Fall 2020 Avonian

A TRIBUTE TO

George M. Trautman 1933–2020

FALL 2020

Avonian

THE

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contents COVER STORY

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A Tribute to George M. Trautman

FEATURES

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Announcing the John Gardner Rink Initiative

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Honoring the Class of 2020

SPOTLIGHTS

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FEATURED ARTIST:

STAFF SPOTLIGHT:

IN MEMORIAM:

Alexander Sanborn ’21

Debra Case

Peter Mazza ’97

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT:

John Zadrozny ’21

Christopher K. Hampton Jr. ’09

The Avonian // FALL 2020

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DEPARTMENTS

from the EDITOR

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This fall has been unusual for people across the country and those of us at Avon. After departing campus for spring break on March 6, 2020, in September, Avonians began to trickle back to Mrs. Riddle’s campus, breathing life into a place that had been still and waiting for 182 days. First, the day students visited campus to complete the registration process. The following day, student monitors arrived and moved into their dormitories.

Next arrived the new boarding students; finally, the returners completed the process on Labor Day. On September 8, 2020, with bated breath, the campus took its first full step into the unknown, and fall semester began.

Head of School

Village Green

Athletics

The Elephant Remembers

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Class Notes

The Last Word

Parting Shots

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As current students and families waited anxiously throughout the summer to take this step, so too has the greater Avon Old Farms School community eagerly awaited news on how we could all come together to mourn the passing of former headmaster George M. Trautman. As Jim Detora wrote to the community on July 27, many of you have inquired about Avon's plans to honor George, either virtually or on campus. The Trautman family requested that we plan a celebration of George's life at Avon Old Farms when the COVID-19 restrictions ease and we can accommodate a gathering on campus. While we hold steady together until that time arrives, we dedicate this issue of the Avonian to George.

I joined the Avon Old Farms family in the fall of 2016, and soon thereafter, I was introduced to George. At the time, he was still a regular on campus. He not only assisted in the Alumni & Development Office and attended campus and alumni events but also ventured down to my office in the Communications Department to meet me, the new school photographer, and excitedly asked for help downloading, editing, and sharing his Avon images. I did not know him as well as so many others did, but I came to enjoy his visits, camera in his hand. My favorite memory of him, in fact, is when he attended Morning Meeting the day Jim Detora was announced as the next leader of Avon Old Farms. I photographed George holding his camera high at the front of the Brown Auditorium as he documented the moment. Those who grew to know the spirit of George over his 50 years of service to Avon Old Farms have many more tales to tell, and we share them in this publication, beginning on page 22. I hope these collective tributes honor his dedication to and depth of love for our school.

Thank you for your continued support and loyalty to Avon Old Farms School. As someone said, George would have banged right through these tough times, and we plan to do just that.

Aspirando et perseverando, JACQUELINE KELLER, EDITOR

kellerj@avonoldfarms.com (860) 404-4381

Established 1927

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Jim Detora P’12 ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Robert J. Whitty ’87, P’16 EDITOR

Jacqueline Keller ALUMNI NOTES

Kaitlyn Pratt The Avonian is published for the alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends of Avon Old Farms School. It is distributed to approximately 7,000 readers. All rights reserved.

AVON OLD FARMS SCHOOL

500 Old Farms Road Avon, CT 06001 www.avonoldfarms.com (860) 404-4100 ADMISSIONS

(800) 464-2866 admissions@avonoldfarms.com ALUMNI

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Members of the administration and faculty can be emailed by using the following formula: last name + first initial @avonoldfarms. com. The directory on the school website also includes email links.

Avon Old Farms School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, disabilities, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.

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FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Greetings!

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fter a long six months without students, I was thrilled to have the boys return to campus in early September and for the Brotherhood to come together again. Each of us at Avon has missed the energy, the camaraderie, and the sense of community the students bring to Avon Old Farms School. Mrs. Riddle is undoubtedly happy to see her campus alive again!

With a summer of uncertainty about repopulating our campus, I am pleased to report our hard work and extensive planning has allowed for a safe and successful learning environment for our students. The fall semester presented some challenges with maintaining social distances and wearing masks, but, in true Avon spirit, our students and faculty have risen to the occasion. Students have embraced the flexible style of learning with outdoor classes while our dedicated faculty navigate the balance of teaching in-person and online.

COVID-19 restrictions prohibited us from having our traditional October Family Weekend full of activities and sports on campus. Instead, we hosted a virtual Family Week with our guest speakers, Joe Ehrmann and Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Jeffrey Marx, engaging in interactive webinars for our parents and students to share important messages about being a good man in modern society. The boys were able to take a much-needed break from our closed campus and visited relatives for the long weekend before returning for the final five weeks of the

semester, which ended on November 20. It won’t be the festive end to 2020 we are accustomed to—Boar’s Head, Toys for Tots, and the Christmas Classic Hockey Tournament will not dot the December calendar—but there will be modified celebrations reminiscent of these traditions.

This past June, we lost a beloved former headmaster, George M. Trautman. We dedicate this issue to George and his family with a special tribute feature on his extraordinary career at Avon and his lasting legacy.

George was an important mentor for me as I began my career as an educator 28 years ago. He constantly put his faith in me and provided opportunities that gave me an excellent foundation to become the head of school. This semester, I taught a leadership course for our seniors, and much of the strength, style, and wisdom I shared with the boys comes from my experience working under George’s reign. Avon is fortunate to have had men of excellent character at the helm guiding our school, and in this historic time in our culture, George will always remain an exemplary role model for our young boys.

I wish you the very best for a happy and healthy holiday season!

Aspirando et perseverando!

JIM DETORA P’12

Head of School

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village green

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SACRED GROUND

BY ROBIN DELNICKI

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n the spring of 1975, George Trautman needed a teacher and a coach for the baseball team. He decided on a trial run. If it worked out, he’d offer the candidate a position for the next school year. The man he had found had a solid liberal arts education, so in George’s mind, he could teach anything. It was the flexibility he needed, never mind the coaching trifecta: football, hockey, and baseball.

It worked out. For a mere $5,600 a year, a roof over his head, and three squares, Coach John Gardner started full time at Avon that fall. His heart was exactly where George needed it to be: on the ice. Hockey had promise at Avon Old Farms. The rink had walls at each end to shield the wind, thanks to Evan Jennings, but the program had been bruised. The year before, Avon had suffered an embarrassing loss to Westminster, and George wasn’t having it. He needed a team builder, a program developer, and, as

From left to right: Reed Estabrook, Richard Gordon, Evan Jennings, and George Trautman check in at the rink in 1988.

with everything at Avon, some fire in the belly. George was determined to beat Westy.

It took three years, but with Coach Gardner at the helm, Avon got that win and many others. In 1978 and 1979, Avon Old Farms School banked winning seasons, and Avon hockey was on its way. The program needed to develop, and as it did, so did Coach’s partnership with George. Hockey became one of Avon’s signature sports, and that friendship was at its foundation.

“George was pragmatic,” chuckles Gardner. “He saw the value of the sport at Avon, but he needed more from it if Avon Old Farms was to succeed on a bigger scale.” So George started youth hockey as a

feeder for admissions at Avon. He saw a business opportunity to enroll local boys who would be impressed with Avon’s facilities and program.

To do that, the growing stature of Avon hockey needed facilities to match, and Coach’s program was quickly outgrowing the largely open air of Jennings Rink. At the same time, the Hartford Whalers needed practice ice. Enter George’s exceptional leadership. “George met weekly with board members Bob Fairchild and Richard Gordon (then owner of the Hartford Whalers), the business manager, maintenance, and me to plan and build the new arena.

He relied on all of us during that time to get it right. It was an important collaboration,” remembers Gardner.

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VILLAGE GREEN

George saw things in people. He believed in them before they did.

I was one of the lucky ones to be made better because of that.

Avon’s game changed when the new rink opened. “We were proud of it,” Gardner says. He especially loved the new wooden bleachers that shook during games. There were more fans, more energy, and more wins. Avon’s ice finally had walls on every side, locker rooms, and netting and higher glass to protect spectators. “It was ours, and George was proud of hockey at Avon. I felt good about that.”

With the rink serving as practice ice for the Whalers, the players also had a new set of professional mentors to look up to. Gordie Howe was a fixture on the ice, as was every visiting team with time to practice at Avon.

Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux were among the many who graced Avon’s rink, and Avonians knew they were part of something special. “I’ll never forget when Bobby Orr came for

lunch at Avon. The boys at my table hardly knew what to do. He brought Roger Staubach along, thanks to Richard Gordon, who was friends with the pair,” remembers Gardner.

The Whalers eventually moved on, but the ice stayed, as did Gordon on the board and as a trusted confidant of the school.

Championships followed. From 2004 to 2010, Avon hockey brought home five New England Championships. It became a dynasty, nurtured

by George, who proudly watched from the stands even after his retirement.

But the reins were squarely in Coach’s hands. “George saw things in people,” says Gardner. “He believed in them before they did. I was one of the lucky ones to be made better because of that.”

Now coming to the close of a storied prep hockey career, John Gardner has exceeded his promise.

He helped build Avon Old Farms into one of most highly regarded prep school sports programs in New England and turned out some of the best hockey players in the nation, such as Brian Leetch ’86, Chris Higgins ’01, Jonathan Quick ’05, Nick

The Avonian // FALL 2020

Bonino ’07, and Cam Atkinson ’08, three of whom brought home Stanley Cups (five times in all) and two of whom are Conn Smythe recipients— Olympic athletes and medalists are too numerous to mention. Whether college hockey or NHL-bound players, the Winged Beavers collectively boast eight New England Championships, 12 Founders League Championships, and (at the time of printing) 799 wins under Coach Gardner’s watch.

But it's really about what sports can do for every boy. “At Avon, it is about the balance of athletics with everything that makes a boy whole,” comments Richard Gordon. “Sports develop leadership. They are the spirit of Avon. George knew that, and Coach Gardner lives it.” The 2019 renovation of the rink (now called arena to accommodate its more widespread use) elevated Avon once again, so it is no wonder that a group of alumni hockey players have come together to name the rink for John. “I am part of a legacy at Avon,” he comments.

“Jennings Fairchild Arena has been my home for 45 years. I am humbled that the boys want to name the rink in my honor.” Hockey fans seek to raise $500,000 to make this a reality.

“I appreciate the rink being named for me,” Gardner says. “Every time I walk into that rink, I’m happy. I love it.

Thank you.”

NAME the RINK

The rink in the JenningsFairchild Arena at Avon Old Farms School will be named the John Gardner Rink in honor of our longtime head coach once we successfully raise $500,000 for the project. Gardner has spent 45 years behind the Winged Beaver bench and guided Avon to eight New England Championships and 12 Founders League Championships so far. Avon Old Farms alumni with personal ties to the hockey program are key advocates for honoring Coach Gardner, and they ask for your partnership and support to make this a reality.

NAME THE RINK EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Students and faculty process to the dedication ceremony on January 26, 1990.

caret-circle-right HONOR COACH WITH YOUR MEMORIES: www.avonoldfarms.com/HockeyMemories caret-circle-right SUPPORT THE RINK: www.avonoldfarms.com/NameTheRink

Luke Archambault ’04 Nick Bonino ’07 Michael Callaghan ’83 Michael Fish ’95 Chris Higgins ’01 Brian Leetch ’86 Vincent Mancuso ’81 Todd Marr ’99 John McAuliffe ’95 John Mori ’05 Mike O'Neill ’00 Mike Perreira ’10 Carl Valimont ’84

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FEATURED ARTIST

ALEXANDER SANBORN ’21

BY JACQUELINE KELLER

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his fall, senior Alexander Sanborn returned to the Old Farms campus with aspirations to cram as much into his senior year as possible. Many students are happy to return to campus after the long hiatus, but for Xander, the desire to squeeze out every drop of experience during his remaining time at Avon reaches beyond the loss of spring term on campus. It comes from his feeling that’s he’s hitting a stride in his life that was missing before.

Xander has lived in Simsbury, Conn., since kindergarten. He attended local public schools through his sophomore year of high school. What inspired his decision to attend an independent school? He received a diagnosis that finally answered a lot of questions and quieted a lot of fears.

“The spring of my sophomore year at Simsbury High School, I was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),” Xander shares in the Know Your Brother podcast created by fellow student Millan Jain ’21. “Things finally made sense. After always feeling like I was a burden for asking clarification questions or for an opportunity to receive extra help, getting the diagnosis was a good first step. Then I was prescribed medication, and it was also recommended that I look at Avon Old Farms School.”

As a repeat sophomore, Xander transferred to Avon in the fall of 2018.

He admits that his first year at Avon was a strange time in his life, and he felt adrift.

