Lamplighter Spring 2006

LAMPLIGHTER

THE ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Skills for Life

SPRING 2006

Have you played an important role yet...?

Photo from the 2006 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Patience in our new Assembly Hall

The most important role you can play is by supporting this year’ s Annual Fund.

The Annual Fund supports many aspects of an Allen-Stevenson education including: • Financial aid • Faculty salaries • Outstanding Music, Drama, • An enhanced curriculum Arts, and Athletic programs

The Annual Fund will be running until June 30, 2006. You won’ t want to miss out!

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEW YORK, NY PERMIT NO. 8048

The Allen-Stevenson School 1 32 East 78 th Street, New York, NY 10021-0381

Naomi Ostriker Seligman

When Naomi Ostriker Seligman sent her son, James, to Allen-Stevenson in 1964, little did she realize that she had begun a 50-year association with the School.

James Daniel Seligman graduated from Allen-Stevenson in 1973. Now married to Mouna Guessous, he is the father of two Allen-Stevenson boys, Jad Seligman, '12 and Adam Peter Seligman,'14. Naomi feels both her son and her grandsons have benefited from the myriad choices including the arts and sciences - available at Allen-Stevenson. Naomi was instrumental in creating the Library Committee and, as Chair, of inaugurating the Book Fair. She overcame Headmaster Tiffany's rule that parents were not admitted to the building during the School day and was astounded when she first brought her grandchildren to School and saw parents streaming into the building.

Back Row: Ernest M. von Simson, Mouna Guessous Seligman and Naomi Ostriker Seligman Front Row: Jad ’12, Jim ’73 and Adam ’14

sity is a sense of self which is developed by both family and School.

She is the Senior Partner with her husband, Ernest M. von Simson, at Ostriker von Simson. This firm helps the largest worldwide enterprises establish and implement IT strategies concerning the assessment, acquisition, monitoring and management of emerging technologies and technology-related ventures. They chair the CIO Strategy Exchange which is a private sector think tank and a joint venture with Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers. Her Directorships include Akamai Technologies, Inc., The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, Sun Microsystems, Inc., TellMe Networks, and Oracle Corporation.

She is also a Trustee of the Boston Science Museum and a Board member of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children). She was previously the co-founder of The Research Board. Naomi is a magna cum laude graduate in Economics from Vassar College, with a graduate degree in Economics from the London School of Economics.

Naomi has devoted her time and talents to innovations and achievements in various fields, technology chiefly among them, beginning at a time when women were underrepresented in this field.

With their experience and expertise, Naomi and Ernie are an important resource to Allen-Stevenson for innovative ideas and concepts in the fields of technology and science. Believing

Remarking on the School's growth over the years, she described AllenStevenson a school that truly encourages independent thinking. This School also provides boys with a comfort zone where they can explore various options and develop a lifelong love of learning.

What keeps one going in times of adver-

strongly in the School's growing commitment to technology, they have helped provide resources to this program, funding the equipment for our new Computer Lab and our Advanced Computer Lab. They are impressed by how the curriculum has grown with the expansion of technology while keeping a commitment to the arts. They spoke of their grandson, Jad, who is engaged in animation and movie making, and how extraordinary such a program this is for a younger child.

Certainly, Naomi Seligman is someone who has accomplished much, professionally and personally. When asked to remark on the “skills for life” theme of this Lamplighter and some of the skills she feels are important for our current students to obtain, she commented: “When you are a child, you cannot connect the dots going forward - you only see the pattern as you look back. AllenStevenson gives you the basic skills to connect the dots in the future - a platform from which to grow and the opportunities of choice.”

the Salanders

Back Row: Larry and Julie Saldander with Jonah, Ivana, Isaac Front Row: Ben, Sam Nathaniel, Elias

Larry and Julie Salander have a motto in their house, “If you

“Salander-O'Reilly Galleries is not intended as merely a com-

can, do. If you can't, try harder.” For them, the value of hard

mercial proposition, but a statement about quality in art,” he

work is the single most important life lesson they want to

said, adding that the most challenging aspect of becoming

instill in their children. As the parents of seven children (Benjamin '12 and Elias '14, who currently attend AllenStevenson; Samuel, who will be entering Kindergarten in the fall; Nathaniel, the youngest; and Ivana, Jonah, and Isaac, children from Larry's previous marriage) it is safe to say they know first-hand about hard work.

“No matter what your life pursuit, hard work is essential in order to take pride in your accomplishments,” Julie said.

In both of their lives, following their passions has proved to be a valuable life lesson. Larry, owner of Salander-O'Reilly Galleries and an artist himself, started his first gallery in 1977. After his father passed away when Larry was 19, he founded his own antique business (his father, grandfather and uncles were all antique dealers) to support his mother and younger sister. Years later, he began dealing art and

an art dealer was valuing art in terms of money instead of dealing with it from the soul. As an artist, he said having the courage to fail has been the biggest challenge.

As for Julie, formerly the Director of the New York office of CARE, an international relief and development organization, being a wife and mother and having a large family has always been a life goal. While at CARE, Julie said she learned many skills such as multi-tasking, changing gears, and dealing with the dynamic of a group. She now applies these skills to parenting in making sure her children take on as much responsibility as they can from putting away their toys, doing their homework and completing chores.

In teaching their children the value of hard work, Julie and Larry stress that doing something better than you thought you could is more important than being the best.

now has two Manhattan galleries, which exhibit art from the

“Looking back on life, the best times, the most fulfilling

Renaissance to the present day.

times, are the most challenging,” Julie said.

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The Allen-Stevenson School Magazine

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Spring 2006

The Lamplighter is published biannually by The Allen-Stevenson School and is sent free-of-charge to alumni, parents, and other friends of the School.

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S IN THIS ISSUE Headmaster’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Fathers Dinner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Cover Story: Skills for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Our Library Frieze by David Trower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 The Allen-Stevenson Code Words by Emily Barnes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Alumni Recount Allen-Stevenson Lessons by Jackie Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

IN EVERY ISSUE

Around A-S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Website Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Athletics Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Money Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 A-S News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Alumni Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Alumni News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Director of Publications Casper Caldarola

Senior Writers

Emily Barnes and Jackie Brown

Contributing Writers and Editors

Alok Appadurai, Sarah Kresberg, Susan Lukas, Rob McCallum, Jana Strauss, Mary Terry, David R. Trower h’95

Photographers

Nancy E. Mitchell and Al Periera Cover photograph by Paul Warchol of our Lower School Reading Room Mission Statement The Allen-Stevenson School is a predominantly neighborhood school, devoted to primary school education, and to secondary school preparation for qualified boys of diverse backgrounds who are seeking an enlightened traditional environment in which to develop basic skills and character. The School's purpose is to encourage each boy to dedicate himself to achievement and the pursuit of excellence. Moreover, the Allen-Stevenson School maintains a continuing commitment to each and every student.

The Allen-Stevenson School admits students of any race, color, religion, nationality or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, nationality, ethnic origin or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies, financial aid program, or any other programs administered by the School.

T H E

A L L E N - S T E V E N S O N S C H O O L L E A D E R S H I P 2 0 0 5 - 2 0 0 6

Board of Trustees

Alumni Executive Council

John Rose ’90

Ronald S. Rolfe ’60, President

Louis Rose ’86, President

Dean E. Sanborn ’61

Andrew P. Steffan, Vice President & Treasurer

Alexander Gellert ’79, Vice-President

Randolph R. A. Schrade ’76

Richard C. Perry ’70, Secretary

Eric E. Rothstein ’81, Vice-President

Yoshiki Shimada ’75

E. William Judson, Assistant Treasurer

Edward W. Wartels ’91, Vice-President

Henry Jay Rosenwach ’04

David R. Trower h’95, Headmaster

Alexander Boucher Shipper ’02 Denton Alexander Smith ’94

Andrew Robert Arias ’92

Michael Tiedemann ’86

Jeffrey G. Beers ’71

Neil E. Bader ’79

Robert Scott Tucker ’85

Pedro Chomnalez

Anthony Paul Bonan ’93

Andrew W. Vogelstein ’81

Susan deMenil

Pierre A. Bonan ’89

Fred Vogelstein ’77

Jane Phillips Donaldson

Robert B. Buehler ’78

Noel Eric Volpe ’85

Molly O’Neil Frank

Robert Dana Burge ’76*

Alexandre von Furstenberg ’85

Linda MacMurray Gibbs

Alfred Paul Burger ’87

Mark Wasserberger ’82

John J. Hannan

Andrew Alan Burger ’59

Simon David Wasserberger ’85

Michael W. Joukowsky ’80

John T. Carr III ’76

Dewey S. Wigod ’77

Colin R. Knudsen

Erik A. Cliette ’81

Hans L. Wydler ’81

Dean I. Landis ’78

Brooke Bayard Connell ’86

Clifton G. York ’78

Paul A. Leff

Adam James Phillips Donaldson ’05

Andrew Etess Zimmer

Fredric H. Mack

Jason M. Farkas ’97

Michael W. Joukowsky ’80, Chairman,

Beatrice H. Mitchell

Michael Feinberg ’84

Ashok Nayyar

Lucien Foster ’87

Alumni Capital Giving *president emeriti

Louis Rose ’86

R. Vanneman Furniss ’91

Virginia Cowles Schroth

Harlan E. Goldberg ’90

Lucia Smith

Evan R. Goldfischer ’81

Andrea Tongue

Cristopher Scott Goodman ’86

Joseph F. Wayland

Michael H. Grady ’91

Suzanne Freind, Vice-President

Christopher J. Hallows ’87

Alix O'Mara, Vice-President

Schuyler Havens ’88

Pat Verrilli, Treasurer

Leonard A. Wilf * Member Ex Officio

Parents Association Lucia Smith, President

Michael W. Hedges, Jr. ’77

Jennifer Rudick, Recording Secretary

John C. Henry, Jr. ’84

Carol Kalikow, Corresponding Secretary

Trustees Emeriti

David Walter Herzberg ’89

Victoria Neely, Advisory

Mildred J. Berendsen

David Riklis Hirschfeld ’99

Shelley O’Neill, Advisory

Marian R. Bicks

Patrick D. R. Horan ’85

Andrea Tongue, Advisory

Richard N. Foster

Tristan Howard ’96

Wendy Waldman, Advisory

D. Ross Hamilton

C. Andrew Hughes ’98

Susan B. Hirschhorn

Clinton V.P. Johnson ’79

Karen T. Hughes

Stephen H. Judson ’76

John R. Hupper '40

William H. Judson ’78

Robert J. Katz

A. Reed Katz '03

George A. Kellner

Kenneth LaFreniere ’90

Robert Liberman ’58

Dean I. Landis ’78*

Peter deF. Millard

Paul J. Mancuso ’03

Joe L. Roby

Kenneth J. McCauley ’93 Richard C. Perry ’70* Christopher Persley ’88 Vincent Peterson ’74 Philip N. Pilmar ’01 Michael G. Pollard ’89 Roger Raines ’80 Marc Nicholas Rice ’84 Ronald S. Rolfe ’60*

Administrative Team David R. Trower h’95, Headmaster John E. Pariseau h’98, Associate Headmaster Susan Etess, Lower School Head Kimberly Kyte, Middle School Head Neal Kamsler, Upper School Head Richard Alifano, Director, Physical Education and Athletics Michelle Demko, Music Department Head Ronnie R. Jankoff, Director of Admissions Glenn Lieberman, Director of Technology Anne Russo Meyer, Director of Learning Resources Jana Strauss, Director of Development Stephen Wilder, Business Manager

HEADMASTER’S MESSAGE

Ever since I became Allen-Stevenson's seventh Headmaster in 1990, I have had occasion to meet graduates of this wonderful School. The opportunity to meet adults who have gone to AllenStevenson is almost always a great joy, because it shows the impact of powerful school experiences well into adulthood.

