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Food that’s
A Greener Recipe for the Dining Halls
Far
not
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Exeter Reunions
Connect the past, the present and the possible.
Reunions 2011 REUNION DATE
YEAR
CLASS
April 29-May 1, 2011
35th 30th 15th 10th
1976 1981 1996 2001
May 6-8, 2011
60th 55th 45th 40th
1951 1956* 1966 1971
May 13-15, 2011
25th 20th
1986 1991
May 19-22, 2011
50th
1961
May 20-22, 2011
5th
2006
*starts May 5
May 24-26, 2011
70th 65th Super Seniors
1941 1946 1950 and older
• See old friends—and make some new ones, too • Discover how Exeter has changed and grown • Argue a point with passion at the Harkness table • Show your kids your favorite spots on campus • Reconnect with your teachers and meet today’s students
For more information, please visit your online class page at www.exeter.edu/alumni or call the Alumni/ae Affairs Office at 800-828-4325 ext. 3454.
Exeter. It stays with you.
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Around the Table
V O L U M E
C V I ,
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W I N T E R
Contents
Principal ThomasE.Hassan’56,’66,’70,’06(Hon.);P’11 Director of Communications Julie Quinn Editor Karen Ingraham Staff Writers Mike Catano,Alice Gray, Nicole Pellaton, Famebridge Witherspoon Class Notes Editor Janice M. Reiter Editorial Assistant Susan Goraczkowski Creative Director/Design David Nelson, Nelson Design Contributing Editor Edouard L. Desrochers ’45, ’62 (Hon.) Communications Advisory Committee Daniel G. Brown ’82, Robert C. Burtman ’74, Dorinda Elliott ’76, Alison Freeland ’72, Keith Johnson ’52, Yvonne M. Lopez ’93 TRUSTEES President G.Thompson Hutton ’73 Vice President Eunice Johnson Panetta ’84 David O. Beim ’58, Flobelle Burden Davis ’87, Marc C. de La Bruyère ’77, Walter C. Donovan ’81, Jonathan W. Galassi ’67,Thomas E. Hassan ’56, ’66, ’70, ’06 (Hon.); P’11, Robert A. Ho ’73, David R. Horn ’85,Alan R. Jones ’72, Sally Jutabha Michaels ’82,William K. Rawson ’71, Dr. Nina D. Russell ’82, Robert S. Silberman ’76, J. Douglas Smith ’83, Remy White Trafelet ’88, Morrison DeSoto Webb ’65 The Exeter Bulletin (ISSN No. 01950207) is published four times each year: fall, winter, spring, and summer, by Phillips Exeter Academy, 20 Main Street, Exeter NH 03833-2460, 603-772-4311. Periodicals postage paid at Exeter, NH, and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the USA by The Lane Press. The Exeter Bulletin is printed on recycled paper and sent free of charge to alumni/ae, parents, grandparents, friends, and educational institutions by Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH. Communications may be addressed to the editor; email bulletin@exeter.edu.
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Features 20 | PEA’S GREEN EGGS AND HAM How Dining Services is serving up sustainability By Karen Ingraham
26 | INNOVATIVE EXONIANS Six alumni/ae and their game-changing inventions By Katherine Towler
Departments
20
2 Around the Table: Poetry set to music, Exeter’s social media sites,Assembly speaker roundup, and more. 12 Table Talk with Jennie Niles ’84 14 Exoniana 16 Exonians in Review:The ADHD Effect on Marriage by Melissa Orlov ’77. Reviewed by E. Bruce Hallett III ’67
26
The Green Thumb Curriculum by Rachel Kathleen Pringle ’97 and Arden Bucklin-Sporer. Reviewed by Jennifer Wilhelm 32 Sports: PEA Water Polo Has Teams Seeing Double by Mike Catano. Plus, fall sports roundup. 36 Connections: News and Notes from the Alumni/ae Community 39 Profiles: Henry “Buzz” Merritt ’44,Alan Metcalfe ’74 and Ellen Massey ’04 104 Finis Origine Pendet: One Visit, 30 Years’ Encouragement by Marty Kounitz ’77
12 COVER PHOTO BY ARTHUR DURITY
Copyright 2011 by the Trustees of Phillips Exeter Academy. ISSN-0195-0207 Postmasters: Send address changes to: Phillips Exeter Academy, Records Office, 20 Main Street, Exeter, NH 03833-2460.
Visit Exeter on the web at www. exeter.edu / Email us at bulletin@ exeter.edu
THE EXETER BULLETIN IS PRINTED ON PAPER WITH 10% POST-CONSUMER CONTENT, USING SOY-BASED INKS.
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Big Red Spirit A sea of Exeter Red swept the stadium stands at Andover during Homecoming on November 13. Exonian cheers were rewarded when the varsity football team scored a three-peat, beating Andover for the third consecutive year.The final score was 56-33. —Photo by Kirk Williamson
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The View from Here
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Around theTable
What’s new and notable at the Academy
Ingenuity On Campus and Off By Principal Thomas E. Hassan ’56, ’66, ’70, ’06 (Hon.); P’11
T
he ability to innovate is one of
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2004, the Trustees passed an environmental mission statement that stated,in part,“We must foster a culture of environmental awareness, which should be integral to our community in all venues of daily life, on and off campus—where we learn, where we work, where we live and where we play.” Within the sustainability article, you will read about the letters I received last spring from students in BIO342: Human Populations and Resource Consumption: Implications for Sustainability, taught by Science Instructor Anne Rankin ’92. You will learn how some of the students’ requests for food that has been grown “ethically, safely and locally” have been implemented by Dining Services. These letters reminded me of another student’s quest to support sustainability. Hillary “Hill” Ryan Jr. ’11 came to me at the beginning of his prep year with a plan to generate all the energy necessary for his own dorm room,and he asked that his room be taken off the school’s main power grid.After much consultation, we found that it would not be possible to isolate Hill’s room. Undaunted, Hill put his inventive mind to other projects and founded MECexeter, a club that gives students hands-on experience using physics and mathematics in real-world applications. One of the club’s recent projects was to build a concrete canoe.These budding engineers worked for more than a year in a shop they designed and built within a Phelps Science Center classroom. On a crisp, sunny day this fall, club members experienced the culmination of their work as they paddled their concrete canoe down the Exeter River.To see the launch and hear their enthusiasm, you can watch a video taken by Science Instructor John Blackwell at www.exeter.edu/webextraswinter2011. As I read the stories of Exeter’s inventors in the pages of this Bulletin, I imagine that some future magazine will contain a piece on the ingenious feats of Hill and some of his fellow MECexeter members. I suspect that the concrete canoe was just the beginning of a lifetime of pioneering innovation.
ART DURITY
the hallmarks of an Exeter education, and this issue of the Bulletin highlights Exonians who exemplify that aptitude. The inventors featured on pages 26-31 are classic examples of original thinkers whose vision and determination have transformed their respective fields. Similarly, the article about Exeter’s sustainability efforts (pages 20-25) in our dining halls illustrates the creativity and resolve necessary for the success of any pioneering endeavor. Phillips Exeter Academy was incorporated close to two centuries before the beginning of the modern environmental movement.You won’t find words like “sustainability” in our 1781 Deed of Gift. But you will find PEA founder John Phillips’ vision of a school that prepares its students for “the great end and real business of living” and encourages the pursuit of goodness as well as knowledge, which “united form the noblest character, and lay the surest foundation of usefulness to mankind.” His words impel us to not only study sustainability but also explore new ways to practice it. One of the most satisfying experiences of my 21 years at Exeter has been my association with the Academy’s sustainability program. Begun by just a few committed faculty and staff members, our program has blossomed over the years to a point where sustainability is now a shared schoolwide endeavor. Our approach is neither top-down nor strictly grass-roots.The key to our success has been the combination of the two. Although the feature “PEA’s Green Eggs and Ham” focuses on efforts in our dining halls, Exeter has been committed to addressing sustainability in all aspects of school life for the past decade. Student environmental proctors—known as e-proctors— oversee recycling and conservation in dorms and classrooms. Students, faculty and staff also volunteer on several committees to further our sustainability efforts, including the Carbon Committee, Environmental Action Committee and the Farm and Garden Club. In
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TARA MISENHEIMER
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Exonian Artists Win National Honor U. S . D E PA RT M E N T O F E D U C AT I O N S H OW C A S E S S T U D E N T S ’ A RT WO R K S
W
inners of regional and national Scholastic Art Awards last spring, lower Alexandria Bryan and
Emma Glennon ’10
Emma Glennon ’10 were among only 50 high school Scholastic artists in the U.S. to have their (left) and Alexandria artworks—selected last fall by the U.S. Department of Education—displayed in a national, year- Bryan ’13 attended long exhibit that opened on October 8. a ceremony in Bryan began dabbling in painting and drawing early in her childhood and found she enjoyed the craft, par- Washington, D.C. , ticularly after enrolling in her first art class during her prep year. But she never dreamed that one year later she that celebrated would be at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Washington, D.C., to honor her artwork. their paintings. “I did not know about the Scholastic Awards until last year, when my studio art teacher, Ms. Komando, helped me enter my work in the competition.” The painting, Shadow Play, won a Gold Key at the regional level and a Gold Medal at the national competition. Remarkably, the piece was Bryan’s first attempt at painting on canvas and it was the only Remarkably, the painting she entered into the contest. piece was Bryan’s Glennon, who also won gold at the regional and national levels for her painting entitled Arnold’s Candies, says,“The thought that everyone first attempt at who passes through the Department of Education will see my painting painting on canvas ... is pretty amazing. I’m glad to be a part of [this] group.” Glennon says she always liked art but didn’t get serious about it until her lower year, when she took Painting I.“I didn’t take another art course until spring of my senior year, but I painted at least a few hours each week for those three years.” Now a student at Princeton, Glennon continues to paint on her own but has little room in her schedule for an art class. She hopes, however, to find art competitions similar to Scholastic’s on a local or national level. Bryan’s award has prompted her to seriously consider becoming a full-time artist. She is currently working on a piece that she might enter into the next Scholastic competition, and she intends to pursue art through college and beyond.“I plan on studying and practicing to improve and hopefully make a career for myself in the arts,” Bryan says. —Famebridge Witherspoon WINTER 201 1
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Back in the Classroom N E W T RU S T E E V I E W S H A R K N E S S W I T H A F AC U LT Y L E N S
Trustee Dr. Nina Russell ’82 (right) joins a biology class and participates in a discussion about cellular division.