“The transition was a bit hard, but I wasn’t enjoying Simsbury High, so,

honestly, anywhere in my eyes would have been better,” he says. “I really loved football and was able to attend pre-season practice prior to classes starting. That gave me an opportunity to meet new people and get comfortable on campus. But, I got two concussions playing early on, and on top of dealing with changing schools and being away from my friends that fall, my parents vetoed my playing football anymore.”

In addition to losing something that took up so much time, energy, and passion, being at a new school without a team extended the feeling of being a bit lost. In the spring, however, Xander caught on to something new. “I went out for the track-and-field team throwing the javelin, and for a newcomer, I was good at it. I started to really believe

The Avonian // FALL 2020

that javelin could be my new passion.

I thought if I practiced over the summer, I would continue to build my skill and as a junior could start gaining college attention.”

But once again, Xander’s road was not straight or easy: he injured his shoulder training hard over the summer, and when he returned to Avon in the fall, he was again looking for a place to focus his energies. His mother had a real talent for theater, and she encouraged him to try acting in the Old Farms Theater Company’s fall production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. In the show, Xander was cast as Ed Boone, the father of the show’s protagonist, Christopher, a gifted boy who investigates the killing of a dog and in doing so has an adventure of self-discovery.

“It was something fun to try, and it challenged me to step outside of my comfort zone and pushed me to get into an artistic mindset,” he says.

“Acting stretched my brain in a new way, and while it wasn’t physically demanding like football was, it was mentally demanding to memorize lines and cues. It was stressful in a new way. Once I left the Adams

Theater at the end of rehearsals, my brain was buzzing, and I began to look for a space to play that energy out.”

That place was the Estabrook Fine Arts Center. As a day student, Xander couldn’t retreat to a dorm but wanted a quiet place on campus to work through his thoughts. A student in Visual Arts Chairperson Cristina Pinton’s Drawing 1 class, he started going to the art studio during enrichment and study hall and began spending an increasing amount of time there.

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“As soon as Xander joined my class, I witnessed unusual focus and interest … with the first assignment, a stippling pen drawing that gives boys practice in value drawing, Xander transformed it into a really meaningful and complex image,” shares Pinton. “This was the first hint of his willingness to take his own creativity seriously and take each project as a springboard to create a meaningful, personally valuable image.”

That piece, which Xander made for his older brother, went on to win second place in the Teen category at the National Arts Program exhibit at Capital Community College in March.

It was also printed in the 2020 Hippocrene, Avon’s annual art and literary publication.

After the curtain closed on the last production that fall, and he completed his first piece of art, Xander returned to campus after Thanksgiving break with an entirely new perspective. He threw himself into the arts. Instead of feeling drained and spent, he was encouraged, fulfilled, and confident.

“Ms. Pinton was so supportive of me while I began my journey with art,” he says. “She told me, ‘You need to stick with this. You need to keep coming in here. I know you can do really well.’

It was awesome to hear someone rooting me on. That fall, I had a lot going on with me personally that I was working through. With her support, drawing became an outlet for me. It got the energy and thoughts out.”

After winter break, Xander began to enter the studio with ideas that weren’t tied to any assignment. He came in with dreams and worked with Pinton on a plan to get his vision down on paper. “I drew out some sketches. I thought, what if I made

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FEATURED ARTIST

this into a big mural with a silhouette of me in it and surrounded that with an abstract pattern,” Xander explains.

“Ms. Pinton told me to go for it. She told me to work on that and not to worry about the other classwork. She could see my passion and encouraged me to get my real art down, not the assignments.” The result was a beautifully intricate, bright, colorful piece that was also chosen for the Hippocrene. “His art is so personal,” Pinton comments. “He goes inward, and he taps into his subconscious.

He's making work that is emotionally valuable.”

Today, Xander wishes he had found the arts earlier, but there might be something to be said for the pieces all falling into place. “Football is a big energy draw. Between practice and then hitting the weight room afterward on my own and then worrying

At Avon, I realized all the things I could do and have support in doing them, not just with art but with so many things. Now, I’m considering pursuing art in college.

about homework, the last thing I think I would have done at the end of my day was draw. But because football was removed, I felt like I had so much more time and began to let more of my mind engage my artistic side. I’m really glad I did. Earlier, I was still

finding myself. Today, I feel five years older than I was two years ago. I was a different kid. I was caught up in my own ego but somehow not focusing on who I really am and what I want to do. I was more focused on the perception of me than my own path forward.

Art, and Avon, helped me take a step back and look at my future.”

This fall, Xander is one of a few elite students admitted to the Advanced Independent Project (AIP) program at Avon. It allows students who show exceptional skill in a niche area to work under the expertise of professionals, learning how to expand their gifts and desires to excel. Through the AIP for both the fall and winter terms, Xander will spend his afternoons in the art studio in addition to taking AP Studio Art during the day to fulfill the two-year course requirement in just one. In

The Avonian // FALL 2020

addition, he was inducted as a 2020–21 member of the National Art Honor Society for his volunteerism in arts and his commitment this year.

“At Avon, I realized all the things I could do and have support in doing them, not just with art but with so many things. Now, I’m considering pursuing art in college. Taking the AIP will help me figure out if I love art enough to pursue it further. I want to see how far I can take it and see what I can create. See how I feel about it.

See how it looks. If I’m creating 24/7 and loving it, I think that’s a sign. If I learn that it’s too much for me, maybe I’ll minor in art at a liberal arts college and pursue one of my other interests— environmental science or psychology.”

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Although those alternatives might seem very far apart, Xander cites his father as his biggest inspiration: someone who started out in college as a chemistry major but switched after two years to business and now has a great career and provides for his family.

“I feel like a lot of my maturity and thoughts about the future began in my junior year because of the environment Avon provides. Because of the smaller class sizes, I was able to engage in the content. I was encouraged to attend enrichment and get help with assignments. Dr. Watt got me to like English, which is not an easy thing to accomplish, and Mr. Rice opened my eyes to the world of environmental science. Knowing there is support around every corner has allowed me to become who I am.”

One aspect of whom Xander has become is this: an excellent ambassador for Avon Old Farms School. “I heard Xander speaking to a potential AOF family once, and the boy had ADD. Xander openly engaged the boy, while working on a monochromatic color pencil drawing of his car, about how much art has helped him focus,” Pinton says. “He spoke about the openness of the studio, the flexibility of its hours, the ability to move around, sit in different spots, use it as a space to calm down and take a break, as well as put earphones on and just hyper focus on something that inspired him. I loved this conversation.

It was Xander shining and expressing his appreciation for the space and the value of art in a really honest and enthusiastic manner.”

This fall, Xander’s art was featured in Avon’s Ordway Art Gallery for the entire community to enjoy.

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Commemorating

THE CLASS OF 2020

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or the members of Avon’s graduating Class of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prohibited the commencement weekend they had eagerly anticipated and worked so hard to earn. There was no early morning gathering in the Pope Quadrangle wearing caps and gowns. There was no procession around the Village Green, no walking across the stage in front of the head of school’s house, and no passage through Alumni Gate. It was a heartbreaking reality for our 128 graduating seniors, but in true Avon spirit, they persevered through this historic challenge.

The Avonian // FALL 2020

But there were celebrations. There were commemorative cigars. There were Avon-decorated cakes. There were even bagpipes at a few homes where parents were determined to give their sons the closest thing to an Avon graduation they could manage while living through a pandemic.

There also was a tribute to the Class of 2020 that will mark its place in history: a class without a graduation.

At 10 a.m. on the Sunday morning of Memorial Day weekend 2020, when the seniors would have been processing into their graduation

ceremony, a special message was also broadcast to the graduating seniors and their families around the globe: The Alumni Gate Senior Celebration.

In the video, Dean of Students Brian Doyle and the Avon Boy reflect on all the good memories the Class of 2020 created while on campus. At the end, Head of School Jim Detora unveils a 24-inch by 28-inch cast bronze plaque freshly mounted to the wall of the Village Green apartments, just inside Alumni Gate. The brilliant finish literally gleams in the morning sun, a promise that each classmate listed on

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the plaque will be forever a part of Avon Old Farms School. See the video at www.avonoldfarms.com/ classof2020.

To the Class of 2020: you aspired.

You persevered. Your legacy will forever be a part of Avon’s history, and your plaque is a standing reminder of a class who rose to a challenge in the face of adversity.

You left a lasting impression on our school, and we couldn’t be more proud. Best of luck at college, and we cannot wait to see you back at the farm!

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athletics I

n light of the COVID-19 pandemic and after many discussions prioritizing community health, safety, and well-being, on July 15, the Founders League unanimously, and with great regret, canceled all Founders League interscholastic competition for the 2020 fall season.

Avon Old Farms still strongly believes in the value of athletics— physically, mentally, morally, and socially. The athletic directors created a robust and diverse program to make fall term after-school offerings exciting and beneficial to each student, further enhancing his Avon experience.

One advantage granted through the adjusted program was a decision

at the New England level to allow varsity athletes to train and practice with their coaches outside the designated season: those who love hockey are training with John Gardner this fall; the baseball players who missed their spring season were able to come together in September, eliminating the possibility of a two-year gap in playing together.

For those who favor specializing in one sport, student athletes were able to practice their top choice sport this fall, taking players out of lower-level teams where they may not have been fully committed.

The athletic department thanks

the parents and students who stood by Avon’s decisions and were excited about the plan we have in place. We’ve been making the best of a bad situation and were pleased to hear that a lot of students returned to campus excited about the opportunities to train and play.

Overall, though the athletic department faced many challenges this fall, we worked hard to ensure that nothing will keep students from experiencing the joy that competition can engender. We ensured that Avon athletes will remain conditioned and keep their competitive mindset so they will be prepared to succeed when the fields open again.

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2020 FALL SEMESTER ATHLETIC OFFERINGS • Acting and Production for TV/Film, Sports Media • Advanced Independent Project Program • Baseball* • Basketball* • Cross Country/Trackand-Field • Fitness Training (Boxing, General Fitness, Swimming, Wrestling) • Football* • Golf

• • • • •

• • • • •

Hockey* Lacrosse* Nimrod Project Piano Recreational Sports (Mountain Biking, Rec Basketball, Rec Soccer, Ultimate Frisbee) Robotics Soccer* Squash* Tennis* Yearbook

* High intensity skill training

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ATHLETICS

FIELD DAY

2020 Historically each year during the opening weekend of school, the student body heads down to the athletic fields to band together as brothers and compete for the coveted Field Day championship title and trophy. This year, the day full of field events was postponed to ensure that Avon would be able to guarantee safe participation in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. And so, on Saturday, September 19, Avonians had their Field Day, complete with a socially distant tire flip, stickball, volleyball, ultimate frisbee, Spikeball, Kan Jam, cornhole, golf, pull-ups, three-man tug-of-war, a 400-meter dash, and finally a 100-meter dash.

In the end, the men of Diogenes Dormitory reigned victorious.

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A TRIBUTE TO

George M. Trautman 1933–2020

The Avonian // FALL 2020

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eloved former headmaster George M. Trautman passed away on June 29, 2020, at the age of 87. Shocked by the news, much of the Avon Old Farms community struggled with the loss of a pillar of our school. The inability to hold a gathering ceremony on our campus this summer because of the pandemic heightened the sense of feeling adrift in the wake of this sadness, but several Avonians who knew George best share their memories of him in these pages.

The story of George’s life became entwined with the story of Avon Old Farms School when he arrived in 1969. In the late 1980s, after nearly two decades of brilliant leadership at Avon Old Farms, George was recognized by other heads of school as one of our nation’s greatest headmasters. At that time, Peter M. Evans H’18, P’98 was asked to tell George’s unfolding story as he continued to lay the foundation for the best school for boys in the United States. Because so many Avonians do not know the details of that story, we begin our tribute to George by sharing it here.

THE MAN AND HIS SCHOOL

BY PETER M. EVA N S H’18, P ’9 8

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ou can’t talk about a dedicated architect without talking about what he builds—because he is part of it, and it is part of him.

Born and raised in Baltimore, a graduate of St. Paul’s School there, George Trautman attended the University of Pennsylvania where he left his mark on both the football and lacrosse fields—All-East and All-Ivy as a linebacker in football and All-American as a center midfielder in lacrosse. In investigating his past, one is drawn to certain conspicuously consistent threads. He was a tough man, an indefatigable competitor, a winner—always. George’s capacity for hard work, his dedication, and his propensity for embracing responsibility coupled with his relentless pursuit of worthy goals generated a continuous source of energy and growth in him and those around him. George inspired; when he reached, those around him reached. George was the self-made man writ large. He instinctively worshipped at the altar of common sense in dealing with life’s ever-changing puzzles but managed to meld an ingenious blend of rigidity in his adherence to fundamental principles with resiliency

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in their practical application to unique and complex problems. Supremely confident in where he was going and what was right, George nonetheless always maintained a remarkable capacity to listen to and learn from others. He knew people, and, more important, he knew himself. If the measure of a leader is in the fruits of his labor and the devotion of his following, then George was a leader par excellence.

