing of the Annex. The cost of the Annex had exceeded the original estimate of $5,033 to a figure nearer $11,000. But even so this additional investment was wise since a new building accommodating as many boys would cost nearly ten times as much. The Trustees and Member of the Corporation had taken satisfaction in learning from an Insurance Appraiser that the Lodge in which they had invested capital funds to the extent of some $20,000 could not be built as a new building for less than $100,000. Money might be hard to come by but it was most assuredly being spent wisely.

The question of enrollment was again rearing its ugly head. Certainly the school couldn’t for long continue to operate at a yearly loss of $5,000 to $10,000. At the Trustee’s Executive Committee meeting Headmaster Kimball who was in attendance “volunteered full responsibility for securing the necessary enrollment of 50 boys by September.” There were those on the Board as a whole who questioned in their own minds whether this goal was obtainable without a highly concentrated drive of all concerned. The fact that Bob Kimball could give but one day a week because of his Camp affiliation added to the doubt. The feeling that the school must have a Headmaster who would devote his whole time toward the interests of the school was growing. This raised the question of additional salary for such a Headmaster, for all knew we could not get the man we wanted on the salary paid our Headmasters the last two years. Bob Kimball had done well and the fact we could not ask him to give up his direction of Camp Kiniya on Lake Champlain was no fault of his. To some it seemed we had reached an impasse, especially those to whom a summer camp of our own seemed the sound solution for utilizing the year round plant and equipment. However, at the time we went along with Bob Kimball’s conviction as related in the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting held June 10, 1948, that “On the question of summer use of the property…entrance into the highly competitive summer camp field is not feasible, but that operation of a school during the summer may be a desirable possibility for the future.” This was not the last to be heard as to a summer camp for other years at least.

The need for money did not cease with the ending of the school year. The Finance Committee of Messrs. Hinman, Brewster and Hayward met on June 21, 1948, and authorized the Treasurer, Harold P. Hinman to negotiate a loan up to and not exceeding $10,000 to pay for construction and renovation of the Annex.

One matter which the hard working Hap Hinman had disposed of during the summer was the termination of leased houses on Canaan Street. While these did serve a useful purpose they were a source of contention by Corporation Members and some Trustees who disliked the payment of much needed funds for any such purposes. r

198HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

So it was that the summer flew by and the Kimballs returned from their summer camp on Lake Champlain and the Peaches from Cambridge, Mass., where Ted Peach had attended the Harvard Summer School. Food, books and furnishings for the new Annex arrived via different means of transportation. But what enrollment was the school to enjoy? There was the rub! The School opened on September 16th with 31 boys in attendance. Five in this number were day students. This meant another prospective deficit of some $8,000.

It is remarkable in retrospect to know that on October 8, 1948, the Trustees and Members of the Corporation had unusually good meetings which were thoroughly enjoyed by those in attendance even with cold fall rains drenching you the minute you stuck your head out of the door. It was a delight to see the boys already organized for the new year. They were bright looking fellows and they made you glad you could mingle with them. The Kimballs and the Peaches with the other three faculty couples with their eagerness and enthusiasm made one forget there was no sunshine outside.

One of the faculty wives had returned to Canaan Street hoping that the feeling little short of claustrophobia she had experienced the year before might not recur. She had never given any evidence of the struggle raging within, for she liked the boys and looked forward to the prospects of a new school up on the Point. Suddenly on this black, rainy night and with two couples whom she counted among her closest friends in the Cardigan family, a wave of defeat overwhelmed her. There was affection and understanding among those with her. There was also the feeling in the heart of one closely connected with the school that here was an omen for the future. It was a pretty sad occasion all of which was held in strictest confidence. The only reason for mentioning it now is to point up the fact that we were asking young people to sacrifice too much to expect them to remain with the school any length of time. This was a matter discussed no end at the Trustee meetings. We lost good teaching material for superficial reasons; the turnover was becoming the deep concern of all. Some knew that night we were going to lose more; but to what extent no one could have known.

At the combined meeting of the Trustees and Members of the Corporation deficits were discussed; enrollment came in for its share of attention. The completion of the renovation program was good news. Without too much imagination one could believe there was a feeling of optimism for the future of the school with the exception of one person. It was good to have one the likes of Phil Allen in the group. He wasn’t too sure he felt enthusiastic over the prospects for the Cardigan Mountain School. He had the courage of his convictions. He implied that were it not for his confidence and admiration for “Hop” (E. M. Hopkins) and “Ned” (E. S. French), he wouldn’t want to face the future of the school on the basis of what he had heard. The continuing inability to increase enrollment and to meet current expenses were not to his liking; nor did he like the building on the Point which he thought architecturally was abominable. What was the sense he argued of “pouring money” into the Mansion when we couldn’t operate successfully with what we had down on Canaan Street. These points had just enough validity to challenge the best thinking on the part of all directly connected with the school and it is safe to say Mr. Allen enjoyed seeing his friend Ernest Martin Hopkins rise to the occasion saying: “…let’s not judge the destiny of this project entirely on the speed with which we realize all that we strive for. Actually, we are off to a wonderful start!” These differences of opinion were the life of the unusually good meetings

held semi-annually and in truth were the life of the school, for, to paraphrase a well-known TV advertising slogan, these men “…cared enough to give their very best” both in thought and deed.

Two gifts were announced at this meeting: $500 from Jim Campbell, and $1,000 from Arthur Williams. Announcement followed in Hap Hinman’s November 15th Bulletin of another $500 gift from Charlie Cotting.

It is interesting to note in the sequence of events connected with this educational venture there always seemed to be certainties matching uncertainties. Important as money was to the school there could easily have been those who in the secrecy of their own minds might have questioned whether or not Cardigan Mountain School represented any contribution to boys’ lives. So, it was gratifying at this particular time to have verbal bouquets come our way. The Christian Science Monitor wrote: “You are to be congratulated on the splendid progress made in such a short space of time.” Also, from an Harper’s Bazaar magazine interviewer: “I was very favorably impressed by all I saw…there is everything to make the boys comfortable and happy. Their surroundings could not be more to the taste of a discriminating person…” The Boston Sunday Post headed a feature article on the school: “School to inspire old Yankee virtues.” It was good to know that on the outside favorable words were being passed around about the Cardigan Mountain School.

On October 15th the School lost one of its most loyal and interested benefactors through the death of Richard J. Cullen. This was a great personal loss to John Hinman who was with him to the end. It was because of Mr. Cullen’s great regard and affection for John that his interest paralleled John’s in Cardigan. Even in death was Cardigan to benefit. Over a period of time John Hinman had been interesting a Mr. D. S. Gottesman in making a scholarship award to the school. Mr. Gottesman, besides being a personal friend of John’s and the late Dick Cullen, was a leading industrialist and philanthropist. He was an idealist and a humanist interested in youth. He made a gift of $10,000 in total, or $2,000 each year for five years to enhance the scholarship fund. This was to be known as The Cullen Scholarship Fund to Perpetuate the Name of Richard J. Cullen.

It must be evident that the Cardigan Mountain School was benefiting more and more by the early conviction that to be successful the school must attract a nucleus of interest of sufficient prestige to appeal to an ever widening group of influential men. This was not an original idea but certainly few schools can point to as successful an application of the idea as Cardigan experienced and continues to experience. It might well be the hope that posterity jealously guard against any diminution of this original high resolve.

One benefactor of the school continued a steady and highly appreciated support under the title of “Anonymous.” May he attract other influential anonymouses! If mystery should enter into a story to hold reader interest we submit this generous character as our number one candidate. The records show that on November 24, 1948, another gift of $500 was announced as coming from this same source from which others periodically have emanated. The only clue is that the giver has an uncanny sense of timing. More power to him…or her!

On December 3, 1948, a unique gift to the school was announced— an audio-visual unit, from Dr. Ernest M. Hopkins. As Hap Hinman said: “…this is a forward step which places Cardigan Mountain School in the relatively small group of secondary schools privileged to enjoy…material integrated with the courses. Dr. Hopkins was of the opinion thatthe

1. through 3. Situated next door to The Lodge, Cardigan House (also called “The Annex”) was ideally placed to expand student and faculty housing as the School began to grow. Hap Hinman, always canny about messaging, told the Canaan Reporter that “When remodeling work is done, it will be an asset to the community.”

4. The Lodge is shown prior to the face-lift it received before the start of the 1948–49 academic year. Hap Hinman informed the trustees and incorporators that “its appearance (and its value) is greatly enhanced—with pure white paint and dark green blinds—you’ll be proud of it, I am sure.”

5. A 1948 profile in the Boston Post Magazine was framed to appeal to urban parents of prospective students. While noting the “important men” backing the School, the article underscored Cardigan’s focus on educational basics in a wholesome, rural setting—“similar to a summer camp operating the year around.”

above: Many students during this period attended services at the nearby Methodist church and occasionally sang for the services. The town and School communities were already closely intertwined; a 1949 list of Church Building Committee members includes Hap Hinman, faculty member Dan Fleetham, and Ruth Lester (assistant to the School’s doctor, Israel Dinerman).

use of films can supplement the instructor to the extent that will make his work many times more effective.” He felt, too, that this would make Cardigan a better school for it would add to the enjoyment of teachers and teaching. He well knew that the reaction from the boys themselves would be most favorable. This was all in line with “Hop’s” belief that the opportunity existed for making Cardigan a distinctive school.

The Christmas season was near at hand on the campus. A Glee Club trained by Mrs. Mullis was practicing faithfully, for carols were to be sung up and down Canaan Street. A Christmas tree and all the trimmings were being readied. Bob and Virginia Kimball had issued invitations to the parents of the boys to come to the school and spend the day and night with their progeny before the beginning of the Christmas Holiday. The response was gratifying and the parents were shown firsthand how Cardigan “provides important things in a boy’s life that are necessary…” over and above studying. The party was a success if for no other reason than bringing the parents closer to the school.

A new calendar year, 1949, was celebrated by summarizing the previous year-end gifts to the school:

r John Hinman $2,000

r Harvey Hood $1,000

r Elbert H. Neese$1,000

r H. R. Weaver $100

r R. C. Hopkins $100

While contributions such as these, and others throughout the year, never seemed to catch up with the varying needs of the school, they were of inestimable psychological value especially to our President, Hap Hinman. It was the team play which Hap emphasized as being the all-important part in the school’s progress. Among the givers of money some gave more, others gave less; among the givers of time to the school the same relative situation existed. The fact that almost all were

showing an active interest was the tonic which drove Hap on in his own indomitable way.

By the time of the April 22, 1949, meeting, Hap was carrying much on his mind. The financial picture was not favorable. In studying the situation, the Trustees learned $13,000 was needed to finance the school through the summer toward which there was only $3,000 available. This was, of course, due to lack of enough enrollment with accompanying tuition to carry the load. The Trustees agreed “that some use of the school during the summer season should be secured.” This brought up again the question of a full time Headmaster, for by now it was all too apparent that the school was losing ground through lack of year round direction from the Headmaster. The immediate stop-gap was the appointing of Ted Peach, upon the recommendation of Mr. Kimball to be in residence at the school the coming summer at an additional fee. There was discussion at long last as to better faculty housing. The Peach’s baby was getting almost too big to continue sleeping in the top drawer of the bureau.

As a matter of record, it might be well at this point to list the names of the Trustees and Members of the Corporation attending these meetings, for they in the main were the ones who had loyally supported these important Cardigan gatherings since the school started. The attendance of the official Cardigan family to these functions twice a year is indeed the envy of independent schools generally. The names of those gathering together on April 22, 1949, are:

truStEES:

r H. P. Hinman, President

r R. C. Hopkins, Vice President

r Sidney C. Hayward, Secretary

r William R. Brewster

r James C. Campbell

r John E. Foster

corPorAtIon MEMBErS:

r H. P. Hinman, President

r E. M. Hopkins, Presiding Officer

r Charles Cotting

r Arthur Williams

r E. S. French

r John Hinman

r Harvey Hood

r E. K. Robinson

r Philip Allen

r Dr. Crawford Hinman (Guest and son of John Hinman)

An interesting talk was given by Ted Peach, Assistant Headmaster, who informed us that the Honor Roll at the School had increased and that the entire school had an average of 80. He expressed appreciation to E. M. Hopkins for the audio-visual movie equipment which was being used as the donor had hoped it might and with encouraging results.

Mr. Robinson inquired (an inquiry which was on everyone’s mind) as to what use was being made or was contemplated of the Haffenreffer Mansion. President Hinman replied that no use at the present was being made of this building, but that it was “planned to make full use of this excellent facility at a later date.” Phil Allen was observed to squirm in his chair!

Enrollment showed 31 boys in attendance; six boys would graduate in June; 25 boys were expected to return as against 17 who had returned the previous fall. This was a long way from the goal set for 50. Executive meetings were to follow to resolve the question of a new Headmaster and the deteriorating financial situation of the school.

These were probably the darkest days for our President. It was not easy to think of replacing Bob Kimball as Headmaster because Bob

had done an admirable educational job at Cardigan. Few knew what Bob knew, which was that he could not ask Virginia, his wife, to take further punishment in the cramped living quarters afforded by the school; he realized he could not sign up as a full time Headmaster at Cardigan. Virginia was an extravert which was one of her great assets. The fact that Bob today is the successful Headmaster of The Town School for Boys, in San Francisco, but proves the wisdom of his resignation from Cardigan. Many of us would like to sample Virginia’s hospitality again. Cardigan will always be indebted to this fine couple.

In April, 1949, Headmaster Kimball had reported the school needed $9,277.12 with which to operate through that current year ending in early June; also another $3,800 for the period from the school’s closing to its reopening in September. These figures did not include any funds for improvements and changes he had recommended in his Headmaster’s letter. The school had $2,718.68 in the Endowment Fund resulting from 5% set aside from tuitions paid in over the last two years. In another account there was $4,256.50 of which $1,000 represented one half of the Gottesman gift allocated for scholarships in the latter half of 1949.

No one needed to tell Hap Hinman the school needed money and as if to prove it he dug down into his own pocket again to come up with $1,000 for Cardigan. As Bill Brewster would say: “Boy! Those Hinman brothers are something, aren’t they?”

From the Building Fund $3,200 was taken to add to Hap’s gift to pay salaries included in the projected $9,277.12. Now $5,000 was needed to carry the school through June 10th, the closing day.

There is no record available to the writer of what happened in a situation such as this, but the important thing is that through some mysterious means, Charles Cotting decided to give Cardigan $250, John Hinman donated $3,000, Arthur Williams $1,000, John Foster sent

202HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

above: The 1949 graduates in The Lodge.

$200 and our old friend Anonymous added $1,000. Of course, it was no secret the school needed money, but was it just by chance six individuals in less than three months gave a total of some $6,000?

This was the continuing and wonderful story of this school’s progress. There were other gifts to further prove the interest in Cardigan. Jim Campbell who was always looking around to see how he could enhance the happiness of the boys offered the school two fine saddle horses only to learn our stables were closed. He accepted this turn down with good grace and smilingly added: “I guess it is more important to be able to feed the boys well than have horses eat us out of house and home.” Sid Hayward presented the school with a boy’s delight; the Hunter’s Encyclopedia, a book of 1150 pages of every phase of hunting, fishing, etc. Mr. and Mrs. Fred L. Cheever of Cape Cod gave a wire recording unit which was useful for class room development of speech.

Mr. Phillip Allen had written his friend E. M. Hopkins early in June, 1949, seeking answers to questions arising in his continuing efforts to interest boys and boys’ parents in the Cardigan Mountain School. We feel Hopkins’ letter covers so thoroughly the questions continually put to all of us now, and we believe will be in the future, as to warrant submitting it as a creed of Cardigan. r

LEttEr FroM HoP to PHIL ALLEn

June 9, 1949

Dear Phil:

I have just returned from a fishing trip to Canada, up at the St. Bernard Club, with various friends, including Ned French and Laurence Whittemore, hence the delay in commenting on your letter of June 2 to Harold Hinman, of which you kindly sent me a copy. I want to comment particularly upon your statement about inability to interest your friends in sending a young boy to the Cardigan Mountain School, and to answer your questions as to why any parent should send his or her boy away to any school at the tender age of ten to fourteen. My answer to these comments would be that I should expect your experience among your own friends to be what you have found it, and that furthermore I should argue strenuously that there was no reason at all for sending a boy away to a school, either of this sort or any other, if home conditions were such that he could be maintained there happily.

This phrase, however, in regard to home conditions being such that a boy could be maintained happily there is subject to interpretation, and interpretation could well come from a study of the reasons why the boys in Cardigan at the present time are enrolled there. First, boys from rural homes whose parents have a desire to send them to college but who live in communities where the local school advantages are not such that their sons could receive adequate preparation for getting into any first class preparatory school without the loss of one or two years.

Second, boys from metropolitan areas whose parents realize that in their residential section there is no possibility for their sons to have normal boyhoods either socially or recreationally.

Third, boys from homes where there is a dominant personality represented by an older brother or sister.

Fourth, boys who have a potential ability which is in process of being crushed through their inability to take the initiative in large classes such as characterize many, if not most of the public schools, and other boys of potential ability who are given no challenge in free schools because of the poor quality of the teachers who are attracted into teaching only by the present salary scales.

Fifth, boys in families where there are personality clashes either between father and mother or between one parent and the son.

Such are the characterizations of certain homes in every community and often times to the outsider these homes appear perfectly normal. Nevertheless, there are or have been boys in Cardigan from each one of these classifications, and mighty fine boys, too.

My experience, however, in the thirty years that I was in academic administrative work made plain to me that there were a host of people outside any one of these clas-

above: Riding instructor Bob Feeley helped many Cardigan boys connect with animals through horsemanship. These images from Bruce Docherty’49 capture some of Feeley’s more unusual training methods.

above: A page from the vendor accounts book offers a glimpse of Chef Richard Clancy’s pantry supplies for the start of the 1948–49 academic year.

sifications where the boy’s interest as well as the interests of the parents were in finding the best substitute for home life that could be found.

It isn’t simply the child of parents of a broken home where the mother has to work under circumstances that deny her any real supervision over her child, or where the father is left with responsibilities which for financial or other reasons he is incapable of meeting, but it is likewise the child who is a son of families in the armed services, the child who is a son of missionaries who want their children educated in this country, and the children not infrequently of career diplomats. I would hesitate to generalize in regard to the numbers of these, but they are very large.

Personally, I would expect it to be very rarely that parents living together in harmony, with opportunities for a normal home life, would be sending children of that age away to school. On the other hand, any understanding parent who is constantly moving about would have to consider the relative interests for his son in moving about with the family or in spending the nine months of the school year in cumulatively developing progress in orderly fashion so far as educational instructions are concerned.

At Dartmouth we became reluctantly convinced by the data which turned up year by year that as a college prospect the boy was undesirable who had been shifted from school to school four to five times in the pre-preparatory and preparatory school stage. The broken homes proposition, which is becoming increasingly large in dimensions year by year is something else again, but I have known a lot of fathers and mothers sincerely solicitous for their children’s interests, who have wanted more than anything else to be reassured in regard to the opportunities of an educational nature available to them.

I understand at this point you may repeat your query as to why the school doesn’t grow faster, and if you do I should repeat my assertion that it is growing faster than could have been normally expected. In so important a matter as a boy’s school, a parent, even a fairly desperate one, is suspicious of new enterprises in a field where tradition has always been so much emphasized. I do not doubt at all that the few schools catering to a like clientele in the country which have prestige of years behind them are, as they claim, turning away considerable numbers of boys of this pre-preparatory age. This can all be true without the parents being convinced that he wants to make the investment required in a project like the Cardigan Mountain School until it has a few more years of experience as a background.

The analogy is very fallacious in a number of respects, but it is somewhat justifiable as a comparison between Yale and Devens. A parent might perfectly well be prepared to send his boy to Yale and yet hesitate to send him to Devens or Sampson or some such newly established institution without background and without prestige. The analogy breaks down, however, in that comparatively the Cardigan Mountain School has more to offer compared with the best in its field than have any of these fly-by-night institutions of the collegiate level which have been developed largely by the G. I. Bill.

Please don’t feel under the slightest necessity of replying to this screed. What I started out to do and wanted to do was simply to say that I did not think that the Cardigan Mountain School would ever apply to anything but the smallest proportion of homes such as those to which you refer.

Meanwhile there is a satisfaction in sitting down and discussing the matter quietly with you in which I have been happy to indulge myself.

Yours very sincerely,

Ernest M. Hopkins

Phillip R. Allen, Esq. Walpole, Massachusetts

204HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

September 1949 through AuguSt 1950

The minutes of the Executive Meeting held on August 31, 1949, show the seriousness of the situation confronting the school. All financial reserves had been used up. President Hinman pointed out no net progress in enrollment had been made in four years. The discouraging part was this fall the school was opening with but 31 boys and this total included six local boys. The total boys from outside of Canaan was 25 or the number which entered the first year. Various proposals were discussed for the Trustees to consider and recommend for increased enrollment, by the time of the Annual Meeting in October.

The meeting on October 13th was well attended. All were sorry to learn that Mr. and Mrs. Edward Peach had submitted a letter stating their unavailability for the position of Headmaster for next year. Ted and Dolly Peach were a very popular couple both on and off the campus. Ted had been thought of as the one to step in when Bob Kimball left his position as Headmaster. Now the school had no one in mind. Needless to say, it was moved and voted by the Trustees “That the Executive Committee and Mr. Kenerson be authorized to seek a new Headmaster and report to the Trustees.”

Sid Hayward was to write later so perceptively: “…one young Headmaster succeeded another, finances were a constant and harassing problem, the Trustees could never meet without facing an agenda of one problem after another…no blue sky to be seen, only the gray clouds of worry and concern about whether the project could succeed which everyone was determined it would, most of all President Hinman.”

How true a picture! The remarkable part was the poise shown by President Hinman. He told of the new members joining the Cardigan faculty, “all young and enthusiastic…round out the best staff to date at Cardigan.” The Financial Report was accepted and placed on file. It was agreed to write off some of the accounts receivable. As one member said: “As I sat and saw and heard everything running so smoothly I wondered if I felt like the fellow who is served a juicy sirloin just before the execution!”

Another school year was underway. If we couldn’t find a new Headmaster by the end of the year we’d call the old pro William R. Brewster back to carry on. What an insurance it is to have Bill Brewster smiling and saying: “Why you don’t know what troubles are yet!” And to have E. M. Hopkins add he doesn’t see why there is so much concern, everyone is too impatient…the school is going ahead. He backed up his faith in the school by presenting it with another $500— ”for new films that will be desirable for the audio-visual program.”

On October 31st it was announced that an increase from $2500 to $3000 from the Lindsay Foundation was effective. Another sign of confidence in Cardigan. Also, the President announced a Retirement Fund for faculty members whereby Cardigan donates 5% of salary against 5% from individual faculty members. Also, that about $3,000 for capital improvements would be spent. Indeed it didn’t look as though much was wrong that could not be taken care of.

One thing that had to be thought of and acted upon at once was the depletion of furniture and furnishing which would take place when the Kimballs moved out. The Austins also wished to terminate their loan of furnishings the coming spring. Certainly the first floor elegance would be gone. The Trustees voted to have Jim Campbell and John Kenerson solve this important problem. The records aren’t too clear as to how Johnny Kenerson raised $300 toward this end. Jim Campbell got wind of an estate liquidation, sought out the principals, saw the furniture, etc. up for sale, liked it, bought it, and the school was again equipped to carry on with that hospitable appearance so necessary as a first impression on prospective applicants and their parents. When Jim Campbell was asked how much more than the available $300 was necessary to make so wholesale a purchase he tossed off the easy answer that the Estate Trustees “were awfully nice people.” We venture to say that people were nice in Jim’s eye-sight because he was that way himself. But later we were to learn much more of Jim’s adroitness in interesting himself in estate matters.

The fall of 1949 brought out more evidences of confidence in the Cardigan Mountain School. Once again John Hinman’s friend Elbert E. Neese, President of the Beloit (Wisconsin) Iron Works gave the school $1,000 because he believed “America’s future lies in the sound education of its youth in their formative years.” Senator Ralph Flanders donated a very useful book entitled Trees, published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is the kind of book in the school library which boys would find of interest in both their curricular and extracurricular projects. Dr. Emile Boulanger, a member of the Nashua, New Hampshire School Board, and his wife showed

above: The class of 1950 invited guests to join them for “Senior Weekend” festivities that included a dance and outings on the lake. These images from Dick Morrison ’50 are the earliest yet found of Cardigan blazers and (what would become known as) the “alumni tie.”

their appreciation for what the school was doing for their son, then in the Sixth Grade. “His most recent letter which arrived yesterday shows he had matured mentally…he described his life there in terms which really gave us…a picture, and even [analyzed] how he thought he was getting along with his work. This is entirely new in his letters….He seems extremely happy there…You must have a competent staff…Our sincere appreciation goes to you…”

These were hopeful signs to President Hinman who, as always, faithfully reported them in his Bulletin to the Members of the Corporation and Trustees. He also reminded one and all that the school would like to be remembered by those toward the end of the calendar year who were wont to support with cash worthy endeavors! Hap Hinman would be the last to take credit for contributions which he was sure would come in anyway, but he was no less appreciative in reporting the following in December, 1949:

r E. S. French $500

r John H. Hinman $1,000

r E. M. Hopkins $500

r Mr. and Mrs. Harvey P. Hood $1,000

r Anonymous $1,000

The second year contributions from the Gottesman Foundation of $2,000 stretching over a five year period was accompanied by the following comment: “We are indeed pleased with the distribution you have made and feel confident that the funds are being used to great advantage.”

A note from E. M. Hopkins read in part: “…I am so much a believer in this audio-visual program that I want to be sure that all needful facilities in it are available to you.”

Hap Hinman in his New Year’s salute to the men behind the Cardigan School wrote: “It is a grand collection of business and professional men who are backing this school…and with the next four years promising to show as much advancement as the first four years, you are going to take increasing pride in what you have created and made possible.” How true this prophecy was to be no one then could have imagined.

The boys themselves were working hard toward their education. They were getting the utmost out of their outdoor activities. In the fall these had consisted of hikes, bicycle trips, athletics, clearing up the brook at the Old Mill, sailing and canoeing more than ever. They had built ski trails now being used in the winter. All this had been done through the able leadership of Bill Coolidge of the faculty. Scholastically, there were eight boys on the Honor Roll. Cardigan teachers were by no means easy markers.

The new year was now well on its way. A special committee was still screening candidates for a new Headmaster. Along with this action was increasing regret as the time grew nearer when Bob and Virginia Kimball along with Ted and Dolly Peach would be leaving. They had been held in high regard by all, and their loss would be surely felt.

Announcement came of the date for the semi-annual meeting at the Algonquin Club in Boston, April 24, 1950. Recognition was again made of the material hospitality of E. S. French in “picking up the check” and arranging the details for these meetings each year since 1945 at this exclusive club. At a meeting of another year a facetious resolution was drawn up thanking Ned French “for his hospitality for previous years and all the years to come!” This is as good a time as any to bespeak the gratitude of all members of the Cardigan family for Ned’s wise council and the innumerable times he has aided the school quietly, so quietly in fact that the accomplishments he effected are nowhere re-

ported. There isn’t much about New England he doesn’t know but New England is continually hoping to know more of him. The school benefits by his membership in the Corporation as he has a reputation for allying himself with operations he helps make successful; and has a high degree of selectivity of projects he cares to sponsor. At the Corporation Meetings he will hardly be seated before he will close his eyes. Were one to think this action denoted weariness or disinterest he himself would be due for a surprised awakening. The writer recalls a time when discussion had about reached the voting stage when Ned opened his eyes and quietly said: “I see no need for such a resolution.” He seemingly had been unconscious during the whole discussion, but bided his time ‘til he could most effectively prove his point. The matter was dropped.

Special interest in the April 24th meeting stemmed from the probability of meeting the candidate for Headmaster…President Hinman had received a check for $1,000 from Arthur Williams who expressed his regret over missing the coming meeting…Congratulations were due Charles Cotting on being made President of Lee Higginson, along with Harvey Hood who had been elected to the Directorate of the New England Telephone Company.

“Wilfred Clark made a favorable impression. He will take over at mid-June as the new Headmaster.” Thus was a new era announced in President Hinman’s Bulletin of May 11, 1950.

The trustees at their April 24th meeting voted not to increase the tuition at this time from the original figure of $1,275; nor was the total school insurance increased beyond $48,300. The disciplinary action of dismissing a boy from school by the Headmaster was approved. With total enrollment still less than 35 it was even more tragic to lose a boy by such drastic action. In view of the breaking down of discipline all over the country this dismissal was of more than ordinary significance. For the first time a summer school camp was to be inaugurated. Mr. Clark, who at this time was merely an observer, created real hope by expressing his confidence that such a venture would be successful.

The minutes of the meeting of the Members of the Corporation show that it was moved and voted that “the Board…hereby expresses its appreciation for the contribution that Robert E. Kimball has made to the improvement and upbuilding of Cardigan Mountain School during his three years as Headmaster. The Board offers its best wishes for his future success and thanks for a job well done.”

There existed a sort of feeling…”the king is dead, long live the king;” and while there was no celebration over the change in the school leadership there was a kind of exhilaration no doubt prompted by the hope Headmaster Clark would break through the enrollment barrier beyond which no progress had been made. While this need for more boys continued there were the most gratifying words from the outside that Cardigan boys who had graduated were bringing credit to the school by their work in preparatory schools to which they had gone from Cardigan. To illustrate, the father of a Cardigan graduate received the following interesting comment from Headmaster James Wickenden of Tabor Academy: “I am enclosing Henry’s marks for the winter term [Ed.—average 95.5]. He is doing a perfectly outstanding job this year… This is a result of excellent study habits, fine application and a fine sense of duty and what his job is. I had already written Mr. Kimball (Cardigan Headmaster) and I am writing him again, telling him what a fine preparation Henry was given to have him do so well here…he is popular with the old boys and with the new boys, and is thoroughly respected by them.”

Headmaster Robert M. Kimball’s last official act for the Cardigan Mountain School was presiding at the Commencement Exercises held

206HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

2. and 3. Winter of 1949–50 was excellent for skating and skiing. The lake had frozen by the boys’ return from Thanksgiving break, snow began to fall in early December, and by March headmaster Bob Kimball told parents that “plenty of snow has mixed well with temperatures down to 30 below.”

4. In fall of 1949, trustee Sid Hayward gave Cardigan a copy of Hunter’s Encyclopedia, which Hap Hinman described as “1,150 pages chock-full of material on every known phase of hunting, fishing and the great outdoors—the boys are going to love this gift.” Albert Gilpatrick ’50 is pictured showing off a catch from the Canaan Street Lake.

5. As Hap Hinman asked the trustees in 1948, “What’s the use of having a lake if you don’t use it?” Founding incorporator Jim Campbell donated a 16-foot Pow Wow sailboat to the School in 1950, but until then Cardigan boys paddled canoes, built boats in the woodshop, or fashioned their own watercraft from whatever materials were at hand—in this case, scrap lumber and an army surplus liferaft.

1. Faculty member Ted Peach, third from left, accompanies boys on a “bike hike” in the fall of 1949.

above: During Cardigan’s first Parents’ Weekend in February 1950, families took part in judging snow sculpture contests and timing the spelling tournament. The map shown was reproduced to show parents where the athletic fields were located behind the Lodge.

June 7, 1950. A moving incident occurred when Bob and Virginia Kimball were presented a beautiful Paul Revere silver pitcher from the boys and faculty of the school. This but seemed to enhance Virginia Kimball’s gracious charm as hostess at the delicious luncheon served on the lawn by the Lodge.

One fact made this Commencement special. This graduating class had within its members boys who had attended and completed four years of work at Cardigan.

President Hinman writing the Members of the Corporation and Trustees of the consolidating gains made within the school for that current year stressed, and rightly so, the highest scholastic average for the entire student body…most boys on the High Honor Roll…and the largest graduating class up to that time.

John Hinman as if to show his appreciation for what had been accomplished gave the school $2,500…Hap broke down his reticence about his own brother, modestly stated: “It is not easy to appraise the significance of John’s many contributions.” There is no question but had this statement been made before the assembled membership of the Corporation and Trustees the answering chorus would have been: “You can say that again!”

The fourth school year had closed and really the school had come a long way. All the greater would have been the contrast on the part of an observer who saw a depleted first floor of the Lodge with furniture outside being hustled into a moving van or carried over to the Austin home across the street. Indeed it had all the appearance of a tenant being dispossessed. But, as previously shown, all this had been anticipated. John Kenerson and Jim Campbell had applied themselves to the solution and thanks to them the first floor was soon rehabilitated.

Once again Jim Campbell, who had originally been brought into the Cardigan family by Bill Brewster as a member of the first Board of Trustees, seemed providentially destined to serve Cardigan at times of her greatest need. We need not go into the financial status again for the whole emphasis was on getting enough income to meet current expenses. Certainly this was no time to be faced with the problem of furnishing the huge first floor of the Lodge which up to now had been the one part of the school we could show off without apology. Jim Campbell, as he almost bashfully made known was a Trustee of the Johnston Estate. He thought some of the furniture would look well in the Lodge. Mrs. Lily Johnston for sentimental reasons hated to have pieces which had been so much of her past life just scattered to the four winds. She liked Jim’s suggestion of placing these in a young boys’ school. So, Cardigan got sixteen pieces of furniture, rugs, etc., all of which blended nicely in the Lodge’s first floor. Then to top it off a gift of $5,000 was presented to Cardigan by Mrs. Lily Johnston herself. Who is to deny that truth is stranger than fiction!

Jim, apparently feeling that the interest he had aroused in Mrs. Johnston for the Cardigan Mountain School was not the complete measure of his own, proceeded to give Cardigan $2,000, a large and much needed safe, a new typewriter, a 16 foot sailboat and a new Chevrolet pick-up truck!

The writer recalls many heart to heart talks with Jim Campbell before we found ourselves together on Cardigan’s Board of Trustees. Jim once said: “If there is one man above all others in this world for whom I have the most affectionate regard it is William R. Brewster.” Bill Brewster made Jim a part of Cardigan and that was all Jim needed to know. r

208HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

In his September 14, 1950, Bulletin, we find President Hinman in a philosophical mood. He reviews the fact that “the first four years now have witnessed the founding and operation of a new school from scratch…that mistakes through omission and commission have been made…problems, headaches, an occasional crisis have been met successfully…we all know a lot of things we didn’t know four years ago.”

It was good at this time to be reminded of these facts by our President and to again read an ever recurring note, i.e., “Never forget this… you men of the business and professional world are pioneering something in the field of education that is refreshing, valuable…something with which you can associate yourself in increasing pride and satisfaction as the years pass.”

This was a reflection of Hap’s unbounding love for the school and it showed in his increased enthusiasm in meeting whatever the future had to offer. There was a touch of exhilaration in his feeling a new era was starting. He writes as of September 14, 1950, “…We have in ‘Dutch’ Clark a terrific worker, an enthusiast, a man with vision and enough ideas to keep the writer (Hap) a bit befuddled, but happily so…He has done a remarkable job…on August 4th we had 20 boys, on September 12th we have 34…We have a feeling of greater confidence…”

Wilfred (“Dutch”) Clark was a graduate of Dartmouth College in the Class of 1925. He came to Cardigan from the exclusive and well-endowed St. George School of Newport, Rhode Island. He was well recommended and was brought to our attention through the good work of our own John Kenerson who knows much about secondary schools of New England and their personnel.

At this time Headmaster Clark began to get an inkling of the kind of support Cardigan had, for, in the first place a $3,000 award came for the third consecutive year from the Agnes M. Lindsay Trust. Then out of the blue there was announced an unrestricted gift of $10,000 from the Estate of the late Richard J. Cullen. This truly was typical of the generosity which the school had come to think of from this great friend of Cardigan. Almost immediately $1,451.99 was used to pay the Lewis note given at the time of the Lodge purchase. The balance of the gift was placed in the Savings Account.

On October 21st the official meeting of the Corporation Members and Board of Trustees was held to carry out the mandates of the September 21st, 1950, meeting, presided over by E. M. Hopkins, when it was voted to recommend to the Trustees to accept as of October 21st, 1950, the offer of the Tenney property as a gift to the school. E. S. French had stimulated this generous gift by Mr. Tenney. Minor needs such as a new dishwasher, a mixer, a meat grinder were among things suggested as possible great aids to the more efficient operation of the school kitchen. Arthur Williams immediately offered to donate the dishwasher while John Hinman told those assembled he would present the school with a mixer and a meat grinder. These proffers of assistance were gratefully accepted by President Hinman. All present knew how deserving Clancy, the school’s famous Chef, was of these aids.

Cardigan Mountain School now had 34 boys and as of October 14th it was learned the 35th boy would arrive the following week. It was something to reach the enrollment barrier of 35 boys. Hopefully everyone was now looking to a breaching of that barrier.

President Hinman wrote of “the tremendously improved spirit and morale of the school…over anything we have ever enjoyed in the past. You sense it everywhere…among the faculty, boys, staff…you see tangible evidence of it.”

Headmaster Clark had submitted a written report explaining in detail his suggestion for a summer school and camp. One had the feeling that at long last there was the will to utilize nature’s great assets at Cardigan for such a summer school.

As if nature was rebelling against a lack of appreciation for all Cardigan was seemingly taking for granted, she struck with devastating force through the medium of a hurricane on November 25th. The Lodge lost the entire roof on the east side…water ran from the roof down three floors to the basement, ruining plaster walls. Hap reports that the Sibleys and Stewart Petrie, only members of the faculty in residence at the time, during the Thanksgiving vacation, worked frantically all night to save books, mattresses, bedding and boys’ clothes.

President Hinman lost no time in getting in touch with insurance companies and through their cooperation two adjusters arrived accompanied by agents. Thus the Tuesday after the Sunday storm final adjustments were agreed upon to the extent of $1,917.50 damage. Reconstruction went forward at once. An additional $5,000 insurance on the Lodge was taken out.

After the storm had passed the boys seemed little concerned that because of a lack of electricity all study periods the following Monday and Tuesday nights were cancelled. Hap’s one kerosene lamp shone like a light-house beam down Canaan Street for two very dark nights.

This year was no exception in the caliber of bright boys with timely senses of humor. Word got out that the Tenney Vacation Home in Canaan with its acres of land, buildings and their contents had been given to the school, but that the Trustees couldn’t decide what to do with it all. “That’s easy,” said one of the more articulate youngsters, “turn it into a girls’ school!”

One oddity in connection with the fine gift of the Tenney property was in finding, after the school was made secure again following the hurricane, that the insurance on the Tenney property had been cancelled. The storm could not have hit at a more inopportune time. An investment of $471.00 was promptly made for new insurance policies.

In early December the school was the recipient of two gifts of $500 each from E. S. French and E. M. Hopkins. The third of five installments of $2,000 each came from the Gottesman Foundation on the Cullen Memorial Fund.

In the Bulletin under date of January 22, 1951, Hap Hinman reports: “…the year end (1950) gifts amounting to $2,051.36 were from Mr. and Mrs. Harvey P. Hood, Elbert H. Neese, and Robert C. Hopkins. This money has been carefully earmarked for next April when operational income runs low.”

In order to start a summer school the next July, $500.00 was voted to Headmaster Clark.

These last two paragraphs should be specially noted for they represent a definite turn in school financing since money was being put aside to meet future crises.

It was but a month later when President Hinman was able to report that the 36th boy had been enrolled in the Cardigan Mountain School. There seemed to be indications that the school was pulling itself up by its boot straps and would before too long be standing on its own feet. Little wonder that the minutes of the May 14th meeting state that “…it was agreed by all members of the Board of Trustees that the new Headmaster and his wife have done a splendid job in their first year…

210HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

1 and 3. Underclassmen are shown in June 1951, leading the seniors to the front door of the Old North Church on Canaan Street. Members of the Class of 1951 were the first to wear white blazers for their commencement exercises.

2. Cardigan approved the addition of a fifth grade for the first time in 1950–51, which—as Sam Adams ’52 noted in the Chronicle at the time—”enabled six more boys to attend the school this year.”

4. In October 1950, students helped tear down the old barn at Richard Clancy’s house. Warren Huse ’52 reported in the Chronicle that “most of the lumber has been used in the construction of a potato bin in the basement of the Lodge by Mr. Coolidge and Mr Sibley is using some in the warming hut down by the Lake.”

5. Cardigan boys helped to raise pigs for food during this era. As David Cheever '52 later recalled, Chef Clancy would allow students to watch the butchering, but not the kill.

and that appreciation be extended to Mr. and Mrs. Clark for their industrious and capable work in the first year of their administration of the school.”

In this connection it is interesting to note that the need for a Headmaster’s house was reviewed. In a later meeting of the Corporation, it was agreed that the Tenney Estate should be sold as soon as possible (at the best available offer) in order to have the proceeds from disposition of this asset available for other uses. The boys at school must have been disappointed in the following cryptic statement that ʼno use of the property is contemplated…” There went their hope for a nearby girls’ school!

At an Executive Meeting on August 10, 1951, a deficit once again reared its ugly head. The school was running about $6,000 over income. It was therefore moved and voted to increase the tuition that next year to $1,375 annually.

The summer school was actually operating but with only five boys; not enough to make the session financially solvent. President Hinman saw that there was some good in this operation, however, since it gave employment to our best teachers; also it was a test of the value of a summer school session. A small indication was the enrollment of one boy from the summer session to the formal school opening in the fall.

The Commencement in June had marked the end of an interesting year. A new department headed up by Miss Dorothy Emerson to help youngsters through remedial reading had been highly successful. She taught seven boys individually and supervised a Practice Session in Silent Speed Reading for a dozen older boys two afternoons a week.

Finding Miss Emerson was one of Headmaster Clark’s very real contributions to Cardigan.

The Faculty and Staff voted unanimously to enroll in Social Security.

Gifts of $2,000 from John Hinman and $3,000 from the Agnes M. Lindsay Fund were appreciatively acknowledged…to John Hinman because he had done once more what he had so often done previously; and to the Agnes M. Lindsay Fund because this represented a gift from “a nonactive sponsor not directly connected with our school.”

In the death of Colonel Charles H. Tenney in Springfield, Massachusetts, on February 7, 1951, Cardigan lost an interested and loyal friend and will long be indebted to him for his generosity to the school. r

1. When Wilfred “Dutch” Clark began his tenure as Cardigan’s third headmaster in the fall of 1950, Hap Hinman wrote to the School’s leadership: “I do not want to miss this opportunity to tell you men about the tremendously improved spirit and morale of the School this fall over anything that we have ever enjoyed in the past. You sense it everywhere among the faculty, boys, staff—you see tangible evidence of it.” From left: faculty members Jack Heagy, Karl Nyhus, Don Stowe, Dutch Clark, Norm Wakely, Richard Bens, and the Rev. Robert C. Sharp.

2. and 3. As the Clarks began their first academic year, students were delighted to welcome the family—especially daughters Shirley and Ruth (“Buzzy”) Clark, as noted in this article from the inaugural issue of the Cardigan Chronicle.

above: The boys’ favorite pastime on The Point was to build huts where they could camp out in every season. The Chronicle reported that students had taken down their huts in spring of 1952 “and stacked the lumber by the warming hut for use by future generations of hut-builders.”

SEPtEMBEr 1951 tHrouGH AuGuSt 1952

Another school year got underway with but 29 boys although after a while two more boys enrolled. However, at the Annual Meeting on October 5, 1951, two of the three main subjects under discussion were enrollment and finances. As to the former, it was agreed that Headmaster Clark must be freed from routine which might interfere with travel, field work and personal interviews with parents of prospective boys to the end that enrollment be strengthened during the coming year.

On the question of finances it was also agreed that by gaining the desired enrollment most of the present financial problems would be solved. This was getting to be an old and frustrating theme. The Tenney property which had been appraised at $30,000 was attracting no purchasers at that price. In face of the heavy carrying charges on both the Tenney and Haffenreffer Properties it was felt that such charges even so were justified. Even stronger was the feeling that there should be no retrenchment from the long term policy of eventually developing a new plant up on the Point.

The old officers were re-elected to serve on the Board of Trustees for the ensuing year. Two new members elected were Charles A. Proctor of Hanover, N. H., and Jerald B. Newton of West Lebanon, N. H. These two men’s backgrounds recommended them to the Board even without the enthusiastic commendation of their sponsors.

Charles A. Proctor, Physics Professor-Emeritus of Dartmouth, had worked with young men most of his life. He knew the art of teaching as well as that of playing since in his collegiate days he had been one of Dartmouth’s all time star performers on the athletic fields. He understood as few men do the peculiar relationship which has to exist between instructor and pupil for both to be successful in their endeavors. Charles was most successful.

Jerald B. Newton, graduate of Wesleyan, is one of those fortunate men who, early in life, knew what he wanted to prepare himself for and set out to do a thorough job. This he did by equipping himself well with his formal education at one of New England’s better known colleges. From Wesleyan he decided to gain specific training in post-graduate work at Springfield from

212HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

“there were several hikes, some baseball and puppets.” Five fifth graders (Thomas Anglem, Leonard Ainsworth, James Cleary, Colton Ryan, and Cardigan student Patrick Finney ’55) took math from Jack Heagy and English from Dorothy

of detail,”

1. At the small gym located behind the Lodge, Assistant Headmaster Jack Heagy oversaw activities like wrestling, strength training, and even occasional boxing bouts (“either fun or grudge fights”).

2. and 3. Byron Koh ’52 is shown petting Skipper, or “Black Dog,” beloved by the boys of Cardigan. After the dog went missing in February of 1952, Koh penned an article about him for the Chronicle

4. During the first Cardigan “summer school” in 1951, a rainy season put a damper on swimming, but

Emerson.

5. Hap Hinman once described Patsy Clark as having “far-sighted judgment and careful supervision

but his relationship with Dutch Clark was more complicated.

6. and 7. Following Cardigan’s 1952 commencement ceremony, students and families were invited back to a luncheon held on the lawn of The Lodge on Canaan Street.

8. The Rev. Robert Sharp, shown here whistling while leading a hike with students, was pastor of the Canaan Street Methodist Church while teaching ethics and history at the School. He was also a Cardigan parent: his sons David ’51, Philip ’55, and William ’57 all attended.

where he went directly into supervising the training of boys and young men. This led him eventually into summer camp work and specifically to the ownership and supervision of his own camp in Lyme, New Hampshire, where he has been most successful. There will be plenty more about Jerry later.

In discussing the date of the Annual Meeting it was moved and voted that it be changed to the first Friday in October.

With enrollment now having crept up to a total of 33 boys Hap Hinman indulged in his not too irregular hymn of praise followed by the soft touch. We are reminded that “Cardigan started six years ago without even a text book, a teacher, a roof, a prospective student…but with an idealistic desire to help boys in their formative years when they need help.” He goes on to prove that “…deep down in the hearts of successful business and professional men is that desire to make America’s citizens of the future…” He points to the fact that Cardigan has tangible and intangible assets far exceeding its liabilities after five years of actual operation…But“…the school needs a pick-up truck and a station wagon…” The picture begins to darken a bit, for, in the first place, we did not have enough boys, we had excessive real estate consuming cash because of up-keep and taxes. In other words the school could well stand a little cold cash at this time.

Hap Hinman had always kept the Trustees and Members of the Corporation abreast of conditions. The picture had always been an honest one. He never let indebtedness reach a point beyond which he could not control it. He had built up confidence in his manner of administrating the affairs of the school. Thus the response at this time for some help was gratifying.

r Arthur Williams $500

r J. E. Wood, President of Warner $1,000 Electric Brake & Clutch Co.

(a friend of John Hinman’s)

r Harvey Hood $1,000

r Charles Cotting $500

r E. S. French $500

r E. M. Hopkins $500

r R. C. Hopkins $50

r Annual Gottesman Foundation $2,000

The writer would not give the impression these contributions came to the school in one mail or one week, but they came in time to give Hap Hinman a few restful nights he otherwise would not have had.

The May 22, 1952, meeting at the Algonquin Club in Boston was given over mainly to focusing attention to the Point as the future location of the school. The Corporation Members were in agreement with the Trustees’ recommendation that a minimum of time and effort be directed toward any further development of the school on Canaan Street. President Hinman and E. M. Hopkins were appointed to study and report on the Point, or elsewhere, as a location for another plant for Cardigan.

It was with regret that we had to accept the resignation of Phil Allen who wished to devote his full time and energies to endowment activities for the New England Conservatory of Music of which he was the head and guiding genius. A letter went forward to Mr. and Mrs. Allen expressing the appreciation of the Cardigan family for their services and support of the school.

On June 9th a gift of $3,000 was reported and from none other than John Hinman. This made possible the payment of faculty salaries for the months of June and July; and no doubt enabled Cardigan’s President to enjoy more fully the school’s Commencement at which eight boys graduated. It is interesting to note that these seniors came from the States of Florida, Illinois, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

In looking back over the year Hap made known his feelings of satisfaction by stating Cardigan had “just closed its best year…”

Hap’s joy was still his association with the boys. It delighted his soul when he could tell of their accomplishments either of a serious or humorous nature. He loved to quote from a prize winning composition written by one of the boys on the subject of “Why I Like Cardigan.” One paragraph read: “The food here at Cardigan is good. When I first came to Cardigan there was an assortment of foods I didn’t like but after you’ve been outdoors in an afternoon of strenuous activities you don’t care what you eat, you’re so hungry!”

The committee chosen to look into the possibilities of the Haffenreffer Estate for Cardigan’s new location was enlarged by the following appointees:

r E. M. HoPKInS, Chairman

r EdWArd S. FrEncH

r HAroLd P. HInMAn

r JErALd B. nEWton

r cHArLES A. Proctor

There was more reason for this committee to seriously consider its assignment than appeared on the surface, all of which will be divulged shortly. But President Hinman carried his secret elation of the future’s possibilities behind his poker face and urged closing out the year’s deficit of $6,000 which his brother John had so handsomely contributed toward.

E. M. Hopkins had given $500 to cover preliminary work of his committee in selecting an architect to draw up general layouts, etc. The Agnes M. Lindsay Fund had contributed its annual $3,000 to be used in grants to “worthy boys who otherwise would be unable to attend the Cardigan Mountain School.”

On the school calendar the summer school under the able direction of John Heagy was to open shortly with an enrollment of 12 to 15 boys. Headmaster Clark who had received the congratulations of the President for his and Mrs. Clark’s previous school year work was now going to concentrate on getting boys enrolled for the coming year of 1952 to 1953.

An excellent two column story about Cardigan appeared on the front page of the Boston Sunday Herald of August 3rd written by one of its star columnists, Hayden Pearson. Pearson wrote: “…if you believe, as the writer does, that much of the modern education both public and private, has gone off the deep end with a poorly conceived philosophy that leaves both pupils and teachers floundering in a morass of uncertainty, you will be heartened by the aims and working program of the Cardigan Mountain School.”

Several letters of inquiry resulted. The school administration ordered 1,000 reprints of Pearson’s appraisal. At long last it seemed as though a fresh momentum was mounting. Best of all this was proving more true every month. r

214HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

SEPtEMBEr 1952 tHrouGH AuGuSt 1953

The formal school new year opened with an enrollment of 42 boys! Headmaster “Dutch” Clark had turned in a good performance, for, as the Bulletin reported: “…the road block of 35 boys has given way to the magic of 42…These boys in themselves are an inspiring compensation for those long years of worry, toil, wonder, protracted struggle and inability to stem financial losses…”

No small credit is due “Dutch” Clark for getting the school off dead center as far as enrollment was concerned. Psychologically the whole administration’s collective heart was lightened and a new look toward the future was possible. The Lodge and Annex were bulging. Quoting from the minutes of the October 3rd meeting of the Trustees and Corporation Members…”The only question was what plant expansion could be undertaken next year.”

Before going into the exciting story of how this expansion might take place; it was moved and voted: That Frank J. Sulloway of Concord, New Hampshire, be elected a member of the Corporation. All were delighted over this election. Frank is one of New Hampshire’s “first citizens.” A graduate of Harvard he has attained high recognition in the professions of law and banking. His services to Cardigan have been great, and continue to be.

The following resignations were accepted: Edward K. Robinson, John E. Foster, J. Frederick Larson and Donald D. Durrell.

Late in the spring of 1952 Frank M. Morgan, Headmaster and controlling factor of the Clark School in Hanover, New Hampshire, a college preparatory school, approached E. M. Hopkins as to the possibilities of merging the Clark and Cardigan Mountain Schools. Dr. Morgan had conceived this idea and had turned it over in his mind at length until he became convinced the plan was feasible. Dartmouth’s President Emeritus Hopkins saw sufficient merit in the proposal to ask President Hinman to further explore the project. Hap Hinman reports that “time after time during July and August, Morgan and I met in intensive effort at Hanover and in Canaan to discuss, explore with much fact finding and to seek what were the advantages or disadvantages of such a merger.”

“By early September” Hap Hinman continues, “sufficient progress had been made to warrant bringing together representatives from both Boards of Trustees which took place on September 4, 1952. Further study was made of the legal phases, costs of new construction, operation, size of enrollment, etc. In the meetings were Messrs. Brewster, Proctor, Hayward, Newton and H. P. Hinman from Cardigan…Messrs. Morgan, Rennie and Mrs. Washburn from Clark.”

Questionable progress was made toward acceptance of the merger of the schools, as shown in the informative contribution of historical significance written by J. Walker Wiggin, a former Trustee of the Clark School:

“Although it was very solvent having no mortgages on its properties and having cash on hand in the bank, Clark School in Hanover, New Hampshire, began to have less and less student enrollment in the years following 1948. Dr. Clifford P. Clark, its founder, was an elderly man and Dr. Frank M. Morgan who had been with the School from almost the beginning had retired as Headmaster a few years previous. Following the opening of the 1952-53 school year it became apparent to the trustees that something would have to be done to preserve the assets of the School. The first steps taken were discussions with representatives of Holderness School in Holderness, New Hampshire about merging the two schools. The Headmaster of the Holderness School had been a former headmaster of Clark School. Meetings with the Holderness representatives and Clark School Trustees did not prove satisfactory and all thoughts were abandoned on the merger of these two schools.

“Dr. Morgan, a trustee of Clark School, began negotiations with representatives of Cardigan Mountain School. Subsequently negotiations were instituted with representatives of the Mary Hitchcock Hospital in Hanover, New Hampshire. Mr. David Rennie of Hanover, a Trustee of Clark School, was also on the Board of this Hospital. Both negotiations had progressed so far and so satisfactorily that a trustees meeting was called in Manchester, New Hampshire on October 21, 1952 at the office of Attorney J. Walker Wiggin, a Trustee of Clark School. There was present at this trustees’ meeting Dr. Clark, Mrs. Washburn, Mr. Rennie, Dr. Morgan and Mr. Wiggin. A report was given by Dr. Morgan in regard to the then status of his negotiations with Cardigan Mountain School. Mr. Rennie also gave a report as to the status of the negotiations with the Mary Hitchcock Hospital. Both proposals were thoroughly discussed. The majority of those present were in favor of then voting to transfer the properties of Clark School to Mary Hitchcock Hospital under the terms and conditions as stated by Mr. Rennie. Dr. Morgan and Mr. Wiggin, however, opposed this

above: The spouse of the head of school was the first point of contact for parents concerned about their boy’s health. Cardigan had a registered nurse in residence and affiliated with Dr. Israel Dinerman beginning in 1954; until then, alumni remember leaning on Dick Clancy day-to-day for both their physical and emotional well-being.

above: The spring tradition of the facultystudent baseball game was a favorite, and in 1953 school secretary Ruth Talbert notably had “as many hits as some of the masters.” Talbert had been hired in 1950, and—with a tenure that lasted until 1987—was a much-loved and reassuring presence for generations of Cardigan boys.

action. Mr. Wiggin pointed out to Dr. Clark that he had founded Clark School for the purpose of educating boys, that the assets of Clark School should be used to continue this purpose and that further negotiations should be continued with the Representatives of Cardigan Mountain School to see if final terms of merger could be achieved. Dr. Morgan heartily supported this viewpoint as he wished to continue the negotiations which he had started with Cardigan Mountain School representatives and which he felt would be successful in the end. During this meeting an attempt was made to telephone Mr. Hinman in order to get certain information then requested by some of the trustees. As Mr. Hinman could not be reached the meeting was adjourned to meet again within a few days upon notification so that this requested information could be obtained. Dr. Morgan and Mr. Wiggin were instructed to continue the negotiations.

“Two days later on October 23, 1952 at the summer camp of Mrs. Washburn on Orange Pond in Canaan all of the same trustees gathered except Mr. Rennie. In addition Mr. Griffin was in attendance. Dr. Morgan and Mr. Wiggin reported as to their further conversations with Mr. Hinman and the terms and conditions under which the merger could be made. After general discussion it was unanimously voted to accept the terms and full authority was given for the completion of the merger of these two schools.”

On November 3rd Cardigan completed their legal requirements for the merger. The Cardigan Corporation elected Dr. Frank M. Morgan and J. Walter Wiggin as Trustees, to whom Cardigan owed much.

It was agreed that both schools should operate as separate units until June, 1953. The Clark School would then cease operation. The Clark School real estate was deeded to Cardigan on November 8th. All personal property was to be moved to Cardigan at the close of the school year. Annuities were to be purchased for Messrs. Clark and Morgan from proceeds from sale of real estate.

Too much credit cannot go to Messrs. Sulloway and Wiggin in their capacities as legal representatives of the Cardigan and Clark Schools respectively. The layman can hardly appreciate the ramifications contingent in such a merger. That these men brought legal order from varying interests represents no small accomplishment.

When one looks objectively at the picture he must be impressed with three facts: that Dr. Frank M. Morgan of the Clark School had the acumen to originally conceive the idea of such a merger; that Dr. Ernest M. Hopkins’ usual keenness of mind saw it to be a feasible idea since it contained advantages to both parties; and that President H. P. Hinman of Cardigan carried on relentlessly to the successful conclusion.

The Cardigan Board of Trustees was, as a result of the merger, greatly strengthened by the addition of Frank M. Morgan and J. Walker Wiggin to its membership. Frank, a graduate from Cornell, had been an esteemed member of the Dartmouth faculty before his affiliation with Dr. Clark. Walker, a Dartmouth graduate, had gone on to acquire distinction in legal circles and in New Hampshire’s political arena. More will be written later of these good citizens.

Needless to say this merger was a very real shot in the arm to our building committee. There were potential assets available in the future which were missing in the past. Meetings were held with the architect who now could feel the discussions were “for real” rather than of the previous academic nature.

A whole new era of excitement was ahead. Real optimism was supplanting the synthetic variety as far as the physical growth of Cardigan was concerned. Best of all we were going up to the Point for the future growth of the school. The whole turn of events seemed no less than providential.

By December we were beginning to touch our feet to the ground and could appreciate again what stalwarts had been backing the school when the race was truly between solvency and insolvency. Here again was our beloved benefactor John Hinman presenting the school with a new Chevy station wagon. Also a gift of $25 from a friend of John Hinman’s. This item is significant because it takes little imagination to picture John mingling with greater and lesser “privileged” and inspiring interest in Cardigan because of his own enthusiasm for the school regardless with whom he met.

A new benefactor, Hugh Chisholm, President of the Oxford Paper Company, gave Cardigan $500 because of the interest aroused by E. M. Hopkins in Cardigan.

Mr. Elbert H. Neese previously designated as the President of the Beloit Iron Works, gave the school $1,000 through his friendship with Ernest Hopkins, John Hinman and Ned French. The administration as well as others directly connected with the school were sensitive to the reaction of the parents of boys attending Cardigan. Especially was this true when it was

216HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

1. through 3. Adults were focused on plans for developing The Point with classroom and dormitory buildings, but snapshots from 1952–53 show Cardigan students happily making the most of the land and lake in their day-to-day adventures.

4. The senior class for 1953 included only George Harris, John McEwan, and John White. Hap Hinman used this to underscore the need for increased enrollment: “[That] particular class started small, remained small, graduated small—no one knows why; however, it is a sizeable aid to Headmaster Clark who has sole charge of recruiting new boys for Cardigan with the Trustee-established goal of 60 boys for school opening in September—a necessary figure in the School’s development plan.”

5. Several boys helped language training teacher Dorothy Emerson in 1953 by “typing title cards [for the] partial use of the Dewey Decimal System” and shelving books in a freshly-remodeled library space. A book show held over Parents’ Weekend added to the collection, shown here in use by (from left) Bob Grevior ’55, Ron Warden ’55, Patrick Finney ’55, and Woody Sulloway ’55.

known of the sacrifice being made at home for a son’s education. The following is a sample of what made any labors for Cardigan seem more than worth while. This is part of a letter from a mother: “Many times after working five hours on the outside I come home tired and discouraged having to face more hours of work at home…but last week upon receiving ———’s good reports I was filled with renewed vigor and courage. It is most gratifying to see improvement in him. We are so thankful that our choice was Cardigan Mountain School.”

Leading up to the scheduled Boston meeting on April 21, 1953, all kinds of activities were taking place beside those at the school itself. Individual committees were conferring with the appointed architect, plans for the new campus and plant were under advisement, disposal of the Clark School property after its closing in June was the subject of many meetings, and thoughts toward creating a new brochure for fundraising purposes all combined to concentrate the thinking of many on a better school up on the Point. One should be reminded that the direction of all this enterprise centered in our President Harold Hinman. Was ever a school more blessed by the seemingly limitless effort and enthusiasm of one man!

Hap Hinman hardly had time to edit his interesting Bulletin which was brimming with news…i.e. that Charles Proctor had given the school complete dark-room equipment for developing pictures…six

218HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

above, and at left: When the trustees and incorporators approved plans to move operations to The Point, Cardigan pushed ahead on several fronts: public relations to boost enrollment, renovation of the Haffenreffer Mansion, and fundraising for $1 million in building plan needs.

books on photography…adjustable developing tank and about a dozen other items constituting superb facilities for photography-minded youngsters.

Another calendar year end had brought out the names of new contributors interested in Cardigan:

r Henry E. Warren, former President $500 of the Warren Telechron Co. (Arthur Williams had stimulated this gift)

r Pierpont Wood, President of Warner$1,000 Electric Brake (friend of John Hinman, Ned French and E. M. Hopkins)

r “Anonymous”…still a good mystery $1,000

r John Hinman $1,000

r Harvey Hood $1,000

r R. C. Hopkins $50

By the beginning of the second term the school enrollment had reached a total of 47. This growth had prompted the leasing of Blodgett House for extra boys in the fall as only three boys were graduating this coming June of 1953.

The special committee of Messrs. E. M. Hopkins, E. S. French, H. P. Hinman and Jerald B. Newton had reported on a new plant on the Haffenreffer property showing that $300,000 would be required for a 65boy school. An operating financial plan was submitted in detail by the committee. It was agreed that the committee should continue to function. At the request of E. M. Hopkins it was voted that Jerry Newton should serve as Chairman of this committee.

Jerry Newton had been elected Treasurer of the School. This move was destined to take quite a load off the broad shoulders of President Hin-

man. The Trustee officers now duly elected were: President H. P. Hinman; Vice President, Robert C. Hopkins; Secretary, Sidney C. Hayward; Treasurer, Jerald B. Newton.

Operations were moving ahead with what might be termed as “Deliberate Speed” and standing committees were replacing special committees. To illustrate, the new Committee on Plant were Messrs. Newton, Chairman; H. P. Hinman, Frank N. Morgan, William B. Brewster and Charles A. Proctor. This is the Committee which had been commissioned, since the November 3, 1952 meeting, to complete plans for the renovation of the Mansion up on the Point.

On April 21, 1953, more specific instructions were given the Plant Committee, at the semiannual Boston Meeting of the Trustees and Corporation Members, to put the Mansion in shape for classroom use for the coming September, 1953.

Plans were discussed for moving Clark School equipment to Canaan Street after the June closing of the Clark School in Hanover, New Hampshire.

The new booklet gotten out by Jerry Newton included pictures and descriptive material about Cardigan, and also showed financial requirements for the eventual plant up on the Point. Jerry, as usual, did a thoroughly good job.

To some it seemed we were getting a bit heady over the fact that the school was for the first time operating in the black. However, we couldn’t know then what a wise financial counselor we had in Jerry Newton. It was in a state of mental intoxication we listened to Jerry’s plausible plans for the future. No one would have guessed that six years from then, Cardigan Mountain School would have capital assets which practically hit his figure on the nose. But at that meeting in the spring of 1953 a committee was voted in to determine policies, programs and personnel for the permanent fundraising program. H. P. Hinman was made chairman, the other members were E. M. Hopkins and Sidney C. Hayward.

The Trustees proved their confidence in increasing enrollment when it voted to raise the tuition from $1,375 to $1,425, plus $5 per term for activities, $15 per year for a book fee, $30 a year health insurance and $150 per term for student receiving remedial language training.

On June 30th President Hap Hinman issued his 100th Bulletin in a series extending over a period of about eight years. Certainly no corporate body in the field of education was ever better posted than was that of the Cardigan Mountain School. His conscientious editing of this mass of information over the years had much to do with the confidence engendered in the imposing group of business and professional members to whom they were sent and upon whom the school was dependent.

In this particular Bulletin he writes of the committee appointed by the Trustees to consult with the Headmaster on curriculum, approve appointments and salaries. This was a delegation of authority and a spreading of responsibilities into capable hands. Bill Brewster, Jerry Newton and Hap Hinman were the members.

The small graduating class of three students on June 3rd offered an interesting paradox from a school whose enrollment had reached its highest total for any year in its short history. As Hap said: it was “just one of those things that happens at rare intervals in a school’s growth. This particular class started small, remained small and graduated small.”

With some 44 boys returning in the fall Headmaster Clark had a good start toward the goal of 60 which he had predicted for the total fall opening enrollment.

During June 1953 John Hinman brought Mr. D. Samuel Gottesman to Canaan Street to look over the new school surroundings up on the Point and to be briefed on the proposed plans. As a result of this “pleasant visit” Mr. Gottesman gave the school $25,000 for the new plant. John also obtained another $15,000 from his friends, Mr. and Mrs. Elbert H. Neese and Pierpont J. E. Wood of Wisconsin.

On the strength of these bountiful contributions, and a line of credit of $60,000 arranged by President Hinman through the good offices of Frank J. Sulloway, sums were now available for remodeling, developing of a new steam heating plant, new electric wiring and a sewage plant to take care of the three new buildings.

Plans were underway also to ask for bids around September 1st for one and possibly two dormitories which it was hoped might be ready for occupancy by the 1954 fall opening of school.

On top of a tremendous amount of detail work with architects, builders, staking out locations for new buildings, there was the additional task of proper packaging and storage of Clark School’s movable contents. Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. H. P. Hinman did yeoman service in helping their husbands arrange for shipping innumerable items such as books, crockery, silverware, lamps, tables, etc. It was indeed a busy and exhausting summer. r

above: The 1935 Clark School Annual profiles the namesakes of Clark-Morgan Hall. Frank Morgan joined Cardigan’s board following the merger of the two schools, and all Clark School graduates were welcomed as alumni of Cardigan Mountain School.

1953 tHrouGH AuGuSt 1954

The eighth year of the Cardigan Mountain School started on September17, 1953, with a registration totaling 60 boys. This enrollment set an all-time record. In view of the years past when it seemed impossible to get a total number of boys exceeding 35, it is somewhat strange no particular notice was made of this achievement. Headmaster Clark had been given the mandate to reach this total and his success in doing so surely is of historical significance. The fact that the merger of the Clark School with Cardigan was of absorbing interest and was demanding the best efforts of so many in its final phases may well have contributed to the almost total eclipse of the Headmaster’s attainment.

After things settled down a bit and deadlines became less important as one and all began to hole in for the winter, attention was given to the locale distribution of boys in this record breaking year. We found we had quite an international group: two boys were from Monrovia, Liberia; one from Rio de Janeiro; two from Caracas. These boys were sons of United Nations officials. Our domestic distribution was broader than in previous years with boys coming from Michigan and southward through Pennsylvania.

An important member was added to the Corporation at the Annual Meeting of October 2, 1953, in the person of Robert W. Stoddard, loyal graduate of Yale. As an illustrious member of the Corporation recently said: “That the calibre of early day sponsors of the School is not being allowed to deteriorate is illustrated by the presence among Members of the Corporation of Robert W. Stoddard, president of the great Wyman-Gordon Company of Worcester, Massachusetts. Of distinguished lineage and prominent as a business leader, he is not only active in civic affairs in general but is deeply interested in and informed about educational problems with Cardigan benefiting greatly from his active participation and support.”

Other exciting news emanating from this October 2nd meeting was the financial report showing that Cardigan had operated in the black for the first time “…and a balanced budget of $85,000 for the next year continues the more favorable situation.”

Two new dormitories on the Point were out for bids but when on October 13th the prices were made known it was decided to defer action because of lack of funds. With no new dormitories in sight for the next fall the projected enrollment of 75 boys by September had to be curtailed. There was disappointment over this turn of events, naturally.

On another front, however, very real achievement had taken place. October 29th saw completion of “the long pending, frequently baffling and sometimes vexatious deal whereby Cardigan sold the Clark School real estate in the towns of Hanover and Lebanon to Dartmouth College.” Members of the Corporation came in for high praise, and especially Frank J. Sulloway and J. Walker Wiggin again for the quality of expedition in legally closing up the whole matter.

On November 3, 1953, Cardigan boys, faculty members, the Headmaster and Cardigan’s President Hinman himself, staged a march aided and abetted with bicycles and loaded private cars to the “School House on the Hill,” (the Mansion on the Point). This was a significant first move to a new and greater school.

One amusing observation made through the maze of letters, bulletins, notes, conversations, etc. from which this history is evolving, is the recurrent, and one must add accurate, statement that through this or that gift, or combination of gifts, “thinking was crystalized with the result…” that timely deeds were performed. John Hinman and Charlie Cotting performed quite a bit of crystallization in November of 1953

when the former donated $25,000 and the latter presented the school with enough shares of a common stock to total, at the then current price, some $3,000. As President Hinman said, these gifts arrived at a time of indecisiveness, and through inspired thinking on the part of E. M. Hopkins a solution for the building of a dining room which could accommodate 160 boys and a new dormitory for 40 boys resulted. The new dining room would be a one story wing extending from the Mansion, taking advantage of a depression of land. One of the features of this new dining room would be a 14 foot picture window giving the diners an unobstructed view of Mt. Cardigan. This room would be postless and spacious and the cost of building would be materially reduced from original estimate. Clancy would at last have a kitchen, too, in which to perform his miracles more efficiently and easily.

In the spirit of Santa Claus and a side glance at deductions, the 1953 year-end gifts to Cardigan came in the following parcels:

r E. S. French $1,500

r E. M. Hopkins $500

r Philip R. Allen $250

r R. C. Hopkins $150

r Malcolm Chance Foundation (through$1,000 John Hinman)

r Arthur Williams $1,000

r Lindsay Trust—Scholarship $3,000 grants for 1954

The more gifts, the greater the appreciation from the Corporate School, and this year was no exception. While it was true that enrollment had reached a total which through its tuitions met current expenses, the capital structure was growing by leaps and bounds. Amortizements and interest payments on top of getting more capital became the new “musts” of the School Administration. New pressures were exerted. We had a new Treasurer who knew where loop holes existed and how to plug them up. This brought on occurrences which are recognized in educational endeavors where the need for strict budgeting on the part of those responsible for a school’s finances seems to curb the freedom of action of those responsible for enrollment of students and their education.

The Board of Trustees came to feel that the situation involving conflict of personalities and rather extreme difficulties of planning budgets and other financial aspects of the School’s operations could not long continue. Every effort was made to find remedies short of changes in personnel which the Board finally came to feel would be the best solution for all concerned and for the welfare of the school.

Whatever the differences of opinion that might exist it was apparent these would not and must not interfere with the progress of Cardigan. It is to the credit of all concerned that these unfortunate reactions were kept well within the Cardigan family circle.

A gift of $15,000 from Harvey Hood and an anonymous source to be spread over a three year period, or $5,000 each year for 1953, 1954 and 1955, brought forth thoughts from Harvey profound enough to be reviewed here:

It seems to me that now is the time to raise money for the second dormitory. Having taken the step to put some of the boys

220HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

1. and 2. The spring alumni weekend drew eighteen attendees in 1954. Among the events were the election of alumni officers, a waterfront cookout, and a student-alumni baseball game (the alumni won 5-4!).

3. through 5. The slow shift of school operations to The Point is documented from the student perspective in a number of short articles that ran in the Chronicle

6. through 8. With the merger agreement finalized, Cardigan’s faculty and staff scrambled to store, integrate, or sell all of the equipment from the Clark School’s Hanover campus. The silver tea set would become a familiar sight on The Point in the following decades.

above: Dutch Clark’s 1954 letter to the faculty before the March break offers some insight about shared life on a small campus.

over on the Point, the quicker we can consolidate operations in one place, the better.

The new location of the Point may likely be the best location of any pre-prep school in the country.

It is easier to raise money for new buildings than paying off old mortgages. I dislike to see us build the second dormitory by means of a mortgage. I think that we should make every effort to get increased funds to add to the fine contribution of $25,000 from John Hinman.”

The Building Committee after months of consideration of the many angles connected with such a venture authorized the preparation of specifications and bids on a second dormitory for 40 boys.

The impetus given by Harvey Hood toward raising money for a second dormitory is illustrative of Harvey’s continued interest in Cardigan. There is so much he has contributed to the school entirely aside from gifts listed under his name as to make the writer wish Harvey was less modest of his true role as purveyor of so much goodness year after year to this School.

The new year of 1954 was to see great activity up on the Point in the way of new construction. In the meantime, 60 boys were making the Lodge and Annex hum with activity, in fact almost too much. Three new teachers had brought the faculty up to full force. There was hardly room enough for the enlarged number of classes; Mrs. Clark was supervising remedial work with 20 boys in addition to her other responsibilities only because other qualified supervision of this important teaching was not available.

The Blodgett House on Canaan Street was leased again to take care of five more boys whom the Trustees had urged Headmaster Clark to enroll. Momentum was building up all around.

One or two interesting statistics became available with the new year:

r 40% of the enrollment were boys from Massachusetts.

r More boys were sons of Doctors than any other profession or business.

r Harvard led other colleges in enrollment of boys from Cardigan.

r Grandparents occupy an increasing role in directing boys to Cardigan through dissatisfaction with Public Schools and through their financial aid to parents.

One grandmother wrote: “…somehow you do manage to give every boy what he needs. I am particularly pleased to see the improved marks for effort. Also, I think the summary of the boy’s problem by each Master shows that you have some born teachers up there; about as high a calling as there is in this world.”

Good news generally seems interspersed with sad. Here at Cardigan we learned with great sadness of Jim Campbell’s death. As late as August 21, 1959, Sid Hayward was to write: “I am reminded of his very active role, and one we must never forget, in the beginning of the school. He gave generously of his time, energy and talents. Even in a period of failing health which ended in death, he drove the long distance from Rhode Island to be present at every meeting, and he generously supported the movement from its earliest days. No Trustee could be more devoted or helpful than was Jim Campbell.” This was written four years after Sid Hayward had forwarded to Mrs. Campbell the Resolution passed by the Board of Trustees and Members of the Corporation and is a reminder of the lasting and affectionate regard with which Jim’s confreres were to always think of him.

222HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

The April 28, 1954 Boston meeting of the Trustees and Corporation Members was well attended: Messrs. H. P. Hinman, Brewster, Hayward, R. C. Hopkins, Kenerson, Morgan, Newton and Wiggin were the Trustees at the meeting. The Corporation Members in attendance were: Messrs. Cotting, French, John Hinman, Hood, E. M. Hopkins, Stoddard, Sulloway and Williams. Headmaster Clark was also present.

Matters of real estate, which were always with us and for which we were thankful, had to do first, with the two Tenney Houses which the Trustees voted to be held off the market. There was much the same feeling about these as one has of an ailing tooth: maybe you couldn’t get much use out of one or the other, but once they were gone, they were gone! Second, the Farmhouse: the Trustees voted authority to the President and Treasurer to modernize the house for accommodation of ten to twelve boys and two Masters.

Matters of finance had to do with paying the architect $2500 on account, for the new dormitory plans which could not be utilized at this time.

President Hinman spoke at some length about finances. It was gratifying to learn that cash and pledges were adequate to cover cost of the first 40-boy dormitory and the new dining hall. He estimated that some $25,000 was available for the second dormitory.

President Hinman appointed Messrs. Morgan, R. C. Hopkins, and Headmaster Clark to prepare and publish a modern and up-to-date catalog of the school.

The meeting gave much time to a discussion of the all-important program of remedial reading. It was estimated that about a third of the school required such instruction regularly in small groups of five or six boys at a time. One new remedial teacher was to be acquired for the following year. Extra fees of necessity were charged for this extra instruction.

Headmaster and Mrs. Clark were appointed for another year, 19541955. Mrs. Clark was appointed at $1,000 as housemother and dietician with the understanding she should not be further burdened with teaching duties.

The Members of the Corporation reviewed the actions of the Trustees and both groups were in agreement that building of the second dormitory should go ahead as soon as funds were available in order that the time given over to a split operation of the school be lessened as much as possible, and as quickly as possible.

On June 2, 1954, nine boys graduated from Cardigan. Three of the nine had completed four years of study at our school; three for three

years, and three for two. This was an indication of the growing trend resulting from the policy of enrolling those boys who planned to spend four or five years at Cardigan rather than less time.

In spite of pouring rain the old North Church was filled by students and their parents, and others interested in the school. They all were rewarded by being able to hear Bishop Dallas, now Emeritus Bishop, who had honored Cardigan Mountain School over the years by his presence and his unique ability to hold the concentrated attention of young and old. His stature, spiritual and physical presence were commanding, and it could truly be said that his influence for good on the boys continued to be incalculable.

The terminating event of this Commencement was the serving of a delicious luncheon indoors, unfortunately, for nature had drawn down a complete curtain to the surrounding beauties she usually lavished on appreciative mankind.

One item deserving of mention is that Dick Clancy who for eight years had served Cardigan faithfully and well as its only Chef, was, with President Hinman one of the two local survivors of the school’s opening day in September, 1946.

A very thoughtful and materially nice gesture came at this time from Mr. and Mrs. Elbert H. Neese who, in a note of regret over their inability to attend the Commencement Exercises, enclosed a check for $1,000. This they wished accepted as a token of their interest and pride in the school; and their appreciation of “what you men have accomplished.”

The summer was another busy one at Cardigan. Twenty boys were at our Summer School and Camp. Workmen were swarming all over the Point getting the dining hall completed by the opening of the new school year in September. The first new dormitory of this new plant was taking shape with the basement of poured concrete completed.

To an extent Cardigan Mountain School continued to be land poor. This fact stimulated President Hinman, in August, 1954, to write: “With the advanced construction of the new dormitory and dining hall at the new campus site, and the resulting highly unsatisfactory split-operation of the school, it becomes increasingly obvious that everything possible should be done to get a second dormitory started this fall for occupation in September, 1955.” His plea was that the Trustees and Corporation Members give immediate attention and consideration to selling real estate holdings on Canaan Street (the Lodge, the Annex and the Tenney property). r

Another school year began September 15, 1954, with the highest enrollment of 63 boys. The satisfaction with this increasing enrollment was dampened somewhat by the necessary division of personnel. There was a group at the original Lodge, a few in the Blodgett House on Canaan Street, some in the new dormitory up on the Point and a few with a Master in charge at the rehabilitated Farm House. All were to share the blessings of the new dining hall served from a modern kitchen with Clancy proudly in charge.

There was no doubt about it—the school was going to operate inefficiently and at a greater cost. All this added to efforts of the members of the official Cardigan family to make sure the second new dormitory was completed for the opening of school in September, 1955. This was reflected in the minutes of the Trustees’ and Corporation Members’ meetings held October 1, 1954, when authorization was voted to President Hinman and Treasurer J. B. Newton to enter into contract for the building of a second dormitory; also authorization to borrow a sum not to exceed $100,000 to assure completion of this building for which concrete already was being poured before frost set in. Money for this was coming out of the $25,000 already available for this new construction. Through this foresightedness on the part of President Hinman and Treasurer, Jerry Newton, the completion of this new dormitory would be assured by next September since an early start could be made in the spring.

The pains of progress were increasing the difficulties of Headmaster Clark this fall in organizing classes, most of which were being held in the Mansion. The synchronization of bells, signals, etc. to get boys together in one place from widely separated areas was enough to increase “Dutch” Clark’s baldness and to challenge the abilities of the Faculty to obtain concentration from the boys who were inclined to look on the whole affair with the glee associated with a Roman Holiday. That things worked out as well as they did is a credit to all who worked under the handicap of this split operation.

The fall seemed to pass with the rapidity of most falls and those in responsible positions, especially Hap Hinman and Jerry Newton, rejoiced that year-end memories stood up well with other years. Proof of this is found in the following gifts to Cardigan:

r Charles Cotting $3,100

r Robert W. Stoddard $5,000

r John H. Hinman $9,040

r Harvey P. Hood $5,047

r Frank Sulloway

$929

r Robert C. Hopkins $50

r Edward S. French $2,000

r Charles Proctor $500

totAL

$25,666

On October 1st, in the fall of 1954, Sidney C. Hayward as Secretary had been asked by the Board of Trustees and Members of the Corporation assembled for their meetings to write Arthur A. Williams a letter incorporating a resolution expressing great regret over his absence and wishing him a speedy and complete recovery from a heart attack and further expressing “appreciation for his interest in and support of the school…” which had meant so much to the institution. This letter went forward on October 4th.

While this notation may seem out of sequence, it is purposely placed here for two reasons: first, this resolution had been inspired by Hap Hinman and characteristically showed his deep concern for one who had been a pillar of strength to Cardigan from its early days on; second, hardly had the ink of Sid Hayward’s signature dried before Hap was stricken with a heart attack. This was not generally known or even suspected until Bulletins ceased to appear.

Word got around that the Hinmans had gone to Florida after he had recovered sufficiently to make the trip south. No resolutions were passed in Hap’s case for no formal meetings were being called. Those in the know had been concerned over Hap’s health for over a year. He had been carrying a tremendous load, working all hours of the day and night, as this history attests to.

John Hinman initially took over to the extent of assuring his own brother he need have no concern, for Jerry Newton and others of the Corporation and Trustees nearby were closing ranks and considering the many questions which had to be settled because of the extensive plans ahead for the new school building program.

It had been the custom of Hap and his wife to spend winters in Florida so their absence had not been noticed too greatly in the routine of the school. Headmaster and Mrs. Clark were attending to the splitoperation effectively so that, as far as the boys were concerned, there occurred no lapse in their education.

Gradually as one after another learned of Hap’s heart attack and his subsequent improvement, there was unanimous thankfulness in learning he would be back in his active position as President. He was going to be less burdened with details. This and other facts would have to be considered by the Trustees and Corporation Members for Hap was too valuable to the Cardigan Mountain School not to have increased help in the administration of the school.