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NICOLE PELLATON
T
rustee Dr. Nina Russell ’82 got the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be an Exeter faculty member one day in late October.As a prelude to the Fall Trustees Meeting, she accompanied Science Instructor Townley Chisholm P’10, P’11, P’14 on his daily activities. The Faculty Day in the Life Program started last year when Principal Tom Hassan suggested it as a way to give the Trustees firsthand knowledge of the diverse responsibilities of faculty members—who teach, coach, run clubs and serve as live-in or affiliate dorm advisers.Trustee Alan Jones ’72 was the first to “shadow” History Instructor Kwasi Boadi, a day Jones called “as rewarding and challenging as you could ever imagine.” The program gives the Trustees a chance “to see Social Exeter the school in action, as it Like, follow or bookmark these is,” explains Chisholm. online sites to stay plugged in to “Seeing students working all things Exeter: with teachers in classes is PEA main website both inspirational, I hope, and fundamental.There is a lot www.exeter.edu of good work being done in our classes, on our playing Alumni/ae fields, in our rehearsals and in our dorms.” facebook.com/exeteralums For students, having a trustee join the Harkness contwitter.com/exeteralums versation can be eye-opening, and just plain fun. “The students in my Bio 200 classes were glad to meet Dr. Parents Russell and to hear a little bit about how she turned a facebook.com/exeterparents philosophy degree from Yale into a career working to The Exonian coordinate research on HIV vaccines for the Gates Founfacebook.com/theexonian dation,” says Chisholm. “Then we got to work making twitter.com/theexoniannews sense of mitosis and meiosis.The class felt quite natural, as Admissions if Dr. Russell had been with us all year.” facebook.com/exeteradmissions “Trustees and faculty work together continuously to make Exeter an exciting, challenging and supportive College Counseling place of learning,” says Hassan. “The Faculty Day in the facebook.com/PEACCO Life Program is a simple and very effective way to give twitter.com/PEACCO Trustees extra insight into some of the daily realities of Exeter Social Service Organization life at PEA today. By shadowing a faculty member, the facebook.com/exetersocialservice Trustees get to see a bit of everything.” organization Chisholm concurs:“Trustees already have an excellent Summer School understanding of how the school works.These visits just facebook.com/exetersummerschool give them a little more immediacy and depth of understanding . . . and a chance to get one faculty member’s Grainger Observatory viewpoint on questions that the trustee may be thinking twitter.com/PEA_obs about.” He adds,“The more connected to the life of the school they feel, the better.” —Nicole Pellaton
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Trustee Roundup
T
he Trustees of the Academy met on campus
Wednesday, October 27 through Friday, October 29. On Wednesday, the three new trustees—Walter Donovan ’81, David Horn ’85 and Toby Webb ’65; P’02— spent time with adults and students on campus for a day of orientation. In addition, Trustee Nina Russell ’82 shadowed Science Instructor Townley Chisholm, as part of the trustee immersion program,“A Day in the Life.” The Trustees began their official meetings Thursday morning with a report from Principal Tom Hassan, who provided an overview of the fall term and talked about the importance of communication and connections on campus and the progress we are making in those important areas. Following that,Trustees heard reports from members of the Alumni/ae Affairs and Development staff and were pleased to learn that the Annual Fund had surpassed its goal last year, ending with a record $7.8 million. It was noted that current parents were particularly supportive of our Annual Fund in 2009–10, contributing the highest amount parents have ever given in one year. The Trustees also received an update regarding Hassan’s outreach efforts to parents, which includes spending time with them while on the road and beginning a parent fan page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/exeterparents). The meeting then turned to discussions about our facilities. Director of Facilities Management Roger Wakeman P’09, P’11 updated the Trustees on various projects, including the ongoing steam distribution system renewal and the completion of the central plant modernization project. (Later in the day,Trustees toured the newly renovated central heating plant.) Wakeman also discussed the planning process to renovate Phillips Hall, a project that had been put on hold in 2008.We are now moving ahead to reconstitute the program committee in order to continue with the design stage. It is anticipated that we will renovate Phillips Hall over the course of the next two summers, with the major portion of the renovation occurring in 2012. In addition, we are in the very initial stages of looking into a new performing arts center, which was one of the major recommendations of the last New England Association of Schools and Colleges’ accreditation report. We will begin with the preliminary step of developing a program statement that will serve as the foundation for ultimately defining the vision and requirements for a new facility.This process will be supported by a specialized programming consultant, selected through an interview process that will include department heads from the performing arts. The majority of time on Thursday was devoted to discussing the Academy’s capital renewal needs, which were outlined to faculty and staff in early October.Trustees had
discussed capital renewal of our aging facilities in earlier years, but the issue was tabled during the economic downturn. Current Trustees are particularly concerned about the high risk of future problems and escalating costs if the urgent need for building renovations is not addressed. In a very thorough and thoughtful discussion, the Trustees made the decision to move ahead in attending to the school’s capital renewal requirements.To do so, the Trustees will continue to use any surplus in the annual operating budgets; increase the endowment draw from its current 4.5 percent to 5 percent, which is in line with the draw taken by our peer institutions; and increase tuition to bring us more in line with peer schools.The Trustees will return to the matter of setting a precise tuition amount for the next academic year at their winter meeting, during which tuition is traditionally determined. After this significant decision, the Trustees were given the opportunity to relax with faculty colleagues over dinner and friendly conversation in Grainger Auditorium that evening. Members of the Education and Appointments Committee began their day on Friday by meeting with Student Council leaders, whose topics of discussion ranged from Saturday classes to technology. Later that morning, Chief Financial Officer Chris Wejchert reviewed the budget with the Trustees. Increased revenues from Annual Giving, Summer School, and higher-than-anticipated enrollment in the regular session positively influenced the operating budget. Also credited were the budget reductions made by the staff and faculty during the past year.The Trustees noted that in 2009–10, as in past years, the capital budget had been underfunded, and they consequently voted that the operating budget surplus realized for 2009–10 will be applied to our facilities’ needs; such actions will continue in future years, should there be surpluses in our operating budget. Later that Friday morning, the Trustees heard reports about admissions, college counseling, Summer School and faculty recruitment. Russell Weatherspoon ’01, ’03, ’08 (Hon.); P’92, P’95, P’97, P’01 also spoke about his decade of service as the dean of residential life and received a very warm round of applause in appreciation for his dedicated efforts on behalf of our students. Dean of Faculty Kathleen Curwen P’99, P’03 informed the Trustees of a decline in the recruitment and retention of faculty of color and outlined a plan that included a multicultural assessment to be instituted in the near future. TheTrustees and Hassan discussed the ongoing strategic planning necessary to move the Academy forward. More time will be devoted to this important topic at future meetings. —Julie Quinn
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Canada Concerts Mark Choir and Orchestra Tour
O
Public Concerts Sunday, March 6, 7 p.m. St. James United Church 463, rue Ste-Catherine ouest, Montreal Tuesday, March 8, 6:30 p.m. L’isle-aux-Coudres Location TBD Wednesday, March 9, 3 p.m. Musée de l’Amérique française 2, côte de la Fabrique, Quebec City
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M
. Kamal Ahmad’s lifelong efforts to improve the lives of poor and
marginalized groups were honored in October when the 1983 graduate received the 2010 John Phillips Award at an assembly attended by Trustees, faculty, staff and students. In his acceptance remarks, the founder of the Asian University for Women—the first international, residential university for underprivileged women in Asia, which opened in 2009—cited the importance of empowerment as a means to effect lasting change. He explained,“The greatest impediment to economic and social change in the region is the lack of effective leadership. We look at this university above all as an incubator of a new generation of women leaders. . . .” At the age of 13,Ahmad opened a school in his family’s garage for scores of young Bangladeshi domestic workers who had no means of receiving an education.Three years later,Ahmad’s efforts culminated in the establishment of the Juvenile Literacy Programme—a group of four primary schools and a day care attended by 400 working children in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. After entering Exeter as a lower, Ahmad founded the Third World Society to raise awareness about socioeconomic issues in developing countries.As a student at Harvard, he and his older brother started the Overseas Development Network (ODN), an international microfinance loan program comprised of 70 college organizations that aids entrepreneurs in developing countries. For his ingenuity and hard work, Read more about Time magazine named Ahmad “one of the 20 outAhmad’s work at standing undergraduates in the nation.” www.exeter.edu/ After college,Ahmad continued his efforts in in2010johnphillips. ternational development, working at theWorld Bank, the Rockefeller Foundation and UNICEF.Two years after graduating from the University of Michigan Law School in 1996, he created and co-directed the World Bank/UNESCO Task Force on Higher Education and Society. In 2002, Ahmad initiated a fundraising campaign for the Asian University for Women; in 2009, the university opened with 300 students from 12 Asian and Middle Eastern countries. “When all is done,” Ahmad noted in his acceptance remarks, “some 3,000 women from all across Asia, unconstrained by their race, creed, language or pos-
DAN COURTER
n March 5, Exeter’s Concert Choir and Chamber Orchestra will travel to Canada for a week’s worth of public and private performances, as part of the groups’ third collaborative spring tour. The choir and orchestra, led by Music Instructor Ryan Turner and Music Department Chair Rohan Smith, respectively, will stop first in Montreal.The 60 student singers and musicians will perform an outreach concert at the Lester B. Pearson High School, as well as a public concert at the St. James United Church. They will also act as concertgoers when they attend a performance by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. L’isle-aux-Coudres in the Charlevoix region of Quebec is the tour’s second stop, where the students will give a public concert before traveling to Quebec City.The final concert will take place in the chapel of the Museum of French America (Musée de l’Amérique française) and will be followed by a reception for choir and orchestra members at the U.S. Consulate General’s residence.
M. Kamal Ahmad gets John Phillips Award
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PEA Hosts Political Pundits and Human Rights Advocates From Andrew Sullivan,The Daily Dish creator, to Jestina Mukoko, a Zimbabwean human rights activist, globally recognized pundits and advocates engaged with students during last fall’s assemblies.The guest speakers demonstrated the complexities behind issues concerning morality, bigotry and the political process.What follows is a sampling of who spoke on campus, in chronological order.
P.J. O’Rourke Political satirist P.J. O’Rourke spoke to Exonians at an assembly sponsored by Exeter’s Republican and Democratic clubs. O’Rourke focused on political power, its pitfalls, and the realities of government decision-making, which he called “committee-brain.” He kept the students laughing, from his opening salvo—“Politics is necessary. But necessary is not the same as pleasant”—to the end. A regular panelist on National Public Radio’s “Wait,Wait ... Don’t Tell Me” and author of 20 books, O’Rourke’s latest book is Don’t Vote—It Just Encourages the Bastard.
Andrew Sullivan Editor, political blogger and columnist Andrew Sullivan, creator of The Daily Dish, an award-winning blog of The Atlantic magazine, opened the assembly with this:“I want to talk about conservatism and why I think it has gone completely off the rails. “I want to come out in a way,” he added.“I am proud to say I am Christian, conservative, homosexual.” The complexity, as he presented it at assembly, lies in his perception that “in our culture, those things are supposed to be at war with each other.” During his talk, Sullivan touched on many intertwining topics—faith, politics, government, the power of words, and what it means to be human.
A. Stephens Clay ’60 Attorney A. Stephens Clay ’60 spoke to assembly about his pro bono representation of a Guantánamo Bay detainee. He recounted how he got involved in this work, explained in detail the conditions in which prisoners are held, and described the complexities of the relationship between these prisoners and their legal advisers.
sessions or lack thereof, will come to the Asian University forWomen for an education that is aimed at defying an almost endless series of preconceptions that might have at one point limited their life’s options.” In her assembly introduction of Ahmad, PEA Trustee and General Alumni/ae Association President Sally Jutabha Michaels ’82; P’12, P’14 said,“While others might be tempted to despair at the seemingly in-
Focusing on the theme of constitutional rights, he explained, “If government power is expanded, individual rights are constricted.” He added,“This will be a big issue for your generation, larger than for mine.”
The Reverend Jim Wallis “This economic crisis suggests that we’ve lost our moral balance,” said Rev. Jim Wallis, theologian, author, president and CEO of Sojourners. Wallis’ assembly talk focused on the deterioration of values in a complex world.“Wealth does not trickle down anymore in this country, but bad values do.” He encouraged Exonians to help the world develop “new habits of the heart … It’s up to your generation to create a new normal.” Wallis’ latest book is Rediscovering Values: On Wall Street, Main Street, and Your Street.
Sara Henderson During her assembly, Sara Henderson GP’12 simply said: “One person can make a difference—that’s the message I want to impart … Don’t tell me you can’t do it. One person can definitely make a difference.” Her own story is a testament to that statement. After a 25-year career in investment banking, Henderson founded a nonprofit organization, Building Bridges to the Future (BBF), to assist people in Aceh, Indonesia—the area devastated by the 2004 tsunami. She talked about her efforts to build housing in and around Aceh and how BBF is working to provide literacy and education programs and support for agribusiness to that region.
Jestina Mukoko In December 2008, Jestina Mukoko was abducted, beaten, tortured and imprisoned by Zimbabwean state security agents. She spent three months in jail before being released on bail.The executive director of the NGO Zimbabwe Peace Project and former broadcaster for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corp., spoke to students about her internment and her ceaseless efforts to monitor human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. Mukoko is a recipient of the U.S. Department of State’s 2010 International Women of Courage Award.
surmountable challenges of this work, you show that continued commitment—the simple refusal to yield— can result in meaningful change.” The John Phillips Award annually recognizes an Exonian whose life exemplifies the nobility of character and usefulness to humanity that John Phillips sought to promote in establishing the Academy. —Famebridge Witherspoon WINTER 2011
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Musical Collaboration Creates ‘A Heaven of Song’ T H R E E AC A D E M Y P O E T S H AV E T H E I R WO R D S S E T T O M U S I C describes as having “a lyricism that lends itself to music.” Finding the Right Composer
T
he fall performance of “Three Horizons,” a
musical premiere commissioned by Exeter’s Concert Choir, was an evening of superlatives, by all accounts. Based on a collaboration of the Concert Choir; PEA English Instructors Todd Hearon, Matt Miller and Ralph Sneeden; and Dover, NH-based choral composer Kevin Siegfried, the approximately sixListen to the minute piece brought together “an performance at amazing cross-pollination of artistic talwww.exeter.edu/ webextraswinter2011. ents,” says Miller.“I was grateful to have been included, and humbled by the artistry of everyone else involved.” “I’d been wanting to work with a living composer and have a piece commissioned for Concert Choir,” explains Ryan Turner, music instructor and Concert Choir director since 2006.When Turner’s wife, Adjunct Music Instructor Susan Consoli Turner, suggested using the work of PEA poets for lyrics, he recognized the tremendous potential.Turner immediately turned to Hearon, Miller and Sneeden, all pr ize-winning poets whose work he
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Selecting the Poems
The poems that make up the composition are very different in structure, tone and mood. Siegfried was first drawn to Miller’s “Club Icarus,” which describes a father watching his young daughter as she falls from a plane crash, to be saved at the last second by uplifting wings.“I was intrigued by the rhythms of the text and by the way it breathlessly moves across the page. I ended up changing meter nearly every measure to realize the spoken rhythms of the text, and gradually modulating the choir upward throughout the piece to create a sense of falling through the sky.”
NICOLE PELLATON
Music Instructor Ryan Turner and the Concert Choir rehearse “Three Horizons.”
Turner, who believes that “music may be the ultimate Harkness conversation,” wanted to focus on the collaborative aspects of the project, from beginning to end. “I knew that Kevin would be ver y hands-on in the process,” he explains. When Siegfried asked early on about “the strengths and weaknesses of the ensemble,” Turner knew he had found a composer whose instinct to engage with students would give them a role in the creation, and would result in a musical piece appropriate to the choir’s capabilities. “The unique feature of this commission was the fact that I would be setting the poetry of three different contemporary poets,” explains Siegfried, who teaches at The Boston Conservatory and is known internationally for his choral compositions. “ ‘Three Horizons’ is essentially a study in contrast and juxtaposition. The distinct musical voice of each movement creates an environment through which to listen and experience the poetry. . . .The resulting musical work is like an art gallery wall that displays three different art objects by the same artist: a watercolor, a sculpture made of glass and metal, and a video installation.”