At the age of 21, George began his career in education at Tabor Academy, in Marion, Mass., where he taught history and coached football and lacrosse. He quickly gravitated to positions of responsibility and authority, running a major dormitory and the dining hall and becoming an operative force in the area of discipline. He was appointed director of summer school. In all areas, he ran a tight ship, made decisions, and solved problems. He gained a reputation for firmness and fairness that often translated into considerable difficulty for those who overstepped established, well-defined boundaries of propriety. It was said that you always knew where you stood with George. If there was any doubt, he certainly did not hesitate to tell you. He inherited the nickname “Nails,” which was heralded with respect, admiration, or trepidation depending upon one’s situational relationship with him. George learned much during those formative years at Tabor: put in the most definitive terms, the headmaster must run the school. In 1969, Avon Old Farms desperately needed such a headmaster.

In August 1969, the newly appointed

headmaster took up residence in the quiet Cotswolds-inspired village of Avon Old Farms. At 36, George Trautman was resolute, bold, and braced for a campaign. The campus was physically magnificent—the school, however, was in trouble: empty beds, red ink, deferred maintenance, and philosophical drift since the death of its former headmaster, Don Pierpont, a year earlier. In firmly binding his future and destiny to that of a floundering vessel, George consciously undertook a do-or-die challenge. What was the mettle of this man?

From the moment of his arrival, Avon became a school committed to a kind of institutional dynamism. George began his tenure relying on basic educational premises from which he never deviated: keep the boys busy, productively occupied. They will learn much, make progress, and become sturdy citizens. Directed change was perceivable in every nook and cranny of school life: philosophy, curriculum, athletics, facilities, admissions,

The Avonian // FALL 2020

college placement, and atmosphere. The headmaster was omnipresent. In the trenches with the faculty and the boys, his guiding hand touched all. The fundamental formula was simple and as unshakeable as a school constructed in stone and oak: work hard.

George was at once the architect and the exemplar. Caring requires commitment and time, he suggested. To teach, one must spend time with the boys—in the classroom, on the athletic fields, in the dormitories, and elsewhere. He felt strongly about and vigorously supported athletics because athletics provides training for life: its purpose is to promote the development of the well-rounded, self-confident young man who knows how to work effectively with others. George also promoted an ever-expanding academic curriculum while laying the foundation for outstanding programs in the arts—visual, performing, and musical. Education of the whole boy was the goal in all of this.

During the decades of his tenure, the school evolved. The architect was busy. He surrounded himself with a capable and supportive administration and faculty.

Enrollment doubled. College placement expanded. Admissions exploded. The curriculum matured. The teams did well.

Facilities were added: a new library, an auditorium theater, a hockey rink, two new dormitories, a new art/music center, and more. Pride burgeoned. Whether described as a sense of community or an extended family, Avon Old Farms successfully created a humanistic environment and thus a very effective school—one that had an enduring impact on all those who worked within and contributed to the fabric. The bottom line was caring, and behind it all was the architect, George Trautman.

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George Trautman was the ‘ultimate difference maker’ for our school and the people in it, students and faculty alike. Looking back through the lens of my 47 years at Avon Old Farms, I cannot imagine another headmaster in this century having a greater impact on a school in the process of defining itself than George. At this solemn time of reflection, our hearts go out to George’s family—his loving and supportive wife, Barbara; his sons, Tim and Courtney; and his daughter, Emily.

— P E T E R M . E VA N S H ’ 1 8 , P ’ 9 8

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A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE M. TRAUTMAN

A TRUE MAN OF AVON

BY S E TH F. M EN DELL ’52

I

first met George Trautman in 1967 when he was on the Avon campus as a member of a team conducting the school's 10-year reevaluation. He sat at my table for lunch in the Riddle Refectory, and we had quite a discussion about private schools.

I remember so well the summer and fall of 1969 when the Trautman family arrived on Avon’s campus. George actually commuted between Marion and AOF during the summer in a school van. I was working on my boat, Hekate, at the time and occasionally hitched a ride as I needed materials from Beckman’s Marine in New Bedford. We drove at night to miss the traffic and police.

Within months of his taking over the reins of the school, he put me in the Alumni Office and eventually into the Development Office as well. We did two capital campaigns: the Bricks and Mortar Campaign in the late 1970s for the Aron Academic Center and the Leading Edge Campaign in the 1980s to build the school's endowment. All in all, I think we worked well together over those years, 20 to be exact.

Our relationship went beyond the Avon campus to the Connecticut River and the Mattapoisett Boatyard in Massachusetts after

I retired in 1990. We made a number of trips, particularly aboard the Gannet, up and down the Rhode Island coast, moving the vessel from one port to the other. Eventually, the Gannet stayed at the Mattapoisett Boatyard, where I took care of it for him.

I liked George. He was matter of fact in our dealings, and so was I. We were the same age, along with Frank Leavitt, Jorge Consuegra, and Juan Comella. After Ken LaRocque became headmaster, George asked me to meet with him and Louise Adams to chronicle his years as headmaster. We sat in front of a video camera discussing his 29 years as Avon's head. I recall it took three or four sessions. We covered the difficult early years when our school faced the drug culture as well as a shortage of both students and money. If that was not enough of a challenge for a new headmaster, a student athlete died on the football field, the gym roof collapsed, and Harry Rice, director of admissions, passed away. George survived it all. His leadership was evident in every way, and by 1975, Avon was on a very positive course.

Once we covered the difficult years of the mid-1970s, we traced the growth of Avon Old Farms over the next 20 years. Starting with bricks and mortar and the renovation of buildings, we covered admissions, faculty, academics, athletics, theater, music, manual arts, and the very positive pride the students had in their school. Through it all, George’s hand was always evident. Avon Old Farms was his school, and he put his heart and soul into it.

I feel honored to have served under two headmasters, Don Pierpont for 10 years and then another 20 years under George Trautman, as the school became one of the top schools in the country. George was without a doubt a true “Man of Avon.”

The Avonian // FALL 2020

HIS LIFE WAS AVON OLD FARMS

BY KEVIN J. DRISCOLL ’72, P’08

P

rep school heads of school have often been portrayed in literature as thoughtful leaders, beloved and adored by their current and former students and faculty and passionately dedicated to their school communities. Arthur Chippings is one such figure of note in the 1939 classic film Goodbye Mr. Chips. He was steadfast in remembering the endearing qualities of the Brookfield Preparatory School for Boys in its earlier days.

He believed in tradition and valued the school's sense of self-respect and obligation to family and society. Though Mr. Chips was passionate and noble, even his depiction of headmaster is shallow in comparison to the real-life George Trautman and the legacy he leaves at Avon Old Farms.

George was one of a kind: a complex mix of a laser-focused, tough-as-nails college star athlete combined with a sharp wit and quick mind and overlaid with an uncanny ability to lead a community devoted to providing an oasis where boys become men—good men. He was larger than life, tougher than dirt, earthy, knowledgeable, perpetually enthusiastic, surprisingly funny, and far too humble to fit any of the stereotypical descriptions of a headmaster. George had a vision of how a boy’s school should be run and never wavered from his core concepts. He believed that great mentors understand what makes boys tick, hold them accountable, accept their shortcomings, and celebrate their successes with gusto.

George saw in every boy a man in embryo who needed discipline, affection, and guidance on his journey into manhood. This was the Trautman way, and his high expectations and ability to instill in all of us a strong moral code, a tireless work ethic, and a “never

say quit” attitude became the trademark of being a Trautman man.

I will never forget my first meeting with George. My brother Joe, my mom, and my older brother Frank were traveling the prep school circuit, and one visit was to Avon Old Farms. Upon arrival, we were told to head over to the Headmaster’s Office to be interviewed and tour the campus. As we entered the office, a young, athletic presence met us and introduced himself as George Trautman.

His firm handshake and way of looking straight into your eyes left a lasting impression. To this day, I follow his example when being introduced to people. We toured the campus, and he extolled his vision and his

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A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE M. TRAUTMAN

No other headmaster in New England reached out to potential students and did the tour and interview on their campus visit. In fact, he was the only headmaster we met during our visits.

—KEVIN J. DRISCOLL ’72, P’08

plans for the future of the school. He took us back to his office and asked us about our hopes and aspirations. I think he had reached a point of satisfaction and asked us if we would like to attend Avon Old Farms. We quickly responded with yeses, knowing that he was the kind of leader we could follow and the role model we wanted. No other headmaster in New England reached out to potential students and did the tour and interview on their campus visit. In fact, he was the only headmaster we met during our visits. That day, George set in motion a succession of 14 Driscolls who became members of the Avon Old Farms brotherhood, and much of the success we have garnered in our lives can be attributed to the opportunities this remarkable man gave us.

We will miss George and his vise-like handshake, messages of encouragement, and

his love for Avon Old Farms School. In his later years, George and I became close friends. Long gone were the days of headmaster and student, and George’s full personality became known. He had an incredible sense of humor. Behind the intense stare and handshake was a good friend with an occasional joke at just the right time. When I looked at George, he often had that sparkle in his eye followed by one of his quips.

George was humble, never looked for credit, and always sought the higher ground of excellence in all of his endeavors. His generosity was legendary but discreet, and much of what he did for students and faculty happened behind the scenes. George Trautman influenced thousands of young men, and his spirit, traditions, and the warm and caring culture he inspired will be a part of the school and who we are as men forever.

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A DIFFERENT KIND OF SCHOOL YEAR

BY HENRY COONS ’71

I

n the fall of 1968, as I entered my first year at Avon as a sophomore, the United States was at a tumultuous time in its history.

On September 28 of that year, Headmaster Don Pierpont passed away suddenly while in Boston. For the students who knew him well, it was a shock. It took a long time for them and the veteran faculty to digest.

With the sudden loss of our headmaster, the 1968–69 school year was cobbled together by veteran faculty members and interim Headmaster Alan McMillen, who had recently retired as a headmaster of a girl’s school. It was a difficult year for the school and the nation, but it was also a year in which a young faculty member at Tabor Academy was hired to be the next headmaster at Avon Old Farms.

During the summer of 1969, incoming Headmaster George Trautman sent a letter to all incoming students requiring them to have short haircuts on return. He would personally drive those who came back with long hair to the barber shop—or to the airport or bus station. My room that year was in Diogenes Tower overlooking the main entrance to school, and I witnessed Mr. Trautman driving students off campus. Most of the students went to the local barber shop. The new guy was making a strong statement, and I recall a

senior monitor coming into my room and saying, “This is going to be a different kind of school year.”

During George’s first year, varsity football secured a victory over a very strong Kingswood team by the score of 24-20. It was the first signature win under the new head of school and the beginning of Avon’s dominance in a handful of varsity sports over the past half century.

From day one, George meant business.

For the next 29 years, he held fast to certain principles, and he never wavered, including the commitment to stay an all-boys school; maintain a strict hair and dress code; have sit-down meals, Saturday classes, Morning Meetings, chapel three times a week; and strengthen, over time, every phase of school life. He overhauled academic and athletic programs, grew the visual and performing arts programs, and moved toward technology inside and outside the classroom.

When I graduated from Avon in May of 1971, I was excited to head to college. I knew, however, that Avon would always be my foundational educational experience.

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A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE M. TRAUTMAN

[George's] single-minded focus and adherence to his own vision and principles for Avon Old Farms School, untainted by administrators and faculty who had their own agendas of how to run a school for boys in the picturesque setting of the Farmington Valley, is, in my mind, his enduring legacy.

—HENRY COONS ’71

Following my four years at Muhlenberg College, I lived in New York City and taught at the Searing School in midtown Manhattan.

In the spring of 1976, I returned to Avon to celebrate my class’s fifth reunion. On Saturday afternoon while watching varsity baseball, I saw George and walked up to him to say hello.

On a whim, I casually asked him if he needed someone to teach a little history and coach a little football. His reply came instantaneously: “Come to my office tonight after the banquet and sign a contract.” That night, I signed a contract for $6,200 to teach English and history and probably coach football, basketball, and baseball at some level. I happened to be at the right place at the right time.

As a faculty member working under his leadership for the next 22 years, I witnessed a man who stuck to his principles, suffered and overcame tragic episodes involving students and faculty, and created a strong foundation for the seamless transfer of leadership to Headmaster Ken LaRocque for several decades and now to Jim Detora.