It is also quite fascinating to see how differently this School has shaped the lives of so many distinct individuals over its 123 years.

Some responses have to do with learning to shake hands, looking a person in the eye. For some that has been the beginning of so many important personal friendships or business relationships.

For others the phrase skills for life has to do with a particular personal or professional interest-a love of history or of public speaking, for example-that has carried well into the person's adulthood. Some comment simply that AllenStevenson taught them how to work hard, be organized, or deal with others.

There are lots of other examples, of course, but my favorite came from a prosperous investment banker who answered quickly, “I love to sing.” That answer probably had little to do with his prosperity, but it has everything to do with his humanity!

Some of my first encounters with AllenStevenson alumni were with men who had attended the School in the 1920's.

By now I've come to know graduates from every era since then, and they often reflect the specific times when they were boys-economic, political, historical, and the like. But there are also influential imprints from their A-S experience, whatever the decade, which Allen-Stevenson “boys” seem to have in common.

The most prominent comment I hear from Allen-Stevenson alumni comes when they point out that Allen-Stevenson taught them skills for life. In a society that can overemphasize college, this take was refreshing. However, I have come to realize that the term skills for life holds a variety of meanings, and so I usually ask each individual what he means. The range of responses can be illuminating.

Teaching to nurture a person's humanity is an important part of what we do here at Allen-Stevenson.

This Lamplighter issue has taken the theme of “skills for life” in the belief that a great education always keeps the long view in mind. This point was most certainly evident in the breathtaking Fathers Dinner speech given in February by Charlie Cahn, Headmaster of Suffield Academy. It is such a great temptation to get caught up in the details of daily school life without considering where the education might be heading. But that approach, of course, would be shortsighted.

Fortiter et recte!

David R. Trower, Headmaster

A Writing Contest Details of an essay contest for Allen-Stevenson boys will be announced to them soon.

The topic will be the question, “What skills do you believe you most need for the future?”

There will be prizes for each divisional winner, and excerpts will be published in a subsequent issue of the Lamplighter.

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AROUND A-S “Patience is an example of what makes Allen-Stevenson so special.”

A-S parent

Maxson Jarecki ’08

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father and son events

Mr. Henry Gonzalez Jr., Henry ’08 with Mr. Trower Taylor ’09 and Mr. Scott Bennett

Mr. Robert Blumenfeld and Mark ’06 Mr. Vincent Hilliard and Chad ’11

Some of our new Kindergarten fathers.

Daniel ’11, Mr. Joe Wayland and Christopher ’09

From top to bottom: Mr. Manning Galagarza and Eric-Anthony ’07 Mr. David Diwik and David ’11 Mr. William Bird and Mr. Greg Delves Jonathon ’06 and Mr. Andre Beckles

Stephen ’09 and Mr. Doug Lipton A father-son group enjoying our new Dining Hall.

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FATHERS

DINNER

When I was a young boy, I was into sports. Playing lacrosse and basketball were very important to me.

Life was better for me when I was doing these things. I felt good about myself when I played sports - much better than I did at certain other points. Everyone has it-whatever it is that makes you feel like you are seeing things clearly, like you have talent and a purpose.

Remarks of Charles Cahn III, Headmaster of Suffield Academy February 2, 2006 I'm very happy to be here tonight. I appreciate David Trower's invitation, and thanks to all of you for being here. I have known Neal Kamsler for several years through my work at Suffield and value our friendship quite a bit. As you know, he is an outstanding educator who cares deeply about Allen-Stevenson. I have also seen in my reading about your school that you have several excellent leaders here. You are fortunate.

Let me reiterate my bio briefly and then jump to the thoughts I want to share tonight. I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, attending Gilman School, an all boys day school, for all twelve grades. I moved on to the University of Michigan, Oxford University, and then to Suffield Academy-for a year I thoughtas an English teacher, dorm parent and lacrosse coach. Thirteen years later I am Headmaster. It has been a great personal and professional experience. I have learned so very much as teacher, Director of Admissions, Dean of Faculty, Associate Headmaster, and now Headmaster. I had the good fortune of meeting my wife Hillary at Suffield, where we also had our two children. Our school has 400 students in grades 9-12, is located in a gorgeous small town just north of Hartford, and has a spirited, close-knit community feel that is home.

What I'd like to talk about tonight centers on a few themes: independent schools, adolescence, the impact chance encounters and other people have on our lives, and, of course, fathers and sons.

At Suffield we have a Leadership Program that is a required part of our curriculum each year for every student. A good portion of the curriculum centers on communication skills and public speaking. One rule of thumb I like to pass along in the course I teach is that most people will remember about 10% of a talk they hear. Yes, you will likely remember about 10% of what you hear tonight. I'll be interested to know what the 10% is, even if it is that you will remember 10%.

The power of human connection, of the inherent strength we gain from meaningful interactions with others, is at the heart of good independent schools.

Let me first tell you of how an experience with a classmate at Gilman impacted my life.

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Anyhow, when I was young I met John Morrow. He and I got along really well. We played basketball together and got friendly. As a young boy, he was the best player on our team.

When John was eleven he hit a live power wire. He passed out immediately and woke up a day later in the hospital. He lost an arm and all of the muscles in one of his legs. It took John about a year to get back to school, although he and I went to different schools by that time-John went to public school and I went to Gilman. I thought about John a lot. He was a better player at eleven than the folks I was playing with at thirteen or fourteen.

In my senior year at Gilman, guess who showed up as a new junior? John Morrow. He had lost the year of school after his accident yet moved right along from there. He had one arm and walked with a distinct limp, carrying his right leg behind his left.

We got to basketball season, and we had a really good team. We had a 6'8” center who went on to captain an Ivy League champion team at Princeton, and a 6'6” forward who went on to be Princeton's football captain. We also had a skinny little guard who went on to be Headmaster at Suffield Academy, and despite the mediocre backcourt play, we were tough to beat-big and balanced. So, on the first day of tryouts, in comes John Morrow. From the first practice it was clear he would make our team. He could play. He sprinted with his left leg and pulled the right one behind him. He'd catch a chest pass with that right hand and spin it- turn it and spin it. He'd put it on the floor, behind his back. He was far from the best now, but he was pretty darn good, and he certainly wasn't playing because we felt badly for him.

son. I told him we wanted to win this for him, that I remembered the youth leagues we had played in years ago, and that he could have been better than all of us.

John Morrow looked at me and said “Charlie, you don't understand.” I don't need to win the basketball title. I've won. To be out here with you, and with these guys, I'm luckier than anyone here.” I realized then something I will never forget and now always have in the front of my mind in leading a school like yours. Being part of a team, or of a school like this, is about caring for others, about really wanting them to do well, and about wanting to do well for them. It is about making bonds with people and appreciating life. John Morrows are everywhere. He had won far more than a basketball title, and by being his friend, so did I. Schools like Suffield or Allen-Stevenson, good independent schools, offer a place where meaningful relationships, with classmates, teachers and even Headmasters can easily take shape.

Yet working with adolescents, providing the right type of environment for them to thrive, is a tricky and challenging business. Candidly, some environments are better than others.

I read a newspaper article recently with a headline stating “Crashing Car Lands on Man in Bed.” Apparently a 34 year-old man and his wife were traveling through an Arkansas town in a 1996 Ford Taurus after a trip to a casino, when the man fell asleep at the wheel. The car left the road, hit a telephone pole, ruptured a gas line and went airborne briefly before crashing through the wall of a house. The car headed into the house, hitting a bed with a man sleeping in it, and rolling him inside his mattress “like a burrito.” The mattress likely saved his life. Quite a way to wake up - a flying Ford Taurus coming through the wall and lying on top of you.

That, by the way, might be the 10% you remember tonight - the guy wrapped up like a burrito in his mattress. Yet let me tell you what stuck in my mind about this strange occurrence, and how it connects to something I want to focus on here.

The season was rolling forward, and we were winning a lot. John gave our team and our school a certain energy, and we rallied around him. We got the second seed in the Baltimore City Tournament, won the first three games and headed to the finals against a team had beaten by one early in the season. It was an even match.

The part that stayed with me was the casino. They had to be returning from a casino. Our cultural fixation with casinos and gambling, and what they symbolize at a larger level, has obvious implications for our work at schools like Allen Stevenson.

For this game, Coach gave John Morrow the start.

It was an 8:00 tip-off at the Baltimore Civic Center.

We led by three at the half, and the game came down to the wire, but they scored right at the end and we lost by a point. I remember seeing John after the game in the locker room. He was thanking everyone and congratulating us on a great sea-

I have a close friend I work with a lot, named Jim Williams, who runs an Inferential Thinking Service.

He looks for anomalies in our culture-oddities that predict future trends. Once it is a trend, he tells me, he's not all that interested. Anomalies are what Jim pursues. He sells his ideas to interested people around the world who take his thoughts and use them in their work. Some, like me, just like hearing what is on his mind.

Jim and I recently caught a medical anomaly. It turns out that a Mayo Clinic study describes a compulsive gambling problem, which developed among many Parkinson's patients being treated with dopamine-enhancing medications. This is an anomaly.

Another anomaly, tied to what I mention above, is the current United States obsession with poker.

Computer online gambling has never been more popular, and traffic at casinos has never been larger. Online poker sites will take in over $2 billion this year, and 50 million people claim to be poker players. More than 10 million U.S. adults meet the “problem gambling” criteria, and the rate of problem gambling for underage players is between two and three times the rate for adults.

Another American oddity is obesity, which may lead to diabetes.

The medication for Parkinson's, the desire to gamble, and the craving for excess food have dopamine as a common denominator.

Dopamine is a pleasure-inducing brain chemical, a neurotransmitter that controls action. In an important sense, dopamine produces a need for novelty, as it exists in a part of the brain-the striatum-that seems to care most about what it cannot predict.

Dopamine is associated with all kinds of addiction, like drinking and gambling, but also with adventure, curiosity, entrepreneurship and accomplishments. Dr. Gregory Burns points out the positive sides of dopamine in his book Satisfaction. He connected MRI brain scanning to people and offered them $10 if they could complete a computer puzzle. The dopamine under these conditions was very high. Yet when he gave them the $10 first, and then asked them to do the puzzle, the level of dopamine was far lower. The uncertainty of the outcome - the challenge - led to the excitement.

What I think is fascinating about this for our culture, for our children, and for Suffield, is what Dr. Peter Whybrow focuses on in his recent book American Mania. One of his central themes is that dopamine has created what he terms a manic America. Whybrow takes his work with individuals and makes a claim about our culture - that the perpetual chase in America is reminiscent of the manic-depression cycles in individual patients. He writes of things like more technology but less connection, more conveniences but less time, and bigger houses yet smaller families.

Yet Whybrow goes further, looking at the roots of America and connecting the excessive dopamine characteristics of our country with migration.