The Cardigan family was truly grateful to its members who stepped in to help in Hap’s absence but to none did it owe more than to Jerald B. Newton, Treasurer.

The next official meeting of the Board of Trustees took place at the home of President Hinman on Canaan Street on June 21st. Those attending were Messrs. H. P. Hinman, Charles Proctor, Jerry Newton, Bill Brewster and Frank Morgan. Frank Morgan was appointed Secretary pro tem.

It was voted to retain Headmaster and Mrs. Clark for the academic year of 1955-1956; that the school lease the Austin House for a period of twelve months starting July 2, 1955; that in addition to the Treasurer Jerald B. Newton, the President, Harold P. Hinman, also be “empowered to sign and sell securities in the name of the Cardigan Mountain School.”

In the meantime, Commencement, which meant so much to the boys graduating and their parents and to the school faculty which had brought them along this far, had taken place. The Old North Church was filled. Sixteen boys graduated on this June 1st day. Headmaster Clark welcomed one and all. Bishop Emeritus Dallas was the speaker for the occasion. President Hinman having recovered from his heart attack looked hale and hearty as he awarded the diplomas.

During the summer there was feverish activity in the building of the second dormitory to meet the deadline of the fall opening of the school. Materials, workmen, summer school and camp boys all merged to give an impression of utter confusion up on the Point. To the trained eye, however, the exact opposite was true. Morning summer classes were

224HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

1. and 2. Classwork and construction coexisted cheek-byjowl during this period, which Hap Hinman termed a “highly-unsatisfactory split-operation of the School” between Canaan Street and The Point.

3. and 4. In 1954–55, Cardigan’s choir and Glee Club sang at trustee meetings, local church services, and at the annual Christmas pageant.

5. Beginning at this time, pride of place and excitement about the new campus meant that formal school photos were taken on The Point rather than in front of the Lodge.

being held; afternoon recreation, carefully scheduled, was being carried out; all comparable to the meticulous care of the masons laying brick on brick to assure basic strength. To be sure recitation room windows were being alternately, closed and opened depending on the severity of construction noises across the way. There was mud one week and dust the next depending on the caprice of nature. But there was enthusiasm behind all this. The only tragedy lay in the resulting frayed nerves and the surfacing of conflicts in personalities and fundamental thinking. After the close of the summer school, Headmaster Clark resigned. The acceptance of his resignation took place on September 17, 1955.

On September 24th at a meeting of the Trustees it was moved and voted “that a terminal payment of one-half salary be made to Mr. and Mrs. Clark for the balance of the fiscal year after being relieved of their duties at the school.”

The Cardigan family regretted the necessity for such changes. However, it was still mindful of the very real contributions “Dutch” and Mrs. Clark made to the Cardigan Mountain School. They deserve their niche in Cardigan Mountain School history. r

226HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

1. A student reporter tries to convey the essence of Cardigan boys in this 1954 Chronicle article.

2. Assistant Headmaster Don Stowe was involved in every aspect of school life, and was a stabilizing force during the transition from Headmaster Dutch Clark to Roland Burbank. The boys held him in great affection, writing after one dance, “[Stowe] made the Spring Dance. He chose the music, arranged the program, checked on details before getting out on the floor himself. Who was directing the grand march ? Who showed everyone the hokey pokey [sic]? Who taught us fellows the conga? That man Stowe!”

SEPtEMBEr 1955 tHrouGH AuGuSt 1956

The strength of Cardigan Mountain School lay basically in the unswerving integrity of President Hinman and those with whom he had surrounded himself. In Jerry Newton the School was further blessed in having a Treasurer who saw eye to eye with the President on matters pertaining to the basic training of young boys. Jerry had had plenty of administrative education in developing his own Camp Pinnacle at Lyme, New Hampshire. As owner and operator he had doubled the enrollment in five years to 150 boys.

It had been well proven that whatever contingency might arise Cardigan had the men with the know-how to carry on. The extensive building program of the school might have seriously suffered as Hap had with a tired heart had not John Hinman taken over the new financing while ably assisted by Walker Wiggin and Frank Sulloway. The financing had been successfully negotiated and the time was fast approaching when the school would be starting another year with some 78 boys enrolled, but without a Headmaster.

On September 30th the rains came and the mud thickened all around our new buildings, but neither wind nor storm kept the Trustees or Members of the Corporation from their appointed tasks. Walks to the new buildings consisted of planks laid from a central spot from which occupants of many cars might take hurried flight to Hinman Hall. Assistant Headmaster Donald R. Stowe had gathered together students and faculty in the auditorium; these in addition to the official Cardigan family and invited guests made up the audience of some 175 people. President Hinman presided.

Trustee Walker Wiggin gave the Dedication address. This was most fitting since Walker had been a Trustee of the Clark School and close to Doctors Clark and Morgan for whom Clark-Morgan Hall was named.

In a Bulletin written subsequent to these exercises, President Hinman wrote: “Sid Hayward, Secretary through all the years of Cardigan’s growth, an original member of the Corporation and a Trustee, loyal and able, performing untold duties that never have been recorded, besides being Secretary of Dartmouth College, was chosen to write plaque inscriptions for Brewster and Hinman Halls.”

BrEWStEr HALL

A lifelong worker with boys, William Russell Brewster was indispensable to the conception and foundation of Cardigan Mountain School. His character, integrity, personal example and devotion to teaching are inspiring qualities to all American youth who have known him with affection and gratitude.

HInMAn HALL

Two brothers devoted to each other nourished the early growth of this school whose roots are secure in the soil of their beloved native state. Harold Purman Hinman founded Cardigan Mountain School in 1945. As first and longtime President he was encouraged, supported and guided by Cardigan’s wise and generous benefactor, John Holmes Hinman.

The granite of New Hampshire keeps a record of their fame.

The citation for Clark-Morgan Hall was written by Walker Wiggin:

cLArK-MorGAn HALL

In 1918 Clifford P. Clark founded Clark School in Hanover, New Hampshire. This building stands in his honor and in honor of Frank Millet Morgan under whose headmastership Clark School became a well-known college preparatory school for boys. Upon their retirement from successful leadership Clark School was merged with Cardigan in 1952.

After the Dedication Services were over tea was served in the Clark-Morgan Building. Later a nourishing meal was enjoyed in the new dining room where the boys, faculty, corporation members, Trustees and wives participated in the social amenities which have become so attractive a feature of these annual school affairs.

above: Bill and Onie Brewster took their interim leadership seriously as the board searched for Dutch Clark’s successor, and then worked to support the Burbanks after the midyear transition was complete.

In the evening the meeting of the Trustees and Members of the Corporation listened to one of their articulate associates, Robert Stoddard, compare the potential advantages offered by Cardigan as against private schools generally. Starting from the premise that the Cardigan Mountain School was blessed with one of the most beautiful sites in the country, he urged that future development should continue to embrace the complete use of Nature’s gifts. These, he said, should be the basis on which stronger character and an enhanced education could develop to serve our boys throughout their lifetime; the corollary being a fine faculty directed by a competent Headmaster.

This was a timely and inspiring discourse.

As if to give emphasis to Bob Stoddard’s talk, in a most material way, John Hinman announced he was ready to contribute 50% of the cost of building a new house for the Headmaster if the rest of official Cardigan would raise the other 50%. He said that with the new plant we now had we must have a suitable residence for attracting the kind of Headmaster Cardigan needed.

It was estimated that the minimum cost of such a house would be $50,000, and that it should be ready for occupancy by the fall of 1956. The Trustees were instructed to proceed with plans.

Dr. Crawford H. Hinman of Boston, son of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Hinman, along with Messrs. Newton, Morgan, Proctor and Wiggin were elected to membership of the Corporation. The Trustees meeting followed when its officers were re-elected for the coming year.

Once again, on September 30th, Bill and Onie Brewster stepped in to take over the leadership of Cardigan until the selection of a new Headmaster was made. What a reassurance it was to be able to get the services of Bill Brewster, a man proven in his profession, and one highly regarded in the field of preparatory school education.

Arthur Williams sent a check for $1,000 to the meeting in lieu of his attendance which the doctors had forbidden.

Yearly donations which had become the life-blood of the school were this year, particularly, not confined to any one month or quarter:

r Elbert H. Neese $9,303

r A. R. Graustein $3,000

r Kieckhefer Foundation $1,000

r John Hinman (extra) $500

r Richard W. Clark $50

r J. M. Flynn $100

r Frank Sulloway $200

r John Hinman $9,958

r R. C. Doane $100

r Dale H. Nelson $3,000

r D. S. Gottesman Foundation $10,000

r E. Earl Newson $500

r Charles Cotting $5,000

In addition to the above, Charles Proctor gave his second year contribution of $500 for the Photographic Rooms in the new dormitory.

It should be added that Charles Cotting “encouraged” Mr. Graustein in making his fine gift; also that John Hinman prompted the gifts from Messrs. Neese, Newsom, Kieckhefer, Clark, Gottesman, Doane and Flynn.

Now the matter of first consideration was the selection of a new Headmaster. President Hinman had lost no time in screening possible candidates and settling in his own mind on the man whom he felt had the qualities of leadership and administrative ability to head up the Cardigan Mountain School on the threshold of its new era. Parenthetically it should be emphasized that administrative capability had to be an increased requisite since President Hinman no longer could carry the crushing load of former years.

On October 17th, 1955 Hap Hinman called on Lyle Farrell, Headmaster of Proctor Academy, as to the availability of Roland W. Burbank, Proctor’s Assistant Headmaster. Mr. Farrell, whom Hap some years before had interested in Cardigan, spoke in the highest terms of Burbank. He made it plain he did not want to lose Roland Burbank and would do his best to hold him; but he would not stand in the way of Burbank making his own decision. As a result of this initial interview Hap was more sure than ever he was on the right trail.

On Hap’s return he called in Bill Brewster and Jerry Newton to help correlate facts as to Cardigan’s administrative past and future. These

228HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

above: After the land was cleared with some help from Cardigan students, the headmaster’s residence quickly began to take shape. At left, Frieze House (originally called the “White House”) in August 1956; at right, as it appeared that December.

1. through 3. The new dining hall adjoining Clark-Morgan was Chef Clancy’s pride and joy. With a view to the mountain, state-ofthe-art equipment, and room to fit the entire student body, the space quickly became the center of school life.

4. The front page of the Chronicle captures the frenetic fall of 1955: a polio scare delayed school opening by a week; a search was underway for a new headmaster; and Hinman, Brewster, and ClarkMorgan Halls were dedicated.

above: The student council’s minutes record the group’s first meeting and its plans to rethink campus organizations; a June meeting determines that council members will return to campus early in the fall to “Start everybody off on [a] good foot.”

were presented to Mr. Burbank in connection with the official invitation to him to become Headmaster of Cardigan Mountain School.

Hap later was to write: “Mr. Burbank investigated us considerably… school history, background, finances, our Bulletins, Corporation Members, Trustees, the Treasurer…(and Hap adds modestly)…to a minor degree, the President.”

To complicate immediate action Mrs. Burbank had left for England before Hap’s call at Proctor Academy. Mr. Burbank thus was forced to depend on explanatory mail, cablegrams, and finally an overseas telephone conversation. Fortunately, Mrs. Burbank had visited the school back in the spring and was cognizant of Cardigan’s beautiful campus.

On November 2, 1955, the Trustees met with Mr. Burbank, found him receptive to coming to our school and elected him Headmaster.

Between the time of the Trustees meeting and December 15th when the Burbanks came officially to Cardigan they had made two visits to the school which prompted the following comment by Mr. Burbank: “We were delighted with the way in which the boys greeted us. We had a good meeting with the faculty and I have a very good impression of their willingness to work…we become more enthusiastic each visit.” This was a good omen for the future of the school.

Now more than ever was the importance and the challenge of raising the other $25,000 to meet John Hinman’s provisional gift toward a new home for the new and inspiring Headmaster.

There were two points which Headmaster Roland Burbank had asked that there be agreement on which he felt would make “for a long lasting and mutually profitable relationship” between the governing body of the school and himself:

First, that the Headmaster would be responsible for the administration of the school and its property, recognizing that he would follow the policies laid down by the Trustees.

Second, that the Headmaster be made ex-officio a member of the Board, and that until this action should be taken by the Corporation, he would be invited to attend all meetings of the Board. This was a compromise from Mr. Burbank’s original proposal that the Trustees elect two men from names suggested by the Headmaster.

These were so voted by the Trustees.

The Trustees had also moved and voted: “In view of the devoted and indispensable services now being rendered by Mr. and Mrs. William R. Brewster, who will continue to operate the daily activities of the school until Mr. and Mrs. Burbank are able to take up residence about midDecember (1955), it was moved and voted that a gift of $2,000 be made to Mr. and Mrs. Brewster.” No one will ever know, other than President Hinman, what a time he had in getting the Brewsters to accept this gift from the Board of Trustees. The Brewsters had given their services in supervising the initial faculty, and organizing the educational program for the first year of the school, which the Board of Trustees felt was surely enough of a contribution.

On January 19, 1956, President Hinman announced the following gifts to Cardigan:

r Arthur Williams $1,000

r Frank J. Sulloway $1,000

r E. M. Hopkins $1,000

r E. S. French $2,600

r R. C. Hopkins $100

r Robert W. Stoddard $5,000

r Dr. Crawford Hinman $50

r John H. Hinman $11,269 (first payment on $25,000 pledge)

r Harold P. Hinman $1,000

r A. R. Graustein $1,000 (through Charles Cotting)

r Lindsay Trust for Scholarship Fund$3,000

totAL $27,019

Having read Roland W. Burbank’s initial treatise to the Board of Trustees, and in view of the afore-listed impressive contributions to Cardigan, we believe his comment before being elected Headmaster is not amiss:

230HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

1. through 3. Living on The Point made it easy to get outside to enjoy fresh snow.

4. A dorm room in Brewster Hall shows some Cardigan spirit: stickers adorning the mirror and lampshade sport school branding.

5. Cardigan’s new radio club broadcast a “Sunday music hour” and other shows to buildings on The Point in the fall of 1956, using the 540kc radio frequency. Here faculty member Jesse Morgan looks through record selections with students.

If a survey of independent schools were made, I believe that it would be found that the Corporation and Trustees of Cardigan have done more in the brief span of the school’s existence than any similar group in any other institution. The time, the energy, the thought, and the substance put in by men of these groups have resulted in the phenomenal growth of the school and will be required in greater measure to round out the Cardigan Plan in the future. It is my belief that the existence of such a body of men is one of the school’s strongest points.

One of the first problems was planning the Headmaster’s new house. The house must answer manifold social purposes for the school, faculty and students. In other words it should be functional without losing the qualities of an attractive and livable home. Hap wrote of this particular period that “Jerry Newton and the Burbanks are working to seemingly make every nail, board and shovel of cement serve their best purpose.”

The fact that we had a Headmaster who generated real confidence made deficits no longer the ugly specter of the past. One ironical twist was that the house for the Headmaster and his gracious wife was going to cost some $10,000 more than anticipated; but to anyone who had been faced with “extras” in his own personal experience in building a home there was nothing too strange in this. The other deficit to show up at the May 10, 1956, meeting of the Corporation and Trustees in Boston was one of from $5,000 to $8,000 for several unexpected and non-recurring expenses, some of which had to do with the change in school administration. To off-set these there were favorable enrollment prospects at this time of year as against last year, with more new students applying.

Headmaster Burbank held the interest of all as he gave his excellent report emphasizing quality as the sound policy to follow in respect to enrollment, recruiting and maintaining an outstanding faculty. Morale, he said, must be high to achieve success. Operating responsibilities must exclusively be delegated by the Trustees to the Administration, except on top policy questions, to avoid confusion and poor morale in the staff and student body. Here was a man speaking from a position of strength, and what a relief this was to the Trustees and Members of the Corporation. He knew what he was talking about and his audience knew he did, too. Responsibilities were to be delegated because our new Headmaster knew how to go about doing this, and he knew whom to get to shoulder these responsibilities if the shoulders were not broad enough among the inherited personnel.

Significant reactions came from E. S. French who openly said: “In my opinion, this was the best meeting yet. We are getting places…” E. M. Hopkins added: “For the first time since we started I really feel that we have an educational institution.” To President Hinman this was “music of exalting tones…tonic for the souls and minds of the sponsors.”

An increase in tuition to $1,625 was voted; showing further confidence for the new leadership of our school.

There were many incidental matters proposed and voted on at the Trustees Meeting which indicated the desire to get everything shipshape for the new administration. The minutes record that Robert C. Hopkins submitted through President Hinman his resignation as Vice President. He felt strongly that his distant residence from Canaan was a handicap which one located nearer could more easily overcome. The resignation was accepted from the “office” only, as he would continue as a member of the Board of Trustees. J. Walker Wiggin of Manchester, N. H., was elected as the new Vice President.

It seems that about this time the plumbing in the new buildings was showing weaknesses, the blame for which was laid to poor supervision and workmanship. Authority was properly delegated to remedy all infractions of contract without financial loss to the school. This pointed to the close supervision which Jerry Newton was giving to the material welfare of the school. President Hinman was so impressed with Newton’s many contributions to Cardigan that he dwelt at length on the pleasant relationship existing between the two through “seemingly countless frustrations, disappointments and perplexities” which had produced mutual regard for each other. He added: “I want to offer heartfelt appreciation for and recognition of the excellent work Jerry Newton has done for Cardigan.”

The inter-mixture of good and sad news was to follow its natural course in the school’s development. Mrs. Jennie Drew Hinman, wife of John H. Hinman, gave the Cardigan Mountain School $15,000 as the first endowment gift to a Fund which she stipulated should be used for aiding worthy students who lacked resources to parallel their educational ambitions. No more timely or more significant a gift could have been made to support Headmaster Burbank’s plea to seek out quality wherever it might be found. One and all in the Cardigan family rejoiced over Mrs. Hinman’s material help in rounding out Cardigan’s financial structure at its weakest point.

During the night of June 7, 1956, Arthur Williams drew his last breath leaving behind a bereaved family and a host of friends. He joined the Cardigan Corporation December 18, 1945, before the school actually opened. He was a “faithful attendant at meetings and was generous in his financial contributions to Cardigan.” Resolutions and letters were to emphasize the loss felt by his Associates at Cardigan.

In August of 1956 a gift of $20,000 was announced through Mr. and Mrs. John Hinman as coming from the D. S. & R. H. Gottesman Foundation. Cardigan had lost through death another friend and benefactor the previous April. Mr. Ira Wallach, son-in-law of Mr. Gottesman had worked closely with John Hinman to carry through Mr. Gottesman’s original plan to donate the above sum for Cardigan’s capital construction.

Mr. Gottesman had been a generous contributor to the School to the extent of some $65,000 over nearly a decade. He had visited the School and had planned another sojourn north when he was stricken.

It is small wonder that Members of the Corporation were giving serious thought to getting younger men interested who might measure up to the high qualifications stipulated by the President and official Cardigan members.

Another Commencement had passed into history with the impressive ceremonies in the Old North Church. With the graduating classes getting larger in numbers, and the increased interest in these annual services one wondered how many more years the historic old Church could house them. There were penalties which came even with success; but fortunately these often were of more concern to the older rather than the younger members of society.

Once again the summer was a busy period up on Cardigan’s Campus, 33 boys were attending the Summer School and Camp. This was a 50% increase in attendance which assured the operation’s success.

The new athletic field was developing fast and there was hope that seeding might take place by mid-September which would assure a good grass growth the next spring and summer. No activity would be allowed on the field for another year.

The Headmaster’s new house would be ready by early fall. r

232HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

SEPtEMBEr 1956 tHrouGH AuGuSt 1957

Cardigan Mountain School started another year with a record enrollment of 83 boys, and practically a new faculty to teach, advise, and enter into well-organized recreational programs with them.

“Ro” Burbank had called the faculty a week earlier than the opening of school for sessions, morning, afternoon, and evening to orient them in teaching techniques, educational procedures, studies of personal adjustments, and acquaintance with Cardigan’s unusual physical assets. President Hinman was to observe that this was the most constructive training yet observed during his tenure of office.

October 5th, 1956 was the date of the Annual Meeting of Trustees and Corporation Members. One of those in attendance was heard to observe that it seemed as though we were holding meetings quarterly, so swiftly was time passing. Another answered that his was a natural reaction to the smoothness with which Cardigan Mountain School seemed to be running.

A good attendance of some 17 members of Cardigan officials, not counting their wives, were to hear of the exciting progress the school was making. Important was the news that the current income could well be increased by some $30,000. This was possible because of better prices, better collections, fewer scholarships, all of which pointed up to better Administration.

This happy financial position which Cardigan was enjoying enabled authorization of a 10% further increase in salaries on top of the 20% increase last year. This was in line with Headmaster Burbank’s original plan when he accepted his new position, to get a good faculty and then hang on to it.

The feeling of affluence produced the commendable hope that enough of the current year’s additional income would be left to make additional mortgage payments. Having a possible $30,000.—to ponder over was a delight which the Trustees could hardly be blamed for enjoying to the limit. A natural sequence was that had all the proposals been accepted this $30,000.— surplus would have been spent five times over. These discussions were not frivolous by any means and they had a sobering effect. The Trustees were taking their cue from Headmaster Burbank’s inaugural plea that more and ever more QuALItYbe built into all aspects of the Cardigan Mountain School. Certainly Cardigan had to have material evidence of this if it hoped to attract boys of discerning parents. Money was not the root of evil in such instances but rather the medium through which such evidence could develop. Thus after much deliberation the Trustees voted an increase in tuition from $1625 to $1750, and upped the Summer School tuition to $550. While these deliberations were going on Assistant Headmaster Wakely was taking the wives on a tour to show the attractiveness of the new plant. Wakely, who was a personable young man, unconsciously did quite a selling job on himself and thereby added stature to the new administration in the minds of his entourage. “Never underestimate the power of a woman” could well have been Wakely’s guiding slogan but he is too conscientious to even arouse any thoughts of ulterior motives. He just naturally did things well. Gifts announced were:

r from our Anonymous friend $5,000

r from Charles Cotting (to finish athletic field, $3,000 which brought his total contribution to $10,000, assuring an extra fine addition to Cardigan’s Plant)

r from John Hinman (to Building Account) $2,000

Charles Proctor gave the School 15 valuable volumes covering information on birds, beautifully illustrated. This was highly welcome to Cardigan’s growing library.

A warranty deed from Walter C. and Edith B. Gardner was issued to Cardigan for some 60 acres of forest and mountain land as a Memorial to their son Walter C. Gardner III, a graduate from our School, class of 1949. This land offered the School fine Outing Club facilities.

An old-fashioned Locomotive Bell was received from three unnamed gentlemen. This bell is somewhat larger than the usual ones of this character. Its clear peals will spread far throughout the countryside for generations to come.

All this came to the Cardigan Mountain School during the fall of 1956.

The School was celebrating the Christmas and New Year’s holiday vacation. The Canaan Post Office was again noting increased mail for President H. P. Hinman who made known to the official family much of the contents, as follows:

above: Student government turned its sights on service, fundraising both directly and via “swear boxes” and requesting that Chef Clancy prepare some lower-cost meals to help the boys raise money for good causes.

1. Students help Roland Burbank affix a custom CMSlicense plate under his fire warden plate topper. As one of several new forestryfocused programs he initiated at Cardigan, Burbank (with faculty member Roger Noldt) began a student fire crew.

2. The Chronicle noted that this game against New Hampton was the best Cardigan football of the season—even though the “boys, to put it bluntly, were playing tenth and eleventh graders and they were huge monsters, none under sixteen years old.”

3. Fishing remained a staple pastime at Cardigan, with a 1956 summer student noting that “In Canaan Street Lake, there are bass, perch, pickerel, kibbies and horned pout.” Here, two Cardigan boys proudly display their pickerel.

4. and 5. School dances happened three or four times a year, with boys inviting girls from surrounding towns as their guests. Paul Buckley Jr. ’57 reported that the Cardigan “Wolves” had a great time getting into the unusual dress code for November’s Bermuda Hop: “Yours truly was dressed in a pair of Bermudas, plaid knee socks, white bucks, a white shirt, and that irresistible white tie!”

234HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

r $3,000 from “Anonymous”

r $125 from Frank J. Sulloway

r $100 from Robert C. Hopkins

r $100 from Dr. Crawford H. Hinman

r $300 from Jerald B. Newton

r $1,100 from Harold P. Hinman

r $9,690 from John H. Hinman

r $5,000 from Robert W. Stoddard

A special meeting had been called October 22nd, 1956 to make the following changes in the by-laws of the Corporation to read as follows:

Except for the Trustee who is elected President, there shall be no requirement that any other Trustee shall be elected a member of the Corporation. The members of the Corporation may elect Trustees as members of the Corporation provided, however, that the total number of Trustees elected as members of the Corporation shall not exceed one-third of the membership of the Board of Trustees.

This corrected and defined a line of demarcation between the Board of Trustees and Members of the Corporation. To effect this change it was necessary for the members of the Board of Trustees to resign from the Corporation. Resignations were thus accepted from:

r Jerald B. Newton

r Sidney C. Hayward

r J. Walker Wiggin

r Crawford H. Hinman

r William R. Brewster

r Robert C. Hopkins

r John B. Kenerson

All this was taken in good humor. The famous quip of “Groucho” Marx was recalled when, speaking of himself, he allowed as how he “would never belong to any Club which would accept him as a member.”

“Hap” and Marion Hinman had gone to Florida for their winter vacation with the good wishes of all ringing in their ears. “Hap” could really be at ease insofar as the Cardigan Mountain School was concerned. He received a telegram from “Ro” Burbank which did his heart good; it read: “Spent first night in new house. All are thrilled. The Burbanks can now walk to work.” This was followed later by a letter from “Connie” Burbank in which she spoke of the joy of entertaining in the “Student Room a visiting hockey team, our boys, and coaches of both teams…miscellaneous faculty having coffee upstairs and down while I flitted around. Fun!”

In a Bulletin, no. 132 in fact, “Hap” writes… “What a delight to have a lady like Connie around Cardigan and how effectively she will combine and develop the home and utilitarian features of that truly beautiful structure without destroying either.”

Things were really going well; peace and harmony reigned within the school and this was reflected in the good will existing outside toward the School.

r $3,000 from “Anonymous”

r $125 from Frank J. Sulloway

r $100 from Robert C. Hopkins

r $100 from Dr. Crawford H. Hinman

r $300 from Jerald B. Newton

r $1,100 from Harold P. Hinman

r $9,690 from John H. Hinman

r $5,000 from Robert W. Stoddard

r $3,000 came from the Agnes M. Lindsay Trust for scholarship grants.

r $4,000 came from the Spaulding Trust for current use (through the good offices of “Ro” Burbank).

With pressure lessening on our President, aided and abetted by the warming trade-breezes over Florida, we find him writing in another of his Bulletins in a reflective mood. Generous as

1. The Cardigan bell was donated to the School in October 1956. While student Robert Cochrane ’59 refers to the donor as “Mr. R.” in this Chronicle article, Hap Hinman’s Bulletin claimed that the bell was a gift from three anonymous “Connivering Cardigan-eers.”

2. The last students to graduate without a Cardigan yearbook, the class of 1957 instead had their pictures printed in the Chronicle

1. Cardigan’s first annual fund solicitation was mailed to Cardigan alumni, families, and friends in December, 1956. As the headmaster noted in his letter, “You who are associated with Cardigan know that tuitions can pay only ordinary running expenses and that major expenditures must come from gifts. […] At this Christmas time we bespeak your generosity on behalf of the young men whom you will see grow to manhood.”

2. Required haircuts were occasionally a point of friction between Cardigan faculty and students. This editorial cartoon ran in the campus edition of the Chronicle on May 10, 1957, but wasn’t reprinted in the more broadly distributed public edition.

always in his praise for contributions small or large to Cardigan, he comments: “Cardigan’s first brochure was a beautifully prepared book, conceived, written, and edited by Vice President Bob Hopkins. It attracted much attention, created much confidence in our first endeavors, a basic concept of the School was expressed in the title…’Readin…Ritin, and Rithmetic!’ “

This was prompted by his reading in a news service Senator Ralph E. Flanders comments on “present day” educational system which he felt was “in shambles.” Further quoting from Senator Flanders’ speech before a sub-committee hearing, he said: “…it is of no great importance (to pseudo-science of education) whether a child really understands mathematics just so long as he is working at it…”

“Hap” Hinman had more than ever genuine pride in the Cardigan Mountain School and its accomplishments. He saw in Senator Flanders’ remarks and the publicity given them a recognition of a swing back to fundamental educational training. This indeed was complete justification for all the thought, time, and energy which had been put into the founding of Cardigan in which one H. P. Hinman had played so important a role.

Now at long last Cardigan was paying its own way. The first year under “Ro” Burbank’s leadership had been little less than spectacular. “But”…you can almost hear “Hap” say as he stretches himself up and out of his chair…”there must be no let-down.” To further clarify his thinking he wrote: “Momentum, one of the most potent factors in individual and collective success, has been invaluable to Cardigan…and until we get a plant completed there should be no mediocrity of thought or action.”

As a step toward the completion of our School plant, authorization was voted at the semiannual meeting in Boston, May 10th, 1957, for a new educational center to house classes, library, offices. These would all be removed from Clark-Morgan Hall thereby releasing rooms for 20 additional boys, and for two faculty apartments.

Headmaster Burbank presented a total budget for the coming year of some $171,000 “which will be balanced or exceeded in income.” This was an indication of the growing scope of the School’s operations.

So much was going on that it seemed imperative to devise a means for better handling of the School’s business. Therefore, it was voted: “That the Executive Committee function with full power for the Board of Trustees in respect to acting for the Board between meetings.” The Executive Committee was voted as consisting of the President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Headmaster.

During the summer the Planning Committee and Finance Committee were busy along with Messrs. Wakely and Holbrook in completing plans for the new building which would conform with the money objective. The Treasury had some $30,000 available; $70,000 would have to be collected in the form of capital gifts, leaving about $100,000 as a loan toward erecting this new edifice.

Mr. Ira Wallach, son-in-law of the late Mr. Gottesman, made a timely gift of $25,000, which with his previous $20,000, made his estate gift for Cardigan’s new construction total $45,000. He seemed indeed to be a worthy successor to his father-in-law, a great benefactor of our School.

$10,000 was received from Mr. Elbert H. Neese of Beloit, Wisconsin, one of Cardigan’s best friends.

Mr. Herbert M. Kieckhefer gave Cardigan 80 shares of Weyerhaeuser Timber Company stock. In this connection it is interesting to note that his grandnephew attended our summer school and later enrolled in the regular session starting September 22nd, ‘57. All of this started by the interest created in Cardigan by John Hinman when Mr. Kieckhefer’s early financial contributions had to be used for operating expenses.

Another indication of high level recognition was evidenced by enrollment of boys in our summer school recommended from Andover and Deerfield. r

236HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

SEPtEMBEr 1957 tHrouGH AuGuSt 1958

Congratulations were extended to Headmaster Burbank for a record fall enrollment of 90 boys. This number taxed our accommodations and necessitated a larger number of rejections than ever before. To make this picture complete the requirements for admission were higher than any previously stipulated.

Trustees and Corporation Members arrived at the Cardigan Mountain School, October 4th, 1957 only to learn of President Hinman’s hospitalization from pneumonia. The regret of all was the more because “Hap” had had to stand before these men many times with little but financial woes to report whereas on this day there was nothing but solid progress to report on all sides. Vice President Walker Wiggin became the presiding officer. In this capacity he was entirely at ease and for good reasons. Walker was a former Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives; also, he was president of the 1956 New Hampshire Constitutional Convention. With this background, along with his natural sense of humor, there is little wonder that these sessions were handled expeditiously. Almost his first act was that of entertaining a motion toward sending President “Hap” Hinman the regrets of all for his absence, and wishing him a speedy recovery.

The Treasurer’s report covering a wide range of financial details having to do with construction and planning showed for the second year a surplus, this time over $11,000. The summer school had been successful with an enrollment of 41 boys. The winter enrollment stood at capacity with 84 boys in residence and 4 day pupils. For the first time the Trustees voted to establish depreciation accounts for buildings, furnishings and equipment. An increase in tuition was voted from $1750 to $1850, beginning with the 1958–1959 school year. Summer School tuition was to remain at $550.

It was voted to honor two Corporation Members whose loyalties and many contributions to the School had brought it distinction: the new scholastic center would be known as Hopkins Hall, in honor of Ernest Martin Hopkins; the athletic field, one of the best among New England’s Secondary Schools, and which was financed through the generosity of Charles E. Cotting, would be known as Cotting Field.

One of the cultural objectives for the coming year would be that of strengthening the School Library under the able direction of Mrs. Roland Burbank.

Mr. Wiggin suggested that gifts of major size be listed in the annual financial report. Mr. Sidney Hayward supported the plan with the further suggestion all gifts of $100 and over carry the name of the donor, or the donor to remain anonymous if he or she so desired; also groupings of all other gifts for listing in the report as from parents, alumni, friends. This was so moved and voted.

The Minutes of these meetings show that “cordial approval was expressed for the splendid job being done at the School.” The Secretary was asked by Mr. Wiggin to pass on to the Headmaster and faculty this expression of appreciation. The School was the beneficiary of a gift of $1,000 from the Gile family in memory of the late Arch Gile well known and beloved in Dartmouth and Hanover, N. H. circles.

The Christmas Holidays saw 90 boys leaving for their vacations. This represented another peak in school enrollment at Cardigan. One could almost feel the air charged around the Cardigan Campus with thoughts of building another dormitory. During the years when it seemed impossible to enroll 35 young students, any prognosticated figure but represented another peak as a new goal to be attained. Now with the momentum engendered by our new Headmaster, “Ro” Burbank, the embarrassment lay in having to reject worthy applicants. Were one to question diligently enough he could learn, within a few feet either way, where the new dormitory would be placed!

The Planning Committee whose function it was to have short and long range programs drawn up was having a bit of a time since their long range plans were treading the path of diminishing returns. One more dormitory would bring the capability for enrolling 120 boys. What would happen then? Would the dining facilities be adequate? Would class-rooms be of sufficient size and number to comfortably contain the larger groups? These were things to think about now for they would surely be up for discussion at the Boston Meeting in the Spring.

The School Administration was poised as if for another sprint forward. There was the Executive Committee in a standby with Trustee powers; the Building Committee clearing up the final touches on the new Hopkins Hall, along with Clark-Morgan’s periodic change-over; and theafore-

above: An editorial by Peter Albee ’58 suggests that guests at the fall dance would “be looking for boys with good manners who will be sure they get refreshments and escort them off the dance floor.”

238HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

1. through 3. Headmaster Roland Burbank’s scrapbook contains many photos of the first Mountain Day in October 1957, during which the entire school climbed Mount Cardigan. From top: two student groups; faculty members Marilyn “Willy” Black, George Black, Raymond Jenness, and Millie Jenness.

4. through 6. In October 1957, faculty members Norm and Bev Wakely and Ted Linn took a group of twelve boys on an overnight canoe trip along the Connecticut River. Steve Fairbanks ’58 reported that they returned “sunburned and tired but everyone that went had an enjoyable time.”

the somewhat miniature boards.”

1. through 3. Opening day in 1957 was a flurry of greeting friends and organizing belongings. Student council members had, as planned, arrived early to have “a hand in getting the boys settled comfortably.”

4. through 6. Over five feet of snow fell in the spring of 1958, resulting in lots of shoveling—and terrific skiing. The Chronicle noted that some hockey players had taken to skiing daily, even as “the snow has considerably heightened

mentioned Planning Committee. Above, around and beneath all this was the restive spirit of President “Hap” Hinman who made no bones of his theory to get everything moving while the going was good. Paraphrasing a popular song, by June things would be “busting out all over!” Looking over his year-end mail “Hap” found the following interesting tokens of school loyalties:

r 65 shares from John Hinman (International Paper Stock)

r $100.00 from Frank Sulloway

r $100.00 from Robert C. Hopkins

r $200.00 from Jerald B. Newton

r $3,000.00 from Edward S. French

r $1,000.00 from Harold P. Hinman

r $5,000.00 from Robert W. Stoddard

r $4,973.29 from Horace E. Davenport(A parent happy over his son’s progress, made gift through Headmaster Burbank)

r $3,000.00 from Lindsay Trust (for Scholarships)

r $4,174.50 from Charlie Cotting (To complete Cotting Field, including two baseball diamonds—1 large, 1 small, one football gridiron, and four tennis courts.)

Hardly had “Ro” and “Connie” Burbank got their second wind before the boys were back for the winter term and the process of education became once again the enterprise of a devoted faculty. Unfortunate indeed is the lack of information about Cardigan’s faculties in this short historical story. There have been indications that our members of the teaching fraternity were doing superlative feats as evidenced by the letters from grateful parents. Graduates of Cardigan have been cited by schools to which they have gone as among the best prepared for continuing schedules of education. The comparative few who have had time to complete their college education have done further credit to our School. This all can be rightfully traced to the day-in and day-out training by our faculty members. As President Hinman was to say: we “wish to give commendation and admiration to Cardigan’s faculty…a group of competent men and women who are devoting their lives to the finest of all professions, that of shaping our future citizens that they may preserve and develop all that is good in the American form of living.” May we join in this salute to these dedicated men and women to whom the Cardigan family is indebted.

To one who could drop in unannounced, to say nothing of being unexpected, the reward was great. While he might swear he never again would impose himself so brazenly on a hard-working group of people, nevertheless, he could feel he had seen Cardigan Mountain School operating in a normal way. Walking on down the Campus road his general impression might be that the school was closed but suddenly boys appeared from all sides converging on the entrance to the Dining Hall for it was lunch time. There was an indefinable atmosphere of discipline which was refreshing. Every boy, and what a fine lot they were, was well clothed and had coats and tie on. Each, with hair well combed, went to his appointed table and there stood until the Headmaster took his seat. The contrast from the few moments of utter silence to the din of continued conversations, which had been interrupted, defies description. You were then introduced to the eight boys seated at a round table where no one was too separated from another to enter into easy chat. Without delay you were waited on by white-coated boys whose assignment that week was to be purveyors of tasty food from Clancy’s well organized kitchen. The boys on each side of you were responsive to questions as to what part of the world they came from. You had, indeed, reason enough to ask, and a quickening desire to reach each boy

for they were articulate youngsters. There were in this particular group two from widely separated parts of our fast shrinking earth; one, a Japanese boy, whom we later learned had been elected by the boys themselves as “School Leader” or head of the School Government. The other was a dusky lad with flashing eyes and a winning smile whose home is in Liberia where his father is Minister of Health. The luncheon over, you left feeling spiritually and physically well nourished; for you it was an event to long remember, for the boys just another meal to tide them over until the next one.

Later you asked Headmaster Burbank about this school government whose “Leader” you had been privileged to lunch with. This was, he said, about the best way he knew of getting across to the boys the fundamentals of democracy. The boys took the elections seriously and their subsequent responsibilities equally so. The discipline was all the better observed because it was administered by their own kind. This onus to a large degree was removed from the faculty members who could the better concentrate on teaching and advising.

The more you talked with “Ro” Burbank the greater became your enthusiasm for Cardigan Mountain School which he was building toward greatness. He re-emphasized QUALITY as an ingredient which he hoped might become so strong a part of the total school compound as to strongly affect the whole flavor of it. His sincerity of purpose was infectious; one wanted to help. This is best defined as leadership.

The Members of the Corporation of Cardigan Mountain School and Board of Trustees were, to all intents and purposes, invited by Edward S. French, better known as “Ned” French, to be his guests on May 2nd, 1958 at the Algonquin Club, Boston, Massachusetts. Some eighteen guests accepted the invitation and showed up in person.

No history of Cardigan would be complete that did not call attention to the fact that similar invitations have been issued each year, for a total of 14 years, thanks to the beneficence of this genial and strong supporter of the School. It will be recalled that a facetious resolution had been offered by Bob Stoddard thanking Ned French for all past and all future invitations to the Algonquin Club. Bob reflects the feelings of all now when he says Ned has been so consistent in his hospitality as to dull the humor of his original resolution. The author has wished each year there might be some novel way of registering the feelings of one and all toward Ned’s generosity. Maybe the writing of the School’s history is a means toward this end. May posterity note well Cardigan’s indebtedness to this man. The Board of Trustees sat down to lunch on this day of May 2nd with a full afternoon schedule ahead. The first item on the agenda was a discussion of the building of a new dormitory. As was predicted President Hinman felt we must maintain our momentum and “press every effort to get the plant we want.” The natural question was how big a plant did we want?

“Hap” Hinman admitted frankly he did not know to what size the school might develop. “It should be a small school,” he added, “but the future of education is uncertain and nobody knows the ultimate answer.” He argued without fear of contradiction that “income producing facilities must be in proportion to and ahead of income consuming facilities, unless someone can raise an endowment to carry a deficit.”

Construction on Hopkins Hall would be finished and the building ready for use for the summer school. Clark-Morgan which was being converted into a dormitory would be ready for occupancy by September 1st. Cotting Field, long a temptation to itching feet would be available. Its level and green expanse was already beautiful to behold.

Lesser acquisitions such as a stand-by generator was voted on, as well as more kitchenettes for faculty suites. The latter had already proven, where installed, a boon to faculty morale. Dormitory suites be-

240HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

1. through 4. New faculty member Don Thompson brought the football team to play against his own hometown of Claremont in fall 1957, along with a spirited Cardigan cheering section.

5. In February 1958, Steve Hanley ’58 tape-recorded the Cardigan/Holderness hockey game for broadcast by Cardigan’s student radio station, wcms.

came homes. No longer were its occupants dependent on the school dining hall for nourishment. The entertaining of boys by faculty supervisors became less strained. What youthful barrier can hold out against an evening snack!

Joy of joys for a long suffering President and Board of Trustees… the Treasurer’s report showed the school was having another good financial year with an operating surplus in the offing of some $20,000. Such news was electrifying. One and all well knew that Jerry Newton with his sharply turned pencil was not padding the books! No longer was the smoking fraternity exuding jerky puffs nor were discriminating sitters roaming about for more comfortable chairs. The governing body was relaxed and eagerly awaited the Headmaster’s Report. President Hinman moved on to this part of the program with the composure of a professional presiding officer.

Headmaster Burbank’s first remark was: “It is an excellent year— my heart sings.” He expanded on this feeling by enumerating the following points:

r The boys were of superior quality, ability and spirit, and were well behaved.

r A better faculty which was functioning more effectively.

r He expressed his agreement with the Treasurer “that finances are going well.”

r Enrollment was “more than I had hoped” for, and with becoming conservatism and modesty added “and possibly more than we can hope for in future years.”

r He was planning for an enrollment of some 60 boys in the summer school and a capacity plant enrollment for the fall.

r Dedication of Hopkins Hall and Cotting Field he felt should have a maximum impact upon the student body during the dedication ceremonies this fall; and at the Northern New England Headmasters’ meeting in October for which Cardigan Mountain School will be host.

r Most of the Cardigan Graduates-to-be are already entered in accredited preparatory schools.

On the subject of “maintenance” he felt “we are beginning to do a better job.” He added that he was “pleased but not satisfied.”

242HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

above: Founder Hap Hinman sketched the growth of the School in this contribution to the June 1958 Alumni Journal.

r The barn and associated buildings need repair.

r “Tontine Mill” is used increasingly for shop work and will need repairs.

r Clancy’s House is in the process of repair. More work needs to be done.

r An investigation of the dam (controlled by the School) and possible damage to lower riparian owners, for which the school might be held responsible, in case of a break, “is being investigated.”

Quoting from the “Minutes” which, in the absence of Sid Hayward, who was tied down with Dartmouth Alumni Counsel Meetings, were fully composed by Jerry Newton:

Headmaster Burbank called a particular problem to the attention of the Trustees which stemmed from the rapid growth of the Cardigan Mountain School. He pointed out how other phases of school administration tend to suffer. He mentioned the strain of continued growth upon the administrative staff and faculty.

One important item showing increasing interest by parents in the School was their support of the Annual Fund. In 1957 the total financial contributions amounted to $1,800. As of April 30th, 1958, a total of $5,600 had been given to this fund.

The Planning and Executive Committees were given a few things to ponder over, i.e., a new dock was needed as well as general development of the water front; a re-arrangement of the kitchen was soon required to provide for increased load. Storage, dish washing, refrigeration and administration spaces, as well as athletic rooms with showers and lockers for visiting teams were necessary.

As a continuation of discussions held during the afternoon Trustees’ Meeting, the evening meeting of the Corporation Members heard President Hinman review the need for a new dormitory, and his suggested timetable:

r Plans for the dormitory to be presented at the 1958 fall meeting.

r Start of construction by June 1959.

r Plan for occupancy for Sept. 1960.

The program was unanimously approved.

The Planning and Building Committee was instructed to consider plans for a recreational center (enclosed) to include a gymnasium; and greater waterfront facilities.

Just before adjournment Members of the Corporation joined the Board of Trustees in a motion made by John Hinman, seconded by E. S. French and adopted by all:

Be it resolved that the Board of Trustees and Members of the Corporation of the Cardigan Mountain School extend to Mr. and Mrs. Roland W. Burbank their appreciation for the outstanding efforts and leadership which are being given…to the school…

Following this formal meeting in Boston of Corporation and Trustee members an interim Trustee Executive Committee Meeting was held on July 29th, 1958, in Canaan, New Hampshire. “It was voted to accept a significant gift of property,” the details of which are not available at this time because of legalities. Enough is known however to be assured that Cardigan will benefit handsomely.

above: World War II veteran Don Thompson joined Cardigan’s faculty in 1957. “Mr. Thompson demanded the most and he got it,” Bill Major ’62 later recalled. “Mr. Thompson made you know he knew who you were.”

rEPrISE

One day of indescribable beauty, up on the Point, in the early summer of 1945, Hap Hinman and the author were seated with backs against a venerable maple tree, chewing snatched ends of tall grass about us, and watching white cumulus clouds drift lazily across the bluest of skies. Cardigan Mountain seemed so near as to almost rise out of the crystal lake, the surface of which lay undisturbed. There is no recollection of weighty discussions. Many subjects were touched on: business, retirement, boys, life, and death. It is on occasions such as this, and they occur too infrequently, you subconsciously appraise another.

On October 3rd, 1958, President “Hap” Hinman approached the podium in the auditorium in Hinman Hall to initiate dedicatory exercises for two great additions to the Cardigan Mountain School plant. This, to one always embarrassed by emotion, was one of those strange moments. It was a flashback to that other beautiful day when one learned of another’s successes, his disappointments, his joys, sorrows, and hopes. There he stood, the conqueror of much, and the soul of this— his school. He had always wanted to be associated with boys as he had said fifteen years ago. Now, on this day 104 of them were looking up to him.

It was a great day, one way or another, for everyone up on the Point. r

above: The press highlights Cardigan snow sports: the December 1, 1958, Chronicle includes drawings by David Moore ’59 and Karl Pannaci ’59; a January 1959 Canaan Reporter article describes the ski jump in action.

SEPtEMBEr 1958 tHrouGH AuGuSt 1959

The Annual Meetings of Trustees and Corporation Members were held on October 3rd, 1958, the most important event being the Dedications of two great additions to the School. At the Exercises President Hinman said:

Rarely is an independent school blessed with the joint Dedication of two material facilities that con tain the depth of worth which our new scholastic center and athletic area, each impressively in its own right, possess for effective development of Cardigan.

It was also rare that so pleasant a day coincided with such exercises. President Hinman introduced the principals after briefly reviewing the aims and progress of the School, saying:

Today we are here to dedicate material assets of our School…to honor two long-time, stalwart Members of our Corporation…men who have met faithfully and well their Cardigan responsibilities:

Ernest Martin Hopkins (rising)…to you we dedicate our splendid new scholastic center…to be known into endless future as Hopkins Hallwith these words graven in lasting Bronze:

HoPKInS HALL

From its earliest beginnings when his courage, wisdom and vision were most needed, Ernest Martin Hopkins has proclaimed confidence in the future of Cardigan Mountain School and given warmhearted participation and talented guidance to its affairs. A giant among educators, President of Dartmouth College for 29 years and a source of enduring strength to this school as a charter member of the Cardigan Corporation. This scholastic center stands in tribute to his faith in American youth.

1958

Charles Edward Cotting (rising)…to you we dedicate the magnificent playing fields and tennis courts which you so generously gave to Cardigan…to be known for all future time as Catting Athletic Field with this inscription molded in enduring bronze:

cottInG AtHLEtIc FIELd

Generously supporting the Cardigan Mountain School objective of a sound mind in a strong body Charles Edward Catting, Graduate of Harvard, a business leader in Boston, a devoted member of this school’s governing board, has long given distinguished service and strength to hospitals, children’s welfare organizations, Boy Scouts of America and other high causes. His encouragement of Cardigan outdoor sports is here recorded with gratitude.

1958

“Messrs. Hopkins and Catting received enthusiastic and warm applause in sincere tribute.

“Interestingly, it was Cardigan’s valued privilege to dedicate the first building, the first educational facilities ever named in honor of Ernest M. Hopkins and Charles E. Cotting—two as fine and worthy gentlemen as ever affiliated with any college or school.

The Bulletin further reports: “Broached in early December by Headmaster Burbank, discussed by your officers, voted unanimously by the Trustees, the School tuition will be raised from $1,850 to $2,000 for the next school year of 1959-60.

“Cardigan’s present $1,850 is considerably lower than the $2,000 plus median charges of other schools—in each of last 3 years Cardigan has been able to increase both tuition and enrollment—the Fall of 1959 should be an opportune time because no further numerical growth is possible until the new dormitory is built.”

At the Annual Spring Meetings held by the Trustees and Corporation Members May 1st, 1959 none other than the afore-honored Ned French was host to all at the Algonquin Club in Boston. Another high attendance was noted as some eighteen important citizens gathered from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont to hear and pass on plans completed and those scheduled for the future. Clancy and Fifield Houses had been put in

244HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

than in any other way.”

1. and 2. Hopkins Hall, dedicated in E.M. Hopkins’ honor in October 1958, was the first purely academic building at Cardigan. As Hap Hinman noted: “All of the other buildings have been imperatively necessary and incalculably valuable—but this new scholastic center immediately imparts the feeling, the knowledge that Cardigan possesses the equipment to do a real scholastic job for her boys.”

3. Science chair Roger Noldt oversees the boys’ use of lab equipment funded by E. M. Hopkins in 1959. Hopkins made the gift “in the conviction that young boys acquire more interest in studying science from the availability of good apparatus in the laboratories

4. Faculty members Tom Wood, Don Thompson, and Dick Leavitt break for a snack during Cardigan’s Ski Holiday in North Conway on March 3, 1959.

2. and 3. Thanks to trustee Charles Cotting, the football and baseball teams found a new home on The Point in 1958–59. In addition to playing beneath the beautiful backdrop afforded by Mount Cardigan, athletes enjoyed a built-in pool of spectators in Clark-Morgan Hall. As the Blaze noted, residents of that dorm had “a bird’s eye view of all the activity that takes place on Cotting Field.”

246HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

1. Of the 1958–59 Mountain Day at Kearsarge, the Blaze reported that “The foliage was in full color, the temperature in the 70s at the base, and spirits remained high throughout the sunny day, especially after the tasty food prepared by Mr. Harrington, Mr. Minnier, and the Campcraft boys at the base camp.”

first class condition. Enrollment for the Summer School and the fall term looked good. Tuition for the formal school year was increased from $1850 to $2,000. The Trustees voted to carry $50,300 fire insurance on the property in Maine, $10,000 on contents, and to increase liability insurance thereon $100,000-$500,000.

There was an interesting bit of financing carried to completion by Trustee J. Walker Wiggin at the request of President Hinman who wished additional monies to assure the completion of a new dormitory. At this spring meeting of the Trustees it was voted to authorize the President and Treasurer to raise $100,000 for the new building. Through a participation loan by the Amoskeag Savings Bank of Manchester, N. H., the Concord Savings Banks of Concord, N. H., and the Siwooganock Guaranty Savings Bank of Lancaster, N. H. the aforementioned monies were made available. Trustee Frank J. Sulloway had played a helpful and important role in these negotiations. Once again the team play of the Trustees ably directed by President Hinman gained much for the continued growth of the School.

The perennial needs of the school at this particular time were varied and included new work on an old cow barn, further additions to the school shop, enlarging the kitchen. A building to include locker rooms for home and visiting teams, showers, etc. loomed up as an immediate necessity as we learned of the present lack of facilities. A central incinerator for the entire school costing in the neighborhood of $3,000 was also submitted. New sidewalks and a recommended purchase of land on “the Pinnacle” for a better ski tow were listed for consideration. The Executive Committee was authorized “to proceed with any of these projects as in its judgment seemed prudent.”

Replacement reserves amounting to $9,500 were voted for use in reducing mortgage indebtedness. Teachers’ salaries for the coming summer and fall terms were presented.

Cardigan’s Third Annual Fund contributed to by parents, friends, students and alumni amounted to $9,200 including two gifts of, first, an anonymous contribution of $3,000 for a new ski jump; secondly, $2,328.02 from the Frank S. Fifield Estate.

The growth of Cardigan Mountain School was shown by President Hinman’s report during a general discussion of finances, that the operating income had increased from $30,000 in the first year 1945-46 to some $259,585 during 1958-59. This latter sum plus construction expenditures “made the flow of cash (for this latter year) considerably better than $400,000.”

At the recommendation of the Corporation the Trustees voted the creation of a Finance Committee which shall have full authorization to act in all matters relating to investment of funds. According to By-Laws the President and Treasurer automatically became members of this committee. The other appointed members who consented to serve were E. S. French, Charles E. Cotting and Vice President J. Walker Wiggin; an impressive finance group.

The school is again indebted to John Hinman for the gift of 100 shares of International Paper Company stock; also, another timely and much appreciated remembrance of $1,000 from Elbert H. Neese. Mr. and Mrs. Neese’s continued interest in Cardigan goes back to the early days, and their financial help over the years has been substantial as the reader will recall.

Indeed the school continues to prosper. The administration of the school under the guidance of Headmaster Burbank is doing an excellent job. The dormitories are filled with a total of 104 boys, and fine boys are they. The new dormitory will take the pressure off of “doubling up” in some rooms of the present set-up and will enable the school to add some 20 boys to its enrollment after September 1960.

The faculty has enlarged and is giving more than ever an enlightened interest in the boys far beyond the formal curricular schedule. How far the appreciation for all this goes is proven in a recent letter received from a mother of one of the boys. She writes: “We certainly have the faculty to thank for his improvement. There must be a wonderful spirit of cooperation among the teachers to enable this to be accomplished….” r

1. The lake’s rink required a great deal of work to maintain. A 1959 Chronicle article noted a common winter lunch announcement: “Will skaters and the hockey team please report to the ice at 1:45. Bring shovels and skates.”

2. During winter 1959, some boys decided to make the most enormous snowball possible. Unfortunately it gathered momentum and escaped from their control, coming to rest directly in front of a building entrance. The culprits scattered, but finally owned up to it at a 2021 alumni gathering (names withheld here for their protection!).

above: Connie Burbank regularly hosted student gatherings at the headmaster’s house, giving boys a chance to relax and connect with adults outside of the classroom. Bev Wakely and the Minniers (with daughter Gwen) were among the faculty members joining this “librarian’s party.”

SEPtEMBEr 1959 tHrouGH JAnuArY 1960

Any attempt to end this history as of a definite date is comparable to the idea King Canute, of fable fame, had of holding back the ocean’s tide. A story of the first decade of Cardigan Mountain School originally seemed to be a tidy span of years to cover; but before we had hardly started toward this goal a tide of events swept on necessitating a completely new perspective. No longer were we “wishing on a star” while reviewing the even flow of the curriculum, for suddenly the school gained material stature with accompanying development in student numbers and quality of same. This we have reviewed; but even as the type is being set for the publication now of this history of the first fifteen years, as against the first decade, events transpire which must be recorded if for no other reason than to prove the increasing vitality of this school.

The building of a new dormitory to house twenty additional boys had been authorized over a year ago. It now stands as a reality, all but ready for occupancy by June 1960. This new addition to Cardigan’s campus will bear the name “French Hall” and inscribed in bronze will be the following citation:

Edward Sanborn French, charter member of the Cardigan Mountain School Corporation, giver of devoted service and support to strengthening Cardigan which has grown in stature through the building named for him. A New England Yankee, born in Maine, a long-time resident of Vermont, distinguished in business as a railroad President, director of many corporations, life trustee of Dartmouth College, he has generously given his talents to good works in which this school, with deep appreciation, fully shares.

In connection with this honor to Ned French there are many of us who would add this colloquial expression: “It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy!”

As the Trustees gathered for the Annual Meeting on Friday, October 9th, 1959, there were reports covering matters of importance to the future of Cardigan but none were discussed more than the broad subject of financing. The question of whether capital outlay had not reached its zenith, and should we not amortize our indebtedness faster, opened up lively debate. One answered to the effect we already were meeting our obligations faster than requirements demanded. Another felt that standing still meant falling backward and Cardigan had gotten up a momentum which should be allowed to carry on.

The matter relating to the powers of the Finance Committee were eventually interpreted, on advice of Counsel, as being broad since originally none were specified.

Much was left, as usual, to “prudent” answers by the Trustees’ Executive Committee of questions which, at the time, the Trustees as a whole were in no position to act upon.

In the evening, and after a good meal cooked and served under Clancy’s able direction, Members of the Corporation joined with the Trustees to pass on whatever wisdom might have come out of the afternoon meeting.

The summary of the Treasurer’s report and the general progress report of the school as given by our capable Headmaster met with unanimous approval.

The Cardigan Mountain School was doing well. This was possibly more appreciated by those attending the annual and semi-annual meetings than by the real workers living with the school day in and day out.

In a Bulletin under date of January 30th, 1960 President Harold P. Hinman ushers in the new calendar year with great news of material worth given to the school by its ever loyal supporters. He writes as follows:

248HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

5. Terry Baker ’63 produced and directed the sixth grade in “Monkey Business,” a play presented in the Hinman auditorium. According to the 1960 Blaze: “No doubt one would have to go back to Dostoevski to find a better study of crime and punishment.”

1. through 3. The construction of the new dormitory enabled the board to honor founding incorporator Ned French. Hap Hinman once described French as “a man who possesses the talents of a highly successful Yankee businessman and the attributes of a humanist.”

4. Boys line up under their colors for the annual Green and White Day competitions; one boy dons a Clark School jersey, a remnant from the equipment gained from the school merger several years prior.

Since the last published list these gifts were received in the following order:

r Edward S. French $3,865

r Gottesman Foundation, $8,500 one third of pledge

r Hugh Chisholm (since deceased) $823 obtained by John Hinman

r Frank J. Sulloway $100

r Charles E. Cotting $750

r Dr. Crawford H. Hinman $100

r Robert W. Stoddard $4,000

r John B. Kenerson $100

r Harvey P. Hood

$5,000

r Jerald B. Newton $250

r Harold P. Hinman $600

r John Hinman (toward new $17,000 home for Asst.Headmaster)

No better evidence of the powers of wholesome cooperation can be witnessed than the creation and growth of Cardigan Mountain School…by a group of dedicated men who believe in an ideal, and its development into an accomplished fact… for the benefit of American youth.

This particular gift of John Hinman is especially significant since it represents the first and important step toward faculty housing. The competition for capable faculty members will be increasingly keen. Through John’s farsightedness Cardigan is now launched on a pro-

gram to make life more attractive for capable teachers of this and future generations.

No better proof could also be given of the growing esteem in which Cardigan Mountain School is held than the announcement just made that the Honorable Sinclair Weeks has accepted membership in the Corporation. His name was proposed by Robert W. Stoddard “with an assist from Ernest Martin Hopkins.”

One should read in “Who’s Who” of the active life and varied services Sinclair Weeks has given town, state, and the United States of America to appreciate the background of prestige which now is added to the considerable amount the school already enjoys.

Sinclair Weeks graduated from Harvard in 1914…served on the Mexican border and later in France with the 26th Division in the First World War. He entered banking, later went into the metal industry. Subsequently he became President of Reed and Barton, one of the country’s most esteemed manufacturers of sterling silver and later was made Chairman of the Board. A director of many corporations, including that of Northeastern University, he gave up all these upon becoming Secretary of Commerce and a member of President Eisenhower’s cabinet from which he recently resigned after serving since 1953.

Thus this first history of Cardigan Mountain School ends on a high note.

Perhaps the highest tribute to Cardigan comes from a recent graduate who writes:

I have been wanting to thank you for a long time. Cardigan, to me, is the best…I think you are doing a wonderful job. I hope that some day my little brother will be able to go to Cardigan. r

250HISTORY: 1945 TO 1960

above: Ralph Hulbert joined the Cardigan faculty in 1959 to teach math and science. A former student of Roland Burbank’s at Proctor Academy, Hulbert founded Cardigan’s chess club and shared his archery expertise with the boys.

I am indebted to so many people for varied kinds of help I hesitate to begin mentioning names for fear that inadvertently I may hurt individual feelings by failing the mention of his or hers.

My first experience (and it well may be my last) in writing a history is the comparable search one encounters in putting together a picture puzzle. It is usually the small piece which drives one to near distraction, for the whole is not complete without its smallest segment. I also found many who were innately modest as to divulging information of their contribution to the school’s progress. It is in such categories I fear I may have failed to dig out pertinent and valuable bits to round out the complete story. In many cases I got through indirect methods what I couldn’t learn by direct contacts. To anyone whom I may seem to have overlooked I would extend my deep apology and I might add my sincere regret. I like people too much to deliberately evade or hurt them.

To Mrs. Hopkins and to our daughter, Sylvia, and son, Bob, I owe much for their encouragement; and to my brother for his periodic reassurance.

To Harold P. Hinman, or “Hap,” for loaning me his complete set of Bulletins without which any history of Cardigan Mountain School would have been barren; and for many pleasant associations.

To William R. Brewster who gave substance and authority to the early historical picture of Cardigan when he helped so actively in founding the School.

To Sidney C. Hayward who entrusted to me the original and complete “Minutes” of all Trustee, and Corporation Members meetings; and descriptive matter much of which is quoted verbatim in this history.

To John B. Kenerson for furnishing corroborating material which enabled factual reporting rather than inadmissible hearsay.

To Dick and Barbara Sawyer who took time out from a “moving” holiday in Boston to help in tying together Cardigan’s early historical incidents.

To all who kindly wrote me. The unanimous response from the Trustees and Members of the Corporation was heartwarming and encouraging. Enthusiastic letters were received from Bill Everts, Ted Peach, and Bob Kimball who meant to write even fuller and more informative ones later.

To Bob McMillan who was honest about his tenure of office at Cardigan.

To Fred Larson who, in the goodness of his soul, sent me his “only copy of the brochure” which I had edited. His was illustrative of the well-meaning motives of all.

To the official members of Cardigan Mountain School I can hardly sing enough praises:

“Ro” and “Connie” Burbank turned their home over to Mrs. Hopkins and myself, where I was able to spend a week of concentrated work right in the atmosphere of the School.

Mrs. Lawrence W. Talbert was, as always, helpful.

Mr. and Mrs. Norman C. Wakely saw to it that the Burbanks’ refrigerator was well stocked with fresh foods upon our arrival.

Dick Clancy, Cardigan’s all-time and “all-America” chef made Mrs. Hopkins’ food shopping easy by attending to her every need.

Ned Smith of Canaan, New Hampshire, has one of the most complete clipping files of events in this area of the State one could imagine. He kindly turned these over to me to pick out the reported events happening over the years at Cardigan Mountain School. While much was a repetition of material already gone over, it helped to put the emphasis where it belonged in more than one instance. I appreciate Mr. Smith’s interest and help in this historical endeavor.

To Henry W. Patterson of Weston, Massachusetts, one of the advertising fraternity’s best copy writers before his retirement, who read this history objectively and encouraged me greatly.

Last but not least to Fred W. Davis, Vice President of the Rumford Press who went far beyond the call of duty in personally photographing most of the outdoor scenes shown herein. His interest in Cardigan Mountain School since its earliest days, when he was so helpful in publishing the first school brochure, has been of real benefit to Cardigan and a very real help to me personally.

R.C.H.

BOOK TWO: Cardigan Comes of Age

PART TWO: 1960 TO 1995

BY RICHARD R. REARICK

HISTORY, PART TWO: 1960 to 1995

facing page: A view of The Point, circa 1963

at right: Dick Rearick, pictured in 1971 at the beginning of his first Cardigan tenure, and circa 1995, when his chapters of this history were first published.

Foreword

My relationship with Cardigan Mountain School began on July 4, 1970, when I met with Headmaster Norman Wakely so that he could explain my duties as the newly appointed business manager, or Assistant Treasurer, of the school. Fourth of July was not a holiday at the school. The summer session was in full swing and, besides, there are no days off at a boarding school except for special occasions, like Headmaster’s Day, when students have a holiday from classes. For the next five years, my wife and I lived in Newton House, supervised the small dorm of four students, and presided at a table in the dining room for the required nineteen meals per week. I managed the business office, supervised the buildings and grounds operation, and, in general, took charge of all the non-academic functions of the school. After a year or so, I conceived the idea that there were many interesting things going on from day to day which would surely interest the parents of our students, and that their sons were probably not communicating these very well, if at all. So I started writing a letter to parents describing school life so that parents would have a better idea about what their sons were experiencing. It was called Notes from Cardigan and was mailed about once a month.

After five years, I left Cardigan for a similar position at the Emma Willard School in Troy, NY. Eleven years later, in 1986, my wife and I moved back to New Hampshire, and within four months I was again at Cardigan starting a second career there as Director of Development and Alumni Relations. One of my new responsibilities was publishing the school newsletter, a much more comprehensive project than the old Notes from Cardigan.

This experience evidently led the Headmaster and some of the trustees to believe I had some skills as a writer, and ultimately resulted

in a phone call in April 1994 from Bob Gillette, then Chairman of the Corporation, asking me to meet him and discuss the possibility of my updating the History of Cardigan Mountain School for the celebration of its 50th anniversary in 1995. At that time I had been retired for over two years and believed my official relationship with the school was over. Somehow I couldn’t fully escape. While I was managing the Development Office, the idea of updating the school’s written history had occurred to me as being a project that ought to be done, but when the opportunity actually came, I was no longer sure I could do it. Nonetheless, between the time of Bob’s phone call and our subsequent meeting, I had put together a rough outline of the project and made some notes of things I would like to include. In short, I was hooked.

Now, I am almost surprised that the book is ready to go to press. Also I am convinced that I could have continued the research and writing for another full year without running out of material. Much has been included, but there is much more that could be written.

With the hope that Cardigan alumni and their parents will be reminded of good experiences and that future students and parents will gain some understanding of people and events that came before them and contributed to the growth and development of the school, I humbly dedicate these pages to all alumni, past parents, faculty and friends of Cardigan Mountain School whose association with the school has left its imprint on this institution.

July 1995

New London, New Hampshire

1. and 2. Students had to put in extra effort for snow sports during this era. In 1961, the ski jump required a little extra snow, while the hockey rink needed a little less: “Much shoveling and flooding had to be done to keep the ice in the good condition it was most of the time. All had a good time, even enjoying the game against Holderness played in sub-zero weather.” (Blaze, 1961)

3. and 4. The first residents of Proctor House, named for the late trustee Charles Proctor, were (from left) Michael Bixler ’62; John Hart’63; Robert Borzillo ’62; Jonathan, Norm, Mary, and Beverly Wakely; and Lawrence Reed ’62.

Years oF Continuing growth and development (1960–63)

Cardigan Mountain School started with Hap Hinman’s dream of a school for boys at The Point—the Haffenreffer property in Canaan. From the first expression of this idea in December 1944 until January 1960, when the first volume of the history ends, the records show steady growth and development. After opening in September 1946 in The Lodge on Canaan Street with an initial enrollment of 26 boys and six teachers, the school began its 15th year in September 1960 on a beautiful campus bordering Canaan Street Lake with a spectacular view of Mt. Cardigan.

Before continuing with the history, perhaps it would be interesting to consider the following: What did the school look like in 1960? What were the trustees concerned about? What did students do besides attend classes? What was school life like in 1960?

The original Haffenreffer Mansion had been converted into ClarkMorgan Hall, a dormitory with dining and kitchen facilities in a new wing. The infirmary, woodworking shop and barn were part of the original estate, but everything else on the campus consisting of Hopkins Hall, the main classroom and administration building, Hinman, Brewster, and French dormitories, and the headmaster’s house had been built since the school moved to its new location. Moreover, in May 1960 the trustees had voted to construct a house for the assistant headmaster to be built during the 1960-61 school year. The Haffenreffer property had indeed been transformed into a real academic campus.

The changes were not limited to new buildings, for the trustees also recognized that the school needed athletic and recreational facilities. The open fields and woods on the property, were cleared and leveled land for a proper athletic field and four tennis courts, and on the hill immediately inside the main entrance to the campus a 12-meter ski jump was built. Behind the headmaster’s house on a hill called “Clancy Mountain,” a rope ski tow had been fashioned using an old Ford engine, and there was additional skiing at The Pinnacle—the wide, open slope beside Stacy Beebe’s house on Canaan Street. Recreational facilities at the waterfront included a new steel dock and a “fleet” of four tech dinghy sailboats, six canoes, six rowboats, and a 14-foot Cadillac boat with a 25 horsepower outboard motor.

Enrollment in September 1960 was 129 boys, and to serve them, the school could count a faculty of 13 full-time and six part-time teachers with an administration made up of the headmaster, assistant headmaster, and assistant treasurer. The book value of the physical plant was $1,094,155; total indebtedness was only $206,220. What a lot had been accomplished in the first 15 years!

Hap Hinman was president in 1960, but only five of the original eight trustees were still on the board. As the school grew and developed, new members had been added, including two of the current officers. Vice-president J. Walker Wiggin was a former trustee of the Clark School in Hanover and, as their attorney, had been a major participant in the merger of the two schools in 1952, at which time he was elected a trustee of Cardigan. He served as vice-president, then as president from 1969-1971, and upon retiring from law practice continued his affiliation with Cardigan as a member of the corporation. He remained an emeritus member of that group until his death in 1995. Treasurer Jerald B. Newton became a trustee in October 1951 and the following year was appointed to a committee to study the possibilities of moving the campus to the Haffenreffer Estate. In October 1952 he was elected treasurer and served the school in this capacity until July 1964, when he succeeded Hap Hinman as president. Four years later he again be-

came the treasurer and watched over the school’s finances until 1982. For over 30 years his wise financial counsel and business acumen played a vital part in the school’s growth and development.

Although pleased with progress over the first fifteen years, the trustees knew there was still much to be done. This group of dedicated men had from the beginning established a conservative fiscal policy. They were determined that any new construction on campus would be started only when funds to pay for a substantial part of the building costs were on hand. As the campus grew, they borrowed money only on a short-term basis and applied any surplus from operations toward paying down mortgages ahead of schedule.

Looking ahead to future needs, they recognized the shortage of adequate housing for faculty with families and were delighted in January 1960 to acknowledge a gift of $13,595 for that purpose from John Hinman. Meeting in May the trustees and incorporators voted to proceed with construction of a house for the assistant headmaster and to include space in it for at least four students, even though the headmaster expressed concern about being able to recruit enough boys to fill the new French Hall dormitory without the burden of any additional student housing. Despite this objection, students were put to work during the fall of 1960 helping to help clear the site for the house, and construction proceeded so rapidly that assistant headmaster Norman Wakely and his family were able to move in after commencement in 1961. In honor of a long term trustee, Charles A. Proctor, who had died in May, the trustees named the new building Proctor House.

Other important but less extensive changes were taking place on campus at the same time. In the summer of 1961 five TV antennas were installed at the top of Clancy Mountain (one for each of 5 channels), and cables with boosters brought the signals to each dormitory, to the infirmary, and to the headmaster’s house. Although the trustees envisioned a time when there would be a TV in each classroom, educational programming has not yet been sufficiently attractive to bring this about. In October 1960 they authorized spending $6000 for renovation of the old Tontine Mill at the foot of the hill which had been converted into a woodworking shop for students. The building was old, uninsulated, and unheated, so classes could be held only in the fall and spring. With this money they made repairs to the structure, built a loft as a place for arts and crafts work, and installed a heating system so the building could be used year round.

An important part of the school’s philosophy was that all boys were to have jobs on the campus. These included taking care of their dorm rooms, cleaning classrooms, helping in the kitchen and dining room and keeping the grounds clean around the buildings. In addition there were various elective activities in which students could participate. These involved maintenance and improvement of the campus. During 1960 one group cleared brush for a new ski slope at The Pinnacle and also extended the out-run at the base of the ski jump. Boys who volunteered for an activity called “campus improvement” helped set up football goal posts and lined the field, put up pulleys and installed the rope on the ski tow. At The Point a group called “campcraft” cleared brush around the lean-to, and other students made a wilderness road from the foot of the hill beyond Clancy House to the lake so the tractor would have an easier route to the ice for plowing the hockey rink. Boys also helped cut down a number of large pine trees on school property, which were sawed into lumber to make floor boards for dormitory attics.

258HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

The forestry program, initiated by faculty member Bob Brayman, was a more organized activity which aimed to give boys training in the use of an ax and saw and instruction in distinguishing different kinds of trees. Each boy was assigned a personal plot of forest land which was to be his responsibility during the time he was at Cardigan. He learned about thinning and pruning and how to encourage growth of the best kinds of trees on his plot. The forestry boys as a group also spent time improving the town green by the old meeting house on Canaan Street, clearing brush and second growth along the stone walls by the North Church, and thinning hardwood behind the headmaster’s house.

The Cardigan schedule was a full one and included the obvious such as classes, homework, meals, study halls, athletics and activities. Life after classes, however, was not all work. There were plenty of opportunities for fun and recreation. Each dormitory had a common room where boys could relax in their spare time, watch TV, play games or just sit and visit. The common room in Clark-Morgan had been newly furnished, and French Hall had two common rooms— one for each floor of the dorm. To provide a variety of enrichment activities, a club program had been started early in the school’s history. Faculty and staff organized the clubs which they changed from year to year, depending on the talents and hobbies of current faculty and the interests of the students. In the 1960 yearbook these clubs were listed: band, riflery, chess, fishing, weight lifting, photography, model airplane, and glee club. In addition to the clubs there were also a student council, a host committee, which provided campus tours for visiting parents and prospective students, the honor roll society, staffs for the yearbook and newspaper (Blaze and Chronicle), audio-visual helpers, library assistants, and fire commissioners. There was certainly no need for a boy to suffer boredom; on the contrary, the variety of choices provided an opportunity ior boys to learn how to manage their time.

It is interesting to note how early traditions were established at Cardigan, many of which continue to the present. Who can forget ski holiday, mountain day, green & white day, senior ski holiday, senior dinners at the headmaster’s house, alumni weekend, birthday cake in the dining room, Halloween bonfires, fall and winter dances, Saturday night movies, and hairCuts?

Music was important and continued to have strong student support until the 70s, when TV, portable radios, and cassette players changed a generation from being performers into listeners. The alumni weekend in 1961 included a concert by the combined bands of Cardigan, Canaan, and Enfield—all under the direction of Harold Odell. The Cardigan Glee Club also sang several selections. Cardigan’s band played during the year at awards assemblies, gave concerts in Canaan and Enfield, and played at Memorial Day ceremonies in Canaan.

Today, it’s difficult to get to Cardigan by public transportation, but in 1960 there were still two or three trains daily in each direction from the Canaan railroad station, and many from the station in White River Junction, Vermont, which was served by the Central Vermont, Boston & Maine, New York, New Haven & Hartford, and Canadian Pacific railroads. The era of the railroads, however, was coming to an end, and by 1961, although trains still stopped at the station in Canaan, the school had started chartering busses to take boys direct from campus to Boston and New York City at the beginning and end of Christmas and spring vacations. It was evident that schedules and service provided by the railroads had declined to the point where few parents or students used this method of transportation.

Headmaster Burbank had appointed a student editorial board to produce the first school handbook, which was completed for the 1960-61 school year. Among other regulations, boys had to have permission and sign out in their dormitories whenever they left campus but could sign out without permission to go to: Eggleston’s Store, Fleetham’s Radio and TV Store, and to attend church on Canaan Street.

The tensions of the cold war on the international scene were felt even on the peaceful hillsides of Canaan. Newly elected President John F. Kennedy’s term started with confrontation with Cuba culminating in the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion. He and Soviet Premier Nikita Krushchev were trying to find a mutually acceptable path to nuclear disarmament, but the concern of nuclear warfare was still strong enough to prompt the addition of a course on Civil Defense at Cardigan. The student newspaper noted that pamphlets provided for the course “instruct us of the dangers of radioactive fallout, because fallout is our main concern here at Cardigan.”

Whether the writing of weekly letters home was already a tradition at that time is not clear, but the 1961-62 school handbook noted that “on Monday each boy hands in a letter to parents or guardians.” By 1961 the cost of renting movies every Saturday night was becoming such a strain on funds for student activities that the only way to stay within budget was to rent old

at top: Faculty member Ed Harriman guides a student in the Williams Woodshop (formerly the Tontine Mill) in 1963. The shop was relocated in 2012, and the building repurposed for faculty housing as Pearson House.

above: Boys in the jobs program helped to maintain communal spaces like Hinman Hall’s auditorium in 1963.

movies, which many students had already seen. In order to raise money for newer films, the boys instituted a charge of 10 cents for tickets to the Saturday night movie (or 3 tickets for 25 cents)—proceeds from these ticket sales going to the new movie fund.

All boys were required to attend Sunday vespers at 5:15 pm. Catholic boys might (in addition) attend mass in Canaan, and protestant boys could attend services at the Methodist Church on Canaan Street. The handbook listed possible accommodations for parents visiting campus, including Cobb House on Canaan Street, run by Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Fleetham, and Nye House by Mr. and Mrs. Karl Nyhus; other possibilities were the Lakeside Motel and the Mascoma Lake Motel in Enfield.

Softball was a new sport this year, and was played on the field next to the North Church. Horseback riding and golf were added as activities, and the dramatic club entertained the school with three different one-act plays during the year.

In the summer of 1961 the trustees were discussing future projects. The need for a gym had long been recognized and seemed to be of primary importance, but Hap Hinman and Ernest Martin Hopkins felt strongly that the school must have a chapel, and that it must occupy a prominent location on the campus. In a recent interview, corporation member Robert Gillette remembered that “Hoppy” insisted upon building the chapel before the gym, and that Headmaster Ro Burbank was very upset about that sequence. “Of course,” said Bob, “he had the problem of what to do with the boys in bad weather, etc., and that was a very practical problem.” Hoppy was very firm and said, “If we don’t build the

chapel now, we probably will never build it.” He called it the House of God. “Let’s do it,” he said, “and then we’ll know we have it.” Bob Gillette recalled, “I think probably it was a good decision. It was rough on the administration for a couple of years until we got the gym, but that’s how it happened.”

Norman Wakely, talking recently about building the chapel, recalled that headmaster Roland Burbank wanted the chapel to be built in the woods where Stowell House is now located, because he wanted to build tennis courts on the proposed site of the chapel. Norman continued, “Hoppy felt that a building of worship should be for no particular denomination, just the Christian religion; he didn’t want a cross on top of the steeple, and that’s why the eagle is there. Hap and I traveled all over New England looking at chapels and churches to see what would be right for Cardigan, and the one we liked was quite simple, and the wall over the chancel was blank. We were just going to have a curtain there or a drape of some sort. The architect pulled me aside one day and said, ‘Norman, can’t you imagine a window there?’ And I said, ‘Sure, that would be exciting, you could just sit here and see everything.’ So I called Hap on the phone and got him up there and he said, ‘How much is it going to cost?’ And it only cost $400 to put that window in which makes the chapel unique and changed its whole appearance.”

The trustees, despite the headmaster’s objections, decided to build the chapel first, and they implemented this decision without delay; by the October meeting they were already looking at preliminary architectural plans. Corporation members felt that since a chapel was an

above: The 1962–63 fall Forestry group with faculty advisors Ted Linn and Bob Brayman (at rear, left and right).

1. During an Alumni Weekend concert on May 7, 1961, Cardigan students presented a combined performance with Canaan and Enfield (faculty member Harold O’Dell was director of all three bands). As the Chronicle commented, “This was a big day for Cardigan’s band.”

2. Fifty girls attended Cardigan’s fall 1960 dance. It had a football theme, and the Chronicle reported that “it was a square dance with about half popular music and half square dancing.”

3. Representing the School, Cardigan boys ride a float at the Canaan town fair in the fall of 1961.

4. In a nod to the country’s growing emphasis on civil defense, the new Chapel was the first steel-frame structure on Cardigan’s campus, and its design incorporated a fallout shelter in the lowest level of the building.

5. Despite “vigorous protest” from affected community members (including representatives from Cardigan Mountain School, Kimball Union Academy, Proctor Academy, and Colby College), B&MRailroad would eventually cut its train service to Lebanon.

2. Founder Hap Hinman laid the cornerstone for the Chapel during the 1963 Summer Session, as headmaster Roland Burbank (left) and board treasurer Jer Newton looked on.

3. The candlelight service each December began as a holiday tradition under Cardigan’s first Chaplain, the Rev. Arthur Broadhurst, who was hired as the new Chapel opened in 1963.

4. Mr. Rousseau, shown with a 1963 Summer Session algebra class, also taught that summer’s lone female student, Nancy Renehan.

1. Connie Burbank, shown next to the School’s first paperback section, brought her extensive experience to bear on Cardigan’s library during her tenure. Trained at Dalhousie University and Simmons College, Burbank had previously been librarian for Proctor Academy and Dartmouth’s Tuck School, and as the Chronicle reported, had “also organized the library for the Royal Bank of Canada.”

at top: The Old North Church on Canaan Street saw its final Cardigan commencement ceremony on June 8, 1963.

above: Hap Hinman’s closing words at the dedication of the Chapel in October 1963: “God is close to us tonight here at Cardigan among the lakes and hills and mountains of New Hampshire— so now under the spiritual Influence of our location and in an immediate atmosphere of reverence, we dedicate this Chapel to the service of mankind.”

integral part of the school’s philosophy there should be no public appeal for funds for its construction but that (according to the minutes of that meeting) “trustees and corporation members should solicit support quietly from friends and any other possible sources.” Looking forward to the time when the chapel would be a reality, the executive committee voted to create “a Department for Spiritual Development to promote and foster a climate conducive to spiritual growth.” This certainly was a lofty goal, but one which proved to be impossible to implement.