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“Surfer’s Eulogy” by Sneeden appealed to Siegfried for its form,“lulling and musical in its repetitions. Each line ends with one of three word endings: ‘return,’ ‘horizon’ and ‘goodbye.’ I wrote three melodies for each of these line endings, which mirrored the form of the poem.” Excerpts from Hearon’s “Strange Land” rounded out the trio because it, like the others, was “suggestive of a kind of landscape or horizon . . . with its evocative and lyrical imagery.” “It Felt Like It Somehow ‘Belonged’ to Us”
Concert Choir met with the poets during an early rehearsal so that members could ask about the authors’ intentions, and get a more complete understanding of the poems. At this rehearsal, the poets heard the music performed for the first time, marveling at how it enriched their work. For Turner, this rehearsal was a Harkness high point: “I was most impressed with how the students interacted with the poets. Their level of understanding and desire to engage with the lyric was inspiring.” A week later, Siegfried came to rehearsal to hear the evolving sound, answer questions and provide direction. Conversation was broad—including sung pronunciation of words and tempo. Experienced as a teacher and clearly comfortable with the Harkness model, Siegfried suggested that the students decide how to resolve the last piece—whether to finish on an a cappella note or close with piano.Working with Turner, the students experimented, choosing an a cappella ending initially, and after rehearsing a bit more, returning to the composer’s original composition, which called for a piano ending. For Concert Choir member Tiffany Tuedor ’13, alto, the highlight of the project was being able to “ask the teachers and composer questions about the poems and music. I had a deeper understanding of the pieces after hearing from the artists directly. The product felt much more believable after the critique. I was very grateful to be a part of the performance and I hope that Mr. Siegfried and the poets were proud.” Tuedor’s favorite movement was “Surfer’s Eulogy” because of the “three very different pieces of music that intertwined together. The warm, rich tones of the humming choir and the crisp, articulate aspect of the chanting choir worked together to complement the piano.” “ ‘Three Horizons’ was a new experience,” says Theo Motzkin ’11, baritone. “It demonstrated how fluid music can be. Usually, you’re presented with a score, and you have to sing what’s written—but when you’re working on a piece that’s been specially commissioned for you, the execution is a little more flexible. . . .We didn’t really change anything in the end,
but the possibility was always there. Specially commissioned works allow for a different sort of relationship with the music; it felt like it somehow ‘belonged’ to us.” Although none of the poets had ever imagined their poetry set to music before the project, they were delighted with the results. “I was chilled and amazed by what Kevin did with the poem and the way the kids performed it,” says Miller. “Kevin really nailed the feelings I was going for.The sense of falling and yet some angelic uplifting ran underneath it. He and the singers raised a little poem “The resulting scratched in a notebook to something bigger than I ever musical work is envisioned it could be.” like an art gallery Miller adds, “Kevin’s composition and the work of Ryan wall ... ” and the choir helped to raise my poem a little bit out of its primordial muck to get closer to a heaven of song.” Sneeden—whose poem is in villanelle form and builds on the image of a surfer, now dead, paddling toward the horizon—felt a similar growth in his poem’s dimensions. “As a writer, I’m always working to dampen the stiffness of formality, to mute the mechanics. When the poem was sung, all of that seemed to break down; the poem’s essence became more mysterious, worked against all of that formality, the ‘rules’ I was obeying. I’ve always thought that music amplifies form (especially rhyming), but it was just the opposite. . . . For me, Kevin’s and Ryan’s work seemed to capture, literally and synaesthetically, the way that ocean waves fold into each other, overlap.” “Three Horizons” is PEA’s first commissioned original work of music to use lyrics by faculty poets. Jackie Thomas, who retired as Academy librarian in 2010, sponsored the project through funds from the Friends of the Academy Library. “Three Horizons” premiered on November 21, 2010 in Phillips Church. Turner conducted Exeter’s Concert Choir, with piano accompaniment by Radmila Repczynski. —Nicole Pellaton “Strange Land” by Todd Hearon is the title poem of his collection Strange Land, published in spring 2010.“Club Icarus” by Matt Miller will be published in the Harvard Review.“Surfer’s Eulogy” by Ralph Sneeden was published in Sneeden’s collection Evidence of the Journey, published in 2007.
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Where Kids Run the Show TA B L E TA L K W I T H J E N N I E N I L E S ’ 8 4 , F O U N D E R O F A N U R B A N D. C . P U B L I C C H A RT E R S C H O O L By Leah Williams
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eventually serving 1,200 students.With 21 percent of the student body English Language Learners, 62 percent qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and 85 percent students of color, E.L. Haynes is composed of students many might expect to underperform. “At E.L. Haynes we have a really diverse community of students—we strive to be what every public school in Amer ica should and could be,” says Niles.“We want to break down stereotypes of what urban schools are.” Niles doesn’t undercut the obstacles her students face due to the racial discrimination, poverty and tensions in their inner-city neighborhoods: “The resilience that our kids have is just remarkable. How they have the patience to come to school and try their hardest in the face of all sorts of things . . . .” But as formidable as these obstacles are,“none are determining factors in what they’re able to do,” she asserts.“We [at E.L. Haynes] have to counterbalance the real challenges kids have in life.” The arsenal she’s built to help combat these challenges— and tailor education to meet individual needs—includes a strong mental health team to assist students with traumas in their lives, inclusion teachers for those with disabilities and English Language Learner specialists. “You’re going to get there,” Niles tells her students, even if they require “training wheels, a temporary crutch, new glasses or just a different path altogether.” Niles considers encouragement from adults crucial. She believes too many students can sense adults’ skepticism about their abilities, often based on the mistaken philosophy that a student is born capable of achievement or isn’t.“I see every day that that’s not the case,” she says. Sensing an adult’s lack of faith can be “devastating to a little person,” she adds.“Kids respond to expectations.” Expecting students to act responsibly enables them to become “masters of their own destiny,” according to Niles, which
FRED CARLSON
ashington, D.C.’s public school system—notorious for being the lowest-performing in the country—still has trouble shaking its reputation three years after reforms have begun to enhance its status and numbers. Stories of high dropout rates, altercations between teachers and students, poor resources, run-down buildings and abysmal test scores persist, and wide achievement gaps dividing white and minority students and poor and affluent students remain. In such an atmosphere, the successes of D.C. public charter school E.L. Haynes stand in stark relief. According to founder and Head of School Jennie Niles ’84, since the urban school opened in 2004, the pioneer class of students, who first scored 30 percent proficient in the DC-CAS (comprehensive assessment system) tests in reading and math, is now at 76 percent proficiency in reading and 86 percent in math, with 43 percent scoring at the advanced level.The overall statistics for the school reflect the same trends. “All kids are capable of high academic achievement, and to date we [adults] have dramatically underserved kids—poor kids and kids of color in particular. . . . It’s us grown-ups who need to get ourselves organized around getting kids the right resources, at the right time, in the right way,” says Niles. She has been instrumental in helping students attain such resources.As one of the authors of D.C.’s winning application for funds from President Obama’s Race to the Top program, she helped the district gain $75 million. Nationwide, Obama has slotted $4.35 billion for states and districts planning significant educational reform. Requirements for the funds include improving staff recruitment and development, adopting rigorous standards and assessments, creating data systems that effectively measure student progress, and turning around failing schools.The D.C. team was one of only 12 winners last year. Niles’ school currently serves 600 students in grades pre-K through eighth but will soon expand to include high schoolers,
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includes not only facing the consequences of bad behavior “but also giving them voice in what’s not going right for them.” Her school uses a “guided discovery process,” slowly introducing students to different resources in the classroom—a set of crayons, for example—and agreeing to the limitations of their use. “For instance,” Niles says, “crayons don’t fly.” When students act responsibly, they are free to use the materials in the classroom at their own will. A welcoming atmosphere, another feature Niles thinks essential to student growth, is often absent from public schools that lack even basic resources. When the doors of E.L. Haynes open each morning, the principal is there to greet every student by name. Within the next few minutes, several teachers and staff members will do the same. “The teachers know the students individually . . . so they don’t feel like ‘I’m just another kid,’ ” says Niles. “For students’ development to take off, they need a sense of belonging and connection. . . . If something has upset them before they get to school, we need to know within five minutes so we can fix it and get them back on track.” Often what’s wrong is that a student hasn’t eaten, which is instantly remedied. But sometimes the problems are more troubling, in which case the mental health team is there to assist. Those first moments of greeting help build a strong community for students: “The more connections to the teacher and to the school, the better state they’re in . . . to learn,” says Niles. “There’s an intertwining of their lives with [the] adults’ here.” The importance of forming connections with those in need was the most influential lesson Niles took from her time at PEA. “Exeter’s non sibi is central to who I am,” she says.After graduating from PEA, Niles received her bachelor’s degree from Brown University. Confident that scientific literacy and non sibi were part of the ideal society she wanted to help forge, Niles began teaching science and directing service-learning programs in middle and high school. Moving into school administration and reform, Niles headed the Charter School Office for the Connecticut State Department of Education and then directed Education Initiatives at The Ball Foundation of Glen Ellyn, IL. She earned master’s degrees in Public and Private Management from Yale University and in Public Administration with a focus on Educational Administration from Trinity University. Then a yearlong fellowship with New Leaders for New Schools, a training program for educators to become urban principals, gave Niles the opportunity she had been waiting for: to build her own school from the ground up. A simple educational philosophy determined her plan of action. “What we need to do,” she explains, “is use whatever works.” Niles knew one step was fundamental: “We needed a group of very smart, capable people with a number of skill sets,” she says. After hiring a team of educators based on their instructional expertise and determination to do whatever it took to help all students achieve, the new founder gave them the directive “to beg, borrow and steal whenever we see what works.” Just six years later, E.L. Haynes has been the recipient of numerous accolades in addition to the Race to the Top funds its
founder helped win. The school earned D.C.’s first Fight for Children’s Quality Schools Initiative Award and has been a threetime recipient of the Silver-Gain Award from New Leaders for New Schools’ Effective Practice Incentive Community grant program, an award ranking the school among the top 10 in a consortium of 144 charter schools nationwide.
“ ... we strive to be what every public school in America should and could be.”
Everyday incidents constantly confirm Niles’ faith in her students’ initiative and potential. At the U.S.A. Science and Engineering Festival Expo on the National Mall in October, for instance, a group of her students had a booth showing how to make decorative paper from the recycling bin alongside exhibits by NASA and Harvard. Or when a teacher informed her that the school needed to change its curriculum because her students were ready for algebra a year ahead of schedule.And the observation by a seventh-grader on a University ofVirginia visit:“This is a beautiful campus, but I can see myself better at a small liberal arts college.” Then there’s Elijah.As Niles was trying to remember an inspirational Aristotle quote she thought he might appreciate for the back of their school uniforms, the eighth-grader assured her, “Oh, Ms. Niles, I’m cool with Aristotle.” “Developing the life of the mind is not often talked about in educational reform . . . mostly because . . . we’re making sure all the basic academic pieces are in place,” Niles says. Reflecting on PEA’s methods of empower ing student thought, she observes,“That’s what I want for Learn more all E.L. Haynes’ students. I can already see about the E.L. Haynes school how the Harkness method can shape our high at elhaynes.org. school program. I’ve even asked [PEA History Instructor] Rick Schubart how we can get the tables.” For many urban high schools, reaching 75 percent proficiency would be an impressive achievement, but Niles is setting her sights much higher: “We want our high school to be one of the best in D.C. or even the nation. I want our kids to be as well-prepared as Exeter [students] when they sit next to each other at college.” Her next goal: “Sending our first group of kids to college in 2015 and having them successfully complete it.” Ultimately, Niles wants to “have our graduates come back and teach for us, or they could just start helping to run the world.We know the kids can do it.We’re not shooting small.” WINTER 2011
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Exoniana D O YO U R E M E M B E R ? Marble steps lead to this mystery room, located in one of the Academy’s signature buildings. Renovated last year, the room retains a classic look but now features a state-of-the-art projection screen system hidden behind wood paneling and a projector that drops down from decorative ceiling molding. Can you identify the room and share memories from your time in it?
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A:The room in the mid-1950s.Trustees and faculty members often met here. B:The room in 2008. Now, an oversized Harkness table serves as the room’s centerpiece. Underneath it lies a Persian rug atop new hardwood flooring. Above it, a chandelier modeled after one depicted in an old photograph.
B
C: Last September, Phillip Buzzard, manager of custodial services, showed Principal Tom Hassan the new wood paneling, designed to mirror the room’s original woodwork. Email your responses to Exoniana@exeter.edu. Or, send them to Exoniana, c/o The Exeter Bulletin, Phillips Exeter Academy, Communications Office, 20 Main Street, Exeter, NH 03833-2460. Entries may be edited for length and clarity.
C
The Amos Alonzo Stagg stone monument sits near the baseball diamond.