On an overcast day in mid-April right around his 87th birthday, I called George to say hello and catch up a bit. At that point, he must have known that his health was rapidly heading in a bad direction. I was unaware of the critical nature of his condition, and he never mentioned anything related to his health.

That was the kind of man he was: tough,

focused, direct. It was a good conversation, and it was really good to hear his voice, a voice I had first become familiar with more than a half century earlier. I am really glad I made that call. It turned out to be good closure for me from someone who believed in me and supported me for so many years. I think he knew it would be our last conversation.

Whenever someone asks me about George, I like to tell them the story of how he used to drive to chapel in the winters in his old station wagon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On several occasions when it had snowed the night before, George removed a handful of snow from the middle of his driver side window so he could have some limited yet focused and undistracted vision to get him to the chapel.

That single-minded focus and adherence to his own vision and principles for Avon Old Farms School, untainted by administrators and faculty who had their own agendas of how to run a school for boys in the picturesque setting of the Farmington Valley, is, in my mind, his enduring legacy.

The Avonian // FALL 2020

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WISE AND (OCCASIONALLY) WILY

I

BY TIM TRAUTMAN ’75, P’03

would describe my father as being both wise and, on the rare occasion, wily. I like to think Dad employed both of these strategies effectively in leading Avon. In addition, I remember him saying, “Telling a story can be a great way to communicate your message.”

With that, let me take a page out of his playbook and tell you a story...

It was a rainy, cold, dreary Saturday night in December 1973. Seniors had just finished practicing for Boar's Head, and with Christmas break only three days away, we were all anxious to be done with exams, Morning Meeting, Christmas Vespers, etc., etc. Mr. Mason had assigned Boar’s Head roles and distributed the animal costumes. In Elephant Dormitory, guys were roaming the halls. Left to their own devices (never a good thing for adolescent males), several of the guys, one still dressed in his gorilla costume, decided to go “dodging cars.” This meant taking the path through the woods behind the library down to Beaver Pond. At that small section of road between the woods and the pond, they’d wait in the bushes until a car came. When it did, they’d jump into the road, forcing the car to a sudden stop, then quickly disappear into the bushes until it drove off. Even though it was cold and rainy, it was still fun … until this one car came along.

Instead of slamming on the breaks and then hastily driving off, the driver stopped, and the driver’s-side door opened suddenly. In the dim light and amid the chaos someone caught the car’s license plate, GT 68, and yelled, “It’s George!” The boys took off and ran back up the path, over exposed tree roots and through

the mud. Looking back, they were horrified to discover that George, still in his coat and tie, was on their heels and charging in hot pursuit up the same muddy hill. Luckily, youth prevailed and all escaped, all except the gorilla! He scrambled on all fours up the hill in his sodden, muddy gorilla suit, but George caught up and grabbed him by the ankle.

Fear is a tremendous motivator, and with a burst of adrenaline, the gorilla shook himself free and made his way to the top to safety.

The next day, George rounded up the “usual suspects.” Standing before these seniors was the headmaster, the quintessence of intimidation with his eyes boring into their

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A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE M. TRAUTMAN

very souls, bellowing, “I don’t care about any of the others; I just want the gorilla!” George proceeded to challenge each individual. With his imposing presence, inches from their very noses, he barked, “Were you the gorilla?” Each quivered but replied, “No.” When George reached the actual gorilla, the boy replied with all the respect (and courage) he could muster, “No sir, Mr. Trautman, I was in my room studying.” Seemingly inconclusive, the meeting ended, the three days passed, Boar’s Head was a success, and Christmas vacation came.

More than 40 years later, at an Avon reception in Boston, a couple of alumni were having dinner with Peter Evans and my father.

As is the habit, the group reminisced, regaling one another with often-told stories of their days at Avon. As coincidence might have it, seated at the table that night was the alumnus who 40 years previously had been the gorilla on that fateful December night. No longer fearing for his high school and college education and entire future, he retold this story, thus revealing the identity of the gorilla … himself! With newfound confidence, the gorilla added he’d also been drinking before dodging cars and proudly announced, “I was probably half gassed at the time.” Never at a loss for words, George quipped, “I was probably half gassed, too!”

After the reception, while driving home that night, I thought about that evening in December ’73 and Dad’s meeting with the “usual suspects." It struck me as odd that Dad actually believed the student who said he was studying on a Saturday night after Boar's

Head practice. Based on personal experience, let me say that Dad could smell a lie a mile away! So, I asked him directly if he ever really knew who the gorilla was. Dad's reply seemed to momentarily take him back to his days as a student at St. Paul's School. After a long pause, he stated pensively, “My headmaster could have thrown me out of school.”

Now, years later, you should know the “gorilla” is happily married, has wonderfully talented daughters, developed an extraordinarily successful business career, and has even served on Avon’s Board of Directors.

That begs the question: what was Dad really thinking, and what decisions did he make the day the gorilla told him he was studying? For his 29 years as Avon’s headmaster, my father knew every student by name, the teams they played on, and much of their personal background. To him, it was as easy as remembering his own birthday because Dad cared deeply about each student. He often said, “I always go the extra mile for a kid.” So, although discipline was his hallmark, Dad had a big heart and every once in a while, I think, he decided the “right thing” required a different strategy.

For me, I'd like to say thank you, Dad, for all the advice you gave me over the years. I hope this story tells alumni about another side of their headmaster. In closing, I found this quote on an Avon pad in his house, written in his own hand: “A man who knows love and grief understands that one is the price of the other.”

The Avonian // FALL 2020

HE KNEW WHAT HE WANTED TO DO IN LIFE—AND HE DID IT ALLAN O’CONNOR ’75

I

was a freshman day student when I met George in September 1971—as far apart as you can be in the hierarchy at Avon. I remember his bone-crushing handshake, his booming voice, and his strong, intimidating presence. I was scared of him and did my best to avoid him. “Mr. Trautman wants to see you” was not something an Avon boy ever wanted to hear. That changed when we reconnected at my 20-year reunion, and he asked me to join Avon’s board.

Being an advisor is different from being a student or working at the school. I found George open to advice and new ways of doing things. We just clicked and, over time, became close friends. We visited each other regularly and talked every few weeks for decades—long after I had left Avon’s board.

George never lost his zest for life and was always full speed ahead. When he was 76, he visited me in Lake Tahoe and announced he wanted to go skiing—something he had not done in decades. We got off a Squaw Valley chairlift, and George headed down a long slope, steadily picking up speed. I watched in horror as it became apparent that if he had ever known how to turn, slow down, or stop, those skills were long forgotten. I feared I’d never be able to attend another alumni event if I killed the former headmaster. But George laughed off that first crash and spent the remainder of the day exuberantly skiing himself to exhaustion.

With that same passion, George always knew he wanted to run a school. After his very first faculty meeting as a new teacher at Tabor Academy, he went up to Tabor’s

headmaster and asked him what he needed to do to end up in his shoes. “Learn every single thing you can about the school business,” he was told. George took that challenge head on, rotating through a number of key positions while fleshing out his own views on how a school should work.

When he arrived at Avon in 1969, George was ready to implement his strong vision of how a boys’ school should be run. With his natural authority, he set about changing Avon’s character and culture. He was in charge, and people tended to do what he said.

Organizations respond well to strong leaders who provide a consistent and clear vision, and George provided that. He successfully built a strong, unique culture at Avon—a

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A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE M. TRAUTMAN

primary reason so many of us love the school.

He believed in setting high goals, working hard, and keeping busy. Knowing teenage boys need structure and tradition, he kept things simple, clear, and focused.

George took pride in knowing every boy in the school, greeting us as we walked into Morning Meeting or crossed paths on campus. He was a stickler for tradition, such as sit-down meals, weekly chapel, and all-school Morning Meetings. Avon was a family, and it was important to him that the entire family assemble daily.

Students respected but also feared him.

At one board meeting, the librarian proposed the school install a scanning system as books had started to “disappear” from the library shelves. During a break, I suggested George forget the newfangled tech and just give one of his “fire and brimstone” speeches that had terrified me as a student. George smiled, pulled the request, and reported back a few days later that the problem was solved—the missing books were back.

I once asked George why Avon always had so many activities on Friday and Saturday nights. He said, “We have 300 teenage boys who live here. If we don’t come up with something for them to do, they will, and we may not like their choices.” He indeed knew teenage boys.

I last saw George for dinner in February right before the COVID-19 crisis hit. We chatted for hours about his favorite topic— the school. Although he avoided public praise and recognition, he was proud of his life’s work and what he had accomplished at Avon. Very few have ever had such a positive influence on so many lives. He had done what he set out to do.

I am blessed to have known George both as my headmaster and a lifelong friend. I shall miss him greatly.

REFLECTIONS: EXPERIENCING GEORGE AT THE HELM

BY KENNETH H. LAROCQUE H’19, P’01, ’10

S

ince learning of George Trautman’s passing, I have been processing his loss and expect that I will continue to do so for some time to come. George influenced thousands of Avonians, faculty, and friends of our school during the 50-plus years he served Avon Old Farms. He was a legendary head of school, not only among the AOF community but also throughout New England independent school circles. George’s stature continued to grow during his retirement, as did his legend as alumni, faculty, and colleagues at other schools shared “George stories” whenever his name surfaced. Even an embellished “George story” is grounded in truth, and the truth is that he was a strong, superb school leader. Bold, fearless, and unwavering in his beliefs, George led Avon Old Farms through tumultuous times during the Woodstock era and successfully championed boys’ schools while so many brother and sister schools were embracing coeducation. Tough love, high expectations, school spirit, traditional values, and personal accountability represented the pillars upon which Avon stood during his reign.

Processing George’s passing brings back so many memories. I smile remembering that I experienced his driving only once. After that escapade, I always planned our trips so that I or someone else was behind the wheel. The same

The Avonian // FALL 2020

held true for sailing trips. After barely surviving a significant storm sailing to Bermuda with George as captain, I agreed to another Bermuda sail only if George joined me on the crew under a different captain. I learned of George’s penchant for throwing caution to the wind no matter the danger early in our friendship, and though I admired his courage, I decided that preemptive action on my part would protect us both. Of course, George’s courage served him well throughout his life, especially during the 29 years he led Avon Old Farms. He always decided the proper path to pursue based on what he perceived would benefit our school without regard for convention, ease of execution, or other superficial considerations.

I worked for and with George for 17 years before succeeding him as head of school, and we enjoyed a rich professional and personal relationship for many decades. The lessons I learned, the adventures we shared, the challenges we confronted, and the connection we forged are an important part of my life and will forever be. Heidi and I hold George’s family in our thoughts and prayers and know their memories of him will comfort them.

Finally, Avon Old Farms will flourish for many decades thanks to the leadership and contributions of this icon.

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How Did One Get to Know George Trautman?

BY PETER M. EVANS. H'18, P'98

I

t was not easy for two reasons. First, he was a very private man by nature and utterly self-sufficient. Second, like all effective benevolent despots, he kept his distance. If he had weaknesses with respect to dealing with the people in his domain, he never exposed them. In fact, it is appropriate to say that he was a political genius at balancing the sometimes-countervailing forces of trustees, parents, alumni, faculty, and students—while never losing sight of what was best for the school.

George was not an intellectual in the professional sense, yet he read much and knew much and was a master of reason. He spoke his mind— always. His candor and honesty were overwhelming. There was nothing soft about George Trautman. One was confident that he could render an extended limb useless with a handshake. Yet deep beneath this rugged exterior was a man whose compassion and sensitivity were boundless, subtly permeating his entire being.

Only over the years does one begin to realize that this hidden dimension quietly operated in so many of his actions. Perhaps, herein, is the secret of his magic: he conveyed a father image to the community at large—boys and adults. If they had a problem, they went to George. His door was always open. However, like a father, he did not hesitate to go to you—with good news or bad— because he cared. The elements of trust and mutual respect provided the underpinning to his charisma. He was proud but exceedingly humble; he was not generally comfortable receiving compliments or recognition, perhaps because he sensed that there was always much unfinished business…

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A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE M. TRAUTMAN

HE MADE IT OUR SCHOOL J. MATTHEW KOWALCHICK '99

G

eorge Trautman (GT) gave me and thousands of other boys the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. He demanded absolute buy-in: it was all or nothing, his way or the highway. One of the first things he said when boys arrived on campus was, “This is your school.” He created pride of ownership, a fierce loyalty to Avon that is still seen and felt today. GT had zero problem taking a stand on an issue; he made his decision swiftly and it was final—you always knew where you stood with him. There was never a gray area for George: things were black or white, yes or no. For a young boy, there was something comforting about this, even when the decision was not in his favor. When George spoke, you listened, and when he asked something of you, there was a sense of empowerment—you felt valued, and you never wanted to disappoint him or let him down.