The corporation at their May 1962 meeting gratefully acknowledged a gift of $15,000 from The Gottesman Foundation for the chapel and at that time approved going ahead with construction. Later that summer, property on Spring Lake in Maine, which had been given to the school earlier, was finally sold. The net proceeds of about $25,000 were allocated for chapel construction. By October 1962 the building committee reported that construction was on schedule and that the contractor expected to have the building closed in before the start of cold weather. President Hinman announced that Ernest Martin Hopkins was providing the funds needed for a seminar room in the chapel in memory of his brother, Robert Hopkins, who had died in May. He was one of the original incorporators, served as a trustee for almost 17 years, and was the author of the history of the first 15 years of Cardigan Mountain School. The corporation also accepted the generous gift of president Hinman of chimes and an organ for the chapel. The October issue of the Chronicle noted that “the odd looking mass of steel cross beams and cement is just the beginning of the new chapel which is to be finished by the summer of 1963. It is the first building on campus to be erected with a steel frame.”

With international tensions in mind, the building was designed so the basement could be used as a fall-out shelter. The walls were made extra thick, and one back wall was planned so it could be used for storage of canned goods. The entry way could be blocked off with built-in metal doors, and the one remaining window was a small one that could easily be sandbagged for protection.

Construction proceeded throughout the rest of the year. In July 1963 treasurer Jerry Newton reported that all bills to date had been paid on time, and in December he announced the final cost of the chapel to be $255,000. It was the only building on campus to be completely paid for by the time it was built. The summer school Blaze had a photo of president Hinman laying the corner stone on the 29th of July 1963, just 15 months after the vote to go ahead with construction.

Administrative matters also had the attention of the trustees. In October 1962 the headmaster again raised the question of hiring a business manager to relieve the headmaster and assistant headmaster of some of the ever-increasing, time-consuming burden of administrative details so that they could concentrate more fully on educational issues. It was also voted at this time to continue to have the headmaster serve as a trustee, ex officio. A special all-day meeting was planned in December to consider plans for the development of the school for the next five to ten years. As a result of this meeting, several matters of policy were set forth:

r To keep the school for the present at grades 6 through 9

r To keep the size of the school at 130–140 boys for the next five years

r To launch a study for a recreational building

r To recommend that the headmaster consider erection of camp-type shelters to accommodate a larger enrollment in the summer school

r To refer the question of a business manager to the executive committee

Subsequently a Boston accounting firm, hired to study the administrative organization at the school with specific reference to the need for a business manager, reported to the executive committee that a business manager was not necessary. This conclusion, accepted by the trustees at their May 1963 meeting, was a matter of great concern to the headmaster, who submitted a statement subsequent to the meeting outlining his strong views on the need for a business manager and asked that this statement be appended to the minutes of the meeting.

During these years of growth and expansion, the trustees kept pondering the future and agreed that it was in the best long-term interest of the school to consider acquisition of any available property contiguous to the school grounds. As a consequence they were able in May 1963 to purchase the Raymond property of 80-100 acres on the northerly side of the school behind the headmaster’s house and extending over to Prospect Hill Road.

For many years, the summer school had proved to be a profitable part of Cardigan’s operations. It was a good feeding ground for new students who came for the summer and, as a result of a favorable experience, became candidates for winter school. In addition, the summer session

262HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

3. On October 17, 1961, Mountain Day brought the boys to a surprise on Mount Lafayette: “The mountains were all draped in mantles of glistening white. The first thing that everyone just had to do was to throw the first snowball.”

1. and 2. Architectural sketches from Burt Sullivan and Irving W. Hersey Associates imagined different phases of Cardigan’s planned recreational center.

kept the school buildings occupied for almost the entire year, and this, of course, produced income. Much of this additional income had over the years been used to pay off construction mortgages ahead of schedule and thus make further expansion possible. Looking for ideas to increase the summer school population, the trustees had made the suggestion of considering camp-type shelters. This idea proved to be impractical, but, toward the same end, in May 1963 they approved the recommendation of the executive committee that for the summer of 1963 only girls might be admitted as day students. This was not the boon to admissions that was expected; in fact only one girl was enrolled that summer. The idea didn’t go away, however, and in the summer of 1969 girls were admitted for the first time in the summer session as boarding students.

Roland Burbank had been headmaster since December 1955, succeeding William Brewster. The first indication of any difference of opinion between him and the board occurred in 1961 during the discussion of housing for the assistant headmaster. The trustees wanted a house with a wing to accommodate four to six boys. The headmaster believed this was too small a number of students to be an effective dormitory group. He also felt that the duties of the assistant headmaster would not allow him to spend as much time with these boys as they deserved. The trustees didn’t agree and went ahead with the construction of Proctor House and subsequently Stowell House, both of which had accommodations for a small number of students. During the 1962–63 school year, Mr. Burbank made repeated requests to hire a business manager. The trustees did not concur and repeatedly turned down his request. This and other points of disagreement finally led to his resignation in October 1963. Norman Wakely, who had been assistant headmaster since 1956, immediately took over the total responsibility, and the trustees confirmed his appointment as headmaster for one year. It is interesting to note that Mr. Burbank had been elected as an ex-officio member of the board of trustees, but after his departure this particular policy was changed, and no subsequent headmaster has served as a trustee until Chip Dewar in 1994.

Enrollment in September 1963 was 129 boys, and as the trustees looked at the physical plant they felt the rest of the facilities were adequate to accommodate up to 140–150 boys if additional housing could be found. The dining room and kitchen wing added to the original Haffenreffer house was a one-story building, and they thought it might be possible to add a second story which would have dormitory space for an additional ten to twenty boys. So the building committee was put to work, and by the end of 1963 presented a plan which would add not only dorm rooms, but additional classroom space as well. They then voted to go ahead.

The need to keep working toward a recreational building continued to be recognized, and John Kenerson pledged $20,000 toward this project. This was to be the first of his many gifts toward the recreational center which, when it was finally completed, bore the Kenerson family name. Some preliminary architectural work had been done, and there are sketches from this period showing athletic facilities which could be built in four or five phases. The most important need was for a locker room building, followed closely in importance by a large covered area which would allow athletic activities to continue during mud season and on rainy days. After that, the plans outlined a gymnasium, possibly handball courts, and a social center.

Because there was no athletic building, all sports activities were outside. Athletic equipment was stored in a cage in the basement of

Brewster Hall, where the art studio is now located. Fall sports were football and tennis; in the winter there was hockey, skiing, and ski jumping; in the spring baseball, tennis, sailing and softball were offered. Boys who were not interested in competitive athletics could choose from a variety of other activities such as campus improvement, forestry, campcraft, or ski improvement.

Skiing had always been the most popular winter sport at Cardigan, but by 1963 hockey was gaining in popularity. A rink was set up every year on the lake. Although the school tractor did the basic snow plowing, there was still a lot of hand shoveling to be done. Alumni who played hockey in those days report they spent more time pushing shovels than moving the puck. Gradually, however, more sophisticated equipment was acquired. The school was able to buy from Pease Air Force Base a government surplus 5700-pound tractor, which students called “the plane puller” because it was used chiefly to pull an ice planer for smoothing the surface of naturally rough lake ice. The next equipment addition was an ice sprinkler, described in the school paper as “a 55 gallon drum mounted on wheels used on the ice after it has been planed to make a smoother surface. The sprinkling system is in the rear and is pulled by the tractor.” This apparatus was the forerunner of today’s Zamboni.

In the spring of 1964 construction equipment was again on campus. Adding a second story to the dining room turned out to be not as simple a project as it had at first appeared. The building had not been designed for expansion, and engineers soon determined that major foundation work would be necessary to support the additional weight of a second floor. Adding to the foundation of the existing building was not easy to do without disturbing the stability of the dining hall and kitchen, but construction went forward until the new dorm was ready for occupancy at the opening of school in the fall.

The fall of 1963 marked the beginning of another phase of Cardigan’s growth and development. The new chapel was to become, as Hoppy and Hap had envisioned, a focal point on the campus. For the first Christmas season celebrated in the new chapel, the school chaplain, Arthur Broadhurst, composed a candlelight service to be held the night before students left for their Christmas vacation. Local residents were invited. As the service concluded, the only illumination was from lighted candles held by each member of the congregation. It was so beautiful and inspiring that this service has continued every year thereafter. Many families in Canaan include attending this service at Cardigan as a regular part of their Christmas tradition.

There were also some significant personnel changes that fall. David and Carol Shelton joined the faculty for what would be one of the longest careers in the school’s history, extending 29 years; Mary Howe was the new school nurse; Karl Nyhus was teaching full-time in the woodworking shop and coaching ski jumping. The most important one, however, was Norman Wakely beginning his career as headmaster. His tenure was to extend for 26 years, during which time he and Beverly would set their mark on the moral and educational character of the school and see its reputation and stature become solidly established. What Cardigan is today is due primarily to their unselfish commitment to this school to which they dedicated a major portion of their lives. Whatever it may become in the future will rest on the firm foundation they established. r

264HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

the earlY wakelY Years (1963–70)

The period between 1954, when the new campus at The Point was first occupied, and the end of 1963, had been filled with growth and expansion. Gratifying progress had been made; the school had grown and prospered more rapidly than any of the trustees could have dreamed in 1954. Several buildings had been built and paid for—Hinman, Brewster and French dormitories, Hopkins Hall (the classroom building), houses for the headmaster and assistant headmaster and a chapel. The need for a recreational building had been clearly recognized, and it would be built. It surely would not be the last building, since a school is a living entity, so there never really comes a time when it can be said to be finished. Nevertheless the era of most rapid expansion was drawing to a close.

The personnel structure of the school—its administration, faculty and staff—had also been growing and maturing. The tenure of headmasters was lengthening. Bill Brewster, for example, served in that capacity for one year, Robert Kimball for three years, Wilfred Clark for five, and Roland Burbank for eight. Although numerous annual changes in faculty had occurred in this period, by 1963 several members of the faculty and staff would remain to become “old-timers” in length of service. Little did anyone realize that Norman Wakely, newly appointed headmaster, would not only set a record for longevity in service, but would also stamp an indelible mark on the school’s character and future under his leadership from 1963 until June of 1989.

Norman Wakely had come to Cardigan as a new faculty member in the fall of 1951 after his graduation from the University of Maine. He lived in a dormitory on Canaan Street the first year, then brought his new bride, Beverly, to campus at the beginning of the 1952 school year. Both were quickly immersed in the life of the school—Norman taught, coached, advised a variety of school clubs: Beverly was an active housemother and also taught in the public schools in Hanover. In 1953 Norman left Cardigan to teach 7th and 8th grades and high school classes in the West Lebanon public schools. During the summer of 1953 he went to Columbia University to start work on a master’s degree in education. After the year of teaching in the West Lebanon schools, he decided to enter Columbia as a full-time student. It was necessary for him to work part-time to pay the tuition as well as to support his wife and their first son, Charles, who was born in New York in 1955. He taught at Valley Stream High School for one year; Beverly started a reading department in the Rutherford, New Jersey, public schools and commuted back and forth from Columbia to Rutherford by subway and bus. After receiving his master’s degree and starting work on his doctorate, he returned to Cardigan in the fall of 1956 as assistant headmaster. The Wakelys lived in faculty apartments—first in Brewster, then Hinman, then in French Hall—continued to augment their family, and in May 1961 were delighted to move to Proctor House after it was completed as the assistant headmaster’s residence. Reading the school yearbook gives an interesting picture of the variety of work both of them were doing for the school. In 1961, for instance, Norman headed the Language Training Department, coached recreational skiing as well as fall and spring tennis, directed the waterfront activities, headed French dormitory and served as Co-Director of the Summer School—in addition to his duties as the assistant headmaster.

Upon taking the reins as headmaster in the fall of 1963, Norman reported to the trustees that a chaplain and a director of music had been added to the faculty. These were positions he considered important to the curriculum, for he had an active interest in religion and music throughout his career. Soon he designated Ted Linn to be the number two person in charge when he was away, and appointed Brad Yaggy to direct scholastic matters. Perhaps he had already realized the time was coming when the trustees and incorporators, who from the start had assumed the burden of raising money for capital expansion, were becoming less active in that area and that the headmaster would have to take a leading role in fundraising in the years ahead.

In a recent interview, Norman talked about the goals he had in mind upon becoming headmaster. “The first few months were rough, I can tell you. I didn’t know I was going to be headmaster until August, and I opened the school in September. I didn’t have many goals at that time—just survival. But I did want to bring warmth into the school, and a better relationship between the faculty and the headmaster. I felt that my office door should be open, and it was open at all times, and I got out to see the students in their various activities. It was very important to me to see that the students realized who I was, not from the standpoint of authority, but that the headmaster was there to help them. And eventually it worked; there was a closeness with the student body, and they realized that my concern was for their welfare. My philosophy has always been that you don’t have to like everybody, but you do have to love them. If you don’t

at top: The Wakely family in 1964.

above: Bev Wakely welcomes visiting parents to Frieze House.

love them, you shouldn’t be in the business of children and education. I have said this many times, and people say ‘there’s no difference.’ But there’s a tremendous difference. I would be dishonest if I said that I liked everybody. I didn’t like every student, I didn’t like every faculty member; but I loved them, as human beings, and tried to see the goodness in all of them. That was very important to me.”

As the school grew, Norman grew with it, learning to cope with years of tight budgets, deficits instead of surpluses, and of faculty and student unrest as the disillusionment of the Vietnam era as well as the stresses of the cold war with the U.S.S.R. pervaded all of society.

Beverly, too, was expanding her role at the school. Their family continued to increase steadily with the addition of Mary in 1958, Jonathan in 1960, and finally Melissa in 1966. At the same time Beverly was creating a specific role as the “Wife of the Headmaster” by coordinating social functions for students, as well as taking charge of arrangements when trustees and incorporators were on campus, and planning activities for Parents and Alumni Weekends. She established the tradition of punch or cocoa and cookies served to home and visiting teams after all interscholastic events. Former students at schools all over New Hampshire remember with great pleasure her unique hospitality. Early in her Cardigan years, Beverly became active in the remedial reading and language training program for which the school was to earn a wide reputation. She had established a remedial reading department in Rutherford, N.J., while she and Norman were studying at Columbia, and later did graduate work at Boston University to update her knowledge in this field. Over the years she helped hundreds of boys who came to Cardigan unable to succeed academically because of a variety of reading difficulties. In addition to her teaching, she retained her interest in culinary affairs, and is remembered by trustees, parents, and students for the marvelous meals (especially desserts) which she created for special occasions. Many details came under her wing just because she wanted to be sure events were handled correctly and that the campus would always be well cared for. Who planned, procured and supervised the hanging of decorations for dances and other special events on campus? Who always made sure that the Christmas tree in the center of campus was put up and decorated promptly and properly? Who checked

the dormitories and determined which common rooms needed to be spruced up with new curtains or an extra table? Who planted and tended gardens in front of the headmaster’s house? Who saw that geraniums and tulips in their proper seasons were growing at the entrance to campus and at the school sign on Canaan Street? The list is endless, but the end result was a school that looked and felt and was cared for like home. Beverly was the one who had the love and interest to see that the campus was always attractive and well groomed.

Every year there were some changes in athletic facilities and programs. In the fall of 1963, for instance, touch football was added as an activity, and in an effort to provide better ice for hockey, a new rink was constructed on the football field. There it was easier to clear snow from the ice, and it was also more convenient to re-surface ice between games. The boys thought the greatest advantage was being able to use the lower corridor in Hopkins Hall to change into their skates. This was much more comfortable than sitting on a cold bench on the lake. In addition, lights were installed during the winter on the rope tow on Clancy Mountain to enable night skiing for the first time. Classes in the woodworking shop were held year-round, and Karl Nyhus was now able to offer an evening shop course one night a week for faculty wives. For several years, soccer had been played on a field adjacent to the North Church, but this field was still pretty much in its natural state with bumps and hollows and stubby shrubs. In July 1964 the trustees recognized the need for better facilities and authorized construction of a real soccer field in the area south of the tennis courts. By the spring of 1965 soccer teams were practicing on their new field, and the lacrosse squad with new equipment had taken over what they called the “lower soccer field” by the North Church.

The main ski slope at The Pinnacle ran across land of Stacey Beebe, who had for several years generously allowed the school to use this area. The school wanted to enlarge the runs and possibly install a ski lift and in 1964 was able to purchase the Hutchinson property—a large, wooded tract on the other side of the pinnacle—where construction of a T-bar lift was started in the fall. A report in the school newspaper, The Chronicle, read: “The day before Christmas recess, Mr. Wakely called for the student body to help clear the rock-strewn slope under the T-bar so the tow would be ready to open after Christmas vacation. So in freezing weather the students spent the afternoon clearing sticks and rocks and carrying up bales of hay to be laid on the slope.”

Hap Hinman’s vision of Cardigan had always included a chapel as an essential element of the school, and it was most fortunate that he lived to see this building completed. The first commencement held in the chapel was in June 1964, and shortly thereafter the first wedding— Marylin Ohta and David Johnson, both of whom were subsequently involved with the school. The next month the chapel was used for Hap Hinman’s own final service on July 20, 1964. How fitting to honor his memory in the school that grew from his dreams. Without his tireless efforts in its behalf Cardigan would never have become a reality.

Taking note of the significance of the school to the town of Canaan, the Canaan Reporter published the following editorial tribute to him.

“hap” hinman

Hap Hinman’s death brings home to the Canaan community the profound truth that Hap’s contribution to the town is matchless.

In building Cardigan Mountain School on a beautiful site on Canaan Street Lake, Hap gave a fresh and appealing image to Canaan, and this was his intention.

266HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

above: Carol Shelton, Cardigan’s longest serving librarian, began her tenure at Cardigan with husband David in 1963. They would remain on the Cardigan faculty until 1992.

Hap Hinman was the reason for Cardigan. The dream was his. In his years of retirement from the business world, he devoted most of his time and much of his vast energies to bring to life a dream of long standing—a school for boys below preparatory school age that would prepare them to accept responsibilities and leadership.

For 17 years boys have been coming to Cardigan from every part of the country, and from foreign countries as well, to receive this type of education. Twenty-four enrolled when the school opened on September 19, 1946. Last year’s enrollment exceeded 135. The current summer school lists nearly 100. In the fall, with an addition nearing completion, enrollment is likely to reach 160. Cardigan is Hap Hinman’s legacy to Canaan and to New Hampshire. It is a rich legacy.

Jerald Newton was elected president of the trustees to succeed Hap Hinman, and his brother, John Hinman, was elected chairman of the corporation.

The club program had long been important at the school, and this year a new academic schedule was put in place with a seven-period school day so that Saturdays could be devoted to clubs and extracurricular activities. To accomplish this, there were double periods of English twice a week and a special supervised study hall for boys who needed extra study time. The roster of clubs had been augmented to fill this new schedule and now included model, scrabble, chess, shop, photography, art, debate, political theory, natural science, literature, gun, travel, and educational challenge. In January 1965 the Russian Studies club was started to help students get a greater knowledge of the world situation by taking a close look at the language and culture of the Russian people. The new academic schedule evidently worked well, and having Saturdays free for clubs resulted in further expansion of the program in April 1965, when seven new clubs were added: bridge, biology, radio, tennis, music appreciation, auto, and rock hounds—for a total of 16 clubs.

The Chronicle recorded a variety of events and notes during the year that were of interest to students. The February 1964 issue ran a photo of New York’s Governor Rockefeller visiting campus while campaigning in New Hampshire for his presidential candidacy. Later there was a photo of boys skateboarding in the Brewster parking lot—a new activity on campus. In addition to academics, athletics, activities, and clubs, other matters were of concern to students as indicated by these notes in the November 1964 Chronicle. “As soon as the store sells all of the Ivory soap in stock, Dial soap will be sold.” A follow-up report on January 29th read: “The school store has just a few more bars of Ivory soap left. If every student buys five bars of Ivory, Mrs.Yaggy can order Dial.” Presumably this challenge was met, for there were no further comments about soap. At about the same time there was a photo of boys playing on a pool table in 1954 when the school was on Canaan Street with a note that: “parts of this table are in use on the present campus—slate steps on the patio behind the Headmaster’s House, which were salvaged from the pool table top.” Cardigan came into recycling early.

The Commencement speaker in June 1965 was F. Lee Bailey ‘47, the first boy to receive a Cardigan diploma (because his name was alphabetically first in the list of graduates that first year).

When the trustees met in July 1965, they were looking to the future and drew up some specific plans for fundraising and administrative policies and procedures. They recognized that fundraising was an important and permanent part of the school, and that the administration would in the future have to take a leading role in this activity, which from the beginning had been carried on almost exclusively by trustees and incorporators. They were also delighted to learn that the summer school that year had an enrollment of 108, the largest in the school’s history.

Cardigan opened its 20th year in the fall of 1965 with an enrollment of 160 boys. There had been 110 boys in the summer session, many of whom wanted to return for winter school but were unable to because of full enrollment. What a delightful change from the many years when budgets had to be re-worked in the fall as enrollment failed to come up to expectations. On October 20th the new soccer field was christened by the first interscholastic soccer game to be played on campus, in which Cms defeated New Hampton by a score of 2-1. In other athletic news, lacrosse was added to the list of interscholastic sports that year, and cricket was mentioned for the first time; evidently this was just an “activity” and not an official part of the athletic program. A report in the yearbook noted that boys in spring tennis spent their first week shoveling snow off the courts, and in the second week braved several small blizzards. At The Pinnacle, a building had been erected to house the motor and lower bull wheel of the T-bar, and at the top of the mountain, a safety control shed had been built which commanded a view of the entire length of the cable.

above: Norm Wakely penned his first article as headmaster for the November 1963 Chronicle. His description of the new leadership roles for Ted Linn and Bradford Yaggy marked a new administration— and a new era—for the School.

Newly appointed headmaster Norm Wakely wanted to make himself more accessible to students. above, he watches a lacrosse game from the sidelines; below, Wakely helps to clear a 1966 hockey rink.

At every school traditions are an important part of school life. These are customs, ceremonies, or events repeated from year to year, eagerly anticipated, and remembered by alumni long after their graduation. New ideas are tried from time to time; some of these are discarded, but others take root and after some time become traditions. A new custom was added this year which did become traditional—Dress Up Day. It’s not always clear just how traditions start, but Norman Wakely remembers that this was the idea of a Cardigan student, Anthony Gerard, who went on to Exeter. Returning for a visit, he told Norman that one day a week Cardigan boys should wear a dress shirt, coat and tie to classes because this would be expected of them in their next school. Today most prep schools don’t require it, but at that time it was quite common. So Dress Up Day was started; first it was on a Monday, and then changed to Wednesday because many interscholastic games were scheduled that day, and Cardigan teams planned to arrive for games dressed in school blazers and school ties. Another tradition that year was a “slave day,” during which

268HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

The passing of founder Hap Hinman marked the end of an era for Cardigan Mountain School. above, a view of Hinman taken in February, 1964, which grandson Bob Feeley ’66 believes conveys something of Hinman’s essence. Speaking for many, Feeley wrote, “I was very fortunate to have him in my life.” below, shown here in 1960, Chef Dick Clancy and Hinman had served the School together since 1945.

student council members sold their services for a day at auction to raise money. The council also sponsored a fair on Green & White Day with the proceeds to go to charity. Both of these activities have continued. Other traditions failed, for in 1965 there was no more rail service from the station in Canaan; automobiles and airplanes had finally brought the great era of the railroads to an end.

In terms of academics, all departments were involved in presenting a how-to-study program featuring effective methods of lesson preparation such as underlining, outlining, notebook use and report writing, and also hints on how to prepare for tests.

In October 1965 the trustees noted that surpluses from operations continued to be applied to reduce mortgages ahead of schedule. With indebtedness being reduced, it now appeared that fundraising for

1. Frederick T. Francis III ’64, at right, helps distribute course materials during opening weekend of his senior year.

2. and 3. Saturday morning clubs expanded during this period, and included a number of gaming activities like the bridge and chess clubs.

4. A new field allowed Cardigan to add soccer as an interscholastic sport in 1965–66.

5. Students gather to watch Cliff Stearns ’66 launch a weather balloon on October 24, 1964. The extra credit science project, supervised by faculty member Ralph Hulbert, was designed to measure wind direction at various heights.

1. through 3. In 1964, the Chronicle reported that Cardigan was “a perfect spot for the sidewalk surfing fad to take hold.” Middle school boys often gravitate to activities that, like skateboarding, allow them to take risks. Sometimes there are consequences, as when Dick Wilby Jr. ’65 and Ed Stulb ’66 were casualties of the 1965 ski holiday: as the Chronicle noted, “Spring sports have two guaranteed spectators now.”

4. and 5. Green & White Day activities helped the Student Council raise money for charitable causes. Here, boys happily contribute by participating in the wet sponge throw and purchasing from the 1966 cake sale.

at top: Students got word of a Headmaster’s Day on May 15, 1969, but free time would begin only after students completed balloting for school leader. The election of Lou Mercer ’70 was announced at lunch, and his peers carried him in “a victory march around [the] dining room.”

above: A few student-run newspapers appeared on campus during this era. While sometimes less polished in presentation, these publications offered unfiltered perspectives and kept the administration on its toes.

an athletic building had progressed to the point where this much needed project could be started, so an architect was selected to develop specific plans. The first priority was a locker building where boys could keep their athletic clothes and equipment instead of having to crowd them into their dormitory rooms. It would also provide a place for both Cardigan boys and visiting teams to shower and change after games. Another pressing need was a covered sports area—a multi-purpose building which would have space for athletics during “mud season” (that time in the spring after the snow and ice have melted but when the fields are still too muddy for athletic practice) as well as during rainy days in the later spring and fall when outdoor sports were impractical. The building could also be used for an indoor hockey rink, and how welcome it would be not to have to shovel snow off the ice! However much this was needed, it would have to take second priority to the locker facility.

By the end of November the first meeting with an architect had been held, and by the next fall enough additional contributions had been received so the trustees felt confident in awarding the contract for construction. Work started immediately, and the locker building was ready for the opening of school in 1967.

There were, of course, matters other than new construction requiring the attention of the trustees in 1965. Boilers in the new dormitory, Hayward Hall, continued to be troublesome, and this pointed to the need to have a more skilled employee on the maintenance staff who could manage this equipment. A different kind of problem came from the town of Canaan, which was pressing for a substantial tax increase on the school property, much of which was tax exempt under New Hampshire statutes. It was also suggested that there should be a thorough, professional review of all aspects of the school’s insurance coverage.

The school was not untouched by problems in other parts of the world. Sixteen Cardigan alumni were known to be in military service, and the May 1966 Chronicle ran a cover photo of alumnus usmC pFCGarfield Miller ‘61 being awarded a Purple Heart for wounds received in Vietnam. How his life had changed in the years since he left Cardigan!

At the opening of the school year 1966–67, Norman’s oldest son, Charles, entered Cardigan’s sixth grade. It hardly seemed possible that Norman had been there that long, but ten years had passed since he returned from Columbia University to become the assistant headmaster in 1956. There were some new faculty members every fall, and two this year were to have longer than usual careers at the school—Don Blunt and Bob Fahrner. Earlier in the year Mrs. Edward Lary (Jackie) joined the staff in the business office, and at the time of this writing she is still working there part-time after long service as the Assistant Treasurer. New faces come and old ones go; the trustees noted with sadness the death of Frank M. Morgan, former Headmaster of the Clark School in Hanover and a Cardigan trustee since 1952.

The Drama Club came to life that fall under the direction of new faculty member Bob Fahrner and presented a total of four one-act plays during the year. In March 1967 they competed at the Small Schools Drama Festival at the University of New Hampshire, and in April traveled to Stanstead College in Quebec to compete in a secondary schools drama festival. Another new faculty member made an interesting contribution to the school—Don Blunt built a sauna hut in the woods behind the headmaster’s house. Although it was not a grand structure in terms of construction, it was functional and has been enjoyed by countless faculty members and students over the years.

Students were also busy. In addition to varsity teams, there were reserve teams in several sports; here boys were introduced to a sport, learned the basic rules and were prepared to move up to varsity teams if they showed sufficient interest and ability. This year the reserve football team was strong enough so that they started playing other schools—in effect becoming a junior varsity team. Enough boys were interested in soccer to start a reserve team in that sport.

Woodworking under the direction of Karl Nyhus was also going well. Ten boys entered projects in the New Hampshire industrial education crafts show, and all ten won blue ribbons. There continued to be construction on campus; it seems there was hardly a time since the school moved to this location that something was not being built. As the locker building neared completion during the summer of 1967, footings were being poured for the covered sports area.

Work on this building proceeded quickly because it was just a shell with no interior partitions, and by January 1968 it was already being used for hockey games.

Faculty and student housing shifted from year to year depending on the number of faculty with families, and the number of students at the school. The newest faculty house, named Newton House to honor the long service of trustee Jerald Newton, was finished in December 1966 and occupied by the Yaggy family. Hap Hinman’s former house on Canaan Street had been purchased

272HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

and in 1966 was being used for student housing. Enrollment in the fall of 1967 totaled 169 boys, and applications substantially exceeded available openings. The new assistant treasurer, Nick Bakker, and his family had been settled in the Hinman House on Canaan Street, and another faculty member had been moved to the south wing of that house. This shift had released enough space in the dormitories to accommodate four additional boys. Faculty housing was a continuing need, however, and the trustees decided to go ahead with building another house for a faculty family and students. They wanted to sell Hinman House because of its separation from the main campus, but the headmaster emphasized that it was still needed as faculty housing.

Rev. Harry Mahoney joined the faculty as the new chaplain and in December 1967 augmented the annual candlelight service with a Christmas pageant, which has been an important part of the tradition ever since. James Marrion joined the math department that fall to begin a career which would extend past 25 years.

The trustees, looking at the extent of the campus, saw property extending from the Hinman House on Canaan Street, to athletic fields along Prospect Hill Road with the shop and infirmary at the foot of the hill, to faculty houses along Back Bay Road, and the main campus with expanded athletic facilities near the waterfront and soccer fields extending down the peninsula, almost to its point. Cardigan was getting to be a big place. Considering the extent of the present campus, the trustees felt the need to develop a master plan for the school’s future expansion. In the minutes of the May 1968 meeting is the first mention of a Long Range Planning Committee. In July the committee presented a 10-year financial projection. Based on annual tuition increases of 5% and annual increases of expenses at the rate of 10%, the report showed that 1970–71 would be the last year of break-even operation. Thereafter the school would be entering a period of projected deficits. Their report suggested several ways to meet this situation: larger increases in tuition, greater utilization of the physical plant, strict attention to expenses, especially the cost of debt service. They noted that costs to finish and equip Stowell House (the newest faculty/student residence) were still ahead of them. They also foresaw future projects requiring substantial capital investment: a gym, an enlarged infirmary, an expanded dining room and kitchen, and a learning center. It was a sobering report; and at its conclusion, the trustees voted to engage an outside firm to make a long-range planning study. So it was that the years of operating surpluses and good times in which money could easily be raised for capital projects were indeed coming to an end. They noted with sorrow the death of Rand Stowell and voted to name the next faculty/student residence Stowell House in his memory. July 1968 also saw the passing of Edward S. French, who had been a member of the Corporation since 1946, and in his memory the Edward S. French memorial fund was created. The December 1967 issue of the Chronicle was dedicated to former headmaster William R. Brewster on the occasion of a banquet held in Wakefield, Mass., to celebrate his 17 years of service at Kimball Union Academy and 22 years at Cardigan Mountain School as its first headmaster and also as a trustee.

Along with the maturing of the school came increased attention to alumni activities.

The first off-campus alumni meetings were held in 1968 in Boston and Connecticut. Designed to keep alumni informed about the progress of their school, to help with student recruiting and to promote the annual fund, alumni meetings were planned for the coming year in New York, Boston, Maine, and San Francisco. Dr. Richard Morrison ‘50 was elected president of the newly formed alumni association. Area dinners to which alumni, current and past parents, and friends were invited were inaugurated. Alumni news was reported in each issue of the newsletter and carried such information as: “Lowell Price, ‘47, the first boy to be enrolled at Cardigan, is now working as a reviewing appraiser for the Maine State Highway Commission.”

The opening of school in September 1968 brought several changes:

r A typing course was offered for the first time—for an extra fee and restricted to seniors. Ten new Royal typewriters were rented for the course.

r A new developmental reading lab was started, using Shadowscope Reading Pacers to increase reading speed and comprehension.

r The Computer Age at Cardigan began when New England Telephone installed a teletype to link Cardigan to the Dartmouth computer on a time-share basis with another school, each having access to the Dartmouth system for four hours daily.

r The Chronicle was no longer designed and written by students, staff having taken over to make it more professional, in line, no doubt, with current efforts to aid recruitment and fundraising. Although some articles were written by students, the flavor definitely had changed.

above: Then as now, Cardigan used technology as a tool to extend rather than distract from the curriculum. Students welcomed these innovations, as when the new computer was installed in 1968: “One student commented that it was very much like a teacher. It is full of facts, but it also knows how to have a good time.”

1. through 3. The construction of the Kenerson Athletic Center marked a turning point for the School, and was the first phase of an ambitious athletic facilities plan. The locker rooms went into immediate use, with the Covered Sports Area or csa, (now the Turner Arena) dedicated shortly afterward in 1968.

r Sunday Chapel was moved to 11:15 amexcept during the winter term when it was at 5:15 pm.

r The west door of Hopkins Hall was now declared to be reserved for seniors only.

r A temporary facility for helicopter landings came into use when Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Ward arrived for the fall corporation meeting in the Sprague Electric Company helicopter, which landed beside Cotting Rock.

At their January 1969 meeting, the trustees received the first draft of a master plan drawn up by Rich, Phinney, Lang, and Cote. The headmaster reported that Stowell House was almost completed and was fully occupied by a faculty family and eight students. He reported also an opening enrollment of 169 boarding students and that carpets had been laid in Clark-Morgan Hall.

In April 1969, meeting in Boston, the trustees reviewed the master plan with the consultants. Cost estimates for a learning center and library, a fine arts center, a science building, expanded dining facilities and a central boiler plant totaled $2,893,000. The size of this figure shocked them into rethinking the whole project. At the same time they heard a proposal to update the water supply and fire protection systems and learned that large capital expenditures would be needed to construct a new sewer system. Little did the trustees realize at that time just how much time, money and effort would be required to complete these projects and that they would not go forward with the same alacrity that had characterized the school’s expansion during the previous ten years.

Needing immediate attention was the new covered sports area, which had been in use since January 1968, and was a great asset to the athletic program by providing indoor space for a variety of activities during all sorts of inclement weather.

The dirt floor was all right for baseball practice and tennis, but didn’t work out so well as a base for ice hockey. During a warm spell, the ice would melt and the water sank into the dirt, leaving a less than ideal surface for skating. And in the spring it took a long time to dry out. Jim Marrion remembered the first day he went into the hockey rink. “It was in June,” he said, “and I jumped over the hockey boards and sank right up to my knees in mud. It looked perfectly dry.” So the trustees voted a summer project to pave the floor in this building.

In other business they were pleased to hear that endowment funds now totaled $85,650 and that Browning Associates had been hired as consultants on fundraising. Russ Browning reported on his efforts to organize and direct a capital fund drive. He said the school lacked a statement of needs that would be a meaningful target for a capital campaign, and that organization and leadership to run a campaign had yet to be found. At this meeting, Walker Wiggin was elected President and Bob Gillette Vice-President of the trustees.

David Keith Hardy, the father of a Cardigan student, was head of the film production department at Brandeis University and offered to have his students make a film on Cmsas their major project for the course. Since the only cost to the school was for materials, it was possible to have a promotional film for far less than it would have cost from a commercial film maker. In July 1969 the trustees saw a preview of this film which was set to be completed by fall. A fine piece of work, it was

above: Faculty member Karl Nyhus guided boys through the process of producing award-winning woodworking projects for many years.

shown to new students and their parents as well as to prospective applicants for many years. Tom Rouillard, director of the summer session, reported having difficulty recruiting enough students and that a last minute decision was made to admit girls for the summer program. This brought in seven girls for a total enrollment of 93. It was a noteworthy decision, for these were the first girls ever admitted as boarding students to Cardigan! Recognizing the importance of the summer session to the overall operation of the school, the trustees agreed that a director should be hired on a full-time basis so that sufficient attention could be given to promoting and recruiting. At the same time they also made another important decision: To allow, on an experimental basis, faculty daughters and other girls from families having a direct relationship with the school to be enrolled as day students in grades 6, 7, and 8, the number not to exceed a total of twelve for the school year 1969–70. One might guess this decision was prompted solely by the need to increase enrollment and augment income, but other factors entered in. Mary Wakely was now old enough for sixth grade, as were Sally Goodspeed (a faculty daughter) and Tayo Sands (daughter of a trustee). So the barrier to discrimination on the basis of sex was opened a crack. It was soon apparent that girls could not be integrated into the regular athletic program, and that a separate program could not be developed for only three girls. Some alternatives were worked out, but they were far from satisfactory. Two of the girls dropped out after a year or two, and the last girl to attend Cardigan’s winter session was Mary Wakely, who finished eighth grade in 1973.

In line with their policy of looking to buy properties contiguous to the school, the trustees were at this time negotiating to buy the Howe house and the Ovilla (both adjacent to the school woodworking shop) and also property next to the North Church which could be used as an athletic field. That use of the campus during the summer was increasing is exemplified by the fact that in 1969 a group of public secondary schools from Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island held a five-day student workshop on campus. There was also an art exhibit in the covered sports area to benefit the Canaan Historical Society. It produced no revenue, but was a good community relations project and brought a lot of new visitors to the campus. Considering other possibilities for use of the campus, the trustees approved a proposal to run a co-ed ski school, not to exceed 50 students, during the Christmas vacation. It seemed like a good idea to use the campus when the boys were away for Christmas, but because many students would have had to vacate their rooms to accommodate the skiers, the idea proved to be impractical.

In July the board had voted to go ahead with building a learning center at a cost not to exceed $500,000, but by August the executive committee decided to delay the start of this project until the spring of 1970 in view of current economic conditions.

By the fall of 1969 the trustees were pleased to learn that the Ovilla property had finally been purchased, negotiations having been in the works for a long time. There was still uncertainty about the proper timing to start a capital campaign for the learning center. Russ Browning, consultant for fundraising, reported that printed materials were ready, and that the goal had been established as $2.1 million for a learning center and increased endowment. They were still hesitant about starting a campaign and voted to table any action at least until the next meeting.

The recent decision to admit day girls concerned many of the trustees, and they now voted to form a committee to study the whole question of coeducation at Cardigan. With an eye toward economics, however, they agreed to enroll girls again for the summer session in 1970. The headmaster reported to them that he was planning a fall Parents’ Weekend this year in addition to the usual one in the winter. He also

told them about changes in faculty and staff: Harold Finkbeiner became the school’s first full-time music teacher, and additional language training staff and a full-time art teacher had been hired. Brad Yaggy had been named dean of students and director of studies, Tom Rouillard had been appointed director of the summer session on a full-time basis, and James Marrion director of athletics. John Oliver Rich joined the staff as director of admissions and special assistant to the headmaster, and Nick Bakker (assistant treasurer) had taken on the additional responsibility of director of development. Enrollment at 159 boarding and five day students, the headmaster reported, was slightly less than the previous year.

Other changes at the school involved schedules: a special period was established on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 4:50 to 5:35 pm(just after athletics) and on Saturday morning from 10 to 11:15 am. This time was for extra academic help, clubs, special meetings, music practice, library research, or room study. This plan would be helpful to a boy who was a little behind in his math work, but who was taking piano lessons, had joined the magic club, needed to attend a special dorm meeting and wanted extra time for some research in the library. He could now do all of this—if he could crowd these activities into 45 minutes per day! Inflation was affecting students at this time as it was the rest of the country, and in recognition of the economic situation the boys’ weekly allowance was increased this year from $1.25 to $1.50 (It had been $1.00 in 1960).

Just as coeducation was on the minds of the trustees, it certainly was on the minds of the students. The September 1969 Chronicle had a cover photo and headline:

summer sChool goes Coed!

First Female Boarding students in Cms hlstorY at summer sChool

Less exciting was the news that five-day hiking/camping trips were also to be a first-time occurrence at the summer session.

The decade of the 1960s at Cardigan had been characterized by continuing growth and expansion. Enrollment had grown from 129 to a high of 175 in 1968; and the summer session also had increased from 90 in 1960 to a high of 108 in 1965. A fine new chapel had been built, and dormitory and classroom space were added to the dining room wing. Three new houses were in use by faculty families and students, and athletic facilities had been augmented by a locker building, the covered sports area, improved athletic fields and a T-bar ski lift on the Pinnacle. The book value of the physical plant had grown from $1,094,000 to $2,490,000, and tuition had been increased from $1,850 to $3,500. Conservative financial management had been the rule during this period of growth, for total indebtedness had been reduced from $206,000 in 1960 to $126,000 by 1969. Construction had been financed by gifts and by the prudent use of operating surpluses.

External events, however, were at work and would affect this little school in the hills of rural New Hampshire. The Vietnam War, the most unpopular one in American history, had started an erosion of confidence in the federal government. Inflation was running at over 7% a year, pushing the prime lending rate to a record high. The excitement of the first manned-landing on the moon in July was undercut by increased problems of implementing school desegregation. Unrest on college campuses was growing as students concerned themselves about the Vietnam war and segregation issues. All these would be felt on the Cardigan campus. The 1970s were not going to be easy. r

276HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

1. and 2. The presence of girls at both the winter and summer sessions was big news at Cardigan in 1969. Although the School does boast a few alumnae, the Board would eventually reaffirm Cardigan’s mission to educate middle school boys.

3. The installation of a T-bar lift on the Pinnacle led Cardigan to briefly consider a proposal to host a ski school during the winter break.

4. The “Underground Cross Town Bus,” a student band, played Cardigan dances so energetically that the Chronicle reported “Hinman Hall settled three inches from the vibrations!” In addition to drummer Tom Moran ’68 (pictured), members also included Bob Vickers ’68, Jay Walker ’68, Bill Bucksbaum ’68, John Carruthers ’68, and Skip Paul ’68.

The summer of 1970 was a good one, and the school was looking forward to September—the start of its 25th year. Enrollment in the summer session was higher than the year before. The Canaan Mixed Doubles Tournament was held at Cardigan again despite extremely rainy weather; for Cardigan’s indoor courts made this the only tennis tournament in New Hampshire with the ability to continue in weather fair or foul. Shortly after summer school ended, three big buses rolled through the stone gates at the head of campus. One was filled to capacity with all kinds of athletic equipment. The next two were filled with Big BoYs; not only were they high school age, but they were really big. Football players all, from Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood, Mass. They were there for nine days of pre-season practice. Jim Marrion thought Cardigan’s athletic program was strenuous, but it was nothing like this one. These boys were up at first light and on the parking lot for half an hour of strenuous calisthenics because the fields were still wet with dew. Then they ran back to the dorms to wash up for breakfast. And what a breakfast they had. Pitchers of orange juice, eggs, ham, mounds of toast and jelly, and milk by the gallon. Training menus had been sent in advance, but even Clancy could not believe the quantities of food these boys could consume. After breakfast, they were in the Hinman auditorium for movies or slides and in classrooms for chalk talk on football strategy. Then they went to the gym to get suited up, and field practice began. Nine or ten coaches—and they were husky men also—directed these activities using the upper and lower fields. Tackling, blocking, passing, running plays and finally scrimmaging. All done with a great deal of energy and speed. By lunchtime they were ready for more food. Evenings were occupied with additional classroom sessions. So it continued without interruption for nine days, and then parents and families were invited to watch a game between Xaverian and a rival team from Massachusetts, which concluded the session. Then they loaded up the buses and departed, leaving the few Cardigan people on campus weary and a bit out of breath. The Xaverian football team has continued to come to Cardigan every year for preseason practice. The novelty has worn off, but it’s still an exciting time when they arrive.

Significant personnel changes took place in the fall of 1970.

Brad Yaggy, dean of students and director of studies, left to become headmaster of Friends Academy in North Dartmouth, Mass., and Joe Collins came from Friends Academy to fill the position Yaggy left. Joe, his wife Ginny, and their three children were soon settled into Stowell House. Little did anyone guess that they would still be contributing members of the Cardigan community 25 years later. Another change was the departure of Nick Bakker, assistant treasurer, and the arrival of his replacement, Dick Rearick, who 25 years later was back at Cardigan researching records to compile this history.

Looking forward to the opening of the school year, the trustees were concerned about the short term financial situation. The year before they had changed the fiscal year to start in July instead of October, which meant that for 1970–71 there would be no summer school income in the budget. Over $70,000 had been paid from the operating fund to build Stowell House, and there was more than $58,000 in overdue student accounts. Some of these were being paid slowly, but there were others that might have to be written off as uncollectible. And, as usual, there were many places on campus that needed money. The Ovilla, Howe house, and Hollenbeck house all needed work in order to be serviceable. The dam again had to be repaired, tennis courts needed

resurfacing, and there was urgent need from an academic standpoint to increase space in the library. When the new assistant treasurer arrived on July 4th, there was no cash on hand, and $20,000 of summer school tuition was still outstanding. Treasurer Jerry Newton emphasized the need for stricter control of expenditures. This was to be the watchword for several years to come; tough times were starting. The committee on coeducation had previously recommended against enrolling girls, and agreed that there should be no girls in the school after 8th grade. This recommendation, however, did not apply to the summer session, so the trustees decided that girls would be admitted again the following summer.

The executive committee met just before the start of school in early September for an update on finances. The treasurer and assistant treasurer had been working hard to collect overdue bills, but short-term debt at the Dartmouth National Bank had grown to $80,000 in order to provide necessary working capital. In addition the operating fund was still owed about the same amount from capital funds. Since the need for more library space was pressing, they approved spending $6,500 to enlarge the library area in Hopkins Hall and to provide more equipment, hoping that this work could be done before the opening of school.

By the time trustees and incorporators returned to campus for their annual meeting in October, the library renovations had been completed, aided by a special gift from the Gottesman Foundation in honor of John Hinman’s 85th birthday. Trustees complained that too much meeting time had to be devoted to discussion of finances because the annual fiscal report was not circulated prior to the meeting. They were now looking at a revised budget, which showed a deficit because enrollment had fallen to 152 students—the lowest level in many years. It was reported that Cardigan this year had the highest tuition of schools of its type, and that it cost a family an average of $4,500 a year per student. In view of this and current economic conditions, the trustees voted not to increase tuition for 1971–72.

When they met again in December, the trustees were encouraged to hear that five new boarders had arrived since September; but they still wanted to be kept closely informed about finances and asked that budget reports be mailed to them every month. The headmaster agreed to direct the summer school in 1971.

In January 1971 members of the executive committee expressed appreciation for the budget reports they had received, but they were still concerned about expenses. The auditors had billed $4,300 for their work this year, and there was some discussion about looking for another firm. Payroll checks were now being written by an outside payroll service, and the annual cost of $750 for this service was more than offset by the saving of a full day’s work in the business office every month. As they now looked at enrollment and finances, it seemed wise to reverse their earlier decision, and they voted to increase tuition for next year from $3,500 to $3,700. In order to stimulate enrollment, they also approved the headmaster’s plans for a recruiting trip to Texas and California.

Because of the school’s rural location, Cardigan students did not have nearby access to cultural activities. Recognizing that education is not only arithmetic and grammar, the headmaster endeavored to bring a variety of cultural events to the school, and also to arrange for boys to enjoy artistic performances in Boston. That fall Rosemary Murphy, who played the lead in the movie version of To Kill a Mockingbird, came to campus. She talked with students about the movie before it

278HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

tougher times (the 1970s)

1. A freewheeling spirit seemed to overtake parts of campus during the 1972 Headmaster’s Day, an event which sometimes required additional supervision from faculty and staff.

2. and 3. A changing of the guard: dean of students and director of studies Bradford Yaggy, Jr., above, leaves Cardigan in 1970 to become the head of Friends Academy, just as Joe Collins leaves Friends Academy to join Cardigan. Joe and Ginny Collins would continue to serve the School until 2009.

4. In 1970–71, 22 boys participated in a pilot program based on the principles of Outward Bound. Former faculty member Gunnar Baldwin would return to Cardigan in 1972 to help build the successful experience into an ongoing program; this laid the groundwork for the Wilderness program, which continues to this day.

280HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

was shown and answered questions afterward. Hal Finkbeiner gave two organ recitals for students, and these were open to the community as well. Kuon Chung, Professor of Political Science at Plymouth State College, gave a slide talk on the early history of the Vietnam War and told how the Viet people reacted to the attempted Communist takeover and the subsequent American intervention. In October a group of students and faculty traveled to Boston to see a performance of The Taming of the Shrew by the Stuttgart Ballet at the Music Hall.

The following month two busloads of boys went to the Boston Garden to enjoy a precision motorcycle drill team, military gymnastics, and a highly trained canine corps as presented by the British Tournament and Tatto Regiment. Back at school, the Heilman Trio performed a variety of music from classical jazz to popular rock on harp, guitar, and bass viol. Boys had an opportunity to talk with the musicians at a reception at the headmaster’s house after the performance. Later in the year U.S. Congressman James Cleveland presented another opinion about the Vietnam War—that the U.S. should uphold its commitment by remaining in Vietnam. There was certainly plenty of exposure to culture and entertainment outside the curriculum.

The headmaster reported in February on his western trip, during which he represented New England schools at the National Association of Independent Schools’ meeting in St. Louis. “Many schools,” he told the trustees, “are troubled by decreasing enrollment, budgetary cuts and deficits, and drugs appear to be a problem everywhere.” Recognizing that he would have to spend more time away from school on recruiting trips, he recommended the appointment of Joe Collins as assistant headmaster to be in full charge during his absence. The treasurer recommended the selection of Phil Wheeler as the school’s auditor for next year. It was a good choice, and Phil continued in this capacity for over twenty years.

The executive committee, meeting in April 1971, learned that the Emerson School in Exeter would be closing and had offered to recommend Cardigan to their students for a fee of 10% of tuition collected. This was an unusual proposal, but in view of declining enrollment, the committee agreed to pay the fee if any students from Emerson chose Cardigan. The headmaster reported that some other schools in northern New England were in such financial trouble that closing might be a possibility.

By the May meeting there was good news to report to the trustees and incorporators: current accounts receivable had been reduced to $40,000, and old receivables were down to $15,000, although it was possible that $3,000 of this amount might have to be written off as uncollectible.

The Executive Committee called a special meeting in June to consider admitting female students in 1971–72, noting that the situation was economic, as there were not enough applications from boys to fill the school. In a landmark decision, they voted to accept male and female day students in 1971–72.

Early in the summer of 1971, a Canaan Street neighbor and good friend of Cardigan, Elsie Crocker, suggested to Norman that it would be a wonderful idea to hold an art show on campus. She thought the publicity would be good for the school, the show would bring many new people to campus, and it could be a benefit to raise money for the Canaan Historical Society. Never one to pass up an opportunity to promote the school, Norman called Nicholas Wyeth, class of ‘60, and arranged to borrow a number of Wyeth family paintings as the focal point of the show. Norman drove to New York and brought them back in the school’s station wagon—a priceless cargo as he now remembers. Elsie Crocker and Beverly contacted the art museum at Dartmouth College, from whom they were also able to borrow a number of paintings by noted artists. Another local friend, Julie Fifield, was a landscape designer, and she created fanciful gardens with flowing water fountains to transform the covered sports area into a spectacular garden and art exhibit. The show did attract hundreds of visitors and was repeated each summer for the next two years.

When the trustees met in September 1971 shortly after the opening of school, there were 134 students on campus. Since only one female day student had enrolled, both Norman and Jack Rich planned to be on the road most of October doing recruiting work. The summer session, happily, finished over budget. Norman said this could be attributed to tight administrative control, and agreed to run the summer session again in 1972. When Walker Wiggin finished his threeyear term as president of the trustees, he announced that he would be unable to serve another term. Treasurer Jerry Newton, working on a revised budget to be presented in October, said that he hoped to cut expenditures by $100,000. Toward that end, he reported that three employees had been dropped from office and maintenance staffs, and that cuts in the kitchen crew were anticipated by using more student help. A nationally mandated salary freeze was in effect.

at top: Students competed in dorm decorating contests during the holiday season.

above: A gymnastics exhibition held during Parents’ Weekend in 1977 showcased Cardigan’s new athletic facilities.

The corporation at their annual meeting in October elected the following officers of the trustees: President, Robert Gillette; Vice-President, John Tower; Treasurer, Jerry Newton; Secretary, Crawford Hinman. Savage Frieze and Michael McGean were elected as new trustees. Both were to perform long-term service and contribute significantly to Cardigan.

During this time of fiscal belt tightening, the headmaster shared his concerns with the whole school, and a variety of student and faculty initiatives were started during the year to save money. Students willingly took on additional kitchen and housekeeping duties, cooperated in bringing dormitory rubbish to a central collection point, made great efforts to keep lights in classrooms and dormitories turned off when not needed, and wore heavier sweaters to class because thermostats were turned lower. Learning that the dam again needed repairs, faculty member Sam Coes organized a crew of students who worked with him during the fall to rebuild the dam, and they accomplished this for a cost of only $200, as opposed to a bid of $6,500 which had been received from a contractor.

By December the headmaster reported that two new boys had been accepted since school opened, and that six more were due to arrive in January. The trustees requested that a report on enrollment and recruitment should be the first item on the agenda at every meeting now, and in February 1972 were pleased to hear that inquiries were up 50% from last year and applications up 15%.

The reading department at Cardigan was started by Dorothy Emerson about 1950. Beverly Wakely recalled that “Dorothy Emerson was a very good friend of Anna Gillingham, and the Orton-Gillingham Society is still today the stronghold of the reading instruction field. Dorothy met Anna Gillingham when she was teaching in New York, and the two of them became friends. Somehow she managed to find her way to Cardigan before Norman came there. She was a wonderful lady, who was just very warm and encompassing with kids, and believed in the OrtonGillingham method. She wrote a book for left-handed writers, a little pamphlet really, and it is still being sold. By the time we came back from graduate school, she was not there any longer, and there was no longer a formally organized department.”

Norman headed the reading department in 1961 and remembered machines called takistiscopes, which taught how to read numbers. “By turning the slide,” he said, ʼnumbers would come up on the screen like 4 5 6 7 1, and you very quickly had to jot them down. Today when I’m driving down the road, I see a car license number and can quickly read and remember all the numbers because I did so many of those slides that I trained myself.” Beverly explained that “the takistiscope was a wonderful instrument for eye training because it gave numbers in groups of 3, 4, 5 and 7 and so it was expanding what your eye took in at one fixation.”

Beverly had taught remedial reading in New Jersey while Norman was at Columbia, and upon their return to Cardigan, she started tutoring boys who needed help, meeting them around the kitchen table in their apartment. “After Missy was born (in 1966),” she said, “there was a teacher by the name of Abendroth who headed up the language training department, and then Debbie McNeish started a developmental reading program. In the early 1970s I had been doing some graduate work at Boston University to find out what was happening in the field since our Columbia days, and when Debbie McNeish left, Norman said, ‘you can finish out the year to replace her.’ Then Abendroth left, and Norman said, ‘wouldn’t it be nice if you consolidated the two departments—remedial reading and language training—and I did, and we re-named it Reading & Study Skills, because that was exactly what we taught.”

Sam Coes made a report to the trustees in February 1972 about the reading department and its three elements:

r Language Training—a program of remedial instruction with a maximum of two students per class; about 40% of students are in this program

r Reading Lab—about 115 students in this program meet two times each week for corrective reading drills at seven lab stations: rapid word and phrase recognition vocabulary building phrase reading comprehension efficiency study reading listening comprehension

r Study Skills—each student has three one-hour sessions mainly in the use of a plan book

Both Norman and Beverly felt that the development of the reading program at Cardigan was a milestone in the school’s history. Norman said, “It allowed us to attract many boys because we were able to offer them something that other schools were not offering.” Beverly added that “there were schools with special reading programs, but there was no school that provided a special reading program in conjunction with a regular, straight curriculum, and that made Cardigan unique.”

Students did not spend every moment on campus in studying, however. The senior prank had become traditional— something unusual and not harmful done by the seniors sometime after Christmas. This year the school arrived at breakfast one winter morning to find all the tables in the dining room rearranged. The headmaster’s table, usually at the east end of the dining room, had been moved right in front of the doors to the kitchen, and in its place stood a big juke box which had been in the Hayward waiting area, and which was now producing loud and lively music. The rest of the tables were arranged around the edges of the room, leaving a large open area in the center. Getting right into the spirit of things, Mr. Wakely took Miss Howe’s arm, and they did several quick dance turns in this cleared space.

The assistant headmaster also showed his talents during the week before parents’ weekend, when there was a distressing lack of snow, by performing what he called an old Indian snow dance from the balcony of Clark-Morgan Hall to the delight of the entire student body. An hour later it began to rain.

“Plans are made for our first annual Grandparents Day in May 1972,” Norman told the executive committee in April. He and Beverly had only recently returned from a three-week trip to South America. They went there to visit schools, to say hello to alumni, visit with present parents, alumni parents, prospective parents, and friends and to carry the Cardigan message to as many people as possible. They saw twelve alumni of summer and winter school, visited twenty-five schools, stayed in twelve countries, dealt with eleven different currencies and heard three languages—all in 22 days. Norman returned with an idea of running a “summer school in winter” for boys from Central and South America, who are on their summer vacation from November to February. He envisioned a program that would stress English language training since many of these boys planned to attend college in the U.S.

While the Wakelys were in South America, ten students accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Jay Sadlon were on a school-sponsored tour of Greece. Such tours were not unusual, and, in fact, were arranged about every other year. Were they really educational, or merely an excuse for a sunny vacation? The Sadlons wrote the following account for the newsletter upon their return.

281

4.

period was marked by an increasing awareness of environmental causes and the need to contribute to sustainability—on campus and beyond. Here, the sixth graders show support for the fledgling Save the Whales organization in 1978.

5. Norm Wakely, pictured here in Panama with Barbara and Terry Baker ’63, traveled to South America with wife Bev in 1972 with the aim of increasing Cardigan enrollment. As Wakely wrote at the time, “We visited twenty-five schools, stayed in twelve different countries, dealt with eleven different currencies and heard three different languages.”

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1. During this era Cardigan offered the Covered Sports Area as location for hosting the Northern New England Art Show. The annual show was just one example of how Norm Wakely strived to bring cultural experiences to campus throughout the year.

2. A 1971 image featuring Cardigan students who had alumni brothers was one of the first to include female students (from rear left: Tayo Sands ’73, Mary Wakely Laturnau ’73, and Sally Goodspeed Riley ’73).

3. Cardigan boys were first offered a personal typing course in 1968 under Mrs. Hazen. The boys in this 1971 image would have learned keyboarding skills from staff member Germaine Schmanska, who taught the course from 1970 to 1978.

This

1. Practicing artist R. Alden Burt joined Cardigan’s faculty in 1971. The newsletter Words About Cardigan reported that he was the “reason for the phenomenal upsurge in art interest” at the school, and his newly established art club boasted more than fifty regular attendees.

2. Daily life for faculty families is inextricably intertwined with student life, deepening everyone's experience. Here, students look on in 1975 as Santa offers gifts to faculty children under Norm Wakely’s supervision.

3. The first Mediterranean tour was guided by the Sadlons, faculty members who traveled with ten Cardigan boys in 1972. Faculty members Thurza and Bob Small and others guided similar trips for many years, helping students take full advantage of the time afforded by Cardigan’s March break (here, a Cardigan group in Greece in 1976).

4. The opening day schedule for new students in 1973 included both a presentation on the history of the School and a Pinnacle climb—a precursor to the later tradition of new students’ dawn climb of Mount Cardigan.

5. Sometimes students pray for snow; sometimes they wish it would just all go away. In the fall of 1976. athletic center manager Warren Birch works to clear the football field of snow before the last game of the season.

Art teacher Alden Burt’s depiction of the Pinnacle cabin covered the Fall 1972 issue of Words About Cardigan. The structure, built by student volunteers working under Burt’s guidance, offered breathtaking views as well as a place for Pinnacle skiers to warm themselves.

The myths of the gods and the ruins of ancient Greece came alive due to our guide, Nana, who taught us expertly and quizzed us unmercifully throughout our classical tour of Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nauplia, Olympia, Delphi and, of course, Athens. By the end of this leg of the trip, we were not only schooled in the ways of the ancients, but skilled in the arts of bargain hunting, lizard catching (some of us), olive eating, rubble climbing, note-taking while perched on columns, and photographing from a moving bus. Our travel associate in Athens, Mr. Nicoloudis, entertained us in his apartment after a grueling exam on names, dates and places. After a second visit to the Acropolis and a tour of the National Archeological Museum, we flew to the island of Crete. Here we enjoyed three days of touring the ancient sites of the Minoan civilization and the newer civilization in the caves of Matala. Our final stop was the island of Rhodes where we spent seven glorious, summer time days which included an excursion to the Acropolis of Lindos, a tour of medieval Rhodes and a day’s trip to Turkey.

Meeting in May 1972, the members of the corporation heard a report about the state of the school. Enrollment problems had resulted in: a) decreasing operating income, b) more time spent in recruiting efforts by the headmaster and staff, c) staff reductions, d) increased shortterm borrowing, and e) postponement of expenditures for capital needs. The trustees reported

284HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

how they were grappling with these problems. Michael McGean was organizing parents and alumni into a national enrollment committee, and Savage Frieze hosted a Cardigan reception at his home to spread the word about Cardigan in New Jersey. There was good news in that enrollment for the fall was higher than in the previous year at the same time. The treasurer’s report was also optimistic.

Jerry Newton reminded them that the school started to incur operating deficits in 1969–70, and that although these had continued, long-term mortgages had been reduced by about $9,000 each year. In addition the school had acquired the Ovilla House and property adjacent to the north church—a total of $50,000 worth in the past three years. Annual giving had generally increased every year, and most importantly, good management at the school had reduced wasteful spending.

Browning Associates had been hired in 1969 on a monthly retainer as development consultants, but now the need for this ongoing expenditure was questioned. There was no doubt in the trustees’ minds that a fundraising campaign to meet capital needs was ahead, so they agreed to continue with Browning, at least through the end of 1972. They also agreed that computer education was here to stay and voted to purchase a used Digital Edu 10 computer for $4,100 and to discontinue the time-sharing agreement with Dartmouth, which was costing $3,800 yearly.

The snow sculpture contests that began at Cardigan in the 1950s remained a staple activity during this era. above: Art teacher Alden Burt’s depiction of the process covered the holiday 1975 issue of Words About Cardigan

All the efforts that were being made to increase enrollment began to produce results, and by the middle of July 1972, the trustees learned that there were more students in summer school than in the previous year and that prospects for winter school were brighter. Dick Rearick presented a revised budget for 1972–73 which showed a surplus. Crawford Hinman reported that the building committee was getting information from the State about acceptable sewage treatment facilities.

Up to this point in the school’s history, skiing had always been the predominant winter activity. Non-skiers were put into rec skiing groups, learning the basic techniques on the gentle slope in front of Clark-Morgan, then progressing to the rope tow on Clancy Mt., and graduating to the Pinnacle when their abilities warranted. There were interscholastic teams for Nordic, Alpine, and jumping. And there was the tradition of an all-school ski holiday each year. The facilities for hockey had been much improved with construction of the covered sports area. This sport became as popular at Cardigan as elsewhere across the country. Bruce Marshard, a Cardigan alumnus who had been hired to direct the shop program in the fall, was coaching hockey in the summer of 1972 in Boston’s south end. Many boys were playing,

and Bruce got to know many boys of Cardigan age who had a lot of hockey ability, and who, he felt, could make a great contribution to the school in other ways. At his suggestion, the school bus was sent to Boston one March weekend to bring a load of boys and their parents to have a look at Cardigan and its educational and hockey facilities. By the end of the day, most of their parents had filled out application forms, and the boys had fallen in love with the school. There were many fine boys in that group. They were good athletes, they came from supportive families with high moral values, and they had the potential to benefit greatly from a Cardigan education. Of course, they would need a lot of financial aid. Bruce and Norman believed that additional scholarship funds could be raised in the Boston area for this purpose, and the trustees gave their blessing to this initiative, provided that scholarship funds were raised in advance and outside of the regular budget. This was a turning point for Cardigan. Hockey was to play an increasingly important role at the school and lead to long-term international connections never dreamed of at the time.

Another historic moment, less exciting and far more costly, came in September 1972 after an inspector from the N.H. Public Health De-

286HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

above: The Nordic ski team, shown competing in 1976, is part of a stellar snow sports program at Cardigan that has its roots in the School’s founding. New Hampshire artist and Cardigan parent Bob Montana immortalized the team in one of his last Archie comic strips, published posthumously in January 1975 (Dana Blunt ’76, son of faculty member Don Blunt, skied on the team with Montana’s son Donald ’76).

partment announced that surface water sources were no longer acceptable for drinking water at institutions like Cardigan. This problem would defy satisfactory solution for years to come, and, coupled with the problems of sewage disposal, which had been eluding resolution for a long time, would result in the most costly and least visible capital project the school was ever to encounter. In this connection, note should be made of the increasing amount of encroachment by federal and state regulations on this small school in the hills. Social change for protection and welfare of the public and employees was receiving great attention in Washington, and laws and programs had been passed requiring compliance. osahaimposed regulations for protecting the safety and health of employees. Directives were published, and these were hard to read and harder still to understand. Consulting firms were established to explain these regulations to employers and to provide counsel about compliance and proper completion of the required reports. erisadirected attention to retirement and benefit plans and led to Cardigan’s changing its retirement plan to allow the participation of all employees.

The long-range planning committee had developed a questionnaire and circulated it to parents, faculty and students. In October 1972 they reported on the results of this survey. All groups felt the school should continue to stress traditional academics, strengthen the faculty so as to attract more gifted students, and continue remedial work. Parents and faculty liked the highly structured program. Physical plant needs were seen as these: solving sewer and water system problems, improving faculty dormitory apartments, and increasing facilities for athletics in the winter. Clearly a gym was called for. Parents divided about 50/50 on the subject of co-education; faculty favored it 3 to 1, and students were almost 100% in favor.

The building committee reported that repair and improvement needs during the past several years had had to be prioritized, and efforts had been made to defer as little as possible. Thanks to the generosity of trustees, incorporators, and parents, a number of matters had been settled since May: a new school bus had been purchased, oil burners had been replaced in Hinman and Brewster, tennis courts had been repaired and sealed, a new Scout and plow for maintenance had been acquired, and new common rooms had been constructed in Hinman and Brewster halls. Still a number of needs remained on the list to be met as soon as financially possible: carpeting in dorm hallways, carpeting and a stage curtain in the auditorium, roof repair on Hinman and Brewster, furniture for the typing room, and remodeling of the ski jump. It just seemed impossible to get caught up.

It had always been the custom to invite wives of trustees to accompany their husbands when they came to the school for meetings. John Coffin was a new trustee in 1971, and his wife, Cynthia, related her introduction to Cardigan: “I shall long remember my first trustee meeting. The trustees and their wives were invited to join Norm and Bev for coffee along with some of the teachers and their spouses prior to the meeting. I was a bit nervous at meeting so many new and important people, and was trying very hard to stay composed and poised. From across the room, I spotted a young and attractive woman, and without thinking exclaimed, ‘My God, that’s Debbie Mellor!’ All eyes turned as we greeted each other with hugs. No one had told me who (faculty member) Jim Crowell’s wife was; Debbie and I had grown up together three houses apart in Englewood, New Jersey. So much for composure and poise!!”

Effective work was being done to raise additional scholarship funds. In December 1972 Ned French’s daughters, Betty and Helen French, had become interested in the school and had pledged $3,000 to supplement current scholarship funds. This amount was to be used for aiding current students and was not an addition to endowment. John Kenerson reported the help of John Hinman in securing an additional gift of $100,000 to add to the Reader’s Digest Scholarship Fund. The building committee was thrilled by a pledge from Mr. Charles Banks (father-in-law of faculty member Schuyler Peck) to give $60,000 over a five year period to build a new faculty/student house—with the provision that the Pecks were to live in it. An unusual provision, but one which the trustees accepted.

It was at this time (December 1972) that trustee John Coffin decided to spend a full week on campus so that he could better evaluate future needs for the long range planning committee. He stayed in Charles Wakely’s room at the headmaster’s house and took all his meals in the dining room, sitting at a different table each meal so as to meet more faculty and students. He visited classes, watched athletic practice and games, spent time touring the campus looking at student rooms and other buildings, and generally taking in all the day-to-day activities. By Saturday he was so exhausted that he had to have an afternoon nap, and marveled that students, faculty and staff could maintain this schedule without dropping. Later, as chairman of the building committee, and discovering several instances of deferred maintenance and repairs, he made

above: Nellie Clancy passed away in 1976 after thirty years of service to Cardigan. The School noted that “All were well aware of her love and devotion to the boys, the School, and her family. Nellie always surrounded herself with an aura of sunshine!” The boys acknowledged her with a full page tribute in that year’s yearbook.

a list of repairs needed in each building on campus. The following episode was not included in his final report but was recounted recently to add flavor to this history. “On a nice sunny day,” he said, “I decided to investigate a leak in the ceiling of the chapel. After climbing the metal ladder I found in the closet and opening the hatch cover in the lower floor area of the steeple, I was amused to find two metal folding chairs and lots of cigarette butts on the floor. I bet the boys involved are still smiling about that one.” His official report for the building committee listed the most urgent needs: a gym, a Zamboni for the hockey rink, a snow packing machine for better grooming of the ski slopes, and carpeting in the dorms. “Students put carpeting at the head of their list,” he concluded.

In March 1973 the executive committee heard that Annual Fund goals of 100% participation by trustees and incorporators as well as increased support from parents had been met—parents’ contributions exceeded their goal of $30,000. A phonathon was to be conducted from campus later that week.

Jack Rich was pleased to report that inquiries and applications for both winter and summer session were up; he also stated his belief that an increase in tuition for next year would not adversely affect applications. The building committee had been moving ahead with plans for the house donated by Mr. Banks, which was to be named Greenwood House in honor of Penny Peck’s grandfather. Because test borings on land behind the present faculty/student houses on Back Bay Road ran into solid ledge, it was decided to locate the house on the lake shore on the west side of campus.

A number of receptions had been held around the country in 1973, sponsored by Cardigan parents and attended by Jack Rich and Norman Wakely, to publicize the school. These events were beginning to produce tangible results, Jack Rich told the trustees, and more than half the applications for that year’s summer school could be traced to these receptions. The long-range planning committee reported their conclusion not to recommend coeducation for the immediate future. The committee was not opposed to it, but felt strongly that coeducation should

not be introduced strictly for financial reasons nor on a token basis. In order to be considered, it must make sound sense educationally, and must be done with a separate campus for perhaps 30 to 50 girls in addition to the present campus for 150 boys.

The summer of 1973 was busier than ever. Greenwood House was completed and occupied in the fall by Sky and Penny Peck and their new daughter, Nicole. The total cost ran to about $100,000, which included a new road beside the dining room, and the charge for poles and lines to bring electric service to that part of the campus. To help with these extra expenses, Mr. Banks increased his pledge to $80,000. The Salem High School football team was on campus for a week, as were also Pinkerton Academy and Xaverian Brothers High School teams. The auditorium in the basement of Hinman had a lot of attention during the summer: carpet was laid, the ceiling was lowered, a projection booth constructed, and a curtain and improved lighting installed on the stage. This space was in steady use during the year for study halls, meetings, presentation of plays by the Drama Club and, most importantly, for the Saturday night movies. The improvements were much appreciated by everyone. This project was aided by funds donated by the School Council.

Heavy flooding during the late spring had weakened the dam, which again needed to be rebuilt, and an “infiltration well” was under consideration to satisfy the requirements of the N.H. Water Pollution Board. Nationally the energy crisis continued, and when school opened in the fall of 1973, dorm temperatures were lowered, and all active fireplaces were in use with wood provided by the student work detail.

During the summer an unexpected gift from a grandparent had provided funds to renovate dorm rooms in Clark-Morgan, which desperately needed this attention. New ceilings and lights were installed, rooms were painted, and new beds and mattresses purchased. What a difference this made in the old building! Last year’s senior class gift was a greenhouse for the science department to be installed at the south end of Hopkins. It was delivered in pieces like an Erector set, and had to be assembled. So science teacher Don Blunt and Jeff Hicks,

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above: Cardigan boys manifest school spirit by being good hosts to visiting teams, and also by bringing zeal to every game—whether as fan or athlete.

1. through 3. The greenhouse on the south end of Hopkins Hall was a gift from the Class of 1973, completed the following fall and filled with plants and flowers by that winter. Occasionally it would be put to other uses: in fall of 1976, students surreptitiously stocked the greenhouse with ten rabbits purchased at the Sandwich Fair!

4. Cardigan established a nursery school in the basement of ClarkMorgan Hall in 1971–72. It was serving seventeen faculty children by the following year, and was soon moved to a renovated space in Howe House.

5. Before the construction of the Stoddard Center in 1982, the library was located in Rooms 205 and 227 in Hopkins Hall (pictured in 1973). Librarian Carol Shelton made it a hub for fun as well as learning, sponsoring activities such as the Deep Freeze contest (Joe Zenie ’76 won for his guess in 1974 when it dropped to -16° F on January 18), rhyming competitions (John Robinson ’72 rhymed “orange” with “mortgage”), and the still-annual Ice Out competition (Charlie Hickox ’75 accepted his $5 prize encased in a block of ice).

the class advisor and history teacher, worked with the maintenance department to break through the outside wall to connect it to a science classroom, to pour a concrete foundation wall, and to put the pieces together to finish the greenhouse. It would be delightful to see potted plants blooming inside during the winter. Remembering the top priority students had put on carpeting for dormitory halls and stairways, the trustees had authorized this work to start during the summer. Although the job wasn’t complete when school opened in the fall, when the job was finished, the dorms were quieter and warmer.

In the fall of 1973 the trustees were delighted to hear that opening enrollment was 146, the largest number in the past three years, but was still a far cry from the high of 175 in 1968. Their concern about enrollment prompted a discussion about the possibility of opening a 5th grade, but no decision was reached. In order to provide clerical backup for increasing work in the development and alumni office, purchase of an auto-typist (a machine, not a person) was authorized. Another step into automation.

One of the school’s neighbors on Canaan Street was Martha Stevens, who was born a Haffenreffer and had become a good friend of the Wakelys. The waiting room outside the admissions office in Clark-Morgan Hall had been the dining room in the Haffenreffer summer home, and Martha loved that room. There was a fireplace in an alcove, and benches beside the fireplace used to hold toys. Beverly remembered that “Martha used to come up to see us before she went south for the winter. We’d have angel food cake with gooey frosting on it. One time when we were doing that, Ben Coffin was a faculty member living in the first floor apartment, and he asked Martha if she would like to come upstairs and see the boy’s rooms. They had just gone to bed, and Ben was a great one to promulgate the story of the ghost who came driving up to the house in a stage coach. He had shared the story with the kids, and here, after the lights were out and the kids were in bed, this white-haired lady appeared at the door, and one boy was firmly convinced that the ghost had really appeared.”

In honor of Martha’s 80th birthday, members of her family arranged to have a party at the school. Beverly got busy with painters and decorators and refurbished the former dining room for this occasion. About 75 members of all the branches of the Haffenreffer family were there, and a bronze plaque designating the lounge as the Haffenreffer Room now adorns the wall.

In the fall of 1973 Norman’s idea of “summer school in the winter” came into being with four boys from Central America on campus from September through December studying English and whatever other subjects they were able to handle.

The long-range planning committee’s report at this meeting was confined to the financial well-being of the school. With the idea of assuring careful fiscal management in the future, the trustees accepted the following policy recommendations:

r That unrestricted contributions be allocated 2 to 1, two parts to endowment and one part to buildings.

r That short-term borrowing to fund operating deficits should be retired as quickly as possible, and that for the next three years all surplus funds be applied primarily to debt reduction.

r That when deficits had been repaid, surplus funds should then be allocated primarily to create a Capital Reserve Fund with the goal of accumulating $200,000 in this fund.

Further action by the trustees changed the terms of the school’s major medical insurance plan to make it available to all full-time employees.

In the winter of 1973 students were excited about delivery of a SnoCat which would be used for packing trails on the Pinnacle. Previously the trails had to be packed by hand (or really, by feet), and the first part of the athletic period for skiers and their coaches each afternoon, was devoted to laborious stepping up the slopes to pack them for the day’s skiing. Now this job would be done by machine, much faster and much better, and the whole afternoon could be devoted to skiing. What a welcome this equipment received! Because winter brought spells of cold weather without a great deal of snow, ambitious boys and faculty made a luge run on the hill behind Hinman, watering it down at night until the run was glare ice. And fast!! Boys whizzed down on their bottoms, on a piece of cardboard or on flying saucers. They had fun!

The language training department had for many years been headed by a professional teacher, but many of the instructors, who met 1-to1 or 2-to-1 with students in this program, were faculty wives. Since some of these wives had small children at home, in order to make it possible for them to teach, the school organized a nursery school, which provided supervised care for young children in the morning while their mothers were teaching. The location of the nursery on the lower floor of Clark-Morgan was not ideal. There was constant traffic through this area, and toys and playthings had to be picked up and locked in a cupboard at the end of each morning to get them out of the way, and to be sure they weren’t appropriated by older kids. With the acquisition of the Howe House, new space became available in a large room not used by Mrs. Howe (who had life tenancy). It was cleaned up and refurbished into a bright, cheery new nursery school run by faculty wife Heather Coes with the assistance of other faculty wives.

In the fall and winter of 1973, events far away from Canaan had striking influence on the school. It was the time of the first opeCoil embargo. The school had its own gasoline storage for school vehicles, but during the fall they had to buy 1000 gallons at retail because their wholesale supplier had been unable to make deliveries. Medical and shopping trips to Hanover were limited, and everyone on campus cooperated in sharing rides whenever they were going to town. Thermostats were turned down in all classrooms, and special student monitors were appointed to keep lights turned out when rooms were not occupied. Because oil for heating was also in short supply, an unused tank outside Clark-Morgan was cleaned and filled with 8900 gallons of #2 oil as a reserve. When needed, it was pumped through a hose to another tank on campus. From September to December the price of #2 oil increased from 23.4 cents to 34.9 cents per gallon. Because of the gasoline shortage, the admissions office had fewer visitors than usual, and inquiries were very slow on account of the uncertainty of the international situation, which had also affected the stock market adversely. Meanwhile the headmaster was doing extensive traveling in the interest of raising capital funds for the learning center.

The school newspaper in November 1973 noted the retirement of Rachel Hill after more than 17 years of service. For the past ten years she had been the housekeeper at the headmaster’s house, and she was frequently called upon to take care of all the Wakely children at various times when their parents were occupied with school affairs.

The night before Thanksgiving vacation, the school council organized a carnival which was held in the Csato raise funds for the library. This facility was open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. During afternoon and evening hours, the library was unsupervised, and boys could check out books on the honor system. Inevitably there were some losses from year to year due to forgetfulness, or carelessness. This year the school council accepted the responsibility for raising $209 to cover the cost of

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books that were missing at the last inventory. Proceeds from the carnival were more than sufficient to cover this loss.

The energy crisis resulted in another significant change on campus. This year for the first time in its history, the school Christmas tree in the center of campus was not lighted. Boys helped the headmaster create a variety of ornaments that sparkled in the sunlight, but after dark the unlighted tree stood as a reminder of the school’s policy on energy conservation.

When the trustees arrived for their winter meeting in February 1974, they learned that the budget was in good shape, except for the rapidly increasing price of oil, which could bring the total cost for fuel up to $39,000 as against the budgeted figure of $21,000; so efforts to cut expenses in other areas continued. They decided not to keep Browning Associates on retainer for fundraising counsel—partly to save expense, and partly because fundraising was slow in the then present economic climate. The dam, which had been weakened in the spring storms, had been rebuilt, but the final cost was $4,000 instead of the estimate of $1,800 because leaks were found under the existing concrete foundation, and repairing these required extra work. The trustees enjoyed hearing the good news that the hockey team had competed at an invitational tournament at St. Paul’s School and taken second place. Also the Nordic team was to compete at the New York State Championship Ski meet at Bear Mountain. Cardigan’s athletic teams were earning wider recognition.

The nominating committee had been charged to look again at the structure of the two governing boards, a topic which seemed to come up about every five years. In May 1974 the committee reported no recommendations for changes in the current structure at this time. The question was raised about having a female trustee—but no action was taken. The headmaster commented that since Cardigan had a larger role serving in loco parentis than schools for older boys, a case could be made for a female trustee to represent the mothers’ point of view. There was some head-nodding at the meeting, but no action in this direction. The building committee, reporting on the problem that just wouldn’t go away, said that the septic system behind Hinman was in failure but that its use might be prolonged for perhaps another six months. Proposals for a sewage treatment plant were being studied, but there was serious question as to whether approval would be given by the State. By the end of the summer, the N.H. Water Supply and Pollution Control Commission had raised no objection in principle to a sewage disposal plant, and recommended that the school engage a sanitary engineer to study the problem. Almost a year later the building committee was studying three proposals for sewage disposal systems presented by the sanitary engineer with price estimates ranging from $63,000 to $260,000—but were no closer to finding a solution than when they started.

Summer school enrollment was encouragingly high in 1974 and included 22 girls. Afterward there was a workshop on campus for Vocational-Agricultural teachers sponsored by the New England Electric Council. Exhibits were set up by various firms supplying Vo-Ag equipment including a greenhouse, but what attracted more attention—particularly in relation to the fuel shortage— was a VW beetle converted to run on batteries. It is interesting to note that twenty years later only minimal progress has been made toward commercial production of an electric vehicle.

Xavarian Brothers football team concluded the summer activity on campus, as usual. The hockey program got a real boost with the purchase of a used Zamboni, but funds then had to be found to construct a building at the end of the Csato house it. To provide such a structure was not simple, because the building had to be heated and have facilities for providing enough hot water to fill the Zamboni, as well as a drain to empty the shavings after use. While excavating equipment was on campus for this construction, it was decided to go ahead at the same time and build the infiltration well deemed necessary to satisfy state and federal regulations for an approved drinking water supply.

There was no encouragement in the enrollment situation at the start of the 1974–75 school year. Opening enrollment was lower than was anticipated just a month earlier. Twenty boys withdrew after tuition bills were sent out. Clearly the economy had not recovered. Certainly a gym would be an added attraction and help with enrollment; therefore the trustees decided in October to proceed with a fundraising drive with a goal of $475,000 for the building and an additional $75,000 for endowment to support it. However, they resolved not to start construction until the fund goal had been reached. By December the situation seemed a bit brighter; eight new boys had enrolled since the start of school, and over $100,000 had been received or pledged toward the gym. The infiltration well started in the summer was completed and was left to rest and fill with water during the winter so that it would be ready for use in the spring.

at top: The School’s 30th anniversary was celebrated in 1976; here, headmaster Norm Wakely drives a tractor pulling an anniversary float down Canaan Street during Old Home Days.

above: Corporation chairman John Hinman, having served on that body since 1946, announced his decision to step down in 1976. The Corporation voted to name him Chairman Emeritus, in a resolution noting that “service, devotion and generosity to the School have been without parallel [and] the members of the Corporation are unwilling to suffer the loss which is occasioned by his absence as their titular leader.”

this page and facing page: The stringent economic circumstances challenging the board and administration led to a campus emphasis on sustainability and service. Day-to-day school life, however, remained full of the energy, cameraderie, and joy that has defined the Cardigan experience for so many middle school boys.

292HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

above: Commencement 1978 included moments other Cardigan graduates might recall from their final spring: donning the alumni tie; receiving congratulations from faculty, friends, and family; and departing from The Point.

1974 saw the first model of the Cardigan Chair offered for sale. It was not the traditional captain’s chair offered by many schools and colleges, but a somewhat smaller style with the school seal hand-stenciled on the back rail by one of the faculty. It sold for $50, f.o.b. Canaan.

Although the school hardly seemed old enough, two sons of alumni were enrolled that fall, Charlie Morrison, son of Richard Morrison, Class of 1950 and now a member of the corporation, and Steve Haskell, son of H. Morgan Haskell, class of 1949. That same year three boys from Guatemala spent the fall term on campus and returned to their native land in December in order to begin their regular school year in January.

Traditions are an important part of the life of any school, and Cardigan certainly had its share of them. Some were started early in its history, but one took 29 years to get going. The story begins on parents’ weekend of 1973. It was a sad occasion to have lost two games out of three to the traditional rival, Eaglebrook, and the headmaster remarked to one of the visiting parents, “Someday we will beat them roundly on parents’ weekend, and when that day comes, the whole school will celebrate.” As it turned out, he didn’t have long to wait. The very next year, all three Cardigan teams were victorious over Eaglebrook during parents’ weekend. The same visiting father remembered the headmaster’s remarks of a year ago, and told his son to be sure to ask Mr. Wakely what and when would be the celebration in honor of this great victory. One boy told another, and soon it seemed as if every boy in school was asking the headmaster, “When do we get our day off for beating Eaglebrook?” The answer was an all-school outing to the Sandwich Fair. The victory celebration of 1974 continues to this day with the annual visit in October to the Sandwich Fair with all of its country attractions.

Senior pranks were another tradition of long standing at Cardigan. Recently Norman and Beverly remembered some of the more interesting ones. “One year,” Bev said, “the barbershop chair got taken out of the barber shop and put at Norman’s seat in the dining room. You could trail the oil spills down the walkway and into the dining room where they had tipped it. And another year we came in and the canoe was sitting on top of the table in the dining room.” One of the best ones Norman remembered was one morning when they moved the headmaster’s table from the dining room to the front lawn of his house before breakfast. “I went out and saw it,” he said, “and I sat down at the table, and the food was brought up from the kitchen. The boys from our table came up and joined us, and Bob Small brought up the bell and all the kids were told to report to the headmaster’s house for announcements. And announcements at breakfast were given from the front lawn. The pancakes were cold, I remember.” Beverly supplemented them with hot toast from her kitchen.

Economic conditions improved as the year 1974–75 went along. Gifts and pledges for the gym had reached $284,000 by January 1975, and the trustees felt confident enough to authorize the headmaster to develop working drawings and seek bids. The building committee met with the architect the following month to begin that process.

During the March vacation in 1975, a group of Cardigan hockey players made a trip to Finland which their coach, Sky Peck, had arranged through Finnair, to play a series of games with Finnish hockey teams. No one imagined at that time what an important and long-term relationship would develop with Hyvinkaa, Finland, as a result of this first trip.

Despite the poor start, the year ended well; it looked in May as if there might even be a small surplus from operations. It was also a time to celebrate the school’s progress and success, and with due ceremony the trustees and incorporators gathered to burn the mortgage for $100,000 taken out in 1962 to help finance construction of the new campus. The remaining long-term debt was now only $110,000.

Three faculty members had been doing recruiting work in the spring to supplement the efforts of Jack Rich and Norman, and evidently the total effort was effective, for applications and acceptances for both winter and summer school in May 1975 were higher than in the previous four years. Eric Anderson, who had run the 1974 summer school, accepted a job at another school leaving Norman to again be summer school director.

Much progress could be reported at the trustee meeting in August 1975. It had long been recognized that faculty apartments in the dormitories needed improvement, and, as a first step, carpeting had been installed during the summer. In addition, plans were being evaluated for remodeling of existing apartments to make them larger and more comfortable. Renovation of the Ovilla was to start within a week, and an additional boiler for Hayward Hall was to be connected within a month. Summer school enrollment of 135 was at capacity, and summer school income was $23,000 over budget.

294HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

By 1978, a Cardigan hockey player could expect to lace up his skates for a game either on Canaan Street Lake (top) or in Hyvinkää, Finland (bottom). Faculty member and future trustee Schuyler Peck (left, with Norm Wakely and Joe Collins in 1976) had helped organize the first hockey trip to Finland three years earlier. Visits, games, and academic exchanges between the two communities continue to this day.

at

above: Cardigan’s musical groups during this era included a recorder club, the band, student rock bands, the Chapel choir, the Glee Club, and a smaller singing group known as the C-Notes.

One of the proposals suggested by the sanitary engineer hired in 1974 was to install ameration chambers under the lower soccer field as an alternative to a treatment plant. Test borings, however, ruled out that option, and the study was now shifted to land up Prospect Hill near the trap range. Fundraising for the gym was moving ahead, but not robustly enough to allow the project to be started, and it was reluctantly concluded at this time that construction would have to be put off until funding was more certain—hopefully by the spring of 1976.

The school year 1975–76 started with the highest enrollment since 1968. There were also other changes. The grading system, which had been modified a few years ago from letter grades to Honors, Pass, Fail, was now changed back to the traditional A, B, C, D and F. The retirement of Ruth Johnson after 18 years of service, many of them as secretary in the admissions office, was noted, and Ruth Talbert, secretary to the headmaster, was saluted for 25 years of service. After seeing the school through five very difficult financial years, the assistant treasurer, Dick Rearick, decided to further his career by accepting a position at the Emma Willard School in Troy, NY.

During the fall and early winter, faculty member Jim Crowell continued work with three students to complete construction of an ice boat, which had started out as the boys’ summer project. When the boat was finished, they decided to give it to the school. It served as a winter recreation vehicle for several years.

When the trustees met in May 1976, Bob Gillette announced that he wanted to resign after three years as a trustee, but would continue to work for the school as a member of the corporation. John Tower was elected to succeed him as president, and Savage Frieze was elected vice-president. The development committee reported that $370,000 had been received during the year, and the trustees were finally able to allow construction of the gym to begin. In honor of the long service and many contributions to Cardigan of John Kenerson, one of the few remaining original members of the corporation, the trustees voted to name the whole athletic complex the “Kenerson Athletic Center.” By July the foundation had been poured, with buildings and grounds superintendent, Herb Randall, serving as clerk of the works. Then it was discovered that both water and electric lines were inadequate to serve the new building and must be replaced. Plans for another faculty/student house given by Mr. Banks were in the works; Joe and Ginny Collins were to move in when it was ready, and Jeff and Marie Hicks would take over as heads of Stowell House. Best news of all was that all enrollment figures were up, and that a waiting list for fall was possible.

Summer school 1976, again under Norman’s direction, went well with an enrollment of 135. There was even some progress on the ever-present sewage problem, with a new leach field under construction behind Hopkins and Brewster and bids being sought for a new one behind Hinman. The new faculty/student house would be named Banks House in honor of its donor. Foundations were to be poured before school resumed in September. The headmaster noted that he was still operating without a business manager, but that a search was underway. He also announced that Dick Clancy had decided to retire in June 1977. He was the last of the school’s original employees. Each and every student during Cardigan’s 31 years of existence had served either as a table waiter or worked in the kitchen, so all the alumni knew Clancy. No other staff member at the school had that distinction.

Although Clancy was hired as the chef, in the early days of the school, when it was in the Lodge on Canaan Street, Clancy, as well as other members of the staff and faculty, did all kinds of things around the school. In a recent interview, Mrs. John B. Kenerson talked about one of her first visits to Cardigan for a meeting of the trustees.

“At that time the students were living down on the street at The Lodge and went up to the hill by bus every day for classes. We were coming to a trustees meeting, and it was pouring rain. As we came up the street toward the school, up on the roof over the dining room we saw Clancy, the cook. And he was pounding shingles in, pounding away, and people were yelling from inside the building ‘more to the left, more to the right’ to tell him where the roof was leaking, and here was the cook up on the roof trying to stop the leaks. When we went in to the dining room, there were at least a dozen buckets, at my chair, at other chairs, and it was drip, drip, drip all through the meal. So we had to move our chairs and move the place settings so as not to get dripped on. And poor Clancy had to get down from the roof and back to the kitchen in time to get the food ready. He really did a lot of things that weren’t cooking. He was a great asset, and I think the kids all liked him. When it was their turn to go up to the counter to get things for their table, they’d come back and say, ‘Know what Clancy said?’”

Clancy’s influence extended well beyond the kitchen.

296HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

top: Chris Goldfarb ’81, Stew Dixon ’80, Tim Stephenson ’80, and Willy Morrison ’82 appeared in 1979 as the Founding Fathers in “Contact,” a play written by faculty member John Likshis.

Looking ahead to Clancy’s retirement, Norman had started to investigate commercial food service companies and reported to the trustees that several other independent schools were using them with satisfactory results. It was comforting in looking back over Clancy’s long career to remember that he and Nellie were always there in the kitchen—three times each day, seven days each week, summer and winter, storm or shine. To realize that it was becoming almost impossible to find people willing to devote themselves so wholeheartedly to their work was somewhat discomfiting.

A long article in the newsletter Words about Cardigan reviewed Clancy’s involvement in so many aspects of the school, especially in its early days on Canaan Street. Much of this is recounted in the first section of this history, but the newsletter summed it up as follows:

Clancy has been a good friend to the students, ready to give advice, help with work, tell a good story, or just be a listener. His kitchen has been a welcome place. Clancy’s belief was that the school’s kitchen should be like the kitchen at home—the place where the boys would come if they needed anything from a band-aid for a cut to someone to talk to. This openness has comforted many students over the years, especially those boys who were feeling the loneliness of being away from home for the first time. Many of Cardigan’s foreign students have gravitated towards the kitchen to receive the welcome that Clancy and Nellie extended to these boys. One of the first places that many visiting alumni head for is the kitchen, to recapture some of their best-kept memories of Cardigan.

Upon his retirement on June 4, 1977, management of the kitchen was taken over by dakaFood Service Company, and another milestone was passed.

As another sign of the maturing of the school, and also as symbol of the increasingly litigious nature of current society, the trustees authorized purchase of insurance to cover “wrongful acts” of the members of the two boards with a limit of one million dollars.

The annual auditor’s report in October 1976 showed that the last fiscal year closed with an operating surplus of $106,000, and the school was again filled almost to capacity. Capital projects continued to bring financial pressure, however, and the trustees authorized the treasurer to borrow up to $200,000, to be repaid in not longer than ten years, to cover these necessary expenditures: a new leach field to meet State specifications; an additional $189,000 to complete the Kenerson Athletic Center, and $21,000 to finish Banks House. Amazingly, Norman had been able to arrange for a substantial gift for the leach field from a current parent, Murphy Baxter. It was one of the very few successful attempts to raise money to cure this long-standing problem.

The winter term saw the start of another sport which would continue to be significant in the future, with the inauguration of Cardigan’s first wrestling team. There was space provided for this activity in the new athletic center, and through the generosity of a current parent, Mr. Frank Stella, wrestling mats and other necessary equipment were procured; the Stella Wresting room was dedicated in his honor.

Early in 1977 the headmaster reported to the trustees that he was of necessity having to spend increasing time and effort on fundraising. He had no difficulty outlining a “wish list” of future projects to keep the school moving forward: another faculty/student house; the learning center, which had been discussed for several years; improvements to the infirmary; and funds for continuing assistance for faculty education and training. The current year’s budget, he told them, was being

strained to accommodate inflationary increases in the costs of heat and hot water, retirement benefits, and unemployment insurance.

There was good news to report to trustees about the opening of school in the fall of 1977. Norman had directed the summer school again, assisted by Jeff Hicks, who was expected to take it over the following year. The summer session had been full, and enrollment for winter school was closed early in August. Norman praised Jack Rich as the best admissions man in New England. In other news, Herbert “Randy” Randall resigned after five years as superintendent of buildings and grounds. He had come to Cardigan from Wheaton College in Norton, Mass. and he brought organization and professionalism to the maintenance operation. The trustees noted that, “He leaves Cardigan with a much better situation in regards to maintenance scheduling and procedures.”

This was a year for significant retirements, for in September John Hinman announced he would step down as chairman of the corporation, of which he had been a member since March 1946. Elected chairman in 1964, he had seen the school through the completion of its early growth, through the difficult financial years of the early 1970s, and he saw it recovering and thriving again during the last year or two. Certainly the Hinman family merits a place as the Cardigan First Family. The idea was conceived and brought into being by Hap Hinman, who had the conviction to pursue his dream until it became reality. His brother John joined the corporation before the first students came to the school, and he followed Hap in a leadership role. Another brother, Edward, was elected to the corporation in 1964 and served until 1978. John’s son, Crawford, was elected a trustee in 1955, became secretary in 1968, and held this position until 1992 when he resigned, but continued his affiliation as a member of the corporation. Another son, Richard Hinman, served as a member of the corporation from 1981 until May 1992, and Richard’s son-in-law, John Pfeifle, elected to the corporation in 1987, is still a member in 1995.

Mr. Charles Banks, who had been elected to the corporation last October, offered a gift of $100,000 to be paid over the next three years for remodeling the infirmary. In October he agreed with the board that a new faculty/student house was more pressing, and allowed his pledge to be designated for that purpose. As this house was being planned, faculty who lived in the other houses brought out the fact that some provision ought to be made for substitute faculty coverage of the dormitories in the houses so that the resident faculty could have an occasional night off. With this in mind, the newest house, named Franklin House, in honor of Penny Peck’s other grandfather, was designed with an apartment for a single faculty member, who could share dormitory responsibilities. Construction began in the spring of 1978, but a variety of delays were encountered, and it was not completed until mid-1979.

After operating for two years without a business manager, in September 1977 the trustees appointed Jackie Lary as assistant treasurer—a position she held until January 1992, when she retired from full-time employment.

Harvey Hood’s election to the corporation in 1946 was suitably recorded in the first part of this history. His service extended over many years, and was completed when the trustees in April 1978 accepted with great gratitude his last gift to Cardigan, $100,000 from his estate designated to augment the endowment.

At the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 1978, the physical plant was valued at almost four million dollars, and superintendent Ralph LaPointe had made great progress overcoming years of deferred maintenance since his appointment a year earlier. His department still needed

work to reach the level of organization and professionalism he wanted, and he was now planning to convert the old barn adjacent to the infirmary into a real maintenance shop. There was plenty of space, and he would have an office in one end to serve as his command center.

Gradually it became apparent that the next step toward meeting the physical plant needs of the school was not going to be reached without a formal fundraising campaign.

Norman had been working hard to enlist support for a learning center, and in the fall of 1978, Colin Davidson was hired as the school’s first full-time director of development and alumni relations to provide the necessary organizational support for a capital campaign. The previous year had produced an operating surplus, which still had to be applied toward reducing previous deficits, and unfortunately enrollment was down a bit from the level of a year ago. It seemed so hard to make steady financial progress these past few years, and as 1978 progressed, necessary expenditures for capital repairs and improvements were again running ahead of budget. How pleasant it was, then, when Bob Stoddard stepped up with a gift of $11,000 to complete payment for the water supply system, and Dr. and Mrs. Richard Morrison pledged $30,000 to renovate the infirmary. President Frieze went on record in February 1979 in favor of hiring a full-time development person (Colin Davidson’s tenure had been very short), but the post remained vacant for another 18 months until Sky Peck took on this assignment. The executive committee was not happy in the spring of 1979 to hear that the sewage system for Hayward was leaking—the old, never-ending prob-

lem. They were delighted, however at the good news that 145 boys and 35 girls were enrolled for the summer session—the largest number in its history. While talking about summer school, they discussed the continuing problem of faculty who taught in summer school only because they didn’t want to leave their apartments for the summer. Faculty were needed in the dorms during summer school, so winter school faculty, who were not teaching in the summer, had to vacate their apartments from the end of June until the beginning of September. They were allowed a room adjacent to their apartment in which to store furniture and belongings for the summer, but it was still a great inconvenience. Many faculty with some seniority were understandably reluctant to have to move out, and sometimes would have preferred to attend an educational program during the summer rather than staying on campus to teach. This was not a new problem, but over the years no solution had been found.

Cardigan had weathered the turbulent 70s with the prudent guidance of the trustees, the strong leadership of the headmaster, and with the support of a dedicated faculty and staff, who helped economize and took on extra duties when necessary because of reduced staff. Building of a much hoped for and needed learning center had been repeatedly delayed while all available funds were allocated to far less glamorous projects of water supply, sewage disposal, and the increasing cost of plant maintenance and repair—exacerbated by high rates of inflation. Another period of growth and expansion was about to begin. r

298HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

ConCluding the First FortY Years (1979–85)

The annual meeting of the trustees in October 1979 found them full of hope and optimism. Summer school had operated at record capacity, and outside groups using the campus afterward—lacrosse, orchestra, and football clinics—brought in a surplus of $10,000. Autumn saw a full school and the need for a learning center more pressing. Nationwide there was renewed confidence in the stock market, and the combination of full enrollment and a more optimistic economic outlook gave the trustees courage to believe that a major capital campaign could be undertaken with reasonable assurance of success. John Tower, finishing his term as president, agreed to co-chair a capital campaign committee with Bob Gillette.

As the year 1979-80 progressed, John Tower outlined the need to develop a deferred giving program as a permanent part of the school’s fundraising package. By April 1980 the necessary resolutions were passed to establish a Pooled Income Fund for deferred giving. To strengthen the support capabilities of the development office, an iBm System-Six computer was installed. This equipment could produce individually addressed letters to a selected constituency, and could also be used to keep records of annual and capital gifts. The mechanics for running a campaign were being put into place. By May 1980, before the capital campaign had even started, the development committee reported that over half a million dollars had been given or pledged toward the learning center. This success was largely due to the efforts of Savage Frieze and Norman Wakely, who had been traveling all over the country during the year to raise money. Representatives of the Hanover architectural firm Fleck & Lewis attended that meeting in May and presented an initial concept of a learning center. Since sufficient funds for construction were on hand, and with confidence that the

campaign about to be launched could reach its goal of five million dollars, the trustees made the decision to go ahead with the necessary planning to design, develop, and build the learning center. John Tower, reporting as chairman for the capital campaign, again emphasized the need for a fulltime development director to support the campaign efforts. He repeated this to the trustees in October, and shortly thereafter faculty member Schuyler Peck was appointed to fill the position. In his first report to the board in December, he announced that pledges from the corporation and trustees amounted to over $500,000. The grand total of gifts and pledges of over one million dollars had met the campaign’s first target on the way to the five million dollar goal.

Sometimes the flow of progress of an institution is interrupted by an event of such significance that it can be said to have materially changed the course of events. Such turning points are unexpected, surprising, and unpredictable because they are not the result of any particular effort or action but seem to happen of their own volition. Such a moment came as Cardigan’s Today/Tomorrow campaign was in its early stages.

John Kirk’s grandson was at that time a Cardigan student. John enjoyed a tour of the campus with his grandson on Grandparents’ Day and was caught up in the boy’s enthusiasm for his new school. During an assembly in the chapel, Norman told grandparents about the capital campaign to build a learning center, explaining how important that building would be to bring the school to a new academic level with its expanded library, a working theatre, and proper space for reading and study skills and foreign language classrooms. John Kirk could envision this building and its importance to the school. He was, at that time, doing some consulting work for Mrs. Julie Kidd of the Christian A.

above: Norm Wakely planned to celebrate his birthday (AKAHeadmaster’s Day) with a hot air balloon in 1981. Winds proved too strong, so the balloon returned for Green & White Day. Hugh Temple ’81 and Don Diebel ’82 won the first ride—after Wakely—by collecting the most misplaced books for librarian Carol Shelton.

1. Cardigan grandparents John and Barbara Kirk (with Christian Kidd) converse with librarian Carol Shelton at the opening of Kirk Library in 1983. The Kirks learned of the planned academic building during a Grandparents’ Weekend, and sharing their enthusiasm with Julie Kidd of the Endeavor Foundation led to a transformative million-dollar challenge grant.

2. Cardigan’s summer project program allowed participating students to pursue passion projects in lieu of summer reading, under the guidance of longtime faculty member Wim Hart. The community could view projects in the Kenerson Social Center during fall family weekend, but some projects, like the quarterpipe skateboarding ramp built by Vern Friklund ’85, required a slightly larger display space.

3. through 5. Student clubs and activities reflect the interests of the day. In 1983, evergreen offerings like the games club were joined by a sauna club (inspired by Finnish friends) and a unicycle club that boasted ten members— each with their own unicycle!

Johnson Endeavour Foundation in New York and was able to share his enthusiasm for this project with Mrs. Kidd. He put her in touch with Norman, who invited her to visit the campus and discuss the project. She did so, was impressed with the need for a learning center, and, as a result, in April 1981 the Foundation made a challenge grant of one million dollars toward the campaign— the largest pledge ever received by the school. The Foundation promised to pay $200,000 per year for five years if the school raised $400,000 each year from other sources. Coming as it did in the early part of the campaign, this challenge provided a tremendously powerful incentive to promote capital gifts and was the stimulus needed to enable the school to reach its lofty goal.

What a boost this was to the committee! With gifts and pledges at this point just over $2,250,000, they knew that if they raised another two million to qualify for the challenge grant, the five million dollar goal would be attainable. A lot of hard work lay ahead, but the possibility of a learning center now seemed real.

By the following August sufficient funds were on hand so that the trustees cast the decisive vote to go ahead with construction of the learning center. When the trustees and corporation members met on campus in October 1981, construction had already started.

When Savage Frieze became president of the trustees in 1979, he had no idea of staying in that position for the next fourteen years, nor did he imagine the challenges and triumphs that lay ahead. A high point of the meeting that year was the dedication of Franklin House, the last one of three faculty/student houses to be built along the west edge of campus.

Another dedication took place in December 1979 with the installation of a new organ in the chapel. What a delightful addition to the campus—Hal Finkbeiner’s dream come true— and it was fully paid for, with most of the contributions coming from grandparents. This state-of-the-art digital computer instrument had three manuals and the equivalent of 62 ranks of pipes. During Parents’ Weekend in February 1980, Hal presented an organ recital including works by Bach, Frank, Mendelssohn, and Widor to demonstrate the capacity of the instrument.

An unusual lack of snow that winter turned the whole lake into a skating rink and provided great opportunity to use the ice boat. For the first time, however, there was no snow on the ground for Parents’ Weekend, and a full schedule of skiing competition against other schools was on the program. Challenging circumstances call for extraordinary efforts, and that was the case that year at Cardigan. A three-kilometer oval cross-country track was laid out on the lake for first-ever on-the-flat competitions against Vermont Academy and Holderness. A substitute slalom course, however, was not so easy to achieve. To fulfill this need the maintenance crew plowed and scraped a little snow from the lake, and a wastebasket brigade of students carried it to campus to build “Mt. Hopkins”, where the entire alpine team worked for three days watering the hill with thousands of gallons of water to make slalom races possible. David Shelton and his work detail were also called into service to shovel snow into trash cans and haul them up to dump on the ski jump. They called it “Polish snow.” As a result of these efforts to compensate for the vagaries of Mother Nature, all the planned outdoor competitions took place, and the weekend was, as usual, a success.

Little has been said in this history about faculty, except for noting a few outstanding individual achievements. During these years of declining enrollment, the excellence of its faculty was a very important factor in Cardigan’s success. A poor faculty can quickly spoil a school’s reputation; but Cardigan’s outstanding faculty helped build the school’s status by stimulating students to reach for their maximum potential and by helping them to develop confidence in their ability to succeed. As a result Cardigan graduates were able to enroll and excel in high schools and prep schools. Their success delighted parents, who became enthusiastic promoters and recommended the school to friends and neighbors.

Assistant headmaster, Joe Collins, and Norman expended a lot of time and effort in selecting new faculty. Joe Collins wrote about this in the Cardigan Commentary of March 1980:

Once a school is founded and established with stated objectives and purposes, there follows the continuing need to attract and to maintain the group of people who are primarily responsible for bringing the words and ideas to life. The breadth, depth and quality of the complete educational experience depends upon the attitudes, skills and interests of the faculty. One hears about the surplus of teachers available today, but the shortage of good teachers is as acute today as it always has been. The shortage is even more acute when one attempts to find expertise and competence in academics, athletics, dormitory management and counselling in a single individual.

at top: An excerpt from a short-lived student publication, The Cougar, offers a student view of the undefeated football season in 1982.

above: During winters with low precipitation, the campus community worked together to make meets like this ski jumping competition possible. As the 1983 Blaze noted, “Snow was scarce; but enthusiasm was high.”

Many teachers will not consider a boarding school with the long hours, lack of privacy, and the personal restrictions that are involved. Others welcome the opportunity to be a part of a close community and to have the unique possibility of working with students through a variety of experiences and circumstances.

Aside from good academic and scholastic credentials, the next most important ingredients of a school faculty are variety and versatility. Cardigan is attempting to offer as broad a range of skills and experiences as it possibly can to provide a base for our students’ entrance to secondary school. This requires a faculty with a variety of skills and experiences. The age span of our faculty is six decades and presents the combination of enthusiasm, wisdom, strength, energy and experience expected of such breadth. Combinations such as the science teacher [in his mid- sixties] who wrote the text being used in his classes and is still breaking speed skating records at Lake Placid each year, a School Chaplain who is also an accomplished magician, the math teacher who has been a professional ski and cycling racer, the English teacher who has been a disc jockey, teachers who, in spare time or in previous occupations, build complicated model airplanes, research and design alternative energy systems, publish books and articles in and out of their academic fields, teach university-level extension courses, operate a small farm, play in local musical groups, exhibit and sell art and craft work, hold offices in local government and the fire department and participate in highlevel athletic competition provide models for living and sources of information and instruction that go far beyond the classroom. These are the things that make our school a real learning and living experience.

Whenever possible we employ married teachers, and the women on campus provide an invaluable and often unappreciated dimension to school living. In an unofficial and informal fashion they often provide the warmth and little extras that are often missing in an all-male environment. The counselling, companionship, attention and occasional scolding that they offer on a daily basis mean a great deal to many of the boys.

Since the opening of school in September we have received about 50 applications for positions next year, and there will probably be close to 200 before hiring for next year is completed.

When our needs for next year become known, usually during March and April, letters and resumes will be re-read and screened, references checked, and interviews arranged. It is a very time-consuming process, but so vitally important to the school and to the teacher that it is worth every hour that it takes.

Cardigan is proud of its faculty and the job that they do. They are equally proud of the school, and this is reflected in what they offer to your children.

An example of the efforts of faculty to recognize academic achievement was the work of Rita Carey in organizing the Cardigan Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society in 1980.

Eight students were inducted into the society at its first meeting. Membership open only to 8th and 9th graders required that boys must meet the following criteria:

r be in a minimum of three upper level class sections

r have attended Cardigan for at least two terms

r have a cumulative grade average of 85% over the first two terms of the year

r be enrolled in a foreign language course—unless English is their second language

r have exhibited characteristics of leadership, school citizenship, character and service

Librarian Carol Shelton, always looking for ways to promote the library, had found a novel way to augment the school’s book collection. 1980 was the second successful year of her “Birthday Book” program. From a list she provided, parents could buy a book to be added to the library in commemoration of their son’s birthday. Each gift book carried a bookplate with the name of the birthday boy, and he was allowed to be the first one to check the book out. Over 200 volumes were added to the library that year as a result of the program.

The resignation of J. Walker Wiggin from the corporation in October 1980 brought to a close almost 30 years of service to Cardigan. The first section of this history detailed the important role he played in the merger of Clark School with Cardigan in 1952, at which time Walker was elected a trustee. He served as vice president for 14 years; after three years as president he became a member of the Corporation in 1971. He was consistently generous with prudent legal advice to the school, and his dry sense of humor enlivened many board meetings.

In New Hampshire independent secondary schools and colleges receive their academic accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Accreditation is reviewed and renewed every 10 years. It is a serious and time-consuming process. For a full year in advance an institution must undertake a prescribed form of self-study covering academic structure, curriculum, staff and goals. A similar study is made of all administrative functions including finance, physical plant management, admissions, business and development offices, and the headmaster’s office. Following the completion of this self-study, a visiting team of faculty and administrators from member institutions spends four days at the school, discussing the self-study report with groups of faculty and administrators to ascertain if the school is doing what it has stated to be its purposes and goals. Thereafter the visiting committee recommends whether or not to renew accreditation, and may also include in its report suggestions for changes and improvement. Cardigan received its first accreditation in 1963, and it was renewed again during 1980. Additional recognition came in December when the school was accepted as the first Elementary Boarding School member of the New England Association of Secondary Schools.

In the fall of 1980 Bill Barron began his career at Cardigan and started a wrestling program which brought the school into prominence. The new Kenerson Center included a wrestling room, but in 1980 wrestling was only an intramural sport. Bill had coached wrestling at college in California, and he readily agreed to Norman’s request to start a wrestling program. He recalled, “That first year we essentially worked out of the wrestling room, even had some meets there. It was crowded, and we had about a dozen kids.” In 1983 he conceived the idea of organizing the Cardigan Mountain Wrestling Tournament which attracted 14 teams and 163 wrestlers from five states the first year. It has grown in popularity and participation every year since, and in 1994 twenty-seven teams from eight states took part in the competition. In an article in the Cardigan Chronicle of 1991, Bill recounted the history of the tournament:

302HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

1. through 3. The Ritz-Cardigan dinner for faculty and underclassmen was an annual fundraiser sponsored by the senior class. The steak and lobster meal was a highlight of the spring calendar, both for the delicious food and for the opportunity to watch upperclassmen showing off their hosting skills, as seen in these images from 1980.

4. A new mat helped support 1982’s fledgling wrestling team, coached by faculty member Bill Barron. Although Cardigan’s wrestling room had been in use since 1968, the team had only been competing against other schools for two years.

5. The Dartmouth-affiliated lacrosse camp helmed by Dud Hendrick focused on sportsmanship and character, and heavily influenced Cardigan’s program and players. Running since 1979, the camp still takes place on The Point today, though Hendrick passed the baton to new leadership in 2016. Here, reserve athletes get some advice from coach Francis Rives; the following year the varsity team would be undefeated.

at top: “Oliver” was the first show to go up in Stoddard’s completed performing space in 1983, with the performing troupe including 40 Cardigan students as well as 14 girls from Mascoma High School.

above: A still from 1984’s “Arsenic and Old Lace” offers a view of the Stoddard venue in action.

While initially the tournament was designed to provide a mid-season evaluation which separated wrestlers of differing ability and experience, due to demand it now provides middle school competition of the highest calibre. There are some unique facets of the tournament which make the day a special one for all involved. For the past five years, 1984 Olympic gold medalist Bobby Weaver has spent the entire day working with wrestlers and coaches in the wrestling room, offering pointers, insights and lessons from experience. For many young athletes this exposure and personal contact is the highlight of the day, an experience which helps them focus on aspects other than winning and losing.

In 1992 Bill started the Cardigan Mountain Wrestling Weekend—a two-day summer program open to wrestlers from age ten to eighteen, which in 1993 featured Olympians Nate Carr and Bobby Weaver. The program started on Friday afternoon, and boys spent all day Saturday working with a staff of clinicians and coaches large enough to insure quality instruction and individual attention in an intensive format. As a weekend clinic, it enabled older wrestlers to schedule this experience around their work schedule.

From its earliest days, there was always a sizable number of students who came to Cardigan with reading difficulties. Students with reading problems were usually counseled to delay starting the study of a foreign language until prep school, since they were having quite enough difficulty with English. At one time the school offered language instruction in French, Spanish, and Latin. Both Latin and Spanish instruction were dropped during the 1970s because of declining interest in foreign language study. In 1978 Spanish was re-introduced into the curriculum. By 1980 a total of 87 boys were studying French or Spanish, and most of them were in upper level courses which cover material through the second year of foreign language study by the end of ninth grade. In addition instruction in Latin was offered through the language training program.

Faculty member Lawrence Goldthwait was selected to give the commencement address in 1980 and was the only active member of the Cardigan faculty ever to have this honor. Larry came to Cardigan in 1970 after teaching for many years in other independent schools. He also had taught at Colby Junior College and at the University of Maine and had just finished writing a textbook for introductory physical science designed for use in the eighth and ninth grades. Students were impressed by working with a teacher who had written their textbook. They were also impressed with his love of teaching, his patience and kindness toward them, and the great variety of experiences he had to share with his classes, from geological research in the North Carolina hills to taking samples of ancient ice on the glaciers in Greenland. Larry was also an athlete—continuing to compete on the ice in speed skating, which he had started at Dartmouth and continued in the Senior Olympics. In March 1980 he was skating at Lake Placid, where for the past seven years he had competed in speed skating events on the 400 meter track. Moreover, that year he had set new records in four events skating in the 65–69-year-old-class against competitors from the US and Canada. The senior class dedicated their yearbook to him in 1977 with these words:

In the seven years that Lawrence Goldthwait has served on Cardigan’s faculty, students and staff alike have reaped the benefits of a long career in teaching and learning.

A respected author, a fine sportsman, and a true scientist, all these have combined to enhance Mr. Goldthwait’s role as our teacher. He is a true humanitarian whose steady help and sincere interest can always be relied upon.

He has a patience and respect for life in all forms. The constant quiet application of this philosophy in all he says and does has given us all a fine example to follow. We are fortunate to have been his students.

Cardigan’s success in maintaining near-full enrollment during several recent years can be attributed largely to the hard work of Jack Rich, aided by continuing promotional activities of the headmaster. John Oliver Rich was the school’s first director of admissions. After his arrival in 1969, he worked tirelessly and enthusiastically to promote Cardigan. David Shelton recalled that when he joined the faculty in 1963, the boys were older than was customary for eighth and ninth graders. He remembered some students who were old enough to go into the marines when they left Cardigan. This situation had changed by the end of the 60s. After Jack Rich arrived, David noticed a change in both the age and the caliber of new students. Hal Finkbeiner, who started teaching the same year that Jack Rich arrived, said “Every year thereafter there

304HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

was a difference in the student body.” Students, he said, were the proper age for each grade (not many repeating a grade) and were better prepared academically. “As a result,” Hal continued, “we went from a rather loose academic standard to a very stringent academic standard over the years. The only reason we were able to do this was because of the calibre of new students admitted by Jack Rich.” Ruth Johnson had joined the admissions office as secretary, and she and Jack were outstanding in their efforts to make visiting parents and students feel welcome and comfortable on campus. Jack brought organization to the admissions function, keeping close track of inquiries, completed applications, and enrollment acceptances so as to provide better estimates of total enrollment for budgeting and planning. He and Norman worked together on the plan to recruit Central and South American students to come to Cardigan during their summer vacation—from September through December— to study English. Looking back to the 1970s, Norman said recently, “Jack Rich literally kept the school in existence during those difficult years. Jack came at a time when the school was in bad straits in regards to enrollment, and he was untiring in recruiting students from all over the United States.” Through his many contacts in France and Switzerland, Jack was also able to enroll sons of American parents living and working in Europe. For several years he personally conducted the March cultural trips to the Mediterranean, a favorite of many students. Jack Rich performed a dual function, directing both admissions for winter and summer school as well as secondary school placement; thus he brought boys into Cardigan and sent them forth to their next school. Many parents of Cardigan students have sung his praises over the years for his help in selecting just the right secondary school for their sons—a school which would provide sufficient challenge but not so much as to overwhelm them—in short, a place where they could succeed. The seniors dedicated their 1981 yearbook to Jack Rich.

For the past several years, Jack had been assisted in the admissions and placement work on a part-time basis by foreign language teacher, Jeff Hicks. In February 1981, upon announcing his intention to retire in the spring, Jack was confident in recommending Jeff as his successor. At that time he reported to the trustees that there was increasing effort by secondary schools to enroll Cardigan students for their own ninth grades rather than waiting for them to finish and enter in grade ten. This development, of course, made it harder to keep the ninth grade full.

Since new and different things happened on campus each year, 1981 was no exception. Chaplain Harry Mahoney, starting his fifteenth year at Cardigan that fall, had long been an amateur radio enthusiast and set up a ham radio station in his apartment in Hinman Hall. Over the years a number of boys had become interested in this hobby, and he helped several to obtain their FCC amateur radio licenses. The increasing number of foreign students on campus provided an opportunity for him to put the radio equipment to good use by students from Finland, Guatemala, and several other South American countries who were able to contact their families using Harry’s short-wave equipment.

In the past two years, the New Hampshire Youth Orchestra had held a summer camp on the Cardigan campus under an arrangement started by Joe Collins, who was a member of their Board of Trustees. In May 1981 the orchestra was again on campus for a concert in the chapel. Students were enthusiastic about this performance especially because two faculty children were members of the orchestra —Debbie Crowell and Cathy Shelton.

Headmaster’s Day was a tradition started by Norman; Beverly said it was because he didn’t want to go to school on his birthday, so he declared it a holiday. Every year Norman tried to make it a bit different. Traditionally it was announced the same way—the Headmaster appeared for breakfast in his yellow sweater instead of the usual coat and tie, heralding his announcement that “todaY is headmaster’s daY.”Students ran back to their rooms to exchange school clothes for more casual attire and to get bats, balls, gloves, Frisbees and whatever else they could find to celebrate Norman’s birthday by enjoying a day off from classes. In 1981 he arranged a special treat—hot air balloon rides. Norman, who had planned everything to make a great day— the sun was shining, a picnic with hot dogs, hamburgers, watermelon, popcorn and soft ice cream— couldn’t control every aspect of the weather. A wind came up during the morning, making conditions unsuitable for ballooning. He determined that the boys were not to miss this treat and arranged for the balloon to return on Green and White Day. By then the weather was favorable. Carol Shelton cleverly conceived a treasure hunt to see who would have the first rides. Students were challenged to track down overdue library books, and those returning the largest number of them went to the head of the line for the balloon rides. The hunt was successful, 120 books having been returned.

above: Joe Collins, pictured at top, was himself an example of the excellence he sought when interviewing Cardigan teachers. Among the superb hires made during his tenure were longtime faculty members Edilberto Ramos (shown in 1981 with one of Cardigan’s first teaching computers) and Wim Hart (signing students up for the 1984 “Pebble Leach” golf tournament).

In a recent interview Norman said: “Every headmaster’s day was great in my books. It was something we planned ahead, set money aside for, and the students had no idea what was going to happen,” and then he remembered one plan he had that didn’t come to fruition. “I discovered a place in Hartford, Conn. where you can jump out of an airplane with a parachute. I had called ahead and arranged with a friend of my son Charlie, to meet me there. I borrowed the video camera from Carol Shelton and a walkie-talkie, and I had this dream of jumping out of the plane and announcing ‘Today is Headmaster’s Day’ and this would be on film and I could put it on in the theater as a novel way to announce the day. So I went down and paid $200 for special insurance, which you had to have, and I was all set. I took the lessons right there before going up in the plane. Then the wind came up, and they wouldn’t let me go up and jump out of the airplane.”

“Well, I didn’t do it, and the next week I went to Boston and saw one of my favorite incorporators, Charles Cotting, and I told him what I had tried to do. And he said, ‘Norman, you’ve got to promise me that you will never, never do that again while I’m living.’ And that gave me a good excuse not to do it again, so I didn’t. And I’ve never had any desire to do it since.”

Other exciting news was new computer equipment on campus: four Radio Shack tsr-80s were delivered and installed, providing opportunity for 50% of boys in the seventh grade and 60% of the boys in ninth grade to take a full-time course in computer theory and programming.

In August 1981 the trustees approved plans for the learning center which had been developed by Hanover architects Fleck & Lewis. They also awarded the construction contract to Trumbull-Nelson Construction Co., another Hanover firm. As work on the building progressed, fundraising efforts continued, spurred on by the million dollar challenge grant. By February 1982 Norman reported that $1,215,000 had been received toward the building and that he expected it would be paid for without the need of borrowing. Work continued on schedule until the building was completed, and it was dedicated in October 1982. It was the unanimous decision of the trustees to name the new building in honor of the Stoddard family.

Robert W. Stoddard, President of the Wyman-Gordon Corporation in Worcester, Mass., was in that city a civic leader and philanthropist. Always an enthusiastic supporter of the school, he had proposed board members from among his associates in Worcester, solicited financial support from them, and made possible substantial gifts from his corporation as well as from the family charitable foundation. The plaque naming the Stoddard Center in his honor reads:

Robert Waring Stoddard as a member of the Corporation since 1945 and a devoted supporter of the school has always held a clear view of Cardigan’s goals and purposes. His interest and generous counsel have been an unfailing source of our strength.

What a celebration there was in honor of this addition to campus! The need for a learning center had been identified years ago, and as the school had grown in size and its stature and reputation had increased, the lack of adequate library and resource facilities became more apparent. The undertaking of a major capital campaign also signified a large step in the growth and maturity of Cardigan. Financing of most of the building and expansion projects prior to this time had been handled largely by the members of the boards. Now the school had reached the point of being able to mount a campaign on its own and to generate support from a constituency of parents, alumni, foundations, and friends,

including but not confined to trustees and incorporators. Completion of the Stoddard center was evidence of Cardigan’s emerging maturity. Alumni, parents, neighbors, students, and friends were all present for the festive ceremonies and marveled at this beautiful building.

The view of Mt. Cardigan had been cherished from the inception of planning the new campus. The dining room featured a large picture window framing a view of the mountain and the lake. A large window was installed at the front of the chapel to take advantage of the scenic outlook. In designing the learning center, the architect considered carefully the site and planned the building to hug the side of the hill so that visitors arriving in the parking lot outside Hopkins Hall could look over the roof of the center right at Cardigan Mountain. From the parking lot, stairs led down to the main floor of the library and continued downward for two more levels. A three story window allowed students to enjoy a view of the neighboring hills and mountains. The library space was not only functional but spectacular. Tables, chairs, benches, and carrels provided a variety of comfortable work spaces adaptable to whatever range of activities might transpire there. Outside the library a wide hallway served as an exhibition gallery where the work of students as well as visiting artists could be properly displayed. Across the hall, doors opened into the modern theatre, large enough to accommodate the entire student body for meetings, movies, and lectures and with a stage adequate to handle the most ambitious theatrical and artistic performances. A magnificent theatre organ, gift of a family from Vermont in memory of their grandmother, stood in the pit below the stage.

A sloping ramp led from the main library level to classroom areas at the rear of the building designed especially for the reading & study skills and foreign language departments. Over the years the Stoddard Center has more than fulfilled all the plans and dreams that led to its design and construction.

Maintaining enrollments continued to require increased effort. To assist with handling the volume of paperwork, Jeff Hicks had installed in the admissions office a computer system which by October 1982 was up and running and proving to be helpful. Jeff was delighted to report that the school was full with 182 students and that five boys were on the wait list for admission.

Facilities for computer education for students were augmented during the summer of 1983 when a computer lab was set up by the math department in the classroom level of Hayward Hall with eight Radio Shack terminals tied to a central processor. Faculty were also to receive instruction in their use.

There is a time in the academic year when fall athletics have ended but winter sports cannot be started. To fill this void, athletics are replaced for one week with a different program intended to stimulate young minds and expose them to a variety of new experiences. In 1982 the program was called Discovery Week. It was designed to celebrate the new facilities available in the Stoddard Center. Twenty different workshops, presented over the five-day period by faculty and visiting artists, actors, musicians, and poets ended each afternoon with a bonus performance by one of the artists. The drama club was, of course, delighted with the new theatre, and in the spring of 1983 christened the stage with a production of “Oliver” that featured a cast of 40 Cmsboys and 14 girls from Mascoma Valley Regional High School. Three performances played to packed houses.

In October 1982 the trustees accepted with regret Jerry Newton’s resignation as treasurer. For over thirty years he had served the school as trustee, treasurer, and president always providing prudent financial advice and counsel, encouraging thrift, and resisting temptations to

306HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

1. The first Grandparents’ Weekend was held in 1972; a decade later, Cardigan’s newsletter described the annual gathering as “the big event to welcome spring.” The schedule in 1982 included receptions, athletic contests, and other festivities; here, Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Ferguson of Houston join grandson Robert Cook ’83 for a meal in Cardigan’s dining hall.

2. In 1983, admissions and development staff collaborated on a film to encourage enrollment. The three-month project produced a 12-minute film, “used to show the School to interested people who can’t visit the campus.”

4. through 6. The spring of 1982 hinted at the significant changes that were coming to campus. Above, faculty member Linda Boucher joins Bev Wakely in preparing materials for the new Reading Center within Stoddard. Below, trustees gather around board chair Savage Frieze and honoree Robert Stoddard (center) during board weekend. For the trustee tour of the building, still under construction, students perform scenes from “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” on the soon-to-be stage.

3. Jack Rich, whose work Norm Wakely credited with keeping Cardigan afloat during difficult times, passed the admissions torch to faculty member Jeff Hicks in 1981. Hicks (shown above, advising the stereo building club the year prior) would remain Cardigan’s admissions director for a decade.

308HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

The School invited the community back to The Point to celebrate Cardigan’s 40th anniversary at a “Birthday Bash” in September, 1985; keen eyes will spy future headmaster Dave McCusker ’80 in the large group of alumni who returned for the festivities (above). Corporation Chairman Bob Gillette presented a brief Cardigan history and the School dedicated a new Founders’ Quadrangle. Its stated purpose: “to provide an out-of-doors meeting place for companionship with others; to provide amid the rush and pressures of daily life a resting place where one may ’lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.’”

spend and expand more rapidly than available resources could accommodate. He spent countless hours assisting with budgeting and financial reports and was always a willing and available resource for members of the business office staff.

Before, throughout, and subsequent to construction of the Stoddard Center, problems with water supply and sewage disposal had demanded the attention of the trustees. In May 1983 John Coffin reported for the building committee that an additional and potentially expensive problem on campus was the amount of friable asbestos which showed up in a survey required by new federal regulations. Solutions for these problems would involve increasing time and expense over the next several years.

Matters of policy and management also needed consideration by the trustees and incorporators in 1983. The two groups made these decisions:

r to consider female representation on the corporation

r to admit only male students to winter school—without exception

r to augment employee benefits by adding long-term disability and life insurance

r to increase the amount of umbrella liability insurance to $15 million

At the end of the year, the new director of development, David Crittenden, reported that the Today/Tomorrow campaign had qualified for the fourth matching grant of $200,000 from the Endeavour Foundation and that only $400,000 more needed to be raised before the final amount of the million dollar challenge grant could be received.

Finding an acceptable source for drinking water, a long term problem, became a priority in February 1984 when the lake water was declared unsuitable for drinking. Many other solutions having failed, the trustees now authorized drilling an artesian well. Two months later the well was functioning and supplying good potable water. By October a second well had been drilled and passed the State tests. Additional wells would be necessary in order to provide the necessary volume of water, but it was a relief at long last to have found a workable solution. Well work continued, and in February 1985 the building committee reported that three drilled wells were still not producing sufficient volume to satisfy state standards and that another one would be needed. To satisfy new regulations, additional storage tanks and a new pump house might also be required. No solution had yet been found for the septic problems, however, and the latest report noted that all the systems on campus were in trouble and that only the newest field at Franklin house was working well.

The trustees next turned their attention to other problems with the physical plant. A report to the executive committee in November 1984

stated that four buildings would need new roofs—the covered sports area, the locker building, Newton house, and the woodworking shop. Work was also necessary on several boilers, and an energy conservation plan was needed. New State laws had been passed which required installation of smoke detectors in many locations on campus. The list seemed endless, and, in addition, the headmaster was talking about further capital needs—this time a science building and equipment for making artificial ice in the hockey rink.

Enough money had been raised through the Today/Tomorrow campaign to build the learning center, but the five million dollar campaign goal had not yet been met. By February of 1985 total contributions on hand were sufficient to qualify for the final payment of the million dollar matching grant from the Endeavour Foundation, but the campaign was still $900,000 short of the goal. Norman, the development office, and the trustees and incorporators were working hard to stimulate enough contributions to finish the campaign by fall.

The start of the 1985–86 school year marked the 40th anniversary of Cardigan’s founding. The incorporators noted the recent loss of two of their members, each of whom in his own way, had been significant in the school’s history: Robert Stoddard who died in December 1984, and Charles Cotting who passed away just before the meeting. The Stoddard Foundation, which had supported the construction of the learning center, continued to help with two fine gifts, sufficient to put the capital campaign over the top. There couldn’t have been a better way to start the 40th year than by the announcement that the five million dollar capital campaign had been closed successfully. This was a real milestone in Cardigan’s history and started the year on a high note of confidence and enthusiasm. Charles Cotting, an enthusiastic and steadfast supporter while a board member for 39 years, was memorialized by the incorporators in the following Minute:

The Corporation pays tribute to the quiet, generous support of Mr. Charles E. Cotting from almost the inception of the school. He did not desire any ostentation of his generosity which is marked by a granite boulder designating Cotting Field. His soft spoken, dry Yankee counsel was always appreciated. His beneficence and sagacity will be missed and long remembered.

The founding of a school inspired by the vision of one man, its gradual growth and development under the guidance of a group of incorporators and trustees dedicated to that vision, and its maturation into an accredited, increasingly well-known institution with a fine reputation and an outstanding physical plant constitute a remarkable accomplishment within forty years. r

norman’s golden Years (1985–89)

After the October celebrations were behind them, the trustees returned to the realities of running the school. It was encouraging to learn that the 1985 summer session had produced a surplus of $200,000 ($30,000 over budget), but Jeff Hicks reported a drop in inquiries, which had started as early as February. He noted also that Cardigan’s summer session was facing increasing competition from other schools, which were now starting their own summer programs, and he concluded this situation would make budgeting difficult for at least the next two years. The school opened with only 170 students, the lowest number in the last three years, and Jeff said other schools he talked with were also experiencing a noticeable decline in current inquiries.

At the same time Norman thought that with one successful capital campaign now completed, it might be possible to build on that success to start raising funds for a science building. The trustees showed their support for the idea, but with their usual conservatism moved to start work on the building only when a million dollars had been received for the project.

Utilities problems continued to be a great concern to the trustees with solutions tantalizingly just beyond reach. Earlier in the fall they had retained a firm of consulting engineers to develop a comprehensive plan for water procurement, sewage disposal, and fire protection which could be approved by the State, and they now agreed to go ahead with a firm contract but only after written acceptance of the proposal by the State was in hand. In January 1986 they authorized an expenditure of up to $2 million for the project, and asked the treasurer to develop plans for financing up to half that amount. They also authorized the headmaster to undertake a $2 million capital drive for the utilities project over the next two years. By May they were encouraged to have the help of Stuart Steele, a new trustee who ran a large contracting company in southern New Hampshire. Surely, they thought, his expertise would now lead them to a solution.

And indeed, after studying the engineering proposal, he estimated that the water problems could be solved for less money than had been estimated, and the trustees agreed to go ahead with the project under his guidance. Norman, in the meantime, had been trying to develop a plan for a $2 million campaign for utilities work, and after several months of study said he thought the prospect of raising money for a sewer system was impossible because this was a project which had no appeal to potential donors. No one was interested in giving money for a commemorative manhole cover. By October 1986 Stuart Steele said he thought the bid of $203,000 for a water system was unreasonable, and that he estimated $150,000 would do it if they waited until next spring to solicit bids. A definitive solution still seemed to be beyond reach.

For several years the trustees had been aware that the school’s infirmary needed an overhaul. Plans had been proposed for a whole new building, but other projects always seemed to take precedence. Earlier this year Dr. Richard Morrison and his wife decided to make a substantial gift to the school to remodel the infirmary, and in October 1985 the Morrison Infirmary was officially dedicated.

Mention must here be made of another milestone that was passed. During the winter of 1985-86 the ski tow at the Pinnacle did not operate because of meager snow conditions. As an alternative, the ski program was moved to Whaleback, a small ski area in nearby Lebanon which had snow-making equipment and therefore was operating that winter. Over the past twenty years many commercial ski areas in New

England had made the heavy capital investment in snow-making equipment because they had suffered through too many winters when snow conditions prevented them from operating during the entire winter season. This equipment was expensive to install and to run, but the expenditure was worthwhile if it allowed ski areas to operate throughout winters when there was insufficient natural snow. Over the years Cardigan had managed to run its ski program, keeping the Pinnacle open whenever possible and traveling to other nearby commercial areas when necessary. This year they didn’t even try to operate the ski lift, but contracted with Whaleback to host a daily ski program. There has been no skiing at the Pinnacle since then.

Adding to the headmaster’s other problems at the start of the 1986 school year was the sudden resignation of David Crittenden as director of development. Annual fund materials were not ready, a newsletter was due shortly, and there was no one to take care of these things. In his great need, Norman turned to an old friend, Dick Rearick, who had recently returned to New Hampshire, and persuaded him to take over the development office.

Norman certainly had lived through enough crises at the school so that he was not overwhelmed by problems; so it was not because of present difficulties that he announced to the trustees in October 1986 his intention to retire in two years— in June 1989. He told them that he and Beverly had made up their minds to retire when their youngest daughter, Missy, graduated from college, and this would take place in 1989. To the trustees, however, it was a bombshell; not since Wilfred Clark left in 1955 had they had to undertake a headmaster search. It seemed like an intimidating task to be added to the already difficult ones they were facing.

Another retirement was announced at the same time. Dr. Israel Dinnerman had been the school’s physician since its opening day, and after a long career serving as the town of Canaan’s only physician— one of the last real country doctors—the time had come for him to stop practicing medicine.

The end of 1986 was marked by two significant gifts to the school. Trustee Stuart Steele was now convinced that a water treatment system acceptable to the State could be built for $100,000, and to back up his belief, he personally pledged this amount toward the water project. The other gift was $250,000 from the Christian Humann Foundation to create an endowment fund to support the theater and cultural programs. This endowment was an important step forward for the arts at Cardigan. The new theater was part of the Stoddard Center, and it was well equipped; but Cardigan really could not run a full-time theatrical program as part of the curriculum—the students were too young, and the schedule was already crowded with basic subjects needed to get boys ready for prep school. Drama had been offered as an activity for many years and continued to be popular, but this activity did not begin to take full advantage of the new theatrical facilities. The Humann Theater endowment provided funds not only for the future maintenance of this facility, but, more importantly, pro-vided the means to enable outstanding artistic programs of all kinds to be brought to the school. The official dedication of the Humann Theater took place during parents’ weekend in January 1987. To illustrate the variety of offerings that could be presented on this stage, the dedication program consisted of:

310HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

1. Family members (Charles Morrison ’76, Dr. Richard Morrison and Beverly Morrison) attend the opening of the William Knapp Morrison Infirmary. Much-needed renovations to Fifeld House, Cardigan’s infirmary since 1959, would enable the building to serve in that capacity for another twenty years.

2. Fipp Avlon ’88 looks on as fellow rock climber David Berner ’88 finds a handhold during a “bouldering” outing. The rock climbing activity was offered as an alternative to athletics for the first time in 1986–87.

3. Dr. Israel Dinerman, Cardigan’s primary doctor since 1955, announced his retirement in 1986.

4. Ruth Howe Talbert completed her tenure in 1987; having joined the School in 1950, Talbert served as special assistant under four heads of school and had welcomed generations of Cardigan boys. Her legacy of care is still remembered with great fondness by returning alumni.

r A rendition of Sousa’s march “The Stars and Stripes Forever” played on the theater organ by Harold Finkbeiner

r Two numbers sung by the Cardigan glee club

r A program by the Impulse Dance Company of Boston

r A performance by Michael Zerphy, a juggler and mime

r Songs by the Dartmouth Dodecaphonics, a twelve member coed singing group

r Excerpts from James Thurber’s play “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” performed by the Cardigan drama club

r A rousing finale by the Concord Community Music School’s Jazz Ensemble.

As his last official act in 1986, president Frieze formed a search committee to start the process of finding candidates for the headmaster’s position.

Ruth Talbert, secretary and assistant to the headmaster, had been in poor health and unable to work since December 1986. She had been hired as a receptionist in 1950, which made her at this time the oldest employee of the school in terms of length of service. Ruth had served as secretary to three headmasters—Wilfred Clark, Roland Burbank, and Norman—and was remembered by hundreds of parents as the cheerful voice they heard when phoning the school, and as the person who so pleasantly and efficiently helped them and their sons with vacation transportation arrangements, with motel reservations when they came to Canaan, and with countless other details in connection with their sons’ lives at Cardigan. During parents’ weekends she was always in the office smiling and ready to help parents and students with travel plans and any other details with which they were concerned. Drawing on her wealth of experience, she had been an invaluable assistant to Norman ever since he moved into the headmaster’s office. Ruth never returned to her desk in the main office of the school.

At the spring meeting of the executive committee in 1987 another problem came to light. In Washington the Environmental Protection Agency had issued regulations requiring all underground oil storage tanks to be tested for possible leakage, and further requiring that tanks which had been installed longer than thirty years would have to be replaced. At Cardigan, where each building had its own heating system and consequently its own fuel storage tank, eleven tanks now had to be tested, and four of the oldest tanks would have to be dug up and replaced. More major expense imposed by government regulations.

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There was good news at this time about other underground difficulties: plans for a new water supply system were complete and now awaiting approval by the State. This time the approval came through quickly, and contracts were let for construction to begin as soon as the ground had thawed. The system as finally approved was more complex than previous designs; in addition to the four artesian wells that had been drilled, it required installation of two 100,000 gallon water storage tanks and two separate pumping systems—one for domestic water, and a separate system to provide additional pressure for new fire hydrants on campus. By January 1988 everything had been installed, tested, and was working satisfactorily, thus bringing to a conclusion efforts to comply with state regulations which had started in 1972. It was a great relief to have this problem solved, but the total cost had reached the astonishing total of $283,000—far more than any previous estimates—and a large amount for this small school to have to pay without any state or federal support. It was particularly irritating that Cardigan should have to build such an elaborate system when the town of Canaan was still permitted to draw water from the lake to supply customers served by the municipal water system.

In the spring of 1987 the trustees took another positive step toward solution of the sewage problem by purchasing a 105-acre plot of land at the top of Prospect Hill across from the trap range. This was beautiful property with a panoramic view to the west; however it was not purchased for the view, but as the future location of the new septic system. Unlike most of the property on which the school was located, this area was covered with sandy soil making it ideal for leach fields. In addition there was a large sand pit at the western end of the property which ultimately became the source of most of the gravel needed to prepare the beds for these fields. The site was a worthwhile acquisition.

One of the most spectacular programs to be presented in the Human Theater came to campus for Headmaster’s Day 1987. Students saw a large tractor-trailer parked behind the Stoddard Center the previous day, but no one would admit knowing what it was about. The evening treat for Headmaster’s Day was Alan Schoenberger’s program: “Schoenberger Skis the Stage.” Entering the theater that evening, students could dimly see large apparatus taking up most of the stage. It was dimly illuminated in blue light, and soft music was playing in the background. As the lights gradually came up, there was a man on skis standing in the center of a sloping platform. The music increased in volume, there was a dull whirring of machinery, and be-

above: Bev Wakely’s unflappably encouraging presence—in the reading center, at Frieze House, on the sidelines, and seemingly everywhere else on campus—was one of the defining aspects of the Wakely tenure at Cardigan.

1. through 3. Cardigan’s new arts endowment made it possible to bring a broad variety of enriching activities to campus. Performers entertained and interacted with delighted boys in the newly named Humann Theatre, in the Chapel, or via campus displays (like this one from the Montshire Museum’s traveling “science circus”).

4. A view from the summit of Mount Moosilauke on Mountain Day, 1986.

5. Faculty member and working artist Chris Morse collaborated with seniors to create a cement sculpture of Cardigan’s mascot in 1988. Asked why the cougar might represent the School well, he noted that “they’re aggressive and clever.” The piece stood in front of the Kenerson Center.

fore their eyes the man was skiing right on the stage. He twisted and turned, headed straight down the slope, then brought his skis together for a graceful stop. It was unbelievable; how could he do it? What was he skiing on? There were no answers. The music changed, a light show began, and the skier again was moving around the slope, from side to side, top to bottom, now going up the hill, now sideways, now down— gracefully, beautifully, like a ballet on skis—with music and lights augmenting the drama of the performance. The audience was utterly enchanted. The music ranged from classical to jazz to rock and roll, the lights following the change in musical mood, and the skier likewise. The performer was saluted with a standing ovation at the conclusion. Alan then turned on the stage lights so all could see his mysterious mountain. It was an endless carpet, moving over rollers at variable speeds, so that he could simulate skiing on the moving surface. The illusion was unbelievably realistic, the performance beautifully artistic, and with the lights on, all could see the mass of electronic, computerdirected equipment which activated the music, lights and motion. There has been nothing on the Cardigan stage, before or since, to equal this performance.

Students returning to campus in the fall of 1987 were excited to find that the computer program had been updated with the addition of 12 Apple IIe’s; with this new equipment, every student could have computer instruction for a full term each year. Rock climbing was a new activity that fall. A maximum of 15 students could elect this program, which consisted of five phases of instruction. Students learned:

r trust and group cooperation

r knots, harnesses and safety

r the ropes course

r boulder climbing and

r top-roping and rappelling—climbing higher rocks, up to 75 to 80 feet.

The fall-winter interim this year was named liFeBoat, and the following topics were offered during afternoon activity periods:

r cops and robbers—a presentation by local police departments

r energy environment simulator—computer simulation of various man-made influences on the environment

r project adventure—an outdoor course presenting physical and mental challenges

r acid rain and the New England maple industry

r students and the law—presented by an attorney

r car clinic—practical experience in changing oil and removing a flat tire

A new computer system with fundraising software had replaced the old iBmsystem six in the development office, and with this equipment camera-ready copy for the newsletter could be produced in-house, saving both time and money. Dick Rearick and Norman had put together a small capital campaign to raise $500,000 for artificial icemaking equipment for the hockey rink, and $90,000 was already in hand for this project. A great boost to their fundraising activities came in August 1987 with a challenge gift of $100,000 from Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Turner, parents of two Cardigan alumni, Geoffrey ‘69 and Lincoln, ’76, to match subsequent gifts for artificial ice on a one-for-two basis. Despite the boost from this challenge, and a lot of hard work on the part of former hockey players, the campaign moved along slowly. In the spring of 1988 Jim Marrion and Norman became enthusiastic

about a new system for making artificial ice using plastic mats to circulate the coolant rather than copper tubing embedded in the floor. In addition to being less expensive to install, this system had the advantage of being removable, so the covered sports area could still be used for tennis and other activities during the spring, summer, and fall. Other hockey rinks which had used these mats gave their recommendation. On the basis of using this equipment, the original $500,000 estimate for artificial ice was reduced to a total of $360,000, including $150,000 for endowment. By May 1988, with gifts and pledges in hand totaling $294,000, the trustees gave their approval to order the equipment, and by Thanksgiving the hockey boards were up, new mats were in place, and the pumps and condensers were running. On December 14th the Turner Rink was officially dedicated in a stirring ceremony with members of the Turner family sitting in a semi-circle on chairs— on the new ice. After the speeches, several lovely young ladies from The Skating Club at Dartmouth presented an exhibition of figure skating; former faculty member Lawrence Goldthwait demonstrated speed skating; members of the Cardigan hockey team exhibited their skills. Then the rink was opened for free skating followed by a reception in the Kenerson Social Center.

In the fall of 1987, with the new water supply system nearing completion, the trustees finally had before them a sewage system plan that had State approval. They accepted a bid of $568,000 for the system, recognizing that a variety of problems might be encountered during construction which could raise the cost substantially. It was nonetheless a great relief to have an acceptable solution to this problem which had been pressing for so many years and which, at times, had made the atmosphere on campus quite unpleasant.

Work on the sewage system started late in the fall of 1987, and by the summer of 1988 the leach fields at the top of Prospect Hill were in place, and main sewer lines installed down the west and east sides of the campus. A line was to come up the hill from the infirmary and run down beside the chapel to connect both sides of campus, but the contractor encountered granite ledge as soon as he started up the hill. This required blasting, which was a source of great entertainment for students during the fall and winter of 1988. Holes were drilled into the rock at frequent intervals, and blasting powder was packed into them. Great mats made of old auto tires were spread over the area, and a whistle was sounded to warn of blasting. Then a great Boom, and dust and small rocks would fly into the air. After removing the mats, the backhoe operator started work to clean out a trench for the sewer line. This slow process added greatly to the cost of the project and provided a topic of interest and conversation all around the campus.

Throughout the fall and winter of 1987–88, the search committee had been engaged with a consultant discussing possible candidates for the headmaster’s job, and now finalists were brought to campus to meet with groups of faculty, administrators, and students. Several candidates were asked to return to campus for a second visit, and when the trustees met in May 1988 they agreed with the unanimous choice of students and faculty. The appointment of Dr. Cameron K. Dewar as the school’s next headmaster would be effective July 1, 1989.

There was another change in May 1988: Headmaster’s Day was replaced by “Joe Collins Day” in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Collins, who were to retire at the end of the school year. Joe and Ginny came to Cardigan in September 1970 from Friends School in North Dartmouth, Mass. Joe was hired as Director of Studies and Dean of Students, and in March the following year was appointed Assistant Headmaster. Their younger son, Jody, entered 6th grade at Cardigan, and their older son, Tim, went to Kimball Union Academy. Their daugh-

314HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

ter, Ginger, was working as a potter’s apprentice in Maine, and came home infrequently to visit. Joe and Ginny lived in Stowell House with six boys and a floor leader until 1977, when they moved to Banks House. Ginny remembered that the first year, the boys in her house were all seniors and quite difficult to deal with. She had to cope with them by herself, because Joe was busy all day with administrative duties, in addition to teaching one math class, and in the afternoon, helping with football in the fall and coaching baseball in the spring. After dinner, he usually went back to the office to catch up with paperwork, to correct papers and prepare for his next class; he rarely returned home before nine or ten o’clock in the evening.

The 1970s were wearing. There was a shortage of qualified students, so academic standards had been relaxed to some degree in order to keep the school reasonably filled. This brought boys to Cardigan who had both academic and disciplinary problems, and the burden of coping with them fell heavily on Joe. The rebellious nature of students in that decade also contributed to his problems. He said, “Students were against everything that was called ‘The Establishment,’ so at Cardigan they rebelled against dress codes, haircuts, manners, and being told to do anything.” Toward the end of the ‘70s, the school added Joe and Ginny Collins to the faculty and reduced class size. During that time several faculty/student houses were built on campus, and this fact eased the strain on the large dormitories, making life less stressful for students and faculty alike.

After Joe arrived on campus, Norman was able to travel more, both to recruit students and to raise money. During his absence, Joe had to take on the duties of the headmaster as well.

Even though he was the disciplinarian, the students were fond of Joe; they respected his fairness, and enjoyed his sense of humor. Faculty also found him easy to work with, sympathetic to their needs, and ready to help in any way he could with academic problems. For eighteen years Joe and Ginny gave their all to Cardigan. They were there day and night, weekdays and weekends, always available when needed. Every July they went away on vacation, but for the rest of the year there was no couple who worked harder or more selflessly for the school. Two people were hired to take over his duties after Joe retired—a dean of students and a director of studies—and between them they could hardly do all the work he did. For several years after his retirement, Joe was on the road part-time doing public relations and recruiting work for the school, and he and Ginny still work at Cardigan two days a week—Joe helping with the counseling program, and Ginny working in the library.

“Joe Collins Day” had the usual activities that characterized Headmaster’s Day—hamburgs, hot dogs, pizza, and make-your-own sundaes on the Clark-Morgan lawn, but this year there were two changes. To honor Joe and Ginny, the trustees and incorporators scheduled their May meeting on this weekend and were on campus to enjoy the festivities. Tradition called for a roast beef dinner in the dining room at noon, and for boys to be in jacket and tie for the occasion. This year, trustees and incorporators joined the students for the outdoor picnic, and there wasn’t a tie or jacket on any student. A special ceremony started the day. To replace trees across the front of campus that had been damaged or removed by the blasting, eleven new trees were planted, and each one was dedicated to an employee being honored for long service to the school. Trees were dedicated to: Donald Blunt, Joe & Ginny Collins, Harold Finkbeiner, Leona Fiske, Jackie Lary, Harry Mahoney, Jim Marrion, Carol Shelton, David Shelton, Beverly Wakely and Norman Wakely.

Everyone on campus at that time was thinking about the changes that might come about with the retirement of both Mr. Collins and Mr. Wakely. The Chronicle in the winter of 1988 carried an article by Douglas Wendt ‘88 entitled “Reflections of a Four-Year Boy.”

In my four years at Cardigan, I have seen my fair share of changes. I have seen new projects started and finished, from purchasing the Stoddard video projector to installing the Simplex fire alarms to building the Founder’s Quadrangle. I have seen new rules and regulations implemented and new programs added, from the Life-Skills classes to the morning work detail.

Yet, despite all of these innovations, ideas, projects, and expansions, Cardigan’s real backbone, power, and spirit lies in what doesn’t change. Yes, new pieces of equipment such as the field irrigation machine are fine additions to the school. Salads have undoubtedly improved with the introduction of refrigerated salad bars. New fire alarms, fire doors, fire hydrants, and EXITsigns have made the campus a safer place for us all.

BUT…what would we ever do with our Planbooks? How about a Cardigan with no conference periods? Can you picture life with all buffet meals, optional athletics, no

above: With Humann Theatre’s completion, performing arts was revived as an activity and resulting shows included ambitious productions like “Grease.” When Dan Collins ’88 and several other seniors were unable to enroll in performing arts, they decided to work on their own smallerscale productions. Rehearsing between the activity period and dinner, they put up two well-received short plays for Grandparents’ and Commencement Weekends (“It Takes a Thief” and “J. Caesar”).

316HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

1. and 2. As Cardigan’s hockey program was growing stronger, gatherings like the second annual alumni hockey game in 1989, shown at top, were coalescing into tradition. However, in the mid-1980s coaches like Jim Marrion were traveling regularly to seek ice time at other rinks for Cardigan’s teams. The lack of consistent ice at home had been a major challenge for Cardigan, solved with the addition of equipment to the newly renovated and named Turner Arena in 1988.

3. Hayward’s fleet of Apple IIe computers, installed in the summer of 1987, enabled computer instruction for every student. Faculty member Edilberto Ramos oversaw the first instructional technology purchases, buying not only math-centered software but materials to support the faculty across disciplines.

4. Before the investiture ceremony, outgoing school leader Pete Whitehead ’87 confers with his successor, Jim Marrion ’88, as Norm Wakely looks on.

far too early for the everyone’s sanity and safety [and] impatience to be ’independent’ stirred up the Senior Class.”

1. and 2. Faculty members Don Blunt and David Shelton guided students in rebuilding the cabin on The Point in 1985–86 (from left: Tyler Shaff ’89, Clarke Murdough ’87, Ben Misrahi ’87, Derek Marshall ’87, Blunt, Billy Ellis ’89, and Shelton). Richard Clancy ’67 later captured the finished project in a pen and ink sketch, one of his many pieces to grace Cardigan’s greeting cards over the years.

3. and 4. Savage Frieze (3.), whose tenure as board chair had begun in 1980, managed to surprise Norm and Bev Wakely with the September 1988 launch of a year-long “Wakely Tribute” during their final year at Cardigan (4.). Frieze would continue in a leadership role at Cardigan until 2002.

5. In the Wakelys’ final year, seniors set up their dining hall table on the front lawn of Frieze House, where the couple gamely had their breakfast. As the 1989 Blaze noted, it was a year when “pranks began

at top: Chapel dress doesn’t keep senior George Kuckly ’87 from engaging in a friendly dispute with a campus pet.

above: The retirement of omnipresent assistant headmaster Joe Collins in 1987 was felt deeply across the campus. After his final season as varsity football coach, players wrote that “the whole team will miss him a lot next year, not only as a coach but as a person as well.” It was a sentiment shared by all.

Saturday classes, and no chapel? How would dropping the Christmas Pageant change CMS? Would things be the same if we ended the annual hike up Mount Cardigan? These traditions are the things that make Cardigan Mountain School. If Cardigan loses its long-standing traditions, it won’t be the same Cardigan. Soon we will see change here with the end of the current administration. Without Mr. Wakely and Mr. Collins, this is inevitable. It is not necessarily for the better or worse, but it will happen. And yet, the more Cardigan changes, the more Cardigan stays the same.

During the summer and fall of 1988 the campus looked like a major construction site. There were ditches for sewer and water lines, great holes where oil tanks were being removed and replaced, and trenches to carry new power lines to the Turner Arena for the ice-making equipment. The trustees noted with some dismay that the sewerage project would put the school in long-term debt for the first time in its history—to the amount of about $1.2 million. And substantial expenses for asbestos removal work still lay ahead.

In his report to the fall meeting of the trustees, buildings & grounds superintendent Ralph LaPointe told them that there were only two weeks of the year—in June between Commencement and the start of the summer session—when the dorms were completely empty, and that this was the only time in which he could carry out necessary repairs and repainting in the dorms. There was one period this summer, he told them, when he had thirteen outside contractors on the campus at one time, in addition to his regular buildings and grounds crew. This year’s summer projects included major plumbing repairs in Hayward Hall; work on heating systems in Brewster and Hinman Halls to install separate heating zones with thermostats in faculty apartments; rebuilding part of the old stone wall along the front of campus; connecting sewer lines to individual buildings; replacing oil tanks; exterior painting of Clark-Morgan; and installation of a new emergency generator—twice the size of the old one—to provide emergency power for all the new equipment added to campus in recent years.

September 1988—the start of the Wakely’s last year at Cardigan—certainly was an occasion to be noted. Savage Frieze and Norman had worked together since Savage was elected president of the trustees in 1979. During these years Savage had noted now much Norman loved surprises—but only those that he conceived and arranged. It had been decided to declare 198889 as the Year of the Wakely Tribute, and Savage wanted more than anything to start the year by surprising Norman—not an easy task. To that end he had appointed a committee to plan and organize events during the year, culminating in a big celebration, instead of the usual Headmaster’s Day, in May 1989. This committee was sworn to secrecy; every meeting was held off campus (usually in Hanover), and there were no notices or reports made. Mary Wakely was part of the committee, and she had to sneak into Hanover for meetings, avoiding Canaan, so as not to be seen by her father. The first “event” was to take place the first Sunday of the school year. Trustees were invited to the school for Sunday dinner, but they were not to let Norman know they were coming, were not to attend chapel, but just to show up in the dining room right before the meal and to sit as inconspicuously as possible at tables with the students. Of course Norman noticed them, but there was no time or opportunity for him to leave his table to find out why they were on campus. At the conclusion of the meal, the time for announcements, a proclamation was read announcing the start of the Year of the Wakely Tribute, and all were invited to join Mr. and Mrs. Wakely at the flagpole. A great green and white flag with “Wakely Tribute” in huge letters along the bottom was unfurled, then was raised up the flagpole as hundreds of balloons were released, flash bulbs popped, a TV crew recorded the moment, and the tribute year officially began. It all came off just as Savage had planned and caught Norman completely by surprise. So the Wakelys’ final year was off to a rousing beginning.

The enrollment picture, however, was not so rosy. The school had been filled, with over 180 students, in every year but one from 1982 through 1987. Only 175 boys were on campus in September 1988. This downward trend was to continue for the next six years. Although the U.S. economy was still growing, the worst stock market crash in the history of the New York Stock Exchange in October 1987 had raised doubts about continuing growth. Inflation was again on the rise, and the Federal Reserve Board was raising interest rates in an effort to control the growth of inflation. President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev of the Soviet Union were still meeting to promote arms reduction, but international tension was high. There was the conflict with Iran, fueled by revelations in Washington of the “Iran-Contra Affair”. No doubt economic and political considerations affected people’s decisions about enrolling their sons in expensive private schools. Jeff Hicks had recruited Joe Collins to work part-time in his first year of retirement to

318HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

promote Cardigan in many communities in northern New England. Tom Schenck and Jeff were also on the road to encourage enrollment.

A new Wilderness Program was started that fall, using the cabin at Clark Pond which was donated by Finn Caspersen. It was a one-week program that boys could elect as an alternative to regular athletics. Boys moved out of their dorm rooms to live in the cabin at the pond. This meant rising at 5:30 each morning to cook breakfast and return to school for classes. In the afternoon there was study hall for homework, and afterward they went back to camp for rock climbing and orienteering exercises. The program culminated with a weekend backpacking trip in the White Mountains. During the fall five different groups participated in the program, and each group climbed at least two 4000 foot peaks during their week. Some of these climbs were made in the snow.

During February 1989 hockey was the chief topic of conversation. Early in the month alumni hockey players returned to campus for their second annual hockey reunion. Some of these men had continued to play hockey after leaving Cardigan—at prep school and college, and later in informal men’s hockey leagues. Others hadn’t had a hockey stick in their hands for several years. Returning to Cardigan for a hockey reunion, they donned skates, whatever pieces of uniforms they could find, and put together two teams for a sometimes wild, and always funny game. There was also a contest with Cardigan’s varsity team.

This year other hockey visitors were welcomed to campus—a team from Hyvinkää, Finland, accompanied by parents and younger siblings. This was the first time Cardigan had been able to reciprocate the hospitality which had been shown to their teams during biennial visits to Finland over the past 14 years. In 1975 faculty member and hockey coach Sky Peck had arranged for the hockey team to travel to Finland

during the March vacation. This was a cultural and educational trip, but they also played hockey. Arrangements had been made for them to stay with families in Hyvinkää. Friendships developed, and hockey trips have been made to Finland and sometimes other countries every other year since then. In 1979 Cardigan offered a scholarship to a boy from Hyvinkää to spend his 9th grade year at the school; this practice was repeated in 1981 and has continued every year since. In 1982 the Finnish boy came in eighth grade, was the only student to stay two years, and was elected school leader in his senior year at Cardigan. Hockey players continued their visits to Finland every other year, and friendships between the Finnish host parents and the school grew stronger.

During Christmas vacation in 1981 the varsity hockey team and some of the boys’ parents took an exciting trip to Finland and the Soviet Union. Leaving from Kennedy airport in New York via Finnair, they first stopped at Helsinki, where the boys stayed with Finnish families while coaches and parents enjoyed a modern hotel. They played six hockey games in Finland, including a two-day tournament in Hyvinkää—the city with whom Cardigan had long enjoyed an exchange program—and returned to Helsinki for New Year’s Eve at the home of the American Labor Attaché, Edward Archer, father of a current ninth grader. Afterwards they enjoyed the traditional New Year’s Eve fireworks display. The next day the group left via Aeroflot for Leningrad, where they played a fine Soviet hockey team in a game which ended in a thrilling 8-8 tie. The cultural highlight of the whole trip, however, was a tour of the Imperial Winter Palace and the Hermitage Art Museum in Leningrad.

In February 1989 Cardigan invited the Hyvinkää hockey team and their parents to come to Canaan, and on Thursday, February 16th, 19 boys (including three Cardigan alumni) accompanied by 20 parents and siblings arrived. The boys were housed in dormitories, and families

above: On “Assistant Headmaster’s Day” during Collins’s final year, the School planted sugar maple trees in honor of several long-time faculty members. Joe and Ginny Collinses’ tree was planted at the edge of the quad, between Hayward and Hinman Halls.

above: The Wakely Tribute on May 13, 1989, began with the annual lake run (won by Ed Wang), and continued with over 500 people gathering on The Point for a spectacular goodbye: “The day included a parade, the Super Star Magic Circus, a carnival…helicopter and elephant rides, a band, and a concert by the Shaw Brothers. The day ended with perhaps the most spectacular fireworks display ever at Cardigan.”

stayed with faculty on campus. For most of the visitors, it was a once-in-a lifetime trip. Only a few of the parents spoke any English, but their children could interpret quite well for them. Families ate in the dining room, toured the campus, and on Friday afternoon watched their sons play the Kimball Union Academy team. On Saturday the Finnish-American Interscholastic Hockey Tournament took place in the Turner Arena with teams from Lowell, Mass., and Hanover, N.H., playing Cmsand Finnish teams.

Trustee Michael McGean arranged a tour of the Dartmouth campus on Sunday for the visitors, and the Holderness team came in the afternoon for a game. Monday the entire Finnish group moved to Boston, where Cardigan parents, whose sons had benefited from Finnish hospitality, were able to reciprocate. The high point of the Boston trip was a game between Cmsand the Finns at the Boston College rink—arranged by a Cardigan parent who was the BC hockey coach. The next day the team from Hyvinkaa played at the Belmont Hill School—where headmasterelect Cameron Dewar was finishing his last year as athletic director. The group left the next day for New York where they enjoyed a day of sightseeing before boarding the plane for home.

The trips to Finland have continued, as has the exchange program, which took a new turn when John D’Entremont, after finishing the 8th grade at Cardigan, went to Finland as an exchange student at the Vehkoja School for the 1993–94 school year. This exchange of students was worthwhile for all concerned but really demanded a lot from the individual boys. The Finnish students had an advantage in that English language study was part of their standard curriculum starting in the early grades. Yet at age 16 or 17 they were away from their homes and in a foreign country for ten months without interruption. The Cardigan boys going to Finland had to undertake an intensive summer program in Finnish language and culture before they left, and were likewise far from home and living with a family rather than in a dormitory with lots of other boys. In addition, the exchange put them a year behind their classmates, for they got no academic credit at Cardigan for the year spent abroad. Writing about his experiences for the Chronicle John said, “I did not go through a day when I was not a bit scared, but I stuck it out and survived. The thing that made me afraid was that everyone spoke English and I didn’t know much Finnish.” John did stick it out, and returned to complete the 9th grade at Cardigan the following year, during which he joined the Cardigan hockey team on their trip to Finland and had a chance to visit many friends he had made the previous year. In 1994-95 another Cardigan boy, John Blanchard, went to Finland as an exchange student. Thus another tradition began.

The Year of the Wakely Tribute concluded with a full-day celebration on May 13th. It began with the traditional run around the lake by the entire student body and as many alumni and faculty as cared to join. On campus a circus movie played in the Humann Theatre throughout the day, and the Hanover Community Band performed on the Clark-Morgan porch prior to a picnic lunch served under gaily striped tents set up along the edge of the baseball diamond. After lunch came the grand circus parade, headed by alumni marching with their classes, and followed by clowns, floats, a band, and an elephant. The Super Star Magic Circus performed under tents on the baseball diamond. The circus atmosphere was complemented with a moon-walk, a scrambler, merry-go-round, dunking tank, as well as cotton candy, ice cream, soda, popcorn, and elephant rides. A helicopter arrived later in the afternoon, and boys were treated to an aerial view of the campus. After a festive dinner in the dining room, complete with speeches, reminiscences, and remarks about the Wakely years, New Hampshire’s own Shaw Brothers performed in the twilight. The celebration ended with a magnificent fireworks display. All in all, it was a fitting festival to conclude the Wakely years in a burst of glory.