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Answers to the Fall 2010 Issue:
N
o winners this time as Exonians
were off the beaten path and no one identified the Amos Alonzo Stagg stone monument located next to the baseball diamond. Stagg, a star baseball player at the Academy, graduated from the school in 1885 and went on to become a legendary college football coach. In 1962, as part of a national celebration to honor Stagg’s 100th birthday, the Academy named the baseball diamond after him. At the ceremony, the summer 1962 Exeter Bulletin article noted, “….Mr. Saltonstall made a brief address and reminded alumni and guests that Mr. Stagg had been captain of the 1884 baseball team; had
pitched against Andover; and had established a wide reputation as a baseball player before he was to gain international renown as a football coach.” Plain-withs Are Peanut Betweens
In Exoniana, pages 16 and 17 of the fall Bulletin, Russell Hunter ’43 refers to eating “plain-withs” in the old Grill, and the editor gives us a postscript telling us that a plain-with is a peanut butter sandwich with mayonnaise. Ten years later, when I was there, it was known as a “peanut between,” as noted on the following page, in the letter from Peter Aldrich ’62. I hope this clarification of nomenclature will alleviate the bewilderment of your readers. Darby Bannard ’52 Miami, FL
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Letters Miff Mole Addendum
I enjoyed Ketch Secor’s article about Ben Tench ’71. Ben is indeed an inspiration. I wanted to add an addendum to the Miff [not Myth] Mole Band’s personnel.The heart,soul and blues“mind”of the band was Mike “Mudcat”Ward ’72, who continues to be a very wellknown and respected blues musician. I believe there was a great picture or two of Mike playing bass in the ’71 yearbook. (Also, credit goes to Chuck Loeb ’71, our harmonica player for naming our band after Irving Milfred Mole, trombonist and bandleader.) To music! Doug Brown ’71 (drummer for the band) Lake View Terrace, CA
and my upper—heralded Oirolf P. Florio, with Tench on pretty much everything; a musically precocious prep named Peter Holsapple ’74 on the love of my life, a Gibson LP Jr.; [Will] “Balloon” Magoon ’71 on bass; with, at least part of the time, Bob “Masher”Williams ’72 providing “grease” in black leather
while maintaining an Olympian calm that unfortunately did nothing to assuage my adolescent turmoil or keep me from getting my ass tossed [out] for pot three days before the end of the year.The name “Kip” wanders in and out of my mind’s ears as I look at the photo, but my memory serves not. All that said, I thank Ketch
resenting America, won gold and bronze medals in an international math competition held halfway around the world. In this context,“finding new pathways toward a global education,” to quote your cover, seems vaguely ironic. Cliff Weber ’61 Portland, OR
A Groupie’s-Eye View
I read the article on BenTench ’71 with some interest, having been a negligible and undoubtedly rather annoying roadie/groupie/something whilst at PEA, and I noted a few not insignificant errors. First and foremost, it verges on heresy to speak of the Myth Mole Blues Band, which was actually Miff Mole, consisting ofTench (I seldom heard his first name); a remarkably hirsute fellow named Mike on bass; a head-shaven maniac named Chuck on harmonica; and, presumably, some guitarist or other. I first heard them outside the old stadium in the fields beyond, on a foul gray day in 1969–70, and a lifelong addiction to [the] blues was born [with] the words, “I got a sixpack of Schlitz . . . and the other kind shits . . . but I ain’t got you,” a send-up of theYardbirds. The next year—Ben’s senior
and what I can only hope was Brylcreem or something of the sort. Their rendition of MC5’s “Motor City” lodged itself in my brainpan, to torment me without respite through today, while “Smoke Gets inYour Eyes” provided cognitive dissonance. The photograph of Tench and Magoon is misleading in at least two ways. First, I remember it from that year’s PEAN as the only known sighting of Tench with (a) no beard, and (b) no vest or sport coat. Secondly, the third Exie in there is not Gary Humphrey ’71, who never had anything like that much hair. I was in Kirtland House with “the Hump” (he was proctor that year), and he eschewed all outward signs of rebellion
for a delightful glimpse of those years, and to Ben, I echo his inscription in my yearbook: “Cows and horses,Tench, cows and horses.” Alan Fahnestock ’72 Winthrop,WA
Ketch Secor’s article on Benmont Tench spurred memories, and corrections, regarding Tench’s musical roots at PEA.
More Coverage for Math Victory
With due allowance made for this writer’s years and for the likelihood that he is an antiquated curmudgeon surviving from Exeter’s Stone Age, it nevertheless was a little disappointing to find two full pages of your fall 2010 issue devoted to Exeter’s athletic teams, but only a slender column to the two seniors who, as members of an academic team repWINTER 2011
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Self-Help in Novel Form T H E A D H D E F F E C T O N M A R R I AG E : U N D E R S TA N D A N D R E B U I L D YO U R R E L AT I O N S H I P I N S I X S T E P S , B Y M E L I S S A O R L OV ’ 7 7 A review by E. Bruce Hallett III ’67
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Melissa Orlov ’77 offers a roadmap on how to recognize and address ADHD in a marriage.
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nglish majors like me are drawn to novels.We like to take the protagonist’s journey, experiencing the suffering, the self-discovery and the redemption, which are at the center of fiction.We like to speculate about what part of the journey is the author’s own. It is unlikely then that so many of the virtues of a fine novel are present in Melissa Orlov’s practical guide to an ADHD-stricken marriage.There is not much that is catchy about the title, The ADHD Effect on Marriage. Even the subtitle, Understand and Rebuild Your Relationship in Six Steps, makes the book sound painfully formulaic. But, dear reader, beneath this impenetrable veneer is a textured story of Melissa’s 20-year marriage to George Orlov, her brilliant,ADHD-afflicted husband. From a spectacular courtship to anger and dysfunction and finally to being “ridiculously happy,” Melissa ’77; P’09 shares her relationship with George in a story worthy of a novel but told in the language and frame of “how to.” The turning point in this book is its starting point—the discovery that George has ADHD, which is more widely known as attention deficit disorder (ADD). He loves his wife, but he’s so easily distracted away from his responsibilities in their marriage that Melissa’s confidence in his love erodes. Resentment and anger follow, and notwithstanding the presence of two children whom they both adore, the couple find themselves on the verge of divorce. Somewhat serendipitously, Melissa’s work as a marketing executive for Dr. Ned Hallowell ’68 leads her to the conclusion that it is not George, but George’s ADHD that has so injured their marriage. In a manner familiar to Exonians of so many stripes, she undertakes an intensive intellectual quest to learn about ADHD. What Melissa finds is that the impact of the condition in adults on a marriage is not especially well understood. For that reason alone, the publication of her book stirred a sensation of public attention. Melissa made appearances in places like the “Today” show and CNN’s “American Morning” and was interviewed by The NewYork Times and The Boston Globe, among others. Although she is not a trained psychologist, she brings enormous intellectual rigor to her inquiry. She parses the symptoms of ADHD in a marriage into a dozen patterns of behavior that she has found in her own marriage and in those of couples she has counseled. In different chapters, she considers, for example, the patterns: The Hyperfocus Courtship, The Parent-Child Dynamic,The Chore Wars, and Losing Faith inYour Spouse andYourself.The behaviors she describes are not confined to ADHD-afflicted marriages, but the sum of the symptoms creates a picture of a dismal marriage, understandably at the brink of collapse. But like a good novelist, Melissa navigates out of the dilemma. It is no easy trail she marks. Her path, the “Six Steps to a Better Relationship,” pushes her to the limits of her intelligence, her patience and, indeed, her love for George. She describes for the reader
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how to “cultivate empathy for your spouse.” She bravely confronts the breakdown and rehabilitation of their intimate relationship. She describes the tricky navigation through the emotional obstacles that make putting a bad relationship back together difficult.The work, she cautions, is hard and cannot be done by one partner without equal effort from the other. At one level, The ADHD Effect on Marriage is about exactly that. It is a good and useful tool for unraveling the symptoms and the impact of this challenging condition on a committed relationship. At anothShe parses the symptoms er level, it is a good and useful tool for maintaining or regaining the vitality of any enduring friendship or love. One cannot help but feel of ADHD in a marriage that Melissa’s six steps are just what’s required to keep any marriage into a dozen patterns happy and satisfying. It is the hard work of two people. She puts her hard work, and George’s, on display in this book. It’s of behavior ... hard not to root for them as the book progresses, and to cheer for them at its end, when they describe themselves as happier and more complete as a couple than they have ever been. And it’s hard not to finish the book without the same sense of satisfaction that comes with completing a good novel. E. Bruce Hallett III ’67; P’02, P’06, P’11 is a former PEA trustee and served as president of Time and Sports Illustrated magazines.
The Green Thumb Curriculum H OW T O G ROW A S C H O O L G A R D E N : A C O M P L E T E G U I D E F O R PA R E N T S A N D T E A C H E R S , B Y R AC H E L K AT H L E E N PRINGLE ’97 AND ARDEN BUCKLIN-SPORER A review by Jennifer Wilhelm, PEA sustainability education coordinator
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s a graduate student, my thesis research focused on how school garden programs can be used as a means of connecting students to the natural world.The book How to Grow a School Garden:A Complete Guide for Parents and Teachers, by Rachel Kathleen Pringle ’97 and Arden Bucklin-Sporer, would have been a great resource to have for that research.The authors begin by shaping the rationale for starting a school garden program, showing that gardens have been a part of the curriculum in many educational institutions since the 1700s, and they continue to offer students direct hands-on experiences through a “trial-and-error approach” to learning. School gardens are not only outdoor classrooms but also another means for public schools to meet state-mandated curriculum standards. WINTER 2011
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What makes this book especially useful for teachers is the inclusion of lesson plans, example With a garden, students see program evaluation forms, recipes, and the basics for how to grow, maintain and harvest crops. firsthand how food is grown and Alongside bright, colorful pictures are sidebars harvested, and then learn how filled with helpful lists such as, “garden rules for safety and courtesy,” “class management tips,” to cook healthy meals . . . “seed-saving” ideas, “a yearly garden budget,” “quick steps to prepare for a cooking day,” and other easily overlooked aspects of managing a school garden program. Adding another project to a teacher’s plate can seem overwhelming, but Pringle and Bucklin-Sporer make it clear that it’s not necessarily more work but a shift in lesson planning. With a garden, students see firsthand how food is grown and harvested, and then learn how to cook healthy meals with fresh, unprocessed vegetables—which can fulfill health education requirements. Oftentimes, students gain a sense of place from being in a garden, which can expand their interest in the natural world and help them to think critically on a global scale, according to the authors. Measuring rainfall, for example, leads to a long-term study of weather patterns, which leads to a broader discussion about the difference between weather and climate. While teachers will utilize a garden during the school year, what happens in the summer during peak harvest times? It should not be forgotten that this book serves as a guide for both teachers and parents, as parent volunteers often help oversee the garden year-round. In fact, parents Co-author and environcan be involved with most aspects of a mental educator Rachel school garden, from initiating the creKathleen Pringle ’97 grew up on a farm in ation of one at their child’s school to rural Maine. planting, harvesting and cooking the produce. The authors also point to a school’s residential neighbors, as well as after-school groups, local garden clubs and community garden organizations as resources for garden management. The authors thoroughly take readers from research, planning and working with community members to designing the garden, breaking ground and troubleshooting the typical challenges teachers and parents might encounter during the process. If you want to work with your child’s school to build a few raised beds or start a small farm with chickens, this book can help. Given Pringle’s experience growing up on a rural farm in Maine, teaching environmental education for almost a decade, and working as the programs manager for the San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance, she knows what it takes to work with a variety of different stakeholders to make a school garden successful. How to Grow a School Garden is an excellent blueprint that deftly demonstrates both the challenges and rewards of bringing students and gardening together. Jennifer Wilhelm is the Academy’s sustainability education coordinator and also manages the school garden and the on-campus secondhand store. She holds a Master of Science degree in natural resources, environmental conservation from the University of New Hampshire.
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Alumni/ae are urged to advise the Exonians in Review editor of their own publications, recordings, films, etc., in any field, and those of classmates.Whenever possible, authors and composers are encouraged to send one copy of their books and original copies of articles to Edouard Desrochers ’45, ’62 (Hon.), the editor of Exonians in Review, Phillips Exeter Academy, 20 Main Street, Exeter, NH 03833.
ALUMNI/AE 1952—Charles W. Pratt.
From the Box Marked Some Are Missing: New & Selected Poems. (Hobblebush Books, 2010)
1966—Carl E.Walter
and Fraser J.T. Howie. Red Capitalism:The Fragile Financial Foundation of China’s Extraordinary Rise. (Wiley, 2010)
1977—Melanie Bone.
1953—Peter M.Wolf. Land Use and Abuse in America:A Call to Action. (Xlibris, 2010)
Cancer:What Next? (Healthy Learning, 2010) 1978—Dean Erickson.
Choose Your Story, Choose Your Life. (CreateSpace, 2010)
1954—Rennie McQuilkin. The Weathering.
[poems]. (Antrim House, 2009)
1962—Sa Pereira, Edward. The Grave Gourmet,
by Alexander Campion (pseud). (Kensington Books, 2010) 1966—D. David Eisenhower II with Julie Nixon
Eisenhower. Going Home to Glory:A Memoir of a Life with Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961-1969. (Simon & Schuster, 2010) 1966—Peter Thompson, translator, and others. A Passenger from the West by Nabile Farès. (UNO Press, 2010)
decision.” IN Library Student Journal. (October 2010) FORMER BENNETT FELLOW Kate Bernheimer. Horse,
Flower, Bird: Stories. (Coffee House Press, 2010) —, editor. My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me: Forty New Fairy Tales. (Penguin Books, 2010)
1983—Corey S. Shdaimah. Negotiating
1958—Winslow Myers
with foreword by Brian Swimme. Living Beyond War:A Citizen’s Guide. (Orbis Books, 2009)
1971—Mark Sisson.The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram Your Genes for Effortless Weight Loss,Vibrant Health, and Boundless Energy. (Primal Nutrition, Inc., 2009)
Justice: Progressive Lawyering, Low-Income Clients, and the Quest for Social Change. (NYU Press, 2009) 1967—Jonathan Galassi,
translator. Canti: Poems by Giacomo Leopardi. (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010) 1971—Joyce Maynard.
The Good Daughters:A Novel. (William Morrow, 2010)
1984—Raymond Farrin.
Abundance from the Desert: Classical Arabic Poetry. (Syracuse University Press, 2010) 1994—Abigail Roberts
and Wilfred E. Major. Plato: A Transitional Reader. (Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, 2010)
Calling all reviewers! If you are a book, music or film buff interested in the latest works by fellow Exonians, then consider becoming a reviewer for the Bulletin.You can pick the genre and medium to review. Email edesrochers@ exeter.edu for more information.
BRIEFLY NOTED 1984—Randall Studstill.
“A student’s right to receive information in the public school library: An exploration of the Supreme Court’s Pico
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PEA’s
Green Eggs and Ham How Dining Services is serving up sustainability DINING AND BAKERY PHOTOS, CHERYL SENTER; MAP PHOTO, D. NELSON; POTATOES, ISTOCK
By Karen Ingraham
I
n a letter to Principal Tom Hassan last March, Kara Lessin ’11 opened with what she had for lunch that day: a grilled chicken breast taken from Elm Street Dining Hall’s hot food line. What she wanted to know, she told Hassan, was where that chicken had come from.