Approximately 25 percent of any population has enough dopamine to create the curious risk-taking necessary to leave the group. Yet America is built through immigration. We, as a nation, have perhaps 50 percent with high dopamine characteristics. When describing this characteristic of America, Dr. Whybrow references Alexis de Tocqueville's 1835 treatise Democracy in America.

was nervous, wondering if we might need the mercy rule. But two fascinating things happened over the next hour or two. First, I realized that when adolescent boys get hit hard a few times in a football game, they figure out how to hit back, and our boys did just this. They adapted and did themselves proud. I think the final score was about 2512. It was fine.

Tocqueville uses a merchant seaman as a metaphor. The European seaman is cautious when adventuring out to sea and returns to port if things are unstable. The American, however, braves these dangers. He sets sail while the storm is rumbling. He repairs storm damage as he goes.

In short, he spreads full sails to the wind.

Tocqueville's compelling metaphor is that the American is often shipwrecked but crosses the sea faster than all others.

Yet I noticed in the middle of the fourth quarter that one of the boys on our team hadn't gotten in the game. I also noticed his dad was at the game. In fact, I had spent some time talking with his dad early on in the game, and at a Suffield golf outing a few weeks before.

At some level, this same mindset difference between Europe and America exists today. Jim recently showed me a June 2005 Washington Post article noting that in France, not a single enterprise founded in the last 40 years has managed to break into the ranks of the 25 biggest French companies.

In comparison, 19 of today's 25 largest U.S. companies didn't exist forty years ago. The strong dopamine drive in the United States brings with it manic excesses.

So as we get to the middle of the fourth quarter, I'm wondering if I should go tell the coach to get the boy in the game. I am adamant about everyone getting in, especially on sub-varsity teams, and as often as possible on the varsity. I know our faculty knows this. This boy's job had been to run in and grab the tee after the kickoffs, and then to run it back to the sideline.

So here is my point. There is a high ceiling in America, and at schools like ours, for leadership, entrepreneurship and success. We are citizens with migrant roots, and thus high dopamine levels.

Our schools-both boarding and day independent schools-will help produce entrepreneurs and leaders, as I have found firsthand in my travels meeting Suffield alumni and seeking their support. Yet, with this potential comes the possibility for destructive habits, for addictions, compulsive behaviors and bad risks. There are great opportunities and important challenges for communities with exceptionally curious, active and intelligent people. What our schools must do, and are doing well, is create an environment that helps adolescents channel this curiosity and talent in positive ways, and, as best we can, assist them in steering clear of destructive and hazardous addictive behaviors.

Channeling ambitious, gifted and sometimes confused adolescents in directions that lend themselves to being productive leaders and citizens in our society - this is our challenge and mandate.

So with about four minutes left, I hear the coach yell, “Jones, get in the game.” Jones looks rattled.

His pads are on kind of crooked, helmet askew, mouthpiece hanging out. Jones is a new junior at Suffield from New Canaan, a small boy. Being a new junior is hard. The work is very demanding, the college process starts the day you arrive, and there aren't many other new students in the class.

Jones, in fact, has been a bit homesick up to this point, about three weeks into the school year.

So Jones goes in, and of course he goes in as the quarterback. On the first snap he fumbles, and he falls on the ball. On the second play he hands off, and we get about three yards. On third down he goes back to pass, no one seems to block, and he gets sacked by about five guys. Of course, his father at this point is right on the sidelines, as engaged as possible, cell phone finally turned off.

On fourth down we have to go for it-none of the 16 boys punt-and Jones goes back, jumps up, throws a wobbly pass, and it's caught by a boy who runs for a first down. Then we start moving the ball down field, some running plays and a few passes.

Sure enough, Jones jumps up, throws another wobbler, and it's a touchdown pass. He starts running off the field pumping his arm in the air, beaming, as was his dad. It was sports at their best. At New Canaan High there's no chance Jones is playing quarterback and having this experience.

Yet on the JV team at a medium-sized boarding school, he is having this life-altering experience, and he is done in time to get to play practice and evening study hall. He will tell the story at reunions in the years ahead. They can't take the touchdown pass away from him, or his father.

Let me conclude tonight by telling you a brief story about something I saw last fall and have been thinking about ever since. Our soccer numbers for boys were way up this year-more interest than ever, and in fact the varsity team won the New England Prep School title. Yet the larger soccer numbers had an impact on football, where the number of players was a bit lower than in previous years. A few days before the first JV football game, the athletic director came to me to say we only had 16 boys on the JV team-11 play at once-and we should probably cancel the game. I thought a lot about it, especially about all of the practice these boys put in for football without games, and told him we should play it and do the best we can. A little anxious about the decision, I asked my assistant to make sure I was free on Wednesday afternoon so I could go watch the game.

So in closing, let's reflect on how fortunate we are to be part of schools like Allen-Stevenson and Suffield, and to have bonds with our sons that are a large part of what we find meaningful in life. It has been a pleasure being with you tonight, and I wish you all the best.

So on Wednesday afternoon I head down to the football field and see our 16 boys warming up, and then I see the other team get off the bus with 30 boys. They scored the first three times they got the ball, making it 18-0 to start the second quarter. I

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WEBSITE

HIGHLIGHTS

w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g www . agrade llen-stevenson.org 7th w w w.science allen-stevenson.org w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o1Znplay .org w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l e n - sice t eskating venson.org w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l espelling n-stevenson.org w w w. a l l ebee nstevenson.org w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g invention w w w. a lconvention len-stevenson.org w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g 12

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w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l e n - s t e v egeobowl nson.org w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g thew. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g ww sneetches w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l e nspeech -stevenson.org contest w w w. a l l e n -stevenson.org w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l e n -academic stevenson.org bowl w w w. a l l e n s t e v enson.org w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g w w w. a l l e n - s t escience v e n s o n . o r g festival w w w. a l l e n - s t e v e n s o n . o r g L

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ATHLETIC

UPDATES

Varsity Basketball Jonathan Beckles, Darnell Davis, Leigh Fischbein, Eric Kotin, Jonathan McMyers, Michael Salik, Jason Saltiel, Alesandro Santoro, Enrique Smith, Matthew Sprayregen, Evan Solomon, Brady Williams The Varsity Basketball team had another outstanding season. With an overall record of eleven wins and six losses the team was very competitive in league and non-league play.

Our inside game was very good this year and presented a lot of match up problems for our opponents. We were also a quick team that could get out in transition and force teams out of their comfort zone on defense. As with all successful teams, our defense proved to be the pivotal advantage in most contests. We played an aggressive man to man, match up zone, and a very nice full court press. At times, our length, quickness, and athleticism made all of these defenses our best offense.

Junior Varsity Basketball Joseph Abadi, Basil Anderson, Derrick Asser, Michael Bass, Zach Berger, Mark Blumenfeld, Jacob Caplan, William Chouraqui, Sam Fischer, Carter Glatt, Henry Gonzalez, Maxson Jarecki, Peter Lawson, Matthew Leone The Junior Varsity Basketball Team had a successful season filled with many memorable moments. The boys continued to improve on the basic skills of dribbling, passing, and shooting and collectively grew to understand how the game is played. The boys persevered through some tough times and were able to develop into a cohesive unit. Their experiences this past season should help further their development for next year and the years beyond.

6th Grade Basketball Blue Team: Jesse Fastenberg, Aaron Fogle, Dylan Fowler, Alessandro Giacometti, John Hersey, Sam Javit, Adam Kotin, Matthew Schwimmer, Alexander Selz, Alexander Tomashoff Gold Team: Taylor Bennett, Richard Bryan, Franco Chomnalez, Joseph Fields, Derrick Holman, Louis Lecole, Dimitri Mortsakis, Clarke Rudick, Malik Simon, Skyler Wasser, Christopher Von Turk The 6th grade basketball team had a wonderfully successful season that culminated with an impressive 6-1 record. They improved their dribbling, passing and shooting skills.

The boys collectively improved their understanding of both zone and man-to-man defenses.

They displayed tremendous effort during scrimmages and games. They gained valuable experience from their games this season, which in turn will help further their development for competition next year.

5/6 Wrestling Justin Dier, Daniel Locker, Jonathan Linen, Robert Lubin, Nicholas McCombe, Jeremy Mittleman, Henry Plagemann, Matthew Russo, Ben Straus, Garrett Tongue, Tyler Waldman The boys had a good season, ending their Wrestling with a scrimmage against Buckley. Several 6th graders have shown signs of leadership this year. Everybody progressed with respect to their understanding of the basic moves from the standing, top, and bottom referee positions. The boys also have a stronger grasp of the scoring system, something that the 6th graders will have to apply as Upper School Wrestlers. We look forward to the boys finding even greater success next season, and that they will continue to evolve as athletes and intelligent competitors.

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WINTER

2005-2006 Varsity Hockey Justin Beers, Peter Bozian, Redmond Colson, Alex Corwin, Lee Eames, Pearce Erensel, Hunter Erensel, Taylor Lane, Michael Maloney, Malcolm Phelan, Spencer Penn, Ben Rifkin, Jamie Rucinski, Jarrad Schiltkamp, Cooper Zelnick The team had a fine season and made tremendous improvement.

Our record of 6 wins and 3 losses was a wonderful accomplishment. The boys played very well in their two wins over Greenvale, our toughest opponent. Our future looks good with a talented group of the 5th/6th grade players ready to continue our winning traditions.

5/6th Hockey Blue Team (Dark uniforms): James Allan, Nick Curcio, Ben Dickstein, Christian Lange, Nick O'Mara, Owen Rosenberg, Nick Schroth, Chris Wayland, Jake Zellner.

Gold Team (White uniforms): Elliot Bok, Hunter Erensel, Hasani Figueroa, Lucas Harb, Oliver Israel, Max Kalikow, Noah Koeppel, Stephen Lipton, William Rowles, Adam Silverman, Harry Whitney, Tyler Wojak, Lucas Zelnick.

The hockey teams combined for a good season. They had 2 wins, 1 loss, 2 ties and an overtime loss.

The offense worked hard at being unselfish and moving the puck ahead to teammates. On defense, the teams only allowed 2 goals per game.

A concentration on positional awareness led to a successful season and should be the foundation for a strong showing next year.

Varsity Wrestling Theo Agbi, Brando Brandolini, Daniel Evangelakos, William Evangelakos, Luke Goldstein, Elliot Frank, Harry Frank, Max Hannan, Anthony Joga, Adam Mitchell, Henry Neely, Tyler Reiss, Eric Schwartz Overall, this season was successful. The King of the Ring Tournament went well, with an Allen-Stevenson wrestler advancing to the finals in six of the eight weight classes. As a team we spent a lot of time working on how to defend off our back, escapes, turnovers, and finally, takedowns. Finally, the boys were taught how to conduct themselves on the side prior to and during matches in a way that sends a message of calm, focus, and professionalism to the opposing teams.

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MONEY MATTERS Several of the words of the Allen-Stevenson code reflect the accomplishments and wherewithal of the School's fundraising efforts for operations, special projects and capital needs.

Words from the School's code that stand out and define philanthropy in its best sense include: • Enthusiastic: expressed in the vigor of the dozens of volunteers and hundreds of donors who contribute their skills and countless hours of their time year after year; • Responsible: demonstrated by the School leadership who provide stewardship, accountability and oversight; • Determined: characterized by striving to do our best in these endeavors and motivating others to join in helping; And, of course, • Generous: exemplified by the many individuals who are unselfish in mind, spirit and giving.

