Perspectives Fall 2006 by Ashley Hall

ALUMNAE

Announcements and Class Notes BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS 1986

Mary Hope, Haelyn Taylor, Sara Chakeris, Anna Hildebrand, Virginia Rose Doran, and Claire Hildebrand raising money for Hurricane Katrina relief white dresses carrying red roses, were always “a glorious day,” as well as Baccalaureate in Grace Episcopal Church: the beautiful songs echo through their memories. Former headmistresses – Miss Pardue for Sissy and Mrs. MacDonald for Angie – modeled for them the “Ashley Hall Ladies” tradition of representing the school with grace and dignity in the community. Mrs. Muti has “the same spirit” today for Mary Hope’s generation, her mother says. And another Ashley Hall treasure, Miss Marie (Legare), remains a “fixture” of kindness throughout all three generations. Friends are a theme they return to, over and over, too. And of course, there are three generations of friends from the same families among them. “The Dewar Gordon Holmes ’26 Distinguished Alumnae Award is the highest honor bestowed on an alumna each year. Mrs. Holmes graduated from Ashley Hall in 1926, and I was in class with her daughter, Dewar Holmes Norton ’67. I also taught Dee’s daughters, Phoebe ’96 and Chrissie ’99, at Ashley Hall. We couldn’t talk about generations of Ashley Hall girls without mentioning this family,” Sissy says. Mary Hope’s friend Ella McElwaine ’17 is also the third generation of family friends to attend Ashley Hall: Angie attended with Ella’s mother Laura McElwaine ’87 and Sissy with her grandmother, Bonnie McKnight. “We want that same experience for Mary Hope that we’ve had,” Angie relates. “Life comes full circle when mothers, daughters, and granddaughters all share family friends that we keep throughout our lives.”

“While our traditions mean even more as alumnae,” Angie continues, “what’s more important is that Ashley Hall gave us the confidence to pursue life’s opportunities and to make the right choices – about our careers and about our families.” “That’s another unique characteristic of Ashley Hall,” she says. “Because it’s a girls’ school, it’s easier to make and maintain lifelong friends. The girls are not competitive (except in sports!) and are supportive of each other. At the same time, it’s a diverse population, so you learn from everyone.” Some traditions do change, of course, since times change and new ones are added. Angie received the Headmistress Award, the “dancing girl” solid gold charm, from a sculpture created by Willard Hirsch, as a freshman at Awards Day. Sissy says they didn’t have that award when she was there, but they do still have it today and perhaps Mary Hope will one day share this distinction with her mother. Sissy was a day student at a time when Ashley Hall still had boarding students and walking home for ‘dinner’ and returning for sports at 3:30 was routine, while two decades later, Angie and her friends ate ‘lunch’ on the tennis courts. Today’s students eat in the cafeteria, which is always a lively place on cam-

pus. Mary Hope especially enjoys “Breakfast for Lunch” days. Other traditions remain untouched: “Plays. I loved the class plays,” Sissy says. “And I loved seeing Mary Hope in Goldilocks and the Three Bears performed in French,” Angie responds, “since we did class plays when I was there.” Chapel is another fond memory for both women. “We would sing the school song, among others, and enjoy gathering as a student body.” When asked her favorite thing about Ashley Hall today, Mary Hope answers: “Everything!” “I’m so glad she’s giddy about school,” Angie says. “Mom and I agree that at Ashley Hall you expect an education, but you get so much more!” “While our traditions mean even more as alumnae,” Angie continues, “what’s more important is that Ashley Hall gave us the confidence to pursue life’s opportunities and to make the right choices – about our careers and about our families.” Generations of alumnae will most certainly agree; after all, it’s written in stone.

Gil Rogers Long and her husband, Bob, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Eleanor McCrae Long. She was born August 17, 2006, weighed 8 lbs. 10ozs. and measured 19 3/4 inches long. Hampton, Whit and Cameron welcome their little sister.

1989 Julia Lake Shealy and her husband, Andy, welcomed their second child, Julian Scott Shealy, born March 16, 2006. Julian joins big brother Will (2). Kate Andrews Bovey and her husband, Bill, welcomed Claire Alexis on July 16, 2006 and Kate reports that big brother, Ethan (4) is wonderful to her. Kate is still at Starbucks headquarters but is now part of the communications team for their international business. She says she often thinks fondly of her fellow alumnae and Charleston. Summer Betchman O'Neill and her husband, Patrick, are pleased to announce the birth of a son, William Joseph, born August 25, 2006.

1990 Mary Perrin Johnson O'Kelley and her husband, Hamlin, are pleased to announce the birth of their second child, Mary Perrin O'Kelley. Perrin was born September 13, 2006 and joins big sister, Margaret.

Mildred Vanderhoof Glenn ’33 fondly remembers her time at Ashley Hall, especially playing basketball and performing in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She married Halsey Leavitt on December 6, 1941, the day before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. They lived in North Carolina and Massachusetts before settling in Dublin, Georgia where they raised four children. She was active in the Dublin Service League and the Women’s Study Club, serving as president of both organizations, and she was named Woman of the Year for Dublin in 1970. Several years after Mr. Leavitt’s death, she married Cassius Fulton Glenn. She now lives in Alpharetta, Georgia where she enjoys participating in craft fairs and an annual bazaar to raise money for Christmas gifts for underprivileged children. In addition to her four children, she has 12 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. She is shown here with her daughter and three of her grandchildren: from left, Emily Nafziger, Mildred Nafziger, Mildred Vanderhoof Glenn, Millie Nafziger and Anna Nafziger.

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Meghan Ford Norvell and her husband, Forrest, are the proud parents of Forrest Henson Lee Norvell, born July 28, 2006.

Caroline Pinckney Fitzgerald and her husband, Jeffrey, have a daughter, May Hall Pinckney Fitzgerald, born January 30, 2006.

WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Andrea Michelle Zucker of Charleston, SC, and Nicolas David Muzin of Toronto, Canada, were married on the 3rd of July, 2006, at the North Charleston Convention Center in North Charleston, SC, where a reception followed. The couple honeymooned in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and will reside in Washington, DC.

Asha Pillai Menon and her husband, Ramesh, welcomed their first child, Ellora Devaki Menon on January 10, 2006. She was 7 lbs. 20 1/2 inches long.

1986 Coco Dawson and Dan Tyburski were married in Charleston on June 10, 2006 and are living in Charlotte, NC.

Fall 2006 PERSPECTIVES