She wanted to imagine the animal had lived “a mildly happy life in a coop with sunny windows and enough exercise and nutritious food [so] its legs could support its body.” She also wanted to believe the mileage between farm (or slaughterhouse) and Exeter had been minimal and, thus, the carbon footprint small. WINTER 2011
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What Lessin ultimately wanted, she explained, was for Dining Services to purchase more locally produced or grown foods in order to provide menu options for people like her who wished to lead a “locavore” lifestyle on campus. Five months later, a new fixture was added to the Sunday Brunch lineup at Elm Street: the Sustainable Omelet Station.The whisked organic eggs come from certified, humanely raised hens that roost in a cage-free barn 146 miles north of Exeter. The cheese, born from a cooperative of 1,200Vermont dairy farmers, originates 169 miles away in Cabot,VT; and the bacon is smoked in Claremont, NH, 98 miles north of the Academy. The chicken that students might add to their omelets comes from a NewYork poultry distributor, which partners with family farms in Lancaster County, PA. The chickens on those farms are fed an all-natural, all-vegetable diet with no antibiotics and roam freely in their barns. The Sustainable Omelet Station is, in part, an outcome of Lessin’s letter, and the letters written by her fellow classmates for their final project in the biology class Human Populations and Resource Consumption: Implications for Sustainability. After discussing issues related to the world’s food resources with Science Instructor Anne Rankin ’92, Lessin and her cohorts decided to take a closer look at the food on campus, particularly where it
TOP, CHERYL SENTER; LEFT, ISTOCK
Students often have access to food purchased from any of the 50 local food suppliers and farmers who sell to PEA.
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comes from.Their efforts yielded a spring meeting organized by Hassan, which the students attended along with the Academy’s nutritionist and dietician, Pam Stuppy, and Director of Dining Services Ward Ganger. Since that roundtable discussion, Ganger continues to keep sustainability at the fore as he works with his Dining Services team to purchase, make and serve a minimum of 16,000 meals every week.
Farm to Fork Like “green” or “eco-friendly,” the words “sustainable” or “sustainability” have become “blockbuster words that are often misused,” according to PEA Sustainability Education Coordinator Jennifer Wilhelm. She cites the Brundtland Commission, a body convened by the United Nations in 1983 to address global environmental concerns, in defining a thing or action as sustainable if it “supports the needs of current generations without compro-
What Lessin ultimately wanted, she explained, was for Dining Services to purchase more locally produced or grown foods ... . mising the needs of future generations.” In terms of food purchasing, that has translated to a national “buy local” or “farm to fork” grass-roots movement in recent years, with the number of farmers’ markets in the U.S. nearly doubling between 1998 and 2009, from 2,756 to 5,274, according to USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. Buying local foods not only strengthens local economies and helps protect small farms from development, it also leads to fresher, better-tasting food grown under conditions that are more transparent than commercially produced food. Public and independent schools alike have increasingly become part of the “buy local” trend. The National Farm to School Network reports that individual farm to school programs, where schools purchase from and build relationships with local farmers, has grown See which local from two schools in 1996–97 to 2,095 food suppliers schools nationwide in 2009. PEA partners PEA is committed to purchasing from with at www. local far mers when feasible. Ganger exeter.edu/sustain works with the school’s wholesale fruit ablevendors. and produce supplier, M. Saunders Inc. in Somersworth, NH, to buy local, in-season WINTER 2011
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produce from nine New Hampshire farms. “[But] we have to buffer that with latitude and longitude,” Ganger notes.The short growing season is limiting; so too is the fact that the school is not in session during some of the peak harvest times. A third challenge is the sheer volume of produce needed on a daily basis.“If we need, say, 200 pounds of broccoli, maybe we are able to get 160 pounds from local farmers,” Ganger says. “The other 40 pounds will then come from other areas of the country.” Dining sustainably at PEA, therefore, must go far beyond purchasing local produce.“We have to look at other agribusiness that is more year-round, like dairy, meat and grains,” Ganger says. “When we start looking at expanding the farm to fork model, we [also] start looking at the food processing.” This includes foods that are shipped raw but milled locally. It’s important to consider for a moment what “local” really means. An oft-quoted statistic, which originated from a 2001 study at Iowa State University’s Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, is that, on average, a typical food item in the U.S. will travel 1,500 to 2,400 miles from farm to plate. It’s safe to conclude that a head of lettuce grown in Arizona or California— where 98 percent of commercial lettuce originates—and trucked
“When possible, we will always buy a healthier product that is sustainable in either its origins or in its proximity ... .” nearly 3,000 miles to New Hampshire is not local.A 2010 study by the USDA, however, concluded that “there is no consensus on a definition in terms of distance between production and consumption” and that “definitions related to geographic distance between production and sales vary by regions, companies, consumers, and local food markets.” The U.S. Congress does, however, provide some guidelines in the 2008 Food, Conservation, and Energy Act, which defines the term “locally or regionally produced agricultural food product” as anything grown and then transported less than 400 miles from its origin, or anything sold within the state where it is produced.The flour used in the Academy Bake Shop’s made-from-scratch sandwich breads, rolls, pastries and desserts is a case in point. Milled in Norwich,VT (108 miles from PEA), or Westport, NY (226 miles), the flours, many of which are organic, are used in foods that appear on nearly every breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. The biggest challenge, Ganger says, is “finding these little
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Last fall, when most New England vegetable gardens lay fallow, Hannah Ziff ’13 was planting spinach, mesclun and yukina savoy seeds in PEA’s organic community garden. The Farm and Garden Club co-head was hoping that she and other club members would have fresh salad greens long after the first hard frost blanketed the ground. Two cold frames built last winter by members of MECexeter, the Academy’s engineering club, enabled the longer growing season, which is a first-time experiment. The wood and Plexiglas structures—think miniature greenhouses—sit atop the soil and provide plants with insulation and frost protection. “Our climate presents some challenges for growing food,” Jennifer Wilhelm, PEA’s sustainability education coordinator and the club’s adviser, says.“Using cold frames in the school garden helps to educate the community about a means for extending the growing season. In terms of eating locally produced foods, it’s important to remember that to some extent, we need to eat with the seasons.” For Ziff, the 4-year-old garden—originally the brainchild of JY Lee ’08—is a hands-on teaching aid. After becoming a member of the Farm and Garden Club, Ziff “began to see that people had no idea how to plant a seed or how to react to the garden, but after about an hour, they were completely at home in their environment and with what they were doing. “Being in the garden opens up conversations about how our food is produced, where it comes from and how different processes of food production happen,” she adds. The club, according to Ziff, will continue to incorporate agricultural techniques like the cold frames to expand yields and growing seasons, and she is hopeful that the garden will eventually be large enough to provide, on a small scale,some produce for the dining halls.
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CHERYL SENTER
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Elm Street Dining Hall will have a trayless system next fall, which should help to reduce food waste.
gems”—food products not only produced locally but also competitively priced. Oftentimes, he says, a local source can be less expensive or on par with the larger commercial brands.Take your average hot dog. PEA had been purchasing a well-known brand’s hot dogs, which have nitrates and nitrites and ship from Chicago (1,037 miles from PEA). Ganger discovered a smaller brand, in Bridgewater, NJ (308 miles), that sells uncured, humanely-raised, antibiotic-free, all-beef hot dogs at a comparable price. The switch was made. Ganger also found the Cheddar cheese from Cabot,VT, cost 3 cents less per pound than the cheese being supplied by a larger distributor. And what about the chicken at the Sustainable Omelet Station? The 10-ounce airline breast portions Ganger regularly buys for the dining halls and uses exclusively at catering functions can cost 10 to 15 cents less per pound than the proprietary-labeled chicken from a national food distributor. “Food purchasing at PEA must be done on a case-by-case basis,” says Ganger, who partners with more than 50 local food suppliers and farmers. “When possible, we will always buy a healthier product that is sustainable in either its origins or in its proximity to PEA. We will, however, continue to be limited by sourcing, pricing and the degree (continued on page 103) WINTER 2011
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Innovativ By Katherine Towler
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JEAN-FRANCOIS PODEVIN
Six alumni/ae and their game-changing inventions
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Thomas Edison said
that to invent, you need “a good imagination and a pile of junk.”The Exeter graduates assembled here have all been gifted with imagination. If there’s a common theme in their life stories, it can be found in a refusal to accept things as they are and an ability to ask,“What if?”As for the piles of junk, though some of the inventors and innovators we have chosen to profile do not literally work with stuff that happens to be lying around, all of them demonstrate an admirable ability to mine their passions—whether it’s power sources for motors or neurosurgery—and take them in uncharted directions.These visionaries bring together disparate strands in surprising ways and are not fixed in their thinking, about their work or their lives.What makes them inventors, first and foremost, is their openness to change. The inventions represented by this group of Exeter alumni/ae range from ones that enhance our enjoyment of common pastimes (better sound quality in FM stereo systems) to ones that save lives (image-guided surgery). They include the ubiquitous (cell phone technology) and the academic (new approaches to algebraic geometry).They point to the future (innovative solar panels) and offer solutions to old problems (optics that protect soldiers in battle). They span more than a half-century of innovation, from electrical motors to the complex application of computer technology.We salute these Exeter graduates for their accomplishments and contributions toward making our lives better.
ive Exonians BRIAN CROWLEY
David Mumford ’53 was presented with the National Medal of Science, the nation’s highest honor in science, by President Obama in a ceremony at the White House this fall. Though he knew he had been nominated, he forgot all about the award until he received a background check request from the FBI. Official word followed, and he went in search of a tuxedo that is “not frequent attire” for him. “Often the award goes to a younger person who has done something spectacular,” he says.“Mathematicians tend to have more cumulative accomplishments.” Mumford’s “cumulative accomplishments” are many. He is best known for inventing geometric invariant theory, a key tool in the study of geometric structures.This innovation fundamentally changed algebraic geometry and garnered him the prestigious Fields Medal, the equivalent of a Nobel Prize in mathematics, and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. There are likely As a student at Exeter, Mumford was focused on physics and astronomy, and built other noteworthy a computer in the attic of the old Thompson Science Building using relays from Exonian inventors World War II.“I screwed the relays into plywood and hooked them up,” he recalls.“It who also deserve was very primitive, but it could add basic numbers.”The results of the computations mention. If you are were recorded on paper tape. Mumford submitted the project to the Westinghouse an inventor, or know Science Talent Search contest and was a finalist. He was unable to get the computer of one, please email to work at the exhibit in Washington and, while on display back at Exeter, the device bulletin@exeter.edu caught fire when a spark hit the paper tape.“I felt my future lay in theoretical science with a brief descripat that point,” Mumford says with a laugh. tion. We will run a A course in quantum field theory at Harvard convinced him that he was not a list of these Exonians physicist, and he turned to mathematics. Mumford completed his undergraduate and their creations degree and Ph.D. at Harvard, and joined the Harvard faculty. After 20 years of work in the spring issue of in pure mathematics, he left Harvard to teach at Brown, where he embarked on projthe Bulletin.
David Mumford ’53, inventor of geometric invariant theory, is currently working on the history of mathematics.
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ects in neurobiology and pattern theory. His encounters with the late, renowned mathematician Benoît Mandelbrot and his work with fractals spurred Mumford to explore new directions. He taught himself computer programming languages and in his words,“got into the game.” Mumford helped found an interdisciplinary program in Brain Science at Brown and worked on computer vision. His interest in pattern theory came into play here, as it is through pattern recognition that computers can be trained to “see.”“Computers still haven’t mastered the capabilities of human vision, though we’re getting closer,” he explains.“Computers can pick faces out of an image, but a face recognition system that could be used to identify individuals hasn’t been perfected yet.” Mumford predicts wide applications for computer vision in the next 10 years. Now a professor emeritus at Brown, Mumford is working on the history of mathematics, in particular the contributions of mathematicians in India and China.The author of numerous articles and books, Mumford has most recently co-authored Indra’s Pearls:The Vision of Felix Klein and Pattern Theory:The Stochastic Analysis of Real-World Signals. Whether his focus is pure math or applied, or the history of the field, a clear thread runs through Mumford’s work. “It’s the beautiful, elegant structures in math that appeal to me, the patterns. Some are connected to the real world, some not, but they are all very real to mathematicians.”
“It’s the beautiful, elegant structures in math that appeal to me, the patterns.”
tor to see how it worked and making his own fireworks in Wolfeboro, NH. At Exeter, he blew a hole through the window ledge of his Dunbar dorm room and was dubbed Abbott “Nitrogen Triiodide” Lahti by his chemistry teacher, John Hogg. But Lahti was just as interested in building things as he was in seeing them explode. He constructed a replica of a Boston & Maine steam engine while he was at Exeter and a racing sports car when he was an undergraduate at Harvard. For many years, he held the hillclimbing record at Ascutney Mountain, which he established in that car.“I just kept going from there,” he says. “Inventing is like a disease.” After majoring in engineering science and applied physics at Harvard, Lahti served in the Navy as an atomic weapons delivery officer.“I reached my pinnacle with explosives there,” he notes dryly. He went on to a career in engineering, inventing and business that focused on projects closer to home: perfecting hi-fi systems and electronics for the hobby industry. He is co-holder of one of the original patents on FM stereo demodulation using phase lock loop (PLL) techniques, issued in 1965. He worked as the chief engineer for a couple of hi-fi companies and with research and development firms doing military work.With the latter, he was part of the team under contract to Raytheon to develop a communications system for the Apollo missions. In 1971, Lahti established his own company, Power Systems Inc. (PSI), whose signature product was Dynatrol, a command-and-control system for simultaneously and independently controlling a number of electric motors from dispersed stations. Used with model train sets, the control system allows more than one engine at a time to operate on a single piece of track and can control 18 locomotives at a time. Now such systems are operated digitally, but a number of model train enthusiasts and collectors still use Lahti’s.Two patents were issued to Lahti in the 1970s and ’80s for his motor power source and control systems. Lahti holds a few other patents, including one for moisture control of dry-cleaning systems and one for a fuel contamination sensor used to monitor jet fuel in airplanes. In 2000, he sold PSI, though at the age of 80 he can hardly be described as retired. He still has a workshop above his three-bay garage and continues to tinker with various projects, including the construction of an electric-powered, radio-controlled model airplane. He and his wife are avid hikers and skiers who take to the trails whenever the weather is right.They became ski instructors in their 60s and only gave up giving ski lessons a few years ago. “Today everything is on the computer,” Lahti says about his lifelong passion for inventing.“I like the oldfashioned approach.You glue things together and solder them. If you make a mistake, you see smoke. Now you just get an error message on the computer screen.”