And, while it is not in the School code, we must add “grateful” in our lexicon referring to Allen-Stevenson's fundraising efforts. We are extremely thankful for the goodwill and contributions of so many, whether they are new to our halls or graduated decades ago.

We hope that these words continue to inspire our leadership and our community as we all work together to fortify Allen-Stevenson for current and future generations of boys.

Matching Gifts Leverage Additional Support Matching gifts can take two forms: challenge grants and corporate matches. Over the years, Allen-Stevenson constituents have made challenge grants matching the donations of others, thus leveraging new and increased support. We are grateful for their generosity and creativity. Some current challenge grants, matching gifts up to a specified amount, include: • a challenge to the Class of 1981, made by classmate Andrew Vogelstein, for the Campaign for Allen-Stevenson: Today and Tomorrow; • another challenge for the Today and Tomorrow Capital Campaign made to the Class of 1992 by an anonymous donor; • and, for the fifth year in a row, Alex von Furstenberg will match the Annual Fund gifts from members of the Class of 1985.

Many families and alumni take advantage of corporate matching programs, which, depending on a corporation's policy, can provide up to a three to one match of an employee's gift. Matching gifts are credited to the donor's individual gift record. Among the companies that have made recent matching gifts to Allen-Stevenson are Time Warner, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Merrill Lynch, American Express, and Morgan Stanley - but there are many more who match. To take advantage of this often overlooked opportunity: 1) ask your employer if they match donations; and 2) if so, request a matching gift form and send it with your donation to AllenStevenson. We will process it and credit you for the total: the amount of your personal gift plus the corporate match. If you have any questions, please contact Emily Barnes in the Development office at 212-933-5203.

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to mak e a dif ferenc The 20 e!

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skills for life

At Allen-Stevenson we inspire boys to become...

THOUGHTFUL RESPONSIBLE GENEROUS RESPECTFUL STUDIOUS ENTHUSIASTIC DETERMINED CREATIVE GOOD

The Allen-Stevenson Code

!"# $%&'(') *'%#+# &) ,(-%./01/2'34#' When

touring Allen-Stevenson's magnificent new facilities, visitors often comment on how language plays such a prominent role in the building itself. Upon entering the School, for instance, one cannot help but notice the nine Allen-Stevenson Code words embedded in the Main Hall floor, all of which complete the phrase, “At Allen-Stevenson we inspire boys to become‌.â€? The words themselves are meant to invoke life's possibilities and lifelong goals. They consistently provoke class discussion about different perspectives, especially as a boy's life experience grows, regarding the meanings of each value or concept.

Other striking examples of the use of language in the new building may be found in friezes in the new Library Media Center on the second floor. The Lower School Reading Room frieze, which graces

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the cover of this Lamplighter, highlights the surnames of sixteen children's authors. The names are ones the boys can reasonably come to recognize as they move through Lower School, because they will have read some of the books by these men and women by the time they are Middle Schoolers. In some sense their presence is meant to affirm what a younger boy can know.

An even more conspicuous example is the frieze that surrounds the main room of the Library Media Center itself. That frieze includes well over 300 names, culled from a list that once included more than 600, and which are arranged in a roughly chronological sequence. Those names come from every era and countless cultures; the list could well have included other candidates. Although I reserved the final choices to myself, teachers and parents nominated many promising possibilities.

That was part of the fun!

Comparing the two frieze lists, the range of names is understandably much broader in the large reading room: it includes literary authors, inventors, explorers, athletes, statesmen, composers, artists, musicians, filmmakers, philosophers, and academics from every field of knowledge. Simply put, this list is meant to evoke all the possibilities of human knowledge and achievement that might be studied in a library. Put another way, the list includes a vast variety of role models from around the world, ones that any boy at Allen-Stevenson might think to emulate or consider.

Because the list is intended to be evocative, not comprehensive, the question arises how the choices were made. I like to answer with what I call the “four i's�: the names are of people whose imagination, ideas, inventions, and ingenuity changed the course of humankind for the better, though many

other worthies might also have been picked. These names are meant to broaden the boys' understanding of the life of the mind.

Working on these projects was something of an intellectual odyssey. In doing the research and making the choices, I was deeply aware of just how special the human adventure is. I was also struck by just how much a person can come to know and experience in his or her lifetime. What we do at Allen-Stevenson is essential, because a good education sets the stage and teaches skills for life. By empowering a boy's curiosity, we equip him to learn his whole lifetime. By acquainting him with an ample range of possibilities, we help him to understand that he's not alone on this astonishing journey.

Designed by Memo Productions Fabricated by Artisan Graphic Group

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The code words are something that have become omnipresent in our new schoolhouse.

They line the floor of the lobby, they appear each month on the calendar, and as you will see, they have an even bigger role at Allen-Stevenson. These nine words lay the foundation for many life lessons. Many classrooms take the task of incorporating these words differently, but the end result is positively the same. At the end of the day, AllenStevenson boys understand what it means to be Thoughtful, Responsible, Generous, Respectful, Studious, Enthusiastic, Determined, Creative, and Good.

THOUGHTFUL Engrossed in thought; contemplative; Exhibiting or characterized by careful thought “Establishing the authority of the person conveying information has always been an important life skill that we have taught in the A-S library,” said Sarah Kresberg, Library Director.

Ms. Kresberg stresses that in an age where most information is acquired from the internet, being thoughtful about resources is crucial.

“First we teach the boys the likely places to look for the authorship information on a website, then we teach them how to evaluate the author's credentials,” she said. The boys learn to think beyond what they might find in a Google search and use other resources. Being able to evaluate and think about their resources are skills that they will take with them to high school, college, and to their careers. Ms. Kresberg added, “!being able to find and use information is the foundation, not just for school learning but for lifelong learning.”

It is a given that creativity is a part of art education. However, Rob McCallum, Art, Woodshop, and Computer teacher, believes that along with creativity, art teaches the boys to be thoughtful and reflective. “Through the art-making process and dialogue with the boys I try to get them to learn how to make good judgments about qualitative relationships,” he said. Mr. McCallum said that art education gives the boys many life skills that they will take with them into the adult world. For example, through examining and creating art, they are learning there is no simple right or wrong answer to a problem and many ways to interpret the world. “Ultimately art enables the boys to have experiences we can have from no other source, namely the visual,” Mr. McCallum explained. “Through such an experience they discover the range and variety of what we are capable of feeling as human beings.”

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GENEROUS Liberal in giving or sharing One example of how Allen-Stevenson boys demonstrate generosity is evident through the many drives held throughout the

RESPONSIBLE

year. From the food drive at Thanksgiving to the recent col-

Able to make moral or rational decisions on one's own and

lection of books donated to PS 83 by the Middle School, the

therefore answerable for one's behavior; Able to be trusted or

boys show their generosity through various community ser-

depended upon; reliable

vice projects.

Although taught to all boys, responsibility is one of the words

“I want to teach them that to be generous can also mean to

whose meaning might have more significance in the Middle and

be giving with their time and hearts, not just money.” Blaise

Upper School. “Responsibility is

Bulfair, Kindergarten teacher, said

an integral part of the develop-

about teaching the word generous to

ment of my fourth graders in help-

her class.

ing transition into Middle School life,” said Alok Appodurai, 4th

Mary Terry, Science teacher, wants to

grade teacher. In his class, the

teach generosity in the context of fair-

boys are encouraged to be

ness. The boys are encouraged to

responsible in many ways. Being

help each other solve lab problems

aware of how they are treating

and think of new ideas. Also in her

others, doing their homework

class they practice the “one minute

neatly, calling a friend to make

rule.” Each boy gets a full minute to

sure they know their assignment,

observe the exciting event through

and taking care of daily tasks in

the microscope, then comes back for

the classroom are all ways in

“seconds” only after everyone has

which they demonstrate their

had a turn, she said. “Fairness and

responsibility. Mr. Appodurai adds

unfairness make up the landscape of the world these boys walk around in,

that the boys take pride in accomplishing these tasks and being responsible for themselves. “It is

and generosity and manners could become the natural inhab-

empowering to them and gives them confidence in many areas

itants of that world with plenty of practice,” Ms. Terry said.

of their lives,” he said.

Jenny Picower, Learning Resource Specialist, also stresses the importance of responsibility with her 6th and 7th graders. In her study skills class, the boys learn to take responsibility for their work, their ideals and their learning. She hopes that from this they will learn their strengths and ask for help when needed.

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RESPECTFUL Showing or marked by proper respect On the wall of Abby Levin's room are the lyrics to “Respect”. When it came time to introduce this word to her 1st grade class, she played the famous Aretha Franklin song for them. For each new code word, her class talks about the word and then makes a poster. “When I asked them how we should make the poster, they all wanted to use the words from the song,” she said. Ms. Levin, whose main message to her class is to be an individual amongst many, puts a great deal of focus on citizenship and how to be a part of a community in her class. Learning about different cultures allows them to both respect and celebrate differences.

In another 1st grade room, Erik Resurreccion teaches his boys to be respectful in many different ways. The code words “are an excellent opportunity for reflection on who we are and how we treat others,” he said. As part of learning the meanings of the words, Mr. Resurreccion will use role-playing and encourage the class brainstorm different scenarios about each word.

The main life lessons that he strives to teach, which include being polite, always saying you are sorry when you hurt someone else, and learning that what is fun for one person is not always fun for everybody else, are all based on respect.

Michelle Demko, Head of the Music Department, also believes that being respectful encompasses the rest of the words. She explained that when someone is singing, playing an instrument, or wearing a dress for Gillbert & Sullivan it is “one of the most naked things you can do.” Her students are learning to express themselves in an art form; expressing their thoughts and feelings that they might have no other way to share. “Not being fearful of trying something new and at the same time knowing that those around you are being respectful is very important,” she said.

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STUDIOUS Marked by steady attention and effort; assiduous In her study-skills class that she teaches to the 6th and 7th grade, Jenny Picower emphasizes life lessons in an academic context. “The 6th grade theme is to try hard and do your best,” she said, explaining that work habits such as time management, organization, and remembering class materials will help them do their best work. Ms. Picower said she wants the boys to understand that even if short term work seems laborious, it will help them in the long run. She believes that organization produces the best results and that work that is done today will only be of help in the future. For example, preparing for a quiz will help when it comes time for a test. “I always tell them not to put off to tomorrow what they can do today,” she said. Her number one goal is for her students to be lifelong learners because learning is not something that ends when they leave AllenStevenson.

DETERMINED Marked by or showing determination; resolute; decided or resolved

ENTHUSIASTIC

“Learning new things almost always presents obstacles,” said

Having or showing great excitement and interest

Susan Lukas, English teacher. Learning determination to get

Every month, when the new code word is introduced to Blaise

solve their own problems is something she finds important. Ms.

Bulfair's class, the boys talk about the word and its meaning.

Then each boy draws a picture to represent the meaning, and Ms. Bulfair makes a book from these pictures. Consequently, when a boy does something to demonstrate one of the code words, he gets to wear a badge of the Allen-Stevenson lamplighter for the day. “Everything you need to know, you learn in Kindergarten, whether it be kindness, manners, empathy, patience, and not to be a defeatist,” she said. “Try is our motto

over these obstacles and helping her students figure out how to Lukas said she challenges her boys to think creatively when they are feeling stuck and often asks them questions rather than simply giving them the answers. The classroom environment has to be safe enough to allow for mistakes along the way. “There must be lots of room for practice, for failure, and for figuring out how to do it better next time,” she said.

