Perspectives | Fall 2020

FA L L 2 0 2 0

PERSPECTIVES THE MAGAZINE OF ASHLEY HALL

—INSIDE—

ASHLEY HALL CELEBRATES THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT

ASHLE Y HALL BOARD O F TRUSTEES 2 020 –202 1 O F F I CERS Kenneth W. Harrell | Chair Philip L. Horn, Jr. | Vice Chair Anne Frances Bleecker ’76 | Secretary Hugh C. Lane, Jr. | Treasurer Artie I. Richards | Past Chair M E M B E R S-AT- L A R G E Jianzheng Cen Emmie Aichele Dawson ’70 Sara E. DeWolf Mark C. Fava Elizabeth B. Fort Mela Thompson Haklisch ’67 Kendra Y. Hamilton ’76 Laurie Arnold Host ’73 Lenna S. Kirchner Rhett Ramsay Outten ’82 Karen Jenkins Phillips ’79 Eric P. Strickland TRUSTEES EMERITI Mary Agnes Burnham Hood Martha Rivers Ingram ’53 Patricia T. Kirkland Elizabeth Rivers Lewine ’54 Heidi Ward Ravenel ’74 Jerry Reves J. Conrad Zimmerman, Jr. HEAD OF SCHOOL Jill Swisher Muti MARKETING & C O M M U N I CAT I O N S O F F I C E Paula Edwards Harrell | Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications Jennifer Turner | Editor, Director of Content, & Institutional Writer Kate Daughtry | Graphic Designer Meredith Adkins Frazier | Director of Digital Strategy Betsy Sidebottom | Data Manager Please forward any address changes to Ashley Hall Institutional Advancement Office, 172 Rutledge Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina 29403

CLASS OF 2020: What Does the Right to Vote

Mean to You?

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PERSPECTIVES

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Front Matter 02 |

Headlines

Powered by PQV 04 |

What Matters Most: Moments of Living in Community

Elevating Voices, Molding Leaders

Around the Shell House

22 |

Engage, Equip, and Empower: An Ashley Hall Education

24

Voices, Votes, and Visionaries: Ashley Hall Celebrates the 19th Amendment

49

Life on Campus

Parting Shots 56 |

A New Era of Boarding at Ashley Hall

58 |

A Walk to Remember: Commencement 2020

12

Meet Me at the SLC: The Lane Student Life Center at Ashley Hall

17 |

Fire and Ice: Pursuing a Passion for Excellence

20 |

The Christmas Play: An Ashley Hall Tradition

40 |

Profiles in Leadership: Michaela White ’14 and Maya White ’17

44 |

The Value of Integrity:

Ashley Hall’s Honor Code

46 |

The Power of Expression: Laying a Foundation for Civil Discourse

60 |

A Moment Worth Waiting For

| On Front and Back Covers: Eighth graders lead Ashley Hall’s Women’s Suffrage March. Photos by Kelly Grace Photography, KellyGracePhotography.com | Above, L-R: Big Sister Mia Graci Rogers ’21 celebrates with Little Sister Amelia Mangipudi ’33 during the Halloween parade | Lily Sloan ’26 and Madeleine Schimming ’26 chant during the Suffrage March | Lower School students have fun during recess. Photos by Meredith Frazier | Adelaide Harper ’20 receives her diploma during the Commencement for the Class of 2020. Photo by Elizabeth Shepherd | Left: Perspectives: The Magazine of Ashley Hall is a Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District III Magazine Gold Award Winner 1

“

We learn to fly not by being fearless, but by the daily practice of courage.

—SAM KEEN

| HEADLINES

D

uring the upheavals and challenges of the past year, I have often thought about the meaning of courage and its power to change our lives.

In 2020, Ashley Hall celebrated the centennial of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote. We honored the indomitable suffragists, who faced overwhelming odds with steadfast courage and challenged our nation to see women as leaders and equal to men.

A committed suffragist who founded Ashley Hall a full decade before women had the right to vote, Mary Vardrine McBee was a strong, courageous woman who fulfilled her mission to create a place for the cultivation of female leaders. Her suffragist spirit is our living legacy, and I have never been more proud of the Ashley Hall community than this year. The courage I have witnessed on a daily basis, in the face of the pandemic’s daunting challenges and many hardships, is both humbling and inspirational. This courage is a fortitude that is built day by day and a way of loving that places others before self.

Every morning, our faculty members have come fully prepared to tackle the many challenges of the day, and such tenacity is a testament to both their devotion to our students and a deep commitment to their vocation. Our staff, often working long hours behind the scenes, has gone to extraordinary ends to care for the health and safety of us all. Our families, too, have entrusted their children to us and partnered to keep our campus open. Most of all, our students have shown great courage in the face of enormous difficulties, and I am so proud of their strength and resilience as they have continued their journey to becoming strong women.

Rising above the fears that isolate and paralyze us and finding strength in all the ways we can help one another, our Ashley Hall community unites with a shared mission and commits to living with purpose and compassion. No matter what the future holds, our shared courage will see us through.

With kind regards,

Jill Muti Head of School

| Opposite: Sophia Schauer ’31 jumps joyously in the sunshine during physical education. Photo by Kelly Grace Photography | Above: Photo by Julia Lynn 3

What Matters Most:

MOMENTS OF LIVING IN COMMUNITY

By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content

Faced with a year filled with considerable challenges, the Ashley Hall community found strength and purpose in supporting one another and seeking new ways to celebrate joy, connection, resilience, and innovation. Even as beloved traditions were adapted in response to the ongoing risks of the pandemic, no modification could alter the underlying significance that what truly matters still ties us together.

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WE ARE

Ashley Hall IN THE PATCH! This past October, Early Education Center (EEC) students exchanged their annual visit to the local pumpkin patch for a romp in their own backyard! With hay bales, photo props, songs, and games, the eager fall revelers embraced the new location as they undertook the most important task of all: picking the perfect pumpkin to take home.

FEELING RIGHT AT HOME With safety protocols and occupancy limits in place, as well as a newly painted interior, this fall seniors moved into the Shell House, a special gathering place rich with tradition and reserved just for them.

COSTUMES, CANDY, AND CAMARADERIE Halloween was the perfect opportunity for some campuswide fun! Younger students paraded in their costumes while older students cheered them on; there was even time for a special Big Sister-Little Sister meetup with outdoor games on the lawn.

GROW WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED This fall, teachers turned their attention to enhancing the hands-on learning opportunities available on campus.

To help growing conditions in the first graders’ garden, Lower School faculty member Beth McCarty had the bright idea of using raised beds that can be rolled into the sunlight. “A hands-on garden shows the students where their food comes from and how much time and energy goes into each bite of food they take!” she noted. Having already planted a number of fruits and vegetables, students eagerly anticipate eating from the garden year-round and changing the crops with the seasons.

GIFTS FROM THE HEART An Ashley Hall tradition for over twenty years, the Holiday Gift-Giving Project gave students from all divisions a wonderful opportunity to provide holiday presents for members of the local community, including Chicora Elementary School, the Undergarment Society, and The Star Gospel Mission. In early December, students went by grade level to place their gifts either on the stage of Davies Auditorium or under a beautiful Frazier fir in front of the Bear Cave.

SPECIAL DELIVERY In honor of Thanksgiving, students in EEC faculty member Rachael Carter’s pre-primary class crafted special cards to thank their Ashley Hall heroes. Eager to make others happy, the children walked across campus to hand-deliver each one.

“There are so many people who brighten our days without knowing what heroes they are for making learning possible,” said Carter. “We are thanking them for working so hard every day so that we can have fun at school!”

| Opposite, clockwise from top, L-R: Upper School students gather during lunch. Photo by Kelly Grace Photography | Rohe Netter and Jana Nadig, Class of 2035, visit the EEC’s pumpkin patch | Kayla Kirkland, Ava Piebenga, and Mallory Mease, Class of 2021, enjoy hot chocolate during the annual senior tree decorating event. Photos by Meredith Frazier | Lower School faculty member Susannah Elliott has fun in French class with Jane Lesemann and Rosalyn Bailey, Class of 2030. Photo by Kelly Grace Photography | Little Sister Charlotte Deupree ’33 enjoys talking with Big Sister Abby Clarke ’21 during a special Halloween meetup. Photo by Meredith Frazier | Pre-primary students surprise Director of Operations Rasheedah Harrison with an Ashley Hall hero card they made themselves. Photo by EEC faculty member Rachael Carter

“ “

OUR FACULT Y

Heroes

“ ” “ ”

My faculty members have shown an incredible willingness to do whatever is needed to support our School and the development of each student. I am thankful for their positivity and willingness to continually model community, resilience, and adaptability.

While their roles may have changed, their hearts and goals have not.

Continually working to keep the curriculum innovative, current, and creative, the Intermediate Program (IP) faculty members collaborate to help each girl find her path to become the very best version of herself. IP students develop skills, grow in knowledge, and seek to become life-long learners because of their teachers’ joyful challenges and intriguing questioning.

—Betsy Quirin, Early Education Center Director

—Mary Schweers, Intermediate Program Coordinator

With their positive energy and spirits shining through masks, aprons, and face shields, the Lower School faculty members have kept their classrooms and curriculum engaging and dynamic, regardless of the COVID-19 restrictions. We are forever grateful for the time, energy, and joy they give our girls during these uncharted times!

—Polly Kronsberg, Lower School Director

”

Making students their priority, our faculty members have honored seating requirements while still creating a sense of community, spent hours designing inspiring lessons to engage both present and distant students, and helped one another experiment with new technology. They have stepped up to every challenge with patience and grace.

”

—Anne Weston, Ph.D., ’73, Assistant Head of School and Upper School Director

5

IN A New

Light

LIVING HISTORY

For students in Upper School faculty member Chris Frisby’s American History Through Film class, living through the events of 2020 presented a unique opportunity to document their environment and create their own historical records. “We each chose a topic which encapsulates a current event or theme of 2020 that will have a longlasting effect on us and our community,” said Sarah McLean ’21. “I am currently creating a personal film about COVID-19 and how it has affected daily routines and changed ways of life for people of different backgrounds.” For their twentyminute films, Frisby asked students to carefully consider their focus. “Your statement of purpose should detail how your project will center Ashley Hall, your home community or neighborhood, and yourself in this current historical moment,” he noted. “How do you imagine your film will serve as an artifact of history over time—for example, 30 years from now?”

“

This film project is important because young women are able to bring a new perspective of a national crisis to the viewer.

”

—SARAH McLEAN ’21

In addition to choosing the topic they wished to explore and using their own technology to create their films, students were tasked with securing interview subjects. To explore women’s equality issues and how girls’ confidence levels change as they become older, Mary Scott Brisson ’21 chose to interview twelve Ashley Hall students, ages six

to eighteen. “I am passionate about female empowerment, and Ashley Hall is renowned for its ability to give young females a voice,” she said. “I wanted to illustrate how that voice changes and enlarges through time spent at Ashley Hall.”

For Brisson, it was powerful

“

How do you imagine your film will serve as an artifact of history over time—for example, 30 years from now?

—UPPER SCHOOL FACULTY MEMBER CHRIS FRISBY

”

to listen to the concerns of the girls she interviewed, including her sister, Elizabeth Brisson ’27. “Her responses were extremely raw; it is tough to hear that at the young age of twelve she and her peers struggle with body image,” asserted Brisson. “I want to reveal the overwhelming amount of pressure put on girls at a young age and how that pressure morphs over time. Ashley Hall does a beautiful job to restore that lost confidence. The seniors I have interviewed are incredibly strong and seem comfortable pinpointing exactly how they feel in a self-assured manner.”

Similarly, McLean gained insight into the experiences of her interviewees as she explored the effects of COVID-19 on Charleston residents. “My film has revealed that every family has different values and approaches toward COVID-19,” she pointed out. “These values should not be forgotten about or scrutinized. Every choice is a personal decision, and though we may want people

to be active at school or in the community, it is hard for families to release their loved ones into a seemingly more dangerous world.” McLean chose to interview both high school and college students attending classes, either in person or virtually, as well as teachers, doctors, and college admissions staff. “The most interesting discovery I have made is that many people are suffering emotionally and mentally,” she said.

A significant moment for McLean was the revelation by her best friend of the immense daily struggles of learning virtually and missing out on key senior year events. “Though I knew she was struggling without seeing friends, it was enlightening to hear her confide in this film that she often cannot choose what she does because of COVID-19 precautions,” she shared.

Embracing the experience of creating their own documentaries, both Brisson and McLean appreciated Frisby’s guidance. “Our American History Through Film class has been a phenomenal experience, and Mr. Frisby has done an excellent job tailoring the curriculum to the desires of the class” said Brisson. For McLean, the project has helped her realize that her contributions matter to the historical record. “Younger female minds are often not promoted or seen in the cinema, and through these topics and the way we direct our films, our viewers can deduce the truth and feel the emotion we have planned to convey,” she emphasized. “This film project is important because young women are able to bring a new perspective of a national crisis to the viewer.”

True

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Life TO

In Visual Arts faculty member Raúl Miyar’s Foundations of Art class, students become keenly aware of their environment.

Only by learning to refine their skill of observation can they begin to develop as artists. “Figure drawing is a pillar in beginning drawing lessons because of the complexity of the subject,” Miyar noted. “It requires intense focus and observation to attain accurate descriptions of shapes and forms.

As one of the most important foundational drawing exercises, it expands the student’s perceptional skills.”

To hone their drawing skills and techniques this semester, students completed a series of figure studies using their peers as models. For Miyar, observing objectively is critical. “At the introduction to the course I explain that they are not learning how to draw but are instead learning how to see,” he said.

“Most of them have probably not absorbed this information conceptually at this stage, but in time as they practice their observational skills, they will begin to comprehend the power of visual expression and how they are in control of what they communicate visually. As they develop their skills further, these conceptual ideas will become the basis of their practice, but before they reach that point they need to develop the technical skills that will enable them to communicate their ideas freely and uniquely.”

In their sketches, Miyar’s students capture their classmates in various poses during everyday life. As part of the campus environment, masks appear in many of his students’ compositions and reflect the reality of life during a pandemic. “The emphasis now in their training is technical, but whether the student knows it or not, when observing reality the result is usually compellingly honest and captivating,” Miyar pointed out.

“The ordinary, which is normally overlooked, is not transformed; it is simply observed and highlighted. In acquiring the basic technical skills, the student learns to scrutinize that which is usually not noticed, consequently giving it new life and significance. The result is a direct window into each artist’s perception of the world and all the emotions connected to what and how each individual perceives.”

| From Top: Sketch by Elliot Tick ’24 | Sketch by Eads Hubbell ’23

7

NURTURING

Connections

?

What do you like about the Intermediate Program’s Morning Meeting

best

GOOD MORNING PARDUE HALL! As leaders in Pardue Hall, fourth graders take their responsibilities seriously. In prior years they traditionally ran the weekly Lower School Assembly and took turns planning and presenting the content. However, with assemblies on campus suspended for safety precautions, a new medium of communication was needed. “We felt that it was important to find a way to continue this practice of leadership for our students,” said Lower School faculty member Kendall Lee, who teaches fourth grade, along with Lower School faculty member Allie Jordan. “Having gotten used to using a lot of different media platforms, we discovered it was relatively easy to make the jump to filming a weekly news show that we could disseminate to the rest of the Lower School. Each week, two fourth grade girls interview an Ashley Hall staff member, report the weekend weather, make special announcements, acknowledge birthdays, report on pop tab collections, and note any other additions contributed from outside sources.”