To this day, I’ll never understand how he did it, but I always wanted to make him proud.

A LESSON IN LEADERSHIP BRIAN CONROY ’82, P’20

T

he summer before my senior year, I was working with the school’s buildings and grounds crew. I had been elected warden of the school, and one day that summer, I received a request to have lunch with the headmaster. I was terrified. I had always taken responsibility very seriously and had always been a good student, but I knew this meal with George Trautman would be a big moment.

When I arrived at his office, George, in a typical power move, was sitting behind his desk, and I had to sit across from him. As we began our meal, he talked about leadership and how leaders have to hold themselves to a higher standard than others. He asked me if I understood, and I said, “Yes, sir, I do.” But he continued, “Well, let us be clear: if someone is caught walking across the Village Green, what happens?” I replied, “They go to student court.” He said, “Yes, that’s right. And what will happen if you get caught walking across the Village Green?” I said, “I would go to student court.” And George said, “Wrong.

You’d go to the discipline committee.”

I was stunned.

He then continued for round two: “What happens if someone gets caught drinking alcohol?”

The Avonian // FALL 2020

“They go to the discipline committee and usually get a second chance and pay a penalty,” I said. “Right. And what would happen if you were caught drinking alcohol?,” George asked.

“I would go to the discipline committee?”

George was clearly frustrated that I hadn’t caught on at this point and said, “Wrong. I’d throw you out of school.”

One last time, George asked me a question: “What happens if students are caught smoking marijuana?”

“Well, they would go to the disciplinary committee and be summarily dismissed,” I said. “That’s right. And what would happen if you got caught?,” he asked. “I guess I would get thrown out of school?” I replied warily.

Then George said, very matter-of-factly, “I would take you behind the gym for some discipline and then let the police collect you and call your father.”

He went on to talk about the absolute importance of holding myself to a higher standard. He said if I was not ready to do that, then I was not ready for the higher level of accountability that came with being a leader, and I should not aspire to roles of leadership because that was the yoke I was going to have to bear.

To this day, that conversation has a profound effect on how I carry myself and how I live my life. Only George could crystalize something so profound and deep into a simple allegory in which there was no chance of misinterpreting his message. Of his many strengths, that is one of the things I so admired about George: his directness, his honesty, and his passion for developing boys. And that’s just one boy’s story of how his life was forever impacted by one conversation with George: I will remember that lunch for the rest of my life. In all the businesses I’ve run and all the leadership positions I’ve had, I’ve reflected on that conversation, not only for myself but

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also for the development of new leaders. And that’s George’s impact.

Even after George retired, his was always a voice I knew I needed to heed. Whether it was as an honorary member of the board or otherwise, for the rest of his life, whenever George wanted to talk to me, I said yes—even if the timing was most inconvenient. On one occasion I was in Dubai, and he wanted to have a call with me. With the time difference, it was the middle of the night for me, but I needed to make that meeting because George wanted to chat. The last time my wife and I had dinner with George was at a lacrosse dinner. There again is an example: I was a baseball player, but if there was a chance for me to sit at a table with George, I went. I didn’t question why.

George was tough, but his toughness was in his resolve: he had a vision, he was decisive, and he was bulletproof. They don’t make ’em like George anymore. I’ll miss him, but I’m just so pleased and touched that he was a part of my life from the time I was 14 to today.

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A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE M. TRAUTMAN

LIFE IS AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE

BY MATT TRAUTMAN ’03

M

y grandfather used to say that life is an interesting experience. In the way he said it, there was a little bit of dry humor, a little bit of his simplistic yet highly perceptive interpretation of the world, a little bit of his natural humility, a tiny bit of detachment from the ups and downs that we all experience, and, most of all, a genuine appreciation for how interesting life can be.

As a child and an adolescent, I had a somewhat one-dimensional relationship with the man who would eventually become one of my greatest friends. I saw him as many people saw him: confident and bold, physically imposing, and handsome. He knew exactly who he was and what he wanted to do. He was unfazed by conflict. When he wasn’t relentlessly running Old Farms like the emperor of a small, prideful city-state, he was off pursuing one of his many hobbies. He loved to fish offshore, to hunt, to sail, to travel abroad, to drink, and to laugh. He was wild and stylish and fun. He was a fiercely intelligent independent thinker, with a truly immersive and action-oriented approach to life. Unsurprisingly, he could also be a very polarizing personality. I often heard it said that when it came to George Trautman, you either loved him or you hated him.

I am proud to say that I am my grandfather’s grandson and have undeniably inherited many of his hard-headed personality traits.

Today, these are some of my most prized and effective characteristics, but when I was younger, having a relationship with an equally stubborn and willful authoritarian was periodically rocky. We had a falling out during my college years and didn’t speak for more than half a decade. We started talking again just before Christmas 2010, and something drastic had changed in me. I no longer saw

my grandfather as an opposing force but instead was able to start seeing him through a much more objective lens. Thus began my truly privileged journey of getting to know the man—in his entirety. I got to see beyond his more obvious traits and started to realize just how nuanced and impressive he really was.

He loved animals. He systematically fed wildlife almost on a daily basis. He was hyperorganized. Every aspect of the man’s life was meticulously orchestrated. He was an extremely devoted husband. Until his last day on this Earth, he visited Barbara outside her hospital window (he couldn’t go inside because of the coronavirus restrictions) and scattered seeds on the ground so she would be able to watch the birds. He was a voracious reader; he read for at least two to three hours every day. He had a keen, perceptive interest in world news, politics, and finance. I never had a conversation with him in which I was more up to date on any of these subjects than he was. He was an intent and active listener.

As a result, he really got to know people and the intricacies of what they were doing in their lives. He enjoyed playing cards, and he was good at it. We were on a trip together last September, during which we played gin rummy every day. And I couldn’t beat him— 86 years old.

He was very humble. When I was younger, I always thought he had a massive ego, but this observation was incorrect. I confused his drive and action with self-importance. He cared far more about the well-being of the people in his life and the well-being of Avon than his own esteem. He was a good dancer.

This I did not inherit. He was exceedingly generous and freely spent money on the things he liked, but he was one of the cheapest people I have ever met when it came to pretty

The Avonian // FALL 2020

much everything else. He said that if you’ve ever experienced real poverty (which he had, growing up “homeless-adjacent” on the streets of Baltimore during the Depression), no matter how much money you make, part of you will always feel poor. Because of his experiences as a kid, he never lost his appreciation for every single thing that he had.

He was absolutely honest when it came to things that actually mattered. I don’t know if this was just an innate tendency or if he simply knew that not telling the truth would inevitably cost him time and energy, but, whatever the reason, his integrity was unwavering. He had an unparalleled gift for getting people to do what he wanted them to.

He had two methods for doing this: his heavyhanded approach was obvious, but he also had a very subtle, chess-like method that he employed much more often and was bafflingly effective. He was a health nut. He was very calculated about what he put into his body and worked out three times a week without fail. As a result, he was able to continue with his (often strenuous) hobbies all his life.

When he was 84, we traveled together through North Africa over a fun but grueling two weeks, and he didn’t miss a beat. It was incredible. Matt Kowalchick used to say that on these trips, GT would “Benjamin Button.”

He would get stronger and seemingly younger as the trip went on. He never stopped evolving.

This was arguably his most impressive quality. His intensely active mind never shut off, and he endlessly looked for ways to improve himself, his relationships with the people he loved, and everything else in his life that he felt he could effect positive change on.

When I think back on how I viewed my grandfather when I was a child, all the things I learned about him later on do not negate that perception. If anything, they further validate the authenticity of those outwardfacing qualities, the summation of which was the most complete embodiment of a gentleman that I have come across in my life so far.

Although I am certainly not happy about his passing—among many other things, I will always wish (regardless of how long any of us live) that I could have more time to be on a boat in the middle of the ocean in heavy weather with him, my father, and the rest of the gang, talking about life and telling funny stories—I am at peace with it. He left nothing undone. He went out at his absolute zenith, and there is something deeply satisfying and joyful about that. I wish the same for all of you. And with that, I will leave you with George’s often used sign-off: “Good luck.”

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The Avonian // FALL 2020

Providing an Opportunity FOR TRAUTMAN SCHOLARS Education is priceless, and donors who support the George M. Trautman Scholarship support the educational goals and dreams of special students. Each Trautman Scholar consistently meets his promise to achieve the best of which he is capable and to be guided by integrity as he participates in activities at Avon Old Farms School.

George believed this combination helps every recipient become a well-rounded young man.

The George M. Trautman Scholarship was established in 1997 in honor of George's retirement from Avon Old Farms as the school’s fifth headmaster. The fund was designed to make a lasting difference in the lives of young men, applicants Avon characterizes as intelligent, ethical, inquisitive, civic-minded, and hardworking. The scholarship is for admitted students who need financial assistance to make attending Avon possible.

To date, Trautman Scholars have taken full advantage of this opportunity. They lead at Avon as wardens and monitors, as respected students and brothers. They are often found on the honor roll, on the athletic field, and as artists performing at the highest level. They move on to competitive universities and programs. One returned home to Avon to work with the next generation of scholars.

This is a special group of men, all of whom have been touched by that unstoppable brand of Trautman magic.

L E A R N M O R E AT

www.avonoldfarms.com/givenow/trautmanfund

We hope to continue building this fund so future generations of young scholars will be afforded the same opportunity to learn at Avon and to grow as men. As you consider your philanthropy this year and in years to follow, please consider adding your contribution. Honor the Trautman legacy by making Avon possible for the next deserving scholar.

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I worked graduation weekend, and it was then that I really saw what makes Avon so special: it is the combination of the architecture, the people, and the place.

Commencement wasn’t just a ceremony—it was a significant moment in the lives of everyone surrounding me.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT

Debra Case

W

hen Debra Case first set foot on the grounds of Avon Old Farms in 1976 as a high-school graduate in search of a job, she thought this place could be a part of her for a very long time.

Forty-four years later, it’s safe to say that her initial instincts were true.

Deb began in the Riddle Refectory working with Avon’s dining services provider. As spring has always been a busy time at Avon, it wasn’t until May that she first encountered the true magic of the school.

“I worked graduation weekend, and it was then that I really saw what makes Avon so special: it is the combination of the architecture, the people, and the place,” Deb reflects.

“Commencement wasn’t just a ceremony—it was a significant

moment in the lives of everyone surrounding me.”

For so many, Avon is special.

Students, alumni, faculty, and friends say it often. But for a select few, Mrs. Riddle’s quote “this place brings peace to my soul” rings true in their hearts. Deb is one of those people. For her, it’s not just the place; a big part of her Avon story revolves around the memory of George Trautman. Avon became more than an employer thanks in large part to George. For starters, he allowed Deb and her husband, Paul, to marry in the Avon chapel, which was not common at the time.

APRIL 1976

JULY 9, 1977

JULY 1989

JUNE 1992

Began working at Avon Old Farms School in dining services

Married husband Paul Case in the school's chapel

Left Avon to pursue her degree at Connecticut’s Computer Processing Institute

Returned to Avon

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TODAY: Deb is still at Avon, now in her 40th year

1994

JULY 27, 2002

JULY 22, 2006

MARCH 15, 2008

Began laying plans to network the campus

Celebrated 25th wedding anniversary at Avon Old Farms School

Daughter Jessica gets married on campus

Daughter Kelly gets married on campus

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STAFF SPOTLIGHT

George was a very strong believer in people’s abilities, beyond just applications to schooling.

George wanted to understand a person’s drive. He learned what was important to you and your life.

“George gave us the OK to do that,” says Deb. “It was summer, and usually Avon was completely shut down once the school year was over. To have the facilities available to us was the beginning of creating our family with Avon as our steady backdrop.”

George also made Avon a place where Deb felt comforted, supported, and able to grow.

“George was a very strong believer in people’s abilities, beyond just applications to schooling,” she

explains. “George wanted to understand a person’s drive. He learned what was important to you and your life. His thoughtfulness and attention made it possible to have a relationship that went deeper than the typical employer/employee. He wasn’t the person who hired me, but because I worked at Avon, he took the time to know me, which had a huge impact on my life. He was like a father to me.”

For more than a decade, Deb worked in the refectory while George

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gh

helped her gain the confidence to take on the role of director of the dining facility when the opportunity arose. However, in 1989, Deb did not believe her future was in the food service industry. During a time when computer technology was beginning to proliferate, she left Avon to enroll in classes at Connecticut’s Computer Processing Institute.

“My father was a mechanic who had his own business, so growing up, I spent a lot of time with him tinkering on things. That innate curiosity for making things work combined with a field that was just starting to get exciting seemed like a good fit. But George was a little angry at me for leaving; I think he was worried that I might not come back.”