These lessons of determination are taught in the music room as

in Kindergarten.”

well. “I want them to dare to make mistakes,” Michelle Demko

Kindergarten boys have unmatched enthusiasm. “They are the

the boys is to love the process of learning, to strive for a goal,

best rule followers,” she said. “We lay the foundation in

commented. She said the life lessons she wants to leave with and to know that it is okay to fail and to go against the grain.

Kindergarten and then build on that enthusiasm.”

Allen-Stevenson boys carry the enthusiasm they have in Kindergarten to upper grades as their class work and learning becomes more and more challenging. Alok Appodurai said he encourages the boys to be enthusiastic in all of their activities throughout the day.

He especially notices their excitement in reading class. The boys learn to read aloud, enthusiastically giving voices to the varied characters. To develop their skills and ability to energetically bring a character to life, the boys will perform miniature plays of scenes from each of the novels read in class. “As their reading skills improve, they are able to incorporate more of their enthusiasm and excitement into their oral reading,” he said.

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CREATIVE Characterized by originality and expressiveness; imaginative Writing journals at the beginning of class seems like a perfectly ordinary task. However, writing journals at the beginning of math class might seem a little unusual. This is how each class begins in Robert Schifflet's room, who believes that this simple exercise of writing only 24 words, plants the seeds for thought.

“I teach real world math,” he said. “If it doesn't apply to them, they don't get it.” In his classroom, Mr. Schifflet tries to incorporate many creative projects to get the boys involved. From everything to folding papers into geometric shapes to measuring the area and perimeter of the code words on the lobby floor, he hopes his students can think of math in terms that apply to

GOOD To be desired or approved of, having the required qualities; of a high standard; morally right; virtuous Good might appear to be the most ambiguous code word.

It is word with many meanings, but one that Mary Terry believes to be the best. It is a word embracing truthfulness, honesty, knowing when to mind one's business, and setting the building of one's own character above academic or social pressure, she said. “The boy who dares to tell the truth in the face of trouble or, more subtly, the boy who

their everyday lives.

makes no excuses in the face of being unprepared-these

Creativity is also a key point in athletics. Coach Rich Alifano

said.

are men of genuine character-in-the-making,” Ms. Terry

tells the boys to study each sport and its intricacies so that they can be creative in their play. For example, he said, “in a basketball game, a boy might watch how the defense is playing against a teammate and then react using a non-traditional or creative pass.” Noticing subtle details about the game and using creativity results in success. He added that all of the code words, like being respectful and responsible, that are stressed in the classroom carry over into athletics.

Likewise, Carol Coles, 5th grade teacher, also believes that teaching the boys to be good is a main goal of her class.

Entering the 5th grade brings new independence, whether it is academic or social, and with independence comes the need for good decision making. She said she sees the boys making such decisions everyday when they do their work, chose who they want to sit with in the lunchroom, and spend time with after school.

“As they get older, they are out of their comfortable environment, they don't have homerooms and they change lockers,” Ms. Coles said.

“They need to be able to make good decisions.”

While they might not be spoken everyday, the code words have a message and a meaning that cannot go unnoticed. They are personified every time a boy studies for a test, performs in a Gilbert & Sullivan play, or simply allows his classmate to go ahead of him in the lunch line. And when the boys leave AllenStevenson, it is the hope of the faculty that they will remember these nine words and their meanings as codes for life.

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2"%8/#.%!%35/3*/!"#/<(9=$%>"!#' *3768#8/35/?8@%$$8/*3'/$%*#A/(5./!"#/>3($/3* %58!%$$%5>/%5/B$$#5CD!#-#5835/&3)8/!"#/(&%$%!)/!3/&#/$%*#C$35>/$#('5#'81/E# (8@#./8#-#'($/($695%/!3/>%-#/68/!"#%'/!"36>"!8/35/867"/4#%>"!)/%886#8/(8 ?E"#5/.%./)36/@534/4"(!/)36/4(5!#./!3/.3/4%!"/)36'/$%*#FAG/?E"(!G/%* (5)!"%5>G/ .%./ )36/ $#('5/ (!/ B$$#5CD!#-#5835/ !"(!/ >3!/ )36/ 4"#'#/ )36/ ('# !3.()FA/(5./?,%./!"#/B$$#5CD!#-#5835/H3.#/"(-#/(5/%9=(7!/35/)36'/$%*#FA B$695%/*'39/-%'!6($$)/#-#')/.#7(.#/'#8=35.#.1

B. Cory Kilvert, Jr. '45, a published writer, commented “English enabled me to be a newspaperman, advertising copywriter, public relations writer and the author of four books. To this day, I consider it a salvation when I consider what my life might have been without it.

Allen-Stevenson provided me with the basics of grammar and proper English usage and encouraged me to read good books. Today, my home library consists of 3,000 volumes (mostly on British military history), which is a subject I have studied seriously and lectured on for at least the past fifty years. In retrospect, I believe Allen-Stevenson did a wonderful job with me. It gave me an excellent grounding in English and History, which helped me do what I do today.”

The influence of faculty members is noted by Philip G. Proctor '55 who says, “My fondest memories of life at A-S revolve around the wonderful integration of all aspects of school life and the intimacy and immersion with the faculty and student body. I really felt like I was part of a large, functional family and I suppose the happy years I spent at Mr. Baker's "Camp Black Point" reinforced these feelings, as it was there that Mr. Waters so entertained us in the evenings with his dramatic readings of "Huck Finn" and other classics.” Phil went on to Yale Drama School and a career as an actor and member of the Firesign Theater as well as doing voiceovers on the Rugrats, Dr. Doolittle, and Finding Nemo to name just

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B. Cory Kilvert, Jr. ’45

Philip G. Proctor ’55

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Daniel A. Harris ’57 a few.

The field of endeavor did not seem to matter. In every instance, it seems that Allen-Stevenson was able to strike a chord that set a boy on a path of discovery. In some cases, it was the inspiration provided by a faculty member. Daniel A. Harris '57, now a Professor Emeritus of English and Jewish Studies at Rutgers University, points out that "I owe the beginnings of my long academic life in university teaching and scholarship to the Allen-Stevenson faculty of the 1950's who gave me the grand rudiments of a foundational education in learning. At A-S, I discovered my first great role-models for teaching. The people who taught me English, Latin, History and Music all had wide culture and vision, with a powerful commitment to what is now called "diversity". So did the Headmasters. Among schools of its caliber in Manhattan, A-S was culturally and morally distinguished: it freely admitted Jewish students. I was not aware of Allen-Stevenson's specialness in this regard at the time, but have valued it enormously in recent years. It allowed me to grow untrammeled."

Jeffrey L. Barker, M.D. ’57

As Jeffery L. Barker, M.D. '57 points out, “My early academic success at Allen-Stevenson imprinted me with a desire to learn, which I continue to do to this moment. All of the teachers I had at A-S were encouraging. The size of the classes was sufficiently small and intimate that everyone was in more-than-adequate contact with the teacher. I never had the feeling that any of the teachers I had were bored or disinterested. Rather, they were uniformly enthusiastic. I always looked forward to completing homework assignments and to helping others in my class with the more difficult problems, if I could do them. My years at A-S certainly provided me with an excellent foundation for continuing my education at Deerfield and Harvard. The positive feedback I initially received at A-S sustained me, and led to Boston University School of Medicine where I gradually became interested in research during medical school because my curiosity about 'how things worked', which I first realized while I was at A-S. I was selected to come to the National Institutes of Health during the Vietnam war in order to fulfill my military obligations. This opportunity led me into a career in a new discipline-neuroscience. I enjoyed the chance to be creative and published enough scientific papers in this new field that I was appointed to be the Chief 22

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of the Laboratory of

Neurophysiology in one of the institutes (NINDS) in 1981 and continue in this position today. So, I am still in the business of learning, from the literature, paper by paper, and from our own research, experiment by experiment. Our laboratory has now become focused on a hot topic in neuroscience--"neural stem cells”. Most of the people I have mentored and those in the laboratory now have come from all over the world rather than this country. This has been an education all by itself. I feel fortunate to have begun my education at A-S. It gave me the impetus to learn and I have subsequently spent all of my life learning and imagining.

Peter S. Gradjarsky ’67 Thank you, Allen-Stevenson!”

Peter Gradjansky '67, a landscape architect and builder says, “I realize that what I loved in life was not only AllenStevenson but its teachers who have been my biggest influence. One teacher in particular took me on as a member of his extended family and made me feel really special - the School made me feel that I had a special talent and that I could do anything. We were all in the same orchestra and it never occurred to us that you could not participate. In the early stages of my adult life, I wanted to do everything. I did not discover until later that I could be the master of one

D. Cooper Getschal ’67

thing. Allen-Stevenson gave me the confidence to try.”

Time and again, qualities outlined in the Allen-Stevenson code were mentioned. D. Cooper Getschal '67 says, “I got behind the creative thing and have always followed the code - perhaps as a result of a great education, perhaps because it makes sense. I was ordained as a Minister in 1999

by Christ's Church of the Palm Beaches. Although it is not my primary vocation at this point, it certainly fits the AllenStevenson code.” Coop knew from age 6 that he would wind up in a creative position involving music and credits Allen-Stevenson with providing the discipline of practicing music technique. He has been a music director, singer, songwriter, producer, teacher and composer for the last 40 years. He is currently the Executive Director of the Write Note Studios in West Palm Beach where underserved youth

have an opportunity to experience the recording studio process for free.

Skills were sometimes learned by the ability to overcome adversity and enhanced by an entrepreneurial spirit. John Gilmour '78, the President of MADD Snowboards, writes, “I learned from other Allen-Stevenson students that you can do anything if you are willing to let your mind direct you.

Everything is impossible until you do it for the first time. Let me state, without shame, that I had straight D's and F's in Shop and Art class. For me Shop and Art were utterly impossible, yet watching other students succeed made me realize that it was possible and not just the result of being gifted… I longed for the camaraderie we had as a class that skateboarded at A-S, so I helped create my own global version through two websites Slalomskateboarder.com and

John A. Gilmour ’78

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Matthew W. Peyton ’78 NCDSA.com.”

John Gilmour's classmate, Matthew W. Peyton '78, a commercial photographer, “…tried many things with various levels of success. After college, I was, in order, a musician, a jingle writer, an advertising producer, a television producer, and finally an internet producer… there were ups and downs. I was fired once or twice. I won awards once or twice. Eventually, I realized that doing things that feel easy (like taking pictures) is better than doing things that feel hard (like trying to write a hit song) and so all I had to do was build a business to support the thing that felt most natural to me. Never stop trying new things - even if some of the old things didn't work out. Often, failure is the key to eventual

Craig R. Kallman ’80 success.”

An overriding passion, nurtured by Allen-Stevenson, also contributed to a life-long commitment. Craig Kallman '80, the Co-Chair and COO of Atlantic Recording Corporation says, “The music training and Gilbert & Sullivan were invaluable. I tried so many instruments along the way there.

Very early on I knew I wanted to be involved in music somehow someway - probably at age 13. It consumed everything I did. I learned the art of focus and discipline. I learned how to concentrate and be single-minded in certain pursuits that

Tsvi Landau ’84 I loved - music, theater and basketball.”