The content is fun and engaging, and fourth graders are eager to help the Lower School stay connected. “It’s nice to be able to practice, rather than being live in front of the entire Lower School,” said Claire Khan ’29. Filming locations have included the Collab Lab and the Bear Cave, and Performing Arts faculty member Kristine Peters pitches in with formatting each week’s presentation. “I like the extras, like the clapping and the singing in the background, that Ms. Peters has added in,” said Virginia Hagood ’29. For Sadie Winters ’29, the joke of the week is her favorite part, “even though they’re kind of silly.” While fourth graders miss the big assemblies of the past, they still appreciate the chance to fulfill their important leadership roles and learn something new. “It’s disappointing that we can’t do it live in Davies Auditorium, but it’s fun getting to film, especially in different locations,” agreed Camille Marler ’29 and Pippa Taylor ’29.

That sounds like the perfect outlook to start the day.

Intermediate Program students run their Morning Meeting through Google Meet, with an advisory group responsible each week for presenting daily announcements and a daily feature.

| Amelia Lennon and Eliana Grek, Class of 2029, present the weather report while hosting Good Morning Pardue Hall. Photo by Paula Harrell

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Morning Cup of PQ Sometimes, it is the small, normal things that help to start a day off right: hearing class announcements and the lunch menu, celebrating birthdays and athletic team victories, and even having the thrill of being named student of the week. Most of all, the skits, videos, and inside jokes are what everyone eagerly anticipates; somehow, having a reason to laugh makes everything better. A much-loved tradition in the Upper School, Morning Meeting this year transformed to continue fulfilling its purpose: bringing a community together.

“It was important to our student leaders that we continue to gather in some way, and Morning Meeting has always been one of the ways we come together as a full community,” said Dean of Students Kelly Sumner. “Having a virtual Morning Meeting provides us with a common experience that helps us to feel as if we are all together, even if we aren’t in Davies Auditorium as we used to be.”

Most mornings, student body president Mary Scott Brisson ’21 joins other student council leaders to create that unifying force.

Broadcast after the first class block of the day, Morning Meeting has fallen onto their willing shoulders. “My goal for Morning Meeting this year is to keep the student body and faculty engaged,” Brisson emphasized. “I want to attempt to preserve the ten minutes of fellowship every morning that we have had for so many years, even if it is over Zoom. I want more underclassmen to be involved!”

Liv Hansen ’25 helped answer that call to action by re-establishing the Nautilus Program’s own Morning Meeting. In addition to tuning into the main meeting, once a week she leads her own team and serves as chief promoter of fun. “Having a Nautilus Morning Meeting is important because it makes school fun even through this whole pandemic and reminds us all that we have each other to lean on,” she said. “I look forward to Tuesdays because we get to dance and start our day with positivity, and we get to have our own announcements so everyone knows what is going on for the week. I love to get everyone excited. It gets me in a good mood and awake for the day!”

V

Creating an environment where that positivity can shine is crucial, especially for a school that advocates for the benefits of student connection. “The tradition of Morning Meeting is important because it provides a sense of normalcy, but more importantly, it gives the younger girls a platform to gain voice and confidence while forging an even stronger connection among the Nautilus group,” said Assistant Director of Upper School and Director of the Nautilus Program Chris Hughes. As the student leaders fostering those ties, Brisson, Hansen, and their teams have worked hard to be a force of positivity for others. “It is important to preserve the essence of Morning Meeting this year because it is an integral part of the sense of community within our Student Body,” asserted Brisson. Through all the costumes, dance routines, videos, and shared laughter, they are bringing a school together, ten minutes at a time.

| Marissa Dye, Mary Scott Brisson, and Emma Reuther, Class of 2021, prepare to go live for the Upper School’s Morning Meeting. Photo by Paula Harrell 9

TEACHING

Innovations

NOT MISSING A BEAT

This past fall, Performing Arts faculty member Kristine Peters encountered more than the usual challenges of starting a new position; as the teacher of Lower School General Music, the Intermediate Program’s Choral Music, and Caroline’s Carolers, she faced pandemic safety limitations of an important classroom element: singing. “We don’t sing, but we approximate singing by chanting with inflection, and whenever possible, I accompany them on the piano so they can hear melodic shapes and continue their Tuneful development,” said Peters. “We create sound stories, using instruments as sound effects to build the mood.” Having spent a decade studying under master music

educators to understand how children learn, Peters draws on her extensive training to ensure her classes remain musically rich. Her approach enables students to perform well-known works in new and interesting ways. “A wonderful book like Goin’ on a Bear Hunt is given new life when we add the vibraslap to sound like the slapping of mud, or jingle bells to represent snow,” she noted. “We use movement and body percussion to analyze form and bring meaning to iconic music. The gradual tempo increase of a popular-classical favorite like Grieg’s ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ becomes much more satisfying when one is tapping out an intricate routine of pats, snaps, claps, and stomps. With simple melodies as the foundation, we start with a simple rhythm (the steady beat kept on a bass xylophone or a short repeating pattern played on rhythm sticks); from there we layer on melodic fragments as developmentally appropriate and un-pitched percussion to add musical color.” The resulting lessons have inspired students to expand their understanding and appreciation of music. “Whether it’s playing or singing in an ensemble, dancing to music at a wedding, or chanting at a ballgame, when we synchronize in a musical way, we are communicating in a way specific to humans,” Peters affirmed.

“We activate an abundance of esprit de corps that honors the heart of the humans around us.”

LOVE CONNECTION Nurturing relationships is a central element in the Early Education Center (EEC), and this school year, faculty members piloted some creative ways to help distance learning students meaningfully connect with their friends on campus. “We love our distance learners and want them to feel included in the classroom setting,” said EEC faculty member Amy Kuenzel. “At circle time each day, we rub our hearts and say the names of any classmates not with us to send them good thoughts. We display their photographs and include their answers on any charts in the classroom and on our display board so that their names are written everywhere, just like their classmates’ names. Many of our children can even identify our distance learners’ names. We want each child to be welcomed back as a familiar face when they return to campus.” Technology helps in maintaining these important connections. “We held a circle time via Zoom with our distance learners and allowed our in-person students to interact with them on the computer,” explained EEC faculty member Batey Self. “The distance learners were able to feel like a part of the classroom, and our in-person students enjoyed sharing activities with them.” In addition to

talking via video chat, students have discovered an old-fashioned way to communicate. “We also send mail to our distance learners!” smiled Self. “We send them notes or drawings from their classmates, materials for activities we are doing in the classroom, and even little surprises and stickers to make them feel special.

They also send mail to our classroom, and our in-person students love hearing from their distance learning friends.” Together, they are bridging the distance and proving friendship knows no bounds.

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| From Top, L-R: Ava Piebenga and Ruby Sloan, Class of 2021, work together during their Biology II lab. Photo by US faculty member Allison Bowden | An anther with grains of pollen captured through photomicroscopy. Photo by Ruby Sloan ’21 | An underdeveloped anther. Photo by Annie Prochazka ’21 | Opposite, from top, L-R: Sadie Tick ’27 and Performing Arts faculty member Kristine Peters during sixth grade choir practice. Photo by Meredith Frazier | Barbara Bower ’35 says hello to David deHoll ’35 and Blair McDermott ’35 via the computer during a special circle time. Photo by EEC faculty member Charlotte Williams ’10

CLOSING THE DISTANCE In lab-based Honors Biology II, students undertake their own investigations to gain hands-on scientific experience, and Upper School faculty member Allison Bowden finds creative ways to empower her distance learners to fully engage with the class.

“I have changed my homework assignments to involve more field work at home, including backyard observations, photos, and collecting of plants,” she noted. “All students can share their findings, whether through the projection of my computer screen or with a show-and-tell in the classroom. I have also developed lessons and activities that can be conducted at home or participated in via online attendance.” Those adaptations have proven invaluable to her distance learners. “Mrs. Bowden includes distance learners in discussions and activities the other girls are doing in person, makes sure we can ask questions while going over notes and homework, and lets us participate in labs and fun experiences,” said Ava Piebenga ’21. “When our class was working with air plants, she sent home two for me to plant as well.” In particular, Bowden wants her distance learners to experience the lab experiments that are an integral part

of Honors Biology II. When students began researching the inner workings of flowers, she saw the perfect opportunity to model scientific collaboration. “While conducting the lab, my on-campus students embraced the opportunity to teach their distance-learning partners,” said Bowden. “They carefully followed procedures as they worked to identify the structures together.” Using compound light microscopes and dissecting scopes, students also practiced photomicroscopy to capture intricate photographs of flower anatomy. “Being able to call in and work directly with an in-person partner increased my understanding of the lesson content significantly,” affirmed Mallory Mease ’21. “As a virtual student, I was able to take pictures under the microscope which allowed me to look more closely at the parts of the flowers I had only seen on diagrams up until that point.” According to Bowden, those partnerships are an indispensable component of her students’ educational experience. “I think the on-campus students learned more from the lab by seeing it through their distance partners’ eyes,” she said.

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By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content

When the Lane Student Life Center opened in October, it achieved a long-planned goal of creating a central location for Ashley Hall’s already robust signature programming in wellness, college counseling, and student life. Although limited by the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, the Center quickly exhibited how well the School’s Department of Student Life has continued to fulfill its crucial role of serving students’ needs.

Offering 6,000 square feet of repurposed space for students in ninth through twelfth grades, the Lane Student Life Center (SLC) seeks to meet students’ needs by gathering under one roof critical services and guidance opportunities. “We know that in order for true learning to occur and to have a healthy campus life overall, it is vital to address the mental health and the social-emotional needs of our students,” said Upper School Counselor Katie Neighbours. “Having a space dedicated to these needs prioritizes these important aspects of student life.”

The SLC features a wellness classroom, a café, administrative and counseling offices, additional classroom space, and areas designated for collaboration, study, socializing, and movement.

Although pandemic health and safety policies have required some of these offerings to be gradually phased in, Upper School students have already come to appreciate the building’s unique purpose.

“This year’s seniors are very intent on spending as much time on campus as possible and have really taken to all areas of the SLC,” said Dean of Students Kelly Sumner. “I think they feel safe and supported as well as valued and heard in this building.

They know it is a place where they can have so many needs met as well as a place to just seek solace in the café or with a trusted adult.” In addition to prioritizing opportunities for mentoring and relationship building, the center is also the place where students make plans for their future. “We are better able to help our girls understand that the development of all aspects of their lives will best direct them in their college choices,” said Director of College Counseling Amanda Murrell. “The SLC will encourage conversations that explore how all aspects of our lives are intertwined.”

“

I love the study rooms and the ambiance of the first f loor. I think it is a mentally happy space for being productive and also spending time with friends.

—RUBY SLOAN ’21

”

| L-R: Sarah Marshall, Kitty Goldman, Ruby Sloan, and Grayson Brewer, Class of 2021, chat over coffee in the SLC. Photo by Meredith Frazier

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Members of Ashley Hall’s Department of Student Life recently shared how their work has adapted in response to the many challenges of the pandemic and how they are helping students thrive in a time of stress and anxiety.

Carrie Singh Director of Student Affairs “Looking back at an old appointment calendar, it was three years ago, almost to the day, that Mrs. Muti and I met with an architect to share a vision for a new student center on campus. With the opening of the Lane Student Life Center (SLC), we are thrilled and grateful to so many to see this vision become a reality for our community. Ashley Hall has long been committed to health and wellness as a core component of the student experience; our wellness programming is founded on the belief that a student’s social-emotional learning is crucial to her ability to advance in her academics, athletics, arts, and career aspirations and to lead a fulfilling life, developing into the person she is meant to be. The design of the SLC was to provide a central place for information, community building, support, and sustenance. This repurposed ‘addition’ to campus includes communal areas, study rooms, multipurpose classrooms, a wellness studio, a dedicated student leadership work space, a small café, and the offices of devoted student support personnel (Dean of Students, Director of College Counseling, Director of Student Affairs, the Upper School Administrative and College Counseling Assistant, and the Upper School Counselor), all intentionally designed to support and positively impact the growth and development of adolescents.

By creating a space that emulates a college campus student union, the SLC will offer opportunities for student independence, self-regulation, and agency, providing instances whereby our girls develop and hone decision-making

and time management skills. Our café will utilize a point of sale system linked to the student ID cards of ninth through twelfth graders, helping prepare them for the ‘one card’ system used in many colleges. We visualize time for reflection, relaxation, and mindfulness with yoga, meditation, or exercise in a multipurpose wellness studio and chances to commune with friends and classmates in the banquette style seating or the standing desk computer charging stations in the SLC’s commons area. Ultimately, our hope is that this space fosters a sense of belonging for our students, allows them to feel both cared for and independent, and gives them the tools they need to flourish and become the best version of themselves. We believe every student

to practice the critical skills she needs to cultivate inner strength and resilience.

The vision for this renovated space was conceived before the arrival of a global pandemic. Despite our thoughtful design process, we did not anticipate what protocols a pandemic would require.

We are making necessary adjustments to ensure the building can be used both purposefully and safely, while still honoring its intended users: our students!

Perhaps now, even more than ever before, the health and wellness of our students are of utmost importance, and the literal and figurative space to allow them to practice the skills needed in today’s world in the safe and supportive environment of the SLC will be a most welcome and compelling addition to our campus.”

3

WAYS THE LANE STUDENT LIFE CENTER WILL HELP STUDENTS

Thrive

I think the café is going to be a big hit with the students. I love the open design of the commons area, which will encourage collaboration and fellowship, and I am excited that our student leadership will have their own space for the first time.

Having the Upper School Counselor, College Counselor, Dean of Students, and Director of Student Affairs all in one building together will give the students the most support possible. The reason we all get into education is to spend time with students, to support their growth and development, and to learn from them along the way. This building is just an avenue toward making that possible.

can discover ways to find the professional or peer support she needs for selfknowledge and self-care. Through this kind of agency, she also learns how to be accountable for her decisions and how

As the only independent girls’ school in South Carolina, we know that a singlegender school provides more leadership opportunities and an environment of female mentoring that cultivates confidence. This space will certainly enhance that.

13

10

WAYS TO MAINTAIN WHEN APPLYING TO COLLEGE DURING A PANDEMIC

Calm

The internet can be your friend.

Use online resources, such as tours and webinars, as much as possible.

Use who you know. Reach out to family, friends, and Ashley Hall alumnae to talk about their specific college experiences.

Applying isn’t attending. Apply to a broad range of schools. They might all appeal for different reasons, but that’s ok early in the decision-making period.

Amanda Murrell Director of College Counseling “We miss having students sitting on the couch in our office and chatting. However, in terms of working individually with students, thanks to the wonders of technology, little has changed. My days are filled with Google Docs and Zoom meetings, but I can see the girls without masks when we meet, so that’s a plus for me! All our college visits also have been virtual this year, but we have been the beneficiary of some visits that we wouldn’t have had in the past because of travel limitations. We’ve had representatives from international schools schedule visits, as well as a greater number reaching out from schools in California.

The greatest challenge for me is that many of our seniors have not been able to visit a lot of college campuses. Virtual tours and conversations with college representatives are useful, but our students are accustomed to being able to travel to see campuses in person. The silver lining is that the girls seem to be willing to look at schools that wouldn’t have been on their radar otherwise. They are attending virtual open houses and other online programming and learning about colleges that appeal for all of the right reasons, whether it is the mission of the school or academic opportunities.

The new building is a wonderful gathering place for everything student-related.

Having Student Life and College Counseling under the same roof makes great sense because our worlds overlap so much. I look forward to having the café open and enjoying some time with our students in a relaxed, collegial atmosphere.”

Only consider Early Decision if you really want a school. Don’t let panic drive your choice. If you need to wait, wait. The right school will be there for you.

Remember that your parents want to help. All suggestions and offers of help are made out of love and concern.

Don’t forget that.

Show discretion. You don’t need to share every detail of your application search with your friends.

Beware of unsolicited advice. See above.

Remember that not everyone you meet is an expert on a particular college or on getting into college.