And, for a few years, Deb didn’t.

She tried her hand in corporate America and landed a job with Cigna.

But she quickly found that the sense of purpose and connection she had come to love at Avon couldn’t easily be replicated. In 1992, when Deb saw an opening in dining services at Avon, she called George.

“It was one of the times I felt Mrs. Riddle was right there with us,” George Trautman said about Deb’s return in a 2004 Avonian article. “A food service director had quit. That

“As a child, I spent many hours accompanying my mother to the Trautman home as she managed their technology, a new world for them. I looked forward to spending time in their beautiful home, fascinated by souvenirs they brought back from their travels, including their fantastic dog Banteng. I was always welcomed with bear hugs and great conversation. I remember how George’s voice filled every corner of a room whether he was speaking softly or with a resonant boom. He was the quintessential headmaster, with his strength, honor, and, above all, great kindness. He could have treated me like the child I was but instead conversed with me like an adult: with respect and open ears. I learned a great deal about good conversation from Mr. and Mrs. Trautman. His relationship with my mother and our family showed me the value of multigenerational friendship. My mother and George taught each other a great many things, and, I believe, became the best versions of themselves as a result. He will forever embody the concept of a leader to me and my family.”

— K E L LY F O W L E R

gh very day, Debbie was in touch with me and expressed an interest in coming back to work at the school.

So we got her back to run the food service and the refectory as well.”

Deb worked at Avon and continued to do some IT consulting on the side. During the busy times, George made sure that Deb knew her family was welcome on campus. They ate meals in the refectory, and George’s wife, Barbara, volunteered to watch Deb’s daughters while she worked.

The girls played in the headmaster’s home, and Barbara even helped them with their schoolwork. However, Deb had returned with an understanding

that she had a lot more to offer than running the refectory efficiently, and it wasn’t long until she was able to utilize her full set of skills.

In the summer of 1993, Deb arrived on campus to plan a wedding reception dressed for a previous corporate consulting meeting when she ran into Bill Kron, the dean of faculty and science teacher.

“He said to me, ‘Why are you all dressed up? It’s summer!’ When I explained where I had come from and what I had been doing, Bill asked, ‘Can you teach a computer applications class in the fall?’ That’s how I began teaching.”

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STAFF SPOTLIGHT

gh “Most of my memories of Mr. Trautman are of a man larger than the room around him. He loomed, not through fear or threat, but through dignity and magnanimity. When he spoke, people listened, and I sensed it at an age before I had words to characterize the effect. His care and concern for his charges and the people he counted on to help him in his mission were so sincere and thoughtful that he called upon my mom to return to the school years after she had departed, calling her up from his internal rolodex where he classified people’s strengths and called upon them to do what was right for his community. In an age of cellular data and cloud storage, his ability to find creative solutions by simply knowing people well was an art that remains appreciated.”

—JESSICA ANGELL

gh On top of teaching, in 1994 Deb began drafting plans to network the campus. On July 5, 1995, the school selected a vendor for the network installation. By opening day that fall, miles of fiber optic cable and copper tubing had been run all over campus.

By Parents Day, everything was operational. “We went from zero to 100 in three months,” Deb recaps.

For most of that time, George was off campus, sailing.

“George had a lot of confidence that his people could get the job done, which built a lot of self-confidence in people. It was that type of leadership and guidance that helped me become the director of technology.

When I first took over the work program in the refectory, I had to make announcements at the podium and pronounce foreign names I had

no familiarity with. I thought I was completely awful. But George was literally standing right behind me at the podium that first day, and when I was done, he slapped me on the back and said, ‘Great job.’ At moments like that, I knew he would always have my back. He empowered people, and he protected them.”

Much has changed in the nearly 30 years since Deb began building Avon’s technology infrastructure, and she says that George’s openness to hearing ideas kept things moving forward.

“George always listened to ideas.

Even if he didn’t agree, he knew when it was the way to go and let you lead. That was just another way that George kept Avon relevant as the world changed.”

Once more, in a fall 2004 Avonian

article, George expressed great belief in Deb’s abilities: “Deb had the vision to create a technology infrastructure.

Since then, as we have gone through growing pains, she has helped us to confront each of the problems one at a time. I have always appreciated her, not only for what she’s done for technology but as a person who helps to steer us on a path true to our mission.

She continues as our technological architect who keeps our program up and running.” That is even more true today than it was in 2004.

Throughout it all, Deb has been proud to be a part of such change and growth while remaining true to the feeling that spoke to her that very first time she entered Avon’s campus.

“Avon has given me so many opportunities, so much room for personal growth, and so much support throughout each phase of my life.

I got married here, I had my 25th anniversary celebration here, both of my daughters were married here.

While I’ve grown, it’s also kept me in touch with my younger self.”

This past summer, Deb was in her office in the Ordway Science Center when she learned of George’s passing.

Colleagues in the room witnessed her devastation, but the outpouring of support helped ease the loss. “That day, when I shared the news with my

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gh “Mr. Trautman was always on me to call him George, but it was a difficult thing for me to do … because he was my dad’s age and, like my dad, he was a man I respected and appreciated deeply. He embodied the best of his generation; he was a leader with the strength of character into which hundreds of families entrusted the shaping of their sons’ lives. Mr. Trautman treated the staff and students like a family. He made my family part of that family and in doing so instilled in us the feeling of belonging. What I appreciate and remember him the most for is all that he did for Deb. He recognized early on the potential in her that even she didn't know she possessed. He mentored and guided, opened doors for her and supported her, gave her opportunity and made it possible for her to be the great asset that she now is to Avon. I will miss Mr. Trautman—George—and I will forever appreciate all that he was to my family.”

— PA U L C A S E

gh

husband, he cried. Both of my girls immediately called me. When I posted on Facebook, so many people immediately knew what the loss meant to me because they knew the bond we shared. Knowing that so many people saw our connection illustrated how strong it was and let me know that I have his support even still.”

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Christopher K. Hampton Jr. ’09

BY JACQUELINE KELLER

I

magine that you’re more than half way through your yearlong journey as a medical intern practicing general medicine. You live in New York City, and as the winter cold begins to fade, you are settled into your role at Brooklyn Hospital and excited to spend more time in the coming spring exploring the city with your siblings, one of whom lives less than a mile away. Then you begin to hear the word pandemic. For Dr. Christopher K. Hampton Jr., Avon Old Farms Class of 2009, that’s exactly what happened.

Chris’s journey into medicine was inspired by his grandfather, who has his own general medicine practice. In school, especially at Avon, Chris enjoyed the sciences and knew that his attraction to medicine was a career calling. He followed his father’s (Chris Hampton ’79) footsteps to Johns Hopkins University, as did his three siblings—Patrick ’10, Gerard ’11, and Bridget—where he earned both his undergraduate degree and his master’s in neuroscience.

“Early on, I fell in love with neuroscience and tissue engineering,” Chris explains. “After meeting some ophthalmologists who were very passionate about what they do and getting involved in the research, I developed a keen interest in that. Actually, it isn’t so far away from neuroscience.…

When you’re performing surgery

on the eye, the central nervous system is right there, and in development, the eye is really just an extension of the brain. So, for something as simple as a cataract surgery, you’re helping someone go from being blind to suddenly being able to see—it’s incredible.”

After his five years at Johns Hopkins, Chris returned to Connecticut to enroll in the UConn School of Medicine.

“It was strange to be back in Farmington of all places after being away for so many years,

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Early on, I fell in love with neuroscience and tissue engineering. After meeting some ophthalmologists who were very passionate about what they do and getting involved in the research, I developed a keen interest in that.

but I really enjoyed being home,” he says.

After three years of medical school, Chris traveled to Bethesda, Md., to pursue a research fellowship in senior investigator Dr. Kapil Bharti’s Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Lab, 3-D printing blood vessels and the retinal pigment epithelium for disease modeling and drug discovery at the National Institute of Health (NIH). Chris was one of 42 students selected for the sixth class in the NIH Medical Research Scholars Program.

“This year-long research enrichment program is the starting point for a successful research-oriented career. These scholars represent some of this country’s most promising future biomedical researchers and academic leaders,” says Frederick P. Ognibene, M.D., director of the Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education, NIH Clinical Center, in a press release.

“I finished the fellowship and returned to Connecticut to finish medical school in the spring of 2019. Upon graduating, I was placed as a medical intern at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and its affiliates in New York City, beginning July 1, 2019,” Chris explains.

“Those first few weeks on the job were

demanding. As an intern, it’s your first time practicing medicine. I was no longer a medical student observing; everything was hands-on, and I was expected to learn not only how to do all of the day-to-day things as a doctor but also learn all of the inner workings of the hospital: who I needed to know, where things were stored, how to get to the labs. As an intern, you’re a crucial member of the team with real responsibilities to care for your patients. Also, with such a large patient base, you see everything and

50

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

It became a lot to handle very quickly, but one thing that inspired me the most throughout the pandemic was the overwhelming sense that we were all in this together. I had a great team and could feel that we all had a common goal. No one ever said, ‘This isn’t my specialty; I’m out of there.’

learn everything. It makes for a crazy day, but if you love what you do, it’s fun. When I was finally getting into a rhythm and feeling more at ease, the world started to learn about the coronavirus.”

At the beginning of the pandemic, when the medical community in the United States knew COVID-19 was coming, Chris says his hospital was planning its response far in advance: it created special teams and even renovated an entire wing that had been constructed originally for tuberculosis patients.

The plan was to keep all COVID-19-related patients in the one wing and to provide care with a dedicated team. But, Chris says, that quickly became unrealistic.

Chris was on the hospital’s first COVID-19 team, which consisted of four people: two interns, a senior physician, and an attending.

“But that was when you could count the number of U.S.-based COVID-19 patients on one hand,” he says. “We initially tried to operate mainly via telemedicine, talking to patients in the room through specially installed telephones. It was definitely scary because we didn’t know what to expect, but as we watched the graphs coming in from around the world

begin to surge, we knew that a major crisis would quickly be upon us.”

Suddenly the pandemic was thrust upon us all, and Chris went from treating patients who were sick in the usual ways to looking at every person as someone who potentially could have a deadly virus. The entire hospital workflow shifted from teams being dedicated to a caseload to triaging by floor and geographic space within the hospital.

“It became a lot to handle very quickly, but one thing that inspired me the most throughout the pandemic was the overwhelming sense that we were all in this together. I had a great team and could feel that we all had a common goal. No one ever said, ‘This isn’t my specialty; I’m out of there.’ Doctors and nurses flew in to help from across the country, and medical professionals of all specialties were on board to help with the COVID-19 crisis. I was so impressed with the way everyone came together.”

Chris said the most challenging part of the peak of the pandemic was the sheer volume of patients. “I would walk onto a shift and inherit so many patients that I immediately had to begin triaging, which was not the way we had been practicing medicine before COVID-19. We all knew that there were so

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many needs, but oxygen levels were our primary concern. We knew there were other questions to ask and other issues to address, but with the overload of patients, it was the center area of focus. If one patient was decompensating, you had to address that then and there. Sometimes we didn’t have all of the medical supplies we needed, so we did the best we could and hoped the patient got better.”

To get through those long, hard days, Chris relied on the support of his colleagues, friends, and family. He surfed with his brother Patrick, ran two or three laps around Prospect Park near his Brooklyn apartment, and went rock climbing at Brooklyn Boulders climbing club. He was grateful to have outlets outside medicine as forms of stress relief.

“Sometimes, a patient would come in with other comorbidities, and you knew the prognosis was not good, but we did what we could to the best of our abilities, and then you had to move on,” he shares. “There was always another patient who needed more help.”

Chris said that the pace was revved up for a very long time, but then, suddenly, one day there were fewer patients in the emergency department, and it was a bit quieter. More people were being downgraded out of the ICU. “Through it all, I’ve learned that when you’re in it and taking responsibility for a person’s well-being, you’re willing to put everything else aside. Even though the days may seem incredibly long and impossible to get through, if you love medicine and are dedicated to your patients, you make it happen.

I’ve also learned to take advantage of all the time you have to be with friends and family.”

Around that time in July, Chris began his residency, also in Brooklyn, in ophthalmology.

“Compared to a lot of other medical disciplines,

ophthalmology has a good record of being able to treat the issue and leave the patient satisfied with the result,” comments Chris. “I see a lot of patients with trauma: a bar fight, a kid who was running with a pencil. But, after seeing COVID-19 firsthand, I have been able to take a step back and address the issues one at a time. If a patient is breathing and awake, it might look like a pretty bad eyelid laceration, but you can fix that.” After his three years in residency are complete, he hopes to earn a fellowship to focus either on the retina or the cornea. But where exactly he hopes to be is less clear.