There is a common thread of communication which contributes to a sense of self. Tsvi Landau '84 (Brooke Loring) who is a practicing Rabbi in Israel, he comments: “I certainly see some connection between my AllenStevenson background and who I am in general…many different students actually felt comfortable telling me their problems! That got me thinking about different pro24

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Justin M. Belmont ’98 fessions, including the clergy.”

Justin Michael Belmont '98 says, “One of the most tangible things that Allen-Stevenson taught me was a framework of rigorous study skills that my classmates in high school, and even college, never had. Everyone at college was always asking to copy my notes. At A-S, studying for monthly history tests was like training for a sport. I remember forming study groups with my classmates and quizzing each other relentlessly. A really important facet of my Allen-Stevenson education was the emphasis on follow through: commit to a task, determine what it would take to complete that task, and finish it thoroughly. I think a lot of people without this kind of education focus too much on one or another of these steps. It's the whole process that counts.” Moreover, being studious was also coupled with creativity. Justin is now the CEO of Artocity.com, an

Clayton F. Parker ’02

online art gallery. It features limited editions of contemporary photographs printed on canvas by a process called giclée.

Even our younger alumni consider that skills learned at Allen-Stevenson have contributed to their accomplishments during their college years. Clayton Parker '02, a Freshman at Syracuse University, remembers learning to type when he was 8 and “…at the time, I thought it was extremely foolish to drill library skills into my head while I was in the Lower School. The ability to find a book within 3 minutes of getting to the correct floor of the Syracuse University library has proven to be extremely

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David Jake Goldman ’01 valuable as I often have much better things to do after I find the book I need.”

Jake Goldman '01 feels that “The things that Allen-Stevenson helped me learn at a very young age were the concepts of leadership, teamwork and resiliency. In the 9th grade, I was able to apply all the practical things I had developed through my years at A-S as I was elected Student Government President. This was the first time I was given the opportunity to work within the structure of the school while making proactive changes to improve the quality of life for the students. This ability to lead that I developed at AllenStevenson continued as I was a member of my high-school's Honor Council and am currently a member of the University of Southern California's Student Senate.

The ability to work with a team came from my time spent on the A-S basketball team. I still think back to the shots made, or more often, missed. Despite disagreements between players we were always reminded that we had the same goal and always put our best effort on the court. This has helped me in the work that I have done for various political campaigns. Often the group I have worked with is very small and diverse in terms of experience and ideals. The ability for me to handle these diverse ideas and come up with creative solutions undeniably came from the years with my coaches at Allen-Stevenson.

The encouragement of my teachers at A-S provided me (at a very young age) with the trait of resilience. If I ever did poorly on a paper or test, almost every teacher would talk to me about it and would help me through any difficulty I was having with the material. This ability to pick myself up by refocusing has certainly benefited me greatly since my time at A-S. The best example of this was after a project I had been working on during my time on Mayor Bloomberg's reelection campaign. I spent a week trying to put together logistics for an all-day, five borough press event with the Mayor and it was a disaster. A car got towed, the press vans got lost; a mess.

Instead of sulking or letting it affect the other work I was doing, I merely refocused and worked doubly hard on my other projects. This skill was developed at A-S. I learned that it isn't how many times you fall down, it's how quickly you get back up.”

J5/8@%$$8/*3'/$%*#C$35>/$#('5%5>G/B$$#5CD!#-#5835/#5>#5.#'8/%5/%!8/8!6.#5!8/(/8#58#/3*/8#$*C#8!##9/(5. !"#/(&%$%!)/!3/#K=$3'#/9(5)/*(7#!8/3*/$%*#/4%!"36!/*#('/3*/*(%$6'#1/2"#)/('#/8!6.%368G/.#!#'9%5#.G/7'#C (!%-#G/#5!"68%(8!%7G/!"36>"!*6$G/(5./(=='#7%(!%-#/3*/4"(!/!"#/D7"33$/"(8/3**#'#./!"#91/

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Eric Rosas ’06 Positive Nuisance Eric! Eric! Eric! Eric this…Eric that…Eric here…Eric over there …Sigh…It has me up to here. All my life I have been shadowed, feared, and pushed by this one thing. All my life I have been pressured by this one thing.

When did this beastly creature begin to attack me? May 4, 1991, the very day I was brought to this earth the heavy pressure of being the first one to “make it” has been dropped on my back. My father dropped out in the 9th grade and my mother dropped out in the 6th grade.

What's expected of me? The first born? Everyone has their standards set on a one day rich man…you know like the ones with fancy looking suits and everything.

Everyone says I will be the one who gets his family out of the financial difficulties and into a new life. The heat comes from EVERYONE, not just my parents but my brother, my cousins, my uncles, my aunts, my grandmother, my grandfather, heck I even think my dog is expecting something.

“Ay..mijito…va ser un professional que me va comprar mi casa.” What the heck does this mean? It means…my little son, who is going to be a professional will buy me my house. What am I going to tell my mother-Gloria Rosas, the woman who brought me to this earth,…no? How could I ever do that to a woman who raised me with love and taught me the moral ways of living. She's not alone though…guess who else gets caught into this pandemonium…that's right…Big R…Rogelio Rosas, my tough mustache-having father.

So here I stand in front of you, a 14 year old Hispanic already promising to buy a house. Now, I don't want to make my parents seems like gold diggers to a boy who doesn't have money yet. On the contrary my par-

ents are doing the best in trying to give me a better life than they had. But my life is so much more different than others. Most people at this school were born into an already successful family. I wasn't. And it becomes quite stressful. Every time I talk to a family member it's not “hey how u been?” it's more of a “hey how have your grades been?”

Then there's Mini R…little Brandon Rosas, a cute, likeable seven year old with teeth shinier than pearls.

We've all heard the cliché saying, “ Your brother looks up to you.” I don't know about others but to my surprise, this statement is actually true. I share a miniature room with the little boy. I play soccer…he plays soccer…. I listen to rap…he bursts into my freestyles… “My brother has a scholarship to AllenStevenson? I wanna go to Allen-Stevenson!” If I don't come out strong in life…what is my brother going to do-become a failure? Being the first born, I have always been independent…my parents couldn't really help with work…it was always Eric alone since the beginning. It's been difficult, and I want to make it easier for my brother. So forget giving up on schoolwork. Forget slacking off. Forget getting kicked out of school. Every time a teacher spends their hour waiting on the board, I NEED to focus and learn for that little boy who wants to be just like me.

Till this point in life, I do believe I have gone quite far.

I mean, I went from a crummy public school to a private school in no other than the famous Manhattan.

The journey only gets harder but in the end, with all this pressure, I truly believe it will feel amazing to shove it off. I believe that I will feel proud when my parents are crying of happiness that I accomplished “THE AMERICAN DREAM”, I mean that's why everyone comes here right? I will be the one who changed his stars for a new life. Eric Rosas, will be the young Mexican boy that “made it” and a man who will look into his brother's eyes and feel that he has fulfilled his responsibilities. So although it presents the most stressful nuisance in my life, I WILL one day look back at my life and say…I was that ordinary kid from Corona Queens who went in the right direction and accomplished extraordinary things…like buying those fancy suits. Thank you.

Eric Rosas ’06 is this year’s winner of the Upper School Speech Contest. He will be attending The Hotchkiss School this fall.

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Nazif Dervisevic from Building Services and his wife Edina had a baby boy, Adem, born on April 17th.

Kindergarten teacher Alice Heminway and First Grade teacher Erik Ressurreccion welcomed James (Jamie) Channing on April 7th.

Facilities Manager Joe Foresta has a new granddaughter, Olivia Baines McCarthy.

She was born March 20th in Florida.

Pictured:: AF Major Chris McCarthy and Candice with daughters Annalie Ryan, Olivia Baines

Kindergarten Associate Emily Roth will be married at the end of September at St. Ignatius Loyola church to John P. Hanna.

He is an Associate Director in the M&A group at UBS.

This spring woodworking teacher Tara Parson is getting her M.F.A. with honors in Sculpture/ Printmaking from Pratt Institute Image from Tara’s thesis exhibit, Blown-Up, 2006 An Installation of 500+ handmade latex airplane balloons

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Drama teacher Danya Haber and her husband Michael welcomed Oliver Dov born February 17th and weighed 7lbs. 11oz.

First Grade teacher Jennifer Zimmermann and Upper School Science teacher John Zufall are the proud parents of Lily Zimmermann Zufall.

She was born April 18th.

Third Grade teacher Betty Marolla’s husband Ralph Balsamo died on January 30, 2006 of the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. He was a partner at Eisner and Company LLP and was also an avid runner, participating in many marathons and ultra marathons .

Betty said, The entire Allen?Stevenson community was helpful and supportive

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For information about any alumni activities, please contact Jackie Brown, Alumni Director, at jbrown@allen-stevenson.org or 212-933-5240.

Alumni Gatherings in Palm Beach and Boston

Weekend at Allen-Stevenson The Weekend at Allen-Stevenson was held on Saturday, March 11 and Sunday, March 12, 2006.

Saturday morning began with Storytime for alumni and their young children in the new Library Media Center. After the children drew pictures and decorated nametags, Sarah Kresberg, the AllenStevenson Library Director, read stories to them in the Lower School Reading Room. In attendance were Robert Burge '76 with son James, and daughter, Cecily; Maurice Edelman '78 with son Benjamin and daughter Rachel; Michael Feinberg '84 with sons Lucas and Taylor; and Victor Smith '88 with his nephew Terence. Sarah Kresberg's two children, Alice and Simon, also took part, as did her husband Jamie.

At 11:00 a.m., the Storytime attendees headed up to the Gym to watch the Annual Alumni/Faculty Basketball Game. Several games with wins for each team were played by the following alumni: Paul Alshooler '03, Jason Angell '92, Craig Applegate '05, Mtume Ayers '89, Jeffrey Bernstein '83, Lane Bodian '03, Alfred Burger '87, Jamie Elish '06, Aaron Halfon '06, Harry Levine '03, Cannon Hersey '92, Ben Joseph '03, Andy Katz '03, Josh Kronfeld '06, Paul Mancusco '03, David Rohn '06, Mike Rohn '03, Andrew Rolfe '03, Eric Rothstein '81, Leo Sloan'05, Denton Smith '94, Victor Smith '88, Grant Tomashoff '06 and John Tomashoff '06. Faculty members who played were Rich Alifano, Billy Dransfield, Neal Kamsler and Rob Wiseman. Additional spectators included parents Betty Bernstein, Harvey Katz and Jamie Tomashoff as well as John Carr '76, Ron Rolfe '60 with wife Sara Darehshori and son Dare, Joshua Rothstein '12 and David Kersey h'98.

Following the basketball game, many of the attendees gathered for a pizza lunch in the School's Dining Room.

On Sunday, a Dress Rehearsal for Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience was held in the School's Assembly Hall. Alumni and their families who attended the dress rehearsal included Lisa and Robert Burge '76 with children, Cecily and James; Maurice Edelson '78 with children Benjamin '16 and Rachel; and Dean Landis '78 with sons Luke '14 and Teddy '13. Jules Hamilton '05 also dropped by to see the performance.