Trust yourself. You know what matters to you. Listen carefully to that voice when you are choosing the schools on your list and when you are applying.

Don’t obsess about college. It can be hard not to, but the year moves quickly, and there are lots of high school things you will be doing for the last time.

Remember that.

Reward yourself. Reaching the senior year of high school and applying to college are big events, regardless of the college decisions you receive.

You deserve recognition for everything you have already accomplished. Well done!

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Katie Neighbours Upper School Counselor “Creating for students a ‘hub’ dedicated to meeting their (mostly non-academic) needs helps demonstrate both to students and our greater community how much we value these needs and the subsequent services provided to meet those needs. Ashley Hall is more than just a school; it is a community comprised of individuals who genuinely care about students and want them to be the most healthy and happiest versions of themselves. We are already doing so much to address the social-emotional needs of students through our ongoing Wellness programs and initiatives, and the creation of the SLC is simply a demonstration of that priority.

Regarding silver linings and innovations: I believe this pandemic has forced all of us to reexamine our priorities and values.

I know that personally, I have changed some of my focus and have rethought about what really matters to me, both personally and professionally. We also have had to become more creative in terms of our campus traditions and ‘how’ we do things. If we keep our focus on the joy that comes from being together in person as a community, we are reminded that we are resilient and can overcome any obstacle.”

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Support

WAYS TO TENSE, STRESSED, OR ANXIOUS TEENS

Validate emotional experiences. Parents and other adults tend to want to problem solve as much as possible for their child; however, sometimes teens simply want an empathetic listener. Actively listening (listening to understand versus waiting for your turn to talk) and helping teens identify their emotions, while also validating those emotional experiences, can be incredibly effective in calming intense feelings while allowing teens to feel heard and understood.

The consistent and continual care for students’ mental health and emotional well-being is always a priority, even more so during the pandemic. I’m not necessarily doing anything differently, other than making sure that even our distance learners know that they can continue to access mental health support even though they are not here on campus. I check-in with students via email and conduct counseling sessions via phone or video conference.

I think one of my biggest challenges has been finding ways to keep students, particularly our senior class, motivated and positive.

It is normal and understandable for them to focus on the things that they are missing out on or traditions that they have been looking forward to that are now being reimagined or done differently. I want to help them reframe their disappointment and find the silver linings, but it is challenging. I think the mentality of ‘we’re all in this together’ is helpful; I seek to be an empathetic listener while also encouraging them to lean into their roles as student leaders on this campus.

During this time of many unknowns and uncertainties, providing clear communication is helpful. Communicate with your teen as much as you can regarding upcoming events and expectations.

Get their input and give choices when possible. If you really don’t know something, it’s ok to say that too. Talk through the emotions that can bubble up in uncertain, stressful, or nerve-wracking situations.

It’s fairly common for teens to lash out when they are tense or stressed. Parents and caregivers can often be the recipients of intense emotions. When your teen is upset or if you can feel your own emotions rising, give yourself and your child permission to walk away.

Taking a break and coming back to finish the conversation when the emotional intensity has decreased can lead to fewer conflicts.

Practice gratitude. It can become easy to focus on the negatives. If possible, try to actively identify three positive things every day!

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Kelly Sumner Dean of Students

6

WAYS ASHLEY HALL UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE STAYING Connected

MORNING MEETING: Broadcast three times a week at the end of the first block class, it offers students a chance to learn news from their division and share in some community fun.

TRADITIONS: We have been able to honor several cherished traditions in new ways, including tie-dying masks for Senior/Freshman week, Big Sister-Little Sister outdoor meetups, and seniors enjoying the Shell House, physically distanced of course.

“This year is especially challenging—as we knew it would be—and the SLC is meeting the need to provide an extra layer of comfort and care to our students. All of our students are still processing the abrupt ending of school last spring, the loss of a summer as they would have experienced it, the daily challenges of mask wearing and social distancing, and the constant worry about what the rest of the year will look like. The SLC already feels like a ‘check in’ spot—not just for business but for yourself—a place to relax a bit, unwind, and meet with the adults on campus who are helping to guide you, support you, and cheer you on.

Our current challenges are gatherings, togetherness, and space.

We are supporting students by helping them to reframe their expectations and find the beauty and the joy in getting to do things traditionally, but with a twist. We have had to reimagine what we do but are committed to capturing everything in a way that still honors the spirit of the event. It is easy to get caught up in something ‘not being the same’ just because it looks different, but it can still feel the same and have the same end result, maybe even a better one!

A silver lining is realizing a true appreciation for the opportunity to be together in community; students are gaining the ability to appreciate both what they have lost as well as what they still have in a way that wouldn’t have been possible without these restrictions. Daily conversations are happening in the SLC about triumphs, struggles, plans, ideas, worries, fears, and hopes. Questions are answered, tears are shed, complaints are heard, news is shared, excitement is expressed, and visions are co-created.”

| Photos by Meredith Frazier

HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS: Holidays have always been a way to bring the Ashley Hall community together, and we created new ways to celebrate, including socially distanced Halloween parades, a broadcast of the Thanksgiving Assembly, and an outdoor tree for the Gift Giving Assembly to donate gifts for those in need.

ASSEMBLY PERIODS AND ADVISORY MEETINGS: Students gather with their advisor and advisory group once a week to participate in Assembly and twice a month to eat lunch together.

COMMUNITY ACTION: Students still serve others throughout the year, but we have redefined guidelines during the pandemic to help students find ways to support non-profit organizations within the parameters of our Panther Pledge.

GRADE LEVEL MEETINGS: Eating together as a grade once a month, students meet in Davies Auditorium and often listen to music or play trivia to happily pass the time. This creates opportunities for students to develop new friendships.

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FIRE& ICE PURSUING A

Passion FOR

Excellence

By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content

Day by day, the commitment is made: the pre-dawn practice at the ice rink before school, the evening rehearsal at the dance studio after a full day of classes. For two Ashley Hall students, the choice to pursue their passions at the highest levels means keeping a rigorous after-hours schedule that demands time, sacrifice, endurance, and most of all, a personal drive for excellence.

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but little by little I was able to skate. I had to re-learn every jump I knew.” Even with a routine limited by Tanner’s healing foot, their talent was on full display during one of the first post-lockdown events, where they garnered rave reviews from U.S. Figure Skating judges. The team earned a spot in the juvenile pairs competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championship Series scheduled to be held in Boston in November 2020, an honor that would make them the first skaters from Charleston to hold a qualifying national rank when the season was over. For a pairs team together less than a year, it was validation of the months of practices, workarounds, healing, and deferred dreams.

Tallulah Tanner ’28 t is nearly 6:00 a.m. on a Monday morning, and Tallulah Tanner ’28 waits patiently outside the Carolina Ice Palace in North Charleston. As soon as the doors open, she heads straight to a training room to warm up and practice lifts with her pairs skating partner Sam Herbert before lacing up her skates and stepping onto the ice. For the next two hours, she practices spins, jumps, and spirals, first skating singles and then pairs with Herbert.

After a high energy morning on the cold ice, she packs up and heads downtown to start her day as a fifth grader at Ashley Hall. She will repeat the same rigorous schedule for the rest of the school week, but for Tanner, the sacrifice is worth it.

“Skating is my passion because my mom is a coach, and I want to follow her steps,” Tanner smiles. “Skating is my life, and that is why I like it so much!”

Skating since she was three years old and often making the podium in singles competitions, Tanner made the decision last January to try pairs skating with Herbert, whom she had known for years and who was coached by her mother.

The challenge of attempting something new was also tantalizing; a pairs team had never represented the Figure Skating Club of Charleston. “We started

skating pairs in January, and I loved it so much that we kept practicing and eventually found out we were going to a competition,” said Tanner.

The progress they made was astounding, and by early March exciting possibilities seemed to be on the horizon. Then the pandemic struck. Around the world, competitions were cancelled, rinks closed, and the precious ice time Tanner and Herbert needed to practice was lost. However, they were determined to press forward and sought out new ways to practice: virtual strength and agility training with coaches around the nation, backyard jump and lift sessions, and special inline Pic skates that allowed them to replicate the experience of ice skating in driveways and parking lots while baking in the summer heat. The team even traveled to regional rinks that reopened before the Carolina Ice Palace— anything to get back on the ice.

In late summer, their perseverance and hard work were paying off, but then another disaster struck: Tanner broke her foot. Even then, the team would not be stopped, with Tanner wearing an orthopedic boot for their training sessions. “My strength helped me to overcome a lot of things,” she shared.

“When I broke my foot, I was afraid,

Then, less than a week before the competition, Tanner and Herbert received devastating news: the Championship Series was canceled due to a COVID-19 surge. For a team that had given and overcome so much, it was a difficult blow. However, at 6:00 a.m. the next day, they were back on the ice and preparing for the next opportunity to knock. “The good news is that despite the canceled competition, they will be offered the opportunity to participate in high-level competitive programming to be considered for U.S. Figure Skating’s National High Performance Development Team,” said Tiffaney Tanner, Tallulah’s mother. “This is huge. Earning a spot on that team has been one of Sam and Tallulah’s big goals, and they are thankful that this opportunity still exists.”

For Tanner, the postponement was just one more obstacle to pursuing her dreams in the sport she loves. The competitions are only one part of her passion; she has a personal goal of landing a double Lutz and recently got a solo in the local ice show.

She is especially thankful for the backing of her friends, family, and teachers, who help make the sacrifices worthwhile.

“The best thing about Ashley Hall is that everyone supports me with kindness!” she enthused.

| Ice skates in tow, Tallulah Tanner ’28 heads out Ashley Hall’s Smith Street Gate | Opposite: Callie Cox ’21 visits Ashley Hall’s Gordon Dance Studio, where she took many memorable dance classes.

Photos by Kelly Grace Photography | Page 17, L-R: Callie Cox ’21 dances the Cha Cha with Maks Sidak during the Heritage Classic in North Carolina. Photo courtesy the Cox family | Tallulah Tanner ’28 strikes a pose during practice with Sam Herbert. Photo courtesy the Tanner family

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truly is. Through her teaching and guidance, I was able to go to competitions with an understanding of how to interact with other dancers and know during shows how to prepare myself for the best performance possible. Her constant support and training helped me grow not only as a dancer but also as a student and person as a whole.”

Callie Cox ’21 t the age of two, Callie Cox ’21 embarked on dual journeys that have shaped the course of her life: beginning formal dance training and becoming an Ashley Hall girl. Together, they have nurtured her relentless drive to grow as a dancer and pursue a passion that has deepened with age. “Dance is a form of expression, a place to be whomever you want to be with no judgment from anyone,” Cox shared. “It’s a safe place to land after a challenging time, a place to celebrate during the highs of your life, and a place to let out anger and sadness during the lows. My passion for dance comes from the feeling I get with each dance step and piece I choreograph or perform.”

Starting with ballet, Cox quickly knew that she also wanted to study ballroom dancing; as a three year old, she became the youngest student ever at the Charleston branch of the Arthur Murray Dance Studio before moving to International Ballroom Dance Studios, where she has danced for the past twelve years. At age six, she entered her first competition and never looked back; competing on a national level, she has won first place in over one hundred dance heats, second overall in the young adult national rhythm scholarship in New Orleans, and first place in the couple’s solo round at the North Carolina Classic competition. “Currently, I have

graduated from both the full bronze and silver categories of American rhythm and standard dances, as well as international dances,” said Cox. “At this point in my life, I am working to finalize my proficiency in gold (top-level) for both American and international ballroom dance styles.”

For sixteen years, Cox concurrently studied ballet and ballroom dance.

Even with her indisputable talent and competitive fire, the rigorous schedule of long dance classes most weeknights was highly demanding. Through it all, Ashley Hall has been an important part of her support system. “The community of Ashley Hall is indescribable,” emphasized Cox. “I have grown up with many of my classmates and teachers and truly feel as if they are a part of my family. The School has also always been extremely supportive of my dance career by allowing me the opportunity to bring my dances onto campus and teaching me that I had the strength to do whatever I put my mind to.”

In particular, Performing Arts faculty member Stephanie Christensen was a defining influence. “Ms. Christensen’s dance class was definitely one of the most impactful dance classes I have ever taken,” Cox declared. “Not only did she teach technique but also dance etiquette and what the meaning of being a ‘dancer’

Now focused on ballroom dancing, Cox relishes opportunities to stretch her abilities both as a dancer and as a choreographer, including presenting one of her own dances during Ashley Hall’s 2019 Fall Concert. “When I have choreographed a dance and am able to share it with an audience, I am overwhelmed with excitement and happiness because I can share my love for dance with so many different people,” revealed Cox. “Through each dance, I allow myself to be vulnerable and share what I might be experiencing or feeling with each move. If someone relates to me and has a sense of peace and joy while watching my dance, that is truly the greatest prize I could ever receive.”

As a senior, Cox has faced the additional challenges of COVID-19 along with her usual balancing of academics and dance.

Because of pandemic restrictions, she was unable to train at her dance studio from late March until early August yet still maintained her own training schedule at home. Next fall, she plans to take with her that same commitment to her lifelong passion to Baylor University, where she hopes to major in education with a focus in English as a second language and eventually teach abroad after graduation.

While she will not be majoring in a dancerelated field, Cox looks forward to the opportunity to compete for a Texas dance company throughout college. “In college, I feel dance will continue to be my outlet and a constant support system for me,” she affirmed. “I want to continue dancing throughout my life because it brings me joy, peace, and happiness. It has shaped me into the person I am today and has opened up so many doors that would have remained closed. On the dance floor, you are a part of a special community unlike any other, and through each competition and dance, I am able to experience and meet new people from all over the world and form relationships that I never would have been able to have, had it not been for ballroom dancing.”

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By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content

A cherished, longstanding Ashley Hall tradition, The Christmas Play assumed a digital format for its 2020 production in response to pandemic safety concerns. Against the backdrop of new technology, creative staging, and the need for the cast to physically distance, one thing remained clear: the love for this shared generational experience runs deep.

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sk any alumna to name her favorite Ashley Hall memories, and The Christmas Play makes the list more often than not. Now in its 97th year, the annual performance is nearly as old as the School itself and draws together generations of graduates who relish memories of assuming roles of angels, shepherds, and jesters, reciting timeless lines, and singing a repertoire that embodies the holiday season.

“The fact that you can reconnect so well with your Ashley Hall experience through watching the play makes it so special,” said Assistant Head of School and Upper School Director Anne Weston, Ph.D., ’73, who treasures many fond memories of watching and performing in the play. “This year we worked hard to preserve the tradition of The Christmas Play in the face of challenging conditions.”

“

The Christmas Play in order to adhere to public health and safety protocols, and

“Preparing for this year’s play has been different from past years, but I have had a lot of fun,” said Riley Kerr ’21, who first participated in The Christmas Play as a baby angel in first grade.

“Ms. Graci of course has been really wonderful to work with, as she has a lot of experience on real sets.” Because of this year’s innovations, Kerr not only reprised her role as the First Shepherd but also had the chance to be an angel.

the spirit of this Ashley Hall tradition came to life in an entirely new way.

Filmed outdoors on campus, the play allowed us to take full advantage of our cherished Senior Lawn as well as the backdrop for the Holy Tableaux.

—HEAD OF SCHOOL JILL MUTI

“I was selected to be Mother Angel this year, and I am very honored and excited about this role, which holds a special place in my heart,” asserted AnaCapri Burke ’21, who sees Ashley Hall’s ethos of sisterhood embodied in the special relationship between the Mother Angel and the baby angels. “It is the passing of the torch from one generation to the next, the invitation of a new generation. I hope that as the baby angels continue through their Ashley Hall journey, they will remember their first Christmas Play experience fondly.”