Commencement 1989 was a serious and moving event with Norman presiding for the last time. There were touching moments when he presented Beverly with a certificate naming her an Honorary Alumnus, and when the first Norman and Beverly Wakely Commencement Prize was awarded. The trustees commissioned a life-size portrait of Norman, which he insisted must show Beverly looking over his shoulder.

This work of art hangs in the reception area of Hopkins Hall. In a real sense Cardigan Mountain School as it is today is a living tribute to Norman Wakely. Its character, moral standards, academic standing, and reputation, as well as the beautiful campus with its faculty/student houses, trails, and playing fields, all bespeak the lifetime of energy and devotion of its longestterm headmaster. Cardigan’s future, built on such a foundation, surely must be secure. r

320HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

the transition Years and BeYond (1989–94)

The changing of the guard was easy. Norman presided at Commencement and at the year-end faculty meetings. Although he came in to the office every day, he essentially devoted the rest of June to packing and moving to their new home in Lyme, N.H. Work continued as usual in the business, development and admissions office, and summer school opened on schedule the last week in June. The month ended. The headmaster’s house was empty. Norman and Beverly were gone.

In July came the Dewars—Cameron (Chip), Janet, and their two children, Jason and Lindsay. They had the summer to get acquainted with and to enjoy the campus, along with the boys in summer school, a lacrosse camp, and the Xaverian Brothers High School pre-season football week. Then after the faculty returned, there was the usual flurry of pre-school meetings. Suddenly, it seemed, school was open and running very much as before, even though the headmaster’s office had a new occupant.

During the previous spring the trustees had talked with David Scanlan, a neighbor on Canaan Street and a licensed forester, about developing a forest management plan which would involve timbering and management of forested land owned by the school. During the summer David had surveyed school property on the main campus, the Pinnacle, and tracts on Morse and Tug Mountains and presented a comprehensive plan to the trustees at their October 1989 meeting.

There was a fair amount of timber ready to be harvested at once, and with proper management harvesting could continue to produce income for a long time to come.

It was also at this meeting that trustee John Tower announced his retirement from the Development Committee. For 23 years John had been involved with fundraising for Cardigan. He had directed annual fund drives, had been involved in every capital campaign, and had helped with the design and wording of most of the school’s promotional material during those years. He told the board that the alumni were now reaching an age when they could begin to make significant contributions to the school; he urged the board to hire a full-time director of alumni affairs to organize and direct alumni activities. A capital campaign to raise money for a science building was in the formative stages, and he felt the director of development could devote more effort toward that if he didn’t also have to handle alumni affairs. The board agreed to authorize this position and accepted, with sincere thanks for everything he had done so willingly for so many years, John’s wish to withdraw from development activities. Matthew Bronfman agreed to take on the leadership of the development committee.

The new headmaster was pleased to report a surplus of $300,000 from summer school operations. This news was certainly an encouraging start for the new school year. It was expected that Chip would

above: Headmaster Chip Dewar, center, joins students on the Dawn Climb in 1990. Dewar and his dean of students Jim Burnett (seated at front right) established the bookend tradition of having seniors make a sunset climb of Mount Cardigan at the end of their final year.

1. and 2. Winter Carnival activities like this 1991 student Iditarod and bonfire were paired with opportunities for students to fundraise for charitable activities. In 1993, boys sold Cardigan Cougar boxer shorts during the carnival weekend, contributing proceeds to Serenity House, a pediatric AIDSfoundation begun by Charlene and Jim White ’61.

3. The Dewars began their first year with a renewed focus on engaging alumni and parents with the School. Initial strategies included more regional gatherings and piloting volunteer phone-a-thons.

4. In spring of 1990, a young Dave McCusker was hired as Cardigan’s first full-time Director of Alumni Affairs; he and wife Steff (sister of former faculty member Dana Solms) also spent time with current students.

1. During Parents’ Weekends, families took part in all of the School’s activities (above, Aaron Silberdick ’92 speaks with his parents after a 1991 Nordic race).

Parents’ Council co-chair Woodie Haskins sent his thanks after the 1991 gathering: “The warmth extended by everyone in the school community during the weekend— faculty, staff, administrators, dining hall personnel, parking attendants and others—is further testament of your genuine care and total dedication to what you do.”

2. and 3. Shows like the 1993 musical “Bye Bye Birdie” welcomed community performers, while singing groups like the Chapel choir and the Cardigan Aires (an a cappella group fashioned after Dartmouth’s) were student-only affairs. In 1993, the Chronicle noted that the Aires were also “limited to the all-male audiences on campus. Otherwise, the countryside would be strewn with broken hearts.”

4. “Whistling bellybuttons” were a staple of the talent shows for some years. In a 1991 “Staff Sheet,” Carol Shelton pleaded for faculty performers, noting that “if enough faculty acts are booked, we won’t have to wildly applaud the annual student efforts at lip-synch and notso-funny send ups of their favorite instructors.”

make some changes, and the first one he reported was the addition of Latin to the curriculum—not too surprising since he had been a classics teacher. Another addition was a math lab program to offer tutorial help in math for boys who were having difficulty with this subject and for those who wanted to go beyond the traditional math curriculum. The newsletter had been re-designed and was now The Chronicle, reinstating a name that had been used for many years. Chip also was starting a Parents’ Association to provide a way to channel the interest and efforts of current parents into constructive ways to help the school. One of their first activities was to be an auction held during parents’ weekend in February.

At the executive committee meeting in December, athletic director Jim Marrion presented a proposal to replace the present fleet of sailboats and also to buy a new safety boat for the waterfront. They agreed and also suggested that the old sailboats might be offered for sale at the parents’ auction.

During the fall and winter of 1989, several new clubs were started as a result of Chip’s interest in involving boys in community service. The Homelessness Awareness Club discussed problems of homeless people, watched news reports, and examined case studies on the sub-

ject. The Be Kind To Animals Club worked with the Humane Society animal shelter in Plainfield. A Big Brother Club paired seven boys from the Canaan elementary school who needed older friends with seven Cardigan students who met them every weekend for games and field trips. Also a group of boys, working with the director of the Canaan Senior Center, visited homes of elderly people in the community and helped with chores like stacking stove wood. Sometimes, they said, these neighbors were more interested in just visiting with the boys than in having them work.

The Rocks and Ropes group provided an addition to the campus—a climbing wall which they built in the school shop and fastened to the side of the ski jump. This wall continued to serve for climbing practice until it was taken down when the ski jump was removed in 1993. In the spring of 1990 Cardigan students for the first time entered examples of their artwork in the Boston Globe Scholastic Art Awards competition. Four of their entries were selected for display in an exhibit at the Nashua Center for

The new Parents’ Association which Chip had started in the fall went right to work on their first project of organizing an auction for parents’ weekend in February 1990. The committee agreed that this would not

324HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

the Arts.

above: Chip Dewar began a formal community service program at Cardigan, incorporating it with club activities so students could volunteer regularly for particular interests like animal rescue, the Big Brother program (with Canaan Elementary School students), or recycling (above, under Jamie Funnell’s guidance). Other service opportunities included regular fundraisers (like Thursday doughnut sales) as well as special initiatives like holiday food and gift drives for local families.

be just for parents, but that students should be with their families and join in the excitement. An amazing variety of items was donated for the auction, some designated especially for students to bid on—things like a pizza party for four off campus, cookie-of-the-month club, which would provide a box of cookies for a student to be delivered each month, and a spaghetti dinner for two at one of the faculty homes. It was great fun and raised almost $14,000 for the Annual Fund.

Later that month alumni were on campus for their winter weekend, still centered upon the annual hockey game. This year, for the first time on record, a female suited up and played hockey in the Cardigan rink. Liz Lawrence, wife of Chuck ‘79, proved that she could skate with Cardigan’s finest.

Also in February Norman Wakely received the 25 year award from Case(The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education)—an organization representing professionals in fundraising and institutional advancement at over 2,800 colleges, universities, and independent schools—in an impressive ceremony at their annual meeting in Boston.

Later that spring the executive committee approved a ten-month payment plan designed to make it more convenient for parents to pay tuition than the two-payment schedule which had been in effect since the school began. Chip also reported that the faculty internship program, started two years ago, was working well, and that all three of this year’s interns would be returning next year as full-time faculty. Two other changes were in prospect: Dick Rearick announced his intention to retire as director of development in June because he felt the school should have a professional experienced in that field to plan and guide the major capital campaign which was now in the planning stage; parts for the bookkeeping machine in the business office were now out of production, and the service company had told Jackie Lary that if any major part of it failed, they would not be able to provide a replacement. It was time for the business office to join the computer age, and Dick Rearick agreed to take on this assignment on a part-time basis as soon as his replacement had been hired.

When school opened in the fall of 1990, the new alumni director, David McCusker, Class of ‘80, and the new director of development, Faith Degenhart, were both on hand. In order to provide better medical care services for students, Chip had contracted with the Hitchcock Clinic, which now had an office in Canaan, to provide supervision of the school infirmary and campus visits by a physician as needed. By the time the trustees and incorporators arrived in October for their annual meeting, a computerized accounting system had been installed in the business office and was running in tandem with the old bookkeeping machine during the break-in period.

The members of the corporation noted the passage of another milestone with the resignation of John Kenerson as an active member of the trustees. John was the last of the original incorporators of the school and had served faithfully and consistently since the school’s founding in 1945. With sincerest thanks for his long service, they voted him the title of Trustee Emeritus.

An interesting opportunity had been presented to the school early in 1990. The local electric utility company, Granite State Electric, had experienced so much growth in electric consumption that it was pushing the limit of their generating capacity. They saw two possible solutions to this problem: 1) build additional generating production, or 2) help customers reduce their consumption through energy conservation. Upon investigation and study they concluded that the latter option would not only be less costly for the company but would help their customers and aid the ecology. Accordingly they offered to provide a free energy audit to their larger customers and, furthermore, to share the

above: The climbing wall built by Matt Tucker ’91 and Bryan Colket ’91 in fall 1990 came down when Cardigan’s ski jump was dismantled for safety in 1993. During the following years, Wilderness participants honed technical climbing skills at Rumney, Winslow Ledges, and Plymouth’s Rock Barn.

cost of whatever retrofitting and conversion was recommended on the basis of the audit to reduce the customer’s consumption. Electrical usage at the school had increased over the years with the addition of new buildings as well as large energy consuming facilities such as the artificial ice equipment. The audit indicated considerable savings could be achieved by replacing old and inefficient fluorescent fixtures in classrooms, offices and hallways, and by replacing incandescent lights in other areas with fluorescent. In places such as classrooms and bathrooms, motion sensitive switches could be installed which would turn off the lights automatically when the room was not occupied. Superintendent Ralph LaPointe worked closely with them during the audit and highly recommended their proposal. By the end of 1990 the work had been completed at a net cost to the school of less than $17,000, and the savings resulting from reduced energy consumption resulted in a payback of about ten months. Thereafter, the reduction in electrical usage would save the school about $20,000 a year. Everyone was delighted with the appearance of the new fixtures and agreed that lighting in offices and class rooms had been improved. Furthermore, the students enjoyed trying to fool the motion sensor switches in the classrooms by sitting so still that it appeared the room was unoccupied, and were delighted when the lights would turn off.

325

above: Lots of memories are made on The Point during special meals. These include senior dinners, where students are served by faculty members; sundae bars with all the fixings, to celebrate an accomplishment; and Frieze House cookouts with the headmaster.

326HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

In the spring of 1991 librarian Carol Shelton was delighted to report the installation of “Newsbank” at the Kirk Library. Students had raised over $700 toward purchase of this equipment which consisted of a microfiche file of stories from leading newspapers starting in 1981 with indexes on Cd-rom disks. This made it possible for a student to access the index from a computer terminal in the library, research the list of news stories on the selected subject, and then be able to read the complete stories from the microfiche file. This was a great addition to the research facilities in the library.

At the same time 20 eighth grade students participated in the interscholastic Knowledge Master Open, a competition involving 3,565 junior high schools worldwide. Each team took part at its own school by means of pre-programmed computer disks. The Cardigan team placed 95th overall, putting them in the top 3% of participating schools, and they took first place among New Hampshire schools.

One of the signs of the maturing of an institution is seen when long-term employees start reaching retirement. This year it was Leona Fiske, who had completed 25 years of service in the kitchen and dining room. When an outside food service took over upon Clancy’s retirement, Leona remained on the Cardigan payroll and served as first assistant to the food service manager. She knew every detail of the kitchen and dining room operation and what had to be done, not only on a daily basis, but also for all the special events throughout the year. Seven days a week, three times each day, the school community has to be fed, and Leona was there for the regular meals and all the special functions, and always with a happy smile.

Another pending retirement which caused the trustees some concern was that of Jackie Lary. She joined the business office staff in 1966, became the bookkeeper in the early 1970s, and took on full management of the school’s financial affairs in 1977 as the assistant treasurer. Noted for her Yankee thrift, she resisted unnecessary spending, promoted recycling, and watched over the school’s budget as if it were her own. Nothing was ever too much work for her if it would save money. She chartered buses to take students to Boston at the start of vacations, charged them less than the commercial bus fare, and still made money on each trip— which was put aside in an interest-earning account reserved for the replacement of school vehicles such as buses and vans. This went largely unnoticed until the time came to buy a new bus, and then Jackie was able to produce the money for it. She was a careful guardian of school funds that carried the school through cycles of low enrollment, and, when times were better, she saw that surpluses from operations were put aside in reserve accounts where they were ready to meet unexpected financial emergencies. Her record keeping was meticulous, and she could tell how every cent had been spent. When she wanted to retire by the end of 1991, the school was able to hire David McClintic, who had had several years’ experience as the business manager at Proctor Academy, to take over this very important function. Jackie agreed to continue in the business office on a part-time basis and is still there two days each week.

A loss to the school was the sudden death of Fred A. White in May 1991. Fred had been a trustee for 25 years, during which time he served on the executive committee and chaired the finance committee. He had held numerous executive positions in the banking industry and was president of the Dartmouth National Bank from 1965 until he retired in 1985. He will be remembered for the sound counsel and financial advice he provided to the school for many years.

There were also changes in the curriculum. The summer session now included an offering of environmental science concentrating on the ecology of the lake. English as a second language was also offered during the summer. In the fall of 1991, the headmaster reported an increase in foreign language study with 85% of students involved in the study of Latin, French, Spanish, esl. Even sixth graders were being introduced to foreign language. In the science department, there was more emphasis on hands-on laboratory work with all ninth graders taking biology. Independent reading for pleasure was encouraged during study periods, and faculty member Steve Ris presented a summary of current events to the entire student body during an eighth period which had been added to the schedule on Tuesdays. The math department offered geometry in the ninth grade and algebra I in the eighth grade with an accelerated math section where a few students were taking algebra II.

As the year 1991 came to a close, the Executive Committee noted their final meeting with Jackie Lary, who was now turning over the business office to the new assistant treasurer, David McClintic. The new year, 1992, was to bring many changes in the lives of people who had been significant to the school. In January Dot Sweeney retired after 21 years on the housekeeping staff—an unusually long length of service for that job. In the spring came the announcement that Jeff and Marie Hicks would be leaving in June—Jeff to become headmaster of the Aiken

The first auction took place in 1990, planned by the new Parents’ Council. Ahead of the event, director of development Dick Rearick wrote to Bev Wakely that “There will be some running around when [the auction committee arrives] on campus Friday morning, but I think they have it all planned in their mind so it should be just a matter of moving things into place.” The event raised $14,000 for the School and would become an annual tradition centered on a new theme each year. at top: the first auction program; below: a mailing to promote the first themed auction in 1992.

Prep School in South Carolina. Jeff came to Cardigan in 1972 to join the history department; Marie helped in the nursery school. By 1976 Marie was teaching French (it was her native language), and shortly thereafter Jeff started helping Jack Rich in the admissions office. In 1981, upon Jack Rich’s retirement, Jeff was made director of admissions. He continued to teach, directed the summer session, managed senior placement, and coached varsity soccer. In the office Jeff developed computer programs to keep track of applications for admission. As often as possible, Marie accompanied Jeff to receptions for prospective students in the homes of parents and alumni around the country. For twenty years they were unsparing in devoting time and effort to promoting and serving Cardigan.

Another couple who had been at the school even longer—29 years— were David and Carol Shelton, who were retiring in June. The Sheltons started at Cardigan in 1963, David teaching history and Carol working in the library. David’s primary responsibility had been as chairman of the history department. In that capacity he felt it was important to “impart to students the need to develop their basic skills in the study of history with emphasis on the understanding of cause and effect and the relationship of past events to those of the present.” He will be remembered by many alumni to whom he taught history, and by many more who knew him as the head of the jobs program and work detail. His first after-school assignment was the ski improvement program, clearing trails and preparing new ski slopes at the Pinnacle. One year he was called on to take over the work detail during summer school, and that fall he started a new work detail program replacing one which was run by a student leader. Students were assigned numbers of hours to serve on work detail as punishment for various infractions of school rules. David spent a lot of time and effort planning work which would be productive and which would also give the boys a sense of pride in accomplishment of a job. Boys on work detail cleared brush, sawed and split firewood, raked leaves and, during the winter, shoveled snow from doorways and chipped ice from sidewalks. Tools and equipment were kept in the green shed. This was one of the original buildings on campus and stood next to a small barn where the chapel is now located. Over the years, the green shed was moved to different locations, and ended up near the maintenance facilities behind the infirmary.

Carol was very active in the library, which at that time was located in a two-classroom space on the top floor of Hopkins Hall. It was later expanded to include another classroom across the hall, but that resulted in the library’s being a passageway with a lot of traffic every time classes changed. She remembered that the boy’s bathroom for the top floor of Hopkins was there, so whatever problems there were with a bathroom—water overflowing, etc.—took place inside the library. At her urging, the bathroom was finally converted into a storage closet for audio-visual materials, and this was a great improvement to the atmosphere in the library. Carol brought to the campus much more than her skills as a librarian. She had a tremendous sense of humor and was constantly setting up contests for the boys, such as guessing how many jelly beans were in a big glass jar in the library. At Halloween she encouraged boys to make and wear costumes for a parade through the dining room—and there were judges and prizes for the most unusual ones. After dinner boys gathered on the ClarkMorgan porch to carve pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns, which were set in rows on the porch steps with candles burning brightly inside. It was Carol who saw to it that pumpkins were on hand as well as knives for carving, candles, and a panel of judges. In the spring she organized a contest to guess the date and time the ice went out of Canaan Street Lake, for which the prize one year was a five-dollar bill frozen in a

block of ice. Carol remembered that, “Norman and I used to play tricks on each other’s birthday, and one year in the dining room Norman announced that he had a birthday gift for me, and he went out to the kitchen and brought in this baby lamb with a bottle, and awarded it to me right at the table. And there I was with the bottle and the lamb.” David made a little pen for it behind the infirmary, and they raised it for several months.

For about twenty-five years David taught and Carol worked in the library every summer. Finally they built a home in Hopkinton, NH, where they could escape after graduation, and where they are now living in retirement. Their 29 year record of service to the school was longer than any other persons’ except the Wakelys.

Faith Degenhart, director of development, was working on plans for a capital campaign. Marts and Lundy had been hired as consultants to do a feasibility study, which would help determine how much money it might be possible to raise given the school’s current constituency, the present state of the economy, and perceived needs for capital funds. In May 1992 they reported their suggestion that a campaign of from $3 to $5 million looked feasible over a two or three year period, provided that the boards of trustees and incorporators were solidly behind the campaign and could generate pledges of as much as 35 to 40 percent of the goal from within their own ranks. It was clear that raising this amount of money was not going to be easy and that some restructuring of the governing boards would need to be done in support of a major fundraising effort. At the same time, Ralph LaPointe pointed out that the number of costly deferred maintenance projects was accumulating and now included pavement repair, window replacement, new roofs, and the final stage of asbestos removal.

In the fall of 1992 the corporation approved the most major changes in the By-Laws since the school’s founding:

r Corporation members to be elected for terms of three years

r Maximum number of trustees to be increased to 24

r Corporation and trustee members to be vulnerable to removal from office

r Executive Committee to be formally defined

At the same time they elected the first woman, Cynthia Armour, to be a member of the corporation.

At their next meeting in the spring of 1993, the second woman joined the board, Carol Thouron. A variety of other items came to their attention at that time. As a result of a state inspection, fire escape doors in Clark-Morgan, Hayward, and Franklin House would have to be replaced; a student debit card system was being explored; a new planned giving brochure was in progress; a study of space needs for science facilities was being made; and the headmaster reported that, based on the recommendation of the insurance company, the ski jump would have to be taken down.

Cardigan’s athletic programs had been directed by Jim Marrion since he came to the school in 1967. The locker building was completed that year, and this facility provided not only showers and lockers for students, but also space for storage of the school’s athletic equipment and an office for the athletic director. In a recent interview, Jim talked about changes in the athletic programs over the years. “Our philosophy here,” he said, “has always been to provide enough different athletic activities so that boys would be able to choose from a variety of sports and to experiment by trying new ones.” The athletic facilities had grown steadily over the years with the addition of new tennis courts and new playing fields, including the Williams field by the North

328HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

1. through 3. Middle

generate a particular energy when they come together—familiar in any season.

4. In March 1992, the hockey team traveled to Finland and Sweden, where Cardigan coach Jim Burnett (center) exchanged gifts with his Swedish counterparts Lars Andrae and Christer Olsson. Also making the trip, Chip Dewar sought out several educators to learn more about Scandinavian educational systems.

5. Seventh grader Cameron Matheson

pictured fielding for the varsity baseball team, would be school leader in his senior year. This role also made him president of the student senate, the governing body formed in 1990 under constitution designed and approved by students.

school boys

’93,

Church with its own irrigation system. Completion of the gym in 1977 allowed basketball and wrestling programs to be started. Jim noted another change, which he said began in the late 1980s, when more boys started to choose to participate in competitive team athletics. The number of boys electing activities like the wilderness program decreased, and more teams had to be formed in other sports. Along with this there came a change in the way teams were organized, he continued. “We used to carry 16 to 18 kids on our baseball or soccer teams, but now we’re cutting this down to 14 or 15 boys to a team. We have to form more teams, but now all the boys get to play in every game, and they love it. This has been a real positive change, and that’s why more boys are going out for competitive sports.” Additional teams mean that more games have to be scheduled, and this has resulted in another significant change—more competition with public schools. “When we only played private schools,” he noted, “games were scheduled for Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. The public schools have increased their athletic programs, and they like to play their JV teams on a Monday and their freshmen teams on a Friday, so we’re playing Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on a number of occasions in football, lacrosse, and soccer. The scheduling has become a lot more complicated.”

“Another big factor in our winter sports,” he added, “is snowboarding. This is a big activity now. Several prep schools are competing interscholastically in snowboarding, so we have two ski teams, a cross-country team, and now snowboarding. We run the alpine and snowboarding together; we set up one course and both teams can practice on it.” Jim also explained that snowboarding is an expensive sport—just like skiing—with snowboards costing from $400 to $800. They have hard boots as well as soft boots and several different styles: recreational, free style, racing, etc. “So we have to be careful and help the boys with selection,” he concluded.

Because of the general increase in competitive sports, the seasons had to be extended and schedules become heavier. “Instead of playing only 14 to 16 games per hockey season,” Jim said, “we are now up to about 30 games. And we’re starting our season a bit earlier, too. We’re going to start setting up the hockey rink in the middle of October this year, and practice will start the first or second week in November.” Another change he noted was the increased interest in weight lifting. “We do it on a club basis, on Thursdays, but now many of the coaches bring their students in after their regular practice for weight lifting.” The equipment in the weight room has been expanded over the years, and

330HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

above: Before and after; 1991’s seniors wait to process into their Commencement ceremony, and following the service they accept congratulations from the faculty, led by Janet and Chip Dewar.

Jim expected he would have to continue to add new machines to keep up with the trend.

Another interesting change occurred when performing arts was added as a full activity during the winter term. This allowed boys to play football in the fall, participate in performing arts during the winter, and play soccer in the spring. Recently performing arts has been extended to both fall and spring terms. Jim Marrion helps to coordinate this, too. “I’m still trying to refine it so boys are able to participate in competitive athletics as well as performing arts. I’m trying to arrange it so that a boy can do both. We haven’t reached that utopia yet, but we’re getting closer to it,” he said.

Jim summed it all up by stating that the scheduling has been astronomically impacted by the greatly increased number of teams and games. “Our younger teams are playing against the public schools, and our older teams play both public and private schools. You have to be a bit of a magician to juggle it all around,” he admitted. And Jim Marrion is that magician.

One of Chip Dewar’s goals when he came to Cardigan was to foster student interest in community service. He encouraged several club activities that got boys involved with the community, and this type of activity has grown each year. Just before Thanksgiving in 1992, a list of needs and wishes for five local, needy families appeared on the bulletin boards in Hopkins Hall. Many students found it hard to believe that a young child needed not simply wanted a snowsuit and boots. The realization that there was actual need in the local community, inspired students to try to raise enough money to meet all the needs and wishes of these five families. All of the ninth grade students donated money toward the goal, and in short order each of the other grades followed suit until every member of the student body had made a contribution. Boys left school for their Thanksgiving recess with the warm feeling that they had reached out to help meet the needs and wishes of these five anonymous families.

By the fall of 1993 David McClintic was able to report that the trial of the student debit card system worked well, and it would be used for all students this year. Each student would be issued a debit card to be used at the school stores and for transportation whenever a student went on a trip. School stores were equipped with machines to record purchases, and this information was transferred electronically to the computer in the business office, thus eliminating the need for timeconsuming manual posting of student purchases at the end of each month. There was also a portable unit to record charges for trips, each student using his card as he climbed onto the bus. This eliminated the need for faculty to check names off a roster and avoided frequent errors. As might be expected, some boys lost their cards, but new ones could be issued in the business office. The system also prevented the possibility of a boy’s charging items in one of the stores when there was no money left in his miscellaneous account. The business office was very pleased with this new equipment.

Six years ago when the effort started to revitalize Cardigan’s alumni, one of the first organized activities was the Alumni Winter Weekend. In the first years, it attracted mostly alumni who had played hockey at school, for the high point of the first weekend was an alumni/varsity hockey game. The Winter Weekend continued to be dominated by hockey players, but in 1993 it took on an enlarged character when stars of past Boston Bruins hockey teams challenged Cardigan’s hockey alumni to a benefit game to raise money to support Cardigan as well as Youth Hockey teams in Hanover and Lebanon. Over 45 alumni responded to this challenge and were ready when the opening whistle sounded in the Thompson Arena at Dartmouth College.

Over 140 Cardigan alumni and their guests joined about 1,000 others who turned out for this community event. Captain John “Chief” Bucyk fielded an impressive team of former Bruins players against Cardigan veterans led by Coach Bruce Marshard ‘64. “Cardigan did lead at times,” Bruce reported. “Though the Bruins emerged victorious,” he continued, “the final score was of less importance to the Cardigan alumni than the fun they had taking part in this historic event. Of course, as is the tradition in all Cardigan alumni hockey games, the entire team was on the ice for the final minute of play—but to no avail.” This event was repeated at the Alumni Weekend in 1993. Is this on the way to becoming another Cardigan tradition?

One of the characteristics of Cardigan Mountain School over the years was the stability of its personnel, due largely to the 26 year tenure of Norman Wakely as headmaster. There were personnel changes during that period, of course, but many people remained in key positions in the administration and on the faculty for long periods of time, and they gave the school strength, stability, and consistency. Chip Dewar did not bring with him a new staff and faculty, nor did he undertake any major restructuring of personnel or positions. Nonetheless, a lot of changes took place during his first five years. Individually, none of these changes was surprising, but in the aggregate, there were new people in almost every administrative position, and the board of trustees had an entirely new look. In fact, a new team had taken over. Note the following long-term employees who were no longer at the school in June 1994:

r Norman Wakely, who retired after 35 years, 26 as headmaster

r Jackie Lary, who retired after 35 years in the business office, the last 14 years as assistant treasurer

r Jeff Hicks, director of admissions, who became headmaster of Aiken Prep School in North Carolina, after 20 years at Cardigan

r David Shelton, head of the history department, and his wife, Carol, school librarian, who retired after 29 years

r Trustee John Tower, who relinquished leadership of fundraising activities after 23 years

r John Kenerson, who resigned after 45 years as a trustee, the last of the original members of the board

r Bob Gillette, who became an emeritus member of the corporation after 34 years during which he had served as president of the trustees and, for the last 17 years, as chairman of the corporation

r Savage Frieze, who relinquished the presidency of the trustees to become chairman of the corporation after 22 years on the board

The net result of these changes was that Chip Dewar had new people serving as: assistant headmaster, director of studies, director of admissions, assistant treasurer, director of development, head of the history department, librarian, chairman of the corporation, president of the trustees, and head of trustees’ development committee.

The leadership team of Bob Gillette, chairman of the corporation, Savage Frieze, president of the trustees, and Norman Wakely, headmaster, had been in place a long time. Bob Gillette became a member of the corporation in 1959. He was elected a trustee in 1969, serving as vice-president and then president until 1976, when he returned to the corporation as its chairman. Savage Frieze was elected to the board of trustees in 1971, a year after his son graduated from Cardigan, and became president in 1979—a position he held until 1993. This team had steered the school through the difficult times of the early

332HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

1970s, through the excitement of building the Kenerson Athletic and Social Center and the Stoddard Center, the agonies of the water and sewage problems, and finally through the transition years from Norman Wakely to Chip Dewar. These were challenging times during which difficult and courageous decisions had to be made. Their wisdom and leadership were there when the school needed them, and they devoted without question whatever time, effort and energy was required. Cardigan was fortunate to have had men of their stature at the helm for so many years.

Important changes in the membership of the governing boards had also come about during the first five years of Chip’s headmastership. Prior to 1989, only four alumni held board membership. By 1994 this had increased to eleven, and three alumni were officers of the trustees. Not only were younger men on the board, but they were taking leadership roles. And the board, which had been all male since the founding of the school, now had four female members. Many times over the years the suggestion had been made that it would be good to have a woman on the board—to give her viewpoint about the parenting functions fulfilled by the school—but not until 1992, 47 years after the school’s founding, did this come to pass. While trustees had always been elected for three year terms, there was no specific term for members of the corporation, with the result that sometimes inactive members were still carried on the rolls because they neglected to resign when their interest in the school had waned. And the number of trustees had been increased from 18 to 24. The net result of these changes was a younger board, with more alumni and female representation, and this affected the nature and character of their decisions on policy matters. There remained enough senior members on both boards, however, to insure that no abrupt or wide-ranging changes were likely to be made that would affect the character of the school.

Every September, before the start of classes, new students were routed from their beds before daybreak to continue the tradition of climbing Cardigan Mountain to see the sunrise. Seniors, three days before commencement, climbed Cardigan Mountain for the last time as students of the school, this time at the end of the day to view the sunset from the summit. The senior banquet took place the evening before commencement, and this year the headmaster’s parting advice to the seniors emphasized self-reliance. He summed it up with two-letter words: “If it is to be, it is up to me.”

1993–94 was a good year at Cardigan. Two boys won Boston Globe Art Scholarship Awards, and an eighth grader received two honorable mentions for his work. Cardigan students also placed second in the state of New Hampshire in the Knowledgemaster competitions and in the top 20% of all middle schools in the nation participating. In November Cardigan’s varsity soccer team won the 20th annual New England Junior School Soccer Tournament. The business manager noted that Cardigan’s endowment had more than quadrupled in the last ten years, from $1,283,000 in 1983 to $5,712,000 in 1994. Income from the endowment helped to offset the rising costs which drive tuition increases. The treasurer anticipated a surplus from operations in excess of $100,000 and stated that this would be transferred to debt repayment as well as to capital refurbishment. “These transfers,” he noted, “serve to strengthen Cardigan’s financial future by making necessary investments in the upkeep of the school’s wonderful physical plant and facilities.”

Dr. Richard Lederer, long time English teacher at St. Paul’s School and a syndicated columnist, who reaches more than a million readers across the United States through his weekly column “Looking at Language,” addressed the graduating class of 1994. He urged graduates to cultivate well the use of their own language—English—and to learn to communicate better with other people. Dr. Lederer urged the Class of 1994 to use English not just to communicate, but also to “really say something;” in other words, to speak with purpose about thoughts and aspirations so that through purposeful communication “man to man, community to community, and nation to nation,” a better world can emerge.

The founders of Cardigan Mountain School would surely agree with that advice. r

above: This image of the 1992 Sandwich Fair could be mistaken for one taken a decade before or after, but some student activities on The Point seem rooted in a particular era—like the rollerblading students on Alumni Drive in 1991.

This phase of the written history of the school concludes with the Commencement exercises in June 1994; yet the school goes on and is already in the midst of plans for celebrating in October 1995 the fiftieth anniversary of its founding. Notice will also be taken as graduates of its first school year commemorate their fiftieth reunion in 1997. Other anniversaries will follow with the passing years.

The physical plant has continued to grow year by year to meet the continuing challenges of changing educational needs, and it would be naive to expect that the campus will be called “complete and finished” at any point in the future. Indeed, plans for another $5 million capital campaign have been announced which include the addition of a science and art wing to the north end of Hopkins Hall. This facility addresses the need to prepare Cardigan students for increasingly demanding courses in the sciences, including computer science, now required in prep schools and colleges to meet the needs of this technological age.

The site plan includes construction of a new quadrangle behind Brewster Hall, where there is now a parking lot, and elimination of the narrow road beside Hopkins Hall to the gym. A new road, Alumni Drive,

will run along the lake shore from Back Bay Road to the athletic facilities. Groundbreaking ceremonies initiating the start of construction of the first phase of the project were held on June 2, 1995. The new road, with the resulting change in traffic patterns, plus the removal of the Founder’s Circle to the new quadrangle, will change the appearance of the campus beyond just the addition of a new building.

Under discussion by the trustee education committee are plans for a senior elective in art and the performing arts to enhance the school’s present offerings. The technology committee is studying ways to improve Cardigan’s computer lab and use of other new technologies to augment the students’ learning by improving information access and communications networks.

As the world continues to change, it is certain that Cardigan Mountain School will also continue to change its appearance, physical plant, and educational programs as needed to prepare future generations to meet the challenges of their times. By doing so, the hopes and dreams of its founders will live on. r

aCknowledgments

Without the help, support and, encouragement which I received from so many people this volume could not have been produced. First I want to thank Bob Gillette who, on behalf of the Trustees, got me involved in this project and provided continuing encouragement along the way.

Taking events in sequence, I next want to thank those in the school offices who helped find old school publications and fulfilled my requests for statistics and lists of names as I started the research. A particular thank you to librarian Kris Burnett for locating a publication called The Encyclopedia of American Facts and Dates and then obtaining copies covering a thirty year period. Staff in the Business and Development Offices were particularly helpful as I repeatedly turned to them with questions.

Many people kindly agreed to be interviewed. All were generous with their time and helpful and sincere with their comments and recollections. My thanks to each and every one of them. Not everything that each one said shows up directly in the written account, but the interview material enriched and augmented much of the story’s background. Special thanks to Bob Kenerson for arranging an interview

with his mother, Mrs. John B. Kenerson, whose recollections of her early experiences at Cardigan were particularly delightful. Norm and Bev Wakely gave up a whole afternoon as we sat in their kitchen and reviewed some of the highlights of their Cardigan days. I’m particularly grateful to them for making the effort at a particularly busy time in their lives to read the manuscript and amend and correct where necessary. Chip Dewar was also kind enough to read a copy, and his comments and suggestions were much appreciated.

Most especially my thanks and gratitude go to my editor and mentor, Carl Cochran, who gave so willingly of his time and experience to help turn my jottings into meaningful and grammatically correct prose, and for his constant encouragement and support.

And to my wife, Eileen, who coped alone with changes in our lives while I was absent hour after hour in front of the computer screen. Her patience and understanding strengthened my resolve to complete this project. r

R.R.R.

334HISTORY: 1960 TO 1995

BOOK TWO: Cardigan Comes of Age

PART THREE: 1995 TO 2022

BY JUDITH SOLBERG

HISTORY, PART THREE: 1995 to 2022

Completing the Dewar Years (1995–2004)

snapshot: the 50th anniversarY

The life of a school does not pause for the writing of a book, and as Dick Rearick, author of Cardigan’s second school history, closed his narrative, Cardigan was entering its 50th Anniversary year. In 1995–96, Chip and Janet Dewar were in the seventh year of their tenure and the boys were growing through new offerings in academics, the arts, and athletics. Although a number of critical deferred maintenance projects continued to demand the School’s attention, board members and development staff were preparing a campaign for a new science facility, designed to extend from Hopkins Hall. Long-term members of the board, corporation, faculty, and staff were retiring from the maturing school, and a corresponding stream of new people and ideas were feeding the development of programs and planning.

It was a moment for celebrating the School’s strengths. Under the leadership of Dewar, Board Chairman Bob Diemar, and President of the Corporation Savage Frieze H’96, Cardigan’s new initiatives had hit

their stride, and the School’s anniversary celebrations were imbued with positive momentum.

In order to include the entire Cardigan family in the 50th anniversary, Cardigan began reconnecting with alumni. In June of 1995, the recently reorganized Alumni Board led an “Alumni Congress” to discuss plans for regional chapters, reunions, class representatives, phonathons, and outreach to young alumni. The following October, energized alumni and friends turned out in record numbers for the on-campus anniversary celebrations, marking the milestone with events that included the unveiling of a Cardigan Quilt, the burying of a time capsule (“to be enjoyed by those fortunate enough to be in attendance at Cardigan’s 100 Year Celebration!”), as well as parades, music, and fireworks.

Steady and determined efforts to broaden Cardigan’s network of financial support were also underway. In 1989, the new Parents’ Association had launched an annual auction, following a model the Dewars had observed at Belmont Hill School. By 1995, this event was raising almost $40K annually in support of the School’s operational costs.

this page: Cardigan’s 50th Anniversary was a three-day event that included meetings of parents, alumni, and the board; the Founders’ Awards Ceremony; a “ceremonial march” from the Lodge to the main campus; the presentation of a time capsule and a 50th Anniversary quilt; fireworks and cake cutting; and athletic competitions, receptions, and exhibits.

facing page: By the School’s 75th Anniversary new buildings had sprung up on The Point, but school life carried with it the same energy and traditions.

1. Under the guidance of parent chairs Patricia Emerson and Emilie Shipman, the 1996 auction took Cardigan’s birthday as its theme. Food Services Director Bob Spano donated the event’s cake, “which was six feet tall [and] drew everyone’s attention to the front of the dining hall.”

2. through 5. Faculty children grow up alongside a few hundred “big brothers” on The Point, forging unique relationships that deepen the sense of community. Students can be role models at special events like Santa’s visit or a first Chapel performance. Being near little ones during daily life makes campus feel a little bit more like home.

338HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

Cardigan’s Heritage Society was founded in 1995–96, recognizing those who had made plans for a deferred gift to the School. In the same year, the quiet phase of a $5M comprehensive capital campaign (“Foundations for the Future”) was ending, and Cardigan was holding receptions across the country to bring the School community together and build support for strategic goals.

These efforts meant that some long-hoped-for improvements to the physical plant were beginning to take shape. June 1995 saw the groundbreaking of the “50th Anniversary Building Project,” including the construction of Alumni Drive and the Founders’ Quadrangle. The project concluded the following spring with the dedication of Bronfman—the addition to Hopkins Hall that added 13,600 square feet of academic space, including an art studio and the Freda R. Caspersen Science Laboratories. (These were joined by the Sessel-Wendt Greenhouse and the BhiromBhakdi Computer Center the following fall.)

At the time of the anniversary year, Cardigan’s academic reputation was firmly on the rise. Since his arrival, Dewar had been fighting a public perception that Cardigan was a rural school; his goal was to shift assumptions and help people see Cardigan as a school with a robust academic program “where you can send smart kids.” Thanks to several parallel strategies, Cardigan’s visibility among peer schools had begun to improve: Cardigan continued to refine and expand its academic offerings, the School had aligned itself with Dartmouth regarding technological developments on campus, and Dewar himself maintained leadership roles in a number of education associations.

All of this progress had put the School in a relative position of strength by the spring of 1996. The completion of the academic building was a point of pride. Students were earning accolades for academic, athletic, and artistic achievements, and Cardigan’s enrollment numbers were consistently strong. As if in acknowledgement of Cardigan’s increasing leadership in middle school education, representatives from more than 20 schools traveled to The Point to attend the School’s “50th Anniversary Symposium on Moral Education and New Technologies.” There was much to celebrate.

Although they did not know it at the time, the 1996–97 academic year had marked the midpoint of the Dewars’ tenure at Cardigan. Putting the anniversary celebrations behind them, they moved forward with the same dual priorities: enriching daily life on The Point, while pursuing strategic goals for the institution. Here is where our story resumes.

the view from Campus

harnessing teChnologY

A major, global cultural change concerning technology was well underway by Cardigan’s anniversary year. For the most part the School had shielded students from unnecessary impacts, but it was clear that plans for technology use on campus would demand both foresight and careful management.

By the Dewars’ arrival in 1989, technology—previously treated as a peripheral field—was a core issue for educators. There was a growing recognition that technical skills had become a critical component of basic curriculum, and some schools were buzzing around best practice and implementation. Technology was slowly permeating life at Cardigan: library resources now included CD-roms of digitized microfiche, as well as subscription-based access to journals and periodicals; and students competed with schools around the world in academic contests like the 1991 Knowledge Master Open (run “by means of specially-programmed computer disks”).

Some secondary schools, like Brewster Academy, were on the forefront of these developments, but most junior schools—Cardigan’s peer schools—had not yet made that leap. Dewar saw the need to take a strategic, proactive approach to integrating technology at Cardigan, and worked closely with faculty member Jamie Funnell H’09 on this goal (Funnell became Dewar’s assistant headmaster in 1997). Dr. Charles E. Hutchinson III, Dean of the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth and Cardigan’s 1991 commencement speaker, shared their thinking. Describing the need to create an ethical context for technology, Hutchinson noted that Cardigan graduates living in this time of “ever accelerating change” had an obligation to “use that opportunity to make a difference in this world.” Hutchinson would become a key partner in navigating and integrating new technologies within Cardigan’s program, and joined Cardigan’s board in 1993.

above: In 1996, the seniors who had joined Cardigan as sixth graders wore their bragging rights with pride.

above: In addition to acting in the annual Christmas pageant, Cardigan boys could perform in talent shows and with the drama club. Club advisors Chase Rozelle and Trevor Worcester were succeeded in 1998–99 by Mary Mendelsohn, who kicked off her tenure with a production of “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

Infrastructure for Integration

In August 1993, trustees and incorporators began to focus on the issue in earnest, forming a subcommittee of the Education/Student Life Committee to consider “technology and the curriculum.” The group (it would later become a full committee) met repeatedly that year and made several visits to peer schools to better understand issues and options. Their February report to the board contained eye-opening findings:

Following discussions with other institutions and technological consultants the consensus is that every school in the U.S. should be equipped to handle today’s technology. An estimate of the cost to equip Cardigan was not available, but other schools have spent $150,000–200,000 on the first three items necessary for networking which include fiber optic cables, network outlets in each dormitory room and network outlets in each classroom.

The internet era had begun.

Infrastructure was first priority, as hardware had to be in place before a Cardigan network could “service the educational programs, the faculty, and the students.” The board began in earnest to price and spec systems to meet Cardigan’s needs. They soon “learned that ‘low cost, no cost’ technology presented by certain companies does not exist.” Although summer 1994 saw Cardigan reviewing corporate proposals for campus network installations, caution prevailed. The School centralized student access to technology within Kirk Library; Dewar understood that offering broader access would open a new can of worms, as he wrote in 1995:

[The] new ‘highway of information’ networks for which ‘filters’ do not always exist are becoming an important source for students. […] How can we help our children discriminate between useful information which will aid them in developing virtuous and positive behavior, and information that promotes negative values or is simply irrelevant? More burden falls on the schools than ever before to teach students when and how to access information, and to provide the proper ‘filters’ in helping students to weigh and determine the real value of information in the context of improving society and upholding human ideals.

Cardigan would “[move] forward in the area of technology with care and selectivity.” This thoughtful approach was reflected by discussions during the 50th Anniversary symposium, which centered on “moral issues raised as a result of indiscriminate use of new information and communication technologies.” Hutchinson and the board included infrastructure planning within the 50th Anniversary Campaign, and when the BhiromBhakdi Computer Center opened in Bronfman Hall (funded by Chutinant “Nick” BhiromBhakdi ’73) it included 16 networked Power Mac computers. Students working in the center were trained to navigate Cardigan’s young network, learned software applications, and made “supervised limited excursions onto the Internet.”

A Proactive Stance

Although integrating new technology into the curriculum was hard work, Cardigan had been an early adopter for most of its history, and the faculty understood the value of using new platforms to teach traditional concepts. While teachers readily pursued professional development, the administration funded proven tools like classroom computer projectors, developed a closed campus intranet for student use, and loaned employees the funds to purchase personal computers. It was more difficult to manage the dawn of the internet age. No matter how valiantly faculty and staff tried to remain a step ahead of developments, there were now continual advances to understand and manage. From our current perspective, it can be hard to remember life before technology and web access permeated our lives, but this was the inflection point in the culture. Gradual changes at Cardigan reflected the growing ubiquity of the internet outside of The Point. The faculty focused on helping students use the internet safely (“Technology Surfing” was a fall club in 1998!), but that was only one piece of the puzzle. Alumni and staff were also learning to navigate the fast-moving frontier of technology. The speed of change was particularly obvious around alumni engagement. In 1997, the School had to encourage alumni to send updates to cmsalumni@aol.com instead of sharing them by telephone (the Chronicle noted persuasively that “E-mail is a quick and easy way to communicate”); within two years, Cardigan alumni had created an unofficial chat room that had the School scrambling to develop an official website.

340HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

While faculty members were honing intranet resources to meet student needs, the staff had realized that the website had to attract and serve the whole School community: the external website’s URL changed from cmsalumni.com to the now-familiar Cardigan.org in 2001.

Prior discussions about technology had enabled the School to respond to change quickly, and as the board noted in 2000, “Cardigan has surpassed some secondary schools in terms of technology.” Yet the headmaster reported to the board in December 2000 that, although students were adapting handily, the faculty were now struggling to keep pace:

Cardigan students have fairly strong computer skills, but not all faculty possess the same strengths […] the State of Michigan plans on purchasing laptops for all teachers in public schools in that state. Preliminary discussions have taken place regarding doing the same for Cardigan faculty.

The board held a technology retreat in August 2001 to “look into the future and decide what Cardigan’s technological needs will be over the next five to ten years.” A grant from the Hamilton Family Foundation followed closely on the heels of the retreat, thanks to parents Matt and Anne Hamilton. This critical support fully funded the initial costs of implementing a faculty laptop program in 2002–03. With infrastructure in place and professional development readily available as a support, the faculty were now empowered to put technology to work for them as a powerful teaching tool.

health anD wellness

Building a Team

The 1990s also brought significant changes in managing student health. In some ways, the Dewars had inherited a perfect storm when they arrived at The Point. Although it had been renovated in 1986, Cardigan’s infirmary was still smaller than required, and its location down in the former Fifield House was fairly distant from campus activity. The School had not yet named a successor to long-time school physician Dr. Israel Dinerman, who had retired in the same year as the renovations. Adding to these challenges, there were now skyrocketing diagnoses of Attention Deficit Disorder (aDD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (aDhD), drastically changing the demands for on-campus care.

Dewar moved quickly to address some of the practical considerations around healthcare. On the board, he found a remarkable partner in Dr. Robert F. Kenerson H’04 (Dewar described him as “a linchpin of the School on issues of health and health facilities”). In Dewar’s first year as headmaster, Kenerson helped him to form of a partnership between the School and Mary Hitchcock Hospital’s clinic in Canaan, an agreement which brought Dr. David Cunis (and later, Dr. Peter Mason) to campus regularly and made it much easier to find swift and professional care for any students or faculty members with more serious medical issues. The following year, Cardigan hired campus nurse Rosalind Burke, who quickly became integral to student life and who remained at Cardigan until 2012. This core team would work together closely throughout the 1990s and beyond.

Significant work awaited their attention. The infirmary had aged beyond its practical life: Cardigan had been struggling during state inspections, often receiving only provisional licenses. Kenerson pressed the board to plan for a new facility, noting that “Some of the [licensing] issues which need addressing are space and the location of the infirmary.” He was tireless in his work to find a solution, leading the board’s Student Health Committee, and traveling to a number of peer schools to review healthcare facility designs. While the board shared his sense of urgency about a new infirmary, and made it a cornerstone of the coming fundraising campaign, ultimately the project would not be completed until after Dewar’s tenure.

Despite slow progress on fundraising for the infirmary, Cardigan continued to press forward on other concerns. As Dewar recalls, “aDD/aDhDwas a major issue at that time, as diagnoses soared and regulations only pertained to public schools.” What’s more, the understanding of aDD and aDhDwas still evolving, so students arriving at Cardigan with identical diagnoses often had differing treatments. Dewar wanted to be ahead of the curve in student care, and looked to Kenerson to advise on the best way to understand this new diagnosis and its impact on students.

Kenerson and Burke presented on the issue during a 1996 board meeting, sharing an eyeopening statistic: while only six students received aDD medication in 1989, by 1996 the number had risen to 41. Kenerson suggested that Cardigan establish an institutional relationship with

at top: When Dr. Peter Mason was named New Hampshire’s “Family Physician of the Year,” it was further confirmation that Cardigan’s health and wellness programs had earned the confidence of current parents.

above: Over the years, the Monte Cardigan fundraiser allowed students to bid on the outcome of contests like marble raceways, card games, bingo cage pulls, and the “Wheel of Fortune” that appears in this 1996 photo.

1. and 2. Halloween costumes pay homage to Cardigan’s chefs; during the 1998 spring parents’ weekend, dining services staff members George Jones and Rick Kahn live up to the hype.

3. The 1995 Winter Carnival included dorm competitions in activities like snow sculpture, broomball, t-shirt design, and sled racing on the lake (the icecream sundae honors were won by the combined team of Clark-Morgan III and Franklin House).

curriculum, which balanced traditional and active learning.

4. Art department head Sue Rives offered a new ceramics course in 1996 that was so popular it “had to be split into two sections.” At the same time, Rives was collaborating on interdepartmental projects like a science department mural and work with creative writing students.

1. through 3. Science department head Jamie Funnell was also Director of Secondary School Placement; when visiting other schools, he “eyed science facilities with particular interest, looking for lab layouts that would suit our new facility.” The new Bronfman science wing put renewed energy into the department’s

above: In 1996, dress codes varied for the occasion, whether that be Polar Bear, a regular class day, or a class fundraising initiative.

a psychologist: this adjunct member of the healthcare team could both help to interpret student evaluations and answer developing questions about the new diagnoses. The board agreed. Reaching out once more to the Hitchcock clinic as a resource, Kenerson connected with Dr. Peter Mills, who became Cardigan’s school psychologist.

The fall 1991 issue of the Chronicle noted that

In addition to receiving care of physical health, boys may need counseling services. Joe Collins and Jim Burnett, Dean of Students, are available to boys who wish to see them. They are aided by the School Psychologist who visits school on a weekly basis.

This was a milestone in its explicit acknowledgement of mental health as an essential component of student wellness. Parents were reassured to see that trusted administrators Joe CollinsH’92 and Jim Burnett were involved in their boys’ care, and that the School was not “outsourcing” responsibility for students’ wellbeing. At the same time, the announcement reflected a gentle but swift transition that added medical professionals to the School’s traditional, campus-based support for boys’ mental and emotional health.

Process and Policy

With the rising diagnoses of aDD/aDhD, prescription medications had become an unexpected logistical challenge. The current state regulations left independent schools in a gray area between family and hospital environments. As a result, in lieu of parents, only the school nurse was permitted to dispense medication. Dorm faculty, who in other cases generally acted in loco parentis, were not yet approved to assist with student medications and could not support Cardigan’s nursing staff. Coordinating that across the campus on a daily basis was proving nearly impossible.

In fact, Cardigan’s healthcare processes needed adjustment across the board. Parents and faculty struggled to understand what care students needed and had received, and the nursing staff had no way to request support in providing it. Cardigan needed clear “standing orders” to help guide campus decisions around medical care. To this end, in 1998 the Student Health Committee—along with Mills, Mason, and Burke—audited campus care policies. They used their findings to develop an entirely new approach that could scale to current needs:

Out of these discussions, an algorithm was developed to outline what steps need to be taken. Dr. Mills, the school psychologist and Dr. Mason, the school medical director, took a survey of faculty and staff to see what needs should be met. […] Now people will know what their responsibility will be and when an issue needs to be passed on to someone more qualified. […]. A copy of the algorithm will be included in the faculty handbook in the fall.

It was part of a movement toward empowerment and clear communication: faculty members received first aid training, were briefed on students’ critical medical needs, and were given access to the standing orders that guided campus medical decisions. Burke also focused on communication with families, developing extensive medical forms to gather health information even as she improved the medication processes. To help boys feel more comfortable in coming to her for support, she also boosted her own visibility to counter the distance of the infirmary from other aspects of school life. “Though the School Health Center is at the base of the hill on the edge of the campus,” the Chronicle reported, “Mrs. Burke makes it a point to circulate on campus several times a day as she carries out her duties.”

During this process audit, and as the Cardigan team worked on plans for a new healthcare facility, the School had developed a much more collaborative relationship with the state. The state now recognized that the School had become a thought leader in educational healthcare, and approached Cardigan for help in updating its approach to designing new school regulations. The state’s medical regulations and licensing requirements were out of step with the reality at independent schools, and this was an exciting opportunity to ensure that regulations worked intuitively with on-campus policy changes. As the Chronicle reported:

Larger Health Centers than ours at CMS are typically regulated and licensed by the State of New Hampshire under many of the same rules as hospitals. In Cardigan’s case, this seemed inappropriate, and Chip Dewar was instrumental in starting a committee

344HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

to establish a more practical set of regulations just for school health centers that are usually managed by nurses. The committee was organized with representatives from private schools and the state. It meets monthly and is making good progress; Mrs. Burke has hopes that by 1993 official changes will be in place.

Cardigan was leading the way in defining a new standard of care for middle school boys.

evolving CurriCulum

Life Skills and Service

The Cardigan tradition embraces a healthy lifestyle, and its program had incorporated athletics and outdoor activities since its founding. Now the faculty began to more explicitly encourage boys in strengthening their mental and emotional health. Dewar saw Life Skills, a course established just before his arrival at Cardigan, as an opportunity to extend the academic program in this direction. In 1991 faculty member Bill Barron H’11 began leading the course, which the School described as “an integral part of Cardigan’s commitment to developing the whole child.” Students in the course discussed health issues, which were broadly defined to include topics like peer pressure, relationships and sexuality, stress management, and community service. Because Cardigan required students to take Life Skills each year, the curriculum could focus on topics most relevant to each group’s age and maturity.

Life Skills soon evolved into a natural pairing with the clubs program. Taken together, Dewar felt the two programs offered boys space “in which they can apply learning to experience and experience to learning.” Cardigan clubs increasingly included service opportunities like volunteering at listenor the hospital, being a Big Brother to a Canaan elementary student, participating in the “Helping Hands” campus group, or working with animals at the local humane society. Cardigan presented community service as a key life skill (the eighth grade curriculum for Life Skills centered on service): a boy learns that giving back not only helps the recipient, but improves his own outlook and self-esteem. Dewar also appreciated that, “Through community service, the boys get a chance to practice all of the good habits, such as respect and politeness, that they have learned here and at home.” By the end of his tenure, almost half of Cardigan’s current students were regularly volunteering in the community.

Moral Education

At Cardigan’s 50th anniversary educators’ symposium, Stephen Clem, vice president of the National Association of Independent Schools (nais), had praised “moral education,” acknowledging that:

Morals are learned in the daily flow of school life, and not only during an ethics class, school senate meetings, or as a result of some school crisis. All members of the school community must take responsibility for their behavior and treatment of others and for how they allocate and share power and resources. Models of behavior and decisionmaking processes are as important in teaching as academic subject content.

This perspective described an approach already baked into the Cardigan tradition. As an organizing principle, it reflects well how Cardigan was extending its programs under Dewar. While the faculty worked to integrate service with the Life Skills course and Cardigan clubs, student leaders were also playing an important role in developing service initiatives.

In 1990, school leader Erik Oberg ’91 led a group of students in restructuring Cardigan’s student government (others in the group included Sean Casey ’91, Alex Cazanas ’93, Morgan Cullen’94, Scott Fath ’91, Jeff Haskins ’91, Ramon Ramos ’91, Andrew Scace ’91, Brandon Wagner’92, and Derek White ’91). The boys worked closely with faculty members and administrators, creating an honor code, ratifying a new School constitution, and forming a School Senate with representatives from each grade. This structure helped build spirit between and among classes, whether they worked together to suggest policy to administrators or had friendly rivalries in class competitions. Service was a major focus of their work.

Each grade maintained its own treasury, and did creative fundraising throughout the year for a variety of causes. In 1993, the ninth graders resurrected the “Monte Cardigan” event, a tradition that would recur periodically over the next decades. At this event, students purchased pretend money to use in games of chance. Winnings were placed on auction bids for items “ranging from pizzas and movies to breakfast-in-bed.” Other fundraising strategies included

3. Greenwood was also senior class advisor in 1998. In their Blaze dedication to her that year, the class noted that Greenwood “is terrifically nice” and “simply won’t quit until a student understands a problem.”

1. and 2. Parent Richard Steinkamp arranged with faculty member Ruth Greenwood for the senior class to travel to Washington, D.C., in spring of 1997, where they had the opportunity to visit the White House and shake hands with President Clinton.

1. through 4. Cardigan students learn to lead in both public and private forums. From left, a student helps guide a trunk on moving day; school leader Tye Korble ’96 shakes the hand of his successor, Fred Meyer ’97; Chris Payne ’96 welcomes a campus visitor; a friend’s support makes it easier to feel at home on The Point.

5. through 7. Headmaster’s Day always holds fresh excitement, and everyone ends the day ready to sleep well.

pay-to-play dress-down days, Winter Carnival t-shirt sales, and Saturday night pizza sales—a popular option that rotated between grades for fairness. Often the boys donated the resulting funds to organizations where students volunteered during club activities. As the Chronicle noted in 1995, boys were not permitted to make donations on credit, because “all who participate must reach into their pockets and experience the act of giving.”

Every student was also required to participate in the Jobs Program, led by the elected student leaders. In 1994, Assistant Headmaster Burnett described the importance of this program:

The Jobs Program […] provides one of the important opportunities for students to demonstrate responsible behavior and good citizenship as they take on tasks which vary from serving as flag raisers, table waiters, or environmental coordinators, to library assistants, audio visual assistants, or laboratory assistants.

Burnett noted that “it is the student leaders who are the most influential behavioral role models, especially for the new boys.”

There was some concern that some boys not elected to leadership roles would struggle to find their place in this model. To help address this, faculty member Alex Gray H’12, who joined Cardigan in 1994, instituted the Leadership Elective, a trimester course required for all ninth graders that promoted the paradigm of servant leadership. Gray explained the program’s goal of empowerment:

We want to teach them that they can emerge as leaders, even if they’re not among the elected leaders now. At Cardigan there are 25 or so elected leaders, and there’s sometimes a sense that the other boys don’t have to exercise leadership. But we feel each boy has a unique and useful gift that has to be developed. […] If these are going to be the people influencing the world, we have to take the time to make them the best people they can be.

Like students, faculty members were challenged to be reflective “servant leaders” on The Point, pushing themselves to grow and learn. Throughout this period, Cardigan hosted workshops not only on teaching methods, but also on issues related to the School’s cultural climate. These included frank discussions about potentially sensitive topics such as boundary training, gender stereotypes, and teachers’ impact on students’ self-worth. Dewar and Burnett also invited candid discussions about ways the School itself could improve, and many committed faculty members stepped forward to help with this work.

One example of this kind of leadership was the task force on faculty retention (led by Funnell, Dewar, and trustee Eugene Pinover). The task force, formed to look into the causes of high attrition, sought the perspectives of a range of faculty and staff members. Faculty liaison Mary Mendelsohn H’06 summarized some of the major concerns voiced by her colleagues: “housing (summer displacement and privacy issues in apartments), day care, dental insurance, and rising medical costs.” Each issue was complex—and some, such as increasing healthcare costs, seemed entirely out of the School’s control. Nevertheless, it was a fruitful and collaborative discussion, leading the task force to recommend strategies to ease the coverage schedule for student clubs and dorms.

In all of these examples, there were institutional values at work that had been integral to Cardigan’s approach for decades: lifelong learn-

ing, service, and leadership. During the 1990s and early 2000s, Dewar’s focus on their cumulative impact on students and faculty helped them to develop into a powerful example of “moral education” in practice.

Individual Learning

One factor in the School’s growing academic reputation was the specialized academic support Cardigan offered its students. These programs had always been a mainstay of the School’s program, but additional offerings in the 1990s—some fee-based—built on this strength. The board was anxious that Cardigan not be miscast as an institution focused on supporting special needs, but careful and clear communication from the admissions and placement offices helped mitigate that worry: the suite of programs was simply designed to support middle school boys. In addition to the long-standing Language Learning Lab (lll), which provided reading assistance, and the Math Lab begun in Dewar’s first year (to help advanced students “go beyond the normal math curriculum and […] less strong students to get extra help”), Cardigan added a writing lab in 1999. The School also offered an eslprogram (for work on English as a second language), ssat preparation courses, a library skills program, a Reading and Study Skills (RSS) program, and an additional reaDaKstudy skills course that was made available to ninth graders.

Because these specialized programs were ubiquitous and integrated into boys’ schedules, Cardigan students were less likely to feel targeted or shamed for receiving extra support in a particular area. The week held many opportunities for all boys to find academic success: in addition to regular courses, students attended daytime and evening study halls, while a new conference period (held four times per week) gave them a regular opportunity to meet with teachers for additional help. The combination of these support structures created a powerful program for individualized learning. Cardigan was gaining a reputation for not only helping each boy understand his needs, but giving him the tools to thrive in an academic environment.

In parallel with this student support, the School also encouraged and funded teachers who were interested in professional development opportunities. In the summer of 2000 alone, ten of Cardigan’s faculty members pursued higher degrees or continuing education, while 22 more worked on the Summer Session faculty. Summer Session was considered to be an important training opportunity for Cardigan’s younger teachers, who often spent the six weeks learning important skills under older, mentor teachers. Cardigan faculty members also often tried out new curriculum ideas during Summer Session, carrying over successful approaches into the regular academic year.

The intellectual curiosity of the faculty was important for the School’s program, as Cardigan’s traditional curriculum began to reflect changes afoot in the broader field of education. Collaborative learning, team teaching, and the integration of disciplines were gaining traction. Even before the construction of Bronfman, which brought science and art classrooms closer to other academic departments, curriculum change had forged ahead. Director of Studies Bob Small noted in the fall 1995 that “a major theme at Cardigan this year is the integration of the disciplines.” Under Department Head Dave Auerbach H’14, the science faculty developed cross-curricular offerings with the math and history teams; faculty member Trevor Worcester worked with both woodworking and music students as he planned the fall play; and art teacher Susan Rives H’09 launched into a partnership with Small, in which their students explored the concept of mask-wearing through both creative writing and visual arts.

above: Fall of 1998–99 brought bragging rights for Cougar athletics: the soccer team won New Englands while the football team was undefeated.

It was an exciting time to work in education, and Cardigan’s faculty members were both energized and dedicated to their work.

sChool life

A Global Community

Dewar’s tenure saw a growing number of families around the world choosing to send their boys to Cardigan. Always having enrolled international students—in 1947, Cardigan welcomed Guillermo Arguello ’48 from Nicaragua—Cardigan knew the value of bringing boys together from a broad range of backgrounds. Whether their differences were cultural, socio-economic, religious, or otherwise, the School firmly supported the theory that boys learn with and from each other, broadening their worldview while finding common ground and forming deep friendships.

The Wakely era had already seen a close bond form between the School and the community in Hyvinkää, Finland, leading in part to the regular arrival of a Finnish exchange student. The Wakelys had also welcomed a number of international students from South America and Thailand. Summer Session functioned as something of a “feeder system” for the academic year enrollment, and this was particularly true for international families, whose boys at this time were required to attend a Summer Session before they could be admitted to the winter school. This policy allowed Cardigan to gauge a boy’s ability to succeed as a full-time student, and helped families learn more about the School before committing to send their son for a full year.

Jeff Hicks, who doubled as both admissions and Summer Session director under Wakely, had been an important conduit for international students. He had worked hard to build a diverse campus, but had also remained fairly conservative in limiting international enrollment. During the 1990s the admissions office continued to seek boys who could embrace the School’s culture, but perspectives on international enrollment had begun to shift. Along with the accepted wisdom that international students enriched campus life, there was an emerging recognition that these relationships were having a positive impact on an institutional level. International families valued Cardigan’s culture as much as the administration, and appreciated the traditional American boarding school experience that it offered their boys. Achieving full enrollment remained a challenging task, as domestic families required a growing amount of financial aid in order to attend Cardigan. Qualified applications from international families, who often paid full tuition, could offer the School a measure of stability without any negative impact on school culture.

Not all independent schools embraced this approach. Dewar recalls that Cardigan was, “surprisingly, on the cutting edge” of international relations, nurturing budding relationships with communities in Mexico, and later in Korea. As these ties strengthened, some in the Cardigan community worried about preserving the School’s ethos. Dewar remained firm on the value of a diverse student body, but worked to reassure those who questioned the changes, as he did in a 1992 Chronicle article:

The Cardigan Board is well aware that the recruitment of foreign students carries with it the need for a careful selection process and provision of language and other assistance to help students adjust. They, as I, believe that although Cardigan must retain its commitment to diversity and to the recruitment of foreign students, the major commitment of the School is to educate American students.

Rather than trying to gate-keep international families from the School, Dewar focused on ways to embrace them fully within the Cardigan community.

First, the boys had to be supported well, and with care. Jim Burnett viewed Bill Barron’s work with boys in the Life Skills course and Rick Exton’s support via the eslprogram as critical factors in helping international students to find their feet. Second, Cardigan needed authentic touchpoints with international families, of the kind that the School enjoyed with domestic families. Knowing that travel to Finland had helped build trust, understanding, and friendship, it seemed intuitive that visits to Mexico and Korea could help strengthen those community ties.

In December of 1993, Chip and Janet Dewar traveled to Mexico City, accompanied by Director of Admissions Carl Lovejoy. Their first event brought together current parents and was, as Dewar described it, “an informative and joyous evening.” A celebration the following night gathered more than 60 alumni, families, and prospective families, leading Dewar to report that the “visit with so many genuinely enthusiastic Cardigan advocates suggests that we might be ahead of schedule in the formulation of an alumni group from Mexico City.” The School continued to

348HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

arrange visits to Mexico, and added a trip to Korea in 2001. Before long international gatherings had become a regular feature of the Cardigan travel calendar.

International representation had increased within the student body, and the board felt that international families should have a voice in the direction of the School. In fall 1996, the board elected parent Sergio Autry of Mexico City as Cardigan’s first international trustee, and continued to elect international members in the years that followed. Asked in 2002 what accomplishments had given him the most satisfaction, Dewar answered in part:

I’m tremendously proud of our development into a worldclass institution. We’ve always been wonderfully represented in the world by our alumni, both from the academic year and from the summer session, but recently we’ve been able to add a component to our Board leadership that makes us truly a global school. We now have members of the Board from Mexico, Thailand, Korea, and the Bahamas who are very meaningful contributors to the life and future of this institution. I think that’s very special, and separates us from a good number of institutions.

This progress was tested when the Cardigan community and the nation were deeply shaken by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Although they had been poised to welcome families to registration the following day, after the attacks the faculty and staff instead gathered at the headmaster’s house for support and planning. The focus turned to the safety of the community, and communicating with families en route to The Point. International students faced particular difficulty in their travels. Three boys traveling from the Middle East had been grounded in Nova Scotia, unable to gain clearance to enter the United States; after a month spent waiting in Canada, they eventually returned home and withdrew from Cardigan. Ten or fifteen domestic families also withdrew their sons from Cardigan after the attacks, unwilling to live apart during uncertain geopolitical developments. This was a significant financial blow to the School, but the administration understood and accepted the parents’ decisions. In the end, it would be more than a week for all students to arrive on The Point that fall.

Once gathered together on the campus, the focus shifted to students’ wellbeing. Dewar tapped into resources from the nais, which had quickly established a program to share helpful information across member schools. Cardigan sought additional guidance from psychologists to help support the boys (Dewar noted that “Many of [the boys] can only comprehend to a particular level, and they needed separation from the events after a while”). Adults were also processing the experience, and the School suspended all administrative travel for a month as the enormity of the event’s impact gradually became apparent. News arrived that Garnet “Ace” Bailey, father of Todd Bailey ’94, had lost his life on one of the planes used in the attacks; Cardigan’s 2002 alumni hockey game was played in the Stanley Cup winner’s memory, and a framed tribute was placed in the arena.

It was a painful time, and underscored the School’s responsibility to educate the boys for their roles within a complex global community. Dewar addressed this head on in his Chronicle column that spring:

As we move forward in the post-9/11 world, struggling to comprehend what could have motivated such unspeakable acts of violence, it seems we are becoming more aware of how incomplete and superficial our understanding of other

cultures truly is. It is therefore more critical than ever that we talk about diversity, but in a way that is meaningful and relevant. As an educational institution, we have a particular responsibility to lead the way toward tolerance and peace.

[…] How, then, do we best accomplish the task of educating the next generation to prepare them for productive, meaningful lives in this larger, multicultural, interconnected world in which we live? Not, as we have seen, with politico-scholastic rhetoric. Here at Cardigan, we affect this by making exposure to diversity a universal fact of life within the community.

The unthinkable had happened, but the School relied on its Core Values and mission to light the way. Community would continue to form the bedrock of Cardigan’s path forward.

Days on The Point

Strategic changes made during Dewar’s tenure were balanced by his respect for the School’s existing culture. The Wakelys, having spent the better part of a lifetime on The Point, had left deep grooves of tradition, and Dewar intended to preserve them. In the early years, he and Burnett leaned on the experience of long-time faculty members like Bob Small, Jim Marrion H’03, Ed Ramos H’06, and Wim Hart H’08 to help inform program decisions around day-to-day life and campus events. Events like head’s holidays, trips to the Sandwich Fair, and academic field trips continued, as did the smaller traditions like birthday poems, holiday meals, and Nordic races on the lake.

The leadership team also sought ways to bring familiar elements of campus life into new initiatives. The Chronicle, a student newspaper founded in 1950, had lapsed in the early 1970s; now Cardigan resurrected the publication as a newspaper (and later, magazine) to engage the entire School community. And when the administrative team met to finalize commencement week plans in 1990, they added a sunset climb for seniors, as a bookend tradition to the traditional sunrise hike for new students. This new event brought the year to a meaningful close; like the Chronicle’s reboot, it was an “innovation” that felt so familiar that it was quickly embraced.

The passing years continued to bring the kinds of unusual events that make a boy’s time on The Point unique. There was a 1996 trip to the White House, during which ninth graders met the President of the United States, as well as a 2000 campus visit from former first lady Barbara Bush (to visit her grandson Pierce ’01). Boys in 1999 had the excitement of being filmed by Nickelodeon’s “Nick News” crew for a segment on single-sex boarding schools, while an unexpected visit from Mother Nature in 2001 left four feet of snow on the ground in April. Throughout it all, boys were learning to be big brothers to a fastgrowing campus family (by 2002, faculty were raising 28 children of elementary school age or younger). The sum of these experiences created something quintessentially Cardigan: familiar, but always sweetened by new growth and learning.

Transitions

Over the course of the Dewars’ time at Cardigan, the School welcomed new faces and bade others goodbye. A major shift came just after the anniversary year, when the Burnetts decided to leave for new adventures, and Dewar invited faculty member Jamie Funnell to step into the role of assistant headmaster. Funnell continued to work in the classroom and in the placement office, though he relinquished the science department chair as a concession to added responsibility.

It was a notable transition, as the Burnetts were deeply involved in Cardigan life. Jim and Kris Burnett had arrived at Cardigan in 1989 with son Joe ’95 and daughter Hedda. They each brought almost 20 years of independent school experience, and welcomed their roles as “triple threats”—adults contributing to dorm life, athletics, and the academic program. As Cardigan’s librarian, Kris had skillfully navigated a period when many resources were migrating to new platforms. Her work helped ensure that Kirk Library functioned both as a traditional library and as a modern resource center. Jim had been a varsity hockey coach, dean of students, assistant headmaster and director of Summer Session for almost his entire tenure; as one of Cardigan’s counselors alongside Joe Collins, he has also provided an ear to both faculty and students. Taken all together, as he recalled, it was “a tremendous load, but I asked for it.” Burnett had considered the possibility of becoming a headmaster, but ultimately decided that his independent school “mission was complete” after his time at Cardigan. Both Burnetts would pursue higher degrees, finding success in new careers (Jim in forestry, and Kris in library science).

The School community was shaken by an unexpected loss in the fall of 1998, when Faith Degenhart passed away. Degenhart had joined Cardigan in 1990 as development director, later transitioning to become editor of the Chronicle. Cardigan honored her memory with a plaque dedicated at a campus tree planting ceremony in the fall of 1999. Her many contributions to Cardigan were documented in a Chronicle issue dedicated to her memory, and Dewar noted that Cardigan would continue to “build on her legacy for years to come.”

It was the first of many notable changes in the staff that took place in that year. These included the departure of Denise and Dave McClintic, who had come to Cardigan in 1992. Dave had joined as business manager as Jackie Lary H’04 was shifting to a part-time role; Denise began as campaign director for the 50th anniversary, and later became Cardigan’s development director. Also departing in 1999 was Sherwood Griffin, who retired after serving for 21 years on the School’s buildings and grounds team. As noted in his 1989 Blaze dedication, the boys admired “Griff” for his incredible work ethic, and loved him because he “has a cheerful smile for everyone […] and he entertains us with interesting stories of his life.” Lary also retired, concluding her 33-year Cardigan career. Lary was loved for her “special acts of kindness” (especially on colleagues’ birthdays), but also was seen as one of the hardest-working members of the staff. The tribute from her Meritorious Service Award in 1995 sums up her dedication well:

Jacqueline A. Lary, parent of Cardigan alumni Kevin ’69 and Kenneth ’71, joined Cardigan’s staff in 1966, and from that point until 1977 she had a hand in everything from bookkeeping to banking, from running the bookstore to taking charge of the mail. She even took Cardigan students skiing on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. In 1977, Jackie officially became the School’s Assistant Treasurer to manage Cardigan’s business affairs, a position she held until 1992, when she stepped back into semi-retirement. During Jackie’s tenure her careful and prudent management of Cardigan’s finances and her accurate recordkeeping and reports provided the means for the Trustees to make the decisions necessary to insure the financial health of the School.

During this period the School also said goodbye to a number of faculty members, including Bob and Thurza Small, Bill Barron, and Ruth Greenwood. Greenwood, who taught typing, math, and was heavily in-

volved in student government and clubs, was a local with many ties that kept her in close touch after her departure. Ruth continued to live nearby, and her mother, Kathryn Carlson, frequently hosted guests of the School at her bed and breakfast in Canaan.

Bill Barron’s enormous contributions to the wrestling program are outlined elsewhere in this history; he was also instrumental to the development of the residential life and Life Skills programs. His 2011 honorary alumnus award remarked on the great sensitivity and care he showed to the boys. As Ronn Bronzetti ’89 described him, Barron was a Cardigan teacher who “stood by my side and simply would not let me fail.” Barron left Cardigan in 1998, but remained close to many of his former students. When he married over a decade later, Cardigan’s class notes were filled with alumni reports of the Colorado nuptials.

The Smalls had become integral to campus life after arriving in 1981. Bob worked in the English Department, eventually rising to be director of studies, and together he and Thurza had founded Cardigan’s peer tutoring program. Thurza was a staple of the sixth-grade faculty, and had inaugurated the class’ annual trip to Cape Cod. She was also passionate about theater, directing many student productions during the early 1990s. Perhaps the best way to summarize the Smalls’ impact on the boys is with the text found on a plaque in Hopkins Hall: “This classroom is named in honor Robert and Thurza Small—two teachers who truly made a difference.”

Cardigan’s board of trustees faced its own transitions. May, 2000, brought a difficult farewell with the passing of Dr. Crawford Hinman H’94, a trustee and incorporator with over 45 years of service to the School. Hinman was the son of John Hinman and nephew of Hap Hinman (both Cardigan founders), and also was himself “one of [the School’s] most ardent and faithful supporters.” Among the affectionate and admiring tributes that poured in, Dewar’s own tribute read in part:

Eileen (Crawford’s wonderful wife) and Crawford enjoyed their many visits with faculty and students, always looking for ways to enhance their education. His wise counsel and wisdom will be sorely missed. His enthusiasm, twinkle in his eyes and infectious laugh will always be remembered by those fortunate to have worked closely with him. It is an honor and a privilege to have known Crawford and be counted among his friends.

the long view

governanCe anD Compensation

Following the success of the 50th Anniversary campaign, the board had begun the quiet work of defining the next set of School priorities. The group formed the “Cardigan 2001 Committee,” tasked with outlining the School’s long- and short-term goals, and approved a new mission statement for Cardigan:

Cardigan Mountain School seeks to educate adolescent boys in mind, body, and spirit in a small residential community that values each student in its care. The School was founded in the Judeo-Christian tradition and welcomes boys of all religious faiths. It emphasizes respect and responsibility, values effort and rewards accomplishment. It helps each boy realize his academic and personal potential.”

this page: During Family Weekend in 1998, families had formal and informal opportunities to connect with faculty and administration, attending classes, talks, and receptions. During the Dewar era, the Parents’ Council members were the welcoming faces at registration and organized the Annual Auction.

this page: The auction theme permeates the entire campus during family weekend: Director of Dining Services Bob Spano puts the finishing touches on a tropical dining hall in 1998; students inspect the stage before 1999’s “Around the World In a Single Night” live auction; international flags and an Olympic flame welcome parents to Stoddard in 2002; and the silent auction in 2000 revolves around “Terrific Tunes of the 20th Century.”

352HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

As discussions of Cardigan’s strategic needs developed, two other issues concerned board president Bob Diemar. First, he felt that the board needed to review its governance processes, and more clearly define the roles of trustees and incorporators. There were individual members who remained incredibly generous to the School with both “time and treasure,” but support from trustees and incorporators as a group was decreasing, and engagement was lagging. This was a worrying trend that had to be acknowledged and, if possible, reversed. In February of 1996, Diemar shared his concerns with the board:

Mr. Diemar commented that the board needs to set agendas and produce initiatives. There is a need to govern more effectively. In order to accomplish this there should be an increase in camaraderie on the board and more interaction among board members, faculty, administration and students. The number of committees may be reduced and they should be encouraged to work before coming to the board meetings, thus increasing discussions of issues and strategies and reducing the amount of time spent in committee meetings at the school.

The 2001 Committee formed a subcommittee to focus on issues of governance, which included Diemar, Dewar, and trustees Robert Chartener’73, Thomas Heenan, Kim Kenly ’68, and Meg Moulton. The group proposed new committee “clusters,” a structure that the board hoped would address some of the concerns that Diemar had outlined. In summer of 1997, the board held a retreat focused on governance. Not all trustees attended, making it difficult to build consensus on the topic.

Diemar’s second focus encompassed several compensation questions at Cardigan, including the contract agreement for the Dewars. Some worried that the couple would depart Cardigan on a high note following the conclusion of the anniversary celebrations; Diemar also wanted to rectify the fact that Cardigan was not formally acknowledging all of Janet Dewar’s responsibilities. It would be difficult to capture her role in a job description, as a head of school’s spouse engages in every aspect of school life. At the time, however, Janet Dewar’s job description only reflected her work as a teaching faculty member. It was time for Cardigan to address this oversight. Chip Dewar had also brought questions to Diemar about equity in faculty compensation. Dewar did not want to overwork and burn out young teachers, giving them the highest workload and lowest pay. Some trustees, however, felt that Cardigan could thoughtfully embrace the internship model in effect at some peer schools, and worried that Dewar was overstaffing for the School’s needs.

When Jock Pearson ’65 succeeded Diemar as board chair in the fall of 1997, questions around governance and compensation were increasingly polarizing on the board. Pearson appointed an Evaluation Committee to help provide a definitive response, and in December 1997 the board retained John Littleford of Littleford & Associates to conduct a community survey and benchmark Cardigan against peer schools on related issues. He found that Cardigan faculty were slightly younger than those at similar institutions, with slightly lower compensation (administrators also received comparable or slightly lower compensation than their peers). While Cardigan faculty members were teaching fewer academic courses than those at peer schools, additional duties meant that they in fact carried a heavier relative workload.

Littleford’s compensation benchmarks would prove to be very useful during the strategic planning process. His report also touched on the Dewars’ roles, which enabled the board to develop a job description that

better reflected Janet Dewar’s position as “first lady of Cardigan” and quantified some of the stewardship work she did to support the development team. The adjustment improved on a dated model, acknowledging that independent schools often demand both professional skills and immense commitment from the partners of their heads of school.

At the same time, Littleford’s report found no obvious overstaffing issues, but observed “a split within the Board on governance issues and financial management.” Littleford gently urged the board to focus on “legitimate policy questions to which the Head should respond.” While most trustees and members welcomed the report’s findings, others did not accept its conclusions; it became the catalyst for a board transition, and several trustees chose to end their period of service to Cardigan. As the board welcomed a new class of trustees and members in October 1998, momentum shifted to committee work once more.

seeDs of a Campaign

In May 1999, the board charged its strategic planning committee (led by Moulton and Hutchinson) with creating an updated 3–5 year plan guided by the School’s mission. From this work, the priorities for a potential new fundraising campaign took shape: increasing the endowment, building a four-season athletic facility, adding new faculty/student housing, and improving campus health-care facilities. Kenly, who had been a member of the board since 1986 (and whose father was trustee/incorporator Corning Kenly), took on the role of campaign chairman.

As plans for the new campaign formed, small capital projects continued as funding allowed. In 1999, for example, the School had to remove a large, beloved maple tree from between Clark-Morgan and Brewster Halls; an anonymous donor partially funded its replacement with a flagpole and founders’ circle. In the meantime, however, more strategic needs were deepening and the School was struggling to find full funding for the campaign’s key projects. That July, Cardigan hired full-time campaign director Dave Hagerman to put momentum behind fundraising efforts. (Hagerman, a 25-year veteran of independent schools, also had a unique connection to Cardigan: his father had been headmaster at Clark School, which merged with Cardigan in 1952.)