Robert Rodenberg ’55, David Trower h’95 and Steve Bauer ’67

On February 23rd, Alumni and friends of Allen?Stevenson? gath ered at the home of Tracy and Matt Smith ’86 in Palm Beach to meet with Headmaster David Trower h’95, Faculty Member David Kersey h’98 and Alumni Director Jackie Brown. Present were Matt’s par ? ents, Stanley and Arna Smith, Timothy Cogan ’49, Robert Rodenberg ’55 and his wife, Steve Bauer ’67, D. Tracy and Matt Smith ’86 Cooper Getschal ’67,Cubby Downe ’70 and John Colhan ’72 and his wife, Luisa. ~~~ On March 1st, Alumni met at Vox

Populi, a restaurant in Boston, t see Headmaster, David Trower h’95, Associate Headmaster, John Pariseau h’98 and Faculty Member, David Kersey h’98. In attendance were:Edward Thomas Bicks ’84,

We are delighted to note an increase of interest in Allen-Stevenson among alumni who have sons of school age. Because of this situation, the School has developed a policy to handle Legacy Status: alumni may request an early admissions decision although Legacy Status does not mean an automatic or guaranteed acceptance. Alumni who are interested in applying their sons should call the Admissions Office at 212-606-0884.

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Cocktails for the Classes of 1980 - 1999 On Thursday, January 26, 2006, more than 20 Allen-Stevenson alumni in the Classes of 1980 - 1999 gathered in The Skylight Lounge at Sutton Place Bar & Restaurant to reconnect with one another and reminisce about their days at Allen-Stevenson.

In attendance were: Pierre Bonan '89, Charlie Burger '91, Van Furniss '91, Graham Geisenheimer '92, Tim Geisenheimer '99, Harlan Goldberg '90, Andrew Goodwin '84, Drew Gutstein '91, David Herzberg '89, Rob Karp '91, Kevin Koplin '84, David Kurzman '89, Jesse Liebmann '98, Ross Millhiser '94, Chris Moscato '98, Eric Rothstein '81, Jimbo Schley '93, Nicholas Schutt '94, Ed Wartels '91, and Nicolas Wuorenheimo '83.

David Kurzman ’89, Graham Geisenheimer ’92, David Kersey h’98, Pierre Bonan ’89, Tim Geisenheimer ’99 and David Herzberg ’99

The 2005 Alumni Hockey Game

The Allen-Stevenson School hosted The 2005 Alumni Hockey Game at Chelsea Piers' Sky Rink on Thursday evening, December 15, 2005. The evening began with warm-ups from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m., during which time children of players were invited to skate. An hour-and-a-half game followed, and the evening ended with both players and spectators gathering for a celebratory buffet dinner.

The Committee for this year's event included Jesse Adler '03, Adam Feinberg '86, Michael Feinberg '84, Jacob Fields '02, Van Furniss '91, Cristopher Goodman '86, Patrick D.R. Horan '85, John Lyden '02, Timothy Maloney '04, Philip Pilmar '01, Ian Ratner '83, Christopher Sanborn '92, Mike Tiedemann '86, Philip Utsch '84, and Clifton York '78.

The following players participated in the game: Coach Phil Amplo, Paul Aston '80, Eric Bader '82, Alexander Michael Feinberg ’84, Lucas Feinberg and Adam Feinberg ’86 Chouraqui '06, Adam Feinberg '86, Michael Feinberg '84, Morgan Fleischman '04, Jason Gottlieb '98, Justin Gottlieb '03, Patrick D.R. Horan '85, David Israel, David Koeppel, Timothy Maloney '04, Will Overlock '95, Philip Pilmar '01, Christie Rana, James Rucinski, Matthew Schroth '06, Alexander Shipper '02, Philip Shipper '98, George Van Dercook '06, and Nicolas Wuorenheimo '83.

Spectators included: Emily Barnes, Kiki Boucher, Nancy Brenner, Jennifer Chouraqui, Michel Chouraqui, Justine Feinberg, Lucas Feinberg, Alan Fleischman, Victor Freudman, Oliver Israel '10, David Kersey, h '98, Adam Koeppel '12, Lesley Koeppel, Noah Koeppel '10, Jacqueline Leitzes, Hilary Love, Sari Nadler, Roslyn Pilmar, Jamie Rucinski '07, Adam Silverman '09, Jeffrey Silverman, Jeremy Silverman '14, and Sam Silverman '07.

Matthew Schroth ’06 and Alexander Chouraqui ’06

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Please send Alumni News for the Lamplighter to alumni@allen-stevenson.org or call the Development Office at 212-606-0890.

1960s

yet perfect . His last surgery was January 30th and he attended the Boston alumni gathering in March.

Joseph Charles Roper '30 (jropersr@aol.com) writes “I am doing fine and hope to reach 90 next May.” He and his son, David, attended the Allen-Stevenson alumni gathering in Boston in March.

Gary M. Ferman '61 (gary@fermanlaw.com) writes “I very much enjoyed meeting the Headmaster and other alumni and friends of Allen-Stevenson in London at the dinner at the Fly-Fishers Club."

Christopher Rutgers Knauth '43 stopped by the School in December to see if we had any pictures from the Class of 1943.

Fred Henry Stroock '63 (fstroock@aol.com) writes “My wife, Bonnie, and I became firsttime grandparents in 2004 as our older daughter, Heather, gave birth to Emma Mae Gordon.”

Eric Malcome Lustgarten '78 (elustgarten@wbmay.com) left Brown Harrris Stevens after nearly eight years to head William B. May, a residential firm with a pedigree stretching back to at least the 1860s.

“William B. May is bringing in industry trailblazers who are looking for a clear playing field and bring to the table a truly entrepreneurial spirit,” Lustgarten said. “William B. May is the hottest 'new' old-school shop on the block.”

1940s

Charles Bracelen Flood '44 is the author of a recently published book, Grant and Sherman The Friendship That Won the Civil War. John B. Loengard '49 (loenpics@aol.com) has had his eighth book published in the U.S. and U.K. last fall (a French edition will be published in Paris). Titled As I See It, it is a selection of photographs taken during his 50 year career as a photographer. His interest in photography began in 1946 when his father announced plans to buy a new camera now that World War II had ended. The next year, he and a 7th grade classmate, Albert Francke, started a photography club at Allen-Stevenson.

1950s

Peter Benchley '54 died February 12, 2006.

His first novel, Jaws, began a life-long interest in sharks and marine life and included his serving as a spokesman for the Environmental Defense Fund, working with Wildaid, traveling to teach about sharks, and warning against the practice of killing sharks for their fins, a delicacy especially popular in Asia. He co-wrote the screenplay for Jaws, and authored several other novels, including The Deep, The Island, and Beast. He served on the national council of The Environmental Defense Fund, hosted numerous television wildlife programs, gave speeches around the world and wrote articles for National Geographic and other publications.

Philip G. Proctor '55 (phil.proctor@mac.com) has a role in Window of Opportunity, a dark comedy by Samuel Warren Joseph directed by Billy "Midnight Express" Hayes and produced

by Winship Cook and John Densmore. Phil was recently interviewed as a representative voice-over artist for an NBC “ Today Show” feature aired in April on the increasing use of uncredited, high-priced celebrities in commercials. He will also be doing some promo (as the Drunk French Monkey) for the upcoming "Dr. Doolittle" DVD release. And, finally, he and his wife, Melinda, and will be going to Dublin in early August to perform in another Crazy Dog Irish radio project.

Dan Reich '65 (lostmoose@sbcglobal.net) is a Senior Paralegal at a law firm in Dallas and married to the former Zedrouh Henry.

Glenn Robinson '78 (ALGRLRER@aol.com)

Richard Earle Thomas '66 took part in a “Wall to Wall Stravinsky” event at Symphony Space in New York in March. Critics said of The Soldier's Tale that “ Mr. Thomas was wonderful as the befuddled soldier who sells his scrappy but beloved violin to the Devil, thereby losing his soul.”

Stephen Bauer '67 (SteveBauer27@aol.com) and D. Cooper Gatchell '67 (coop@wnfpb.org) attended the alumni gathering in Palm Beach in February. Steve is recently retired from the The Hershey Company, and Coop is the Executive Director of the Write Note Foundation which is a free professional recording studio for children.

Peter Simmons Gradjansky '67 (gradjansky@post.harvard.edu) writes that he is a landscape architect with a design-build practice which encompasses both architecture and execution. He designs and builds residential and school gardens in San Francisco, the East Bay, and the North Bay. He visited the School in April with his daughter, Hannah, and was able to attend the Upper School Speech contest.

visited the School in December with his wife, Latoria, and daughter Amber. He has returned to school to pursue a career in social work at the University of North Carolina - Greensboro.

He met with Mr. Kersey, Mr. Pariseau and Mr. Trower and was amazed by the new building!

Edwin Lee Solot, Jr. '78 (ned@thefaxco.com)

1970s

Marcus Mitchell '73 and wife Jennifer stopped by the School in November. They are living in Ft. Lauderdale.

John Adams Gilmour '78 (johngilmour@rocketmail.com) won 4th Place in the World Championships of Teleboarding in February, 2004, after only taking up the sport for two days. He did, however, crash on the second run, breaking both legs and a shoulder.

Six surgeries later, he is better although not

was in New York in March and came by the School to see the new construction.

Michael Eric Schiff '79 (schiffym@aol.com) along with Bill Martin, is writing the pilot for Friends star Lisa Kudrow's project featuring Aisha Tyler. They will also executive produce the show. The Martin/Schiff duo created Grounded for Life which is now in its third season.

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NEWS

Jeffrey S. Oestricher '80 is an Assistant U. S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

(which lasts just over half an hour), Show People definitely tantalizes, even though its status as a red herring manufacturer is immediately in evidence. Within just the past several years, Mr. Weitz has established himself as a sharp-eyed but empathetic portraitist of unmoored souls in search of an illusion called family. That wistfulness, captured in mordant detail, informed Mr. Weitz's two previous plays, Roulette and Privilege, as well as his film In Good Company, one of the most charming and substantive romantic comedies of the past decade.”

John David Schaeffer '80 (theschaeffers@comcast.net) is married and living outside of San Francisco with his wife and two children. He ran into Jason Anderson '81 who updated him on his classmates.

Mitchell Keiter '81 (keiter@stanfordalumni.edu) is Professor of Law at Western State University in Fullerton, CA. He and his wife, Sheila, have two boys: Dean, age 5 and Anon, age 10 months.

Kathryn “Cokie” Rice was born at 8:50 pm on Thursday, April 13th. She weighed 8 lbs. 12 oz.

Morgan Chia-Wen Sze '80 (morgan.sze@gs.com) has been living in London for eight years with his wife and two daughters, ages 5 and 2. He attended the London Alumni gathering in October.

Andrew R. Seplow '81 (aseplow@yahoo.com) married Margie Jacobs in January, 2006. He is an acupuncturist in Albany, CA.

Carlos Eduardo Dobkin '85 (cdobkin@ucsc.edu) married Angela Gengler Dobkin on October 23, 2004, and they have a new baby girl, Abigail.

Kevin Koplin '84 was married November 19th

Jack Lucentini '85 (jekluc@aol.com) is a journalist and he is currently the editor and founder of a webzine: WORLD SCIENCE (http://www.world-science.net), a science news webzine.

S. Nicholas McKhann '80 (smckhann@cox.net) wrote “Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend the Alumni Dinner but please tell everyone I say hello and I am happily living in East Providence, R.I. with my wife of 20 years, Colleen, and my two children, Ashley (16) and Alex (12).”