Continuing the play’s rich legacy was always a priority, and like generations before them, students still experienced the joys, stresses, and laugh-out-loud moments of bringing to life this meaningful series of religious mystery plays first performed during the Middle Ages.

This year we reimagined

Bear Cave, which served as the perfect

Guest director and Ashley Hall parent Sharon Graci, co-founder and artistic director of Charleston’s PURE Theatre, introduced several exciting aspects via the new digital format, including prerecording the musical and theatrical elements to capture the best performances and filming personal interviews with alumnae who shared their thoughts about what makes the tradition a meaningful experience unlike any other.

”

Historically, the logistics of The Christmas Play have adapted through the years to allow for location changes and staging demands, and the digital version represents the latest of these transformations. While the medium of delivery may change, it is reassuring to know the essence of this beloved tradition remains very much the same.

To view the special 2020 presentation of The Christmas Play, visit ashleyhall.org/TheChristmasPlay

| Student singers, musicians, and actors film The Christmas Play in the afternoon light on campus. Photos by Kelly Grace Photography 21

Engage, Equip, and Empower: AN ASHLEY HALL EDUCATION

BY MARY B. WEBB ’76 , UPPER SCHOOL FACULTY MEMBER As an Ashley Hall graduate and current Upper School History Department faculty member, Mary Webb ’76 brings a unique perspective, a wealth of experience, and a keen insight to her classroom. After graduating from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education, she earned her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. After practicing for nearly two decades, she transitioned into education and has taught at Ashley Hall since 2001. Ms. Webb has previously served as Chair of the History Department and is currently an Honor Council Faculty Representative. ndependence of thought and diversity of opinion must be fostered under the same roof, within the same system, as they are crucial to a liberal arts education. It takes courage and resilience to live in today’s society where opinions can differ on even the most fundamental ideas about what our school and wider community should stand for. Ashley Hall promotes the development of brave and independent women who, in a variety of ways, not only live life to the fullest but also enrich and improve the lives of their families while furthering the success of the communities in which they live. The contributions of our alumnae and current students on a variety of fronts are highly individualized, frequently transformational, and sometimes even revolutionary. Ashley Hall women aspire to embody the idea of civic virtue through their ethical service locally, nationally, and internationally. We may not all speak with the same voice, but each individual has learned and earned the ability to express herself clearly, and with conviction.

Ashley Hall’s Mission Statement calls for us to empower educated women who are independent, ethically responsible, and

prepared to meet the challenges of society with confidence. The ability to engage in civil conversations enhances the success of every civic engagement. For women who want to foster change, or seek to preserve a status quo in which they believe, it is crucial that they understand how the world works. Gradual acquisition of these skills at developmentally appropriate stages through our Learning Spiral leads to increased knowledge of the world, a deeper understanding of the issues at hand, and, ultimately, the ability to hear, process, and respond with an open mind to opposing points of view.

Experience shows that without civil discourse, time and energy can be wasted in fruitless conversations that can stifle individual voices and hinder growth. Harkness discussions and increased attention on civil discourse provide structure for student conversations across the curriculum. It takes time, practice, and patience for each student’s voice to develop and evolve.

We encourage the growth that will continue over their lifetimes.

In the classroom, extensive use of primary sources throughout the curriculum encourages students to evaluate

“

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At some point, every Ashley Hall student and graduate will engage, in line with her own convictions, in some controversy or disagreement. She will be ready.

”

Honor in this pursuit is also key to the concept of civic virtue.

Those who serve their community best do so in a forthright, ethical, and transparent manner. Ashley Hall’s Honor Code, a pledge that students sign in a formal ceremony, states that Ashley Hall students shall not, “lie, cheat, or steal nor tolerate those who do.” Students have the opportunity to serve on Honor Council and offer guidance to their peers as they also serve as role models.

Students aspire to act honorably in all aspects of their lives, which lays the foundation of trust necessary for open and civil engagement in school life.

the source itself, not just the commentary on that source that reflects the opinion of others. Instruction across all disciplines leads to the same goals, providing students the opportunity to equip themselves with the ability to voice original thoughts, to write clearly and persuasively, to argue both passionately and dispassionately, to discern the truth, and to act accordingly.

Ashley Hall’s goals are in line with that of the Center for Civic Education which seeks to foster crucial skills in order to equitably develop enlightened citizens. Enlightenment happens best with the opportunity for exposure to different points of view. For faculty at Ashley Hall the realization that we as teachers of girls need to be flexible to evolve and adjust our instruction to achieve equity within our own classrooms is particularly poignant. The goal is that our students will absorb the availability and necessity of an even playing field and expect that equality of opportunity throughout the rest of their own lives. If they do not find it, we have faith that they have acquired the necessary skills so that they can help create it themselves.

The search for equity and equality was highlighted this year with Ashley Hall’s celebration of the ratification of the XIX Amendment to the United States Constitution. Students actively engaged in studying the history behind it and participated in a march to celebrate the recognition of this fundamental human right, the right to vote for those who seek to represent you. It is no accident that Ashley Hall’s founder, Mary Vadrine McBee, was one of those who persevered in seeking the right for women to vote using every weapon in her arsenal. She was a risk taker, speaking out in support of the XIX Amendment soon after Ashley Hall was founded. Ms. McBee took steps to make real the ideal of equality at a time when she was relatively new to the Charleston community and a voice of the minority. We advocate for our students to embody that same conviction when pursuing their own causes.

| Photo by Kelly Grace Photography | Opposite: Upper School faculty member Mary Webb ’76 leads a discussion with her eighth graders during history class. Photo by Meredith Frazier Through our Hallmarks, which include the qualities of compassion, intelligence, worldliness, creativity, the ability to collaborate, purposefulness, and the ability to be discerning, Ashley Hall aspires to prepare students to be active, not passive, participants in life’s journey. Practice of civic virtue in our school community seeks to mirror the practice of civic virtue in the wider world. Skills based on ethical conduct must have and will have practical applications beyond our walls. Every student is offered the means to express the courage of her convictions.

Ashley Hall’s end goal is always to improve each woman’s quality of life long term. At some point, every Ashley Hall student and graduate will engage, in line with her own convictions, in some controversy or disagreement. She will be ready.

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Voices, Votes,& Visionaries: ASHLEY HALL CELEBRATES THE 19TH AMENDMENT

By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content

A school that prepared women to be leaders before they could even make their voices heard through the vote: this was the challenge Mary Vardrine McBee faced when she founded Ashley Hall in 1909, more than a decade before the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Her carefully crafted mission statement— “To produce educated women who are independent, ethically responsible, and prepared to meet the challenges of society with confidence”—was drawn from personal experience.

As a young woman who had grown up under society’s opposition to the women’s suffragist movement and who had experienced unjust limitations, Miss McBee knew firsthand the struggles women faced. She was determined to have a hand in preparing the next generation: the girls who would become the leaders in a new era.

In 2020, as Ashley Hall celebrated the 100th anniversary of women earning the right to vote, it also examined the 19th Amendment’s significance to the School’s legacy. Today, the vital need to fulfill Miss McBee’s mission could not be stronger, and Ashley Hall continues in its founder’s footsteps by nurturing the next generation of female leaders in Charleston and beyond.

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ASHLEY HALL WELCOMES TO CAMPUS

100 Years After the 19th Amendment: Their Legacy, and Our Future

This past fall, Ashley Hall proudly hosted 100 Years After the 19th Amendment: Their Legacy, and Our Future, a national traveling exhibit curated by the American Bar Association and the Library of Congress that honors the women’s suffrage movement. On campus October 5 through 9 during the School’s celebration of Founder’s Week, the award-winning exhibit featured photographs of historic documents and artifacts and detailed the story of the battle for ratification and the challenges that remain.

the continued restrictions and prejudice faced by women of color.

“Significantly, the struggle for the right to vote did not end in 1920, with women of color experiencing disenfranchisement and discrimination for decades afterward, roadblocks that persist in our society even today,” said Head of School Jill Muti. “Being a woman, especially one who has the confidence to voice her opinion and stand up for what she believes, has never been an easy undertaking.”

As part of Ashley Hall’s programming for the exhibit, Upper School History Department faculty member Chris Frisby addressed students on the lasting importance of the 19th Amendment and its relevance to them, both now and in the future. “I hope you will take time these next few days to pause to review the interpretive banners and reflect on the history of a movement that has profoundly shaped and benefited your own lives,” he said.

“When we think and speak about the 19th Amendment, I always encourage students to work from the idea that women earned the right to vote through the 19th Amendment. I discourage students from making statements like, ‘The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote.’ This seemingly small difference matters. I do this because it is critically important to acknowledge the agency of women in working to advance their own rights.”

Displayed at several locations around campus, the presentation particularly resonated across divisions with students, who immediately connected with its unique significance to an all-girls’ school. “I believe it is important to learn about the movement so that we appreciate how much we have now compared to 100 years ago,” affirmed Maya Opoulos ’27. “It has changed so much in just 100 years, and we should learn about it to appreciate what we have and what they didn’t but fought for.”

In addition to tracing the history of the women’s suffrage movement leading up to the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the exhibit also delved into the century that followed, including

| L-R: Cayla Johnson ’30 views the ABA exhibit in the LoDome. Photo

by Paula Harrell | Cate Altman ’28 takes notes for an essay. Photo by IP faculty member Olivia Hipp ’10 | Opposite: Katie Khan ’26 proudly displays her sign during the Suffrage March. Photo by Meredith Frazier

Watch History Department faculty member Chris Frisby’s presentation “Ashley Hall Honors Women’s Right to Vote” by visiting ashleyhall.org/19thAmendment

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The Agitators: HISTORY COMES TO LIFE THROUGH THEATER When Charleston’s PURE Theatre shared its highly regarded production of playwright Mat Smart’s The Agitators with Ashley Hall last February, it gave the Upper School a valuable opportunity to learn more about the early history of the women’s suffrage and abolitionist movements as well as the longstanding yet complicated friendship of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Directed by PURE Artistic Director and Ashley Hall parent Sharon Graci, the play brought to life significant moments in American history and effectively manifested the struggles of both women and African Americans for freedom and equality in the latter half of the 19th century. “The Agitators was a wonderful opportunity for students to explore critical conversations about equity and justice through the dynamic conversations between Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony,” said Academic Program Coordinator Carolyn Newton. “The play explores the friendship between these two historical figures as it developed over their lifetimes, and yet it is quite relatable to current conversations and a 21st century focus on racial and gender parity.

We are so grateful to Sharon Graci and PURE Theatre for making this experience available to us.”

For more information on PURE Theatre’s current season and educational outreach initiatives, visit PureTheatre.org

“We the Women”:

A SPECIAL POST AND COURIER SERIES

In celebration of the 19th Amendment, The Post and Courier’s “We the Women” video and podcast series launched in August and featured interviews with outstanding women in South Carolina who discussed the women’s movement and the ways they have used their lives, voices, and right to vote. As one of the women spotlighted, Ashley Hall’s Head of School Jill Muti discussed the School’s unique ties to the women’s suffrage movement and the path ahead for the female leaders of tomorrow. “For me personally, it has created this drive at the School to continue that legacy—the legacy of advocacy— of being grounded in community and place, of understanding the importance of beauty in the lives of everyone and what it means to be a citizen and civically responsible, not only for ourselves but for others,” Muti emphasized.

To watch the full interview, visit ashleyhall.org/19thAmendment

| PURE Theatre’s performance of The Agitators at Ashley Hall. Photo by Meredith Frazier | Opposite: Upper School orchestra students during the filming of the Upper School Fall Concert. Photo by Kelly Grace Photography

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UPPER SCHOOL FALL CONCERT PAYS HOMAGE TO THE

Women’s Suffrage Movement

Presented in a digital format, the Upper School Fall Concert paid homage to the ratification of the 19th Amendment and the ongoing struggle to protect its legacy. In a nod to female composers, whose works were not regularly performed publicly at the beginning of the 20th century, the Red Choir and Chamber Choir sang “Faith is the Bird that Feels the Light” by

Elizabeth Alexander. The song “This Little Light of Mine” was sung by the Red Choir, Chamber Choir, and Nautilus Choir in honor of Fannie Lou Hamer, a civil rights activist who fought to ensure the right to vote for all American women, including disenfranchised women of color. To watch this special performance, visit ashleyhall.org/19thAmendment

Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders

150 participants, they divided into breakout rooms to deliberate their findings and potential next steps.

Last semester, a group of Upper School students joined their peers across the nation for a weekly series of online civic engagement workshops held in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. Sponsored by the Close Up Foundation and the Institute for Social Impact, the educational program Empowering Female Voices sought to inspire the next generation of female change-makers. “The sessions were to encourage us as young women to speak up and to not be afraid to share our opinions, and it was interesting to hear the opinions and perspectives of many girls around the country,” said Julia Richards ’23. Prior to each session, students read articles concerning current issues, and after meeting together as a large group of approximately

“In the deliberations, our goal was to reach a common ground in our opinions toward solutions,” noted Ellerbe Mendez ’23.

“We discussed racial inequality, criminal justice reform, healthcare, impacting the community, and storytelling and advocacy. I do think that this format was helpful in expanding my perspective because deliberations allowed us to share our knowledge and opinions on the topic without debating them, so we felt encouraged to ask questions as well as share knowledge and opinions. Most importantly, it was an environment where I felt comfortable openly having my opinion changed.” Students found that the collaborative nature of the workshops was key in promoting meaningful engagement with the issues. “The workshops have encouraged me to want to learn more about what I believe in so that I understand why I believe the things that I do, and to truthfully speak out on those topics,” asserted Richards.

As part of her work with Close Up, Ellerbe Mendez ’23 joined nine other students nationwide for a special partnership with PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs. During the special fall workshop, students divided into teams of two to develop their video production and storytelling skills and create videos that highlighted diverse youth perspectives on current issues. Students presented their finished videos to educators and community members during a special showcase. PQV! 27

The

Power of the

Vote:

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS

During a special Assembly in early March, Upper School students learned more about the League of Women Voters and its pivotal role over the last century in ensuring voter rights and supporting active participation in government. Ashley Hall alumna and women’s rights advocate Jennet Robinson Alterman ’70 led the presentation and shared important initiatives, including advocating for the College of Charleston to admit women in 1917, undertaken by the League and its early members. “In Charleston, there were four women who were extremely involved in getting women the right to vote, and one of them was Mary Vardrine McBee,” said Alterman. “She was an activist and an agitator, and she didn’t put up with anybody’s guff. A truly brave woman, she founded Ashley Hall in 1909, eleven years before women had the right to vote.”

In addition to learning about the League’s history and its current advocacies, students particularly responded to Alterman’s call to fully embrace civic engagement. “Here is my challenge to seniors,” said Alterman.

“

I want five of you to be elected to an office within ten years.

That will be in 2030, which is plenty of time. Whether you start with a PTA Board or a local city council, it is not hard to run for office. And as Ashley Hall students, you have been trained to be leaders.

”

Afterward, students were given the opportunity to register to vote. “Voting is something you have to do as an American citizen,” said deRosset Thompson ’20, who was already registered. Lauren Letton ’21 agreed.

“I’m registering today because I want to use my right to vote,” she said. “It’s important.”

| League of Women Voters-Charleston Chapter board member Dr. Joan Zaleski helps register students to vote | Opposite, from top, L-R: Layla Guillory, Elyse Lang, Jaalah Brown, Clara Blair, and Emma Tedford, Class of 2026, display their protest signs | The Class of 2027 prepares for the Suffrage March. Photos by Meredith Frazier

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Signs of the Time:

Ashley Hall’s Suffragist March As the culmination of their studies of the women’s suffrage movement, sixth and seventh graders led a campus march where they celebrated the 19th Amendment and women’s right to vote. In addition to creating their own historically-inspired protest signs and wearing the colors of the movement (purple and white!), students shared with peers and faculty members their research about key suffragists and historic events. For many of the girls, it was a chance to imagine walking in the shoes of generations of courageous women whose efforts changed the course of history and to envision their own futures as leaders.