Faculty attrition was on the rise, and becoming an issue of real concern. The board was working to support salary increases, but finding it difficult to achieve net gains in the face of rising costs for other benefits. “The [compensation] committee is making headway in the gap between suggested NAIS faculty salaries and Cardigan’s salaries,” trustee Bryan Marsal noted in December of 2003. “Unfortunately medical expenses are rising and eroding increases faculty have received.”

Campus housing had therefore become an urgent focus. Cardigan wanted to improve the faculty/student ratio in residences, and Littleford’s report had underscored that housing issues were contributing to faculty attrition: faculty members who worked at Summer Session could remain in their housing during summer months, but otherwise would be displaced to accommodate the Summer Session faculty. This policy contributed to burnout and made it difficult for teachers to pursue external professional development opportunities. Limited faculty housing also meant there were fewer faculty available to share dorm coverage. The problems were clear, but the obvious solution—to increase campus housing—required a major investment of capital. Cardigan eased some of the pressure by renting nearby properties to use for faculty housing, but this did not address the bulk of the need. Before the campaign’s goals were made public, in December 1999 the board voted to borrow the funds needed to build two new faculty/stu-

this page and facing page: Music is integral to student life at Cardigan, whether a boy practices his skills each week, is an appreciative audience for his peers, performs with a group, or takes part in the School hymn during Chapel services.

dent residences. Dewar told the board in September 2000 that the construction of the North and South Dormitories was “an incredible morale booster” on campus.

A Quiet PhAse

Now work pushed ahead on fundraising for the campaign. A feasibility study completed in spring 2000 suggested that an $8-12MMcampaign was reasonable; in December 2000 the board decided to move forward with designing a case statement and fundraising materials. The board believed Cardigan could find success, even given the downturn in the economy that followed the attacks of September 11, 2001. Kenly explained why fundraising efforts would continue:

Economic changes may slow the pace of fundraising, but they can’t extinguish the philanthropic spirit that motivates people to give of their resources to support the causes in which they believe. Why? Because, I believe, philanthropy at its essence is not really about money. It is about relationships.

Cardigan launched a “quiet phase” of fundraising, which they hoped would raise about 70% of the campaign’s goal prior to its public launch. The quiet phase eventually extended for three years: the board felt that a longer, segmented campaign timeline could allow donors who were affected by the economy to contribute more funds over time.

Dewar laid groundwork for more public efforts in the fall 2001 Chronicle, sharing “the exciting news of "New Heights: A Campaign for Cardigan. […] Shortly, we will officially launch the public phase of the campaign.” It was the first time many had seen the campaign’s name, which held echoes of the 1997 auction’s alpine theme (“Reaching New Heights”). The campaign’s name and logo, which featured a mountain range, conveyed both the School’s outdoor ethos and its hopes for the campaign’s success.

As efforts for the new campaign intensified, Savage Frieze stepped down as chairman of Cardigan’s Corporation. Frieze had joined Cardigan as a trustee in 1971, and served as the board’s president for 14 years before succeeding Bob Gillette H’93 as chairman. Though he planned to continue as a trustee after relinquishing the role, his colleagues would not let the milestone moment go unmarked. Their appreciation—and a new honor for Frieze—were read into the board’s minutes:

Whereas Savage C. Frieze, Jr. joined the Cardigan Mountain School Board of Trustees shortly after his son, Savage C. Frieze, III, graduated from the school with the class of 1970;

Whereas Sav has served continuously as a member of the Board of Trustees for more than 30 years;

Whereas Sav served as President of the Board of Trustees from 1975 to 1993; Whereas Sav served as Chairman of the Corporation from 1993 to 2002;

Whereas Sav has served tirelessly for the school in these official capacities as well as in his unofficial roles as the school’s senior ambassador and fund-raiser extraordinaire;

Whereas Sav and his devoted wife, Pat, have been the “glue” which has bound the Board Members and their spouses together; and

Whereas his fellow Board members wish to honor Sav in an appropriate and lasting way; Now therefore, the Board of Trustees of Cardigan Mountain School does hereby resolve that the property commonly known as the Headmaster’s House shall hereafter bear the name of The Savage C. Frieze, Jr. House. We the undersigned Trustees hereby certify that the above resolution was duly adopted by the Board at its annual meeting at Canaan, New Hampshire on September 21, 2002.

Jock Pearson took the reins as Cardigan’s chairman, a move that brought his five-year tenure as board president to a close. In turn, Kenly stepped in to lead the board, and Hutchinson took Kenly’s place as campaign chair. With board and corporation responsibilities shifted, the groups’ focus turned once more toward the School’s need for a four-season athletic center and improved health facilities—as well as the difficult task of raising funds to pay for the already-built North and South Dormitories.

Building exciteMent

Campaign gifts were sluggish, and the campaign committee pivoted to some new strategies. First, the group formed two subcommittees, targeting their appeals to wrestling and hockey

354HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

alumni. If those groups became excited about the impact of new athletic facilities, the School hoped they could build momentum among other donors. Hockey co-chairs Scott Powers ’75 and Ed Krayer ’82 joined with their subcommittee’s members—Kari Kontu ’80, Schuyler Peck ’63, parents Win and Susan Lockwood, and Carl Lovejoy (who was now overseeing Cardigan’s development team)—to build excitement about a new rink. With an eye to building support for a new wrestling room, subcommittee chair Josh Perelman ’86 worked with former coach Barron, current coach Allan Kreuzberg, long-time program supporter Richard Brickell ’77, parent and incorporator Ben Stein, Phil Markert ’90, and campaign director Dave Hagerman.

The Dewars now increased their travel significantly, working to build excitement and support around the project. The elevation of Turner Arena to a true four-season athletic facility would make an enormous difference both to current students and to the School’s appeal to prospective students. Worried he would “lose the pulse” of school life, Dewar kept all trips under four days in length (with some exceptions during school breaks). It was a delicate balance to strike, and Dewar later reflected wryly that “a good head spends 100% of his time on campus, and 30% of his time on the road.” During his travel in this period, he leaned heavily on Assistant Headmaster Funnell and other administrators to offer continuity and support to faculty and students.

In the meantime, Cardigan began to clear the way for the planned athletic facility. The first step was to relocate the outdoor tennis courts away from the site. Dewar explained this reasoning in a Chronicle article:

[T]he real significance of the tennis court project, I believe, is that it is a prominent, highly visible, and tangible sign of progress. It has established for the athletic center a profound sense of reality in the minds of everyone at the School. Seeing the building process underway has created a great buzz here at Cardigan, and a lot of excitement. It is a bit more difficult to get charged up over a project existing only in conceptual form than one that has some physical substance. This enthusiastic energy infuses all our campaign efforts; we realize it will fuel the interest of those people who have the philanthropic desire to see the athletic center and our other goals actualized.

In the spring, eight new tennis courts took shape across from Alumni Drive, and were available for use by the time Summer Session began. The grounds would be ready for athletic construction, campaign chairman Hutchinson observed, “once we have raised the necessary funds.”

a sprint to the finish

Shortly afterward, the School announced a changing of the guard: Chip and Janet Dewar had decided that they would step down that spring. The board worried that “the window of opportunity to recruit and appoint a deserving new Headmaster by July 1, 2004 is too narrow.” Wanting to find the right successors to the Dewars without rushing the process, they approached assistant headmaster Jamie Funnell with a potential solution. As Funnell later recalled:

“Kim Kenly ’68, the President of our Board of Trustees, called to gauge my interest in serving the School as Interim Headmaster. I don’t know if it would be fair to say that I leapt at the chance, but the concrete ‘one and done’ nature of the offer appealed to me greatly.”

To the board’s delight, Funnell—who had the unwavering trust, respect, and friendship of his colleagues—agreed to serve as Cardigan’s interim headmaster during 2004–2005 while a thoughtful search process continued.

The board considered the impact of this transition on campaign goals. Raising support for the North and South dormitories continued to present a challenge. It was proving difficult to excite donors for completed buildings, already in daily use; many families preferred to partner with the School on a “new” vision. Fundraising for the dormitories would require donors who understood the outsized impact of reducing institutional debt—or who simply wanted to support the School’s top priorities. The warm relationships that Cardigan was building with international families prompted an intriguing thought: would these families understand and support this need, if asked? The hockey and wrestling fundraising committees were beginning to build excitement around the planned athletic facility; that winter, Cardigan launched the similarly-structured “Mexican and Korean Challenges,” each with a goal of raising $800K for the new dormitories. International parents Seheon Lee and Guillermo Salinas were of significant help to the board in these efforts.

These new fundraising initiatives began to bear fruit, but it was clear that completion of the health center, athletic, and dormitory projects would remain tantalizingly out of reach before the

Dewars’ departure. Concerned about managing the burden of the existing debt, finance committee chair Finn Caspersen ’84 suggested that all unrestricted campaign gifts and operating surpluses be paid toward the debt (at least until the next phase of athletic construction was imminent). The executive committee agreed, and turned their full attention on the coming transition.

Closing a Chapter

The spring of 2004 approached and the School reflected on the Dewars’ remarkable 15 years of service to Cardigan. During the Dewars’ final board weekend in May, the board and corporation read their appreciation into to the minutes:

RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION

WHEREAS Dr. Cameron (Chip) K. Dewar is now completing his fifteenth and final year as the Headmaster of Cardigan Mountain School;

WHEREAS Cardigan has prospered and progressed impressively on all fronts during Chip’s tenure;

WHEREAS Chip’s visionary leadership has enhanced Cardigan’s standing as one of the country’s premier middle schools;

WHEREAS Chip and his devoted wife, Janet, have made immeasurable contributions to the life and well-being of Cardigan;

WHEREAS Chip has brought honor and distinction to Cardigan through the awards and recognition he has received and the educational leadership positions he has held outside Cardigan; and

WHEREAS the Trustees and Members of the Corporation of Cardigan Mountain School wish to express their sincere appreciation to Chip for his 15 years of stewardship in a lasting and formal fashion.

NOW THEREFORE the Board of Trustees and the Members of the Corporation in joint assembly in the Town of Canaan, New Hampshire this First day of May in the year of our Lord 2004 do hereby unanimously adopt this Resolution of Appreciation and direct that it be suitably memorialized in the records of the School and a suitable copy thereof be presented to its recipient.

356HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF we the undersigned Trustees and Members of the Corporation hereunder set our hands and affix the seal of Cardigan Mountain School.”

It was a time to acknowledge the mark the Dewars had made on Cardigan—most particularly, on its academic strength and reputation. As Kenly noted in the Chronicle, “Under [Dewar’s] leadership the School has responded to its opportunities with vigor and sound planning. Our educational programs are vibrant, our faculty unequaled.” Dewar had not only strengthened Cardigan’s program, he had also worked for the broader field of education. Over the years he had served as president of the Independent Schools Association of Northern New England (isanne), director of the Association of Independent Schools of New England (aisne), president of the Junior Boarding Schools Association (JBsa), trustee of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (neasC), and executive committee member of the Elementary School Head’s Association (esha). In 2003, Dewar had just received the Bowdoin College Outstanding Educator Award. Over the years, his stellar reputation beyond The Point had helped to elevate the School’s standing.

Chip and Janet Dewar received a number of honors as their final year drew to a close, several of which underscored the Dewars’ commitment to Cardigan’s academic priorities. First, in recognition of Janet Dewar’s instructional excellence while a member of Cardigan’s Math Department, the School named a classroom in Brewster in her honor. In another lovely gesture, 49 trustees and incorporators contributed to both endow and rename the Senior Prize, the annual commencement award given to the senior with the highest academic standing; at the 2004 commencement exercises, Joseph Suh ’04 received Cardigan’s first Cameron and Janet Dewar Award.

At the time of the 50th Anniversary, Edgar and Faith Humann, The Christian Humann Foundation, and Thomas Heenan had endowed the Cameron K. Dewar Faculty Fund, providing financial support for faculty professional development. Now, to honor the Dewars’ retirement, Caspersen endowed a second fund in their name. The Dewar Scholarship Fund would support middle-income families in need of partial tuition assistance, as well as families whose financial situations change, and who might not be able to remain at Cardigan without tuition assistance. Together, these funds continue to honor the Dewars’ legacy by serving students and faculty at Cardigan in perpetuity.

A glimpse into the future reveals one more tribute, reflecting the special relationship that the Dewars had built with Cardigan’s international families. Cardigan’s Mexican and Korean families had continued to support the North and South dormitory fundraising initiatives up to and following the Dewars’ departure. When they had amassed sufficient funds, they asked that one of the dormitories be named for the Dewars. The board welcomed this suggestion, adding that “Dr. Dewar was largely responsible for opening Cardigan to international markets and this dedication of South Dorm is recognition of Cardigan’s global presence.” On June 3, 2005, Chip and Janet Dewar returned to The Point and saw South Dorm rededicated as Dewar House. r

above: Savage Frieze, former head of Cardigan’s Corporation, stands with Janet and Chip Dewar after their final commencement exercises in 2004.

a Year of preparation (2004–05)

the funnell familY

James H. Funnell and Margaret Grimes Funnell first arrived at Cardigan in 1990. Jamie had recently completed four years as science department chair at the Landmark School in Beverly, Massachusetts, and Margaret was pursuing a PhD in psychology at Dartmouth College (she would complete her doctoral work in 1996). The couple moved into Hinman 2, where Jamie jumped feet-first into the Cardigan model as a dorm parent, science teacher, and coach of football, hockey, and lacrosse. Funnell had grown up on independent school campuses and fully embraced this familiar paradigm.

Funnell’s dedication and easy leadership saw him quickly appointed as both director of placement and science department chair. He balanced these roles with starting a young family (sons Sam and Nick were born in 1992 and 1994) and the countless other activities—founding a recycling club, serving as a faculty representative on the Parents’ Council, helping seniors put on talent shows—that compose a full Cardigan life. Funnell’s responsibilities grew over time: he became assistant headmaster in 1996, and later the dean of faculty. He enjoyed a warm relationship with other faculty members, and the Chronicle reported that his “enthusiasm for the School and for working with students is contagious.” Recalling his own time spent working with Funnell, former Headmaster Chip Dewar described him simply as “one of the great human beings.”

One of Funnell’s strengths was his willingness to take on new roles as circumstances required, a team mindset that kept things moving forward. This was in play in 1999 when he stepped in to direct Summer Session. The School was searching for a longer-term director of the program, and Funnell was happy to fill in temporarily. It was an especially happy interim solution because, as Dewar told the board, a ʼnumber of faculty are eager to work under [Funnell’s] able leadership.” Then, when travel called Dewar away more frequently in the early 2000s, Funnell was always comfortable stepping up to help—and Dewar trusted him as the “de facto on-campus headmaster.”

Dewar’s retirement created a similar need, because the board wanted a highly qualified headmaster and did not want to rush the search for candidates. The sum of Funnell’s experiences—and his “many years of mentoring with Chip”—made him an obvious solution. New Board Chair Kim Kenly approached him about becoming Cardigan’s interim headmaster.

Funnell was interested in leading a school, but up to this point had been hesitant to pursue a full headmastership. Witnessing the responsibilities that Dewar had juggled during his tenure, Funnell was concerned that the requisite travel would put a strain on his young family. After his discussions with Kenly, however, he felt that an interim role could “[give] him a rare chance to learn first-hand whether or not he would like to pursue a permanent headship in the future.” To maximize a sense of continuity on campus, his travel would be limited during the transition year, which helped make the opportunity more palatable. Funnell later jokingly recalled his thinking:

If the experience was miserable, I figured I could survive anything for a year. If I loved it, I reasoned that other opportunities might come my way in the future. Perhaps most comforting was the notion that if I proved to be a bumbling, incompetent stooge, they wouldn’t even have to go to the trouble of firing me since my Headmaster’s carriage would turn back into an Assistant Headmaster’s pumpkin on June 30th 2005, regardless of the circumstances.

The eminently qualified Funnell assumed his duties as Cardigan’s interim headmaster on July 1, 2004, just as he and wife Margaret began their fifteenth year on The Point.

above: Whether coaching, waiting tables at the senior dinner, or singing in Chapel, Jamie Funnell was fully immersed in student life during his 21 years as an administrator at Cardigan.

above: In the fall of 2004, the football team’s winning record was considered “only a fraction” of the season’s success—their teamwork and skillbuilding were even bigger wins. Varsity soccer’s record was less successful, but they memorably pulled out “a 2-2 tie against Eaglebrook on Parents’ Weekend, a game that they were trailing 2-0 at halftime.”

the searCh Continues

With Funnell at the helm, the School’s first goal for the transition year was to complete a thorough candidate search for Dewar’s (and now, Funnell’s) eventual successor. The Executive Committee of the board appointed members to a Search Committee, led by trustee Ralph Manuel. The committee began by engaging a search consultant, Christopher Arnold of Educational Directions, Inc., and together they set about defining and advertising the headmaster position. Over the course of several months, Arnold reviewed applicants and compiled a list of qualified candidates, presenting the committee with a “short list” in the fall of 2004. It included 17 applicants, described by Arnold as “experienced heads, senior administrators and ‘rising stars.’” From these candidates, the board narrowed the field to eight semi-finalists, and later to the two finalists who came to The Point to meet with faculty and students. Funnell was deeply involved in each step of the search process. Manuel expressed gratitude for his help, as it was “in particular Mr. Funnell who was responsible for much of what happened when the candidates were on campus.”

The search process that had launched with Dewar’s announced departure had now been underway for a year. Minutes from the board’s winter meetings summarize the qualifications of lead candidate Thomas W. Needham as follows:

Mr. Needham has 26 years of experience and is the sitting Head of Linden Hall School. He has a keen sense of independent school needs, has directed and completed longrange plans, worked on multi-million dollar campaigns, directed successful building projects, and developed tools for professional development evaluation of faculty. His spouse, Wendy [Dexter Needham], is also very excited about taking on the role of the ‘First Lady of Cardigan.’

On December 4, 2004, the trustees voted unanimously to elect Needham as Cardigan’s next headmaster.

Manuel now joined with members of the Executive Committee to form an ad hoc Headmaster Transition Committee, in order “to strategize and make sure a plan is in place in preparation for Mr. Needham’s arrival on July 1st.” Cardigan announced the appointment quickly, with Funnell smoothing the transition period as much as possible and helping familiarize alumni and families with their new headmaster. The Chronicle featured a profile of Needham, who attended some regional gatherings to meet other members of the School community, and also worked in tandem with Funnell and the admissions team to write and welcome new Cardigan parents. These outreach strategies were all designed to build confidence and excitement in the School’s future, as plans on other fronts could now roll ahead.

a final push for support

In parallel with the search and transition committees’ work, the School pressed forward on the campaign’s fundraising priorities, as the board believed “that it would be preferable to not burden the new headmaster with finishing up this capital campaign.” This brought New Heights’ remaining goals (support for Cardigan’s health, athletic, and dorm facilities) even more sharply into focus during the transition year.

In July of 2004, the board reviewed two sets of plans presented by architect Tom Sullivan of John B. Sullivan, Jr. Corp. The first depicted new construction for a four-season athletic facility, costing roughly $3.7mm; the second, priced at $2.5mm, included renovations of the existing rink and a more modest addition. Sullivan was direct: “Should the decision be made not to extend the campaign next year [...] renovating the current facility would be the school’s only option.” The board agreed with his assessment, and decided to refurbish the Covered Sports Arena. At the same meeting, the board discussed the increasingly crucial need for a new health facility. Business Manager Joe McHugh had his own direct assessment to share: “A new facility could cost approximately $750,000, but with the difficulty we are experiencing raising funds, a new facility does not appear to be an alternative at this point in time.” Instead, he presented two possible renovation plans, either of which would cost roughly $150,000. These limited plans raised serious concerns for longtime trustee Dr. Richard Morrison. He pointed out that the facility would require major renovations, as it could not currently meet federal and state require-

358HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

ments. Morrison, who with his wife Beverly had underwritten previous infirmary renovations, agreed to take the lead on reviewing and reworking plans for Cardigan’s health facility.

Soon after these sobering board discussions, a game-changing event—literally—brought a charge of momentum to fundraising efforts. Burt and Margaret McGillivray P’07,’09 made a $1 million challenge gift to the athletic facility project, ensuring that rink construction could begin in the spring. This was a stunning gesture, made before their boys had even begun attending Cardigan. As Funnell framed it, “When the New Heights campaign was in need of a boost this summer, Carl Lovejoy and his development team secured the largest single cash gift in the history of the school.” Funnell later described Burt McGillivray, who joined Cardigan’s board of trustees in 2005, as “both brilliant and a fun guy to work with—just tops.”

A flurry of energized fundraising activity followed on the gift’s heels. The McGillivrays’ gift had been “a challenge to other members of the Cardigan community to step forward and help make the new rink a reality,” and the School community rallied, eager to welcome the next headmaster from a place of strength. In October, Cardigan hosted a “Campaign Kickoff Celebration” on The Point, announcing that the School had raised $4 million toward the campaign’s now-public $7 million goal. The Chronicle published a list of naming opportunities for donors to the planned rink, which included a locker room addition, a reception area, ice-making equipment, and other spaces. Word soon got out that the renovated facility would be named the “Wakely Center,” and the board engaged former Headmaster Norm Wakely and wife Bev to help with their redoubled fundraising efforts. Partnering with subcommittee volunteer (and rink donor) Schuyler Peck, the Wakelys reached out with success to many donors in the School community. Meanwhile, the campaign’s other “challenges”—those fundraising efforts focused on support for wrestling, as well as the international appeals to defray costs of the North and South dormitory construction—remained in full swing.

As Morrison’s subcommittee developed new health center plans, it became clear that the needs outweighed the scope of the minor renovations discussed in July. The School entered into discussion with parents Matt and Anne Hamilton P’01,’04, whose family foundation had been instrumental to the success of Cardigan’s faculty laptop initiative. At the December 2004 board meeting, Morrison reported that the Hamilton Foundation had pledged $250,000 to health center renovations, which “will make it possible to improve planned renovations dramatically.” It was a thrilling lift to what had been a long, sometimes disheartening effort to find support for this critical need. The scale of the gift opened up new possibilities for student care: the amended facility design incorporated exam rooms, a medication room, a waiting room, beds for students, and more. The board voted immediately to move forward with all outlined renovations “within the limits of the Hamilton Foundation gift.”

By December of Funnell’s interim year the health center renovations were completely funded, and other campaign gifts and pledges were projected to total “more than enough money” to cover the spring’s rink construction in the long term. However, the School still faced a $1.3 million liability during the rink’s construction, which required the board to seek bridge financing in order to greenlight the project. The Finance Committee, believing that “it makes more sense to be our own creditor,” recommended borrowing from Cardigan’s endowment rather than the bank. The board approved this proposal, resolving to use unrestricted campaign gifts to repay the endowment bridge loan—after the School had met campaign expenses, debt payments to third-parties, and costs to improve the website.

Fundraising strategies were now complete, and the planning for implementation began. Funnell and the on-campus administrators, meanwhile, worked to clear the path forward for the next headmaster.

ongoing worK

Funnell reserved space for Needham’s vision at Cardigan, but some concerns could not be put on hold for a year. Building on the work he had begun alongside Dewar, trustee Eugene Pinover, and other members of a task force on faculty retention, Funnell looked for ways to minimize faculty/staff attrition. Continuity would be even more important during this leadership change. Needham would need to draw on institutional knowledge as he began his work at Cardigan, and in turn, the broader School community needed reassurance that Cardigan would maintain its essential character and traditions through the transition.

above: Cardigan’s skiing program got a boost of energy in 2004 with the arrival of Gus DeMaggio and his partner Miki Fera, a three-time Olympian for her native Romania. Both had trained European skiers, and would travel to France with Cardigan athletes.

1. On a 2007 trip to Mexico, Ryan Feeley and Rick Exton welcome new students with some Cardigan swag.

It was in this context that Funnell reassured the board in July 2004 that the “top tier of administration is intact from last year, which will add stability to the school.” The rental apartments and additional faculty housing from North and South Dormitories had been helpful in easing the coverage schedule for student clubs and dorms. Still, housing issues during Summer Session remained, as did concerns about the high costs of healthcare. The specter of the faculty’s concerns loomed over the board’s conversations, particularly where Summer Session was concerned. Trustee Barbara O’Connell asked frankly, “Teacher burn-out issues need to be addressed. Should faculty be forced to work during the summer to keep their housing?” All agreed that the requirement was problematic, but there seemed no easy solution.

Funnell remained hopeful as the academic year got underway. The admissions team had enrolled “positive, eager and energetic” kids, which Funnell felt had in turn buoyed the faculty. Teachers also seemed energized by the beginning of Cardigan’s next chapter. “There is a positive sense on campus of where we are going during the transition period,” Funnell observed in December. “Some faculty who have been here for a number of years are very pleased with the choice of the new Head.” Nevertheless, Cardigan’s relatively high faculty attrition rate—hovering at around 20% each year—continued into 2005. Funnell acknowledged “some surprises” in administrative departures, though he did not see cause for alarm (“Those leaving the school have compelling professional or personal reasons to move on”). The School would simply have

360HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

2. Board chair Kim Kenly celebrates the successful conclusion of the New Heights campaign in October 2006.

3. Although business manager Joe McHugh had to manage the impact of rising fuel prices in 2005, students were happy to welcome cold weather with a game of broomball on the Canaan Street Lake.

4. The Wakely family gathered en masse to mark the opening of the Wakely Arena in 2005. In addition to Jonathan Wakely ’75 and Mary Wakely Laturnau ’73, over one hundred Cardigan alumni returned for the celebrations.

to continue working hard, as it always had, to attract and retain qualified teachers—even as it sought longer-term solutions.

Cardigan made more measurable progress on a major admissions and marketing project: updating Cardigan’s website. The establishment of www.cardigan.org under Dewar had been a major leap forward, allowing the School to centralize its public information. In early iterations, however, most posted information had been static. Rapid changes in the communication landscape meant that the School was now fighting to keep the site relevant and appealing to prospective families. In 2003, the Marketing Committee noted that other schools were “drawing away from print,” and that it was “a challenge to get information added onto [Cardigan’s] site.” Further investigation revealed that fewer than one third of new parents had found the site useful when making the decision to send their sons to Cardigan. It was time to make a change.

In July 2004, trustee Malcolm Moran sent the board’s request for proposals to a number of website designers. The School’s priority was to “utilize the website to bring parents into the fold—past, present and future. It should also encapsulate the ‘Cardigan Way’ [so they can] understand who we are.” Because the website would be critical to future enrollment, the board approved the allocation of $100,000 in campaign funds to its redesign. The board selected a designer before the end of the year, and began a phased launch of the redesigned site in the spring of 2005. In May, outgoing Communications Director Brandon Ferris noted that “we have had 11,000 visits to the new website, versus 3,500 visits to the old site over a similar period of time.” It was an important boost to a now-critical resource.

Campus events

As the next academic year got underway on The Point, Alumni Association President Tim Fleming ’70 spent a week on campus, staying on The Point following the fall board meetings and remaining there through the reunion events held on October 9, 2004. It was an immersive experience that saw Fleming attending classes and meals and connecting with faculty, staff, and students. The experience underscored the continuity in student experiences, despite changes in leadership or even to the campus itself. “I suddenly felt like I had walked back into a time warp,” he wrote. “I became aware that not much had changed at all.”

There were a few events that did underscore the passage of time. The first was the loss of Pat Frieze, spouse of Chairman Emeritus Savage Frieze, who had passed away in August. The board gathered with others on The Point during the fall board weekend to plant a tree in her memory, grateful for her commitment to the School, and for the sense of community that she had helped to build among the trustees, incorporators, and their spouses over their years. Another loss was felt by generations of the Cardigan family when Ruth Howe Talbert H’02 passed away in February of 2005. She had begun her work at Cardigan in 1950 and remained—a grace note to the campus—until 1986. Talbert had been headmaster Norm Wakely’s assistant throughout his tenure, and the first to welcome many families and their boys to The Point. Notable for “her graciousness, her friendliness, and her wonderful voice,” she was mother to Bill Talbert ’56, but seen as a surrogate mother by many others. She had been dearly loved, and would be dearly missed.

For current students, life on the campus continued to roll forward at top speed. Under faculty member Mary Mendelsohn, the boys staged impressive group productions like The Emperor’s New Clothes and Teahouse of the August Moon, but also got to shine individually in an evening of dramatic monologues, as well as during the annual Spring Talent Show. In the classroom, faculty member Mark Holt helped to transform Reading & Study Skills (rss) into Essential Study Skills (ess). essnow helped students develop computer skills, along with reading and study skills, and essteachers helped boys during their traditional classes rather than through a standalone course. Parent volunteers, as usual, planned a delightful Annual Auction, and the February event with an “Out of This World” theme raised more than $120,000 for the Annual Fund.

Closing out the Year

The winter 2005 Chronicle reported: “A new headmaster has been appointed, a new website has been launched, and plans are set for ground to be broken this spring on two important construction projects. The future of the School is indeed looking great.” The Funnells planned to remain at Cardigan after the Needhams’ arrival (Jamie had accepted the headmastership with

above: The board once described Pat Frieze, spouse of Cardigan’s President and Chairman Savage Frieze, as “the glue which has bound the Board Members and their spouses together.” The couple met at a Colebrook horse show as children, and had been married since 1946.

1. Chip Dewar wrote in 2002 that “the Cardigan Way is for the boys to be willing to help each other willingly and cheerfully.” In 2005, the redesigned Cardigan website launched with a section devoted to the Cardigan Way; Dave McCusker would later center Cardigan’s community-building around the catchphrase.

2. and 3. In spite of Jamie Funnell’s characteristic humility, Cardigan managed to surprise him with a few honors during his 21-year tenure. Above, Alumni Association president Ned Gibbons ’78 makes Funnell an Honorary Alumnus in 2009; below, in 2011 Margaret, Jamie, and son Sam ’07 learn that the School has rededicated North Dormitory as Funnell House.

the caveat that he later resume his role as assistant headmaster). Now the May board meetings heralded the last sprint to close the academic year, and Funnell prepared to hand over the reins. His focus was on building momentum behind new headmaster Tom Needham, smoothing the path forward rather than seeking praise. As trustees arrived for their morning meetings, Funnell attended breakfast in the dining hall and accepted a Cardigan chair, the traditional acknowledgment for fifteen years of service to the School.

In characteristically humble fashion, during his last month as headmaster Funnell arranged to celebrate the achievements of others. Funnell invited the Dewars back to attend the rededication of South Dorm as Dewar House on June 3, 2005, and later that weekend also welcomed back former Headmaster Norm Wakely and incoming Headmaster Tom Needham for the commencement exercises. The graduating class was so large that the ceremony was, for the first time, held outdoors. Family and friends joined graduates under a tent donated for the occasion by alumnus Barrett Pfeifle ’89, and heard a moving keynote from Kenneth Elmore, Dean of Students at Boston University. The interim year was over.

It was typical of Funnell to downplay his own contributions, but his outsized impact on the School would still be acknowledged. A glimpse ahead to 2011 reveals trustees and colleagues applauding as the Funnells learn that Cardigan will rededicate North Dormitory as Funnell House. r

362HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

4. Faculty member Mark Holt, pictured at left, joined Cardigan in 2000 and was a staple of the sixth grade team. Here, he accompanies students on a 2004–05 Mountain Day climb.

the neeDham Years (2005–07)

a CeleBratorY start

New Headmaster Tom Needham arrived at The Point with wife Wendy on July 1, 2005, as Cardigan was marking its 60th year. To start the year off right, Needham established the new Opening Day tradition of a student signing ceremony. The special registration book was inscribed as follows:

To honor the sixty years of educating boys, Cardigan Mountain School has commissioned this register for the purpose of providing a list of the members of our community each year. The signatures reflect pride in our School and our willingness to adhere to the Cardigan Code of Honor. While here in our care or having graduated to the world beyond ‘The Point,’ may our boys always grow, learn, and lead by following what has been taught to them as ‘the Cardigan Way.’

During the board’s October meetings, each attending trustee also signed the registry. Trustee weekend was an opportunity to discuss how to close the campaign, which still had loose ends to address. Higher-than-expected project estimates for the new health facility meant that construction costs were no longer fully covered by the Hamilton family’s gift. As a result, the School had to consider alternative sites and facility designs. At the same time, the second phase of the New Heights campaign was almost within reach of its fundraising goal, thanks to a generous challenge gift: the Johnson family had offered to donate $500,000 if their gift could be matched, dollar for dollar, by the end of October. Many members of the School community had contributed to the matching effort, but a significant portion of the challenge remained unmet as trustees gathered in early October. Board chair Kenly saw an opportunity to rectify this during their meetings:

An additional $100,000 needs to be raised to secure the Johnson challenge gift of $500,000. This amount, when initiated by Mr. Kenly, was raised at the table by those in attendance who generously increased their pledge commitments to the campaign.

This spontaneous effort by Cardigan’s trustees meant that the campaign achieved its $8M goal, and the fall weekend closed on a thoroughly celebratory note.

foCus on outreaCh

While the board looked to wrap the projects that had been set in motion under the New Heights campaign, Needham turned his sights forward. Like Chip Dewar, who had begun his tenure focused on improving Cardigan’s academic reputation, Needham had set his own first strategic priority at Cardigan during the onboarding period. It was based on feedback from parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and trustees:

The thing I heard again and again was a sense of a need for a Headmaster skilled in communication, friend-building, and making connections on behalf of the School, both internally and externally. I really enjoy bringing people together for the purpose of achieving a common goal that addresses the need of students. […] I believe I bring an ability to connect with people and help them understand what Cardigan is going to be in the future.

Needham felt that Cardigan wanted its headmaster to focus on building community, and he leaned into that goal. His larger-than-life personality—what Funnell described as “Tom’s exuberance [and] sense of humor”—aided him in his efforts. In his first Chronicle column, he prepared readers to shake things up. “How we operated yesterday will more than likely provide us with ineffective tools for tomorrow,” Needham wrote. “We must be willing to be innovative, and innovation implies change.”

Initially, the Needhams focused on campus culture. Part of that work involved learning about and integrating with existing Cardigan programs. Prior to the start of his first academic year,

above: Tom Needham’s appointment as Cardigan’s eighth headmaster was announced in the Chronicle during 2004–05, and he immediately began reaching out to members of the School community. When his first academic year started with an orientation for student leaders, Needham joined the boys in trust-building exercises.

above: Assistant Headmaster for External Affairs

Carl Lovejoy was also a longtime contributor to the Chronicle, writing frequently about the impact alumni were making in athletics beyond The Point. Lovejoy closed his thirteen-year tenure at Cardigan in 2005, when his last column as “Scoops” Lovejoy ran in the magazine.

Needham joined the student leader orientation, participating in exercises with the boys who would soon be his partners in leading the School. For her part, Wendy Needham “has been running the receptions following sports events held on campus,” Tom Needham told trustees that fall, “in keeping with the School’s tradition.”

It was also a time to try some new initiatives, many of which were very much in keeping with Cardigan’s hands-on ethos. Students squeezed apples on the School’s recently-purchased cider press, took bow-tie tying classes, attended a pep rally before Eaglebrook Day, and designed flags depicting their dorm’s values. This last activity quickly became a competitive tradition (in the fall of 2006, the prize for Franklin House residents was “free homework passes and a movie at Frieze House”). Meanwhile, the Needhams also engaged the adults on The Point in new ways. Families participated in community-building projects like “the planting of 1200 bulbs around campus in an effort to add some color to the grounds,” while faculty members were invited to regular (sometimes boisterous) cookouts at Frieze House. It was becoming clear that the new headmaster’s lead strategy for community-building was to create opportunities for fun and camaraderie on The Point.

Needham was looking for ways to connect with the community beyond the campus as well. In his first year, he traveled to Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, and the Dominican Republic to visit with current and prospective families. To keep families better apprised of student life, there were new outreach strategies from The Point, which included regularly posting the headmaster’s newsletters and student articles to the website. Needham also asked faculty members to write a series of “positive postcards,” upbeat notes to parents about students’ progress (over a thousand were mailed in the first two months of the Needham tenure). To engage alumni, School gatherings shifted toward more inclusivity. Events became more welcoming to spouses and children of alumni, in acknowledgment of a maturing alumni base. “Two successful events,” Needham wrote in a 2006 Chronicle, “the uss Constitution Tour in Charlestown and Alumni Day, are just the beginning of more family-friendly venues you can expect this year.”

For parents, at least, a 2006 survey showed that the impact of these efforts was slow. As Needham told the board that April, parents had scored the School poorly on communication, “despite the fact that we send daily meal announcements, monthly reports, positive postcards, and coaches reports on how teams are doing.” The issue was caused in part by the Cardigan website, which still had “problems with current parents and alumni accessing information.”

It was a concrete example of how technology had become integral to Cardigan’s operations and outreach. There was a critical need to support the School’s technology infrastructure, and a search committee, chaired by Business Manager Joe McHugh, hired a new director of technology in the spring of 2006. It was an auspicious hire: Michel Gray, an experienced professional who had been working at Dartmouth for the previous five years, would stay at Cardigan through and beyond its 75th anniversary year. “The decision was unanimous to offer Mr. Gray the position,” Needham reported to the board. “He is highly talented, and we are very excited to have him on board.” In the meantime, the board’s Admissions Committee focused on improving the content of the website. Cardigan hired a part-time webmaster the next year, and the impact was immediate. “With better information and more-frequent reference to our website,” trustee Meg Moulton reported to the board in May of 2007, “the number of parent calls to the Cardigan receptionist has decreased by 50%.”

Campaign Closure

Excitement was building toward the ribbon-cutting for the Wakely Center, planned for December 2005. “For the first time,” Needham wrote, “our Homecoming weekend will be moved to December and combined with a number of signature events on campus.” It was a celebration to remember, drawing over 100 alumni back to campus to honor the Wakelys and play an Alumni Hockey Game on the new ice. Over the course of the weekend, Cardigan extended special recognition to Green Jacket recipient Schuyler Peck ’63, Distinguished Alumnus Craig Johnson ’78, and new honorary alumni Dudley Clark and Shirley Lester.

During meetings that same weekend, the board voted to move forward with renovating the Hinman Auditorium, converting it into a campus health center. The new site for the facility had been Needham’s inspiration. As trustee Bob Kenerson noted, “The renovations to Hinman Auditorium would provide more square footage, room for Dr. Mills (the school psychologist) to meet with students, more storage room, and a separate laundry facility, which is required by

364HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

1. through 3. Beloved faculty member Dudley Clark was known for selling donuts for charity during morning snack break, volunteering for any campus task in need of coverage, reading aloud to his students, and for many other acts of kindness. Clark was made an honorary alumnus in 2005, and in 2007 the School named the Wakely Center’s Zamboni room in his honor.

4. With the support of coaches Joel Harms and Eddie Ramos H’06, students (from left) Daniel Lee ’09, Young Soo Jang ’08, Kunjoo Park ’08, Dana Hughes ’08, and Sang Yeon “Kevin” Chung ’08 delayed their departure for the 2007 spring break in order to compete in MathCounts at Plymouth State University. The team took second place and the Blaze noted that their efforts brought “academic honor and achievement to themselves, their families, and their alma mater.”

5. In fall of 2005, Thomas C. Graves ’79 was made the 69th Commander of “Old Ironsides,” the USS Constitution. Focusing on more family-oriented activities, Cardigan organized an alumni tour of the historic vessel the following summer.

6. Wendy Needham and members of the Cooking Club strike a pose in 2007.

7. Carlos Garcia ’07 recalled working with Wendy Needham to obtain Tom Needham’s famous collection of Converse sneakers for a senior prank; Garcia worked with classmates to hide the footwear all over campus.

above: October 2006 brought some unexpected sights: Cardigan’s first lady was one of two “Mr. Needhams” to make an appearance, and students expressed some school spirit ahead of Eaglebrook Day.

the state.” Even better, the existing health center could stay in use during construction of the new, more central facility. The vote meant that the final project of the campaign was approved, with a dedication planned for October 2006. It was an especially meaningful decision, as nurse Roz Burke later acknowledged, because “The new Hamilton Family Foundation Student Health Center has been in the hearts and minds of the Cardigan community for many years.”munity for many years.”

The 2005 Homecoming Weekend was a milestone moment for Cardigan, closing a campaign that had spanned many years and several headmasters’ tenures. The campaign’s leadership donors’ names were now etched on glass in the lobby of the new Wakely Center, and Board Chair Kenly marked the moment by presenting inscribed silver bowls to Charles Hutchinson and Jock Pearson:

Charles e. hutChinson trustee, CarDigan mountain sChool with thanKs anD appreCiation for leaDing

CarDigan mountain sChool’s $12 million Capital Campaign

2000–2005

DeCemBer 3, 2005

John h. pearson, Jr. ’65 Chairman of the BoarD, CarDigan mountain sChool in appreCiation of Your leaDership in the suCCessful Completion of a $12 million Capital Campaign

2000–2005

DeCemBer 3, 2005

soBering Developments

The board had long hoped that closing the New Heights campaign could offer the new headmaster a clean financial slate, and in December of 2005, the campaign’s projects were, in fact, fully funded by gifts and pledges. However, other financial concerns were brewing—some minor, others with enormous impact. Their cumulative significance would slowly come to the School’s attention over the spring and summer, and by the fall of 2006, the School’s financial position would become of primary concern to Cardigan’s leaders.

To begin with, several smaller financial factors were coming to a head around this time, including a new annual expense that was a residual cost of the completed campaign. Some donors planned to pay their pledges over the course of several years, and to cover construction costs during the interim, the board had voted to borrow cash from the endowment. This was an example of “bridge financing:” in effect, the School acted as its own lender for a low interest loan, ensuring that both principal and interest would be invested back into the endowment. It was an ideal approach to structuring a loan, but borrowing—even from the School’s own endowment— committed Cardigan to annual payments on the debt.

Two other expense increases were expected, and could no longer be delayed. First, the School faced the rising costs of faculty salaries and healthcare, both of which now consistently exceeded the budgeted expense. Faculty well-being and retention were also a top priority: “Most students enroll at Cardigan because of the academic program and the favorable student/teacher ratio,” the board noted. “Parents and students are seeking a higher academic program than what is available to them.” This was not an area where Cardigan could compromise, and spending could be expected to grow for the foreseeable future.

Second, the board wanted to improve areas of the physical plant that had not been addressed during the campaign. There were a number of facilities maintenance projects (electrical wiring in Frieze House, for example) that had been put off for some time, and in December of 2005 the board urged the School to stop delaying such work:

In terms of current capital expenditures, the committee took a look at the previous year’s expenditures and determined that they are not adequate. The committee recommends

366HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

1. through 3. The Annual Auction was now a massive undertaking involving the entire School community. Students did their part by making lots of themed decorations for campus spaces, while certain administrators donated their hair to the cause. Parent volunteers remained integral to planning 2006’s “Homerun Hitters” event, but in that year Cardigan added an auction coordinator to the staff for the first time.

4. David Fyfe ’06 was one of eight actors and nine crewmembers to take part in “The Mousetrap” in 2006; club advisor Mary Mendelsohn described the ratio as “a good indication of what it takes to put on a production.” That spring, Mendelsohn and Jamie Funnell traveled with theater students to see the show performed at the St. Martins Theatre in London’s West End, where it had been in production since 1974.

5. 2007 Reserve A Baseball team member Chanhyuk “Chris” Yoon ’07 (left) rings the bell in front of Clark-Morgan after a win on Grandparents’ Weekend; the varsity squad went undefeated that spring.

that we should not spend less than $300,000 [annually] due to deferred maintenance factors.

One board member made a restricted gift connected to such capital expenditures. This support was welcome, but it was tied to an additional expense: to receive the gift, the School had to double planned spending on deferred maintenance.

Each of these issues affected the budget individually. Taken together, they meant that Cardigan was facing a general increase in expenses. What the board had not yet realized, however, was the financial bombshell that was about to result from changes in Cardigan’s admissions processes.

Carl Lovejoy had joined Cardigan in 1992 as the School’s admissions director and became assistant headmaster in 1998; from the latter role, he had overseen the work of both the admissions and the development offices. The Admissions Office had been through some staffing changes, and when Lovejoy left Cardigan just prior to Needham’s first year, new Director of Admissions Rich Ryerson navigated the year without Lovejoy’s guidance, coordinating the work of a relatively new team that included Marten Wennik, Kyle Manny, and Gus DeMaggio. Funnell later noted that Ryerson “was marvelous” in the role, but as Needham told the board, 2005–06 was “a very busy, difficult, and stressful year for Mr. Ryerson,” and his team struggled to complete financial aid and enrollment tasks within the usual schedule. The board appreciated that Ryerson “[dealt] with parents and candidates in a very personal and sensitive way,” but were not surprised when he too gave his notice.

Summer Session played a significant part in year-round admissions during this era. If the admissions team felt any applicant would struggle to succeed at Cardigan, they could offer an academic year enrollment contingent on the boy first attending Summer Session. For similar reasons, all international students were required to attend a Summer Session before enrolling in Cardigan’s academic year; this helped the School to assess and support any language barriers, and helped international families gauge whether their boys would thrive during a full year away on The Point. Whether because of transitions on the admissions team, or because Needham had already undertaken extensive international travel in the fall, Cardigan neglected to reach out to families in Mexico about joining Cardigan’s 2006 Summer Session.

In June, Business Manager Joe McHugh notified the board’s Executive Committee that only six students from Mexico had enrolled in Summer Session; usually twenty or more Mexican boys would enroll and continue on as students during the academic year. The admissions team was working to fill the School from other regions, but was finding that they had to drastically increase financial aid offers in order to do so. Further miscommunication saw the headmaster’s office approving this admissions strategy without securing board approval for the increase in financial aid.

By July, McHugh had become aware of the larger financial aid commitments, many of which were likely to recur for multiple years, and was deeply concerned about the financial picture for the year ahead. He investigated how the cumulative changes to expenses, enrollment, and financial aid would impact Cardigan’s bottom line. Funnell recalls McHugh as “a miracle worker” on Cardigan’s behalf, but in October of 2006, McHugh’s summary for the board included these assessments:

r Summer Session, budgeted for 140 students, had enrolled only 113 (a $233K tuition shortfall)

368HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

r The academic year, budgeted for 175 students, had enrolled only 162 (a $525K tuition shortfall)

r Financial aid had increased to $425K over budget

r Capital expenses had increased by $150K in order to secure a restricted gift

r Rising costs in other areas had increased spending by $300K

McHugh’s conclusion was sobering, not to say shocking: “All of the above created a swing of $1,500,000 from a budgeted surplus of $344,000 to a projected deficit of $1,100,000.”

In the same meeting, the board received another bombshell:

Tom announced with regret that he is going to be retiring from Headship at the end of this year. Tom started with health issues last spring and energy and stamina has been a problem ever since. Tom has had several meetings with Kim, the Head Evaluation committee and the Executive Committee over the summer and fall. Tom and Wendy have thought long and hard about this decision and he hopes the school will support them and understand he needs to do this for his health and quality of life. Hopefully, it will be business as usual and he will be able to finish this year.

The 2006–07 academic year would be very different from the one the board had envisioned.

full speeD aheaD

The board, led by Kenly, immediately pivoted to focus on the issues raised by Needham’s decision to step down. Their first order of business was to assure continuity in all of Cardigan’s programs.

On the admissions team, Marty Wennik agreed to serve as Cardigan’s interim director while a search for Ryerson’s replacement was underway, and as the new director of Summer Session, Ryan Feeley managed that program’s admissions processes. “Due to Tom’s health, he will limit his travel and activity level,” Kenly noted. “Jamie Funnell will be making the [admissions] trip to Mexico this year and Marten Wennik will be making the Asia trip this year.” Some trustees were concerned that the enrollment drop had revealed an overreliance on international tuitions, and McHugh was tasked with looking into the matter. He reported back, however, that “the six schools looked at have all followed the same trends [as Cardigan] and reflect the same percentages of international students against domestic boarding students.” Peer benchmarks indicated that Cardigan was neither more or less dependent on international enrollment than other independent schools.

The trustees voted to borrow an additional sum from endowment to reduce the looming operating deficit. This was an important step, but the miscommunications and misunderstandings that had contributed to the situation also had to be addressed. The admissions team eagerly welcomed the gift of a new admissions software package, donated by trustee Dale Frehse P’89, “that will allow for better tracking and follow-through with our prospective and enrolled families.” Kenly also proposed that a small group of trustees partner with the headmaster to share the burden of the School’s operation in the remaining months:

It was decided that a committee named the Headmaster Support Committee be established to meet on a monthly basis to

work with Tom and his senior staff members on winter and summer school admissions strategies, development strategies, financial aid strategies, and budget relief strategies. Mr. Kenly will lead a small management team who will have specific assignments within the overall goal of developing strategies and tactics to make a meaningful difference in the financial health of the school over the next 12 months.

Kenly chaired this committee, appointing members to help guide specific operational areas: Robert Chartner (financial aid), Charles Hutchinson (development), Burt McGillivray (finance/budget), and Meg Moulton (admissions). The committee members met over a dozen times in the following month, and then shifted to monthly meetings for the balance of the year.

The board appointed trustee Ralph Manuel to lead the Headmaster Search Committee for a second time. Kenly noted that “[most] head searches are well underway for next year,” but that Cardigan was in a position to “move on a much faster track than the last time since we have a veteran committee and a well articulated vision of our goal.” At the beginning of the search process, Dave McCusker ’80 decided to throw his hat in the ring.

McCusker had been a devoted alumnus since leaving Cardigan, staying closely connected as he forged an impressive career in the independent school community. Over the decades, he had worn many Cardigan hats, including faculty member, Summer Session teacher, staff member, volunteer, Alumni Association president, and incorporator. Most recently, McCusker had been elected a trustee in 2005, then immediately voted in as the board’s secretary and invited to chair Cardigan’s Development Committee. Even with this record of Cardigan service, it was still a major step to consider the role of headmaster, and McCusker and spouse Stephanie Solms McCusker—herself a former Cardigan and Summer Session faculty member—discussed the possibility at length. It was a daunting idea, in part because of Cardigan’s looming financial challenges, but also because both Dave and Steff knew they would want to live up to the Cardigan role models they admired from their own years at the School. In the end, they decided that Dave would submit his name for consideration.

Manuel had predicted “that decisions will be made in late January and the new Head will be met at the February Board Meeting,” and the process did indeed move swiftly. By December of 2006 the committee had reviewed ten candidates from an applicant pool of 21, narrowing the field to four semi-finalists, who Manuel summarized for the board:

They have experience in the field that ranges from 16–27 years. They all have coaching experience, boarding school experience and teaching experience. Each candidate is between 40 and 44 years of age. They are all married and all have children. [They] come from prestigious schools and none are currently sitting heads.

Shortly after the December board meeting, the committee held candidate interviews at the Hilton near Boston’s Logan airport, a location chosen to make participation easier for those traveling from a distance. Finalists were invited to visit The Point for two days in January, after which the Headmaster Search Committee made its recommendation. On February 24, 2007, the board unanimously voted:

That the Board of Trustees ratify and confirm the action taken by the Executive Committee on January 25, 2007 by unanimous telephone votes, to appoint David J. McCusker, Jr. as Headmaster of the School, effective July 1, 2007.

The appointment was announced to the community quickly, and because of his longstanding relationship with Cardigan, McCusker’s “onboarding” process as headmaster-elect was almost seamless. He stepped down as trustee, and instead joined the Headmaster Support Committee, which offered a forum in which he could work with Needham to prepare and plan for the coming transition.

on the point

Campus life was relatively unruffled by the strategic tremors managed by the board, and in fact there were many moments to celebrate during the Needhams’ final year. The fall began with a tribute to faculty member Dudley Clark H’05, for whom Cardigan’s Zamboni Room was named

above: On Headmaster’s Day 2007, a long line for Chappy’s french fries was worth it when the payoff lived up to expectations.

on Alumni Day. Other athletic improvements included a new climbing room and ropes course, as well as new fitness equipment made possible by Marshall and Diane Wallach (parents of Clark ’06). A particular highlight was when the Hamilton Family Foundation Health Center opened its doors to students. The completion of this facility was a testament not only to the generosity of the Hamilton family, but to the tenacity of those who had championed the project over the course of many years. The health center was worth the wait, and also meant that the former Morrison Infirmary (formerly Fifield House) could be renovated to create additional campus housing. The Kenerson Center was refurbished ahead of the spring board meetings, and Paul Fay ’65 funded construction of a lovely outdoor porch attached to the Wakely Center. All of these projects represented bright spots of continuing progress on The Point.

Needham’s interest in the arts saw him encouraging boys to amass a certain number of “culture points” during the year. These could be won by attending events like theater performances, concerts, movies, or other new experiences available at Dartmouth, Boston, or beyond. Meanwhile, faculty and staff continued to build on their own programs and test new ideas. Foreign language and ESLteacher Rick Exton offered a course in Mandarin Chinese for the first time. (Exton also began to assist with Summer Session admissions; that spring the board noted that “international admission travel conducted by Rick Exton was […] the reason for improved admission results.”) Director of Studies Tom Pastore experimented with changes to the master schedule, giving faculty members more flexibility to move individual students between course levels “without disrupting the entire schedule.”

A significant addition to Cardigan’s program also began to take shape during Needham’s tenure. As Clark Wallach ’06 approached his senior spring, he discussed with his mother, Diane Wallach, how he might thank Cardigan for his own positive experience at the School. Clark suggested that a program begun by his grandfather at the Graland School, The Charles C. Gates Invention and Innovation Competi-

tion, would be a perfect fit for Cardigan boys. Needham, Funnell, and director of development Jean Christensen traveled to Denver to discuss the program with the Wallach family. Their growing excitement about the competition’s potential impact on The Point was warmly welcomed by Diane, who orchestrated a magnificent $1M gift through the Gates Family Foundation to establish the program at Cardigan. Funnell soon returned with Auerbach (Diane, also a trained pilot, flew the two into Denver herself) to observe the program in action and test initial concerns that the competition could be too advanced for Cardigan boys. Funnell recalls that it took only moments to understand that the Gates competition would be, in fact, perfectly accessible. “An eighthgrade girl was describing her ‘problem,’ which was how jarring it was to her arm when she used her field hockey stick on a cold day,” Funnell recalls. “She had sanded down the handle and was using some sort of gel wrap to absorb the shock. Dave and I turned and looked at each other and just knew, ‘Oh yeah, this can work at Cardigan!’”

Planning began for a ninth-grade elective to begin in the fall of 2007, during which boys would design their own inventions to solve real-world problems. Wallach visited the board in May 2007 to explain the program’s principles in more detail:

[After her presentation] Ms. Wallach welcomed questions and a lively conversation ensued about the particulars of the program. Staff members Jamie Funnell, Jean Christensen, and Mark Holt would travel to Denver in the following week to witness firsthand the competition at the Graland School. The praise and appreciation of the Board was demonstrated in a final applause.

The Gates program was a natural fit with Cardigan’s hands-on learning approach, and over the next several years, would grow to become a flagship program for the School.

370HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

above: Tom and Wendy Needham said their goodbyes during the spring board meetings in 2007, and capped the year with a commencement weekend fully focused on the graduates and their accomplishments.

Outside of the classroom, the students engaged in a number of festive moments on The Point. In January, students were invited to sing at the inauguration of New Hampshire Governor (and Cardigan parent) John Lynch. The Boys’ Chorus and the faculty band traveled to the State House in Concord for the event, performing “The Saints Go Marchin’ In,” “Lean on Me,” and “Proud Mary” for the State Senate and guests of the Governor. The moment highlighted the continuing growth of Cardigan’s arts programs, which remained of special interest to Needham.

The Annual Auction’s “Hidden Treasures” celebration was held in Humann Theatre in February. It was an unfamiliar experience for most of the newly-staffed development team, excepting Barbara Frazier. She had begun working at Cardigan only in 2003, but was very familiar with the event; as parent to Matt ’88, Brendan ’95, Tim ’00, and Christine (a Summer Session alumna), she had volunteered at the auction with husband Joe for years. The team leaned heavily on Frazier to support the Parents’ Association in their planning. The auction ran smoothly, raising over $150,000 for the Annual Fund. An impressive $13,450 of that total was the result of a “bidding frenzy” for boys to give haircuts—live!—to four good-natured administrators: Dean of Students Chuck McCormick, DeMaggio, Funnell, and Needham. (Frazier would remain a steadfast and positive member of the development team for two more decades.)

Perhaps offering more excitement than the School might have wanted, in April a microburst “pummeled campus” and knocked out power to The Point for 24 hours. It also significantly damaged the area between Frieze House and Clancy Hill. The extra expense was unwelcome, but there was a silver lining in the destruction. The Chronicle reported the following fall:

What was once thickly wooded is now two acres of cleared, stumped and graded lawn with clear views of Stowell House. The lawn was seeded in September and green grass is coming up. Next spring, these lawns will be good for play.

The year saw some of Cardigan’s traditions reaching notable milestones. The Birthday Book program, which had first begun under Carol Shelton, marked its 25th year. Still going strong under librarian Pat Iacuzzi, in 2007 the program now gave families the choice of purchasing either a book, videotape, CD, or DvDin honor of their student. Another venerable tradition also celebrated an anniversary in 2007. Headmaster-elect McCusker was on hand to participate in the 20th Alumni Hockey game, and as the Chronicle reported, it was a memorable event:

It was any man’s game until the final period when the Alums managed to dump five goals, ending the game at 14-7 for the final score. The most exciting part of the game was when the varsity and the alumni teams both cleared their benches in a last-ditch attempt for the varsity to squeeze another goal in with the whole team defending. It was a good effort but the alums controlled the ice to the bitter end.

This bench-clearing, final period free-for-all would become a mini-tradition of its own in the years to come.

Bittersweet enDings

As spring advanced, the School community prepared to say goodbye to longtime Athletic Director Jim Marrion. The Cardigan icon had an-

nounced that he would retire following the 2007 Commencement, after completing his 40th year on The Point. Needham invited the School community to return to campus on June 9 to honor him, and in the meantime, the board worked to establish an endowed scholarship fund in Marrion’s name.

His was not the only retirement. Honorary alumna Mary Mendelsohn was leaving Cardigan after nine years, having been a “ubiquitous” presence on campus with her camera, a fierce proponent of the drama program, and an English teacher with high expectations for her students. On the staff, George Jones was leaving Cardigan’s dining services after 12 years of service, Eleanor Weller was closing 25 years with the housekeeping team, and Judy Ribeiro, who had been managing student accounts for 29 years, was also retiring. Ribeiro had begun work under the Wakelys, managing the school store and student bank before moving to the business office. “I don’t really think the boys have changed a lot over the years,” Ribeiro reflected on her time at Cardigan. “The hair and clothes have changed. They have computers and internet now, but they are still middle school boys at heart.”

The Needhams were now drawing their tenure to a close. During the May board meetings, the board recognized Tom and Wendy’s service “with the dedication of the art gallery, the establishment of a named endowment fund dedicated to student cultural support, and the testimonials provided at dinner.” During the dinner, Needham thanked the trustees and said an emotional goodbye; he underscored that the needs of the students are central, regardless of the other concerns and distractions: “It’s all about the boys.” The next day, he provided his final headmaster’s report to the board, who “expressed their gratitude with a standing ovation.”

Momentum now moved toward closing the year strong and planning for the future, with the acknowledgment that significant work would have to be done to stabilize and strengthen the School’s financial position. McCusker was already partnering closely with the development team and the board’s Development Committee. It was encouraging that news of his appointment as headmaster had helped infuse the School’s fundraising efforts with some energy: the Annual Fund closed the year above its $600,000 goal. Former Cardigan President and Chairman Savage Frieze contributed to the optimism by joining with fellow trustees Tim Fleming and Henry DuPont to endow “The Frieze Alumni Legacy Scholarship Fund” (the fund provides financial support for the son or grandson of a Cardigan alumnus to attend either Summer Session or Cardigan’s academic year). Efforts to honor Jim Marrion had also been incredibly successful: the community had contributed over $250,000 to create the “James N. Marrion Scholarship Fund” for “deserving boys who embody [Marrion’s] positive traits and noble spirit.”

In June, over 450 people, including 130 alumni, gathered on The Point to wish Jim and Connie Marrion well. It was a gala to remember, with a celebration in the Wakely Center and all of the living headmasters—former, current, and future—coming together to send Marrion off in style. In their 2007 Blaze dedication, members of the senior class offered their own tribute:

Mr. Marrion, your long service to Cardigan has spanned an amazing forty years. You have been a teacher, coach, colleague, mentor, friend, advisor and athletic director among many other important roles. You have inspired and instructed, coached and cajoled, and supported students in academics and athletics. You are a role model for us all.

One era was ending, and another was poised to begin. r

above: Transitions are important at Cardigan. In the week between fall/winter and winter/spring sports seasons, the faculty shakes up routine and plans fun events for the afternoons. In 2008, McCusker (in the yellow helmet) joined in one of the faculty-student games that marked the February transition week.

the mCCusKer Years (2007–16)

setting priorities

a staBle founDation

As Dave and Steff McCusker arrived at The Point in their new roles, they knew that Cardigan faced a critical turning point. Financial concerns coupled with recent turnover in the administration had led to a growing unease about the School’s stability. After several months spent reviewing the state of the School from within the Headmaster Support Committee, Dave McCusker was energized. The first priority, for financial reasons, was to stabilize Cardigan’s enrollment and ensure that future admissions processes would run smoothly. Ahead of the fall, he partnered with new Admissions Director Chip Audett to set strategies for the coming year. They clarified lines of communication between the administration and the board, and set their sights on gradually increasing enrollment to a level of 200 students.

Several changes helped generate momentum in their favor. First, the board recognized the need to maintain the quality of Cardigan’s student body, and approved the distribution of an additional $50,000 in financial aid awards in the short term if necessary. Second, the restructuring of the admissions team under Audett gave two of his staff members the ability to focus solely on enrollment, with no teaching responsibilities. Finally, the admissions software that had been donated by trustee Dale Frehse facilitated a more efficient workflow, including clear process management, data analysis, and consistent follow-through with candidates.

The team’s intense early efforts enrolled 202 students for McCusker’s first year. Reassuringly, Audett projected that the School would exceed its (strategically conservative) goal of 178 full-time enrollments for the following year as well. “Student financial aid availability has stabilized,” the board’s Admissions and Marketing Committee reported in February 2008, “and it is anticipated that more aid will be available for use next year.” These successes depended on strong collaborations with Summer Session Director Feeley, who continued to have a significant impact on enrollment efforts; with Exton, who traveled abroad regularly with Audett and the McCuskers; and

with outside educational consultants, who were helping a growing number of new families to discover Cardigan.

These were all good signs, but in May 2008, the board’s president got right to the heart of the financial matter:

Mr. Kenly raised a question as to whether the School, in general, was back on track again with its financial aid program from the overextension we experienced two years ago. Ms. Moulton and Mr. McCusker both indicated that all of those financial aid commitments have expired and that next year, the School expects to be in line with a much more manageable financial aid program in the coming year.

The admissions team had found a new rhythm, and it promised to create the stability that Cardigan needed.

Knowing ourselves

As the admissions team hit its stride, McCusker focused on reviewing the School’s core mission and programs. During his time on the Headmaster Support Committee, the board had asked him “to re-work the mission statement and make recommendations to the board in the Fall,” as the trustees felt Cardigan’s mission “should be updated, made shorter and punchier and include a tag line.” The request suggested a larger question around identity, which McCusker believed needed to be resolved if any other work was to succeed. Setting goals for his first year as head of school, he encapsulated this enormous priority within a single bullet point:

Lead a comprehensive review of the Cardigan Mountain School program, resulting in a document that asserts a vision for excellence in boys’ education and makes recommendations for necessary changes to achieve program goals.

McCusker’s work toward this goal began immediately. First, with the board’s blessing, he engaged the services of consultant Nancy Stearns, asking her to perform a study of the School that could “reinforce what

372HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

is wonderful and identify areas that need strengthening.” A deeply respected educator and former head of The Derryfield School, Stearns was also a longtime mentor to McCusker. She paired an understanding of his strengths with her own 30 years of experience in independent school education, and was a natural choice to connect with “all members of the Cardigan family.” Stearns would spend most of the McCuskers’ first year seeking and synthesizing community feedback, with a goal of reporting back to the board in May 2008.

McCusker publicized these efforts on all available platforms, inviting the participation of the School community. Extensive travel, both domestically and abroad, created opportunities for him to gather feedback. For those who had not yet engaged in the process, McCusker’s opening column in the fall 2007 issue of the Chronicle outlined all of the key questions:

What do you believe is the purpose or mission of Cardigan Mountain School? How does Cardigan prepare boys to become men? What are Cardigan’s strengths? Where does Cardigan’s program fall short? By asking and answering these types of questions and engaging all members of the Cardigan community—students, parents, trustees, alumni, faculty, and staff—in full, honest, and open discussion, we will be better informed and more able to articulate the specific rationale and benefits of each and every aspect of the Cardigan program.

Answers began to accumulate over the course of the year, and a shared understanding of the core values and traditions of the School slowly emerged. This renewed vision would define and affirm what McCusker now referred to simply as the Cardigan Way

Meanwhile, Stearns was exploring Cardigan’s program in detail through focus groups, surveys, and interviews. During the course of the year, she met with over 150 people and visited The Point nine times. The scope of her work was enormous: “to objectively examine the entire school environment, including faculty, curriculum, academics, and the life of the community.” As she developed topics of interest from her research—the School’s support for learning issues, the struggle to build endowment, the board’s level of engagement—Stearns shared them with McCusker and provided periodic board updates. In May of 2008, she joined the trustees at their spring board meeting to present her highly anticipated final report. “The School is a solid, nurturing place, with extremely dedicated, devoted, earnest and conscientious people at its heart,” Stearns began, and “as with all things, there is room for improvement.” She suggested that Cardigan could make progress in two critical areas: in the academic program, and in the quality of life for adults on campus.

On the academic side, Stearns noted that several administrative processes needed attention, including standardizing and documenting curriculum, as well as clarifying and streamlining leadership roles. She also offered some program observations: the tail was to some extent wagging the dog, in that Cardigan’s daily schedule was “too determinative of the overall School program,” and she saw that “more exposure is needed in the arts.” The Gates competition, on the other hand, was a distinguishing program for Cardigan and “an ideal model for all departments.”

To address the quality of campus life, Cardigan would have to improve the communication, collaboration, and sense of community among its faculty. Stearns also recommended that Cardigan increase opportunities for professional development, a long-standing priority

at Cardigan. She noted that “naisrecommends 1–2% of budget should be dedicated to professional development,” but that in recent years Cardigan’s professional development budget had decreased and was now significantly underfunded. Faculty housing, however, eclipsed all of these concerns, and Stearns urged that it be made “one of the School’s top priorities.” In her view, it was “a serious issue […] that should be immediately addressed.” Cardigan had been struggling to improve residential facilities since the Dewar era, and the negative impact on faculty could not be ignored.

The trustees took these findings seriously. They felt, as did Stearns, that “the McCuskers represent a chance for a new beginning,” and the board was fully invested in working toward solutions. Vigorous discussion followed Stearns’ presentation, and rather than integrating her report into the previous Strategic Plan (formally adopted in 2006), Kenly suggested a more radical approach: a full restart of the strategic planning process, with an eye to creating a wholly new vision for Cardigan. McCusker would lead the charge, reporting progress at each board meeting. Findings from the Stearns Report, as it was now known, would offer new benchmarks for measuring the School’s progress.

BuilDing ConneCtions

While the strategic planning process got underway, campus life needed tending. It was especially important that students and families continued to feel welcome and at home on campus as transitions continued in other areas. This responsibility traditionally was assigned to the head’s spouse, and Steff McCusker had received from Wendy Needham an outline of the tasks and strategies that had been compiled over the years. The guide (for use by the “School Hostess”) suggested approaches for a broad range of responsibilities, including everything from family weekends and dorm décor to parent outreach, faculty recognition, Chapel flowers, baby showers, birthdays, and more. The document was both helpful and thought-provoking, underscoring that different eras had required different approaches. Coming into the role, McCusker knew that she would need to make it her own.

Like Cardigan’s previous “first ladies,” McCusker was a skilled professional who brought many talents to the School. As a graduate of The Derryfield School and Dartmouth College, and as a former textbook editor, writing and editing were her particular strengths. McCusker had also lived and worked at a number of independent schools (including Cardigan) before moving back to Canaan in 2007; she had experience in the classroom as well as working within summer camp and admissions teams. Before arriving on The Point, Dave and Steff discussed her new role with Kenly. Dave joked that the best model for Steff’s new role on The Point should emulate a football team’s “free safety”: the player whose responsibility it is to shore up the entire team wherever the need is greatest.

Within a few short years, free safety was Steff McCusker’s official job title, and most accurately described the breadth of support that she offered to the School community. In that role, she built relationships directly with students, faculty and staff members, families, trustees, and alumni in ways that would have been familiar to all of her predecessors. She also applied her own singular skills and insights to the School’s needs, just as Connie Burbank had done with library science, Bev Wakely had done with language training, and so on. As a result, the community grew stronger in new ways even as she focused on the primary, intangible responsibility assigned to the “school hostess”: making people feel known, loved, and welcomed.

The Chronicle described some of McCusker’s contributions in 2016: 373

above: Building on a tradition begun by Tom Needham, the McCuskers invited students to sign the basement wall during visits to Frieze House. Here Steff McCusker welcomes boys to a 2008 “sixth grade social,” one of the casual hangouts to which boys were invited each weekend.

Cardigan’s ‘Free Safety’ is at the center of the boys’ lives, and always on hand to help the adults as well, regularly substituting for teachers and for Lynne Lenihan, Dave’s executive assistant […]. She has spoken several times in Chapel, appeared in stage productions, helped run the annual spelling bee, and has even played keyboard with the faculty band ‘Grades and Comments.’ […] She proofreads and copy edits letters, articles, and handbooks, and helps everyone learn to use the Cardigan Style Guide

In fact, McCusker was integral to the work of both the communications and admissions teams, where she helped assure that messaging was clear and consistent, and that families (current and prospective) had all of the information that they needed to feel confident in their boys’ experience. With the help of then-Communications Director Kim Holt, one of McCusker’s major contributions on this front was the creation of a family newsletter titled To The Point. Launched in 2008, it was an emailed update that shared pictures and stories from the boys’ lives on campus several times a week. One thoughtful Cardigan parent from this era later recalled the missive as “the biggest and most positive change” to her comfort level with having her sons boarding at school:

It was almost as if you knew how school went that day. You weren’t there to say to them, ‘How was your day?’ but you kind of knew how it went because the e-newsletter did a great job of covering the day-to-day events.

The tone of the newsletter was as important as the content, as another parent, Cardigan’s future Director of Spiritual Life Elizabeth Perryman, noted. “When I read her articles (like the ‘Mom Phenomenon’ about how our sons often save their dramas for their mamas),” she recalled, “I felt as if I was sitting across the kitchen table, sharing a cup of coffee with a good friend.” McCusker had a natural empathy that helped her to connect with parents and students, and this was no doubt helped by having two young sons also attending Cardigan (Brodie ’09 and Cam ’10). Her natural warmth, however, was matched by the intention and hard work that she invested into her new role. In this she was helped by Dave McCusker’s executive assistant, Lynne Lenihan. A trusted colleague from St. Paul’s School, Lenihan had not at first been interested in making the move to Cardigan, but Dave McCusker had convinced her to take on the new position. Steff McCusker later described Lenihan as a critical factor in the McCuskers’ joint success:

We were like a trio, the three of us. I just can’t imagine a better person than Lynne to be in that role, both for Dave and for me. I could speak to her confidentially when I couldn’t speak to anybody else. She was a confidante; she was so professional. We had so many laughs.

Dave McCusker knew that Lenihan’s professionalism elevated his own work, and that her warmth brought people together. “Everybody formed a relationship with Lynne,” he noted. The McCuskers considered Lenihan to be a mentor and friend as well as a colleague. The three together were a powerful force on the School’s behalf; when Dave McCusker assured new parents each fall that “we will know your sons, and we will love your sons,” Steff McCusker and Lenihan made it their business to help fulfill that promise.

Much of that work could be accomplished simply by continuing the established activities and traditions on The Point. Some of these were updated for the new era (as McCusker laughingly admitted, Director of Dining Services Bob Spano was a much better source of birthday cupcakes), but new ideas joined on their heels. One new program, suggested by an insightful parent, focused on facilitating relationships between returning Cardigan parents and families of new students. Connecting Families offered a hybrid model of mentorship and orientation, in which returning parents welcomed new families to the School and offered themselves as resources for information ahead of the fall’s opening days. As a relationship-building initiative it was similar to the Homestay Program (begun by Rick Exton and Dean of Students Chuck McCormick), which matched international students with host families. The latter program supported students who were unable to travel home over Thanksgiving break, long weekends, and even some of the longer winter or March vacations. As the Chronicle noted in 2011:

Cardigan families reap the benefits of getting to know one of their son’s schoolmates and of enjoying the accompanying perspective inherent to this guest’s differing roots

374HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

this page: Traditions like the all-school wrestling tournament and the annual Lake Run took place during transition week, as did activities like French waiter races (part of World Language Day), field trips, theater performances, broomball, and Winter Carnival activities like chariot races and snow sculpture contests.

above: The morning snack break is sacrosanct, and faculty member Dudley Clark was always on hand to raise funds for a good cause through his donut sales. Students were happy to offer their support in good or bad weather, with small or large appetites, and even (as Aiden Bourke ’15 shows) when impeded by a cast.

(whether geographical, cultural, socioeconomic, or whatever […]). In turn, the young Cardigan visitor is often embraced like a family member, benefiting, too, from exposure to the family’s differing perspective, while enjoying a complete change of scene and a break in the routine as well.

While both the Connecting Families and Homestay programs sprang from necessity—new parents had questions, and faculty needed time to regroup during breaks—they also built relationships that lasted well beyond the initial experiences.

small aDJustments, Big impaCts

Reflecting on his tenure in a 2016 document titled Nine Years Later, Dave McCusker credited “a commitment to principles, processes, and good practices” for motivating the faculty and staff. The transitions of recent years had led some to prioritize continuity and stability over building the program, but McCusker knew that treading water could only lead to failure and Cardigan needed to shift momentum forward. Furthermore, Stearns’ early feedback had revealed some inconsistencies in how leaders approached their roles. To help bring everyone’s work into alignment, McCusker held weekly meetings with his administrative team. He also met weekly with each team member and department chair, requiring them to set goals, consider challenges, and assess their own progress. These meetings set an expectation of growth and progress, coupled with support and encouragement, that soon fostered new ideas and approaches.

They also began to discuss the difficult job of reworking the daily schedule, which would have to be adjusted if collaborations, clubs, art, and activities were to have adequate space to develop.

An immediate change to the schedule in the fall of 2007 helped make the advisory program, overseen by McCormick, more effective. Students began to join their advisory group three days each week after lunch, attending a 30-minute conference period immediately afterward. As the Chronicle reported:

The timing of these meetings is important in that advisors and boys can discuss areas of concern and decide which extra-help conference the boy should attend. Advisors then dismiss the boys to the subject conference immediately following their session.

The juxtaposition of the two periods reinforced the academic guidance boys received from advisors, setting students up for success. This made the week’s schedule work for the boys, rather than vice-versa.

Cardigan was lucky to have a stellar pool of experienced and committed teachers, and in them McCusker recognized a professional development resource available right on The Point. He looked for ways to foster more collaboration, mentoring, and exchanges of ideas among the faculty, facilitated by another change to the schedule. In 2008–09, the existing weekly faculty meeting was augmented by an additional Tuesday meeting, used “for professional development, department chair meetings, committee time” and other collaborative work. The faculty worked on curriculum design and integrating feedback received both from training sessions with Director of Studies John D’Entremont ’94 and from a new evaluation process instituted by McCusker and Funnell. Additional planning time helped faculty members to translate this professional development into new practice.

The sixth grade piloted a team-teaching model in 2007–08, and over time, the approach was adopted by Cardigan’s higher grades as well. Shared planning time was vital to these gradelevel teams, for reasons outlined by English Department Chair Marty Wennik in 2010:

The team-teaching approach has brought with it a certain amount of challenge to each of our ‘comfort zones.’ While it is not uncommon for individual teachers to be innovative with instruction, working as a team of professionals means adopting an openness to sharing, giving and receiving feedback from peers, and adapting accordingly for the benefit of students and the team. And there has also been the broader challenge of aligning the […] curriculum so that content and instruction among disciplines is complementary and consistent.

The investment of effort in team-teaching was worthwhile, as teachers quickly “witnessed positive changes in student behavior, retention of material, and academic maturation.”

376HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

In fact, administrative support and renewed attention to professional development was making everyone at Cardigan more effective on a daily basis. The renewed focus on collaboration and professional development produced a creative energy that flowed into Cardigan’s programs. During this period, the Chronicle lauded “forward thinking committees” like the School’s environmentally-focused Green Team and academic innovations like a new “arts hour” hosted by the Arts Department. New student activities like the peer tutoring and Big Brother programs (overseen by McCormick) joined existing initiatives like the jobs program. In 2022, McCusker reflected that faculty member Allan Kreuzburg’s “matter of fact” leadership of the egalitarian jobs program had been “critical to teaching students accountability, responsibility, and leadership.” Under Director of Athletics Ryan Frost, Cardigan joined the Positive Coaching Alliance and a host of new programs underscored the connection between leadership and athletics. Among the additions was the Student Athlete of the Week program, which recognized “effort, enthusiasm, sportsmanship, dedication to their team, and overall performance in practices and games” for both varsity and sub-varsity athletes. Frost also instituted a weekly meeting of team captains during which they could “discuss thoughts, ideas, and problems they have observed on their team.” As the Chronicle reported, the Captains’ Council quickly became an important tool for character-building, encouraging participants to “talk about leadership theory [and] teamwork amongst peers, coaches, and teams.”

setting strategY

taKing the long view

At the close of the McCuskers’ first year in Frieze House, an enormous amount had been accomplished. Cardigan was no longer in immediate financial jeopardy; the School community had defined the core aspects of the Cardigan experience; Steff McCusker was laying groundwork for new parent communications; and Stearns had suggested strengths and challenges to consider in future plans. On The Point, the faculty was pouring new energy into curriculum and program design. Still, Dave McCusker was mindful that Cardigan faced a more existential question of how to thrive over the coming decades. He wanted Cardigan to remain a leader in the field of middle school education, and was especially intrigued that a key aspect of the Cardigan Way—active learning—resonated with recent research about the learning needs of middle school boys.

In this area Margaret Funnell, who was now an adjunct associate professor in psychological and brain sciences at Dartmouth, had become a valuable resource to Cardigan. At various points, the School had invited Funnell to explain the process of myelination and “the physical and functional differences between a teen brain and an adult brain.” McCusker believed her presentation to be especially helpful for Cardigan faculty, as he recently reflected:

It was incredibly enlightening for new and seasoned faculty alike. If you have told a student something over and over without him ‘listening,’ this helped to explain why. It was kind of a lightbulb for some teachers to say, ‘This isn’t about defiance; there’s a process happening in his brain.’ As boys mature and get older, they get better at retaining information, and some of our students are just not there yet.

Funnell explained to the faculty that a male brain develops more slowly than a female brain, with myelination often continuing until age 26. (McCusker recalled the revelation prompting a chuckle in the audience, as “we always had some young guys on the faculty who needed a little support too.”)

Funnell also outlined certain classroom strategies that could support brain development in young men. The research recommended incorporating novelty, explaining goals, and practicing mindfulness, and also recognized that active learning—long embraced at Cardigan—was an effective tool for teaching boys in grades 6–9. To continue to lead middle school education, it would be important for Cardigan to “increase hands-on experiential learning opportunities, interdisciplinary learning experiences, and real-world applications of knowledge.” The Gates competition was a perfect example of how this model could succeed.

Based on this area of research, there were new tools emerging to support middle school learners. McCusker shared a “wish list” of such items with the board in his first year, and generous support from Cardigan donors made it possible for the faculty to put new tools into prac-

above: During the McCuskers’ first years, students ran in a fundraising relay that took them all the way to Concord. In 2008, the group was welcomed at the Capitol by Cardigan parents Dr. Susan Lynch and Governor Lynch. This fun service activity later evolved into the cancer awareness gear still worn by Cardigan athletes during Eaglebrook Day athletic contests.

this page: Fitness Day often culminated in the awarding of a “Mr. Cardigan” title, but Cardigan athletics has always been about more than physical accomplishments. As the Athlete of the Week program highlighted, Cardigan’s athletic staff also emphasized sportsmanship and dedication. In 2015, the department was recognized with a National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) Quality Program Award at the Exemplary Level for their commitment to constant improvement.

tice quickly. Trustees Barbara O’Connell and Scott Powers ’75 provided funds for Harkness tables, which converted easily from lecture- to discussion-based configurations. By visually reframing classroom discussions as inclusive, the tables encouraged participation. Another generous trustee funded the installation of five Promethean digital whiteboards in Cardigan classrooms before the 2008–09 year. The boards connected with teachers’ laptops so that boys could engage together with programs and applications in real time. The trustees’ committee on academic and student life reported that the whiteboards were “utilized every period” and “very popular and interactive for the students [and] faculty members.”

In addition to increasing tools for active learning, McCusker was considering a more sweeping change to the academic program. He hoped to transform the School’s approach to individualized academic support, eliminating the long-standing lll(Language Learning Lab) and ess (Essential Study Skills) programs. This would be a big ask, as individual learning—identifying the academic needs of each student, and then offering targeted instructional support—had always been a particular strength at Cardigan. The existing programs were trusted by families, and provided additional revenue for the School through a fee-based model.

Yet McCusker felt that these very strengths were becoming liabilities. The School’s mission was to support middle school boys, and program fees were symbolic (and sometimes actual) barriers to accessing that support. If the science showed that all middle school boys could benefit from academic support, it followed that Cardigan should provide it for all students. In addition to this philosophical concern, the various support programs were increasingly siloed and logistically difficult to administer. A more holistic program could integrate all types of support more thoroughly across the curriculum. McCusker was also concerned that the programs were staffed by part-time and off-campus faculty. While excellent at their work, these professionals generally came to campus only for their classes and then departed. McCusker wanted to build a faculty of adults who had multiple points of contact with students, getting to know boys well not only in the classroom, but in the dorm, on the athletic fields, and in the many other campus areas where school life happens.

It was risky, however, to consider a major innovation at a time when change was feeling relentless. In Nine Years Later, McCusker acknowledged that he and Lenihan “represented the fourth head of school team […] in five years.” Still, he intuited that this very situation “presented both a challenge and an opportunity.” He decided that the time was right for big ideas. In February of 2008, McCusker presented the board with an entirely new model for instructional support called peaKs® (Personalized Education for the Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills), which he hoped to launch in the fall:

[McCusker] and Director of Studies John D’Entremont ’94 have been working on the idea for some time, which, when implemented, will improve the way Cardigan is able to address the individual learning styles of each student at Cardigan for years to come.