Paul John Weitz '80 has written and directed a new movie, American Dreamz, which is a political satire about President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq. The movie stars Dennis Quaid, Marcia Gay Harden, Willem Dafoe, and Hugh Grant. ''The thematic center of the movie is about self-importance and selfobsession, how much that is at the core of our culture,'' says Paul. ''I'm exploring the aspect of the American identity where dreams and aspirations are always a positive thing, the implication of the sense that if everybody is having a dream, it makes it impossible to have a sophisticated view of our own lives!.The juxtaposition of being at war with Iraq, yet going about our daily lives, being obsessed with 'American Idol' -- as I was last year -- was the impetus,'' he continues. ''It seems like an absurd situation that lends itself to comedy.'' Christopher John Weitz '84 is the executive producer.

His new play, Show People, opened at The Second Stage Theater in April. The New York Times commented, “For its first, brief act

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Marc Nicholas Rice '84 (marc.rice@us.cibs.com) and wife, Maddie, are thrilled to announce their daughter, Conlin

Robert Scott Tucker '85 (tucker@tandmprotection.com) and Andrea Schulman are the proud parents of a son, Alexander Norman Tucker, born October 11, 2005.

to Danielle Morgan at the Metropolitan Club in New York. Mrs. Koplin, 30, is an investigator at Kern Informative Resources in New York. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. Kevin specializes in securities law with McCabe, Flynn & Arangio, a New York law firm. He was an assistant Bronx district attorney from 1994 to 1999. He was one of the judges for the Upper School Speech Contest at the School in April.

Brevoort Walden III '86 (brevnjoy@cybernet1.com) stopped by the School with his son, Avery, age 7. He saw Mr. Kersey and Mr. Pariseau. Brevy is married to Joy Richards and also has a son, Lukas, age 13. He is a Revegetation Contractor in western Montana.

Peter DaPuzzo '87 (pete@dapuzzo.com) married Rachel Rubin on June 22, 2002. They have one son, Jackson, born June 16, 2003.

John Andrew Pickens Kirby '87 (john.kirby@lw.com) has completed a film, a dramatic-documentary-musical funded by the BBC and starring Lewis Lapham, the editor of Harper's Magazine. It's called The American Ruling Class and it follows two semifictional Yale grads as they explore the corridors of wealth and power. They meet everyone from Arthur Sulzberger Jr. to James Baker, from Hollywood and financial moguls to folksingers, first amendment lawyers and at least one journalist posing as a waitress.

They are on the festival circuit and will release theatrically early this year, followed by a run on the Sundance Channel. (You can watch their piece on CNN and read the press at www.theamericanrulingclass.org).

Lewis Charles Leibert '88 (Liebert@liebertent.com) began a new position at the start of this year as Vice-President and General Manager at Television USA where he has launched the Forbes Enterprise Awards. You can see more about this venture at www.forbesawardscom. The awards are intended to recognize innovative thinking in the management of successful small enterprises and intended to benefit other businesses by sharing the innovative ideas developed by the award-winners.

Jesse Stagg Lawrence '88 (jlawrence2@nyc.rr.com) has a new daughter, Elizabeth, born March, 2005. Jesse and wife are living in NYC and he works for a venture capital firm, Updata, in New Jersey.

Clayton G. Akiwenzie '89 (akiwenzie@gmail.com) writes “Michael Burger actually officiated at my wedding on June 12, 2004 in San Francisco, CA. Our daughter Paloma Evangeline Akiwenzie was born on October 27, 2005.

1990s

Cannon Hersey '92 (blackagemedia@yahoo.com) is in New York from his home in Johannesburg, South Africa, He has worked with the Parents Association to produce a CAFE meeting at the School in April featuring the South African filmmaker, Dumisani Phakathi and South African jazz artist, Dorothy Masuku.

Alexander Mark Hahn '90 (Alex.M.Hahn@sprint.com) has left his job at the Washington Redskins and is now the Manager of Community Relations at Sprint in Reston, VA.

Colin King Miller '93 (colin.k.miller@gmail.com) is working for the Walt Disney Company as a Business Planner in Feature Film Financing and living in Los Angeles.

John Jaxheimer '90 (john_jaxheimer@timeinc.com) is in New York working for Sports Illustrated.

Craig Kirsner '90 (craig@kirsner.us) writes that he could not attend the Alumni Dinner due to Hurricane Wilma. He is the Site Manager for one of the Hands On Miami Day projects. He recently earned his MBA at Florida International University and is a Senior Financial Analyst at Commercial Capital Resources, LLC in Miami.

William Wilson Hamilton '94 (william.hamilton@smhgroup.com) has moved to Houston, TX. He will be getting married June 3, 2006, to Heather Klein, a medical student in Houston.

Denton Alexander Smith '94 (lexlyric@yahoo.com) stopped by the School in January and had lunch with Mr. Kersey, Mr. Wilder, Mr. Cohen and Mrs. Brown. He is a member of the AEC Diversity Committee.

R. Vanneman Furniss '91 (vanfurniss@rcn.com) was married to Samantha Farkas on September 17, 2005, at the Litchfield Country Club, Litchfield, CT with many A-S friends in attendance.

Kristoffer S. Harris '95 (shortman81@earthlink.net) stopped by the School in November. He is a case manager in the Youth Services Division of the Henry Street Settlement here in New York.

Harry E. Gould, III '91 (escapartst@aol.com) is at USC film school and living in Pasadena.

Drew Gutstein '91 married Allison Goldstein on November 20, 2005, at the Puck Building in New York. Allison is a manager at the Manhattan Theater Club in New York, where she is responsible for raising funds from individual donors. She graduated cum laude from Skidmore College and received a master's degree in performing arts administration from New York University. Drew is a vice president, responsible for writing software programs for stock traders, in the Jersey City office of Goldman, Sachs & Company.

Jason M. Farkas '97 (jason.farkas@gmail.com) has a new job at the NBC Page Program in Rockefeller Center.

Robert Lavington Farren '97 (rob@aphonic.com) took part in the Tribeca New Music Festival. Titled Generation-Y, the performances were devoted to music by emerging composers in their 20's and 30's.

Rob presented his composition Climix “Redux”.

G. Graham Geisenheimer '92 (graham@geisenheimer.com) married Kerry Ann Regan in August, 2005. They attended the Alumni Cocktail party in January.

Evan Hilson Levey '97 (elevey@cabinet.com) is running a custom cabinet business called Columbia Cabinets with a showroom in Albany, NY. Check out his web site at www.ccabinet.com.

Gordy Rogers '92 (gordyrogers@hotmail.com) writes, “I'm actually in grad school up at Columbia right now, getting an M.S. in speech pathology. Very fun stuff, an extension of my linguistics major at Yale and teaching experience at St Hilda's & St. Hugh's School in 2002-2003. I worked as a researcher in neurolinguistics and the effects of brain trauma. Seems like everything's looking good on 78th St...Hope to make it to an alumni dinner -- definitely our 15th in 2007!”

Gregory Oskar Geuer '98 (ggeuer@optonline.net) graduated from the Daniels School of Business at the University of Denver with a Finance/Real Estate major. He is currently working with Prudential Douglas Elliman on the East End of Long Island.

Nicholas Larisch Hoge '98 graduated from Brown University and is now attending Yale Drama School.

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ALUMNI

A

SAVE THE DATE

LUMNI DINNER

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8TH

COCKTAILS AT 6:00 PM DINNER AT 7:30 PM

CLASSES ENDING IN “1” AND “6” ARE CELEBRATING MILESTONE REUNIONS IN 2006.

IN MEMORIAM Peter Benchley '54 February, 2006 William Burger '56 April, 2006 William J. Bryan '81 May, 2003 Trowbridge Callaway III, '53 October, 2004 Matthew T. Coleman '97 February, 2006 Brian O. Flory '77 October, 2005 Michael H. Garrett '81 December, 2005 Joseph C. Hoagland '37 September, 2004 Alan P. Horowitz '44 May, 2002 Richard John July '78 March, 2006 Robert Morgan King '50 January, 2006 Remsen Lefferts '40 November, 2005

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Alexander Hirschhorn Klebanoff '98 (gtrvaughn@aol.com) writes “On January 3rd, I start a paid training program at Marlborough Gallery created for me by Pierre Levai, the worldwide president. I will get the opportunity to work closely with directors and emerging artists as well as learn sales. I am extremely excited.”

Jason Andrew Kraus '98 (babbaoriely@aol.com) is back at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA. Graham W. Winfrey '98 (gwinfrey22@gmail.com) visited the School in January and saw Neal Kamsler. He is now living in Los Angeles and working for a talent agency.

Alexander M. Brash '99 (brash@fas.harvard.edu) stopped by and saw Mrs. Schrade-James, Mrs. Shapiro, Mr. McDonald, Mr. Haarman and Ms. Demko. He is majoring in Computer Science at Harvard.

Maximilian S. Warncke '99 (msw5@Lehigh.edu) stopped by in January and saw Mr. Cohen, Mr. Kersey, Ms. Kyte and Mr. MacDougal. He is majoring in Industrial Engineering at Lehigh.

2000s

Patrick R. Blauner '01 (hotsteppa411@aol.com) stopped by the School in January and saw Mr. Kersey, Ms. Kyte, Mr. Kamsler and Mr. Cohen. He is enjoying the University of Wisconsin - Madison

where he is majoring in Political Science and International Relations.

David Jake Goldman '01 (djgoldman@gmail.com) is “absolutely loving USC - it is an incredible place and I am really thriving academically as well as socially.”

Clarence E. Agbi '02 (calrence.agby@yale.edu) visited the School from Yale in January with Claude Michel Moise '02 (cmoise@wesleyan.edu) who is enjoying his Freshman year at Wesleyan and thinking of majoring in Chemistry.

John Sullivan Kefer '02 (jsk025@Bucknell.edu) writes “having a great time at Bucknell majoring in business.”

Jesse Ryan Adler '03 (mlhadler@aol.com) stopped by the School in April and took a tour with Mr. Alifano.

Lane A. Bodian '03 (lbodian06@westministerschool.org) and Sean Matthew Flatlow '03 (sflatlow@sps.edu) stopped by the School in March and saw old friends, faculty and staff.

Benjamin Michael Kraus '04 (Kraus0125@aol.com) is a Junior at Loomis Chaffee School and a prefect in the Freshman dorm. He was in the fall play, Inherit the Wind, where he played Bertram Cates.

Philip Mojsov Nussenzweig '04 visited in January during a free day from Dalton. He saw many faculty members and had lunch in the new dining room.

William Spencer Carlson '05 stopped by the School in January. He is enjoying The Hill School and playing a lot of squash.

Alec Barclay Barnett '06 (abarnett09@choate.edu), Alexander J. Klaris '06 (aklaris09@choate.edu) and Benjamin Douglas Loveman '06 (laxrulz669@aol.com) all stopped by the School from Choate at the end of February.

P. Chadd Abbott C. Clairmont '06 (pcac@aol.com) visited the School in March.

He is loving Blair Academy and playing soccer, tennis and wrestling.

Alexander Charles Chouraqui '06 (theturk7@aol.com) is a Freshman at Riverdale where he played soccer during the fall season. He stopped by to visit the School on a February snow day.