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Stepping into History: Teaching the Suffragists

Q&A:

MELANIE GIBSON

As an Intermediate Program faculty member, Melanie Gibson teaches sixth grade history, including a significant unit on the women’s suffrage movement. Her students researched movement leaders, primary documents, and political cartoons to gain a better understanding of this significant period in history.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT TO BE PART OF THE HISTORY CURRICULUM FOR SIXTH GRADE? “This unit is part of the United States history timeline we are studying. It is important that the girls have a good understanding of the difficulties and mindsets women had to overcome to just get the right to vote. The struggles and indignities they had to suffer were intolerable, but they stuck with it and never relented. This is a good example for the girls to understand why it is important not to submit to the pressures of those who do not want to listen to all points of view. It shows them that working toward a goal, no matter how difficult, is worth the effort, especially if the result will affect the lives of people in the future and improve their own existence.”

A HIGHLIGHT OF THIS UNIT INVOLVES STUDENTS CREATING TIMELINE ENTRIES TO DISPLAY THEIR RESEARCH. HOW DO STUDENTS APPROACH THIS PROJECT? “The timeline features the women who were paramount in making an impact and achieving the goal of women’s suffrage from the 1850s to 1920. The girls selected either a suffragist, a primary document, or a political cartoon from sources such as the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, and databases listed

| The Class of 2027 waiting to present during the Suffragist March.

Photo by Meredith Frazier

on the Ashley Hall library website. They also used text sources available to them in my classroom. One source is Don Nard’s The Split History of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, a flip book which features perspectives both for and against women’s suffrage. My focus was for them to use specific research sources other than Google. They worked in pairs to find information from both points of view, for and against the movement.”

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR ASHLEY HALL’S SUFFRAGIST MARCH? “The march was an idea that [Director of the Nautilus Program and Upper School faculty member] Chris Hughes suggested to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. She had her seventh grade English classes write about suffragists from South Carolina. Her girls did research to write up information about these women to share with the sixth graders, and the sixth graders shared one-liners about information they learned from their research. They were stationed in different locations by the Rivers library, McBee House, and Lane Hall.

All the girls made signs, and sixth grade girls made picket signs that were authentic copies of the same picket signs the suffragists created for their demonstrations. Both the sixth and seventh graders wore their white uniform shirts with purple banners.

These were the colors the suffragists often wore when they demonstrated.”

CLASS OF 2027:

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT STUDYING THE WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT?

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Inspired by the words and imagery of the women’s suffrage movement, seventh graders created their own banners and carried them during Ashley Hall’s Suffragist March.

“

It is important that our girls study the women’s suffrage movement every year as a reminder of how

powerful a collective community can be and how committing to something larger than one’s self can be empowering, grounding, and enlightening.

—DIRECTOR OF THE NAUTILUS PROGRAM AND UPPER SCHOOL FACULT Y MEMBER CHRIS HUGHES

”

A NAUTILUS INTERDISCIPLINARY EXPERIENCE To mark the centennial of the 19th Amendment, seventh graders undertook an interdisciplinary project that examined the national women’s suffrage movement and its prominent leaders in South Carolina. “In social studies, we wanted to extend the discussion to historical texts and figures and the strategies suffragists used to make the argument for their right to vote more powerful,” said Upper School faculty member Joanna Westbrook. “In English, we turned the lens on the South Carolina suffragist movement because of the American Bar Association exhibit that came to campus.” Completing a research guide created by Upper School faculty member Leslie Rowland-Yeh, each student investigated the challenges faced by a suffragist who was active in South Carolina. “I completed a suffrage poster and a one-pager about my suffragist Charlotta Rollin,” said Katie Khan ’26.

“I learned that she opened a women’s rights convention with her sister Katherine Rollin.”

As part of their historical research, students analyzed an essay

by Ashley Hall alumna Lennerton Girardeau, Class of 1918, who wrote about women’s suffrage in the Cerberus, the School’s literary magazine (read the full essay on page 37). Upper School librarian Emily Davis discovered the work as she searched the

archives for 19th Amendment links. The essay provided students insight into the mind of an Ashley Hall student a century ago.

“I think it’s important to learn about the 19th Amendment because we need to learn about the history of women,” asserted Margaret Zollweg ’26. “We need to learn more about how Ashley Hall has gotten to where it is now and how the community has changed over time. After all, the founder was a suffragist and an active member of the National Women’s Party!”

As the culmination of their studies, students created banners inspired by the women’s suffrage movement and joined sixth graders for Ashley Hall’s Suffragist March. “What I enjoyed most was hearing everyone’s chants, and everyone being so passionate about the topic,” enthused Charlotte Strickland ’26. “Everyone was holding up their posters and chanting things like, ‘women’s rights’ and ‘votes for women,’ and I thought that was truly special. It has been 100 years since the 19th Amendment was passed, and it shows that accomplishing something can help everyone’s future.

It is meaningful because what all of these women went through was extraordinary, and we should be very grateful they risked their lives to get us the right to vote.”

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of work As part of their studies of the women’s suffrage movement and the 19th Amendment, sixth graders researched and created work for a timeline spanning from 1848 to 1920. In addition to writing abstracts about their research topic, they made authentic picket signs and reflected on what they learned. The following selections are excerpts of their creations. | Sixth graders created a timeline to represent their research into the women’s suffrage movement. Photo by Kelly Grace Photography

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THE LEGACY OF JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG

By Jennet Robinson Alterman, Class of 1970

A well-known advocate for women’s rights and the founding chair of the Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network, Jennet Robinson Alterman ’70 chairs the City of Charleston Commission on Women.

From 2001 until 2013, she served as the Executive Director of the Center for Women, a nonprofit organization that under her leadership grew to become the largest and most comprehensive women’s development center in South Carolina.

In 1966, I began my freshman year at Ashley Hall, my first experience in an all girls’ environment. I reveled in the atmosphere of learning surrounded by smart, outspoken, and talented peers. They volunteered for jobs, accepted faculty appointments, and created their own versions of female leadership. At the end of my sophomore year, I decided to offer my candidacy for junior class vice president, who was responsible for producing the extravaganza known as the Junior-Senior Dinner.

However, another classmate was also interested in the position.

We discussed the campaign and decided that we would run as co-vice presidents instead of competing. Working together, we achieved the best Junior-Senior Dinner in history. As seniors, my talented competition and I continued to power share by strategically targeting the positions where we felt best suited.

I ran for president of the Student Council, and she ran for senior class president. Intuitively understanding that we could accomplish more without divisive competition, we won our respective positions and worked collaboratively throughout the year.

Reflecting on the legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I was struck that my youthful political experiences at Ashley Hall were similar to stories of the late great justice. She often had to work collaboratively with her colleagues and her husband to reach the Supreme Court. In that spirit, I wrote the following op-ed on the notorious RBG.

EMBODY GINSBURG’S LEGACY (published September 21, 2020 in the Charleston City Paper)

The media in the last few days have been full of accolades about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. None of the praise has been hyperbole. This diminutive woman was a giant for justice, never wavering in her commitment to justice for reproductive health

care, pay equity, civil rights, access to health care, immigrants, nondiscrimination on the basis of sex. The list goes on and on.

Her entire life encompassed battles for equality. Though brilliant, she had difficulty finding a job after law school in the 1960s because she was a woman, a mother and a Jew. Largely thanks to her determination and legal work, women today do not face these same obstacles.

RBG continued to be the feminist’s feminist at an age when most people start slowing down and considering a softer more reflective life. Yet she thrived in her work as a Supreme Court justice right up to the end of her days.

Especially noteworthy was her ability to manage her profession and her family, often getting no more than three hours of sleep at night. Excelling in every role, she readily admitted, “You can’t have it all,” but she actually did. Her husband, Marty, was her true partner and cheerleader. He never wavered in his support of her and she never took him for granted.

An important part of her legacy was her ability to play well with others. One example is her longstanding friendship with her polar ideological opposite, Justice Antonin Scalia. They attended the opera together and sometimes took to the stage as extras. They both loved gourmet cuisine and traveled together, once riding elephants in India. They and their families toasted many New Year’s Eves together. Justice Scalia once said of her, “They call us the odd couple. She likes opera, and she’s a very nice person.

What’s not to like? Except her views on the law.”

Justice Ginsburg and her friend and colleague found common ground in the arts and music. They found that they could disagree without resorting to character assassination or partisan politics. They behaved like adults. If we are to learn anything from their friendship it is to always respect and honor

| Jennet Robinson Alterman ’70 discusses the League of Women Voters during Assembly. Photo by Meredith Frazier | Opposite, from top, L-R: Misa Dionne ’28 and Tessa DeHaan ’28 work together on their scales project. Photo by IP faculty member Olivia Hipp ’10 | RBG holiday ornament | Upper School Librarian Emily Davis dressed as RBG for the Halloween parade. Photos by Meredith Frazier

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each other’s differences. I implore our elected representatives and political candidates to take many pages from their book. Set aside the partisan politics and instead come together to address the outsized crises our country faces right now. Craft a robust and unified response to handling the pandemic.

Provide financial help to the Americans most in need. Stop the attack ads and instead put those resources toward protecting the American people before it is too late. Don’t let our planet selfdestruct over the overwhelming climate crisis.

What a tribute it would be to Justice Ginsburg if our politicians could work together for our common good. Let’s pull together for a change. Upon Scalia’s death, Ginsberg wrote, “We are different, we are one. Different in our interpretation of written texts, one in our reverence for the Constitution and the institution we serve.”

RBG was able to overcome obstacles, advocate for the underserved, and cross over immense political differences to improve justice in our country. We may not possess her intellect and wisdom, but surely we can strive to emulate some of the lessons she has left us.

May her memory be a blessing.

Balancing Act

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was renowned as an advocate for gender equality and the rights of women, and Ashley Hall’s Intermediate Program students honored her passing in September with a competition activity that emphasized balance, teamwork, and collaboration. Taking Ginsburg’s quote “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you” as inspiration, students first learned more about Ginsburg’s groundbreaking achievements in their

humanities classes and then worked in teams to design

and build their own “scale of justice” as part of a

STEAM activity.

In addition to strategizing how to balance their scale with different objects, students made weight estimates and charted their findings. In the spirit of the activity, teachers emphasized that final scores would be based not only on accurate estimates but also on each group’s ability to demonstrate collaborative teamwork, where all members showed guided, patient leadership.

The resulting creations and display of cooperation were fitting tributes to the legacy of a woman known for her collaborative nature and quest for balance. “It was a truly awesome day of activities,” emphasized Intermediate Program faculty member Olivia Hipp ’10. “It was one of those ‘This is why I do this’ days.”

Paying Tribute

Ashley Hall students, faculty, and staff found some creative ways to honor Justice Ginsburg this past fall. In addition to class activities, several young justices, along with their faculty counterparts, proudly took part in the Halloween parade.

In December, Director of Database Management and Online Services Ann Barnett paid tribute to RBG by crafting special holiday ornaments.

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Woman’s Part in Democracy

By Lennerton Girardeau, Class of 1918

Ashley Hall student Lennerton Girardeau wrote the following essay for the 1918 edition of the Cerberus, Ashley Hall’s literary magazine.

Published a mere nine years after Ashley Hall’s founding, the work reflects the empowerment and voice Miss McBee was already instilling in her students. Girardeau went on to attend Converse College and complete graduate work at the University of North Carolina and the University of Chicago before receiving her master’s degree in psychology and education from Columbia University.

She taught at Mississippi State College for Women, Hilda’s Hall in West Virginia, and Martha Washington College in Virginia before returning to Charleston to teach science at St. Andrew’s High School.

| Clockwise from top: A 1913 women’s suffrage march in Washington, D.C. | Officers of the Women’s League of Newport, Rhode Island, circa 1899 | Women learn to use a voting machine in Chicago, 1919 | Opposite, L-R: suffragists Florence Kenyon Hayden Rector, Mary Dubrow, and Alice Paul hold a banner with a quote by Susan B. Anthony in Chicago, 1920. Photos courtesy the National Archives and Library of Congress

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n Tuesday evening, April 30th, Charleston was

what was this wonderful thing people called “new,” which was

indeed fortunate in hearing an address by Mrs.

really quite old? Merely carrying banners, walking, and standing

Abby Scott Baker, of the National Woman’s Party,

still. To these persons the name of “pickets” was given.

from Washington. She greatly impressed it upon the minds

Pickets were arrested and put in the workhouse and solitary

of the people why women have the right to vote, and why now,

confinement for the horrible crime of carrying banners on

more than at any other time, they should press on to victory in

which were written the President’s own words, and for standing

Congress.

absolutely still on the street where he might see their banners and be reminded of what he had written and said. These silent,

Foreign countries expect it of us. We, who talk so much about

patient women were said to “block traffic,” but this accusation

making the “world safe for democracy,” should first have

was not true in any degree, as was proved later by the moving-

democracy at home. President Wilson defines democracy

pictures. Nevertheless, an arrest had been previously planned

as, “Those who submit to

and announced so it had to take

authority must have a voice in the

place. We all know of the horrors

government.” Should we think,

of Occoquan and the brutal

then, since the President himself

treatment of the women sentenced

made that statement, that women,

there. The only real subjects

who have their own particular

for arrest were the officers who

work to do and part to play in this

allowed such acts of violence in this

great world, should continue to

civilized age.

let men alone make rules, bring forth, discuss, and finally pass the

Yes, women are always ridiculed

laws that affect women as much as

for wanting to start anything new.

they do men? Is this democracy?

Were they not laughed at when

Heretofore the only way for women

they asked for an education, when

to obtain a voice in any matter was

they first made public speeches?

by going from man to man and

And even women artists were once

imploring them to think and want

shunned. So little else could have

the same things, and even after

been expected when picketing

such humiliation most of them were

was started.

refused what they asked for.

Is that the practical and judicious way to go about obtaining

In future years, however, the world will see its mistake in trying to

a public hearing? No! A thousand times no! The correct way

keep women under submission, and our grandchildren will laugh

and the only way is to stand shoulder to shoulder and help one

at their ancestors as we, having seen the broader vision, smile today

another to work.

at stories of Colonial narrow-mindedness.

For the past decade we have all heard a great deal of suffragists

Women, in their efforts to obtain what they desire, were

and suffragettes, but during the last year a new phase of

considerate of their people’s feeling; no one was killed, or even

feminism has been brought to our attention. As Mrs. Baker very

wounded, not one single drop of blood was shed, nor a single

charmingly expressed it, “I hear that someone has criticized

heart broken with sadness. How do men obtain what they wish?

the pickets.” Can you imagine any organization or individual,

By death, bloodshed, and the horrible atrocities of war. Now, can

debarring the President himself, great enough to publicly interest

women, who act so humanely, be criticized by men? How much

this whole country of ours, and, by so doing, obtain four million

truer life would seem if woman was allowed to do her part in

dollars’ worth of newspaper space free? Well, just women did that.

democracy.

And how did they do it? Simply by starting something new. And

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The Other Miss McBee: A Tale of Two Suffragist Sisters he name looms large in Ashley Hall lore: Miss McBee. She is the founder who, in pursuing her own dream, helped generations of young women to realize dreams of their own.

A passionate advocate for girls to receive a quality education and assume their rightful role as leaders, she built her school into an institution that has endured for over a century and has gained a national reputation for excellence. It was her life’s work and her enduring legacy.

She did not do it alone.