[…PEAKS] will combine the best elements of each of these former programs into one that will have—as its chief goal—the purpose of educating each student about his own individual learning style, strengths/weaknesses to build confidence in each student’s own particular learning abilities, while providing him with lifelong strategies to become an effective learner.

Notably, McCusker proposed that the entire student body would participate in the program: each of four dedicated peaKscoaches would work with a group of roughly 50 students. The coaches would be experts in learning issues, and their entire focus would be to integrate support within students’ other coursework:

PEAKS coaches will be full-time faculty members, with a similar set of responsibilities as regular faculty members, however, their afternoon time would be spent meeting as a team and working with the teachers, advisors, students, and the Director of Studies.

Aside from the obvious academic advantages for Cardigan boys, McCusker noted that “from a marketing perspective, [peaKs] could be Cardigan’s signature offering to the educational field of junior boarding schools.”

The board was both excited and cautious. Without clear messaging, there was a risk that peaKscould be misconstrued as “a ‘remedial’ program for troubled learners,” and there was the loss of fees to consider. Yet it was obvious that it did have the potential to set Cardigan apart

above: “Green” equipment like the solar-powered scoreboard and the wind turbine were important teaching tools and reminders of the School’s carbon footprint. “We didn’t put this wind turbine up because we figured it would make a huge dent in our power needs,” McCusker told students in 2008. “It’s here as a demonstration project, so we can teach ourselves about the technology.”

from its peers, and might even, as O’Connell put it, represent the “breakthrough that Cardigan has been searching for in terms of being on the cutting edge of education.” Keenly aware that McCusker both knew and loved the School, the board trusted his instincts and gave its blessing to the new program.

the proCess anD the plans

The board, too, was ready to think on a larger scale. They wanted to ensure that the physical plant could support the emerging and evolving programs of the School. In February 2008, the real estate committee engaged the Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Architect (omr) to “begin work on an overall master plan of capital improvement for the school into the future.” Committee Chair Jock Pearson ’65 explained that the campus master plan would “serve the school with a viable plan of physical development for the next seven to ten years, and will include an evaluation of our current facilities as well as faculty housing.” This critical update was overdue, as the most recent plan was now over 12 years old.

At the same time, the School involved the entire community in developing a new vision through the strategic planning process. The Stearns Report and the feedback gathered during McCusker’s first year were both available to inform the process, and progress was swift. A “strategic visioning retreat” held in fall 2008 produced agreement on Cardigan’s essential goals, and work then began on translating those goals into next steps and criteria for measuring success. In the spring of 2009, the board adopted a new, detailed strategic plan titled “CarDigan2020: A Vision of Excellence in the Education of Boys, Phase 1 (2009–2012).” The name not only implied a clear and transparent (20/20) vision for the school’s next steps, but made a case to work toward accomplishing goals by the School’s 75th anniversary.

The process was as important as the plan itself, as McCusker felt that strategic planning was essentially iterative. In his view, the ideal outcome would be a living document that could remain “flexible and responsive as new thinking and goals emerge,” a tool that the School could consult regularly and update periodically. Indeed, this was how Cardigan would use its new strategic plan: the first phase was revisited with an update completed in 2014, and these iterations served as scaffolding for the strategic plan’s second phase, approved in fall 2015. What’s more, the neasC(New England Association of Schools and Colleges) re-accreditation process, repeated every ten years, could now work in tandem with Cardigan’s strategic planning. Cardigan’s 2010 neasCself-study, for example, reflected the priorities outlined in the 2009 strategic plan. In turn, the 2011 recommendations of neasC’s visiting committee affirmed Cardigan’s priorities while providing additional perspectives. Their suggestion that the School improve faculty/staff evaluations and transparency in the admissions process, for example, informed the next phase of strategic planning.

The process shift around strategic planning created efficiencies without pulling attention from the overarching goals. “Our big areas of focus were mostly consistent over the years,” McCusker reflected in 2016, “and yet our strategies and tactics evolved as our capacity to accomplish our work grew during this same time.” The new approach helped Cardigan to be nimble and responsive, even as it maintained a steady course forward.

a Quiet Campaign Begins

At the close of 2009, Cardigan had two plans in hand: a strategic plan, centering people and programs as the School’s immediate priorities, and a campus master plan, outlining the specific needs and potential of the physical plant. The fall 2009 issue of the Chronicle summarized

the resulting priorities, using the phrase Cardigan 2020 to represent all that the School wanted to accomplish by Cardigan’s 75th anniversary: “Crafting a long term plan involves knowing who you are as well as where you want to go. Cardigan 2020 is our grand roadmap to a promising future, guided by our Mission and Core Values.” The next task was to put the plans into practice.

First, the board approved the cost of conceptual design and engineering to “determine actual expenses” for proposed projects. They then asked McCusker “to marry the strategic plan with the campus master plan [in] a consolidated vision, and develop a comprehensive fundraising plan to accomplish the same.” Helping him was a task force of informed and energetic Cardigan trustees with specialist fundraising experience (including Diane Wallach, Kim Kenly, Chris Welles, and John Hays), who referred to themselves as the “Kitchen Cabinet.” The group began to meet outside of board weekends, discussing next steps for achieving short- and long-term goals and structuring an accompanying campaign. They grouped the new campaign’s priorities into three categories: learning together, working together, and living together.

The academic program was already making great progress. The addition of peaKs, the Gates competition, team-teaching, and classroom tools and technologies were all examples of forward movement. Still, additional work remained, particularly around broadening the available experiences for students. In the future, Cardigan hoped to offer boys more opportunities to engage with arts, athletics, and extra-curricular activities. The priorities for working and living together emphasized the needs of faculty and staff. While professional development remained important, housing, salary and benefits, and other factors needed attention. Improving facilities for residential life, community dining, and outdoor education would also impact faculty and staff; in the campaign, as on The Point, work and life entwined.

The campaign priorities translated into a substantial list of projects, at significant cost. The Kitchen Cabinet believed that Cardigan needed a bold and inspiring plan to attract similarly bold and inspiring support. They began to structure the first phase of fundraising around a building the campus master plan called the “Cardigan Commons.” This $13 million facility at the center of campus would offer a multifunctional and state of the art facility to support community activities, integrating kitchen, dining, classroom, mailroom, school store, and recreation spaces. It would be inviting and large enough to gather the entire School together for meals, meetings, and celebrations. Furthermore, completion of the Commons would open the door to residential improvements, beginning with the addition of living space in Hayward Hall, and provide an opportunity to grow the School’s endowment. Taken altogether, it was a roadmap to an audacious, transformative campaign that set the goal of raising $75 million by Cardigan’s 75th Anniversary in 2020.

The Development Committee presented draft materials for The Campaign for Cardigan 2020 at the fall board meetings in 2009, noting that the School already had received over $1.5 million in support. This total included a campaign gift from the McCuskers, as well as a stunning $1 million commitment from Wallach. Still, to succeed the campaign would require every trustee’s support; McCusker noted that “the Board needs to create this momentum toward the final goal of Cardigan 2020.” The Development Committee chair was more direct: “Mr. Welles emphasized the importance of board members making meaningful and ‘stretch’ gifts in support of this initiative.”

Fundraising continued through the coming year, but the board still had reservations. Some trustees were anxious about the ambition of the 380HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

1. through 3. Cardigan incorporator Leslie Williamson founded the Center for School Success in West Lebanon, and consulted closely with the first PEAKSfaculty (from left: Jarrod Caprow, D.D. Otep, Scott Haire, and Barbara Glover) as they developed the new department. Williamson noted in 2010 that PEAKSoffered “instruction about and support for learning to all the boys, because everyone can benefit from understanding how he learns best.”

4. and 5. Based on emerging research about the developmental needs of middle school boys, faculty were eager to adopt classroom tools such as Harkness tables and Promethean digital whiteboards.

6. The standardization of laptops made it easier for faculty to share documents and assign projects to students; it also led to a “birds on a wire” visual in hallways between classes.

above: Cardigan boys elect leaders from their peers each spring; in the fall those leaders return early to greet new and returning students during opening days. Leadership equates to service on The Point, making the question “how may I help you?” ubiquitous in the School community.

vision; others wanted to ensure that capital project funding did not come at the expense of the endowment; still others recalled the sluggish fundraising at the end of the New Heights campaign and were wary of falling short of a stated goal.

Nevertheless, the Kitchen Cabinet’s optimism was contagious, as expressed at the spring meeting in 2010:

Mr. Kenly spoke enthusiastically and optimistically about being able to break away from past fundraising efforts, and think in terms of much larger goals of achievement. Expressing confidence that we could reach our overall goals, he stressed the need for commitment of the Board to give as much as it possibly could as a leadership effort. John Hays spoke enthusiastically, and noted that based on all of his past fundraising experiences, it appears to him that Cardigan has the necessary leadership in place to succeed in this campaign.

To help spur giving, the team announced naming opportunities and a major gift matching program called “The Cornerstone Challenge.” In the fall of 2010, Wallach noted that some board members had not yet offered support, and informed fellow trustees that “all members will be approached shortly by her or a member of the Committee.” Before the spring, every trustee had pledged a gift in support of the campaign.

getting the house(s) in orDer

While initial fundraising efforts were focused on the Cardigan Commons, some long-awaited movement on a handful of property questions opened up possibilities for smaller-scale capital projects. The first such opportunity came following an inquiry from a Boston-area family who owned a home next to the Pinnacle ski slope. Cardigan boys had skied the Pinnacle from the 1950s to the 1980s, but the School no longer regularly used the hill. Because the property was a ʼnonearning asset,” the School had made periodic unsuccessful attempts to sell it since the 1990s. The neighboring family, who had in fact owned the Pinnacle prior to Cardigan, now reached out to the School with a purchase offer. The board was delighted to return the property to a family with deep roots in the local community. In October 2010, Real Estate Committee Chair Pearson reported “that the Pinnacle property had been sold back to its original owners, netting the School $225,000 which has been spent on classroom construction projects.” Soon afterward, the sale of a separate parcel of 67 acres of land in Piermont (jointly owned with the Peddie School) netted Cardigan an additional $15,000. The School used the funds from these two sales to reconfigure offices and teaching spaces, creating seven additional classrooms.

There were other Cardigan properties that the School did not intend to sell, but which did need some attention. The “Robbin’s Nest” had been purchased in 2009 because its land adjoined campus, but the building itself was in very poor condition; the board finally opted to remove the structure in 2011. Howe House, another deteriorating Cardigan building, posed a more complicated question. One of several purchases (including the Hollenbeck and Ovilla properties) that Cardigan had made in the late 1960s, Howe House had been used to increase faculty housing. By the early 1990s, however, buildings and grounds staff reported that it was “in disrepair and worsening. The second floor is not being used.” After Howe’s long-time faculty resident passed away in 2006, the cost of renovation was estimated at $400,000, and the School could foresee only limited institutional use for the building.

The trustees were interested in razing Howe House, but respected the historical significance of its previous incarnation as the George Kimball House. Kimball had purchased the structure in the 1830s to use as a personal residence and student dormitory at his newly-founded Noyes Academy; this was the country’s first racially integrated school, and was not well-received by its Canaan neighbors at the time. “It was in [Kimball’s] house,” a local newsletter recounted later, “in which fourteen blacks[,] enrolled in the nearby Noyes Academy, were protected from harm when they were fired upon by the mob.” When Noyes Academy closed soon afterward, the Kimball residence passed into the hands of new owners and would eventually become the family home of longtime Cardigan employee Ruth Howe Talbert. Mindful of this context, the School decided against razing the building. Instead, McCusker worked out an arrangement with a local expert in historic structures who wished to carefully record, dismantle, and store the building. The complicated decision-making process finally resolved in May 2010:

382HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

Mr. Pearson [complimented] Mr. McHugh and the Headmaster on the respectful removal and future placement of a historical marker, acknowledging the removal of the Howe House, which was being dismantled and moved to another location for historical purposes.

There was another School property that held out more promise. Situated on the shores of Canaan Street Lake, the Hollenbeck house required renovation but offered a stunning location. McCusker had been considering options for new summer programs that could draw interest to the campus, and the Hollenbeck property seemed like an ideal match for one of these plans. A new summer program, led by faculty member Steve Harris and his son Caleb, would include week-long hiking and paddling expeditions in some of the Upper Valley’s most stunning environments, using the Hollenbeck property as a base camp. It was an opportunity to build a program “for teaching the skills that will maximize a passion for the out-of-doors, [and] also have as a primary goal the development of leadership skills.” In February of 2011, McCusker shared a proposal and budget for the Summer C.o.r.e.(Cardigan Outdoor Recreation Expeditions) program with the trustees:

He said that within the proposed goals of this program, it was decided that the Hollenbeck property would be developed and approved as the setting for this program. […] David indicated that it was the hope of everyone involved that this program will generate at least one new enrollee each year that this program runs.

The board unanimously approved the Hollenbeck renovation in support of the new summer program, and the C.o.r.e.Cabin was in use by the summer of 2011. The building quickly became a popular resource during the academic year as well, as Cardigan’s Director of Summer Programs Matt Rinkin, explained in the next Chronicle:

The building is ideal for small-group getaways and perfect for team-bonding sessions. With both indoor and outdoor fireplaces, a living/classroom area, staff quarters, and a lofted sleeping area, the venue is ideal for the boys to get ‘off campus’ for the night and have a true New England log cabin experience right in their own backyard. Our Grade Six class has already taken full advantage of the camp by hosting its first overnight trip of the year at the site.”

Reimagining the Hollenbeck property as the C.o.r.e.Cabin was an astute way for Cardigan to leverage existing resources. In fact, this approach was allowing the School to develop its programs without dependence on “flagship fundraising” projects. Selling, removing, and repurposing Cardigan’s underused properties had saved expenses, provided funds for seven additional classrooms, and launched the C.o.r.e.program. These projects had, in turn, contributed to a growing sense of progress among the broader school community.

full steam aheaD

In a very short time, trustee Diane Wallach had become an incredible force for forward momentum at Cardigan. Since sponsoring the Gates Frontiers Fund gift that endowed the Charles C. Gates Invention & Innovation Competition, Wallach had become an energetic and positive leader among the trustees, and her work with McCusker and the Kitchen Cabinet was instrumental in advancing the Cardigan 2020 campaign. Whether covering campaign costs, underwriting the campus master plan, or making the lead gift for the Commons, Wallach provided broad and generous support. She led by example, investing time, funding, and expertise into almost every priority at the School. “Even though Diane’s financial support was enormously significant for Cardigan,” McCusker later reflected, “that was just a piece of her contribution. It was the gifts that she gave us of her time, her wisdom, her expertise, and her caring about organization that had an enormous impact on the School.” Wallach’s support was about to make the difference in pushing Cardigan into the next stage of growth.

The Gates program was more successful each year. Originally conceived of as a ninth-grade elective, the full launch in 2007–08 was redesigned as a course for sixth graders, with 12 participants. The following year, the program added an afternoon activity in order to include the higher grades. Gates Director Mark Holt wrote in a 2010 Chronicle article:

above: Pictured from left are John Hays, Kim Kenly, Brian Cheek, Dave McCusker, Diane Wallach, and Chris Welles at a meeting of the “Kitchen Cabinet.” The group helped design the strategy that would culminate in The Campaign for Cardigan 2020.

It’s difficult to imagine that just a little more than three years ago, the Gates Lab was being constructed, tools and machines were being ordered, and a curriculum was being devised. Like most new programs, growing pains were felt and addressed during that pilot year. Now in its fourth year, the Gates Program is stronger than ever, with new and powerful devices for the student inventors to utilize and the largest number of participants yet.

In fact, a quarter of Cardigan’s students participated in Gates in 2010–11, and the program’s growing toolkit of equipment meant that Gates had begun to outgrow the space it inhabited in the garden level of the Chapel. The solution was to build a new Charles C. Gates i.D.e.a.(Innovation in Design, Engineering, and the Arts) Shop, which would bring together the venerable Williams Wood Shop and the Gates laboratory into a single facility at the entrance of Alumni Drive. The Gates Frontiers Fund provided $250,000 towards the building’s construction, but another $50,000 and ongoing operational expenses were still in question, as Cardigan was focusing all fundraising efforts on the Commons project. Wallach supported a solution that saw the existing Gates endowment covering all of the outstanding costs, enabling the project to move forward. The Gates i.D.e.a.Shop opened in the fall of 2011, and the board expressed its deep appreciation to Wallach and the Gates Frontiers Fund “for providing this latitude to the School to make this possible.”

During the fall board meetings, the board noted that only $6 million had been raised for the Cardigan Commons, with construction slated to commence in early 2012. The minutes record “lively debate among board members regarding the construction of the Cardigan Commons,” observing that “most board members felt that the construction of the Commons must begin sooner rather than later.” The trustees authorized the Executive Committee to explore financing options to maintain the project timeline, and the School’s fundraising efforts redoubled.

By the February 2012 meeting, gifts totaled almost $8 million and the board empowered the Executive Committee to green-light the project if support reached $10 million. Wallach praised the sense of urgency that the board clearly now felt, underscoring that the project would be a “tipping point” for the School.

The Executive Committee worked tirelessly to structure a financing option that would both support planned facilities projects including the Commons, while keeping the School in a solid short- and long-term financial position. Hank Holland H’18, who had joined the board in 2010, and Jeremy Crigler ’79, who had joined in 2011, brought insight, experience, and support to discussions about potential financing options. With the help of an outside consultant (GK Baum), in April the committee selected a tax-exempt 30-year bond for $11 million, an amount selected to support construction and increased operating costs related to the planned capital projects while taking advantage of historically low interest rates. It was a long-term strategy that cleared a path forward for the campaign, and the committee approved construction of the Cardigan Commons.

On May 4, 2012, the full board voted to ratify these decisions, then joined faculty, staff, students, and families at the much-anticipated groundbreaking ceremony:

All board members were issued commemorative hard hats and Cardigan 2020 sunglasses and several were circulated for the autographs of board members. A spirit of accomplishment and goodwill was pervasive, along with expressions of appreciation and encouragement for Cardigan’s exciting future.

384HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

In the fall of 2012, as the new Commons began to take shape, Wallach made the stunning announcement that Cardigan parents and grandparents David and Sally Johnson “would pledge $6,000,000 toward the completion of the Wakely Center and to the endowment of the Commons.” The gift could have a cascading impact on all priorities in the strategic plan, as the Real Estate Committee acknowledged:

In light of the Johnson Family’s commitment, and anticipating completion of the Cardigan Commons in May 2013, the committee is recommending a thorough review of the Wakely Center and Kenerson improvements, as well as faculty and student residences, including Hayward, and the possible renovation/expansion of smaller residences. The possibility of a new student and faculty residence will also be explored.

McCusker knew that the Johnson family had single-handedly “[advanced] our plans by three or four years,” and the board began discussing strategy for the next, public phase of The Campaign for Cardigan 2020, which would be announced in May 2013. There was vigorous discussion around the total fundraising goal, and the importance of including both the endowment needs for facilities projects and general campaign costs. The board settled on an approach that allowed for “an internal (fully costed) target of $58,996,000, and a public fundraising goal of $50,000,000.” The campaign announcement was planned to coincide with the opening of the stunning new building.

The May 2013 meetings contained several milestone moments. The board marked the recent passing of the beloved former president and chairman Savage Frieze with a heartfelt tribute that concluded with this resolution:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cardigan Mountain School Board of Trustees expresses its gratitude for the life of Sav Frieze, for his service to the School over more than four decades, and for his enthusiasm toward the School and devotion to the Cardigan family;

RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Board of Trustees will observe a minute of silence in memory of Sav at its meeting on this day; and

RESOLVED FURTHER, that the May 17, 2013 Headmaster’s Day will be designated “Sav Frieze Day” at Cardigan Mountain School so that today’s students can celebrate the life and legacy of a man who gave so generously, and in so many ways, to Cardigan.

For Kenly it was a meaningful time to mark this loss, as he himself was stepping down as Cardigan’s board chair. Having seen the School through some turbulent moments and led the School forward into a new era under McCusker, he had now ensured that the board’s leadership transition would happen as Cardigan was on an upward trajectory. Unknown to Kenly, “[following] the adjournment of the Board of Trustees meeting, trustees, families, and other guests [had] gathered outside the board room to honor Kim Kenly for his ten years of leadership and service as Chair of the Board of Trustees.” The unexpected tribute included gifts, testimonials, and a special announcement: the Commons’ new dining room would be known as the Kenly Dining Hall. The celebration then moved outside, where “the board gathered with all other members of the community to formally open and dedicate the Cardigan Commons.”

until

1. An example of hands-on curriculum, snowball fights outside of Turner Arena offer a unique way to explore trench warfare.

2. After discussing the beauty of graffiti with his art students in 2013–14, faculty member Andrew Jaspersohn had the boys try their hands at the art form on a retaining wall outside of the Stoddard Center.

3. through 5. The 2013 Auction was scheduled for February’s family weekend, but had to be postponed

May due to winter storm Nemo. In the end, faculty member Tim Leroy emceed the Mardi Gras-themed event, which raised over $200,000 for the Annual Fund.

above: In 2011, the Ukrainian hockey team

“Druzhba ’78” visited The Point as part of a monthslong visit to play against United States teams. “While our guests had a chance to practice their English (and their hockey),” To The Point reported, “our own boys were able to ask questions about life in Ukraine over a shared meal. A win-win!”

BuilDing towarD the future

aligning the team

Transitions had also been taking place on The Point. In the spring of 2011, after 21 years at Cardigan, longtime faculty member and interim Headmaster Jamie Funnell felt it was time to move on. His role at Cardigan had been evolving, and when Funnell was told of an unexpected opening at Groton School, where his son was a student, he decided to make the leap. Because it was late spring, neither the trustees nor his colleagues had the opportunity to celebrate all that Funnell had done for the School. McCusker aimed to rectify that, inviting Margaret and Jamie Funnell to return for a visit the following October. As Jamie Funnell recalled:

When I returned to campus in the fall of 2011 in conjunction with the fall board meeting, Margaret and I were both surprised by the trustees presenting us with matching rocking chairs in the dining hall and also a smaller version of the ‘Funnell House’ plaque to suggest the renaming of North Dorm.

The self-deprecating Funnell was finally the center of the celebration, and members of the faculty, staff, and board were on hand to celebrate the couple. In addition to acknowledging the tremendous work they had done for the School over the years, they thanked Margaret for her “tremendous kindness, salient expertise, and many years of faithful support,” and Jamie for being “a giver of balanced commentary and sage advice, a tireless listener, and a loyal friend to Cardigan.”

In recent years, Ryan Feeley had transitioned from his Summer Session and admissions work to become McCusker’s dean of faculty and assistant headmaster. With Funnell’s departure, Feeley became even more critical to managing residential life. “With Mr. McCusker’s increased travel this year,” the board noted in fall 2011, “much of the day-to-day running of the School has been delegated to Mr. Feeley.” In one of the periodic administrative shifts that occur at independent schools, the following spring heralded the additional departures of Dean of Student Life Chuck McCormick, longtime Director of Health Services Roz Burke, and Director of Studies John D’Entremont. New colleagues joined the community with their own perspectives, energy, and ideas. Among these were Director of Health Services Karen Gray, Technology Integrator Ann Hamel, and Director of Gates Rhett Yelton. The flow of new faculty and staff kept the community engaged and learning, and continued to generate new developments in the School’s program.

Another new member of the School community, Matt Rinkin, would have an immediate and lasting impact on the program. When Rinkin joined the School in 2010 as Summer Session director, McCusker tasked him with addressing the decades-long problem of summer housing, still a significant contributing factor to faculty attrition. If Rinkin could enable academic year faculty to stay in their own apartments during the summer, McCusker challenged, the impact would be transformative. By creatively reimagining the staffing model for Summer Session, Rinkin did just that. One major change was to assign Summer Session’s classroom and residential life responsibilities to different (though overlapping) teams. The teaching faculty led classes throughout the mornings, while those responsible for residential life activities took over during afternoons and evenings. This change enabled the School to hire teachers who departed in the early afternoon and could live off-campus. The second change was to reserve one bedroom on each dormitory floor for use by the Summer Session faculty. This meant that Summer Session staff could cover overnight duties without using the faculty apartments associated with each dormitory. As predicted by McCusker, these adjustments immediately improved academic year faculty retention and solved a concern that had stymied Cardigan for seven decades. It was a transformative moment for the School.

Cardigan’s new Director of Communications Joy Michelson also had an outsized impact on the School. After joining Cardigan in 2009, she had made award-winning editorial changes to the Chronicle and was adept at keeping messaging consistent across platforms. “For a little school in Canaan, New Hampshire, to produce the kind of literature and materials that we were producing,” McCusker later observed, “we were way out of our league, […] and that was because of her.” Michelson was also instrumental in creating clear and compelling materials to support both the first phase of the strategic plan and the accompanying fundraising efforts. As the second phase of the strategic planning work began, she took a more prominent role (alongside trustee McGillivray) in “guiding the school and board members” in structuring both the process and results.

386HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

Meanwhile, Michelson shared the task of explaining school priorities to potential donors with Cardigan’s rapidly growing development team. The team’s committed support staff had been joined by new Development Director David Perfield and Associate Director Pamela Susi in 2011. Susi’s proficiency with data and processes paired well with Perfield’s fundraising abilities, and in 2013 Sandra Hollingsworth added a deep expertise with managing independent school campaigns. In Nine Years Later, Perfield reflected on this growth:

With […] a significant investment of resources put toward staffing the office appropriately for a monumental campaign effort, there was a shift in management between 2011 and 2012 that allowed for the creation of a culture of philanthropy. With an experienced staff of development professionals, policies and procedures were refined, systems were introduced, and a philosophy on friend-raising and fundraising evolved.

Many team members also had close personal ties to the School. Hollingsworth was sister to Mike McLean ’77 and a close friend to former faculty members Penny and Schuyler Peck ’63 (Schuyler joined the board in 2012), while gift coordinator Barb Frazier was a proud Cardigan past parent. Alumni programs were managed by Richard Clancy ’67 (in 2015 he passed this baton to another alumnus, Jer Shipman ’00). Like the head of school, the team had a deep understanding of and love for Cardigan, and the professional experience to help guide its path. The campaign no longer had a need for the Kitchen Cabinet; instead, a more robust Executive Committee pulled back from managing campaign details and focused on the other strategic questions facing the School.

One such question was how to create a more focused and efficient governance structure. Members of the Corporation were supportive of but relatively uninvolved in strategic decisions, while the hard-working trustees lacked guidance around roles and term lengths. The board wanted new guidelines that “combine the best elements of our Incorporator and Trustee Guidelines resulting in clear expectations for Cardigan trustees.” This was not a new worry; decades earlier, trustee Robert Stoddard had been among several who believed that “the school should be run by one board of trustees.” Writing to Chairman Bob Gillette in 1979, he had argued the case: “I feel very strongly that we should make a very simple setup for long range and not tie ourselves emotionally to the important part that the original corporation played in the organization and development of the school.” At the time the governing bodies discussed making the change, but “there was no sentiment for abandoning the Corporation” and no desire to tackle the logistics of unification.

By the spring of 2012, Cardigan’s forward momentum cast the issue in a different light. Believing that the time was right to address these long-held concerns, the outgoing Governance Committee chair suggested a solution:

Dr. Hutchinson provided an overview of the Committee’s work during the last couple of years, motivated by the sense that the structure of Cardigan’s governing board was not serving the school in the best possible way. The Committee examined the roles of Incorporator and Trustee and decided to proceed with the recommendation of a single-tier structure.

On October 20, 2012, new Governance Committee Chair Prescott presented the committee’s resolution, and “[by] unanimous vote of the Corporation, the motion was approved, the Corporation was dissolved, and the new bylaws were adopted.” During the trustee meeting that followed 14 incorporators retired from service to the School, and eight former members of the Corporation were voted in as new trustees of Cardigan Mountain School.

This smooth transition belied the significant, painstaking work that had been done to prepare the School for the change. McCusker recalled those efforts in Nine Years Later:

[A] short paragraph cannot adequately describe the extensive […] communications effort, whereby we reached out to every member of the Corporation, employing a creative and responsible process (that allowed some incorporators to gracefully resign and others to sign on as trustees) and providing a clear set of guidelines for trustee expectations. In doing so, we successfully addressed what had been a longstanding, dichotomous, and often-confusing governance structure that had included two parallel, yet unequal, entities.

above: Cardigan is always happy to welcome alumni, friends, and family. During Homecoming in the fall of 2013, some of the School’s few alumnae returned to campus (from left, Mary Wakely Laturnau ’73, Sally Goodspeed Riley ’73, and Tayo Sands ’73); in 2010, founding faculty member Ted Peach returned and spoke with the delighted members of the cross country team.

this page: The building on the corner of Back Bay and Prospect Hill Roads was renovated following the opening of the Gates I.D.E.A.Shop (bottom, right) in 2011. The older building, which had been home to the relocated Williams Wood Shop, now provided two faculty apartments and was christened Pearson House in honor of Chairman of the Corporation Jock Pearson ’65 (pictured at bottom left, center, with his wife, the Honorable Barbara S. Pearson, and Board Chairman Kim Kenly).

388HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

1. through 3. The stunning location of the C.O.R.E. Cabin prompted a new summer program focused on fostering leadership through wilderness expeditions. The cabin quickly became a favorite location for cookouts, sleepovers, and other residential life activities during the academic year.

4. through 6. As the Cardigan Commons took shape in the center of campus in 2012–13, Headmaster Dave McCusker invited boys to tour the shell of the building. Students signed their names and left personal messages behind the emerging walls.

above: The School’s Big Brother program was reimagined by Dean of Students Chuck McCormick during McCusker’s tenure. In the 1990s, Cardigan had paired students with children from Canaan Elementary School; the program’s new iteration centered on The Point, connecting returning students with participating new boys.

Following the dissolution of the Corporation, the board moved forward with a redefined trustee calendar, new term guidelines and trustee classes, and a clear self-evaluation process.

Hap Hinman’s founding philosophy of continual aspiration still seemed to be the right engine for Cardigan’s success. As Kenly stepped down as board chair in May of 2013, Larry Prescott announced the “clear mandate from all members that Diane G. Wallach P’06 be elected” as Kenly’s successor. Wallach agreed to a two-year term, and several trustees commented on her “extraordinary leadership abilities and exemplary commitment to Cardigan.” The board and McCusker shared an inspiring vision for the School’s future, and—thanks to the leadership and support of the board—the campaign’s audacious goals seemed within reach.

program growth

Meanwhile, new ideas continued to revitalize Cardigan’s academic, residential, and athletic programs. Although the Gates competition was an example of how endowment giving could lead to a “distinctive and dynamic program,” as a rule Cardigan did not wait for gifts to drive program innovation. Instead, the faculty and staff continued to innovate in ways that built donors’ confidence and inspired additional gifts.

Since receiving the Stearns Report in 2008, McCusker had encouraged the faculty to examine existing programs and look for ways to extend the opportunities available to students. Small but significant adjustments helped Cardigan open up new experiences for boys. The Athletic Commitment Exemption (aCe) program allowed students with special interests not offered by the School to spend afternoon practice times pursuing that interest, and others to spend one season in a non-athletic activity. This approach allowed students to get involved in activities like figure skating, ski jumping, track and field, and even music composition. The experiment was challenging to administer, but expanded opportunities for certain students in the short term. On the academic front, boys participated in academic competitions through the Student Investment Club and MathCounts.

The Stearns Report had suggested that Cardigan “expand the arts options for students,” and the School continued to look for opportunities on this front. A sea change came around 2014, when another shift in schedule made it possible for students to take shorter arts offerings throughout the year, rather than committing to a full-year class at the expense of other course options. Around this time, gifts from Edgar, Faith, and Francis Humann, together with the Christian Humann Foundation, supported critical improvements to Humann Theatre in the Stoddard Center. The revitalized performance space made it possible for faculty member Jeff Good to offer a new performing arts class (McCusker has described Good as the kind of “Pied Piper” faculty member who inspires student participation). These changes had a collective impact, and within two years, Cardigan had doubled its arts offerings.

Several years into McCusker’s tenure, two academic program innovations had a significant impact on the culture of the School. The first was a one-to-one laptop program that launched in 2011. It resonated with the work done in the 1990s to train Cardigan faculty in the use of laptops, but in Dewar’s era the goal had been to encourage the use of technology. By McCusker’s tenure, a different problem had reared its head: so many different devices and programs were in use that files shared between students and teachers were frequently incompatible. D’Entremont spent several years researching approaches like the Maine Learning Technology Initiative, working with faculty to understand their technology platform preferences, and testing configurations that could be used by all. Director of Technology Michel Gray then issued identical Macbooks (“the same hardware, software, and operating system”) to current faculty and students in 2011, which could be collected and re-imaged at the end of each academic year. To help users adapt to the new hardware and software, Technology Integrator Hamel held “Technology Tuesdays”: regular, accessible training opportunities offered throughout the program’s first year. As a result, the one-to-one laptop program reduced the time spent by faculty wrestling with discordant programs and platforms, and put the technology back to work for the students. A second area of program innovation relied on an unexpected resource: the diverse student body. Just as McCusker had recognized that faculty mentors could provide professional development to peers, he also believed the boys could become resources to their classmates. “We had this incredible gift right at the School,” he later recalled. “We always talked about the value of a diverse community like ours, but it was a rather passive kind of approach and we wanted to formalize it and make it more intentional.”

With this concept as a starting point, faculty members Ryan Sinclair and Nora Yasumura developed the Global Community Initiative (gCi) in 2012. Sinclair was interested in the intersection

390HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

of service, leadership, and global perspectives, and had pursued studies in South Africa and France; he had also worked with the Ivy Leader program since 2009, bringing students abroad each summer for an immersive service-learning experience. Yasumura brought her experience as the assistant dean of student life and advisor to Asian and Asian-American students at Dartmouth, and had valuable insights to contribute to the program’s design. Like peaKs, the gCiprogram was intentionally holistic. As Steff McCusker noted in a 2015 To The Point, the program had a broad focus on creating “intentional opportunities for our entire school to come together to listen and learn from a wide range of life experiences and social identities.” These experiences related to not only international cultural identities, but to socio-economic perspectives and other aspects of identity.

The approach included a weekly global leadership class for every student, as well as conferences and guest speakers. gCi’s lessons were reinforced throughout school life during service opportunities, mealtime discussions, holiday celebrations, international trips, and Chapel services. Faculty members received ongoing training, which the Chronicle noted in 2014 enabled them to integrate gCiprinciples “into the core curriculum and throughout the residential life experience.” Meals, all-school meetings, and other communal moments were all seen as opportunities to highlight these topics in fun and active ways. The boys’ own experiences were integral to the gCicurriculum, and each student shared with and learned from his peers. “Kids had equal access to diversity all around them,” Steff McCusker observed in 2022. “They didn’t need to be wealthy kids who went on vacation [to see different cultures].”

suCCess BreeDs suCCess

As Cardigan’s curriculum developed, fundraising staff reinforced the message that a strong endowment would help to assure program excellence in the future. While capital projects offered clear fundraising “finish lines,” and it was easy for donors to understand the positive impact that new and renovated facilities would have on current students, a sustainable future for Cardigan depended on increasing the endowment.

The message was received clearly and appreciatively by donors, who began to contribute to endowment initiatives at unprecedented levels. Beginning in 2012, several remarkable gifts in support of the remaining campaign priorities changed the financial landscape of the School. An anonymous gift established Cardigan’s Endowment for Excellence in 2012 with a $1 million pledge and a matching challenge. The new fund’s purpose was to provide “support for faculty and staff professional development, as well as general endowment growth at Cardigan Mountain School.” Lead gifts from other anonymous donors, as well as from former trustee and incorporator Scott Powers ’75, also helped to endow financial aid.

Notably, endowment giving was on the rise not only among Cardigan’s more experienced philanthropists, but also across a broad cross-section of the School community. Gifts from every quarter—and in all amounts—were now helping to build the School’s endowment, and several new funds honored cherished members of the Cardigan family. The Ryan G. Feeley Faculty Excellence Fund was established to recognize the assistant head of school when he departed for Berwick Academy in 2013. In 2015, the Andrew B. Noel III Memorial Scholarship Fund acknowledged the Cardigan parent (and former faculty member) who had recently lost his battle with cancer. When, a year later, a car accident claimed the life of a cherished alumnus after his sophomore year at the University of New Hampshire, the School established the Gordon Borek ’10 Memorial Scholarship Fund. More than ever before, the endowment had begun to reflect the people and programs who epitomized the Cardigan Way

Capital projects remained a critical component of progress on The Point. Mindful of longterm implications, the board was now careful to include the cost of endowing ongoing maintenance when structuring each project. This made fundraising goals significantly more difficult to achieve. Cardigan, however, was extraordinarily lucky to have donors who both understood and valued the endowment priorities outlined by the strategic plan. The Johnsons’ visionary commitment to both endowment and capital priorities through their 2013 gift was an example of this sophisticated approach.

The School completed athletic facility improvements over the summer of 2013, and Wallach praised the project’s execution and the “magnificent” facilities. At the October dedication ceremony, Athletic Director Frost noted that the Johnson-Wakely Locker Room and Johnson-Wakely Fitness Center would contribute not only to the athletic program, but to the overall wellness of the community. “We are all immeasurably grateful to the members of the Johnson family for

above: The Edward A. Barney Written Expression Competition is a tradition founded on the School’s ties to the local community. Edward A. Barney’s father founded The Canaan Reporter in 1867, and Barney owned and developed that printing business until 1946. Cardigan’s annual timed writing contest was named for Barney, a long-time friend of the School until his death in 1971. For several decades, participating boys often checked in with faculty member Wim Hart, who oversaw the contest for most of his tenure.

392HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

1. and 2. When the community gathered in 2010 to honor Joe Collins, athletes from Cardigan as well as from Eaglebrook’s visiting team took a knee in honor of the iconic assistant headmaster.

3. through 5. Cardigan honored former Athletic Director Jim Marrion during Homecoming in 2013, unveiling a new plaque that noted “even in retirement, [Marrion] remains active as an advisor to students and faculty.” Former Headmaster Norm Wakely (who had recently been recognized via the Johnson-Wakely Locker Room) was among the many friends and family on hand to congratulate Marrion.

their determined generosity,” he remarked, “and by extension to Norman and Beverly Wakely for the bond they forged, so many years ago, that inspired this extraordinary gift.”

That fall also saw an academic space transformed, as the School repurposed the area in Hopkins Hall’s lower level that had been occupied by the school store (now relocated to the Commons). The new “satellite Gates design space” was christened the e.p.i.C.(Engineering Possibilities Innovation Creativity) Center, a makerspace that offered standing worktables, 3-D printing, whiteboard walls, and legoRobotics and Arduino projects. Its location within a central academic building offered easy access to creativity not only for boys in the formal Gates program, but for students dropping by between classes or during activity and club periods.

Meanwhile, campus housing, the longstanding priority underscored by Stearns in 2008, remained a critical issue among the faculty. In the summer of 2012 the School had converted the former Williams Wood Shop (now located in the Gates i.D.e.a.Shop) into two new faculty apartments and rededicated the building as Pearson House. The board now hoped to similarly repurpose Hayward Dining Hall, but in the discussions that followed the Johnson-Wakely dedication, it became clear that Hayward fundraising progress was slow.

Once again acting as a catalyst for change, in October 2013, Wallach announced to the board that she would offer a $500,000 challenge match to help spur progress on the long-awaited Hayward project. Parent and Campaign Committee Chair David Martinelli, who had become a Cardigan trustee in 2011, urged trustees to help build on this momentum. Martinelli had become a forceful voice of encouragement by this time; his mantra to focus on moving “up and to the right” was a familiar refrain, urging the board to strive for progress even in the face of daunting goals. The energy and positivity that he and wife Christine brought to Cardigan were contagious, and a good match for Wallach’s can-do perspective on Cardigan’s strategic goals. When Martinelli underscored that additional funds would be needed in order to move ahead with the Hayward renovation, the board responded:

Several trustees stepped forward to contribute additional funds to the Hayward project, thus ensuring that Cardigan will proceed with this renovation project next summer. It was agreed to continue to raise funds in support of Hayward and make a formal announcement of Hayward’s renovation during the auction at Parents’ Weekend on February 7, 2014.

Wallach not only quietly funded critical School priorities, but also continually motivated others to partner with her on more inspiring projects.

Donors to the Hayward renovation included several members of the Johnson family (David and Sally Johnson, Clayton ’79 and Myra Johnson, and Craig ’78 and Kathy Johnson), trustee and parent Anthony Scaramucci, and the Martinellis, who contributed an endowment gift to ensure that the School would be able to provide for Hayward’s ongoing maintenance in perpetuity. The project was an exciting and symbolic improvement to residential life. As Richard Clancy explained in a 2014 Chronicle article, the renovation repurposed what had been The Point’s first ʼnew” building. Constructed as a single-story dining hall in 1954 and later expanded to include residential space, Hayward would now “take on new life as student and faculty housing.”

Not willing to let momentum lag, the board began to plan for two additional capital projects. The first was to renovate Clark-Morgan, the historic building located at the heart of the campus, in order to improve the living spaces and refurbish the offices for admissions and other staff. The second was to consider the possibility of building a new dormitory at the foot of Marrion Field.

Wallach joined with Craig Johnson and Henry DuPont ’83 (via the Nor’ Easter Foundation) as lead donors for the Clark-Morgan renovation, as well as that building’s endowment. In fact, the board received pledges “in excess of the cost of the [Clark-Morgan] renovation,” but donors’ payment schedules risked leaving the School cash-poor during construction. The trustees voted to open a $4 million line of credit with Lake Sunapee Bank in order to cover construction costs for the two upcoming projects, and the Clark-Morgan renovation went forward.

Wallach, now in her final year as board chair, was both committed to building on past progress and eager to add a new dormitory to Cardigan’s campus. She and husband Marshall Wallach announced another remarkable gift that, in keeping with their balanced and inspiring approach to supporting Cardigan, would be divided equally between unrestricted support for the School’s priorities and a challenge match for the new dormitory project.

1. The School community pulls together to support those in need, a phenomenon that became known as the “green blanket.” At top, a sign welcomes a student returning after illness.

2. In December 2014, Director of Student Life Dave Irwin asked students to think of “a brief, uplifting gift for the community to keep spirits light during the cold winter months;” Dewar dorm responded by taking over dining hall responsibilities for an evening meal.

above: The opening of the Cardigan Commons— and in particular, the dedication of the Kenly Dining Hall and Clancy Servery—made it possible to remove the old dining hall from Hayward Hall. Students marked the beginning of Hayward’s renovations in 2014 by singing “Happy Birthday” to the 60-year-old dormitory, and posing with bricks from the construction project.

values in aCtion

A remarkable number of Cardigan’s strategic priorities had been addressed via capital projects during these years. All of these were in service to the students and faculty who embodied the Cardigan Way, working each day to live up to the School’s mission and core values. In 2014–15, the strategic planning team decided to review these tenets, hoping to move even closer to “accessible, concise, and student-friendly language.” After consulting with the community (and most particularly with students), they presented a refined statement of mission and core values to the board in October 2015:

The Cardigan Mission: Cardigan Mountain School offers a close-knit community that prepares middle school boys—in mind, body, and spirit—for responsible and meaningful lives in a global society.

To achieve our mission, we recognize effort and accomplishment, helping each boy realize his academic, physical, and personal potential through the integration of the following Core Values in all aspects of daily life:

r Compassion: Be kind. Seek to understand others and go out of your way to help.

r Respect: Be considerate. Care for yourself, others, and Cardigan Mountain School.

r Integrity: Be honest. Remain true to yourself and your word.

r Courage: Be brave. Persist through hardship.

The updated statement was as much reflective as prescriptive, given that Cardigan’s core values were already integral to school life. Academic and residential life initiatives like gCi, peer mediation, Cardigan Big Brothers, and the jobs program clearly aligned with and reinforced the School’s mission and values.

Over the past several years, however, a renewed emphasis on service had fortified the Cardigan Way. In addition to campus-based clubs like recycling and waterfront improvement, the School now offered regular opportunities to volunteer at organizations like Listen Community Services (a nonprofit similar to Goodwill serving the local area) or David’s House (housing for families of children receiving medical care at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital). Steff McCusker explained the importance of active participation in a 2009 Chronicle:

In addition to spare change, it is a student’s time, energy, ideas, spirit, attitude, enthusiasm, and physical labor that are invaluable assets he can give in service to others. The rewards are intrinsic in the giving of oneself.

Service clubs were only one framework for giving back to the community; students also took part in annual traditions like the fall food drive, fundraising runs to benefit nonprofits, and spring and fall service afternoons. Throughout the year, faculty and students (particularly members of the National Junior Honor Society) would ask the community to contribute donations to other causes close to their hearts, and some spent summers working on service projects at home or abroad. The message was clear: the Cardigan Way included caring for others.

The McCuskers also intentionally deepened the School’s connections with surrounding communities during their tenure. Cardigan boys applauded their Canaan Street neighbor (and founding faculty member) Judge Fleetham on his 100th birthday. They shook the hands of local servicemen during a Veterans’ Day dinner in the Commons, and taught lacrosse to students at Canaan Elementary School. Local families were invited to participate in community skating events at Turner Arena, and welcomed at the sidelines of athletic contests. Retired faculty and staff took part in activities like the senior class’ Monte Cardigan fundraiser, and McCusker himself occasionally delivered Sunday breakfast to neighbors in need of company or support.

Aligned with this community-centered service mindset, past parent Dr. Elizabeth Perryman had joined Cardigan as the School’s director of spiritual life in 2013. Her focus was to integrate the Chapel program with the residential life and advisory programs, explicitly connecting the School’s Core Values with daily life on The Point. Perryman had a gift for introducing middle school boys to spiritual self-reflection, creating a theme for each academic year that provided a framework for self-examination and community building. True to the School’s roots, it was an inclusive and holistic approach to spiritual life, which Perryman described in the Chronicle in 2014:

Simply stated, the spiritual life of Cardigan is Cardigan. It is our culture. It infuses and inspires our actions. It guards and guides our life together. It defines and sustains the

394HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

1. through 3. Gates inventors practice presenting their ideas throughout the creative process. Here, trustee Diane Wallach brainstorms with a student in 2008, and former Headmaster Norm Wakely and staff member Sandra Hollingsworth listen to presentations in 2014. Jacob Slaughter ’16, shown explaining his “ski boot scraper” design to Wakely, would become the first Cardigan student to receive a U.S. patent for his Gates invention.

4. through 6. The science curriculum developed rapidly in the McCusker era, and in 2012 faculty member Heather Oliver and Science Department Chair David Auerbach teamed up to establish the Living Laboratory in Bronfman Hall. The project won the 2012 “Teams That Make a Difference Award” from the Association of Middle Level Educators (AMLE), and dovetailed beautifully with hands-on activities planned by science faculty members like Eric Escalante and Mark Holt.

A school’s not a school without its backbone

It just couldn't function with one group alone. From each light fixture fixed, and each pipe that’s replaced, to the writing of comments and directing of plays; from correcting some grammar, or inspecting eight rooms, to handing out meds or wielding stiff brooms; from teaching the history of Colonization to doing a School Meeting skit presentation; from setting up flights to cooking for loads; from recycling bottles to salting the roads; from handing out consequences to setting up trips, or offering three rookie linemen great tips; from lining up school visits to hooking up sound, or putting up wreaths when no one’s around; from scheduling courses to sawing down trees, or subbing for teachers or ordering “tees”; from typing up minutes to offering praise, or transporting students to Hitchcock some days; from driving zambonis and moving the nets, to setting up matches or teaching subsets; from directing “low” singers with really high voices to “tucking in” students (and quieting noises); from firing kilns to promoting invention; from robotics to reading to wrestling conventions… it’s all so important to the “whole” thing; just know you’re all valued for all that you bring.

Bravo, Team CMS, and Happy, Healthy Holidays to you, one and all!

Fondly, Dave and Steff

above: Steff McCusker made campus life more fun for adults as well as students. Above, McCusker plays keyboard in the faculty band Grades and Comments in 2009; below, an excerpt from a 2007 holiday appreciation from the McCuskers to the faculty and staff.

Cardigan Way. […] Firmly rooted in our core values, Cardigan’s spiritual life spreads out like branches into the classroom, the dorm room, and onto the playing field. As the boys travel home or graduate, the Cardigan Way extends to the wider world—from Canaan to Caracas, from Boston to Beijing.

When a person in the School community was in pain, peers surrounded them with care and helped them to make it to the other side without feeling alone. Perryman described this integral aspect of Cardigan culture as the “green blanket,”a phrase she had gleaned from the Gardner Carney Leadership Institute.

Tragedy had of course touched the School periodically over the years, and adults and students always rallied to each other’s aid. This was certainly true during McCusker’s tenure. “In recent weeks, there has been a student whose father died suddenly from a heart attack; colleagues have suffered loss or serious illness in their families,” McCusker told the board in 2016. “[I am proud] that members of the Cardigan community support one another as they do.” McCusker wanted Cardigan boys to support others, and also to learn to ask for help. Each year McCusker gave a chapel talk about his own spiritual journey, tying that path to his experience as a recovering alcoholic. By modeling vulnerability, explaining his own need for ongoing support, and sharing his own favorite prayers, he offered students an example of the power of spiritual practice.

Cardigan’s culture of caring helped students, faculty, and families process the loss of two iconic faculty members during McCusker’s tenure. Joe Collins had served as assistant headmaster for decades, returning during his semi-retirement to support Cardigan boys struggling with various aspects of school life. As Funnell later recalled:

There are quite a few boys who would not have made it to graduation without Joe. For boys who needed perhaps a bit more guidance, a bit more persuasion, a bit more support, he was an invaluable resource. […] Joe was always sitting with a boy on a bench somewhere—outside a study hall, overlooking the football field, or in recent years, on the long bench beside the classrooms in Bronfman—sharing hints, tips, secrets to success…helping boys to make it here.

After Collins’ passing in 2009, McCusker felt the enormity of “the community’s grieving.” Collins’ wife Ginny attended the Cardigan commencement just a few weeks later, both giving and receiving comfort. A beautiful tribute the following October provided some additional closure, and included the dedication of a memorial bench in front of the Chapel, inscribed simply: “Joe Collins—A Good Man.”

The loss of former Athletic Director Jim Marrion was similarly earth-shaking for the Cardigan community. Over 450 people had returned to show their appreciation during his retirement celebration in 2007, and like Collins, Marrion had remained a very present part of the School community even in his retirement. It was a jarring loss when he passed away in 2014. Sharing the sad news with the School at breakfast, McCusker observed:

I don’t believe [Marrion] ever uttered an unkind word to anyone—I don’t believe there was even an ounce of unkindness in his heart. And one of the things we can do to carry on his positive legacy is to really focus our energy on being kind to one another at every turn.

Boys were encouraged to share their feelings with the caring adults around them (Elizabeth Perryman, Steff McCusker, and counselor Lisa Perfield were all poised to help). A memorial service for Marrion was held in the Chapel within the week, followed by a reception filled with shared stories and memories. Later that month, thanks to the generosity and kindness of the Johnson and Kenerson families, the School announced that the Kenerson Athletic Center would be rededicated as the Marrion Athletic Center.

These examples of caring—service, outreach, and support—helped define community for students, who learned that the concept extended beyond The Point to include friends, family, neighbors, and even strangers. The McCuskers made it their work to ensure that compassion, integrity, respect, and courage were all actively at work on The Point. Students learned that, when translated into action, it was Cardigan’s Core Values that had the power to create a caring community.

396HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

suCCession planning

The McCuskers had decided that the time was approaching for them to step back from their current roles at Cardigan. In the fall of 2014, McCusker had shared this news with the board, giving them ample time to form both a committee and an advisory council to search for his successor. Crigler took the lead on the Search Committee. Described admiringly by McCusker as a “roll-up-your-sleeves guy” whose acumen and diligence had already been of major benefit to the Investment Committee, Crigler brought a similar commitment to the search for Cardigan’s next head. The committee’s work intensified in the spring of 2015:

On April 1 and 2 […] Carney, Sandoe & Associates came to the Cardigan campus and met with all members of Cardigan’s faculty and staff and many students. In addition, a survey was emailed to all Cardigan constituents to gather input. A position description has been advertised. The first round of interviews will happen in May, June, and July and will be conducted by Ms. Flanagan, Mr. Ruez, and Mr. Dixon. The field will be narrowed down to six to eight candidates. The semifinalists will be invited to campus August 3–8, and the finalists will visit Cardigan September 21–26 to interact with the community. The goal is for the Search Committee to unanimously recommend a candidate to the board by late September.

The transition was meant to ensure stability on every front, as the McCuskers would complete a full year of transition and knowledge-sharing with the incoming head before their departure in 2016. The renovation and expansion of campus facilities in recent years meant that The Point would be in beautiful condition. Because Cardigan’s strategic planning was now a living and consistent process, the next head would also have a clear analysis of the School’s needs at the outset of his or her tenure.

Neither the board nor McCusker were passive by nature, and there would be no resting on laurels in the remaining months. As the ClarkMorgan renovation went forward during the summer of 2015, new Board Chair Hank Holland took the reins from Wallach. Funding for the new dormitory and its endowment was secured in September, and the board immediately approved its construction. A sense of urgency was palpable. The School had “contractors at the ready [and] heavy equipment rolled in just days later to prepare the site” for the project that would create new housing for four faculty families and 26 students.

When the board gathered with the School community for a “groundbreaking” ceremony in October, site and foundation work on the new dorm had already begun.

Holland shared progress on another front on September 28, 2015, joining McCusker in the dining hall to make a special announcement to Cardigan’s students:

It’s an enormous commitment that our teachers and our administration make to essentially devote their lives 24/7 to be with you guys from very, very early in the morning to quite late in the evening, seven days a week. It’s ambitious, it takes a lot of energy, it takes a lot of dedication and real passion. And that was important for us to find. […] The board met this weekend and we considered all of the input, all of the things we gathered in this process, and we unanimously selected Chris Day as the next head, the tenth head, of Cardigan Mountain School. […] We could not be more excited.

The boys greeted the announcement with a standing ovation, and Holland asked them to “make this year the best in Cardigan’s history.”

In McCusker’s final months as head of school, he engaged with customary energy in planning for Cardigan’s future. He understood that all successful projects begin with prior planning, and he and the trustees discussed a project that could have significant impact on the School’s academic program. The board had asked architectural firm omrto update the campus master plan in 2015; the resulting “academic master plan” had their attention. Having assessed the academic buildings as well as the daily schedule, omrconcluded that Cardigan’s curriculum was now clearly constrained by the available space. Laboratory work, team-teaching sessions, and double-block periods had become difficult to schedule, and in fact, some teachers moved from room to room throughout the day rather than working from their own classrooms. The proposed solution was the construction of a Learning Commons. The suggestion was similar to the Cardigan Commons in scale, potential impact, and price tag; the board learned in February that its estimated cost would be $25 million.

It was a significant proposal to take on when there were still residential projects needing support. The board was keenly aware that French, Brewster, and Hinman Halls all required attention. In fact, the development staff was actively seeking donors for the French Hall renovation, although fundraising was slow. The trustees debated the wisdom of pursuing the projects at the same time, but believed that they

above: In addition to snowball fights, an April snow storm in 2016 inspired a collection of “snow haiku” that were displayed on the Commons’ windows.

would appeal to different donors. David Perfield, whose development team had maintained a staggering pace since the campaign had entered its public phase, noted that “there is donor fatigue.” Nevertheless, he told the board that the team would continue the “many conversations” that were taking place around the two priorities. While neither dormitory renovations nor the Learning Commons project would be fully funded during McCusker’s remaining months, these donor discussions were laying important groundwork for the future.

Ever mindful of the campaign’s planned second phase and the School’s approaching 75th anniversary—and reluctant to slow any of the School’s forward momentum for his successor—McCusker invited faculty and staff to continue sharing their “big ideas.” The community responded with several new and insightful proposals. One faculty committee proposed establishing a farm initiative at Cardigan, with echoes of the School’s earliest years. In February 2016, staff member Devon Rinkin described the program’s proposed hands-on work with both plants and animals, telling the board that “this is an initiative that boys will remember for years to come.” The board concurred, and heartily endorsed the idea. McCusker and Holland had their own big idea, suggesting that the board consider instituting a Global Service Learning Initiative that would create a capstone experience for Cardigan students. It was an intriguing proposal that prompted “lively discussion” among the trustees, but ultimately they recommended “that this be an idea taken up at a later time when Chris Day joins the community.” The change that had once seemed on a distant horizon was now coming closer.

In fact, during the February Parents’ Weekend the reality of the McCuskers’ departure was made even more apparent. Wallach, now chair of the board’s Real Estate Committee, led a special “topping ceremony” to mark the progress on construction of the new dorm. Wallach surprised the McCuskers by calling them forward. “I don’t think ‘New

398HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

Dorm’ is very catchy, do you? I think we need a name,” Wallach announced. “So in honor of the nine years you have been here as head of school…in memory and honor of what you have contributed here—the foundation you have built—we would like to rename this building ‘McCusker Hall.’” Uproarious applause was followed by a blessing by Perryman, and many hugs of congratulation.

The McCuskers’ final spring brought more special moments. The board had established the McCusker Legacy Endowment Fund. Future income from the fund would support financial aid at Cardigan Mountain School, “in honor of the leadership of Head of School David J. McCusker, Jr. '80, P'09,'10 and ‘Free Safety’ Steff McCusker H'16, P'09,'10.” At a community-wide gathering called simply “The McCusker Celebration,” hundreds gathered to recognize the couple’s remarkable accomplishments on The Point, and Steff McCusker was welcomed into the Class of 2016 as an honorary alumna.

In her 2016 baccalaureate talk, Steff McCusker asked the boys:

What kind of legacy do you hope to leave—not only here in our small community, but in the broader world? […] It might be hard to wrap your minds around this idea at your age, but trust me when I tell you that people will generally care most about how kind you were—not whether you were a professional athlete, a well-known and controversial journalist, a capable surgeon, a charismatic attorney, or a prominent businessman.

So it was for the McCuskers. Despite having transformed the physical campus through renovations and construction, and having raised record-breaking funds for the endowment and other needs, their most enduring legacy would be their association with the School’s Core Values and the community’s shared understanding of the Cardigan Way. r

above: At the McCusker Celebration in 2016, Lynne Lenihan’s family helped mark the close of her remarkable Cardigan tenure as Dave McCusker’s executive assistant. The McCuskers viewed Lenihan (third from right) as integral to their own success, describing her as a confidante, a mentor, and “one of our dearest friends.”

the DaY Years (2016-present)

taKing the Baton

the tenth heaD of sChool

Chris and Cynthia Day were education “lifers” who brought to their new roles at Cardigan experience as independent school students, faculty members, administrators, and parents. Both were graduates of independent schools—Chris from New Hampton School, Cynthia from St. Paul’s School—and the couple met at Dublin School when both were on its faculty. There they taught, coached, and lived in the dorms, and each soon also shouldered administrative team responsibilities (Cynthia as athletic director, Chris as history department chair). The couple would spend the next 25 years working together in education before making their way to The Point.

An early stint in Connecticut was followed by a return to New Hampshire in 1996 to join the New Hampton School faculty; five years later they moved with their three children—Charlie ’12, Henry ’13, and Phoebe—to Holderness School. Cynthia Day would eventually work on the admissions team, and Chris Day would be Dean of Faculty. As dorm parents at Holderness, the Days learned to navigate the needs of their own children as well as their students. They were in a position to appreciate all that Cardigan offered when Charlie and Henry enrolled; as Chris Day recalled in a 2016 Chronicle profile, he could both understand the challenge of the School’s mission, and value how “Cardigan applies such cheerfulness and wisdom to each boy.”

The Days focused on immersing in Cardigan life after moving into Frieze House in 2016, introducing themselves to the community and building relationships on campus. Cynthia would soon support the work of the secondary school counseling team; her secondary school admissions experience would be valuable when guiding Cardigan students to appropriate placements, and a supporting role would give her the flexibility to fill in as needed in other areas of School life. For his part, Chris’ first focus was to learn program details and “listen, listen, listen […] so that we can know how to go forward.”

Back in 2007, McCusker had signaled the need to roll up sleeves and address significant challenges; by contrast, Day focused on assuring the School community that he would capitalize on the momentum and pace set over the last decade. He had joined Cardigan at a moment of strength and celebration, and his goal was continuity and growth rather than a change of direction. “We all look with excitement and pride at our forthcoming 75th anniversary in 2020,” he wrote in his first Chronicle column, ʼnot as an endpoint, but as a milestone in an ongoing journey.” Day was part of a winning relay team, accepting a smooth hand-off and poised to extend the lead.

assemBling the team

A change in leadership is a time for self-reflection among faculty and staff, providing an opportunity for change. Day did not intend to shake up Cardigan’s winning approach, but he did want to keep the faculty and staff aligned, energized, and productive. A number of transitions

above, left: Board Chair Hank Holland congratulates Chris Day during Day’s Installation Ceremony on October 21, 2016. above, right: Cardigan’s tenth Head of School leads the recessional from the service with wife Cynthia.

400HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

1. and 2. The Days added their own touch to campus while embracing familiar traditions like holiday books for faculty children and Eaglebrook Day (here, Eaglebrook’s Head of School Andrew Chase welcomed Day in fall 2016).

3. Day pitches for a whiffleball game played at a replica Fenway installed behind Frieze house (the game became a popular auction item). The Green Monster was installed with the help of faculty member John Burritt in fall 2016, and students painted the Citgo sign.

4. Cardigan added a nine-acre solar field to its campus in 2016, and in the spring of 2017, the faculty established a new Environmental Club to promote other sustainability initiatives. These efforts promoted Cardigan’s installation of water dispensers to reduce the use of bottled water and dining hall changes to reduce food waste.

5. and 6. Sixth graders observe the life cycles of rabbits; Cardigan electrician Adam McAlister explains the grading of maple syrup. In addition to curriculum tie-ins, farm-to-school initiatives include community gardening, composting, and sourcing local food.

at the close of the McCuskers’ tenure gave Day the scope to restructure his own administrative team. Both Director of Studies Tim Newbold and Director of Student Life Dave Irwin had moved on; science department chair Joe Doherty now stepped in as Director of Studies and, after a decade’s absence, former faculty member Josh LeRoy returned to Cardigan as Director of Student Life. Matt Rinkin had added the familiar role of Summer Session director to his plate when Devin Clifford ’99 left Cardigan in the spring of 2016.

Director of International Relations Rick Exton had also departed, after a decade of supporting admissions processes and coordinating outreach to the international families of current students. Aware of the significant impact that Exton’s departure would have on the program, McCusker had taken advantage of a chance encounter with alumnus Joe Burnett ’95 (son of former Assistant Headmaster Jim Burnett) and invited him to consider the role. A surprised Burnett, who first learned the Chinese language from Exton at Cardigan, decided to accept the offer. He began his tenure at Cardigan under Day, and introduced himself in a Chronicle article during the fall of 2016:

My role as Director of International Relations is to do everything I can to make sure our international students and families get the same Cardigan experience I did, or better. For some students and parents, language is a barrier to accessing the full value of Cardigan. For others, cultural misunderstandings may cloud Cardigan’s mission. My team and I are working to plug those language gaps and facilitate cultural cross-pollination to make international families feel that they are truly included in the Cardigan family, and also to make sure the School reaps the full benefit of its diversity.

In addition to Burnett and faculty member Pablo Rocha Vázquez, the international relations team would expand to include Yuki Burnett and Jungwon Park. The team’s most important tool was their ability to communicate in families’ first languages. Cardigan was becoming a standout among peer schools in its approach to building and respecting strong relationships with families from China, Mexico, Japan, Korea, and other areas around the globe. This approach supported current students, and it also increased Cardigan’s profile internationally; current parents did not hesitate to recommend the School to friends who were considering whether to send their young sons far away for school.

Finding Exton’s successor had been unexpectedly swift, but it would take longer to resolve a significant shift in the communications team. Joy Michelson Clancy (recently married to alumnus Richard Clancy ’67) took a step back from her role as communications director to become Cardigan’s 75th Anniversary Coordinator. It was a new position, created in response to a specific communications goal outlined in Phase II of the Strategic Plan:

Gather and organize material that records and honors the history of Cardigan Mountain School, propelling our community toward a celebration of the School’s 75th anniversary in 2020, the successful completion of the capital campaign, and the publication of a third edition History of Cardigan Mountain School.

Clancy spent 2016–17 building on the foundations she had laid in preceding years, interviewing alumni and faculty members, and gathering together historical materials that would eventually form the basis of an institutional archival collection. (This work would be carried forward by Judith Solberg beginning in October of 2017.)

With the end of the campaign’s second phase looming and a pending update to the strategic plan, Cardigan would now need an experienced communications director. Day invited former Holderness School colleague Steve Solberg to consider the role, and Solberg signed on in July 2016. Shortly afterward, however, the unexpected resignation of business manager Jim Fenn required an urgent replacement. Solberg had led technology, communications, and business office teams and was an obvious choice; he agreed to make the switch. Communications staff members Erin Drury and Martin Grant gamely stepped in to share leadership responsibilities for their team, and were each named assistant directors.

getting the laY of the lanD

Campus life got underway smoothly for the Days’ first year. There were only 201 students enrolled—a large ninth grade class had just graduated, and the admissions team would work to distribute those numbers more evenly across grade levels going forward—but there was a gen-

above: Patricio Manautou Miret ’17 had a close call with faculty member Nick Nowak in a flag football game during the 2017 Winter Carnival. A few months later, Nowak would be named Cardigan’s Director of Student Life.

eral sense of positive expectation for what lay ahead. The Days were following a rigorous travel schedule in order to introduce themselves to alumni and families, and Day later recalled that his assistant heads, Rinkin and David Perfield, were an enormous support:

The two of them really reassured and grounded me in those first months. Perf was a constant travel companion; he was our escort as we met Cardigan people all over the country and the world. Matt kept things on track day to day if I had to be away from campus; he used to say, “Go on and don’t worry—we’ve got this.”

Travel throughout their first year gave the Days an opportunity to get to know those whom they had not met prior to moving to The Point. A trip to Mexico in February was particularly important outreach, as political rhetoric from the White House at the time was ratcheting up tensions between the countries. Families in Mexico were increasingly uneasy about sending their sons to the United States, aghast at being targets of stereotyping and hateful speech in American media. “There was a massive anti-Trump protest outside of our hotel in Mexico City,” Day later recalled. “[the political situation was] all they wanted to discuss.” Day reassured families that Cardigan would remain the same safe and welcoming campus that it had always been for its students.

During 2016–17, the “Meet the Days” tour spanned more than 20 cities across the United States and beyond. As Cynthia recalled, it was a whirlwind pace that had a substantial upside:

Just off the top of my head, we traveled to Cape Cod, Chicago, Washington D.C., Fairfield County, San Francisco, Denver, Sun Valley, and more—and then we did the same in our second year. But in addition to people meeting us, we ourselves got to connect with a huge number of alumni and trustees. Hearing their stories really fueled our love for the school in deep and meaningful ways, well beyond the experiences we already had.

The pace of travel soon steadied, finding a rhythm that would enable the Days to balance campus life each year with regular visits to alumni and friends all around the world.

Although off campus there was increasingly polarized and contentious discourse around the presidential election and related current events, the year held familiar rhythms and traditions for faculty and students. On The Point, discussions centered on issues specific to the well-being of Cardigan boys. Students and faculty workshopped topics like vaping, hazing, and bullying, and Day continued McCusker’s practice of supplementing such discussions with professionally-led boundary training for adults and students alike. The Core Values, as always, remained a powerful framework for discussing matters of personal responsibility and community.

In the fall of 2016, the board’s immediate focus was the School’s financial operations. The previous spring, auditors had flagged a ʼnegative trend in [Cardigan’s] operating budget” that had included deficits in both 2014 and 2015. The finance committee was concerned, and trustee Crigler had partnered with the business office to rectify deficit spending before Fenn’s departure. Now Solberg worked closely with Crigler and met monthly with the finance committee. The end goal was clarity and transparency, as well as assurance that the School’s finances would remain on a positive footing. It was a significant effort, involving a close review of Cardigan’s recent income, expenses, and endowment trans-

actions (these were particularly complex given the success of the campaign and the high volume of recent construction projects).

Crigler and Solberg’s work helped to clarify business processes, establish reporting guidelines, and develop new tools in support of Cardigan’s financial sustainability. Of particular note was a ten-year budget projection tool developed by Crigler, which allowed the committee to model the likely long-term impacts of various policies and decisions going forward. Proactive planning was key on campus as well, and Solberg began mentoring all of the faculty and staff who were responsible for program costs. “Steve pushed everyone to think less like ‘check writers’ and more like stewards of their budgets,” Chris Day explained. “He helped everyone to prioritize the program, so that they really put their budgets to work for the boys.”

Trustees were now thinking about other campus needs, as Cardigan would soon move to the final phase of The Campaign for Cardigan 2020. In Nine Years Later, a transition document that McCusker had compiled for Day, Perfield recommended that the School maintain momentum and build on recent achievements. “Although significant improvements to the physical plant have already occurred as a result of capital gifts,” he observed, “many opportunities to improve academic spaces and faculty and student residences remain.” The board scheduled a strategic planning retreat for July 2017, hoping to clarify these fundraising priorities for the final phase of the campaign.

Under the initiative to renovate dormitories that was begun during the McCusker era, Cardigan’s next residential priority would be French Hall. However, in May of 2017 the real estate committee reported that project estimates had risen from $2.2 million to $3.2 million; the inclusion of endowed maintenance in the total would bring the cost of renovating French to $3.6 million. The trustees debated whether to move forward with requesting bids on the project, or to pause and search for a lead donor. Prompted in part by the ongoing conversations about French Hall’s renovation, Director of Facilities Tim Jennings began to work with Solberg on a new approach to managing Cardigan’s long-term deferred maintenance projects.

Historically, capital expenditures had been managed as an annual budget item; the proposed new approach involved establishing an ongoing pool of monies that could grow over time, and which could be tapped as needed to support each year’s projects. The board approved the new fund, called Provision for Plant Replacement, Renewal and Special Maintenance (pprrsm). Any unused pprrsmbalances from one year would roll over to subsequent years to help with long-term planning and emergency spending as needed. In recognition that the longterm needs of the facility were expanding, the board also agreed to strategically increase the annual contribution of the operating budget to this fund. The new pprrsmfund worked in tandem with Jennings’ detailed facilities database. This database chronicled past projects by year and asset, and also included a detailed, multi-year facilities plan that outlined the scope, cost, and priority of each capital project called for during Cardigan’s strategic planning. The new approach meant that Cardigan would increasingly be able to manage the ongoing care of existing buildings without undertaking special fundraising initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Learning Commons—the board’s working plan for a new academic building—remained an active but formidable fundraising priority. Day was rethinking how this building might manifest, and suggested that the trustees think of the project ʼnot as a building per se [but as] a placeholder name for a new direction for […] how we approach teaching and learning.” Keeping educational philosophy front of mind would support progress in both the program and the fundraising, even as facility plans were in flux.

402HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

Day made a few more changes to his administrative team in April 2017. Rinkin had requested to focus solely on the Summer Session program, giving Day the opportunity to significantly rework and expand the student life team. Intuiting that he could be an excellent partner, Day invited LeRoy to take on Rinkin’s responsibilities as both dean of faculty and assistant head of school:

I knew Josh would be a brilliant complement to my right-brained approach. He can untangle a really complicated problem and put the pieces back together in working order; nobody works harder. At the same time, Josh connects so well with people—he is honest and can have difficult conversations. He never seeks the spotlight, but I have so much respect for him. He is tough, compassionate, and loyal.

Faculty member Nick Nowak stepped in to replace LeRoy as Cardigan’s director of student life. Rather than functioning as Nowak’s assistant director of student life—previously a part-time role—John Gordon was named to a new, full-time administrative position as dean of students. Gordon would manage discipline issues and ensure that students met expectations, while Nowak would focus on advising, student life, leadership, and issues of culture and community. As the academic and student life committee reported in May, Gordon and Nowak would “both [report] to Josh LeRoy as the Assistant Head.” The model was a success, and continues today.

The lean communications department was now so busy supporting the daily work of the School that there was no capacity for them to structure long-term strategies. The board invited Hans Mundahl and Associates, Inc. to perform a communications audit in April 2017, reporting findings to trustees the following month. Among other needs, the audit flagged Cardigan’s website as a significant concern; the May board minutes noted that “Our homepage does not explain who we serve, what we stand for, or what [applicants] should do next.” As the main gateway for potential students, the website (in tandem with the viewbook) would need to be drastically improved. It was a project of significant scope and strategic importance.

The Days’ first academic year drew to a close, and the School marked two memorable occasions. First, The Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States (and parent of Jack ’17), gave the address at the 2017 Commencement ceremony. His advice touched a chord that reverberated beyond the day:

From time to time, in the years to come, I hope you will be treated unfairly, so that you will come to know the value of justice. I hope you will suffer betrayal because that will teach you the importance of loyalty. Sorry to say, but I hope you will be lonely from time to time, so that you don’t take friends for granted. I wish you bad luck, again from time to time, so that you will be conscious of the roll of chance in life, and understand that your success is not completely deserved, and the failure of others is not completely deserved either. And when you lose, as you will from time to time, I hope every now and then your opponent will gloat over your failure. It is a way for you to understand the importance of sportsmanship. I hope you will be ignored, so you know the importance of listening to others, and I hope you will have just enough pain to learn compassion.

The speech, which had been recorded for families to view via the School’s social media platforms, was shared all around the world.

Following commencement weekend, the School community gathered again for a different occasion. Cardigan had received the sad news of Norm Wakely’s passing in October 2016, and knowing the headmaster’s impact on generations of Cardigan men and women, had reserved time in the spring to mark his passing. Wakely’s memorial service brought people back to The Point in droves, as the Chronicle reported:

On Sunday, June 4, Cardigan Mountain School hosted a celebration of life for our beloved former Headmaster Norman Wakely in the Chapel […]. Nearly 400 friends and family were in attendance, speaking volumes to how big of an impact this man had on not only his own family, but the Cardigan community as well. A father to all, Norm’s impact on everyone he came in contact with was tremendous.

The bittersweet gathering honored Wakely’s service leadership, and underscored how the Cardigan Way calls on the community to share both joy and pain.

at top and middle: Marking the opening of new dormitory McCusker Hall in September 2016, Head of School Chris Day addresses students and faculty, and Bob Spano H’18 pours sparkling cider for a toast. Spano would retire from Cardigan that spring after leading the School’s dining services for over 25 years.

above: McCusker Hall’s first residents.

at top: Commencement speaker and retiring faculty member Wim Hart H’08 led the faculty and staff in congratulating 2018’s new graduates. “One could fill the whole school twice with faculty who have come and gone in forty years, but I can probably count on one hand those who came and did not put their heart and soul into the job for as long as they were here,” Hart said in 2017. “I am a very lucky man to have spent much of my life surrounded by such wonderful people.”

above: The passing of John H. “Jock” Pearson ’65 in 2019 was a blow to his friends on the board. Pearson had led both the School’s Corporation and its Board of Trustees. The Chronicle noted that “In addition to the many concrete ways that Mr. Pearson left a mark on our school, we will always value the warmth and hospitality that he and his wife Barbara shared with so many at Cardigan over the years.”

Reviewing Plans

During Day’s second year, activity switched into a new gear. The summer brought more travel, and a strategic planning retreat that was attended by members of the faculty, staff, and board. Day invited new trustee Jory Macomber to moderate, as Macomber offered extensive experience with overseeing strategic planning processes at independent schools. The productive discussions built on frameworks established by Cardigan’s prior strategic plans.

Coming out of the retreat, it was clear that communications remained a top priority. Early drafts of the coming Phase III Strategic Plan outlined three goals within this area:

Provide clear and targeted messaging to internal and external audiences, adopt best practices with respect to our digital and print platforms, and construct a team-oriented marketing communication strategy around an ‘Our Cardigan’ model.

During the summer, Solberg also had consolidated the full findings from the communications audit into a Strategic Plan for Communications and Marketing at Cardigan. Taken together, the two strategic plans threw into stark relief the scope of the communications and marketing projects that lay ahead. Given the high workload to come and the lean staffing of the current communications team, Cardigan once more opened a search for a Communications Director.

The development staff, meanwhile, turned their focus toward planning a full-scale Annual Auction for the fall. The event was increasingly the key to a successful Annual Fund, which provided critical funds for daily operations on The Point. The team suspected that the auction would be more successful if it moved from winter family weekend to the fall. To transition to this model, the School had held both a fall and winter auction during 2016–17; now the 2017–18 Annual Fund would rely on a single fall auction. There was some anxiety as October approached about whether the shift would prove a success. Trustee Barbara O’Connell had for years been a significant support to the development team in both planning and executing the Annual Auction; now she encouraged fellow board members to participate generously toward the $200,000 goal.

The “Red Carpet”-themed auction put all fears to rest. Through silent, live, and fund-a-need bidding, generous trustees, friends, and families contributed over $400,000 during the event— a record-breaking amount that more than doubled expectations. In meetings held the following morning, the board offered Perfield, Auction Coordinator Kathryn Holland, and the development team “high praise for all their hard work.” The auction obviously had game-changing potential for Cardigan’s fundraising, and the board later observed that holding the event earlier in the year “provided a better clarity and effectiveness for the Annual Fund and other asks.” The event’s impact continued to grow each year: at the outset of The Campaign for Cardigan 2020, the auction contributed roughly 20% of the Annual Fund’s total; by the campaign’s end, the auction would be responsible for securing more than 40% of the Annual Fund’s goal.

In December 2017 the board approved the final draft of the Phase III Strategic Plan, outlining four key priorities: making plant improvements, seeking financial sustainability, improving communications and marketing, and enriching program. Director of Studies Doherty would be integral to the academic program improvements (the Strategic Plan suggested enhancing and supporting the peaKscurriculum, finding additional strategies for promoting students’ cultural and social growth, and extending the philosophy and successes of the Gates program into other aspects of Cardigan’s program).

Doherty and Day again leveraged Dartmouth as a resource, drawing on the experience of neuroscience specialist Dr. G. Christian Jernstedt. Throughout the 2017–18 year, Jernstedt visited faculty to discuss brain research and its impact on adolescent and preadolescent learning, particularly in boys. The science continued to emphasize the importance of active learning and collaboration, reinforcing the faculty’s approach at Cardigan. Jernstedt’s guidance not only informed curriculum design, but contributed to the intensifying discussions about the proposed “Learning Commons.”

Initial project plans for that academic building had been developed at the close of McCusker’s tenure, but although Day and the development staff were working hard to share the idea with the School community, as of October 2017 there was little explicit donor interest. The plan called for extensive renovations and additions to the Stoddard Center, with a hefty price tag of $25 million and an extended, phased timeline. As classroom needs grew more urgent, Day suspected

404HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

this page: At the rainy May 2019 Wallach groundbreaking, the academic building’s namesake, Trustee Emerita Diane Wallach H’16, raised her hat to enthusiastic students, faculty, and families. Board Chair Jeremy Crigler, trustee Candyce Martin, and Campaign Chair Karl Hutter also took a moment to celebrate the capstone project for The Campaign for Cardigan 2020, and former Head of School Dave McCusker was on hand to congratulate his successor, Chris Day, in the downpour that followed.

that a new facility might be built for less money and time, and hoped for a design that could offer more flexibility for future program enhancement.

Cardigan asked its architects to reassess Cardigan’s program and plant needs through the lens of the updated Strategic Plan. Unfortunately, as the Real Estate Committee noted in January 2018, “omrfinished an initial concept design in October/November 2017 and

this page: Collaborative art projects offered a positive focus for students, faculty, and staff at a time when external stressors were on the rise. The Chronicle observed that, by encouraging participation during moments of free time, art teacher Nina Silitch “[sparked] wonder, collaboration, and hands-on experiences [as] an alternative to whatever is happening on the internet.”

dissolved as a firm.” With the support of new board chair Crigler, who succeeded Holland in July 2018, the Real Estate Committee (under Chair Candyce Martin) asked new firm arCto take over the project. The design arCsubmitted in May 2018 was priced at roughly half of the Learning Commons project, even with endowed maintenance taken into account, and could be built within 16 months. The proposal had another silver lining: no other school buildings would need to go offline during construction. The board approved the design under a new working name: the “Center for Exploration,” or Cfe.

Building Momentum, Building Team

The Cfe’s price tag was lower than the Learning Commons project, but even after several rounds of value-engineering the costs would pose a challenge. Construction expenses of $10 million plus endowment, campaign, and bridge financing costs added up to a fundraising goal of $12.1 million. The board now wanted to secure full funding for Cfebefore construction began, and time was of the essence. The campaign’s director, Sandy Hollingsworth, developed a new brochure outlining the potential impact of the project: new space for active and experiential learning; the completion of a dedicated academic quad, connecting to other areas of campus; physical adjacencies of various departments leading to more collaborative learning; and greater flexibility in scheduling and curriculum. Cardigan had not undertaken a full-fledged fundraising effort in support of Cardigan’s academic facilities since the Bronfman dedication in 1996, and excitement began to grow.

The development and communications staff worked hard to communicate the potential impact of the new academic building to the School’s friends and family. Trustee Emerita Diane Wallach once more found reason to invest in the School’s vision, spurring on excitement by facilitating a $2 million challenge gift from the Gates Frontiers Fund. The gift was made in recognition that the new facility would help to integrate the Gates program more fully into Cardigan’s curriculum.

406HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

Remarkable generosity from Cardigan families made full use of this challenge, and support from trustees and other friends of the School began to roll in with unprecedented speed during the spring and summer of 2018.

Early spring 2018 brought significant staffing changes that would directly impact these budding campaign efforts, as well as the School’s administrative team. The long search for a communications director concluded with the hiring of Chris Adams. Adams, a communications professional from the ski industry, had first become familiar with the School as a Summer Session parent. His background in marketing and web design made him an ideal candidate for the necessary branding overhaul of Cardigan’s viewbook and website; he would become a vital partner for both the development and admissions teams. Perfield, however, announced that he had been tapped as the next head of Oldfields School in Maryland. An extensive search process had yielded several promising candidates to lead the development team, and Day selected internal candidate Burnett, whose entrepreneurial mindset and authentic relationships with the School’s international families made him an unusual and exciting choice. Day asked Burnett to combine his new role with management of the international relations team, making Burnett the School’s first Director of Development and International Relations.

Solberg now became Day’s chief financial officer, and joined LeRoy as an assistant head of school. Day described how the two men were ideal thought partners:

I really appreciate how Steve and Josh have made me better. Josh first came to Cardigan as a young, single teacher, and returned with a family and lots of experience and ideas. He understands the concerns of our faculty, and pushes us to try new things and make the School better. People think of Steve as a numbers guy—and he is—but he got his start as a teacher and dorm parent. His real love is helping other people find the solutions to problems, and that includes me. Josh and Steve are educators, through and through, and while we may not always agree, I trust them implicitly.