“I could see myself working anywhere, actually. I had an away rotation in Denver, Colo., which I really enjoyed. So, while it’s nice to be in New England close to my family, anywhere could be just a plane ride away.”

In the end, Chris says one thing led him through his journey: aspirando et perseverando. “You have to aspire and persevere in everything that you do. That’s a core value that lives with you forever—no matter what you do.”

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the

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elephant remembers In the spring of 1998, Avon Old Farms School marked George M. Trautman’s retirement after 29 years of leading Avon Old Farms School and dedicated most of the season’s Avonian to his impact. We took a look back at that publication and found many excerpts from George and others that remain true today.

FR OM “MA KIN G A DIFFER EN CE”:

Over the decades, scores of talented people have lived and worked on this campus, dedicating themselves to the education, nurturing, and development of young men. For all of us, from the headmaster and the faculty to the support staff and the maintenance crew, the success of Avon’s alumni brings, in a very real sense, its own form of immortality.”

As I look for common threads [among our alumni], I find many. Despite their diversity, those who have attended Avon invariably express their love for the school. They talk about what Avon taught them—lessons like discipline, the value of hard work, building self-confidence, being comfortable with commitments and responsibilities.” — G E O R G E M . T R A U T M A N

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FR OM "THE LAST WOR D: THOU GHTS ON F R O M “A G A LVANI Z I NG FO RCE”:

SU CCESS & FA ILU R E":

Trautman no longer coaches lacrosse on the field, nor does he teach history in the classroom. His classroom at Avon has been every classroom and every dormitory room, his athletic field has been every square yard of this campus.…”

Teaching is what this school is about, and often our most effective teaching takes place beyond the classroom. And while it is gratifying to see boys succeed in their studies or on the athletic field, I’m even more gratified by those who succeed in life.”

—MARGARET M. DEGRAAF

—GEORGE M. TRAUTMAN

A WE INVITE THE ENTIRE AVON COMMUNITY TO SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF GEORGE VIA OUR DIGITAL MEMORIAL AT

www.avonoldfarms.com/rememberinggeorgetrautman.

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class notes

Luke Archambault ’04, Mike Fish ’95, and host Russ Lallier ’03 enjoy a round of golf and sunset at GreatHorse Country Club in Hampden, Mass.

40s ’42 RUSSELL HUNTER

Head Class Agent 100 Sarah Ln., Apt. 112 Simsbury, CT 06070-1985

50s ’50 HARVEY S. RUBIN

Head Class Agent 102 Barbour Cir. Newport News, VA 23606-2201 harvo2516@verizon.net

’51 CARL A. CANDELS

Co-Head Class Agent 6 Mountain View Ave. Avon, CT 06001 ’51 WARREN T. FORD SR.

Co-Head Class Agent 115 Center St. Wolcott, CT 06716 jodir@aol.com NATHANIEL LANDE ’52

Best-selling author Nathaniel Lande ’52 published his most recent novel, While the Music Played: A Remarkable Story of Courage and Friendship in WWII.

The stories of this seamless blend of historical and fictional characters are told from multiple points of view, sweeping across the cities of Prague, London, and Berlin. This beautifully researched book features interweaving narratives threaded with news accounts and highlights some of the most triumphant and devastating moments of the war occurring from the opera houses of Berlin to the music halls of London. Congratulations, Nathaniel!

The Avonian // FALL 2020

’52 SETH F. MENDELL

Head Class Agent 232 Tellidora Ct. Fort Myers, FL 33908 sethalicemendell@gmail.com ’54 DOUGLAS H. MACPHERSON

Head Class Agent 5405 Dranes Tavern Dr. Fairfax, VA 22030-4603 dhmacpherson@verizon.net ’55 EDWARD J. HAWIE

Co-Head Class Agent 138 Hampton Point Dr. Simons Island, GA 31522-5426 ehawie@bellsouth.net ’55 CLEON M. SHUTT JR.

Co-Head Class Agent 511 Garrison Forest Rd. Owings Mills, MD 21117 chipsamerica@hotmail.com ’56 CHARLES R. SCAGLIONE

Head Class Agent 3328 Eagle Nest Point Virginia Beach, VA 23452 scag3328@gmail.com ’58 AUSTIN W. CHAMBERS

Co-Head Class Agent 335 Lake Shore Dr. North St. Petersburg, FL 33710-7751 ’58 STEPHEN R. HOLT

Co-Head Class Agent 75 Bridge St. Manchester-by-the Sea, MA 01944 stephenholt@comcast.net ’59 CHARLES W. DAVIS

Co-Head Class Agent 6905 West 99th St. Overland Park, KS 66212 cwdavis@waretec.com ’59 DOUGLAS B. MARSHALL

Co-Head Class Agent 61 Timberwood Rd., Unit 61 West Hartford, CT 06117-1464 douglas.marshall@raveis.com ’59 ROLF H. OLSON

Class Agent 1110 SW 93 Ct. Rd., Ste. 10-143 Ocala, FL 34481 Rholson9@aol.com

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60s ’60 RICHARD L. WILLIAMS

Head Class Agent PO Box 218 South Orleans, MA 02662-0218 rclumberclan@aol.com ’61 GEORGE F. HENSCHEL JR.

Head Class Agent 101 Seminary Rd. Bedford, NY 10506 gfhjr@aol.com ’62 ALAN D. ROZINSKY

Head Class Agent 13620 Via Flora, Apt. B Delray Beach, FL 33484 alroz@lycos.com ’63 JACK R. STOKVIS

Head Class Agent 25 Pine St. Haworth, NJ 07641-1926 smarts@galaxy.net CLASS OF 1963

During Avon’s postponed Alumni Reunion, the Class of 1963 held its 57th Class Reunion on May 15, 2020, with an estimated 900 percent increase in attendance over a “normal” in-person reunion!

Not bad, considering that only Knick Curtis, vice chair of Avon’s National Council, would have otherwise attended.

Then, as the “Groundhog Day” dreariness of the pandemic continued, they invited spouses to join to celebrate the 2020 summer solstice on Saturday, June 20, starting at exactly 5:43 PM EST. ’64 W. BRADFORD HARWOOD III

Head Class Agent 24 Overhill Ave. New Britain, CT 06053 wbhtcc@aol.com ’65 PERRY BENSON JR.

Head Class Agent 2135 Naudain St. Philadelphia, PA 19146-1218 pb2@jacobswyper.com

The Avon Class of 1963 held several Zoom virtual meetings to help the mental state of the class during the unending coronavirus pandemic. Not knowing when the pandemic will end, they may have more in the future!

’66 MICHAEL D. BARKER

Head Class Agent 40 Bay Hill Dr. Bloomfield, CT 06002-2376 ’67 JAMES W. CORRIGAN

Co-Head Class Agent 202 Smithfield Rd. Contoocook, NH 03229-2558 cecorrigan86@gmail.com ’67 MALCOLM M. HIRSH JR.

Class Agent 1529 South Emerson St. Denver, CO 80210-2722 malcolm.hirsh48@gmail.com ’67 WILLIAM F. ROBERTS JR.

Co-Head Class Agent 786 Brownsville Rd. Sinking Spring, PA 19608 wfroberts@fast.net ’68 CHASE F. DONALDSON

Class Agent 67 Hampton Meadows Hampton, NH 03842-1815 cfdifly@gmail.com

’68 ROBERT S. HATFIELD JR.

Class Agent 4621 SW Hillside Dr. Portland, OR 97221 rhatfield@lightpointnw.com ’68 GEORGE L. PURNELL

Head Class Agent 4822 Brighton Lakes Blvd.

Boynton Beach, FL 33436 glpluvssports@gmail.com ’69 DAVID F. COLEMAN

Head Class Agent 35 Adelaide Ave. Barrington, RI 02806 davidcoleman1150@gmail.com

70s ’70 HARRIS H. BUCKLIN III

Head Class Agent 3004 Margaret Jones Ln. Williamsburg, VA 23185 hbucklin3@gmail.com

56

CLASS NOTES

’71 TIMOTHY R. BEEBLE

’74 W. BARRETT HOLBY JR.

’78 RANDOLPH H. PIKE

’81 MICHAEL T. SYMES

Head Class Agent 63 Grassy Plain St. Bethel, CT 06801 tbeeble@aol.com

Class Agent 62 Shore Dr. Warren, RI 02885-1304 wbholby@me.com

Class Agent 1225 Omar St. Houston, TX 77008 randy.pike@mac.com

Class Agent 6 Onion River Rd. Wenham, MA 01984 symesm@avonoldfarms.com

’71 HENRY R. COONS

’74 EDWARD P. MOLLOY

’79 JAMES P. GARVEY

’82 GREGORY T. FISH

Class Agent 90 Evergreen Dr. Otisfield, ME 04270 henrycoons29@yahoo.com

Co-Head Class Agent 6 Winhart Dr. Granby, CT 06035-2815 Tmolloy@ArraySoftware.com

Class Agent 18840 5th St. SW Lutz, FL 33548 jpgarvey@clwrg.com

Head Class Agent 32 Castlewood Rd. Simsbury, CT 06089 greg@gregorytfishllc.com

’72 KEVIN J. DRISCOLL

’75 THOMAS B. BYRNE III

’79 ANTHONY M. GRAY

’82 JEROLD T. GARVEY

Head Class Agent 3 Muirfield Ln. Avon, CT 06001 driscollk@avonoldfarms.com

Head Class Agent 31 Helena Rd. Avon, CT 06001-3433 tbyrne@thomasbyrne.com

Co-Head Class Agent 6212 Wagner Ln. Bethesda, MD 20816 tgray@tonygray.net

Class Agent 3 Crooked Meadow Ln. Hingham, MA 02043 garveyj@stifel.com

’73 CHRISTOPHER L. ATKINS

’75 GORDON F. LINKE

’79 SCOTT B. LINKE

Head Class Agent PO Box 706 Hillsdale, NY 12529-0706 catkins702@gmail.com

Class Agent 2927 Jackson St. San Francisco, CA 94115 gflinke@gmail.com

Co-Head Class Agent 116 Eleven Levels Rd. Ridgefield, CT 06877-3011 scottblinke@comcast.net

’82 RICHARD G. PROTASEWICH

’73 JOHN R. BOURGET

’76 ALEXANDER N. WORLEY

Class Agent 7 Andrea Ln. Avon, CT 06001 witan@aol.com

Head Class Agent 20 Shore Grove Rd. Clinton, CT 06413 alexworley@sbcglobal.net

80s

’73 ROBERT H. MORAN JR.

’77 STUART D. BEATH

Class Agent 12800 Holly Grove Ct. Fairfax, VA 22033 robert_h_moranjr@ml.com

Class Agent 12229 Prince Towne Dr. St. Louis, MO 63141 sbeath@internationalfuel.com

’73 ROBERT S. OSBORNE

’77 JORGE E. CONSUEGRA JR.

Class Agent c/o Avogrado's Number 605 S. Mason St. Fort Collins, CO 80521

Head Class Agent 5 Andrews Rd. Greenwich, CT 06830 jconsuegra29@gmail.com

’74 BRUCE R. ANSCHUTZ

’77 FREDERICK M. MICHEL

Class Agent 287 Wetmore Rd. Columbus, OH 43214-2117 rabbit.in.hat@gmail.com

Class Agent 103 B Council St. Frederick, MD 21701 frederickoffrederick@comcast.net

’74 RICHARD T. CONNELL

’78 STEPHEN R. DEYETTE

Class Agent 88 Stancliff Rd. Glastonbury, CT 06033 rconnell@slamcoll.com

Class Agent c/o Dowling & Partners 190 Farmington Ave. Farmington, CT 06032

’74 GEORGE J. GIANNONI

’78 JOHN M. GARVEY

Co-Head Class Agent 36 Twilight Dr. Granby, CT 06035-1212 ggiannoni@cox.net

Head Class Agent 389 Haines Ave. Long Beach, CA 90814 jmgarvey@garvspace.com

’80 THOMAS E. DAVEY JR.