One year after Mary Vardrine McBee planted the roots of Ashley Hall, her sister Estelle joined her to support the new endeavor. A year older and a fellow graduate of the Fairmount School for Girls in Tennessee, Emma Estelle McBee had traveled extensively in Europe and worked in community and social services in New York, including a position on the Board at the Jacob Riis Neighborhood Settlement. With a love of the arts, Estelle was an accomplished actress and percussionist,

talents that led her to contribute both as a performer and patron to the Dock Street Theatre and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. At Ashley Hall, she became Vardrine’s assistant and close confidant, wearing many hats and even teaching English, French, the sciences, and first grade before the sisters retired together in 1949.

The School became her life’s work too.

Like her sister, Estelle was most passionate about civic engagement and improving the lives of others, especially women. While Vardrine gravitated to educational-based advocacy groups, including becoming the first woman to serve on the Charleston School Board and the president of the Charleston Free Library (which she helped to found), Estelle immersed herself in the work of the first women’s suffrage organizations in South Carolina. In 1914, she was elected vice president of the Charleston Equal Suffrage League, whose mission was “to safeguard and advance the legal, industrial, and educational rights and interests of women to obtain the franchise for women on equal terms with men.” League members held meetings to strategize, wrote letters, distributed literature, made public addresses, and met

| L-R: Vardrine and Estelle McBee through their years at Ashley Hall. Photos from the Ashley Hall Archives | Opposite: Headline from the April 1, 1915 Charleston Evening Post. Scan from the Post and Courier Archives.

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The McBee Society Mary Vardrine McBee championed the merits derived from a life of value-based philanthropy. Today, she is the patroness of The McBee Society, an organization of foresighted and generous donors who have included Ashley Hall in their estate plans. By including Ashley Hall in their estate plans, supporters make a lasting impact and ensure that the tradition of an Ashley Hall education continues for another century. This list represents past and present McBee Society members, those who have shared or fulfilled their intentions to support Ashley Hall with an estate gift.

We thank these devoted members for their transformational gift.

(Known members as of December 15, 2020. * deceased)

with local organizations. An important feature of their advocacy was hosting nationally known suffragists, including Alice Paul, Elsie Hill, Inez Milholland, and Abby Scott Baker, some of whom drew crowds so large that the events spilled over into the street.

In 1917, the McBee sisters supported a National Woman’s Party (NWP) Conference on Suffrage, called to elect a statewide committee. Held at the Charleston Hotel, the conference featured Vardrine as one of its keynote speakers; local girls dressed in the suffrage colors of purple, white, and gold served as ushers and sold the weekly Suffragist magazine. With Ashley Hall’s Head of School speaking at the conference, it would not have been surprising if some were Ashley Hall students. Later that same year, Estelle was part of a Charleston Equal Suffrage League group that organized a local branch of the NWP to lend direct support to the national cause. Becoming a member of the League of Women Voters, Estelle remained politically active all her life.

Dedicated to the causes they held most dear, Vardrine and Estelle McBee left their own distinct marks on Charleston.

As political activists, civic leaders, and educators, they committed their lives to the empowerment of women.

That suffragist spirit has infused Ashley Hall since its early days and is still prominent today.

Anonymous * Jennet Robinson Alterman ’70 Dot Porcher Amis ’58 Mary W. Anderson ’68 Marietta Wade Aurand ’41 * Nella G. Barkley Katherine ’65 and William Bates Esther Hoshall Beaumont ’53 Ruth Russell Belding ’43 * Marguerite McLaughlin Bishop ’49 * Anne Frances Bleecker ’76 Michele G. Booth Ann Hagerty Boyce ’70 Gene E. Burges ’64 * Julius E. Burges * Jean Martschink Buyer ’51 * Margaret P. Carr ’29 * Robert S. Carr Lynda Chase ’57 * Helen and Bob * Clement Deborah L. Cochelin ’70 Anne de la Morandiere Cooper ’64 Ann Bacot ’80 and Belk Daughtridge Harriett B. Daughtridge ’70 Emmie Aichele Dawson ’70 Ann W. Dibble ’70 Susan Estey Edgerly ’43 * Evelyn A. Florance * Nancy Friday ’51 * Nora Alston Flynn ’53 * Alice ’61 and Mike Gaines Celinda H. Harkness ’59 * Virginia Clyde Douglass Harper ’47 Jane * and T. Fleetwood Hassell Jane ’47 and Max Hill Laurie Arnold Host ’73 Sally ’61 and Charles Hubbard Fern Karesh Hurst ’64 Martha Rivers Ingram ’53 Amy E. Jenkins ’82 Joan ’47 and Robert Kaselitz Elizabeth C. Keith * Trish and Tommy Kirkland Croft and Hugh Lane Daisy Leland * Anne Brockinton Lee ’70 Barbara Angel Levin ’50 Melissa and Jan Levitan Elizabeth Rivers Lewine ’54 Margaret and Ian MacDonald Merlee Ann Madren ’56

Amanda and Roy Maybank Terry and Luke McBee Marie Ferrara McGahan ’70 Pam and Pat McKinney Nancy J. Muller ’71 and Warren Mersereau Piper Parker Moffatt ’70 Eleanor Hope Moore ’56 * Jill and Lorenzo Muti Kathy and Pete Nistad Frances K. Palmer ’26 * Caroline Pardue * Lee ’73 and Rhett Perry Corinne Neely Pettit * Karen ’79 and Mark Phillips Linda Muckenfuss Plunkett ’69 Dale C. Poulnot ’73 and Jim F. Condon Mabel Stowe Query ’39 * Caroline H. Ragsdale ’70 * Eva R. Ravenel ’73 Heidi ’74 and Arthur Ravenel Margaret L. Read ’38 * Jenny and Jerry Reves Sally ’66 and Edmund Rhett Artie Richards Ms. Keith C. Richardson John M. Rivers, Jr. Cliff P. Robertson * Mary Moore Roberson ’57 Judy Webber Ross ’53 Bobbie Gail ’54 and Herb Rothschild Katherine B. Salmons ’71 Iona and Paul Sanders Beverly Ann ’54 * and John Settle * Mary Mahony Smith ’37 Peggy ’68 and Jim Stallworth Laurel Gale Stewart ’50 Shana and Bobby Stockton Martha and Will Story Virginia and Thomas Thorne * Mardelle and Tommy Thornhill* Alice and Mike White Elizabeth R. Williams ’45 * Elizabeth S. Williams ’34 * Margaret A. Williams ’34 * Porter Williams, Jr. * Caroline M. Williamson ’70 Martha Mohl Wolf ’56 Beautsie ’63 and Fred Zahrn * Barbara and J. Conrad Zimmerman, Jr. Elephare Dwelle Zimmerman ’40 *

39

PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP:

Michaela White ’14 and Maya White ’17

By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content

As young women committed to serving their country, sisters Michaela White ’14 and Maya White ’17 have excelled on their shared journey to become naval officers.

For both, some of their most valuable lessons in leadership began at Ashley Hall.

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SELF-RELIANCE

Bracing against the wind on the deck of the Roseway, Michaela White ’14 gazed steadily toward the horizon. For twelve days, she and fellow students, led by Upper School faculty member Dr. Roscoe Davis, had worked as part of the crew sailing a schooner on a 1500 mile transit from St. Croix. The capstone of Ashley Hall’s Offshore Leadership Program, the demanding open water voyage had challenged them all to push past their limits and tackle difficulties head on. Now, with Charleston slowly rising in the distance, she smiled in triumph: They had arrived.

“I did not know it then, but that experience was pivotal for me in my young life,” said Michaela. “The Offshore Leadership Program influenced my leadership skills because it forced me into scenarios that I had never been in before and that I literally could not get out of, seeing that I was stuck on a ship in the middle of the ocean. It taught me lessons such as perseverance and resilience that I do not think I could have learned in any other environment. I am beyond grateful that I was able to have an experience like that. It was the push I needed to solidify my desire to join the Navy.”

Now an Ensign in the U.S. Navy, Michaela’s path to that momentous Offshore Leadership Program voyage began when she and her sisters moved with their parents, Mike and Alice White, from Texas to Charleston in 2007. The three White girls—Michaela ’14, Madeline ’16, and Maya ’17, all enrolled at Ashley Hall. From the first, it was an environment that fostered self-reliance and tenacity. “I was engaged, challenged, and supported every single day at Ashley Hall,” emphasized Maya, who entered as a third grader and is now a midshipman in her final year at the U.S. Naval Academy. “I carried this momentum through my ten-year tenure at the School. My favorite subjects quickly became math and science, and I was lucky to have the support of my teachers every day. I was hungry for more, and Ashley Hall was the perfect place for me to expand my horizons.”

Like her sister, sixth grader Michaela thrived in the supportive atmosphere. “Ashley Hall gave me the experiences to be confident in the classroom and encouraged me to participate and challenge the ideas set forth in class in order to further my learning and work on my critical thinking,” she affirmed. “Had this confidence in the classroom not been ingrained in my mind from middle school and on, I think my time in college would have been much quieter.”

Both women excelled with a full slate of academics, sports, and extracurricular activities, including Student Council and track.

Michaela also undertook volleyball, while Maya focused on golf.

“Serving as student body president during my senior year was an extremely formative leadership experience and taught me how to be a liaison to meet the needs of those above and below me,” said Maya. The lessons in balancing multiple responsibilities were also invaluable. “Ashley Hall helped prepare me for the rigors of the Naval Academy because it taught me time management,” Michaela noted.

CONFIDENCE

On her first day of class at the Naval Academy, Maya White ’17 entered a room filled with thirty other plebes, all of whom were male. She had spent the last seven weeks undergoing the intense physical and mental training of Plebe Summer, a stringent induction into the life of a midshipman. Now, the equally demanding academic component of her college experience was about to begin. Without hesitation, she walked to the front row and sat down. Within five minutes, she was raising her hand to answer the professor’s questions and vigorously taking notes.

Exuding confidence, she was fully in her element.

“Ashley Hall made the classroom a space where I could thrive, and I haven’t looked back since,” Maya explained. “The biggest

| L-R: Serving as the Assistant Operations Officer, Michaela celebrates Maya’s successful completion of her Sea Trials and her plebe year | Opposite: Having just completed her Youngster (sophomore) year, Maya presents Michaela with her first salute after her Commissioning ceremony. All photos courtesy the White family unless noted 41

advantage I gained from graduating from Ashley Hall is my confidence. I surprise my peers every single day with my lack of hesitation in the classroom, at a conference table, and on summer training.” For both women, a deeply held belief in themselves has built a solid foundation for their ability to lead. During their Naval Academy journey, both have held company-level leadership positions, with Michaela serving her final year on the brigadelevel as the Operations Officer for Sea Trials. Maya is currently the Executive Officer for the 17th Company.

“Ashley Hall helped shape me into a female leader because I truly believe that it gave me the confidence to succeed based on the high frequency of interaction and participation in the classroom,” said Michaela. “All of my teachers encouraged participation, which gave me the confidence to voice my opinion or push myself out of my comfort zone to answer a question even if the answer was incorrect. It was this little push that I carried with me through college and into my professional life. I also try to make sure I provide my input while on a project even if I may be the lowest ranking person in the room.”

EMPOWERMENT

“Ashley Hall taught me lessons that shaped who I am as a young woman and molded me into who I am today.” —Michaela White ’14

For both women, one of the most vital aspects of Ashley Hall’s tight-knit community was its engaging faculty members, who exhibited passion for their disciplines and a deep commitment to their students. “By the time I reached Upper School, I was comfortable establishing relationships with my teachers, and Mrs. Allison Bowden and Dr. Claire Christensen were my biggest mentors who supported me unconditionally, both in the classroom and in life,” said Maya. “Both of these women showed me how to love my studies and do what makes me happy!” Now majoring in oceanography, Maya traces her choice of major back to growing up on the water in Charleston and the influence of those same teachers. “The math, science, and marine background I gained at Ashley Hall created my passion for all things science, especially in the ocean!” she enthused. “I challenged myself with my course load at Ashley Hall, and I

Now stationed in Norfolk as a Public Affairs Officer at the Navy Public Affairs Support Element East, Michaela applies that same confidence to her work, whether she is helping to plan the 20th commemoration for the attack on the USS Cole (DDG -67) or aiding in VIP tours aboard the USS Gerald E Ford (CVN -78).

Once she graduates in May, Maya plans to return to Charleston to attend Nuclear Power School before serving in the Navy’s submarine force. “I am a huge proponent of single-gender education because it granted me the focus, drive, and power to be myself and to work hard,” asserted Maya. “I am able to stay true to myself when making decisions, and I practice authentic leadership every single day.”

| From top, L-R: Michaela and Maya as varsity track teammates at Ashley Hall | Alice, Michaela ’14, Madeline ’16, Maya ’17, and Mike White during Michaela’s Commissioning ceremony | Michaela uses a sextant to take a noon sighting during her Offshore Leadership Program sailing journey. Photo by US faculty member Dr. Roscoe Davis | Michaela graduated from Defense Information School in September | Maya received her service assignment to the submarine force in November | Opposite, from top: Michaela serving as a Public Affairs Officer during the 20th commemoration of the attack on the USS Cole (DDG-67) | Maya at the U.S. Naval Academy

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trained myself to put school before other commitments. The challenging, fast-paced setting at Ashley Hall set me up for major success here in Annapolis.”

Michaela was also inspired by her teachers, both in her choice of academic path and in her broader approach to life. “I loved my International Relations class taught by Mr. Andrea Muti, who was the reason I chose political science as a major at the Naval Academy,” she said. “Senora Mahe Van Dyck was always available to talk, no matter what the topic was, whether I needed extra help with Spanish or had a life issue at hand. She was the reason behind my choosing Spanish as a minor. Dr. Roscoe Davis pushed me the most in the classroom and taught me how to stay on my toes with his popsicle stick style quizzes. Coach Gail Bailey really taught me what it meant to be a hard worker, not only on the track but also with everything in life. As my coach, she truly pushed me to be not only a better athlete but also a better leader.”

SERVICE

“Michaela and I have always shared a special bond, and she has been my role model for as long as I can remember. However, our relationship took on a new meaning when I decided to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. Michaela became more than my big sister and my best friend. Suddenly, she was my mentor, my hero, and my guiding light during the two years we shared at the Academy. Once we are both graduates, we will always be bonded by the brotherhood (or in this case, sisterhood) of the Naval Academy.” —Maya White ’17

Their commitment to military service creates a special connection between the sisters, who were also inspired by their father, a 1983 West Point graduate who served as a U.S. Army officer in Military Intelligence. As the first Ashley Hall graduate to attend the Naval Academy, Michaela is honored to be a representative of her Charleston alma mater and the integral values it instilled within her. “I stay true to what I believe in and constantly push myself to stand up and voice my opinions,” she remarked. Maya, too, believes in being a leader who lives out her values. “It has always been a mission of mine to serve others, and joining the military was the perfect way for me to give back to our country,” she declared. “It is an honor and a privilege to be able to serve in the United States military, and I am humbled to share this experience with two of my own family members.”

With initiative, purpose, and vision, Michaela and Maya are fulfilling their mission as the newest generation of Ashley Hall’s principled leaders.

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The Value of Integrity:

Ashley Hall’s Honor Code

By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content

The essence of any school is found in its values, and Ashley Hall’s Honor Pledge is embedded deeply within its community: “I pledge that I will not lie, cheat, or steal nor tolerate those who do.” These words serve as guideposts for students and faculty alike as they navigate living as a community with integrity.

For two weeks in October, Intermediate Program and Upper School students were challenged to think deeply about the place of honor within their own lives and the ways in which they uphold this most vital promise to themselves and others. “During times of caution and change, it’s easy to lose sight of the morals and values that bind this great School together, and that is why the Honor Code is so vital,” said Head of the Honor Council Kayla Kirkland ’21. “My goal is to make sure that this school year, though it looks so different from years past, remains true to the same values that Ashley Hall has always embodied.”