Peter Jones ’65 was out bird-watching when he noticed that birds hidden in thick brush leapt into relief when
he raised the binoculars to his eyes. This got him thinking about similar situations where more might be at stake, such as soldiers looking for enemy combatants. If the soldiers used military optics to do so, though, potential reflections could give away their position.There must be a way, he speculated, to hide those reflections. The result of this train of thought was a patent for an anti-reflection device that fits over binoculars and gun sights—and the start of his company,Tenebraex Corp. 28
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COURTESY OF ABBOTT LAHTI ’48
Abbott Lahti ’48 prefers the handson method of inventing, rather than relying upon computers.
Abbott Lahti ’48 got his start as an inventor taking a generator off a trac-
COURTESY OF LINDSAY WEAVER ’71
COURTESY OF PETER JONES ’65
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“Life offers a lot of opportunities to be creative,” Jones says. “That’s what motivates me, whether it’s photography or inventing or cooking.” Jones discovered the first of many creative pursuits at Exeter, where a course in architecture and a charismatic teacher, Steve Demos, convinced him he wanted to be an architect. He was pursuing this career at Wesleyan when he took up photography as part of a project documenting streetscapes.The recession in the early 1970s made him rethink his choice of architecture. Instead, he became a professional photographer working for corporate clients that included Polaroid and traveling around the world on photo shoots for annual reports. Jones and a collaborator received a patent for an architectural model camera that could shoot architectural models and make them look like real structures. The camera used Polaroid film and was marketed by Polaroid. Jones enjoyed this inventing challenge, but he saw that photography was headed for major changes with the advent of digital technology and embarked on a new career with the establishment of his company. Founded in 1993,Tenebraex has developed and marketed a range of products that make use of optical technology. Jones has sold close to 2 million of his anti-reflection devices to branches of the U.S. and NATO military. He has invented a color night-vision system that allows medics in particular to function in the dark, when combat often occurs, and eyePilot, a software tool for colorblind computer users. Altogether he holds 13 patents. His research includes reading four newspapers a day. “We’re aggressive generalists in this company,” Jones notes. “We’re successful by casting a wide net for knowledge.”The company employs 60 people, many of whom may be called into a brainstorming session. Its newest product, released a year ago, is a surveillance camera that sees 180 degrees without distortion.The camera has received numerous awards, is in use at the Museum of Modern Art in NewYork, and has attracted interest from big retailers and defense and national security agencies. “I’ve got a lot of hats to wear,” Jones says of his work.“I spend 40 to 50 percent of my time on engineering and innovation, the rest on management, but I look forward to coming to work every day.You need to learn as much as you can about lots of weird bits of stuff because that’s what will allow you to solve a problem that needs to be solved.”
Peter Jones ’65 holds a Digital Window 180° video camera.
Lindsay “Butch” Weaver Jr. ’71 says it was his work as a graduate student in bioengineering at Mass General Hospital, looking at new ways to measure cardiac output in the operating room, that prepared him to revolutionize cell phone technology.“When you’re putting a person to sleep for surgery, you need to monitor all the parts of the body,” he explains. “Measuring the temperature variations of blood in the arteries coming from the heart requires the same kind of math as figuring out electrical noise in digital communication. It was a direct jump from one to the other.” Weaver g rew up in Metropolis, IL (population: 6,500), and spent summers on his uncle’s farm in Virginia, where he learned to grab a couple of pieces of Lindsay Weaver ’71 helped revosteel in the barn and put lutionize cell phone technology. them together to make farm implements.As a child, he says, he was “always making things.” His enrollment at Exeter gave him a wider view of the world and a head start in math and science (he took five physics courses).“MIT was easy compared to Exeter,” he remembers.“I was able to take a five-course load instead of four as an undergraduate because of my background at Exeter.This really made a difference when I moved into industry.” Weaver completed his B.A. and M.A. degrees at MIT in electrical engineering and computer science. In 1986, he was one of the early employees to join Qualcomm, a communications startup whose technology
“Understanding the big picture of how things work is what you need to be an inventor.”
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made the widespread adoption of the cell phone possible.Analog cell phones the size of bricks were being used at the time. Weaver and the engineering team at Qualcomm developed Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), which was adopted as the standard for wireless communication. He became executive vice president of engineering at Qualcomm and oversaw research projects at its engineering design center in Boulder, CO. Today, Qualcomm holds more than 13,000 patents for wireless technologies, with more than 180 telecommunications equipment manufacturers licensing them worldwide.Weaver’s name is on 59 of those patents, the highest total of any Qualcomm employee. “We knew that the cell phone would be a common device,” Weaver says. “But we were surprised at how it penetrated the market.The fact that middle school students would have cell phones and be distracted by texting in class—we didn’t see that extent of saturation.” Weaver confesses that one of his joys these days is to get to places where there is no cell phone service. Weaver left Qualcomm a few years ago to devote time to the Oreg Foundation, which he established. He describes his foundation work as small-scale philanthropy focused on environmental issues and serving Jewish communities. Oreg’s projects include establishing a community campus for the Boulder Jewish community and education projects in Israel that bring together Israeli and Palestinian youths. Though he’s no longer part of an engineering team,Weaver continues to think like an inventor. “Understanding the big picture of how things work is what you need to be an inventor,” he says.“I like figuring out how to put a puzzle together to solve a problem and maybe discovering a few pieces of the puzzle that make a difference.”
“I’ve always looked through the lens of art and design. Applying it to alternative energy just made sense.”
Teresita Cochran ’93 and her brother, Samuel Cabot Cochran, in front of their display at MoMA.
Teresita Cochran ’93 remembers a childhood full of conversations about how things worked. Her father, an
COURTESY OF TERESITA COCHRAN ’93
architect, purchased old buildings in St. Louis and renovated them himself. Her mother, a native of India, could fix just about anything.“My brother and I were always challenging each other to come up with inventions,” she recalls.“He would ask me,‘What if you had a car that was a boat too?’ ” Now their inventions are no longer theoretical. Cochran and her brother, Samuel, have their own startup company producing miniature solar panels that look and behave like natural ivy on a building’s walls. Cochran started out thinking she would become a photographer after taking a course with Steve Lewis in her prep year at Exeter.At the Rhode Island School of Design, she intended to focus primarily on photography, but her studies took her in other directions, incorporating web design and video and interactive media. After college, Cochran returned to St. Louis to work as an AmeriCorps volunteer on affordable housing initiatives. As part of her efforts in one downtown neighborhood, she helped create a wildlife habitat near the Mississippi River. “I did research on solar lighting and wind turbines to light the area at night and pump water for our plantings,” she says.“I realized there were simple ways to access wind and solar power that didn’t require working with municipalities.” For graduate school, Cochran chose the Interactive Telecommunications Program at New York University, which brought together her interests in art, design, technology and the environment. She founded a listserv called SMIT (Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology) to explore ways to develop alternative energy sources in urban landscapes. For her thesis, she put together a plan to create a business out of SMIT. At the same time, her brother was completing a degree in industrial design at Pratt. His thesis involved creating prototypes of solar panels that would function like ivy. “Even though we lived six blocks apart in Brooklyn, we didn’t realize we were dabbling in the same field until we both made our
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COURTESY OF RICHARD BUCHOLZ ’70
thesis presentations. It was serendipitous,” Cochran says.The brother-andsister team received a grant from the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA), and made a model of the solar panels that was featured in a 2008 show at the Museum of Modern Art.The piece is now part of MoMA’s permanent collection. In 2009,“solar ivy,” as they call the invention, was featured in The NewYork Times as an “Idea of theYear.” After serving as CEO of SMIT for three years, Cochran is staying closer to home to care for her two young children. She continues to manage public relations while her brother and two employees work on bringing the product to market. In the next few years, Cochran anticipates perfecting solar ivy so that the cost is lowered and wind power capabilities are incorporated as well.“I’ve always looked at the world through the lens of art and design,” Cochran says. “Applying it to alternative energy just made sense.” In 1967, the first teletype computer terminal was installed at Exeter. Richard Bucholz, M.D. ’70 remembers signing up to work at the station in Phillips Hall in 15-minute segments and recording his programs, written in BASIC, on tape. “This was my first introduction to digital computers, and it had a transformative effect on my outlook and thinking,” he says.“I became aware of the true power of these computational devices.” Bucholz, a professor of neurosurgery at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, is recognized internationally for his pioneering work in developing and implementing image-guided surgery using computer technology. His systems allow neurosurgeons to operate more accurately and effectively. He holds 28 patents and has seen his inventions become the standard for brain surgery worldwide. Bucholz, who took every science course offered at Exeter except astronomy, enteredYale with an interest in atomic physics, but in a required course in biology, he discovered that he enjoyed doing a frontal lobotomy on a snail.“I found that I was quite dexterous,” he recalls.“And I was faster than anyone else in the class.” He switched to molecular biochemistry and biophysics, finished his undergraduate work in three years, and enrolled in medical school atYale. For his graduate thesis, he connected a cat’s brain to a computer and demonstrated a direct connection between impacting a site in the cerebellum and a reaction in the spinal cord.“This was a basic science experiment. I never expected it to become clinically relevant, but I do a similar clinical procedure now to help Parkinson’s patients.” As a neurosurgery resident performing his first operations on epilepsy patients, Bucholz was frustrated by the primitive nature of the tools he had for recording seizures in the brain before proceeding with intervention. “We were using a frame that looks like a medieval torture device.The surgeries were long and tedious. I thought there had to be a better way.” In 1983, Bucholz moved to St. Louis and, in a workshop in his home, began perfecting a computer system for use in the operating room that would track the position of a probe within a patient’s brain. It was not until 1987 that he had enough computer power to pull images into the operating room “without bringing in a computer the size of two washing machines.” He conducted his first image-guided surgery in 1990, and the system was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1996.Today Medtronic sees $100 million in annual sales of the system. Bucholz is currently part of a team of 80 investigators at the start of a five-year project to create a wiring diagram of the human brain in its normal state, an achievement that would be similar to the mapping of the human genome. At a cost of $30 million, it is the largest neuroscience project ever funded by the National Institutes of Health. “The wiring of the human brain is the seat of the soul,” Bucholz says.“If we know how a normal brain is wired and can determine how an abnormal brain differs, we can correct the problem through surgical intervention.” Bucholz adds that he has always seen himself as a problem solver.“When I see a problem, I think of how technology can solve it.”
Richard Bucholz ’70 began developing a computer system in his home workshop that could track a probe in a patient’s brain.
... he discovered he enjoyed doing a frontal lobotomy on a snail.
KatherineTowler is a former Bennett Fellow and frequent contributor to the Bulletin. Her third novel, Island Light, was published in 2010.
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Sports
PEA Water Polo Has Teams Seeing Double By Mike Catano
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MIKE CATANO (3)
e can excuse opposing varsity water polo teams for thinking they saw double when taking on Exeter’s team during the fall term—thanks to the 6-foot-5-inch Reavill twins in Exeter’s starting lineup. Strangely enough, despite being identical twins, Brooks and Avery, uppers who hail from Windsor, CT, shoot with opposite hands. Brooks remarked that this seemed destined as one area of difference that began as early as the twins’ birth. “I was born with a broken left arm and Avery was born with a broken right arm,” he says.“We were tangled up, and the doctors had to break our arms during the delivery to get us apart.” He added,“A doctor told me that I wasn’t supposed to be a lefty. I probably just started using something like a crayon with my left hand and things went from there, even though I’m right-eye dominant.” Whatever the cause, polo Coach Don Mills appreciates the boys’ versatility.“Having lefty and righty shooters is an enormous advantage because you can put each one on opposite sides [of the pool] and they’re both shooting from their strong side.” Ideally, players want to shoot the ball using the hand toward the midline of the pool because it gives a better angle on the goal. The Reavills’ size and athleticism were instrumental in shaping this year’s team. Avery, named to the 2009 AllNew England Tournament water polo team as a goalie, was pleased when Mills pulled him from goaltending at the start of the season, letting Avery (left) and him play opposite from Brooks.“I think field is a lot more fun because you’re moving Brooks Reavill will be co-captains of the more and you no longer are a target for the shooting balls,” Avery says.The positional 2011 varsity water shift was made possible by the rapid development of 6-foot-6-inch Max Drach ’13, who polo team. emerged as a strong goalie. Avery typically plays the hole defense, defending against the opposing player closest to Exeter’s goal, who is usually the most prolific scorer. Brooks plays the outside point defense, pressuring the ball farthest from the goal. When the team switches to offense, Brooks will sprint ahead on the coun“In a way, you are playing terattack and frequently assumes the offensive hole position, while Avery assumes the outside point position. “Brooks and I have great communicaagainst yourself, and it tion and we can anticipate what each of us is going to do and where we’re makes you push yourself going to be in the water,” says Avery. Such innate teamwork certainly has an impact. “They are a big part of as hard as you can.” the team and definitely part of our attack,” Mills says.“They are big and tall and really good shooters. No question that they’ve produced the most offense for us.”