The close collaboration between the three administrators would help Cardigan safely navigate some of the daunting challenges to come.

Julia Ford, a 2014 Winter Olympian, joined Cardigan in 2018 as the Assistant Director of Athletics and Director of Alpine Skiing. Day had been working with the board for some time to lay the groundwork for an expanded Alpine program (Cardigan was ideally situated for families seeking an excellent snow sports program without the restrictions of a ski academy). As a Holderness School graduate, Ford understood independent school programs, and her reputation within the sport helped attract more mission-appropriate students to Cardigan’s snow sports programs. Ford would partner closely with Alpine Skiing Head Coach Travis Nevins, who had been exposing students to ussa-level competition, and together they focused on bringing the program to a new level of excellence. A consummate team player, Ford also brought deep commitment, positive energy, and helpful insight to Cardigan’s administrative team.

At the same time, May 2018 brought some difficult goodbyes. Wim Hart H’08, who had started his Cardigan career in 1977, decided it was time to retire. He had been integral to Cardigan culture almost from the start: advising and teaching English, coaching JV tennis and recreational skiing, moderating spelling bees, playing bass in the faculty band Grades and Comments, and taking enthusiastic part in every as-

pect of school life. The previous spring, the School had named the faculty lounge for Hart “in recognition of 40 years of extraordinary service to Cardigan Mountain School as a teacher, coach, mentor, and friend.” Now Hart capped his tenure with a heartfelt commencement speech to the Class of 2018, advising graduates to acknowledge those working behind the scenes for their success. “There will be a time in your future,” he noted, “when you are one of the people behind the scenes.”

A fine example of someone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, Dining Services Director Bob Spano H’18, had also decided to close his 25 years at Cardigan. Spano had arrived on The Point when meals were still being served in the Hayward dining hall and his office was located in the basement of Clark-Morgan Hall. Even as he oversaw his team’s transition to the beautiful new Cardigan Commons, his rollup-the-sleeves approach to his work had never changed. Spano provided dining hall meals, sideline snacks, and celebratory sparkling cider at building dedications. He helped Athletic Trainer Len Angelli modernize an annual Thanksgiving meal at a local church, greeted boys at the base of Mount Cardigan with food and drink, and provided countless birthday cupcakes and themed dinners. The Chronicle offered the following tribute:

We will miss Mr. Spano’s sense of humor, his energy, the sound of his jingling keys and quick-paced footsteps, his unexpected deliveries of hot chocolate and cookies on cold or rainy days, and most especially the way he brought our community together for meal after meal.

Spano was surprised to tears when he learned that he had been made an honorary member of the Class of 2018. He would “pass the spatula,” as the Chronicle put it, to Cardigan’s new Director of Dining Services Joe Hines.

That spring, Cardigan also said a particularly difficult good-bye to long-time faculty member Dudley Clark H’05, who passed away after an illness, surrounded by many Cardigan friends. Clark was known for his commitment to service, his willingness to help cover any task, and his caring relationship with students. Since he first arrived at The Point in 1981, his consistent acts of generosity were both visible—regular contributions of donuts sold to support students’ fundraising efforts— as well as unobserved. He had been quietly responsible for countless unremarked gifts and acts of kindness that benefited both the School and those in its community, but did not want them to be made explicit. Cardigan held a celebration of Clark’s life in June: using materials shared by Clark’s family, by the School community, and from Cardigan’s young archives collection, the Peck and Powers Rooms in the Commons were transformed into a retrospective exhibit showcasing Clark’s life. Guests were invited to share stories, reflect on Clark’s impact, and take personal mementos home with them. It was another beautiful example of Cardigan’s “green blanket” in action.

Soon after the School’s tribute to Clark, Day received word that the unassuming faculty member had made a final gift to Cardigan: a breathtaking, significant, and unrestricted bequest to the School. It was an act of generosity very much in keeping with the man himself: Clark had simply asked that Cardigan use his gift to support the priorities of the School. The funds could be counted toward the challenge gift for the new academic building, so by the October 2018 board meeting— just one year after fundraising for the new designs had begun—Cardigan had raised over $9.5 million of the $12.1 million project goal.

All focus turned to completing the project’s fundraising by spring, a strategy that would enable the School to break ground quickly and 407

complete construction during the summer. Trustees and families were once again incredibly generous with their support, and Cardigan secured full funding just before the February board meeting. Because generous support for the project continued well into the spring, the School was able to reallocate a significant portion of Clark’s unexpected bequest to a newly endowed J. Dudley Clark III H'05 Scholarship Fund.

Cardigan held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the academic building on a rainy day in May 2019, announcing that the 19,000 square foot building would not be called the Center for Exploration, but instead would be named “Wallach” in honor of Trustee Emerita Diane G. Wallach H’16. The building would feature a portrait of Wallach’s father, Charles C. Gates, along with a sculpture highlighting his signature phrase (“Throw your hat across the creek”), reminding boys to take risks and to view any failure as an opportunity to learn.

Cascading Impact

The new academic building’s strategic impact on Cardigan was enormous. Increasing the overall academic space on campus would make possible several additional improvements to the School’s curriculum and program. After the Wallach groundbreaking, staff placed these improvements into a phased implementation plan dubbed the “Academic Quad” project.

The first phase of the Academic Quad project would be to renovate Cardigan’s science department and expand its classrooms. Art classrooms would relocate to Wallach, so Bronfman’s space could be reimagined. The proposed renovation would modernize science classrooms, add a lab/classroom combination to improve the faculty’s scheduling flexibility, and expand the nearby shared academic spaces (including the Living Lab) to facilitate more collaborative work. Together with the construction of Wallach, the latter change would allow for the future expansion of the Gates program, which was at the time limited to sixth and seventh grade participation.

As next steps, classrooms in Marrion Athletic Center (which would be relocated to Wallach) could be converted for use by development staff, with Kenerson restored as a welcome center for campus visitors. Relocating the development team from the Chapel’s garden level would allow Cardigan to renovate the space to once more house the music department, for which it had been designed in 1962. Finally, the outdoor space between Wallach, the Chapel, Brewster, Bronfman, and Stoddard—a true academic quad—would be landscaped, adding new paths and direct access to the Commons from the slope between Stoddard and Bronfman.

The board, meanwhile, decided to use the School’s pprrsmfund to complete the long-overdue renovations to French Hall. The scope of these renovations was scaled back to focus on student spaces—rooms, hallways, and bathrooms—bringing them to the new residential standard defined during the construction of McCusker (the same model would be employed for later dormitory renovations).

In the summer of 2019, construction teams appeared on campus. One team began the work on the residential space at French Hall, as another group of builders began digging the foundations for Wallach. The latter building’s opening, slated for fall 2020, was now the eagerly anticipated capstone event of The Campaign for Cardigan 2020. Staff members began to fundraise for those Academic Quad projects that would follow Wallach’s construction.

on the Cusp of Change

During this period, faculty and staff were focused on supporting a healthy and happy community on campus. Cardigan invited consultant

Brook Raney to present workshops on the theme of “One Trusted Adult,” fostering discussions with faculty members and students about intentional communities and how to support students at risk. The work resonated with and built on programs begun under former Director of Spiritual Life Elizabeth Perryman, and would be an important resource in the spring, when when the nationwide explosion of under-age vaping came to Cardigan, affecting several students and their families. Another professional development opportunity, designed specifically for faculty members, saw Exeter’s Alex Meyers facilitating conversations around gender identity. The exercises encouraged teachers and administrators to proactively define the School’s strategy for supporting lgBtQ+ students and adults.

To support the School community’s social, emotional, and mental health, Cardigan also reexamined the school counselor’s role, which had been established by Lisa Perfield on a part-time basis in 2012. Increasingly, students arrived on The Point having established relationships with mental health professionals at home. Cardigan’s health services team arranged for such home counseling sessions to continue virtually, but even so, external stressors were on the rise and each year a growing number of students required on-campus support. To ensure that the needs of all students were met, Cardigan welcomed Trisha Hutchinson as the School’s first full-time school counselor in fall 2018.

The same school year had ushered in important developments for the communications team. In response to the Phase III Strategic Plan’s call for “a new content and design paradigm,” new Director of Communications and Marketing Adams had focused initially on revamping the website. His intense efforts paid off; a site redesign launched in December 2018, followed by a second iteration that was completed in May 2019. Adams had also hired Clay Dingman of Barking Cat Productions to redesign the Chronicle; Adams presented the magazine’s new look to the board in January 2019. “This is still a work in progress,” he noted, but “it looks much different than past Chronicles, more sophisticated [and] more refined.” Following the departure of longtime communications staffer and Chronicle editor Erin Drury in the summer of 2019, new Chronicle editor Emily Magnus continued the redesign of the magazine. Adams also worked with the admissions team to update the School’s viewbook to resonate with the Cardigan website. Addressing more than the School’s “look and feel,” these changes used all of Cardigan’s communications platforms to convey timely and consistent information about institutional program, goals, and priorities to the School community.

In 2019 Day and the board began to look ahead to the 2020–21 academic year, which would mark a number of important milestones. Plans began for a community-wide celebration on The Point to acknowledge the accomplishments of The Campaign for Cardigan 2020, to dedicate the newly-opened Wallach, and to mark the School’s milestone 75th anniversary. Trustee Kim Kenly chaired a dedicated ad hoc board committee to help organize these celebrations, and to encourage participation from across the School community; the group met monthly to discuss outreach, events, and messaging. Not interested in focusing only on the past, the board hoped that celebrations could serve as opportunities to support the School’s strategic plan and the next set of long-term fundraising priorities. Based on the planning that had already taken place, two primary areas of interest were already front of mind: increasing the number of families supported by financial aid, and supporting campus health and wellness by addressing the School’s long-term athletic needs.

In December of 2018, trustee Jock Pearson welcomed the Cardigan community into his home for a holiday celebration, and was presented

408HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

with a clock to mark his 25 years of service on Cardigan’s board. Pearson had been integral to Cardigan’s successes for decades, chairing both the corporation and the board. Just a few short months later, he passed away unexpectedly—a shock to the School community. To mark his passing, Cardigan hosted a small service in the Chapel during the board weekend in May, giving those who could not attend the family’s memorial service an opportunity to honor Pearson’s memory. A tribute in the trustee minutes reads in part:

In addition to being a Cardigan graduate, a Summer Session alumnus, and a Cardigan parent, Jock was a respected attorney and a dedicated philanthropist. […] Jock’s commitment was both broad and deep; the School benefited from his experience in ways too numerous to record. Yet we value most deeply the warmth and hospitality that he and his wife Barbara shared with so many at Cardigan over the years, and the humor and positive outlook he brought to every situation.

Pearson’s loss was a sad note in an otherwise hopeful period. The end of the 2019 academic year brought additional transitions on The Point. Faculty member Dave Auerbach stepped back from management of the growing Gates program, handing the baton to colleague Eric Escalante. Cynthia Day stepped in as the interim director of Summer Session after Rinkin decided to leave Cardigan following summer 2019. It was a fortuitous solution for Cardigan, as Day had relevant skills and experience from her time as the interim Director of Admissions at Holderness School, and Summer Session admissions processes could continue uninterrupted until the program’s new director, Korinne Nevins, joined the School in March of 2020.

Joe Doherty, whose careful attention and expertise had helped inform curriculum design and architectural plans for Wallach, had also decided to move on after the 2018–19 academic year. New hire Jamie Welsh now stepped in as Dean of Academics. The imminent increase in classroom space via Wallach meant that Welsh would need to find creative ways to optimize the academic schedule. “Wallach is important for us, but will not create magic all by itself,” board chair Crigler noted in May 2019. “It’s [the] program that will allow us to pull the Gates program philosophically through all that we do.” To further this work, Cardigan partnered with Independent School Management (ism) to audit the School’s academic schedule, daily and weekly schedule, and annual calendar, applying best practices and research to the School’s programming needs. Welsh also began to review peaKsofferings, following a self-evaluation process that the department had undertaken the previous year. Initial recommendations had been to seek ways to integrate the department more intentionally into the larger curriculum, with an explicit focus on building skills rather than on instilling additional content. As Chris Day told the board, “peaKsis becoming less of a destination and more of a process.” It would be important to clarify the team’s goals and message them clearly to families.

With these changes in place, opening days during the fall of 2019–20 were full of typical energy and high spirits. A very full enrollment saw the School welcoming 228 students to The Point, and families were greeted by a host of construction vehicles and workers around the partially complete Wallach, rising in the heart of campus. Excitement began to build in tandem with the facility: in October, students gathered just outside the construction site to sign their names to a beam destined for the building’s interior.

Anticipation was high for Wallach’s new digital and visual arts studios. Visual arts had become increasingly popular under Nina Silitch, who was now entering her second year at Cardigan as chair of the arts department. Day described Silitch to the board as “an unbelievable ambassador for the arts,” and applauded her efforts to make the arts center a resource to all community members during their free time. As the health services team reported to the board in October 2019, the expansion of the arts had been “a great outlet for the boys” in a year when stress “is a top concern.”

Physical activity was another important tool for managing stress, and faculty and administrators looked for ways to maximize outdoor recreation throughout the year. The lack of foulweather athletic facilities had become a limiting factor during shoulder seasons, when existing fields were frequently unplayable. Students were often traveling on a daily basis in order to hold their athletic practices at an off-campus location. Director of Athletics Ryan Frost and Jennings spearheaded efforts to find a solution, working with Stantec (a design and landscape architecture firm specializing in education and athletics) to develop an Athletic Master Plan. It was a carefully researched document that identified several athletic priorities, and offered guidance in their placement, design, staging, and estimated cost. The long-term plan suggested as top

above: The Cardigan community quickly became old hands at navigating Zoom meetings. Faculty members Meg Lloyd and John Burritt shared screen space with seven students in April 2020; math teacher Kyla Joslin displayed her movable classroom; and Director of Spiritual Life Cheryl Borek led a Chapel service with a familiar virtual backdrop.

above: Cynthia Day snapped this picture in March 2020, as the administration was considering the decision to pivot to remote learning. Cardigan shared the photo to social media, reminding boys that “[on campus] even our snowmen are practicing good social distancing.”

priorities the conversion of the original Gates i.D.e.a.facility (now located in Wallach) to a Snow and Bike Center, the addition of an artificial turf field, construction of an indoor field house, and a new set of tennis courts.

Mid-way through the 2019–20 academic year, however, an unanticipated concern arose, forcing the School to pause strategic and campaign planning. Beyond The Point, the onset of CoviD-19 had officially grown to pandemic proportions. Every resource at the School’s disposal turned toward maintaining the health and safety of the Cardigan community.

managing a panDemiC Crisis moDe

Along with the rest of the country—and, indeed, the world—Cardigan’s experience of the pandemic began as a small but steadily growing concern. The School was particularly sensitive to the potential disruptions affecting international students. Indeed, as the virus began to emerge as a global threat in January and February of 2020, Cardigan’s Chinese families voluntarily elected not to participate in the Winter Family Weekend. Day, LeRoy, and Solberg began working closely with the health center staff to plan for various scenarios that might face these families and the School as a whole. It was becoming clear that many of Cardigan’s international students might not be able to return home over the March break, and a group of committed faculty members offered to chaperone a special off-campus trip for Chinese students during this time.

Despite this careful planning, the pandemic swiftly escalated, and its impact did as well. Administrators organizing school-sponsored trips during March break found that all plans had to be cancelled, including a chaperoned trip to Italy and many annual training camps for spring athletic teams (the baseball team successfully completed their training just under the wire). The special local trip planned for Chinese students had to be cut short; those boys returned to campus early, and after close consultation with parents, flew home to be with family while travel was still possible.

In the meantime, Day and his administrators entered crisis management mode. Students were home with their own families for the time being, but the School needed a plan for their return—and also had to ensure the safety of faculty and staff members still working on The Point. The closure of all of New Hampshire’s public schools on March 15 was followed soon afterward by New Hampshire Governor Sununu’s “stay at home” order for non-essential businesses. Cardigan needed to plan quickly and decisively for a non-traditional spring.

The board offered some guiding principles to help see the School through the crisis. Day shared the framework with the faculty as April approached:

r Support our Students and our Program

r We will establish and hold ourselves to high standards in providing the best possible Cardigan experience we can for our students.

r Support our Team and Community

r We will do all we can to support the health and safety of our community.

r Our goal is to retain all Cardigan employees through this crisis, while recognizing that we may need to be flexible in our roles.

r Don’t Stop, Move Forward

r To the extent possible, we will continue with plans to address necessary facility projects, including Wallach, the Academic Quad, the Bronfman Science Renovation, and the Brewster Dormitory Renovation

r We will think creatively, and utilize this time as an opportunity to enrich and grow our program, and pilot new ideas and practice.

Cardigan’s Core Values would underpin the School’s response to the pandemic. At a time when the word “unprecedented” would become ubiquitous, it was reassuring to have clear priorities affirmed to guide decisions.

The broader educational community immediately began networking to share information, ideas, and opportunities that could support students, faculties, and schools. Day participated in weekly meetings with other heads of JBsaand isanneschools; Solberg, Medical Director Dr. Ben Gardner, and Director of Health Services Karen Gray attended briefings and conferences hosted by a variety of health and governmental organizations; other teachers and administra-

410HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

tors connected with associations relating to their departments. It was a time filled with ambiguity, and all schools faced similar challenges. By discussing new developments and sharing resources, institutions could help each other better navigate the crisis.

To the extent possible, Cardigan had put in place the goals and support structures needed to inform decisions. Administrators and board members now worked tirelessly to prepare for what was ahead. They quickly determined that Cardigan would, at least temporarily, need to pivot to a distance-learning model. Welsh and Day informed the faculty (still on the March break) that spring classes would be delayed by a week; instead, on their return from March break faculty members would use that week to train on new tools and curriculum, in support of the move to remote learning.

Director of Technology Mike Gray focused on building out the technology infrastructure required to make this change possible. After a concerted effort with the overwhelmed service, he managed to establish Zoom accounts for all faculty and staff, and also ensured that all students would be able to access the various learning platforms (because certain countries blocked Google access, this involved establishing Microsoft accounts for the many international students who could not login to Cardigan’s email system from home).

Welsh, in the meanwhile, was assembling teachers’ toolkits for the spring. During Cardigan’s first Zoomed faculty meeting on March 25th, he outlined the School’s distance learning plan, following up with a plethora of online resources to help teachers navigate changes to their schedules, courses, and approaches to classroom management. Throughout the training week, Welsh underscored the need for teachers to fill a “simple and important” role: “we need to create a sense of normalcy for the boys in very abnormal times.” In an email to faculty, he acknowledged the stressors that would arise from the pandemic, and from the change to distance learning:

I'd like to be mindful of the fact that we will all bring different levels of comfort to this and we will have to work through that in order to support our boys. That said, we must also realize that [the pandemic] will affect our families, our boys, and us in many different ways and we will need to be empathetic, thoughtful, and supportive as we move into vast and uncharted territory.

To help them navigate choppy waters, Welsh simply reminded teachers to “lead with empathy.”

Welsh and LeRoy now had to solve the logistics of teaching boys based all over the world. It would be almost impossible to find common times to meet. The team quickly made a distinction between “synchronous and asynchronous learning” (when a class moved through its work together via Zoom, versus working independently offline). Speaking face to face—that is, screen to screen—would be critically important to maintaining a sense of community among the boys, and the administration underscored that connection would be more important than content. Nowak scheduled daily advisee check-ins for those times when boys were able to login, and creative changes to the academic schedule enabled each department to work with every student several times over the course of every week. Creating these schedules was no mean task with a student body scattered across time zones in the United States, Mexico, China, Korea, and everywhere in between.

The faculty also had to tackle curriculum changes. For many departments, the existing curriculum could transfer well to a distance learning model, although it took elbow grease to convert in-person lessons to a remote format. Leaning into the board’s advice to pilot new ideas, many faculty members took the opportunity to discover and leverage new online resources to enhance their courses. It did not take long for students and teachers alike to find their footing in the new model, which was a testament to the incredible efforts put forth by administrators like Welsh, LeRoy, and Nowak. While there were undoubtedly significant differences and compromises in adopting a purely remote model, the program worked as intended, providing “the best possible Cardigan experience” (per the board’s guidance) during a time of crisis.

supporting stuDents anD families

On April 10, 2020, shortly after distance learning had begun, Day sent an email to the faculty acknowledging “the universal uncertainty” around the pandemic’s progression, and announced “the difficult decision to close our campus and continue distance learning for the remainder of the academic year.” While public and independent schools everywhere were adopting the same stance, Day knew the news would come as a blow to many. He emphasized his pride in the community’s ability to navigate the increasingly challenging circumstances:

above: The pandemic led to quick changes. In March 2020, Director of Music Kevin Franco was directing students in their Winter Concert; a month later, he was connecting with musicians via a virtual coffeehouse. By the fall of 2021, Cardigan’s new Music Center was complete, and boys were together once more, rehearsing in the garden level of the Chapel.

In big and small ways, we have all been thrown outside of our personal and professional comfort zones, but to a person I have seen us step up to support one another, to support Cardigan, and, most importantly, to support our students. Thank you for your professionalism, your courage, and your caring in this difficult time.

Solberg, meanwhile, reached out to families to share that the School planned to provide a refund for the spring portion of boarding students’ room and board fees. The board had approved the decision to extend this critical support to Cardigan families, for some of whom a return to work was uncertain. In turn, many families who were in a stable financial position either donated their fees to the School’s Annual Fund, or asked Cardigan to hold the funds until they could be applied to the coming year. It was a much appreciated gesture of support, and a significant morale boost on campus.

With the entire spring now marked for distance learning, faculty members were able to finalize lesson plans and goals for the remainder of the year. The administration concentrated on fostering community, and on how to translate important School traditions for the new model. In the spring 2020 issue of his News from the Head of School, Day described some of the creative approaches that were tried:

The community instinctively rejected the idea that distance must lead to isolation, and immediately scrambled to connect to our boys. Whether hosting virtual 5K runs, distributing crowd-sourced video shorts featuring students around the world, offering a global ‘coffee house’ for aspiring musicians, or decorating campus with inspiring messages to share with our boys, our adults have never stopped thinking about the students.

The athletics department had become a critical support to these efforts. Distance learning presented them with an outsized challenge, as spring athletic contests had been cancelled and their program usually relied heavily on in-person coaching and training. Frost and Ford shifted their focus from the traditional athletic program to supporting students’ health and wellbeing during lockdown. They quickly designed materials to help boys stay active at home, creating workout guides for all skill levels as well as upbeat motivational videos. (One such video featured the “Joe Cougar” mascot demonstrating how to take study breaks and exercise at home, running up the Chapel steps to the “Rocky” theme song.) Boys were asked in turn to share clips of themselves exercising at home. The clips were edited together to show students throwing lacrosse balls, baseballs, basketballs and more out of frame, only to be caught by a classmate across the globe. The resulting “Pass it On” videos not only encouraged boys to stay active, they also beautifully illustrated the connections that tied together the School community, despite the boys’ distance from The Point.

Frost also stepped in to help organize a remote Polar Bear Club, extending the tradition of chilly spring morning swims into boys’ homes. His email to students described the adjusted process for those not able to dip in the Canaan Street Lake:

Virtual Swimmers: You must have an adult or lifeguard supervise your swim. You must fully submerge your entire body beneath the surface of the water. Not able to get to a body of water? Use a hose or a bucket. Get fully wet!

Boys then sent in pictures or video of their “Polar Bear” plunges; those who completed the challenge every weekday between April 27 and May 23 could still earn the coveted Polar Bear necktie, in spite of the pandemic.

With the shift to a fully-remote spring, other traditions would be impacted. Nowak was mindful of the implications for leadership elections. It would be difficult for boys to appreciate or assess the character of peers from within a distance learning model; applications, presentations, votes, faculty discussions and more would all need to be reworked to ensure full participation. It also would be an especially emotional and challenging time for boys to accept disappointing news if they did not receive leadership roles. In the end, the team decided to postpone the election and investiture ceremony until the coming fall— yet another “unprecedented” change.

Looking ahead even further, Day was particularly concerned about the impact of the spring on the School’s senior class. These boys, most of whom had called Cardigan home for years, had departed campus thinking they were leaving only for March break. Now they were unsure when they might safely return. He tasked the development and communications staff with developing a remote commencement celebration that could adequately mark the milestone for these boys. It would take time to do well, and the team designed a ceremony that combined a variety of pre-produced segments to be streamed to the School community on graduation day (Martin Grant of the communications team was integral to all video editing projects throughout this period). The approach would ensure that each graduating student could be featured, while at the same time providing the opportunity for a shared experience. The goal would be to bring the School community together—albeit virtually—at the moment when the seniors transitioned from students to alumni.

institutional risK

Throughout the spring of 2020, faculty and staff were front line workers during a moment of crisis for the country and the world, and needed support as much as Cardigan’s students and families. On-campus residents could still access their classrooms and offices, but Day encouraged them to work from their apartments if that was their preference. Day asked all off-campus employees to complete their work from home if possible, and Solberg worked with the technology department to ensure that additional supplies for home offices—computer monitors, laptops capable of functioning on the vpn, and similar items—were coordinated quickly.

In some cases, job descriptions for Cardigan employees now shifted. The housekeeping and maintenance teams made it their priority to sanitize shared spaces on campus, but provided cleaning supplies so that faculty and staff could maintain their own rooms. It was not yet possible for individuals to travel to a store safely, so the School provided masks, cleaning supplies, and meals to all of the faculty and staff living on The Point. The administration prioritized keeping the dining hall open throughout the spring, and the dining staff were remarkable in their dedication and flexibility. Director Joe Hines quickly designed an online meal signup for employees, and his team provided meals in shifts to accommodate social distancing. They made swift adjustments in order to meet safety goals, changing how food was prepared and presented, shifting from a self-serve to a full-serve model, and making packaged food available for those who requested “takeout” meal options.

The admissions team also had to pivot to a new approach, and Cynthia Day recalled their quick response to the challenge:

1. through 3. In April 2020, every Cardigan senior received a box with materials to help them prepare for the first fully remote commencement—and a poster picturing their classmates. On campus, the administration worked throughout the spring to prepare for a meaningful livestreamed ceremony.

4. through 7. In April 2020, faculty and staff members like Dr. Ben Gardner, Jarrod Caprow, Meredith and Ryan Frost, and Martin Grant took the time to send uplifting messages to students attending class from all around the globe. Distance learning involved schedule changes, daily advisory check-ins, and new technology infrastructure, but simple positivity was also a powerful support.

above: Families of the 2020 graduates stepped in to pin (silk flower) bouttonnieres on their sons’ lapels and present them with their alumni ties. Sharing these images with Cardigan allowed the communications team to feature each senior as his name was read during the commencement broadcast.

Chris and I were very worried about enrollment because, for the first time, families were not permitted to visit campus, and admissions travel came to a grinding stop. So much of the process is face to face and relationship building, and the team was now faced with virtual everything. They worked so hard with the communications team— virtual visits, virtual open houses, virtual interviews, virtual school fairs. They did such a great job.

Their work was difficult but was making a difference, and new families submitted applications for their boys. Some of the new approaches were so successful, in fact, that they would be added to the team’s toolkit in future years. Monthly virtual open houses, for example, had given prospective families around the world a channel of communication to key administrators early in the admissions process, helping them to get to know the School better. It was an example of how innovations made during the pandemic could serve Cardigan well in the long term.

While faculty and staff were transitioning to necessary changes swiftly and thoroughly, Chris Day was keenly aware that CoviD-19 posed an existential threat to Cardigan itself. Beginning in March, Solberg had been providing regular projections to Day and Crigler, quantifying the pandemic’s potential impact in a variety of scenarios. Some of the biggest risk factors—travel restrictions, changing health and safety protocols, local and regional outbreaks—had the potential to drastically limit enrollment during both the Summer Session and the academic year, even in the face of the admissions team’s excellent efforts. Refunds of room and board fees would also reduce Cardigan’s expected income (the total amount would eventually be calculated at over $500,000), which would likely be coupled with increases in the School’s expenses. Pandemicrelated expenses were quickly growing, and ranged from new technology infrastructure to air filtration systems to personal protection equipment (ppe); even with students away from The Point, campus residents required the latter.

From the outside, it was tempting to think that financial worries for the School were absurd, given Cardigan’s healthy endowment and the obvious generosity of donors to capital projects like Wallach. Yet the board was restricted from pulling additional funds from the endowment in the short term; those funds were largely allocated to specific purposes in support of future students and programs. Donations to building projects were similarly restricted; money provided for the purpose of (for example) constructing an academic building could not be used to buy healthcare supplies or pay salaries. It was a sobering situation, and Solberg told the board that the coming months would “undoubtedly turn what looked to be a modest surplus budget into a significant deficit.”

Many other schools and institutions were in a similar position, struggling to cover operating costs under drastically straitened circumstances. In reaction, the federal government announced that it planned to offer a Payroll Protection Program (ppp) loan to qualifying organizations. Solberg began to work closely with the School’s bank to prepare any materials that might be required for consideration. It was a complicated task, as communication from both federal and local government entities was confusing, and the draft loan guidelines changed almost daily. In the application, Solberg summarized one of the School’s serious concerns:

While we rely on fundraising and an annual draw from our modest endowment, we are a tuition-driven institution, and small changes in enrollment will have a profound effect on our ability to maintain staffing levels.

In other words, Cardigan would need the loan in order to avoid laying off faculty and staff. Solberg kept all necessary loan documents at the ready for a few weeks of anxious anticipation; in the end, he submitted Cardigan’s application within minutes of the online loan form going live. Approval of the loan was equally swift. The news came as a huge relief, but was a temporary fix; the new fiscal year would begin in July, and Solberg’s budget calculations showed that 2020–21 operations projected a deficit. With a heavy heart, Day and the board made the difficult decision to ask faculty and staff to accept a salary freeze, which they saw as the best insurance against having to lay off employees, given the unknown and evolving situation ahead. In a May 2020 email to employees, Day shared that the School planned to set aside any recent contract agreements and instead hold employees’ salaries to their 2019–20 levels:

As a tuition-driven institution with the majority of our expenses related to people (i.e., wages, benefits, and financial aid), we only have a few levers to pull in the case that

414HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

enrollment falls below budgeted expectations. […] Please know that, should enrollment surpass our expectations, we are committed to reinstating annual raises retroactive to the beginning of the agreement period.

Given the flexibility, creativity, and effort shown by Cardigan’s faculty that spring, it was a difficult message both to send and to receive. The community accepted it with grace.

flexiBilitY anD ContinuitY

With the end of the 2019–20 academic year fast approaching, the administration now had to make some critical decisions about the calendar for 2020–21. Their top priority was the health and safety of students, but medical advice was changing rapidly and it was hard to know how optimistic to be about the fall. Day, LeRoy, and Solberg were in constant communication with Gardner and Karen Gray (each of whom continued to attend myriad virtual briefings from national and state experts). Over the spring, the group began to do thought experiments on how to create a responsible “bubble” for students on The Point during the coming academic year, mapping out potential health responses to campus CoviD-19 outbreaks of infection. In mid-May, Day assured returning families that the School would reopen in the fall, but stressed that the logistics of that plan would still need to be defined.

The first difficult decision in planning for the fall fell to new Director of Summer Programs Korinne Nevins, who—within months of beginning her role—was faced with canceling both the Summer Session and the community-run Cardigan Mountain Lacrosse Camp, two programs with long histories at the School. After internal and external conversations, it became clear that there was simply no safe way to host students on campus during the summer of 2020. Thinking once more of the board’s encouragement to stay flexible and creative in responses to the challenges of the pandemic, however, Nevins worked with colleagues on the administrative team to develop a pilot program called “Cardigan Summer Semester.” It was a program of distance learning coursework that would run only from July 6 to July 31. Designed to help students with foundational concepts in math and English, it would also introduce rising seventh grade international students to concepts relating to United States history. Five faculty members joined Nevins in launching the experiment, which ran successfully with a cohort of 21 students.

It was also the moment to decide whether to move forward with the 75th Anniversary celebration on The Point in October 2021. Plans were well underway to create a Cardigan “bubble” of sorts for in-person students in the fall, and there were rumors of an adult vaccine in the works, but it seemed unlikely that (even in a best-case scenario) current students and families would be able to mix with alumni and guests safely. Day discussed these concerns with Crigler and Kenly, the respective chairs of the board and the 75th committee, and made the decision to postpone the celebration until fall 2022. Judith Solberg, staff liaison to the 75th Anniversary Committee, worked with the communications and development teams to share this message with the School community over the spring and summer.

The unusual “remote” 2020 commencement ceremony was now imminent, and in preparation, staff members shipped care packages to Cardigan seniors living all over the world. The soon-to-be-graduates received a box containing an alumni tie, a Polar Bear tie (if earned), a Cardigan poster, the commencement program, a letter from Day, diploma and case, a copy of the 2020 Blaze yearbook, and a few other small gifts. Families were asked to record their graduates’ commencement traditions; the photos and videos, shared back with Cardigan,

were edited into a montage used within the commencement broadcast. When the day arrived, the broadcast of the ceremony was surprisingly emotional, featuring the senior class together in a single “place” for the first time since before the pandemic. Mario Zambrano ’95 delivered the commencement address from his family’s pecan orchard in Mexico, parents helping their sons don alumni ties, and students performing the traditional “Chapel Jump” from high points around the world. In a beautiful testament to the power of Cardigan’s community, the broadcast was watched not only by the graduates’ families, but by alumni, former faculty and staff, and friends who wanted to be a part of the unusual milestone commencement.

Another celebratory moment arrived on June 30, 2020, when the School officially closed The Campaign for Cardigan 2020. Begun in 2008 under Dave McCusker and his “kitchen cabinet,” the campaign had since successfully completed three separate phases of fundraising on Cardigan’s behalf. The School community had raised over $62 million, exceeding the campaign goal of $50 million by more than 25%. As Day, Campaign Committee Chair Karl Hutter, and Campaign Director Sandy Hollingsworth wrote to donors:

The Campaign for Cardigan 2020 has been a major endeavor, spanning times of prosperity as well as stark challenges for our School and our community. We are keenly aware that, through it all, you have kept Cardigan focused on how to be better for our boys. Clearly, the Cardigan family stands ready to hold this School steady ‘through storm and weather fair.’ We can all be proud of the work we have done, side by side, for Cardigan. On behalf of Cardigan students, past, present, and future—thank you.

Although health protocols dictated that there would be no traditional party to celebrate the achievements of The Campaign for Cardigan 2020, the legacy that the campaign created was nevertheless front of mind. What’s more, Wallach—the Campaign’s stunning capstone project—would be completed before the beginning of the School’s 75th anniversary year in 2020–21.

proteCting health, pivoting program

As the faculty closed the 2019–20 academic year, the board took advantage of some unexpected silver linings around Cardigan’s capital projects. All new capital fundraising had been paused until the School community could be more certain of what the financial impact of CoviD-19 might be. However, the fully-funded Wallach construction was nearly complete, the School had dedicated funds already in hand for the Academic Quad project’s science renovation, and there were no students on The Point. There was a unique opportunity to begin work on Bronfman in the late spring, in parallel with the Wallach project. Just prior to the pandemic, Cardigan had signed contracts for the renovation of Brewster Hall; that project was also able to begin in the late spring. While lockdown requirements and supply chain issues complicated the logistics, many contractors were delighted at the opportunity to safely employ their teams at a time when most construction projects had been halted. Steve Solberg later recalled a situation that was serendipitous for all parties:

[Director of Facilities] Tim Jennings got a call from the painters who often did projects on The Point. They asked if we could provide any work to their team during the spring, if they could offer us a discount. It turned out to be a great time to

this page and facing page: Active learning is at the heart of all things Cardigan, whether during activities like the Cardboard Regatta, in science or Gates courses, or while working out other challenges (like rigging a sailboat).

Hands-on, collaborative academic activities became much easier to schedule after the Bronfman and Wallach building projects expanded classroom space on The Point.

416HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

2017 2019

2017

2019 2019

2020

2021

complete the interior painting of the Chapel, with students at home and the building vacant. We helped a long-time vendor keep their employees busy, and they did a great job helping us tick off an important project for one of our key buildings.

By July, the administration had developed a working plan for the coming academic year, summarized in a document titled Responsibly Opening Campus. To help parents understand the approach, the administrative team held a series of three summer virtual meetings that described the School’s preparations for the fall, campus arrival procedures, and the working program and schedule for the fall. Meanwhile, as a critical part of the School’s preparations, Jennings was overseeing the conversion of the former Gates i.D.e.a.Shop to a medical surge center. (The work included adding bathroom and shower facilities, which also supported long-term plans to convert the space to a Snow and Bike Center.) The renovated building, located near the entrance of Alumni Drive, offered a safe, comfortable, and accessible building in which students might quarantine and receive care if they tested positive for CoviD-19. It was extremely fortuitous that Wallach would be ready to house the Gates program before fall, leaving the surge center space available for use by the healthcare team.

The administration spent the summer of 2020 in constant and careful preparation for the coming academic year. The summer was full of cultural, political, and personal unrest, with racial conflict and political protests adding to the pressures already created by the pandemic; the faculty planned curriculum and programming to help students process all of the unfolding events. Meanwhile, the administration carefully tracked the availability of student visas and travel options for international students, while working to address health and safety concerns on campus. The goal was to bring as many students back to The Point as possible. International realities, however, made it more likely that some students would not be able to return in person at the beginning of the year.

Despite the complex planning that lay ahead, the decision to bring students back to The Point had been a turning point. Despite the challenges around planning, it was a relief to begin working toward the fall. The faculty and staff “had been dealing with unrelenting uncertainty and stress for months,” as Day later noted, “and yet they never

stopped working for the boys. I was so, so proud to be a part of the Cardigan community.” Every default approach to campus life would have to be examined and, in most cases, adjusted.

On campus, some changes would be relatively simple to implement (setting guidelines for mask-wearing and hand sanitizing, for example). Other changes were profound. Students would be at great risk of exposure to the virus while traveling to campus for opening days; to contain potential outbreaks, the School would stagger arrivals and isolate boys within “pods” until two testing cycles had been successfully completed. In fact, knowing how difficult it would be for middle school boys to strictly follow masking, social distancing, and other protocols, the health team had advised using pods throughout the year. This approach affected almost every aspect of residential life. Instead of boys living with peers from every grade level, each dorm housed only a single grade (with several ninth grade leaders). Meals were also grouped by grade level and staggered, to reduce the number of people in the dining hall at any given time. Students attended Chapel virtually from dorm common rooms, and whenever possible, all-school meetings were held outside overlooking Marrion Field.

The sweeping changes were daunting, but also freeing. Daily and weekly schedules—normally sacrosanct—now had to be restructured. Because disruption from ʼnormal” was a given, there was an openness to testing new ideas: those that worked well could be integrated into the schedule permanently, while others could be set aside. To accommodate in-person and remote learning, faculty were assigned to one of two different schedules, which would run in parallel. The governmental restrictions affecting travel to and from Asia meant that 31 international students would begin the year remotely. A team made up of six faculty members (Rob and Cindy Edson, Ryan Sinclair, Meredith Frost, Missy Escalante, and Chris Kenny) conducted early morning and evening classes in order to accommodate the time differences for those families. LeRoy later reflected on the extraordinary commitment show by this group of faculty members:

We were incredibly fortunate to have these colleagues volunteer to lead the remote cohort. Educators come into the field of teaching for the daily interactions with students, and this group put their priorities aside for the group of remote

418HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

above: Families and friends were thrilled to greet each other in person in fall 2020, even if at a distance.

boys. Not only did they teach remotely, but they found the balance to advise, coach, and do dorm duty for boys on campus. Their dedication and willing flexibility for the good of 31 boys is one of the proudest moments of my teaching career.

The remaining 172 students began the year on campus with a rotating schedule wherein every course met three times per week for a longer-than-usual class period. The additional time provided by a rotating schedule allowed for an extended meal period, accommodating multiple seatings for breakfast and lunch as well as daily advisory meetings.

Welsh worked tirelessly to assess and support the needs of faculty and students, and LeRoy worked with Day to adjust the school calendar in support of these efforts. The team piloted some unusual schedules during the year, including the combination of the Thanksgiving and winter breaks (incorporating a week of remote learning for all), as well as shortened and more frequent class periods in the winter to accommodate winter sports. In an effort to keep the campus community safe, outside interactions were intentionally limited. Families could not enter dorms during registration or visit on weekends, the neasCten-year accreditation committee visit scheduled for 2021 was postponed by a year, and interscholastic athletics were entirely cancelled. Adults and students living on The Point remained almost exclusively on campus, and the families of day students committed to weekly testing and restricting their own outside interactions. With the community so circumscribed, deviations from typical routine and schedules were both challenging and refreshing.

It was clear that the boys would be safest when outside, and classes, meetings, and activities were therefore held outside whenever weather permitted. Cardigan’s beautiful surroundings— Canaan Street Lake, Clancy Hill, and the rest of the expansive grounds—were a particular blessing, as Day later reflected in his News from the Head of School:

[We] rigorously explored our 500+ acres of woods and wetlands and took advantage of long weekends, with no scheduled commitments, to expand our trail system. It was a revelation for those in our community who had never before walked, hiked, skied, or biked our miles of trails, or spent time gamboling along the waterfront, observing the cycles of life that Canaan Street Lake reveals to those paying attention. Of late we have been more attentive to those things, and they are precious gifts.

When it was necessary to be inside, Cardigan took steps to keep students socially distant. The capital improvements had dramatically increased available classroom space on The Point, which allowed Welsh to group student pods in the same buildings as much as possible, and limit classroom density. The School invested in important facility upgrades like new air disinfection systems for classrooms in order to maximize the health and safety of the community while indoors. The newly completed surge center provided space away from the main campus for critical health services like rapid testing for returning students, quarantine care, and (later in the year) vaccination clinics.

Cynthia Day, who often worked behind the scenes to fill in at admissions and other teams as needed, now had even more availability—travel restrictions had cleared her calendar of outside events. The communications team was working remotely, so Day carried a camera into classrooms, dorms, and around campus to give parents visual reassurance of their sons’ wellbeing. Day also offered critical coverage for CoviD-19 management, spending one ten-night span overseeing the surge center, and another stint as Greenwood’s dorm parent to students awaiting test results after a suspected exposure. Her familiar and positive presence all around campus was in itself a reassurance to the boys.

The health care team remained at the center of Cardigan’s rigorous, proactive, and thorough approach to keeping the School community safe. Gardner continued to leverage his connections with local health organizations to stay aware of breaking developments in outbreaks, vaccine development, and state regulations. Conflicting information at various levels of government made solid local leadership on these issues all the more important. Solberg worked with Gardner and the Mascoma Community Health Center (mChC) in Canaan, partnering with them to purchase a CoviD pCrtesting machine and cartridges (the machine provided 30-minute, definitive results before over-the-counter testing was available). In addition, mChCvolunteered to host Cardigan’s fall 2020 student registration, providing a safe off-campus site at which to screen and test families before they arrived on campus. As vaccines were rolled out, mChCworked with Cardigan to set up on-campus clinics for adults and, eventually, students. These coordinated

above: Welcoming boys back to The Point in fall 2020 took rigorous planning, and was worth every effort. Registration and moving in required extra steps—including rapid testing at Mascoma Community Health Center before heading to The Point—but the delighted health team, staff, and Joe Cougar were also there to make the process as easy as possible for families.

this page: Health protocols required staggered registration for 2020–21, so in the new “Homecoming” model, boys made the most of several beautiful days before classes began.

420HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

efforts helped keep both students and Cardigan’s neighbors in Canaan more safe.

The board remained vigilant about Cardigan’s institutional health. Solberg applied for forgiveness of the ppploan, receiving word in November 2020 that the government had fully cleared the School’s debt, addressing any outstanding concerns about the 2019–20 deficits. By the winter break, however, it became clear that governmental regulations and ongoing travel challenges would force most of Cardigan’s remote students to remain distance learners through the spring. The School once again refunded room and board fees; this followed contingency plans established at the beginning of the year, but extending remote learning would add pressure to the budget. To offset ongoing financial pressures, the School embraced two strategies. First, the admissions team enrolled 11 new students at midyear (there was a significant market demand for safe and in-person education at the time); second, Solberg applied for and received a second ppploan in January 2021 (this loan to the School would be forgiven during the summer).

The combination of strategies kept the School on stable financial footing, and Cardigan was able to retain all faculty and staff for another academic year.

Following a similar approach to that used by the admissions team, staff members got creative to keep the broader School community connected. The Days and others could not travel or host in-person events, so Cardigan pivoted to hosting a series of online gatherings. Administrators hosted virtual question and answer sessions with current parents throughout the year, meeting by grade level to share information about schedule, curriculum, and program and ensure that communication lines stayed clear and open. In lieu of an on-campus 2020 Fall Family Weekend, families attended two virtual conferences: one with their student’s advisor, and one with the assembled group of their student’s teachers. To honor the 75th Anniversary year (despite having postponed the in-person celebration), Shipman hosted a number of “virtual reunions,” and Judith Solberg supported this work by creating relevant online collections from digitized archival photos and publications.

Trustee O’Connell encouraged the auction team to think outside the box in reworking that tradition as well. An online auction could bring current families together—albeit virtually—during a year when there were few opportunities to connect, and it would also make it possible for alumni, friends, and international members of the School community to attend. The silent auction, which in previous years would see parents browsing rooms full of donated items, could be moved to a web platform that could accept bids on items in the weeks leading up to the event, and conclude bidding at the end of the “official” auction event. The team prerecorded skits and video of campus life—the latter was particularly important, as some families had not yet seen The Point in person—to intersperse with segments of live broadcast featuring Day and long-time Cardigan auctioneer John Terrio. On the morning of October 24, 2020, Cardigan livestreamed the School’s first virtual auction.

The virtual auction was another record-breaking success, raising over $485,000 from members of the School community all around the globe who were grateful for the work being done on The Point. Alumni and friends were thankful for the School’s efforts to keep the community connected during a stressful year of isolation; current families were especially thankful that their sons could attend in-person classes—a far-from-universal opportunity at the time—and were deeply appreciative of the commitment shown by the faculty. All understood that Cardigan’s teachers were providing their usual care and attention to the boys, while navigating constant change to coursework,

schedule, and calendar and managing the impact of the pandemic on their own families.

In fact, throughout the year gifts and messages from families continued to flow onto campus—flowers, food, gift cards, and thank-you notes for everyone in the community. In a stunning gesture, Cardigan parents David Gregory and Beth Wilkinson and Jeff and Michelle Roberts, “inspired by what they have seen and heard at Cardigan,” made a substantial donation to be divided equally among all faculty and staff as a Thanksgiving bonus. Day added his thanks in the announcement to Cardigan employees:

[This] small bonus [is] meant as a token of appreciation for your incredible work over the last several months, and as a vote of confidence from the families of two members of our board of trustees. […] I have watched this community come together as one to willingly take on new requirements and responsibilities, adapting to new realities and then adapting once again as circumstances changed. You have led with empathy, you have approached challenges with flexibility and a sense of personal responsibility, and you have stepped up unselfishly to help one another. This is Cardigan living its best self, even in the midst of a crisis both deep and wide. Thank you for your leadership, for your resilience, for your caring, and for your belief in our school and what it stands for.

The visible demonstrations of support from the community were an incredible boost to the morale of Cardigan’s faculty and staff.

The year still held challenges, with decisive planning nearly impossible. Faculty families with school-aged children had an especially difficult time. Because those children were attending school off campus, the healthcare team had recommended against contact with Cardigan students. These faculty children could not use Cardigan’s athletic facilities, could not enter the dorms, and could not eat at the dining hall in person—a previously unimaginable constraint on campus life. For safety, many faculty families also chose not to carpool to schools off campus, and instead transported their children individually, which added a significant, twice-daily obligation to many plates. Cynthia Day tried to provide some continuity in other areas whenever possible, particularly around holiday traditions. Campus trick-or-treating became a scavenger hunt, with faculty children searching for caches of candy left out by various dorms. In place of the usual holiday party, Day accompanied Santa (Henry Day ’13) to faculty residences, delivering books to each of the faculty children. Small gestures like these could make a big difference to families during the unusual year.

The return of Cardigan students from each school break was complicated, with pre-travel testing, staggered arrivals, isolation periods, and fingers crossed for subsequent negative tests. Although health protocols helped maintain the rhythm of school life for an impressive period of time, a significant outbreak of CoviD-19 finally hit campus in February, and began to impact so many individuals that the administration decided to hit the reset button. Chris Day announced that Cardigan’s spring vacation would begin early, helping to stop the cycle of reinfection that had begun to expand beyond control. An exhausted and relieved faculty welcomed the extra recuperation time, while parents were overjoyed to have their sons home for a longer span. Unfortunately, it was not a year when home stays could be safely offered to international students. Boys who could not travel home safely were, once again, cared for by faculty and staff members who offered to spend the break keeping boys occupied and entertained.

During March, Cardigan passed a turning point in the pandemic, hosting its first vaccination clinic for faculty and staff. This changed everything that came next. For a year, the board and administration had been in constant crisis management, with no clear finish line in sight; they had walked a tightrope of optimism, pragmatism, and contingency planning, trying to keep the School stable and intact. Now, vaccinations would help reduce risks to students, lower the stress and anxiety for adults, and potentially open access to some of the activities that had been impossible since the pandemic’s start. Though faculty and staff still needed to plan and take precautions, there was a sense of collective relief, coupled with the hope for a return to a more normal pace, program, and lifestyle.

Thinking back to this time, Day recalled his sense that the administration was emerging from a virtual bunker. Together with LeRoy and Solberg, Day recommended in very strong terms that the board reinstate wage increases for faculty and staff that had been frozen just prior to 2020–21, and that they provided retroactive pay for the academic year now coming to an end. Board Treasurer Mike Garrison agreed, and made the proposal in May. Before voting, the board considered the Finance Committee’s frank summary of the financial reality:

It is too early to know whether we will have adequate surplus to meet this need in this year, and I believe that it will be tight. However, we feel that this is an important thing to do for our faculty and staff now, and we feel we can do it without jeopardizing the financial health of the school, even if we move to an incremental deficit for the fiscal year.

Taking into consideration the administration’s strong advocacy for the move, the board approved the motion, a tribute to the faculty and staff members who had helped shepherd the School through an extraordinary challenge. Just prior to the end of the 2020–21 academic year, employees received word of the decision, and their retroactive wages appeared in the next paychecks.

the path forwarD

CeleBration

Against all odds, Cardigan capped the year with an on-campus ceremony for its 75th Commencement on May 16, 2021. While the ceremony was in some ways different from a typical Cardigan commencement—limited attendance, socially distanced seating, and health protocols in effect—it was a joyful celebration, which the communications staff also livestreamed for the full School community. Several boys graduated remotely, and were featured on a screen on the dais during the ceremony. Keynote speaker David Gregory, who would step into Crigler’s role as board chair in July 2021, was visibly emotional before and during his speech. His text, which had families both laughing and crying with him in turn, celebrated Cardigan’s milestone anniversary, and highlighted the resilience of the School community. “This was no ordinary school year,” he underscored. “Our theme at Cardigan this year was ‘Carry On.’”

With the departure of 2021’s graduates from The Point, Cardigan’s 75th academic year was complete. It had been unlike anything that founder Hap Hinman could have envisioned back in the 1940s—or even, perhaps, what McCusker’s “kitchen cabinet” had in mind when planning for the anniversary during The Campaign for Cardigan 2020—but it still had been recognizably rooted in the School’s mission and Core Values. Those were the through-lines that would always provide continuity for Cardigan, and which had been especially important as guiding principles during the recent challenging period. “Times of stress require us to retrench, find our feet, and build outward again from the essentials,” Day had noted in his newsletter shortly after the pandemic began. “At Cardigan, these ‘essentials’ will always be our Core Values.”

There would be even more to celebrate during the summer that followed. In addition to showing appreciation for the faculty and staff throughout the previous year, the School community had been enthusiastically supportive of the Academic Quad project. By the spring, financial support from trustees, parents, and friends had fully funded Cardigan’s proposed Music Center. The development team relocated early in the summer to the Marrion Athletic Center, where classrooms had been reconfigured to accommodate a new open office plan. The community gathering space would be rededicated in October 2021 as the Kenerson Center.

The ceremony would be attended by Dr. Robert Kenerson, the long-standing, second generation trustee who had guided Cardigan so often and so well on issues of health and wellness. Kenerson and fellow trustees Dr. Richard Morrison and David Bradley formed a small group

422HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

above: Following an adjusted model for allschool meetings, students attended the 2020 Opening Ceremony in distanced pods on Marrion Field rather than in the Chapel.

who had quietly reached a remarkable milestone of service during Day’s tenure: each had served Cardigan’s Board of Trustees for at least 50 years. Day admired in them “the common thread of their humility, and how engaged they have always been with the world around them.”

In addition to a broad spectrum of work on behalf of the School, the three had offered Cardigan their special expertise over the years (Bradley as a legal expert and Morrison and Kenerson as specialists in health and wellness). Day reflected on their service:

We are, quite simply, lucky that each of them have remained such passionate advocates for Cardigan. They never stopped caring. They may have let others step in to lead from the front over time, but they have always been there alongside to share their wisdom, their institutional memory, and their abiding love for this place.

Following the completion of renovations in Marrion and the Kenerson Center, work on the Music Center in the Chapel got underway quickly. The beautiful facility was complete before the fall, and was described in an October 2021 article on the School’s website:

The crown jewel, says [Director of Music Kevin] Franco, is the rehearsal room with plenty of room for ensembles, bands, and orchestras and with a floor-to-ceiling bay of windows that looks over the quad. […] In addition to the large rehearsal room, the Music Center also includes individual practice rooms, a classroom for introductory music courses, and a digital media room. The four practice rooms are furnished with custom acoustic panels for specific instruments, while the digital media room will have two desktop computer stations with Logic Pro software for composing music and mixing multiple tracks.

The new space centralized within one building instrument storage, performance group rehearsals, music classes, private lessons, and club activities. The resulting efficiencies and amenities meant that there would be, as Franco put it, “an opportunity for every boy at Cardigan to be exposed to music.”

The facility’s completion also signaled the successful conclusion of the Academic Quad project. A sweeping survey of the area now revealed a remarkable number of improvements: the Music Center in the Chapel, the construction of Wallach, a new façade for the Stoddard Center, paths connecting academic buildings and leading down to the Commons, Bronfman’s science wing and exterior patio, and the renovated Brewster Hall. It was almost unbelievable that these improvements had been attempted during one of the most challenging intervals in the School’s history, and completed so rapidly that many current parents and trustees—including Trustee Emerita Diane Wallach—had still not been able to see them in person.

The 2021 Summer Session took place in person, albeit with a truncated, four-week schedule to avoid the need for multiple quarantine periods, and included an online summer option that introduced new, incoming academic year students to Cardigan and included English and writing classes. Enrollment for the 2021–22 academic year was, if anything, over-full: many new families were seeking a quality, in-person education for their sons, and returning families continued to deeply appreciate Cardigan’s efforts. The School prepared to welcome 235 students to The Point, all of whom would now follow the same in-person schedule.

The administration continued to monitor the pandemic and how it might impact the day-today needs of students. After careful consideration, the School set a policy to require all faculty and eligible students to be fully vaccinated against CoviD-19. Vaccinated family members would also be welcome to visit The Point. This opened the door to a more familiar experience during the fall opening days, when new and returning students moved through registration (a few at a time) and families walked around the campus (fully masked and distanced), excitedly greeting friends and faculty. There was a palpable sense of renewed, deepened gratitude shared by all, not only for the beautiful campus, which had been a haven of safety for so many boys, but for the community on and beyond The Point that had made such a haven possible.

aheaD

eYes

In the short term, pandemic developments around new variants and vaccines remained fluid. However, Cardigan’s policies were in place, and with tried and tested contingency plans in place. As the year continued, and despite several campus outbreaks during 2021–22, the board and administration were able to pull back from crisis mode and seek a longer view.

above: In fall 2020 students and faculty alike were thrilled to attend classes in Wallach, Cardigan’s just-completed hub for innovative design, applied engineering, and creative arts.

above: At the 2021 rededication of the Kenerson Center, Head of School Chris Day said to trustee Bob Kenerson (above, son of the late trustee John Kenerson): “It has taken us some time, Bob, but today we rededicate this gathering place as the Kenerson Center—this time, with an important distinction: the building now honors two generations of the Kenerson family. I am very pleased to share that, like your father, you too are part of the enduring fabric of our School.”

Processes that had paused at the outset of the pandemic now slowly regained momentum. Over the summer, the board held a strategic planning retreat in Park City, Utah, moderated once again by trustee Macomber. Discussions ranged from prioritizing upcoming capital projects (such as those that had been outlined in the Athletic Master Plan) to exploring fundamental, philosophical issues facing the School. These were long-standing concerns, but—as was true at institutions across America—were now being discussed more openly and with more urgency. The leading questions were whether families with limited socio-economic resources had equal access to a Cardigan education, and how Cardigan should address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (Dei) at an institutional level. The time felt right to have these difficult, nuanced conversations, as the School prepared to consolidate priorities into a new vision for the coming decade. Trustees and staff worked together to capture the community’s priorities into this vision, called the Cardigan Mountain School Strategic Plan for 2032. Trustees and administrators reviewed and revised the draft throughout the fall, and approved the plan at the January 2022 board meetings.

The Strategic Plan for 2032 emphasized people and programs, and sketched out a threephased approach to accomplishing its goals. The document underscored that “perhaps most importantly, we are cognizant of our need to expand our fundraising and endowment in order to meet [the strategic plan’s] goals.” The plan included priorities within four action areas: diversity, equity, and inclusion; health, wellness, and support; program and curriculum; and finance:

The priorities identified in this plan are important and interconnected, requiring a community-wide and multi-layered approach to achieve success. […Much] of the first phase [will be] dedicated to listening, learning, and planning for success both in the moment and looking forward.

Gregory and Day wasted no time in laying the groundwork for addressing concerns raised in the Strategic Plan for 2032, particularly around Dei. Consultant Keith Hinderlie visited The Point in April 2022 in order to conduct a climate survey, submitting results and recommendations for next steps. These included expanding the diversity of Cardigan’s student body; recruiting and retaining faculty and staff of color; and reviewing the School’s policies, expectations, and approach to building an inclusive and supportive community. The report would become a resource for defining and informing new strategic initiatives in this area.

During summer 2021, Cardigan resumed work on the postponed ten-year accreditation process. To produce the corresponding self-evaluation reports, Solberg coordinated a series of meetings for faculty and administrators, beginning with the opening faculty meetings in August 2021. Participants reviewed Cardigan’s business processes and educational program in the context of neasC’s standards. In February, Cardigan delivered to neasCthe foundation study around the first set of standards (covering areas such as admissions, governance, and finance). Following feedback from neasC’s April visiting committee, the faculty completed their review of the remaining program areas and drafted their full self-study in May 2022, combining the foundation study with the program study. The self-study was submitted during the summer, with the neasCvisiting committee’s final visit slated for October 2022.

After several years of focusing on the immediate challenges of a crisis, the Strategic Planning and neasCaccreditation processes provided welcome opportunities to again grapple with forward-thinking, long-term strategic questions. CoviD-19 had forced an unwelcome halt to these activities, but the wisdom gained during the pandemic also served to inform the school’s future direction. By facing the situation with creativity and optimism—piloting new schedules and calendars, embracing online opportunities to connect, and looking at our beautiful rural campus in new ways—Cardigan had found the path forward. The School’s leaders were stepping toward the future with a renewed understanding of Cardigan’s mission, values, and traditions. r

424HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

1. through 3. Cardigan’s joyful 75th commencement in May 2021 was held in person, although attendance had to be limited and families sat in socially distanced groups. Head of School Chris Day and outgoing Board Chair Jeremy Crigler ’79 unmasked briefly to pose with commencement speaker David Gregory (center), who would step in as board chair in July 2021.

4. and 5. The commencement speakers for 2022 were young and deeply inspiring. “I implore you to not just become ordinary men,” said School Leader Preston Merrick ’22, “but conscious, courageous, compassionate men of integrity and action, to be the change that this world needs.” Alumnus Yifu Mu ’14 echoed Merrick’s call for compassion, saying, “I […] urge you to notice the beauty in our differences, and realize that your outreach of kindness could have a profound impact on others’ lives.”

postsCript

“Nobody in the Cardigan community should be content to rest on their laurels. One of our strengths is that we are never content with being ‘good enough.’ Just as we push the boys to grow into the outer limits of their potential, so too do we continually look for ways to progress as an institution. The urge to improve Cardigan is as old as the School itself, and each year we are able to do more for our boys because we build on such strong foundations.” (Chris Day, News from the Head of School, Fall 2019)

Cardigan is a school constantly in motion. Every student is asked to learn, grow, and lead—and the School’s leaders expect the same of Cardigan itself. Having now turned 75 years old (and then some), Cardigan’s next milestone will be its century mark. What comes next for this small school that was founded, as its first headmaster once remarked, “only on the basis of a good idea”?

It is, of course, impossible to answer that question with clarity. In the short term, discrete projects like the renovation of Hinman Hall, the addition of an artificial turf field, and the construction of a new

Snow and Bike Center are assured. The postponed in-person celebration of the 75th Anniversary is slated for fall 2022. As our gaze moves further into the future, though, the view becomes hazier. The next strategic plan, after all, contains some audacious goals: to support and protect the health and well-being of the community, to deliver the best programs that middle school education can offer, to assure Cardigan’s ideal enrollment by doubling the endowment, and to transform awareness of injustice into hope, empowerment, and action. Our sights are set so high that we cannot easily make out each step in the journey.

If the best hopes of Cardigan’s leaders are realized, the School at 100 will still be preparing students to lead responsible and meaningful lives in a global society. Those students will come to the School from all walks of life, representing myriad perspectives and experiences, and they will build on those perspectives to learn from and teach each other. Students will still strive to reach their fullest potential and—like today’s graduates—Cardigan’s future alumni will work to extend their caring community across the world by embodying compassion, integrity, respect, and courage.

As for the School itself? When asked what comes next, perhaps we must simply say: “Cardigan will aspire.” r

426HISTORY: 1995 TO PRESENT

above: The Dawn and Sunset Climbs of Mount Cardigan are bookend traditions that mark moments of transition, encouraging reflection on both what has transpired and what is yet to come. In Cardigan’s 75th year, the school community’s theme was to “Respect the Climb.”

Acknowledgments

I could not have completed a project of thIs scope wIthout a team of posItIve, encouragIng, and insightfulcolleagues contributing to every step of the process. These include faculty and staff members; the board’s 75th Anniversary Committee; and a huge number of alumni, family, and friends of Cardigan Mountain School. While mistakes are mine, a larger truth has emerged from this enormous group effort.

First and foremost, I am grateful to Clay Dingman of Barking Cat Productions, who has been a true partner in bringing this book to completion. From the outset, Clay helped to refine the approach to the book’s structure and design. His high standards made everything better, and you can bet that any image spots, encroachments on white space, or questionable layout choices are there because I stubbornly insisted that they stay.

Assistant Director of Communications and Publications Emily Magnus has a keen editor’s eye paired with incredible generosity of spirit. She fielded my unending flow of drafts quickly and carefully, offering concrete suggestions as well as candid feedback—always helping to keep the project moving forward. As editor of the Chronicle, Emily has plenty of work to keep her busy, yet has never begrudged the time spent on my requests. Cardigan is lucky to have her, and so was I.

I owe thanks to the many faculty and staff who provided context or shared suggestions along the way. Among these were Chris Adams, Cheryl Borek, Joe Burnett ’95, Tricia Butterfield, Ryan Frost, Al Gray H’12, Sandy Hollingsworth, Tim Jennings, Mary Ledoux, Josh LeRoy, Jer Shipman ’00, Steve Solberg, and Pam Susi. Many, many members of Cardigan’s warm and wonderful off-campus community also contributed to this history by donating material to the archives, identifying images, participating in virtual gatherings and interviews, and sharing reflections. There are too many such alumni, family, and friends to thank individually, but I do want to note the special contributions of Dave Bradley, Art Broadhurst, Roger Bullard ’49, Jim Burnett, Richard Clancy ’67, Bill Farrell, Frank Judge ’57, the late Stuart Kaplan ’47, Byron Koh ’52, Toby Kravet ’56, Bruce Marshard ’64, Dave Martinelli, Dick Morrison ’50, Peter Mahler ’84, Dick Rose ’52, Bev Wakely, and the late Ron Warden ’55. Particular thanks go to Warren Huse ’52, who has a journalist’s nose for the truth (and a collection of documents to back it up!) and the inimitable Wim Hart H’08, whose volunteering stints in the Cardigan Archives are incredibly helpful and also really, really fun. Steve Solberg has been, as always, a huge personal and professional support, and our boys Ian and Nate (Summer Session alumni) cheered me on across the finish line.

Cardigan has had many great leaders at the helm over the last 75 years. All of the living heads of school contributed their perspectives to this book, sharing thoughtful insights, corrections, and additions. I thank Chip H’02 and Janet Dewar, Jamie H’09 and Margaret Funnell, Tom and Wendy Needham, Dave ’80 and Steff H’16 McCusker, and Chris and Cynthia Day for the care that they have shown, and continue to show, to the School.

Finally, my deepest thanks to Head of School Chris Day for inviting me to take on this monumental project. It has been a privilege to work with him, and with Cardigan’s Board of Trustees, to produce this book.

Appendix: Cardigan Leadership

school leaders

Mr. Stephen L. Hanley ’58

Mr. Yasuteru Ohta ’59

Mr. Lewis J. Knudson ’60

Mr. David J. Irwin ’61

Mr. Michael F. Bixler ’62

Mr. Walton H. Harman ’64

Mr. William B. Watkins III ’65

Mr. Brittin C. Eustis II ’66

Mr. E. Givens Goodspeed ’67

Mr. William C. Calder ’68

Mr. Steven W. August ’69

Mr. Lewis P. Mercer III ’70

Mr. Edmund S. Scott ’71

Mr. Eric R. Brox ’72

Mr. Peter L. Perry ’73

Mr. John A. Petraglia ’74

Mr. Scott F. Powers ’75

Mr. Paul J. Leahy ’76

Mr. Stanley B. Smith, Jr. ’77

Mr. Craig M. Johnson ’78

Mr. Christopher J. King ’79

Mr. Nicholas C. Kobusch ’80

Mr. Douglas P. Burke ’81

Mr. P. Edward Krayer ’82

Mr. Amarit Sukhavanij ’83

Mr. Mika T. Suonpera ’84

Sgt. Christopher R. Small ’85

Mr. Jason E. Hammond ’86

Mr. Peter G. Whitehead ’87

Mr. James F. Marrion ’88

Mr. Terence C. Brooks ’89

Dr. Erik D. Oberg ’91

Mr. Brandon J. Wagner ’92

Mr. Cameron M. Matheson ’93

Mr. Bradford R. Bevis ’94

1957–1958

1958–1959

1959–1960

1960–1961

1961–1962

1962–1963, 1963–1964

1964–1965

1965–1966

1966–1967

1967–1968

1968–1969

1969–1970

1970–1971

1971–1972

1972–1973

1973–1974

1974–1975

1975–1976

1976–1977

1977–1978

1978–1979

1979–1980

1980–1981

1981–1982

1982–1983

1983–1984

1984–1985

1985–1986

1986–1987

1987–1988

1988–1989

1989–1990, 1990–1991

1991–1992

1992–1993

1993–1994

Mr. Peter W. Heenan ’95

Mr. Tye W. Korbl ’96

Mr. Frederick A. Meyer IV ’97

Mr. Marquis J. Daisy ’98

Mr. Kevin W. Chen ’99

1994–1995

1995–1996

1996–1997

1997–1998

1998–1999

Mr. Kristopher A. Desmarais ’001999–2000

Mr. Zachary M. Dehm ’01

2000–2001

Mr. Jeffrey M. Wosencroft ’02 2001–2002

Mr. Thomas M. O’Connell ’03

Mr. Anthony A. Farrar ’04

Mr. Ruben A. Marcos ’05

Mr. Andrew G. Philie ’06

Mr. William A. Schoder ’07

Mr. Blake D. Alessandroni ’08

2002–2003

2003–2004

2004–2005

2005–2006

2006–2007

2007–2008

Mr. Christopher H. Chapin ’09 2008–2009

Mr. Adam E. Philie ’10 2009–2010

Mr. Sebastian F. LaPointe ’11 2010–2011

Mr. Hyungtae Kim ’12 2011–2012

Mr. William R. Humphrey IV ’132012–2013

Mr. Emery L. Gray ’14 2013–2014

Mr. Graydon C. U. Elkouh ’15 2014–2015

Mr. Austin J. Philie ’16 2015–2016

Mr. Aidan M. Philie ’17 2016–2017

Mr. Kade W. Goldberg ’18 2017–2018

Mr. Macsen C. Elkouh ’19 2018–2019

Mr. Bryce Terry ’20 2019–2020

Mr. Conley E. Bohan ’21 2020–2021

Mr. Preston C. Merrick ’22 2021–2022

Mr. Nathan Watson ’23 2022–2023

alumni leadership

Dr. Richard D. Morrison ’50 1950–1954, 1968–1970

Mr. Richard T. Cass ’50 1954–1955

Maj. Warren D. Huse ’52 1955–1958

Mr. Charles Margeson, Jr. ’51 1958–1960

Mr. Bruce B. Murray ’54 1960–1964

Mr. Anthony R. Gerard ’64 1978–1979

Mr. John C. Stowe ’60

Mr. F. Corning Kenly III ’68

Mr. David L. Elliot ’61

Mr. Richard A. Clancy ’67

Mr. David J. McCusker, Jr. ’80

Mr. William T. Fleming ’70

Mr. Geoffrey C. Turner ’69

Mr. Edward J. Gibbons, Jr. ’78

Mr. Kenneth S. Klaus ’73

Mr. Steven W. August ’69

Mr. Patrick J. Gilligan ’80

Mr. Michael P. McLean ’77

heads of school

Mr. William R. Brewster

Mr. Robert M. Kimball

Mr. Wilfred W. Clark

Mr. Roland W. Burbank

Mr. Norman C. Wakely H’91

Dr. Cameron K. Dewar H’02

Mr. James H. Funnell H’09

Mr. Thomas W. Needham

Mr. David J. McCusker, Jr. ’80

Mr. Christopher D. Day

presidents and chairs of the board of trustees

Mr. Harold P. Hinman

Mr. Jerald B. Newton

Mr. J. Walker Wiggin

Mr. Robert S. Gillette

Mr. John L. Tower

Mr. Savage C. Frieze, Jr. H’96

Mr. Robert E. Diemar, Jr.

Mr. John H. Pearson, Jr. ’65

Mr. F. Corning Kenly III ’68

Mrs. Diane G. Wallach H’16

Mr. Hank J. Holland H’18

Mr. Jeremy T. Crigler ’79

Mr. David M. Gregory

1991–1993

1993–1996

1996–1998

1998–2000

2000–2003

2003–2005

2005–2006

2006–2009

2009–2011

2011–2014

2014–2017

2017–2022

1946–1947

1947–1950

1950–1955

1955–1963

1963–1989

1989–2004

2004–2005

2005–2007

2007–2016

2016–present

chairmen of the corporation

Mr. Harold P. Hinman 1945–1964

Mr. John H. Hinman 1964–1977 (Chairman Emeritus 1978–1981)

Mr. Robert S. Gillette 1977–1993 (Chairman Emeritus 1993–1998)

Mr. Savage C. Frieze, Jr. H’96 1993–2002 (Chairman Emeritus 2002–2013)

Mr. John H. Pearson, Jr. ’65 2002–2012

trustees and incorporators

Mr. Emanuel M. Alexiou 1998–2013

Mr. Phillip R. Allen 1946–1952

Mr. Sergio M. Autrey 1996–2012

Mr. F. L. Bailey ’47 1993–2000

Mr. Hamilton W. Baker 1946–1946

Mr. Yong Hoon Bang 2004–2007

Mr. Charles O. Banks 1976–1986

Mr. Daniel O. Barry 1974–1991

Mrs. Nancy Bello 2005–2012

Mr. Chutinant BhiromBhakdi ’731998–2012

Dr. Richard E. Bjork 1983–1984

Col. Earl H. Blaik 1962–1969

Mr. Victor G. Borella 1973–1975

Mr. Cooper A. Botway ’70 2000–2006

Mr. David H. Bradley 1972–2022 (Emeritus 2022–present)

1945–1964

1964–1969

1969–1971

1971–1976

1976–1979

1979–1993

1993–1997

1997–2002

2002–2013

2013–2015

2015–2018

2018–2021

2021–present

Mr. William R. Brewster 1945–1973

Mr. Matthew Bronfman ’74 1987–2009

Mr. Terence C. Brooks ’89 2009–2010

Mr. James C. Campbell 1945–1954

Mrs. Barbara Caspersen (Honorary 2009–2016)

Mr. Finn M. W. Caspersen 1981–2009

Mr. Finn M. W. Caspersen, Jr. ’841992–2011

Mr. Sae Joo Chang 2009–2012

Mr. Robert V. Chartener ’73 1992–present

Mr. Richard A. Clancy ’67 1996–2004

Mr. John B. Coffin 1971–1995

Mr. Jeremy D. Cohen ’84 2002–2012

Mr. Charles Cotting 1946–1985

Mr. Jeremy T. Crigler ’79 2011–present

Mr. Richard Cullen

Mr. Richard J. DellaRusso ’82

Mr. Daniel D. DeMars

Mr. Robert E. Diemar, Jr.

Mr. Stewart S. Dixon, Jr. ’80

Mr. Jose Domene

Mr. Henry B. duPont IV ’83

Mr. Donald D. Durrell

Mr. Roger C. Earle ’64

Dr. Nabil Elkouh

Mr. Paul B. Fay III ’65

Mrs. Barbara A. Flanagan

Hon. Ralph E. Flanders

Mr. William T. Fleming ’70

Mr. David L. Foster

Mr. John E. Foster

Mr. Ethan T. Frechette

Mrs. Dale Frehse

Mr. Edward S. French

Mr. Savage C. Frieze, Jr. H’13

1946–1948

2009–present

2008–2013

1990–2011

2012–present

2000–2012

1991–2012

1949–1952

2017–2020

2016–present

2002–2013

2010–2019

1946–1965

1998–2013

1994–2011

1945–1952

2021–present

1994–2011

1946–1968

1971–2009 (Emeritus 2009–2013)

Mr. Paul B. Gardent ’62

Mr. Michael B. Garrison ’67

Mr. C. Meade Geisel, Jr.

Mr. Anthony R. Gerard ’64

Mr. Robert S. Gillette

1989–2008

1994–present

1993–2006

1980–1983

1959–1993 (Emeritus 1993–1998)

Mrs. Paula Glover

Mr. Charles Goodyear

Mr. David M. Gregory

Mr. Christopher R. F. Hale ’95

Mr. Edward T. Hall

2019–present

2018–2020

2016–present

2015–present

1969–1971

Mr. Samuel M. V. Hamilton III ’012012–2015

Rev. Canon Preston B. Hannibal2004–2010

Mr. Philip D. Harrison

Mr. Charles T. Haskell, Jr. ’80

Mr. Sherwood C. Haskins, Jr.

Mr. John C. Hays

Mr. Sidney C. Hayward

Mr. Thomas W. Heenan

Mr. Alan C. Herzig ’48

Dr. Crawford H. Hinman

2008–2014

2009–2013

1991–1996

2009–2015

1945–1965

1989–1996

1976–1979

1955–2000

Mr. Edward B. Hinman 1964–1978

Mrs. Eileen Hinman (Honorary 2006–2007)

Mr. Harold P. Hinman 1945–1964

Mr. John H. Hinman 1946–1981

Mr. Richard H. Hinman 1981–1992 (Emeritus 1992–2014)

Mr. Hank J. Holland 2010–2019

Mr. Charles H. Hood 1966–2005 (Emeritus 2005–2016)

Mr. Harvey P. Hood 1946–1978

Dr. Ernest M. Hopkins 1946–1964

Mr. Robert C. Hopkins 1945–1962

Mrs. Ping Huang 2019–present

Mr. Edgar Humann 1983–1998

Mr. Francis J. Humann ’80 2016–2020

Dr. Charles E. Hutchinson III 1993–2012

Mr. Karl G. Hutter ’92 2013–present

Mr. Richard G. Jaeger 1994–1996

Mr. William S. Janes 2002–2004

Mr. Rex V. Jobe 1998–2001

Mr. Clayton D. Johnson ’79 2013–present

Mr. Craig M. Johnson ’78 2001–2021

Mr. David M. Johnson 1977–1994

Mr. John B. Kenerson 1945–1990 (Emeritus 1990–1993)

Dr. Robert F. Kenerson 1970–present

Mr. F. Corning Kenly, Jr. 1969–1997

Mr. F. Corning Kenly III ’68 1986–present

Mr. B. Anthony King 1966–1973

Mr. Christopher J. King ’79 2020–present

Mrs. Carol V. Kitchell 1993–1995

Mrs. Heather Knapp 2021–present

Mr. Kari O. Kontu ’80 2004–2016

Mr. P. Edward Krayer ’82 2009–present

Mrs. Cynthia Landreth 1993–1996

Mr. J. Frederick Larson 1945–1952

Mr. Seheon Lee 2001–2006

Mr. Young Duk Lee 2007–2009

Mr. Tyler L. Lewis 2020–present

Mr. George C. Lodge 1976–1980

Mr. C. James Looke III 2002–2006

Mr. Donold B. Lourie

Mr. Thomas H. MacLeay

Mr. George C. Macomber

Mrs. Robbin MacVittie

Mr. John F. Maher

Mr. Ralph N. Manuel

Mr. Bryan P. Marsal

Ms. Candyce Martin

Mr. David J. Martinelli

Mr. David J. McCusker, Jr. ’80

Mr. J. Michael McGean

Mr. Burton E. McGillivray

Mrs. Carole Mennen

Mr. Keniston P. Merrill

Mr. Robert M. Miller

Mr. Albert J. Mitchell, Sr.

1960–1975

1988–2001

2017–present

1999–2012

1998–2003

1999–2009

2002–2011

2014–present

2011–2014

2004–2016

1971–2003

2005–present

2015–2021

1986–2006

2001–2004

1974–1984

Mr. Pornphisud Mongkhonvanit2018–present

Mr. Malcolm C. Moran ’64

Dr. Frank M. Morgan

Dr. Richard D. Morrison ’50

Mr. Robert A. Morrow ’77

Mrs. Margaret M. Moulton

Mr. Jerald B. Newton

Mrs. Barbara S. O’Connell

Mr. Michael E. O’Neill

Mr. John H. Pearson, Jr. ’65

Mr. Schuyler V. Peck ’63

Mr. John A. Pereira ’87

Mr. John D. Pfeifle

Mr. Eugene A. Pinover

Mr. Marc Porcelli ’95

Ms. Carla Powers

Mr. Scott F. Powers ’75

Mr. Larry W. Prescott

Prof. Charles A. Proctor

Mr. Richard I. Purnell

Mr. Theodore G. Rand

Mr. H. Robert Reeve

Mr. William J. Reilly, Jr.

Mr. Edward B. Righter ’62

Mr. Jeffrey M. Roberts

Mr. Edward K. Robinson

1998–present

1952–1966

1969–present

1996–2012

1995–2011

1951–1987

2003–present

2001–2003

1992–2019

2012–2017

2017–2020

1987–2003

1998–2009

2019–present

2009–2014

2002–2012

2009–2013

1951–1961

1976–1978

1990–2005

1975–1991

1996–1999

1989–2012

2020–present

1946–1952

Mr. Donald J. Ross

Mrs. Kristi Ross

Mr. D. Bryan Ruez

1981–1998

2017–present

2011–2017

Mr. Guillermo E. Salinas 2003–2012

Dr. G. Winthrop Sands

1969–1973

Mr. Anthony Scaramucci 2013–2017

Mr. Charles R. Schueler 1963–1969

Mr. Richard Schueler 1963–1969

Mr. Fred C. Scribner, Jr. 1960–1994

Mr. Palmer D. Sessel ’58 1989–2005

Mr. Halsey Smith, Jr. ’66 1983–1998

Mr. Justin M. Smith 1960–1970

Mr. Walter P. Smith 1969–1971

Mr. Stuart J. Steele 1986–1988

Mr. Stewart H. Steffey, Jr. 1993–1996

Mr. Benjamin J. Stein 2002–2011

Mr. Robert W. Stoddard 1953–1984

Mr. Harold W. Stoke 1946–1947

Mr. Rand N. Stowell, Jr. 1968–1974

Mr. Rand N. Stowell, Sr. 1961–1968

Mr. Frank J. Sulloway 1952–1969

Mr. Christopher M. Taliercio ’952015–present

Mr. John L. Tower 1952–1997

Mr. G. Ware Travelstead 1976–1979

Mr. Geoffrey C. Turner ’69 1996–2010

Mr. Robert J. Turner 1993–1996

Mr. Joaquin Vargas 2004–2005

Dr. Ronald A. von Jako ’81 2010–2012

Mr. Jonathan N. Wakely ’75 2014–present

Mrs. Laura F. Waldron 2017–present

Mr. Stephen A. Wallace 2014–2016

Mrs. Diane G. Wallach 2007–2016 (Emeritus 2016–present)

Mr. Mark A. Walsh 2004–2010

Mr. Ernest L. Ward 1962–1970

Mr. Sinclair Weeks 1960–1969

Mr. Lloyd Weinreb 1999–2009

Mr. Christopher S. Welles 2007–2013

Mr. William H. Wendt III 1990–1996

Mr. Benjamin Wey 2010–2014

Mr. Robert A. Whitcomb 1990–2004

Mr. Erskine N. White 1965–1972

Mr. Fred A. White

Mr. J. Walker Wiggin

1966–1991

1952–1980 (Emeritus 1980–2006)

Mr. Samuel C. Williams

Mrs. Leslie Williamson

Mr. James F. Woods

Mr. David G. Zambrano

Mr. Mario A. Zambrano ’95

75th anniversary committee trustees

Mr. F. Corning Kenly III ’68 (Chair)

Mr. Jeremy T. Crigler ’79 (Ex Officio)

Mr. David M. Gregory (Ex Officio)

Mr. Robert V. Chartener ’73

Mr. Stewart S. Dixon, Jr. ’80

Mr. Karl G. Hutter ’92

Mrs. Barbara S. O’Connell

Mrs. Kristi Ross

staff

Ms. Judith B. Solberg (Staff Liaison)

Mr. Christopher D. Day (Ex Officio)

Mr. Christopher C. Adams

Mr. Jotham W. Burnett ’95

Mr. Jeremiah Shipman ’00

1989–1998

2009–2016

1945–1946

2003–2006

2021–present