Throughout their Lower School years, Intermediate Program students investigated the meaning behind each of the School’s Hallmarks in preparation of taking the next step. “At this age, the responsibility of making a pledge to uphold our School’s Honor Code is truly significant to them and goes along with a deeper understanding of what it means to be an honorable person,” noted Intermediate Program faculty member Olivia Hipp ’10. For the first time, students at this age are asked to sign their name to the

pledge, both as a commitment to upholding its tenets and as an acknowledgement of honor’s central role in their lives. “I think that the students learn early on the Hallmarks, which are built on our foundation of honor,” emphasized Intermediate Program Coordinator Mary Schweers. “We go over the pledge with them and ask them moving forward to write it on their tests so that we are embedding and promoting a culture of honor because it is a cornerstone of our entire community, and it is what sets Ashley Hall apart.”

In the Upper School during each day’s Morning Meeting, students focused on a different element of the Honor Pledge in preparation for their signing of the pledge. As part of their weekly virtual Assembly, they listened to Upper School faculty member Andrea Muti, the keynote speaker for Honor Week, who offered a moving and inspirational look at honor’s place within a community and its role in his own development of character and integrity.

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“

Muti emphasized:

I learned that role models are not individuals who always seek the attention of their peers but leaders who lead their community in silence because their actions speak for themselves.

I learned that making mistakes is human, but we can stand up with dignity if we have the courage to take responsibility for our actions.

Finally, I learned that the most honorable people are not those who seek honor for their personal glory but those who, while leading honorably and following their conscience, expect the same from the people around them. They are not scared to let you know that you are wrong because they see the potential inside of you and sincerely want you to be the best version of yourself.

When we have the fortune, ladies, of finding a community like Ashley Hall, made of individuals who support us and value us for who we are, we have the duty to protect it and place it before our individual needs. So when you sign the Honor Pledge and you promise that you will not cheat, lie, nor tolerate those who do, remember that you not only commit to honorable behavior but also become part of a larger community that loves you, that believes in you, and that trusts that with your actions you will shape and inspire the integrity of your Little Sisters.

| From top: All Intermediate Program and Upper School students pledge to uphold Ashley Hall’s Honor Code. Photo by Meredith Frazier | Hazel Smith ’28 signs her pledge in the Intermediate Program building. Photo by IP faculty member Olivia Hipp ’10 | Opposite: Upper School students sign their Honor Pledge during a ceremony held at the Bear Cave. Photo by Paula Harrell

After all, this is exactly what a tradition is: committing, generation after generation, to the same shared principles and values, so that when you one day leave Ashley Hall to go to college, your honor and examples will continue to live reflected in the actions of those who will come after you.

”

That enduring legacy of honor continues to bind Ashley Hall’s many generations, both those who have gone before and those still to come.

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WORLDLY

INTELLIGENT Creative DISCERNING

COLLABORATIVE Laying a Foundation THE POWER OF EXPRESSION:

Compassionate PURPOSEFUL for Civil Discourse

By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content

As an educational institution that values open discussion, meaningful engagement, and mutual respect, Ashley Hall prioritizes equipping students with the tools and experiences they need to participate in civil discourse. Beginning in the Lower School through the application of Ashley Hall’s Hallmarks, this foundation builds with the School’s spiral curriculum to culminate in graduates who confidently speak for themselves as well as openly listen to others.

“Civil discourse is the practice of engaging in conversation for the purpose of seeking and fostering understanding.

It involves the commitment of all parties to a respect for truth, a practice of active listening and purposeful speaking, and an understanding that the cultivation of civil discourse is not a right but a responsibility.”

—Ashley Hall’s Statement on Civil Discourse

In October, Ashley Hall released its Statement on Civil Discourse, a document that encapsulates the School’s long-established approach to productive and meaningful discussion. “The result of a collaborative effort between faculty and administrators to articulate how we embrace honesty, responsibility, and integrity as the guiding standards for daily interaction, this document represents our continued commitment to nurturing and modeling a culture of civil discourse as integral to campus life,” said Head of School Jill Muti. Founded on Ashley Hall’s Hallmarks— Compassionate, Intelligent, Worldly, Creative, Collaborative, Purposeful, and Discerning—the Statement

on Civil Discourse serves as a blueprint for helping students articulate their perceptions as well as grow in their interactions with others.

LOWER SCHOOL FOUNDATIONS “Ashley Hall is committed to teaching students the social, emotional, and intellectual skills needed to sustain civil discourse.” —Ashley Hall’s Statement on Civil Discourse Lower School students begin learning the foundation for meaningful expression and interaction that eventually will support their ability to engage in civil discourse. “Socialemotional learning is in everything the girls do—how they have Responsive Classroom greetings at the start of the day, how they do their morning meetings, how they come up with the class rules, and how their teachers model civil discourse and mediate conflicts,” said Lower School Counselor Jennifer Vaughan. “It is in the way our PE coaches encourage sportsmanship, the books chosen for literature, the emphasis made in history classes, and

“ The underlying values of civil discourse are embedded in Ashley Hall’s mission, and our Hallmarks

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discussion on behaviors that promote our Hallmarks,” said Intermediate Program faculty member Katie Pérez-Phillips ’07.

“This initiative was student-led and based on a Yale-designed program that facilitates discussions on expressing emotions and group expectations around behaviors.” Featuring words of affirmation and positivity, the charters record students’ efforts to both understand and apply each Hallmark’s meaning. “The charters are a way to inspire,” asserted Intermediate Program faculty member Kiki Sweigart. “They create an environment that incorporates students’ core values and spirit of community.”

| Head of School Jill Muti addresses seniors during the launch of Ashley Hall’s Statement on Civil Discourse. Photo by Meredith Frazier

the very selection of courses offered. Most importantly, it is in how we treat our students and each other and what we encourage in our classes.” This all-encompassing approach creates an environment where civility is integral to each student’s day.

“Responsive Classroom is the curriculum that we use in Lower School to teach social and emotional skills,” noted Lower School Director Polly Kronsberg. “We teach the girls how to actively listen to one another, how to have empathy for others, and how to show compassion. All of these skills relate to civil discourse: how we engage one another in a thoughtful and purposeful way.”

Through their Wellness curriculum, students learn socialemotional skills tied to the Hallmarks, which help with realworld applications. “Starting in kindergarten and continuing onward, the girls learn strategies to regulate and manage strong emotions,” Vaughan said. “They are taught that they are responsible for themselves, including their behavior, actions, and speech. They are encouraged to think before they speak, to filter their thoughts, to consider other points of view, and to learn the term ‘empathy’ and practice it in role plays.” Relationship building is also a vital aspect to each girl’s development. “Socialemotional learning occurs when we model how to handle when we invariably make mistakes and how we try to repair the relationship,” Vaughan continued. “Civil discourse is more effectively learned in relationships, and the relationship between teacher and student and how students see the adults in their lives treat one another are absolutely key.”

As part of the Lower School, the Intermediate Program takes part in its comprehensive Wellness programming and continues to emphasize the Hallmarks and their applicability to everyday life. For example, at the beginning of this school year, each Advisory group collaborated on the creation of its own charter.

“The charters have been a wonderful way to continue the

Intermediate Program students also become more directly engaged with the ideals of civil discourse and begin offering their own contributions to the dialogue process. “In October, all fifth and sixth grade English classes discussed the Statement on Civil Discourse and sent their input to Upper School students who are working to develop a statement incorporating student perspectives,” noted Intermediate Program Coordinator Mary Schweers. “We talked about the connection to the Hallmarks, kindness, willingness to listen thoughtfully (even if you disagree), and inclusivity.” In addition to leading class discussions, students shared their thoughts on civil discourse in action through reflective essays.

UPPER SCHOOL APPLICATIONS “Students can navigate complex, nuanced, emotionallydriven conversations only by establishing a firm basis of trust built on the commitment of community members to the School’s Hallmarks.”

—Ashley Hall’s Statement on Civil Discourse Building upon the Lower School’s social-emotional learning anchored by the Hallmarks, the Upper School prioritizes opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and actively participate in civil discourse. “Our girls get good practice at handling thoughtful discussion and respectful listening in all of our classrooms,” said Anne Weston, Ph.D., ’73, the Assistant Head of School and Upper School Director. “Our Statement on Civil Discourse gives us a chance to state our community beliefs, expectations, and norms in a more formal way, and our girls will have a chance to translate this into their school environment, reflecting on what they need and want to feel supported and valued as they express themselves.”

During a special Assembly attended in person by seniors and watched virtually by the rest of the Upper School, Head of School Jill Muti shared why civil discourse is so vital to a community.

“Freedom of thought and expression, especially in an educational

”

offer a guiding framework for conceptualizing the value of civil discourse within our community.

—Ashley Hall’s Statement on Civil Discourse

47

institution like Ashley Hall, is essential to allowing us to be curious and explore what we do not understand,” she asserted. “However, we must all recognize that along with this independence comes responsibility, not only to oneself but also to those with whom we live in community. Because our School embodies a rich tapestry of many different perspectives and viewpoints, we must affirm a shared set of values for campus dialogue to guide us in how we engage with each other in productive ways.”

To deepen their understanding of the universal tenets of civility found within the Statement on Civil Discourse, students worked within their English classes to analyze the document and collaborate on composing their own rules for class discussions that encourage civil interactions. “Creating the class contracts forced students to reflect on effective and ineffective discussions and what they need to do as well as how they need to act in order to have effective, engaging, and civil discussions on difficult topics,” noted Upper School faculty member Leslie Rowland-Yeh, who coordinated the classroom activities for the English Department. “Preparing them in-depth also allayed fears and anxiety about such discussions. Clarifying that we would discuss—not debate or persuade—was an important distinction.” An Upper School student committee advised by Rowland-Yeh will review the submissions from each class to ultimately create a comprehensive school contract.

AN ONGOING MISSION “We recognize that we may not always reach agreement with others but that we can still demonstrate awareness, reflection, empathy, and respect and seek to understand the feelings and perspectives of others.”

—Ashley Hall’s Statement on Civil Discourse In striving to fulfill its mission to produce educated women who are independent, ethically responsible, and prepared to meet the challenges of society with confidence, Ashley Hall is committed to fostering a learning environment built upon a foundation of respect, openness, and civility. “At Ashley Hall, you are given a multitude of opportunities to use your voice not only to express yourself but also to support others in doing the same,” Muti told students. “We are fortunate to be a community that strives to make civil discourse woven into the fabric of our School by practicing it on a daily basis.” The value of that commitment is a foundation worth building upon.

To read Ashley Hall’s Statement on Civil Discourse, please visit ashleyhall.org/StatementonCivilDiscourse

2025

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AROUND THE SHELL HOUSE STORIES THAT CAPTURE THE PULSE OF CAMPUS

By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content

THE

POWER OF

L A P Y

In the Early Education Center (EEC), play is paramount to learning, and students now have several new ways to pique their curiosity and captivate their attention. “Because of our Reggioinspired curriculum, we strongly believe that our students learn best through hands-on, experiential learning,” said EEC Director Betsy Quirin. “We recognize the importance of creating a relationship-driven atmosphere where our students can connect with each other, materials in the classroom, and their environment.”

Thanks to the efforts of a generous donor, two new STEAMfocused centers debuted in the fall, to the thrill of students and teachers alike. First encountering the EEC’s new wind tunnel, Jack Bischoff ’36 exclaimed to his teacher, “This is amazing, Mrs. Carter!” and his classmates enthusiastically agreed.

“The wind tunnel is a truly unique experience where our students can explore the movement and pressure of air, object weight, and force,” noted Quirin. “It can transition to different angles to allow for even more experimentation, and the children

|

love exploring the cause and effect relationship of placing different objects inside of the tunnel to see the exciting results!”

All kinds of appropriate objects have safely been launched and inspired numerous investigations in the classroom.

With the addition of light laboratories for each EEC grade level, students are gaining a new understanding of color and delighting in their own color mixing explorations. “The children are fascinated with experimenting with not just color mixing but also object translucency and manipulation,” Quirin pointed out. “We love how this hands-on, exploratory tool allows our students to transform and create.”

Key in fostering experiential play, the wind tunnel and light laboratories offer students hours of enrichment and learning.

Just as important, these centers are sparking new ways for young minds to comprehend the scientific and creative underpinnings of life.

Primary students play with the Early Education Center’s new wind tunnel. Photo by Kelly Grace Photography

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PANTHER PRIDE! Whether on the court, in the pool, or down the fairway, the 200 student athletes who proudly represented Ashley Hall this fall inspired everyone with their work ethic, teamwork, and commitment to their sports during a season that presented challenges like no other. A special PQV to the varsity tennis team for their third-in-a-row state championship win and the crosscountry team for winning their state championship as well.

#GoGirlGo NATIONAL Signing

Day

In November, Laughlin Murray ’21 took

Carolina Independent School Association

part in National Signing Day by declaring

(SCISA) 3A 2019 All-State, All-Region,

her intent to play volleyball at Mississippi

and All-Star teams. As a sophomore, she

State University in the fall. A talented

played a vital role in leading the Panthers

athlete who in 2020 was placed on

to victory over Porter-Gaud in the 2018

Under Armour’s All-American Watch

state championship game. On Senior

List, Murray was selected for the High

Night in October, she made her 2000th

School All-Region Team by the American

career assist—an unforgettable and

Volleyball Coaches Association, an

record-setting moment within Ashley

honor reserved for the top performing

Hall’s historic athletic program. From

volleyball athletes in the country. She

beginning her Ashley Hall journey as a

was one of only 26 student-athletes

kindergartner to now finishing strong as

chosen nationally to receive the Junior

a senior, Murray defines what it means to

Volleyball Association’s 2020 Athleader

be an Ashley Hall girl!

award and was named to the South

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Boat Building has become a rite of passage for Ashley Hall fifth graders, who partner with the Lowcountry Maritime Society on a year-long project to craft their own fleet of wooden boats, and the tradition continues this year! While the safety precautions have increased, the opportunities for skill building, confidence gains, and outdoor fun make this the perfect project for immersing students in experiential education.

Research shows that girls decide as early as fifth grade if they will consider careers in the areas of math and science. For the Intermediate Program, sparking interest and solidifying skills in STEAM fields are key curricular goals. “I like Boat Building because it teaches me new skills like drilling, driving, and measuring parts of the boat,” said Marlowe Johnsen ’28. “It gives us new ways to learn.” Creating an outlet for girls to gain confidence and enjoy working outdoors is also a priority. “I love it because everyone is working together, we get to try new things, and we are making new friends while we do it,” asserted Brier Fava ’28. “Yes, we do use power tools a lot!”

During this unique STEAM project, students are guided through the process of learning how to read scaled plans and then to transform those plans into a wooden boat they build themselves.

In addition to teaching building craftsmanship, the program places an emphasis on communication and teamwork. “I love Boat Building because you get to work together and make a really cool project in the end,” said Hannah King ’28. That finale comes this spring, when the girls will launch their boats in water to evaluate their handiwork. With all their hard work and determination, there should be smooth sailing ahead.

| From top, L-R: Georgia Newman and Wells Phillips, Class of 2028, drill holes as they build their boat | Fifth graders work together to frame a boat hull.

Photos by IP faculty member Olivia Hipp ’10 | Opposite, from top: The varsity cross country team and the varsity tennis team. Photos courtesy Ashley Hall Athletics Department | Laughlin Murray ’21. Photo by Meredith Frazier 51

Lower School students were thrilled to visit Ashley Hall’s Johns Island property in the fall for fresh air and experiential learning fun.

The science-focused excursions allowed students to enjoy short day trips while carefully adhering to all health safety precautions. From first grade’s nature explorations to fourth grade’s teaming up with the Department of Natural Resources to learn about ways to reduce their carbon footprint, the invigorating woodland trails were the perfect way to get back to nature.