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In spite of the obvious advantages of playing with his brother, Brooks admits to some hurdles during practice. “Coach usually pairs us up on opposite teams, which is really frustrating because you can’t get away with anything,” he says. “You go against this person who is exactly as good as you.This means you can’t pull any tricks on him because he knows what you are going to do.” He does, however, see a benefit: “In a way, you are playing against yourself, and it makes you push yourself as Avery (left) and hard as you can.”Avery agrees, adding,“I think that we may have a little bit of a rivalry, Brooks can anticibut it definitely strengthens the team because we try and push each other in practice.” pate each other's The twins’ athleticism makes them important contributors to the swim team, where moves, a key advanthey are among the fastest freestyle swimmers in the prep league, and to varsity crew, tage for the team. where they have consecutive seats on the first boat of eight. You might think that with all the shared activities, the twins would enjoy some time apart.This doesn’t seem to be the case. Although they now have separate rooms in the same dorm, they were roommates during their prep year. Brooks thinks this worked out well.“We’d basically been roommates for our entire life,” he explains.“As roommates in Peabody Hall, we’d be tired from the same sports; we had the same amount of homework; and we both needed to take care of the same things. There were no conflicts because we didn’t have to worry about offending each other.There wasn’t any transition period adjusting to dorm living. We just had to get used to the work here.” Their closeness has benefited their teams as Big Red Scores a Three-peat! well as themselves during what can be a series nder clear blue skies on hostile Big of demanding athletic seasons. “You always Blue turf, Exeter dominated the 130th have someone who knows what’s going on,” meeting of the two varsity football teams, says Avery. “In polo, you know someone is securing a 56-33 victory—the third consecthinking the same thing as you in a given situutive Exeter-Andover win for Big Red. ation. In crew, it’s a really grueling sport and it’s “This game was called ‘a season in itself ’ good to know that you’re sharing the experiby the coaching staff,” captain, receiver and ence with somebody no matter how hard it is.” defensive back Justin Norris ’11 said headAs uppers, the twins know the college ing into the game. “Most of the new guys application process is not too far ahead. They don’t fully understand the magnitude of this feel comfortable making that transition either game. It was up to the returning players to together or apart, although both hope to play make clear the size of it.” water polo in college.“It’s not a priority to go A message evidently well delivered on to the same school,” Brooks says, “but if the November 13 as Big Red accrued 430 offenschool wants both of us, I could certainly see sive yards, including a scoring 52-yard drive that happening…but it’s not set in stone.” in under three minutes during the start of Running back Andreas The varsity water polo team ended its seathe third quarter. It was the first of three Robinson ’13 had 31 carson with a 13-8 record. It placed fourth at consecutive scoring drives during the sec- ries, running a total of Interschols, where Brooks was named to the ond half, which gave Exeter a lead that 288 yards and scoring All-New England Tournament team. He was Andover ultimately couldn’t topple. four touchdowns. also named team MVP during the fall sports awards assembly on campus. Brooks and Avery will be co-captains of the 2011-12 team. KIRK WILLIAMSON
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Sports
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A
Fall Sports
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(A) Boys Cross-Country Record: 4-2 3rd place at Interschols Head Coach: Nick Unger ’90 Assistant Coaches: Bill Jordan, Brandon Newbould Captains: Drew Glicker ’11, John Holliman ’11, Arjun Nukal ’11 MVP:Arjun Nukal (B) Girls Cross-Country Record: 5-3 7th place at Interschols Head Coach: Gwyn Coogan ’83 Assistant Coach: Dale Braile Captains: Sarah Burke ’11, Christine Kong ’11 MVP: Christine Kong (C) Field Hockey Record: 11-4-2 Qualified for NEPSAC semifinals Head Coach: Mercy Carbonell Assistant Coaches: Christine Robinson, Kristie Baldwin Captains: Elizabeth Dethy ’11, Caroline Hayes ’11, Kristina Krull ’11, Hannah Najar ’11 MVPs:Team Moxie 2010, led by its captains
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(D) Football Record: 6-1 Head Coach: Bill Glennon Assistant Coaches:Ted Davis, Dick Eustis ’57, Idris McClain ’03, Matt Miller, DeJuan Payne Captains:Anthony Baker ’11, Ayodele Ekhator ’11, Nicholas McHugh ’11, Justin Norris ’11 MVP: Nicholas McHugh
(E) Boys Soccer Record: 13-4-1 Qualified for NEPSAC semifinals Head Coach:A.J. Cosgrove Assistant Coach: Bruce Shang Captain:Tyler Williams ’11 MVP: Brian Hart ’12 (F) Girls Soccer Record: 10-4-5 Qualified for NEPSAC semifinals Head Coach: Hilary Coder Assistant Coach: Bill Dennehy Captain: Katrina Coogan ’11 MVP: Katrina Coogan (G) Volleyball Record: 9-7 Qualified for NEPSAC semifinals Head Coach: Scott Saltman Assistant Coach: Joanna Ro Captains: Caroline Goessling ’11, Hannah Hebl ’11 MVPs: Helen Brumley ’11, Lauren Lee ’12 (H) Water Polo Record: 13-8 4th place at Interschols Head Coach: Don Mills Assistant Coach: Kelly Widman Captain: Marc Gazda ’11 MVP: Brooks Reavill ’12
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ALL PHOTOS BY MIKE CATANO EXCEPT (D), WHICH IS BY KIRK WILLIAMSON
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Reunited: Every five years, classmates travel to campus from around the world for a weekend of high spirits, intellectual engagement and connection with friends old and new. 36
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Connections News & Notes from the Alumni/ae Community
Good Reasons to Reunite C E L E B R AT I N G F R I E N D S H I P S A N D A S I N G U L A R E D U C AT I O N A L E X P E R I E N C E By Paul “Rick” Mahoney ’61; ’74, ’95 (Hon.); P’88, P’92
T
he term “high school reunion” evokes varying emotions
from people. Some dread the perceived possibility of having to relive the angst of adolescent dilemmas, if only for a weekend.At the other extreme is the “look at me” reveler, eager for the opportunity to demonstrate that he has made “a killing” professionally, or has attracted an exquisite mate, or is raising a family that makes the children of Lake Wobegon seem, well, average. Between these disparate outlooks, there are many good reasons to attend a reunion, especially at Exeter. Of course, there is the chance to spend time at a place that—though it can never again be as you experienced it as a student—still sets high standards, respects and challenges its students, and continually strengthens its programs in academics, the arts, athletics and residential life.An Exeter reunion also offers the opportunity to visit classes, meet students and teachers, revisit the history-making sites of your youth or tour the most modern of Academy facilities. The curiosity factor can also lead you back. Is teacherTweed still there? How many of your dorm-mates will be there, and what are they all up to now, and how many of them will revert to calling you “Twig”? Do you still hold the prep record for the long jump? Most of all, there is the prospect of spending a spring weekend in a beautiful, peaceful setting with a very interesting group of people, some of whom you may really get to know for the first time. The track record of Exeter reunions is that the attendees head for home invigorated about their school, the old friends they’ve caught up with and the new ones they’ve made—and vowing not to miss the next class get-together. Are you ready for your next Exeter reunion?
Are you ready for your next Exeter reunion?
Rick Mahoney is a program co-chair for the class of ’61’s upcoming 50th reunion. For 42 years he served as an Exeter faculty member and administrator. He retired in 2009.
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Connections
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Questions for Jim Theisen
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n March 1, Jim Theisen ’40, ’45, ’52, ’66 (Hon.); P’97 will retire as Exeter’s director of alumni/ae affairs and development (AA&D). His 35-year tenure has spanned four principals and two major capital campaigns, includingThe Exeter Initiatives (2004-2009), which raised $352 million, making it the most successful fundraising effort in secondary school history. In announcing Jim’s retirement last September, PrincipalTom Hassan praised his achievement in building “what is regarded to be one of the finest AA&D offices at any independent school—or for that matter any college or university—in the nation.” Recently Jim reflected on his time at the Academy and changes in the fields of alumni/ae relations and philanthropy. Q:Take us back to 1976.What drew you to the Academy? A: Exeter’s reputation as a superb educational institution was of course well known.The ethos of the school also appealed to my values.When he interviewed me, [former Principal] Steve Kurtz explained it. He said,“Exeter is a place that respects and values the contributions of each individual, whether around the Harkness table, on the playing fields or in the workplace—so long as you are giving it your all. It is a place where you cannot rest on your past success, but must look to do it better each successive day.” Q: In view of your longevity—35 years—maybe the more relevant question is why, year after year, you chose to stay. A:That’s easy.The school lives its mission to seek youth from every quarter and embraces non sibi. If I had attended Exeter, I would have required financial aid, so the work of the Office of Alumni/ae Affairs and Development to secure support for “students who are long on brains and short on cash,” as Hammy Bissell put it, resonated with me. I saw firsthand how bringing talented teachers together with students from every social, geographic and economic background made the Harkness experience special. Students learned how to present their ideas and listen to and learn from others, and that became their educational foundation.This has been reinforced by thousands of conversations I’ve had with alumni/ae, who attribute their ability to relate to many different people to their time at the Harkness table. Q:When you arrived, there was no email and no web. Facebook was something on your bookshelf. How did interaction with alumni/ae change as a result of the digital revolution—and how did it stay the same?
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A: Thanks to technology, our communication with alumni/ae today is richer, more frequent and more interactive. Exonia n s a s a re s u l t a re m o re informed and more connected with the school and each other. However,this doesn’t diminish the need to develop bonds in person.Without face-to-face engagement, one can’t build the trust and respect needed for a long-lasting relationship. Q: Is there a difference in the way donors engage with the school? A:Years ago, people would often say,“I can’t give you money, but I can give you time” and become class or regional volunteers. Today people are more apt to offer a financial contribution to substitute for their time.They’re also more likely to support specific areas of interest within the school. People like to know that their gifts are making a difference. Q:When you think of the impact of AA&D’s work, is there a story that stands out? A: I’ll never forget watching the graduation, with honors, of a student who had benefited from our middle-income scholarship initiative. Four years earlier his father, an alumnus, almost didn’t let him apply to Exeter because he believed the school would never provide financial aid to a family at their income level. Q: Looking back, what are you most proud of? A: My staff.Without their support, understanding, dedication and friendship, none of the successes we have had would have been possible. Q:What will you miss the most? A:The people—faculty friends; the students who keep us young and motivate us to work harder;the alumni/ae friends I have made over 35 years; and my staff whose talents, creativity, tireless energy, goodwill and humor sustained me and made the AA&D program what it is today. Q: What does life look like after you leave Gilman House in March? A: My wife, Pat, and I plan to travel, spend time with our children and grandchildren, and enjoy a less structured schedule. I’m also looking forward to taking courses in history and photography and exploring interests outside of my comfort zone.
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Connections
EXONIAN PROFILE
H E N RY F. “ B U Z Z ” M E R R I T T ’ 4 4 :
TheValue of Friends
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enry “Buzz” Merritt ’44 talks about others more than himself.Though Merritt built a 50-year career in oil exploration, wrote a novel, and became accomplished in singing, yacht racing, skiing, and flying, he focuses not on his achievements, but on the people who led him from one adventure to another. One example is Merritt’s introduction to singing. Before a game of touch football at the Academy, Merritt accompanied Charlie Goodrich ’44, to a Phillips Church Choir audition. “Charlie went through his fa la las and the choir director turns to me and says,‘What about you?’ ” That question by Music Director Alfred A. Finch led Merritt to join the Choir, Glee Club and later be a “chorus girl” in a Princeton University Triangle Club show, travel to Europe with the University Glee Club of New York City, place second in a New York City barbershop quartet championship as a member of the Manhatters, and sing with a mixed choral group in Connecticut where he lives with wife, Jane, and son, Schuyler (Deerfield ’04).“I have had a great time with music and owe it all to ‘Alfie,’ as we surreptitiously called him.” Merritt also credits others for his oil exploration ventures. In 1949, after serving in the Navy and graduating from Princeton, Merritt was offered a job at Central Hanover Bank, now JPMorgan Chase, by the father of a Princeton varsity baseball teammate. The bank encouraged Merritt to take courses at New York University.“I didn’t want to, but I didn’t want to get in trouble with Personnel,” Merritt admits. While an MBA student, Merritt wrote a thesis on financing small oil exploration companies. His adviser urged him to turn the work into a doctoral thesis, which Merritt did after much resistance. His bank published and shared the thesis with clients, one of whom later offered Merritt a job.The thesis he did not want to write at the school he did not want to attend altered the trajectory of his life. Merritt spent a decade managing an oil and gas tax shelter operation for a family and an investment banking firm. In the 1970s, a Norwegian ship operator friend asked Merritt to help manage two floating drilling rigs being built for North Sea exploration. “That was at the time that oil and gas had just been discovered in the North Sea,” Merritt recalls. “All of Norway was excited about building ships—floating drilling rigs, pipe layers and service vessels. It was a whole new phase of marine activity.” Merritt next worked for a Dutch family and devised a financial structure for foreigners to participate in onshore Gulf Coast oil exploration.After that sold, he con-
sulted in petroleum exploration until retiring in 1995. Merritt appreciates his less traditional profession and values the “colorful characters” he encountered. Merritt documented those characters and his North Sea experiences, eventually turning his writings into the self-published novel Deep Driller (Xlibris, 2009). In the book’s dedication, Merritt credits his wife, a journalist and twotime Nobel Peace Prize nominee, as this accomplishment’s catalyst because she “urged [him] to undertake this venture into her literary world.” People also have impacted Merritt’s other interests. He began skiing at Princeton and Mad River Glen and later, with friends, started Sugarbush Valley, a Vermont resort where he joined the National Ski Patrol. Through skiing, Merritt made another friend who invited him to Martha’s Vineyard, where an air taxi service operator convinced him to fly. A licensed commercial pilot, Merritt has flown land and seaplanes and gliders and owns a 1958 Cessna 182. Merritt even attended the Academy because some middle school friends decided to enter together. That childhood decision made Merritt part of a World War II class that remains close. “I’ve always been interested in a lot of things and people. If I’d been more introspective or shy, things may not have developed one into another.” —Taline Manassian ’92
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EXONIAN PROFILE
ALAN METCALFE ’74:
Architect Up a Tree
W Go “Out on a Limb” at www.metarch design.com/ projects/Morris.
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hat is it about the idea of living in a tree that is so compelling? From the Swiss Family Robinson to the Magic Tree House children’s books to Tarzan—and what kid hasn’t dreamed of his own treetop aerie?—it seems that trees have always held a leafy allure to us ground dwellers. Philadelphia architect Alan Metcalfe ’74 has spent a fair amount of time pondering that question. His insights propelled his firm, Metcalfe Architecture & Design, to design the award-winning “Out on a Limb” exhibit, a 450-foot walkway poised five stories in the air, for Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. “It’s a museum in the trees; the trees are the exhibit,” Metcalfe says. “Being high up in the air is so much more valuable than a board that tells you about it.” The walkway tiptoes through the tops of a hardwood forest so that visitors can experience the trees from a giraffe’s-eye point of view. “It surrounds the trees but doesn’t touch any of them—it’s really bad form to kill the exhibit,” he laughs. “We built a boardwalk that little by little becomes steel grating, and the railings disappear— they become a black, stainless steel mesh.We wanted to make it scary and exciting, even though it’s not actually dangerous. I’m not above entertaining in the service of education, but we’re talking about the University of Pennsylvania, and they don’t do danger well.”
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For those of us who haven’t scaled a mighty oak lately, Metcalfe explains that being up in a tree is not quite the same as, say, standing on a balcony. “The world feels different in the trees,” he says. “The cicadas are really loud, you experience wind, it’s cooler, and the trees are moving a lot, maybe a foot in either direction. When I’m outdoors in the trees, it’s really peaceful to be there. It’s consistently enjoyable for me.” As to what makes tree houses so compelling to humans, Metcalfe says it all goes back to our, well, roots. “We’re cerebral creatures, but that’s such a small part of our evolution,” he says. “We are hunters, and when you’re in a tree and looking down, you feel comfortable and protected, and you can see all the prey that’s coming.We like to be in small, tight spaces looking beyond to spaces that are brightly lit.” When it came to designing a treetop exhibit, Metcalfe wasn’t a complete novice. He has constructed three tree houses in his life—but the first one he ever built was at Exeter, in the woods near the crater overlooking the Squamscott River, with a merry band of coconspirators: classmates Alexander “Banner” Moffat, Steve Carmichael and Peter Hayes.“There was this stand of pine trees about a hundred yards into the woods, and we decided to build a triangular platform strung between three trees,” he recalls.“It was an adolescent fantasy, but it was a seminal experience for me. I slept in it one night when I came back in the fall after I graduated.There was something so seductive about being up in the trees.” The tree house was eventually discovered and torn down. Metcalfe’s first tree house wasn’t enough, however, to cause him to devote his life to architecture quite yet. “Nick [Dawson] was teaching the architecture class, and one of the guys I built the tree house with took it. I saw what he had to do for the class and I thought,‘That’s really interesting, but that takes way too much time.’ ” Nonetheless, he says his time at Exeter did help to wake him up to what would eventually become his profession, and he places the Class of 1945 Library at the center of that experience.“I would credit the library building with helping me to understand architecture,” he declares.“It’s so powerful and so successful. So I was obliquely introduced to architecture at Exeter... . It was by the buildings, and by building things.” —Susannah Clark ’84
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EXONIAN PROFILE
ELLEN MASSEY ’04:
Globetrotting by Boat
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f sailors could earn frequent flier miles for boat travel, Ellen Massey ’04 would have easy access to any elite airline traveler’s club. On June 28, 2010, Massey and her partner, Seth Leonard, completed a 32,000-mile journey around the world on their 38 1/2-foot sailboat called Heretic.Their adventure, which began in Bar Harbor, ME, in September 2006, took three years and 10 months. Massey was along for all but 2,000 miles of the trip, taking time off to finish her classics degree at Yale. A sailor since she was 7, Massey, originally from San Francisco, dreamed of sailing across the Pacific Ocean. She taught sailing in Maine during summer breaks from Exeter, and met Leonard the summer after her sophomore year at Yale.The two hit it off, and when Leonard announced his intent to sail around the world, Massey jumped at the chance to be part of the four-person crew. Massey and Leonard knew that just the act of sailing and maintaining the Heretic would strengthen their confidence. The places they chose to explore helped them, in turn, identify their personal priorities. Fascinated by the underwater world beneath them, the duo explored the waters off the Great Barrier Reef, the Galapagos Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Barbados, and other islands. They visited a giant tortoise reserve in Port Mathurin, on Rodrigues Island, took walking safaris in South Africa, and hiked anywhere they could (once, leaving a grocery store in French Polynesia, they witnessed a traditional dance, the only visitors to do so). The more activities they enjoyed, the more conscious their decisions were about where to travel. “We realized how simple it can be to mold one’s life around one’s priorities and values if you’re aware of them,” Massey says.“It seems obvious but actually doing it can sometimes be difficult.” She adds, “The experiences reminded us how rich and diverse the world is.” Despite such obstacles as food poisoning, losing an anchor, ongoing boat maintenance, rough seas, and days without wind, another challenge was living in a small space.The boat’s main cabin served as bedroom, kitchen, and living room for the four original crew members. (After the first 4,000 nautical miles, Massey and Leonard sailed Heretic alone.) “We got to know each other very well living in such a small space,” Massey says. Massey finally realized her childhood dream of sailing across the Pacific when she and Leonard sailed from the Galapagos Islands to the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia.The longest ocean crossing of the trip, Massey and Leonard didn’t see land for 27 days. Speaking only to each other, they became very aware of the natural environment: dolphins playing alongside the boat, brilliant sunsets, birds hovering in the sky.“It’s wonderful to be so attuned to your world,” says Massey. “Whenever we
came into port, we were bowled over with stimuli—cars, artificial light, so many people, so much noise, so much color and so much movement.” Massey and Leonard interrupted their journey twice so that Massey could return to the U.S. to finish her classics degree.After being away from family and friends for a year
and a half, she and Leonard sailed into Bar Harbor. Massey was standing watch when she sighted the islands off Mount Desert Island that morning.“I had such a sense of accomplishment in having circumnavigated the planet, but the islands meant the end of an experience I cherished.” Massey is confident she made the right choice to follow her childhood dream, and she attributes that decision to her experience at Exeter. “Our boat’s name is Heretic—it’s a jump away from the normal course of people’s lives,” she says. “This was an unusual adventure but it was a good decision. One of the things I learned at Exeter was how to think for myself and gain self-confidence. I now know that I can accomplish something once I set my mind to it.” —Debbie Kane
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Read the online diary at www.heretic sailing.com.
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PEA’s Green Eggs and Ham (continued from page 25) by which a food producer can provide the quantities or volumes that we need.”
Erasing Waste Anna Lynn ’12 knows a thing or two about waste. She can quote, for instance, the EPA statistic that 26 percent of municipal solid waste in this country comes from yard trimmings and food residuals. She will also tell you, “Composting is important because it provides an alternative to sending our refuse to a landfill, where it not only takes up space but also produces methane gas and acid leachate, [both] highly dangerous substances.” Lynn—one of 60 student environmental proctors, or e-proctors, who help promote sustainability efforts around campus—has advocated for PEA to implement a large-scale composting program. The 16,000 meals served weekly at Elm Street and Wetherell dining halls produce about 4,000 pounds of pre- and post-consumer food waste, which equates to roughly 4 ounces of waste per person, per meal. The solution, according to Lynn, is the installation of an in-vessel composting system: a closed-system apparatus where environmental conditions, like moisture and air circulation, are controlled to facilitate rapid breakdown of organic material into compost. The vessel, which could sit at Elm Street and be “fed” a daily mixture of cardboard and food scraps, doesn’t come cheaply. Systems can cost $30,000 or more, which is why several student environmental leaders drafted a proposal in November to use money from the Niebling Fund—a fund dedicated to supporting student-initiated sustainability efforts at PEA—to purchase an in-vessel system. As this Bulletin was going to press, the Academy’s Sustainability Advisory Committee was evaluating the students’ proposal. Small-scale composting is, however, already in place on campus. In 2005, a dorm and faculty program began, where bins of food waste are placed outside dorms and residences each week to be collected by the grounds crew and added to a compost pile for future use in flower and garden beds around campus. Dining Services hasn’t waited for a large-scale composter to implement solu-
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tions that reduce both organic and inorganic waste. All the school’s used cooking oil, for instance, is sent to a rendering company to be recycled into lubricants, soap products and biofuels. “We’ve been doing this long before ‘green’ became ‘green,’ ” Ganger says. During the 2009–10 school year, the department also began phasing in a menu management program that helps reduce preconsumer food waste through more accurate meal forecasting and purchasing. Ganger cites other sustainability efforts like bulk purchasing to reduce excess packaging; the return of plastic juice concentrate containers to the manufacturer; and the recycling of cardboard and commingled items at Elm Street and the Grill as additional means to reduce Dining Services’ ecological footprint.
later, the remodeling will include the replacement of outdated, inefficient dishwashing devices with smaller Energy Starcompliant models that “will capture huge economies” in water and electr icity, Ganger says. Wetherell Dining Hall has structural impediments that currently
“Sustainability ... is an all-or-nothing approach.”
Even Greener Horizons Sustainability,Wilhelm points out, is an allor-nothing approach.“Something is either sustainable or it’s not,” she says.“There is no in-between, no such thing as ‘more sustainable.’ ” What Dining Services has accomplished to date is significant, but Ganger acknowledges there is more to do, as much as resources and budgets will allow. At the start of the 2011–12 school year, for instance, Elm Street Dining Hall will have a new trayless system in the dishreturn area, thanks to a cooperative effort by Dining Services and Facilities Management. Eliminating the use of a tray can significantly reduce a person’s food waste—by as much as 25 to 30 percent, reported by some colleges and universities. Fewer trays to wash also contributes to energy and water savings. As a result, 75 percent of colleges and universities with the 300 largest endowments in the U.S. and Canada have already chosen to forgo trays in some or all of their dining facilities. The trayless option at Elm Street is part of a remodeling effort to create a “green” dishroom in that building, which was designed by Louis Kahn and built in tandem with the Class of 1945 Library. Both buildings opened in 1971. Forty years
make going 100-percent trayless there impossible. Last year, Facilities Management hired a consultant to evaluate the energy consumption on campus. In Dining Services, equipment like the walk-in refrigerators and devices like water spray valves were identified as energy-saving areas. In response, Ganger and Rudy Cartier Jr., associate director for energy and environmental management, have been evaluating devices like heat- and smoke-sensitive exhaust hoods for the kitchens, which idle at 10 percent of their normal energy usage when not needed.“If they produce a return on investment,” Ganger says,“it’s worth doing.” Changing habits is a cost-free means of reducing utilities consumption and is easier to implement than structural change. Simple policies, like turning off storeroom lights when the room is not in use or turning off commercial toasters after breakfast, have been enacted in Dining Services this year. Meanwhile, students like Lessin will continue to ask for change, such as the 100-percent recycled paper napkins or the Green Seal-certified cleaning products already in use . . . and for hamburgers made from grass-fed beef or grilled chicken breasts from “happy chickens.” “Sustainability is a never-ending goal for us,” Ganger says. “When something makes good environmental and economic sense—and fits our budget parameters— it is an easy decision.” WINTER 2011
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Finis Origine Pendet
OneVisit, 30Years’ Encouragement By Marty Kounitz ’77
F
riends have asked me why at 46, after 20 years in finance, I went back
At challenging moments, I’ve felt Dr.Weisberg’s warm hand.
104
The Exeter Bulletin
WINTER 2011
FRED CARLSON
Marty Kounitz ’77
to graduate school to become a psychotherapist.While the truth is that I still have to work in finance to put two kids through college, with my master’s degree done, I now see patients on Fridays and Saturdays at a clinic on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. I usually try to make a joke of such questions, saying something like,“Well, the last thing you need is an empathetic bond analyst.” But the real reasons go back to the spring of 1977, when I was a senior at Exeter in the Washington Intern Program. I was miserable. My getting into good colleges brewed envy from the congressman’s office staff.They were jealous, I think, even that I had been privileged to have an Exeter education. There was little to do in the well-run office; I remember once rearranging the filing cabinets. Having little money was a problem too.As a result, I spent a lot of time at the dormitory and college where we were housed—a women’s Catholic school, where the undergrads were even unhappier than I was. When Catholic University across the street had gone coed, the college had lost its reason for being.About 50 percent of the women transferred. My Exeter classmates, most from well-to-do backgrounds, adapted well to life in Washington: eating at trendy restaurants or bars, shopping, and cruising in their parents’ cars. But never friends with most of them at school, I usually fended for myself and rode the bus. Slogging home on a cold Washington spring afternoon, I decided I needed counseling. I remembered that the father of classmate Leslie Weisberg practiced psychiatry in town and specialized in adolescents. I met with Dr. Paul Weisberg ’48 only once. His office had the comfortable, run-down feeling a kid needed to open up and explain what was going on. For the patient, there was a deep upholstered chair facing him. The office had a large sofa and a warm rug. Settled into the chair, I told him about my loneliness, concern for my brother facing his own depression, and worries about college.We talked and I felt better. On the way out, I stopped at his receptionist’s desk and opened my checkbook to pay.As I wrote the check, I felt the doctor’s hand on my shoulder as he said to his receptionist,“There’s no charge. He’s an Exeter man.” At challenging moments, I’ve felt Dr.Weisberg’s warm hand. Once, I had to make a presentation to 75 bankers at Rockefeller Center.The amphitheater was full; I was on stage.The marketing director, who had the truthfulness of a used-car salesman, said,“Don’t worry, last year no one asked questions.” Before I spoke, I watched as two colleagues ahead of me were mercilessly grilled by the audience and became a common Wall Street entrée,Analyst for Lunch. I closed my eyes and felt Dr.Weisberg’s hand, heard his voice.“He’s an Exeter man.” My humble ambition is to provide to some young man or woman Dr. Weisberg’s simple kindness.