Summer is meant for exploration, enrichment, and doing what one loves best, and Ashley Hall looks forward to welcoming campers back to campus for innovative and fun summer programming.

Visit ashleyhall.org/summerprograms to view the complete schedule and register.

Give your child a summer to remember!

THE RETURN OF

As Halloween was creeping up, so was an old Ashley Hall friend: Georgie the Ghost!

In October, first graders slowly climbed the McBee House spiral staircase and gathered around Head of School Jill Muti in the McBee drawing room to hear her read the story of Georgie and how she came to live in the attic of McBee House. Brimming with questions, the girls wanted to know what Georgie liked best about the School and if she enjoyed watching students from her attic window.

Afterward, the girls walked on tiptoe upstairs to find an apology note from Georgie, who was too shy to come out but left a generous gift of candy. Each year, first graders excitedly anticipate this special Ashley Hall tradition.

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STRONGER TOGETHER

As an advocate for women helping women, Elliot Tick ’24 is passionate about improving the lives of others.

After learning about the Homeless Period Project, a non-profit that creates awareness and delivers hygiene products to those in need, she immediately wanted to become involved. “Menstrual products are just as important as Band-Aids or other medical supplies and should be available to those who need them,” she asserted. “Medical needs should not be bad enough to distract girls from their education.” Feeling strongly about the issue, Tick applied for and won the first Amanda’s Leadership in Service Grant, a special Ashley Hall award designated to support a ninth through twelfth grade student’s community service project.

“As an all girls’ school, it should be our

WHO WILL THE READER BE? In classes throughout the Early Education Center (EEC), tiny feet twitch and eager eyes watch with anticipation for a very special moment: the revealing of the week’s mystery reader! This year, parents were invited to record themselves reading a favorite book to share with their child’s class. The resulting videos have become a main attraction and a meaningful way for families to become involved.

“We have a different mystery reader each week,” said EEC faculty member Rachael Carter. “The children light up when they see their parent or a friend’s parent. It’s been a phenomenal way to build connections between home and school.” Part of the fun is the guessing game of who will virtually appear in the classroom. Parents enjoy choosing books

mission not just to empower each other but to empower other women in our community,” she noted. “We have the ability to do so many good things, so why don’t we? My goal is to give enough products to one school to last them a year.” In November, she made significant progress toward that goal during her first supply drive to collect packs of hygiene products. In addition to holding supply drives and fundraisers, Tick wants to use the project as a way to help eradicate any negative connotations associated with the natural processes of a woman’s body. “One of our most powerful tools is to educate, and we can set off a ripple effect by educating people that will go far beyond us,” she said. “This is one thing that brings together women, so let’s do it.”

It’s a Mystery!

that fit with a special class investigation or help celebrate a holiday. Attention to detail is key; dressing the part for Halloween, parent Laura Barnhart read Room On the Broom to her son William’s ’36 pre-primary class.

Hearing a familiar voice is deeply reassuring to children, as is continuing the EEC tradition of parents taking the time out of their day to read a special book to the class. For Ashley Hall faculty members, it is one more way to reinforce the vital partnership between home and school. “The children’s surprise is always the best!” enthused EEC Director Betsy Quirin. “They have been loving it!” With such a supportive learning environment, the reason for their excitement is certainly no mystery.

| From top: Elliot Tick ’24. Photo by Meredith Frazier | Pre-kindergarten students eagerly watch the big reveal of the mystery reader for the week. Photo by EEC faculty member Katie Harvard | Opposite, from top: Gabby Hobal ’30 examines Spanish moss. Photo by Betsy Sidebottom | Campers enjoy painting outdoors during Ashley Hall’s Summer Programs. Photo by Kelly Grace Photography | Head of School Jill Muti reads to first graders. Photo by Meredith Frazier 53

Ashley Hall Writers Series presents

AN EVENING WITH AMRITA CHAKRABARTI MYERS, PH.D.

February 3, 2021 | 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

This event will be offered as a digital presentation.

Open to the public and free of charge. Registration required.

Ashley Hall, in partnership with College of Charleston’s Avery Research Center, is pleased to present noted scholar Amrita Chakrabarti Myers, Ph.D. who will discuss her book Forging Freedom: Black Women and the Pursuit of Liberty in Antebellum Charleston during an interview with American history scholar and Upper School faculty member Chris Frisby. A Question and Answer session will follow. Dr. Myers is the Ruth N. Halls Associate Professor of History and Gender Studies at Indiana University. As a historian of the Black female experience in the United States, her research interests revolve around issues of race, gender, freedom, and power and the ways in which these constructs intersect with one another in the lives of Black women in the Old South. To register for this event, please visit

ashleyhall.org/WritersSeries

Congratulations to Natalie Smith ’18, whose Rhodes College research project, focusing on redistricting cases in the American federal judiciary, garnered her a prestigious fellowship to delve deeper into her work.

The project included coding 630 federal redistricting cases that occurred between the years 1910 and 2019 and analyzing the resulting data.

“Once I learned about the redistricting process and its implications in the American context, the redrawing of electoral lines fascinated me because it involves issues of racial equality, identity politics, proportional representation, partisan power, population equivalence, and voting rights,” said Smith, who plans to submit her article “The Debureaucratization of the Federal

Judiciary in Redistricting Case Law” to an academic journal. “It is a complex and salient issue with political implications that affect every person living in the United States.”

After completing her undergraduate work, Smith plans to pursue a Ph.D. program in political science with a concentration in public policy, public administration, and bureaucratic theory. “I am really excited about this because I hope to be a professor in higher education,” she enthused. “Ashley Hall is where I first began to discover that teaching was something that I wanted to pursue, mainly because I loved my Ashley Hall experience and wanted to be just like Madame Decker, Mrs. Newton, and Mrs. Ciany.”

| From top: Amrita Chakrabarti Myers, Ph.D. Photo courtesy Dr. Myers | Natalie Smith ’18. Photo courtesy Rhodes College | Opposite: Ashley Hall’s campus at dawn. Photo by Katherine Daughtridge, ThesisContent.com

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Ashley Hall’s Task Force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion With the goal of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at Ashley Hall, the Board of Trustees in 2020 convened a task force co-chaired by Anne Frances Bleecker ’76 and Kendra Hamilton, Ph.D., ’76 and consisting of twelve members as well as three ex officio members drawn from current and former trustees, members of the faculty and administration, alumnae, and current and past parents.

Throughout the fall, members met biweekly and augmented their discussions with a compelling lineup of guest speakers, including the following: • Reese Terry, Class of 2020, who spoke about her experience as a Black student at Ashley Hall.

• Frank Dukes, Ph.D., Distinguished Fellow at the Institute for Engagement and Negotiation at the University of Virginia School (UVA) of Architecture, who shared his extensive work on DEI issues both at UVA and across the country.

• Bernard Powers, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of History and Director of the College of Charleston’s Center for the Study of Slavery in Charleston, who discussed the role of slavery in the history of Charleston and its relevancy to racial healing and reconciliation.

• Margaret Hagood, Ph.D., Professor of Education at the College of Charleston, who presented research about the connections teachers and students make between their identities and developing literacies in the context of DEI work.

The Board of Trustees and the Head of School look forward to reviewing the task force’s report.

55

A NEW ERA OF

Boarding at Ashley Hall

By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content Beginning in 1909 with Ashley Hall’s first class of fourteen boarders and thirty day students, the Boarding Program was an integral part of founder Miss McBee’s commitment to offering young women in the Southeast (and eventually nationwide) a quality educational experience that would fully prepare them for college. For hundreds of young women, Ashley Hall not only became a second home but also the location of some of their most meaningful life experiences.

Discontinued in 1974, the Boarding Program was revived in 2011 to welcome international students, who settled into the newly opened Elizabeth Rivers Lewine ’54 House in 2015. Now, this treasured Ashley Hall boarding tradition with its proud legacy returns to campus this fall to begin a new era of welcoming young women from across the nation and around the world.

Visit ashleyhall.org/boarding to learn more about Ashley Hall’s Boarding Program

| Counterclockwise from top: Students attend a tea in the McBee House drawing room in the 1940s | Boarders enjoy a snowball fight during a rare snowfall in 1973 | The Elizabeth House today | Boarding students in their bedrooms in the 1930s | Boarding students in their bedrooms today. Photos by Kelly Grace Photography and from the Ashley Hall Archives | Opposite, L-R: Missee Tuttle Fox ’73 and Betsy Cheek Howland ’74 sit in the McBee House drawing room and reminiscence on their Boarding Program days. Photo by Paula Harrell

| PA RT I N G S H O T S

In honor of the newest milestone in Ashley Hall Boarding, alumnae

Missee Tuttle Fox ’73 and Betsy Cheek Howland ’74

shared their memories of an unforgettable experience that shaped them into the women they are now and changed their lives forever.

Missee Tuttle Fox ’73 (MTF): The Boarding Program was one big family, and to this day, it is a shared sisterhood bond of living together, away from home. There were around ninety girls in the early 1970s. Although we had a lot of independence, we were also dependent on our family of Ashley Hall, including day students. It was a very inclusive community.

Betsy Cheek Howland ’74 (BCH): We were incredibly supportive of each other. Living with roommates encouraged us to compromise. We teased, shared clothes, cut hair, comforted each other, and celebrated our achievements. We were sisters.

MTF: I lived in the middle room with the long balcony on the third floor of McBee House, a great place to throw day-old bread at the dates who ventured onto the front yard for the last goodnight kiss. We had to know

by Wednesday what our plans were for the weekend so we could hand in a permission slip. It had to have two signatures—Miss Brown and Miss Pardue. Our day students were our good friends and our key to getting out the gates. I figured out quickly who was on the approved list!

BCH: As a senior, you could go out both nights of the weekend, but if you were a junior, you could go out only one night of the weekend, and a sophomore was allowed out only once a month or to go to a mixer or a dance. On Sunday, after a white tablecloth dinner, we attended a formal tea in McBee House, where we learned the art of holding conversations with faculty. We also had to learn other finer points of etiquette, like how to pour punch without dripping it everywhere.

MTF: Miss Pardue was the college counselor for all of us, and she chose Randolph Macon Woman’s College for me, which I was not going to even look at. I have such gratitude for that. I visited and immediately knew it was the perfect college for me. I declared early decision right then and by September was the first senior accepted to college that year. She knew me that well.

BCH: We would gather for a meal at two o’clock with a faculty member at the head of the table and discuss books, current events, and—always a favorite of mine—history. I tried very hard to be assigned to Mrs. Morgan’s table, where there was never a dull conversation. We were allowed to express our opinions, and we talked politics, women’s rights, war, communism, everything.

MTF: I learned lessons in independence, decisions, and consequences and got an outstanding education from the finest teachers. The friendships I made broadened my views of the world and have lasted five decades.

BCH: We also had a lot of fun together. We took road trips and went to football games at Porter, just going all around town on the bus or walking.

Missee and I would put on baby oil and iodine and go out on the roof to bake in the sun until we were fried and looked like lobsters! We’d tell each other, “Flip over! Flip over!”

MTF: I remember when school was closed for a few snowy days in February of 1973. We slid down the walkway in front of Lane Hall on trays from the kitchen right into the bushes. There were also some scrapes and secret pacts that nobody, and I mean nobody, talked about until our thirtieth reunion! These are friendships and memories that have lasted over fifty years.

Are you an Ashley Hall Boarding Program alumna?

Share your memories and stories with us!

Email alumnae@ashleyhall.org

BCH: You’ll never find a group of people who are closer to one another than the Ashley Hall boarders. I know that if I needed Missee, I could call her, and she would be there in a second, and I would do the same. It is just something about that bond.

Missee Tuttle Fox ’73 is a faculty member in Ashley Hall’s aquatic program and often assists in the Lower School and Intermediate Program.

Betsy Cheek Howland ’74 is the Division Assistant for the Lower School.

57

A Walk to Remember: Commencement 2020

By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content

| PA RT I N G S H O T S

n a nod to tradition in a year of upheaval, the Class of 2020 made the momentous walk across Senior Lawn to collect their diplomas in front of the Bear Cave on August 1, 2020. Although preserving this time-honored and beloved ritual meant a graduates-only, physically distanced event, the meaningful ceremony allowed the Class of 2020 a final chance to gather together before taking the next step in their individual journeys.

The ceremony combined elements of Baccalaureate and Commencement, including the presentation of the Class of 2020’s history by Assistant Head of School and Upper School Director Anne Weston, Ph.D., ’73. Her recounting of favorite memories elicited from the graduates laughter, tears, and the expression of genuine gratitude for the many shared experiences unique to the Class of 2020.

“Our lives and journeys are fibers in an infinite tapestry whose patterns are woven on a loom of uncertainty,” asserted Upper School faculty member Claire Christensen, the 2020 recipient of the Daisy Barron Leland Award for Teaching Excellence. “May we allow ourselves to be wrapped in this tapestry, to take comfort in our interconnection, to find opportunity in what we do not know, and through the blessing of uncertainty, to create and to commence.”

To watch 2020 Ashley Hall Commencement online, visit ashleyhall.org/Classof2020

| Clockwise from top, L-R: Valedictorian Mackenzie Brady ’20 | Adelaide Harper ’20, Annie Allardice ’20, and Meg McElwaine ’20 laugh during Dr. Weston’s speech | Reese Terry ’20 | Bel Shields ’20 | Opposite, clockwise from top, L-R: Gillian Nyland ’20 and Waverly Kremer ’20 join fellow graduates on Senior Lawn | Assistant Head of School and Upper School Director Anne Weston, Ph.D., ’73, delivers the history of the Class of 2020 | Taylor Jenkins ’20 and Morgan Davis ’20 | Salutatorian Millie Welbourn ’20. Photos

by Elizabeth Shepherd 59

1939 A Moment

Worth Waiting For

By Jennifer Turner, Editor & Director of Content

he white dresses had been bought, and invitations sent.

Spring in Charleston was on full display, and Ashley Hall’s seniors were ecstatic as they counted down the days until they would walk across Senior Lawn to graduate in front of the Bear Cave. Then, in a moment, it all came crashing down.

The outbreak caused the mayor to ban public gatherings, and as students hurriedly left campus, the gates of Ashley Hall swung closed.

This was not 2020, however. The year was 1939.

With the deadly polio virus spreading in the city and a vaccine more than a decade away, the only option was to avoid concentrated gatherings and to physically distance. Ashley Hall’s Class of 1939 had to postpone their rite of passage for half a century.

“We received our diplomas through the mail instead of in front of families and friends,” said Shirley Gardner Eubank ’39 in an

April 6, 1989 Post and Courier article. “It was sad because we didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to all of our friends.”

Known as the only class in Ashley Hall’s history to miss Commencement, the Class of 1939 did not return in the intervening years to officially graduate. World War II broke out, and the women went their separate ways to pursue their own goals and dreams. Decades later, an opportunity to regain what was lost finally arrived in 1989: a special graduation ceremony to be held during their fiftieth, or Jubilee, class reunion. While impossible to gather everyone, a number were determined to represent their class and did make the journey back to their alma mater. The Class of 1939 had waited long enough, and despite all the years and life in between, they finally took that momentous walk in white.

It was a moment worth waiting for.

|

The Class of 1939 during their junior year. Photo from the Ashley Hall Archives

You Make

the Difference

Although the challenges of returning to campus this academic year have been many, the strength of the Ashley Hall community has sustained us every step of the way. Supporting one another has never been more important, and while we face many uncertainties, this remains true: each person has the capability to make a meaningful difference in someone else’s life.

Your gift to the Ashley Hall Loyalty Fund invests in our students and makes a lasting impact.

Give online at ashleyhall.org/give | Upper School students study around the McBee pond in fall 2019. Photo by Meredith Frazier