Head Class Agent 6806 Joyce Way Dallas, TX 75225-2718 thomasdaveyjr@gmail.com ’80 BRIAN R. MAITLAND

Class Agent 366 Cedar Ridge Dr. Glastonbury, CT 06033 maitland@cox.net ’81 SAMUEL C. BOOKBINDER IV

Head Class Agent 213 Midland Ave. Wayne, PA 19087 samuel.bookbinder @wfadvisors.com ’81 GEOFFREY G. KRATZ

Class Agent 92 Bald Hill Rd. Wilton, CT 06897-1402 geoffrey.kratz@gmail.com ’81 WILLIAM B. MAAG

Class Agent 24 Dennett Rd. Marblehead, MA 01945 wmaag@icloud.com

Class Agent 3004 Leyland Ct. Weddington, NC 28104 ’82 GREGORY V. R. STANTON

Class Agent 1086 Westover Rd. Stamford, CT 06902-1033 gstanton@irgra.com ’82 EDWARD P. STEWART

Class Agent 5651 Ella Lee Ln. Houston, TX 77056-4022 epstewart4@gmail.com ’83 BRETT C. DUFFY

Class Agent 1550 Chastain Pkwy West Pacific Palisades, CA 90272-1930 brettduffy@bhhscal.com ’83 WILLIAM E. ESCHERT

Co-Head Class Agent 24 Westland Rd. Avon, CT 06001-3197 billeschert@yahoo.com ’83 RICHARD C. GREGORY

Co-Head Class Agent 30 Walnut Farms Dr. Farmington, CT 06032 ’84 JOHN S. GORDON

Head Class Agent 246 Nacoochee Dr. NW Atlanta, GA 30305 falconatlfan@gmail.com

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’84 DOUGLAS C. SCHLUTER

Class Agent 63 Beach St. Marblehead, MA 01945-2957 doug@brentongray.com ’84 CARL A. VALIMONT

Class Agent 4739 North Cramer St. Whitefish Bay, WI 53211-1228 diversey6@me.com ’85 WILSON M. ALFORD III

Class Agent PO Box 58 Canton Center, CT 06020 wm.alford3@gmail.com ’85 DOUGLAS R. GROSSET

Class Agent 164 Princes Point Rd. Yarmouth, ME 04096-5900 douggrosset@yahoo.com ’85 H. RUSSELL PRESTON III

Class Agent 780 Williams St., #314 Longmeadow, MA 01106 russell.preston@comcast.net ’85 SAM L. RUBENSTEIN

Head Class Agent 1148 Apollo Gardens St. Henderson, NV 89052 richmondsr@aol.com ’85 WILLIAM E. YOUNG

Class Agent 1127 Fairway Chillicothe, MO 64601-3566 byoung@cbcfamily.com ’86 STEPHEN R. GORMAN

Head Class Agent 13 Smith Ln. Burlington, CT 06013-1201 stephen.r.gorman@gmail.com ’86 HENRY D. KRUPNIKOFF

Class Agent 20 Village View Ln. Unionville, CT 06085 hkrupnikoff@gmail.com ’87 HAROLD R. BEACHAM JR.

Head Class Agent 6 Tower Dr. Dover, MA 02030-1626 hal.beacham44@comcast.net

Several members of the Class of ’85 got together for a round of golf at Rockledge Golf Club in West Hartford, Conn., followed by dinner on the patio at the Rockledge Grille, owned by another AOF alum, Chip Kohn ’93.

58

CLASS NOTES

’87 WILLIAM C. BEGIEN

’91 ROBERT A. DOWLING

’93 ADAM K. CLINE

’95 PETER K. SHEFFIELD III

Class Agent 14 Cross Rd. Newburyport, MA 01950-4306 william.begien@gmail.com

Class Agent Avon Old Farms School 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001 dowlingr@avonoldfarms.com

Class Agent 3315 Willow Oak Rd. Charlotte, NC 28209-1521 adamcline50@gmail.com

Class Agent 13 Ellsworth Ave. Cambridge, MA 02139 kyle.sheffield@gmail.com

’93 TRAVIS MERRITT

’95 ANTHONY D. SILVESTRO

Head Class Agent 121 Rumson Rd. Little Silver, NJ 07739 merritttravis@yahoo.com

Head Class Agent 4 Haskell Rd Andover, MA 01810 tony.silvestro@insperity.com

’94 GRAHAM C. FULLER

’96 MARK A. CARUSO

Co-Head Class Agent 2937 Morris Rd. Ardmore, PA 19003-1832 grahamcraigfuller@gmail.com

Head Class Agent 124 Westminster Rd. Chatham, NJ 07928-1364 mcaruso@gmail.com

’94 PAUL M. GOZZO

’96 BRIAN J. O'NEILL

Class Agent 33 Grayson Rd. Winchester, MA 01890-1307 brian.oneill4@gmail.com

’87 WILLIAM P. BURKS JR.

Class Agent PO box 539 Waterbury, VT 05676 whip@vtharvest.com ’88 SHAWN E. ATKINSON

Co-Head Class Agent 428 Ridgewood Ave. Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 shawnatki@gmail.com ’88 PETER D. REED

’91 KEITH E. FESTA

Class Agent 15 Oldham Rd. West Newton, MA 02465-2326 keith_festa@cable.comcast.com ’91 ANDREW H. FISHER

Class Agent 1927 Cassamia Pl. Charlotte, NC 28211-1624 afish17@gmail.com

Co-Head Class Agent 91 Butternut Ln. Southport, CT 06890 pdreed18@gmail.com

’91 MICHAEL M. MULLIN IV

Head Class Agent 8 Nickerson Ln. Darien, CT 06820

Co-Head Class Agent 1 Country Farm Rd. Stratham, NH 03885-2536 11pgoz@gmail.com

’89 BRIAN RIVA

’91 BRENDON A. WELKER

’94 D. GARRETT TRULL

’97 TIMOTHY B. STAY

Class Agent 14 Chatfield Dr. Lakeville, CT 06039 brianriva@sbcglobal.net

Class Agent 121 Garden St. Farmington, CT 06032 brendonwelker@gmail.com

Class Agent 221 Squaw Trail Andover, NJ 07821-2960 trullpoolplumbing@gmail.com

Co-Head Class Agent 2024 Upland Way, #205 Philadelphia, PA 19131 timothystay@gmail.com

’89 ROBERT M. WILEMAN

’92 WILLIAM P. AUSTIN

’95 MATTHEW E. APTMAN

’97 KYLE R. YOUNGQUIST

Head Class Agent 7425 N.E. 97th Terr.

Oklahoma City, OK 73151-9121 rmw@wilemanagency.com

Class Agent 2 Tudor City Pl., Apt. 11AS New York, NY 10017 wpaustin55@gmail.com

Class Agent 15796 Glencrest Ave. Delray Beach, FL 33446 maptman@gmail.com

Co-Head Class Agent 14 Wychview Dr. Westfield, NJ 07090-1821 bigkyleyoungquist@gmail.com

90s

’92 DAMIEN J. EGAN

’95 DANIEL P. FITZPATRICK

’98 GEOFFREY R. BARLOW

Head Class Agent 52 Brookview Ct. Groton, CT 06340-5528 degan2@hotmail.com

Class Agent 23 Purington Ave. Natick, MA 01760 dpagfitz@gmail.com

’92 SCOTT M. GOODWYN

’95 JONATHON F. HARTNETT

Co-Head Class Agent Avon Old Farms School 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001 barlowg@avonoldfarms.com

Class Agent 1557 22nd St. North Arlington, VA 22209-1131

Class Agent 16 Rocky Brook Rd. Dover, MA 02030 jonfhartnett@outlook.com

’90 PETER J. DECKERS

Head Class Agent Avon Old Farms School 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001 deckersp@avonoldfarms.com ’90 PETER J. MALAFRONTE

Class Agent 4630 Center Blvd., PH7 Long Island City, NY 11109 peter.malafronte@gmail.com ’90 THOMAS P. O'CONNOR

Class Agent 12 Laura Dr. Attleboro, MA 02703 tommyoconnor@msn.com

’92 JOHN W. THARPE

Class Agent 172 Main St. Farmington, CT 06032 winkme@me.com ’93 LANCE A. CASHION

Class Agent 10312 Morada Rd. Fort Worth, TX 76126-1860 lancec@christchapelbc.org

’95 TIMOTHY J. MCANDREW

Class Agent 28 Egypt Ln. Locust Valley, NY 11560-1411 timmcandrew@gmail.com ’95 JOHN P. MCAULIFFE

Class Agent 7 Chester Rd. Darien, CT 06820 john.mcauliffe@sig.com

’98 J. ANDREW CORRIGAN

Co-Head Class Agent 78 West 85th St., Apt. 6A New York, NY 10024 jamesandrewcorrigan@gmail.com ’98 JOSHUA HELLER

Class Agent 14 Tucker St. Marblehead, MA 01945-3223 jmh56@cornell.edu ’98 GREGORY M. KRACZKOWSKY II

Class Agent 19 Canterbury Ln. Avon, CT 06001 kracz19@gmail.com

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IN MEMORIAM

Peter Mazza ’97

BY KEVIN DRISCOLL

L

ate in August 1996, I learned that one of my post-graduate football players had decided to forego his PG year and accept a scholarship to play for the University of Massachusetts. This was a tough dilemma to face, as it is always all-hands-on-deck in the highly competitive Erickson League.

The very next day, I received a call from a young man from Cheshire, Conn., asking whether we had any post-graduate openings. I told him we did, and when I asked his name, he humbly responded, “Peter Mazza.” I immediately recognized who Peter Mazza was and knew of his feats as a great schoolboy athlete—he was a threesport all-state pick. Peter was at the Air Force Academy when he discovered he had allergies that would not allow him

to continue and was seeking other options. The very next day, we had him in for a visit. He was easily one of the most impressive young men to step onto our campus. I was amazed at our good fortune, as his presence on campus made us a much better school.

His care and concern for the underclassmen was amazing—he always took the time to give them a few words of encouragement or just be there with some homesick or lonely young man. Peter served everyone at Avon as a perfect role model of an athlete, a scholar, a leader, a friend, and, most important, a good man.

After graduation, Peter continued his education at Yale University and continued to excel, becoming the lone captain, a feat rarely achieved at Yale. He was named to multiple All-Ivy teams and

was the Walter Camp Football Foundation Connecticut Player of the Year. Peter’s spirit will live on in the storied annals of Yale athletics.

Next for Peter was attending the University of Michigan Law School and practicing in Southern California. A former federal prosecutor, he rejoined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in February 2019 and was sworn in as second-incommand of one of the busiest federal districts in the nation. His rapid climb and success did not surprise any of us who

witnessed him perform on and off the field at Avon.

Sadly, on September 1, 2020, Peter lost his 18-month battle with cancer, which he met with the strength and courage that were such a part of his remarkable life. He never wavered from his faith and even in his final days told his children to have hope and believe in miracles.

He assured them that they would be OK. Peter is survived by his wife, Megan, and his three children: Elsie, Cora, and Christopher.

60

CLASS NOTES

’98 GEORGE E. PSARAS

’00 JOHN D. BECK

’01 BLAKE D. KEOGH

’03 JOSEPH S. KAROLY

Class Agent 139 Huckleberry Hill Rd. Avon, CT 06001-3119 Geopsaras@gmail.com

Class Agent 506 Prinz Dr. San Antonio, TX 78213-2005 jdbeck21@gmail.com

Class Agent 24 Dyer St. South Portland, ME 04106-1501

Class Agent 12 Short St. Cohasset, MA 02025 karoly_joseph@hotmail.com

’98 EDWARD D. RULISON

’00 PATRICK W. DOWLING

Class Agent 109 S. Warren St., Apt. 808 Syracuse, NY 13202 tedrulison@mac.com

Class Agent 12 Linda St. South Hadley, MA 01075 pdowling@umass.edu

’99 ERIN R. BORGER

’00 ERIC S. HILL

Class Agent 11 Blackwood Ct. Walnut Creek, CA 94596-5775 erin.borger@ubs.com

Class Agent 604 Old Toll Rd. Madison, CT 06443-1818 eric@greencamelproperties.com

’99 JEFFREY B. CARTER JR.

’00 VINCENT P. MONTALBANO

Class Agent 133 Beach St. Cohasset, MA 02025-1430 jbc1381@gmail.com ’99 JAYMES B. DORR

Class Agent 4 Ox Yoke Dr. Simsbury, CT 06070-1710 dorrj2001@yahoo.com

Class Agent 9 Rockbound Rd. Bedford, NH 03110 vincent.p.montalbano@gmail.com ’00 MICHAEL J. O'NEILL

Co-Head Class Agent 16 Old Colony Dover, MA 02030 michaeloneill27@yahoo.com

’99 CHRISTOPHER J. GATEMAN

’00 DANIEL J. SEIDEN

Class Agent 18 Sturbridge Ave. Greenville, RI 02828 cgateman@gmail.com

Co-Head Class Agent 117 Willow Oaks Ln. Summerville, SC 29483 seidend@gmail.com

’99 DAVID R. GRYBOSKI

’00 KENNETH C. TENUKAS

Co-Head Class Agent 101 South Bay Blvd., Suite B-3 PO Box 732 Anna Maria, FL 34216-0732 david@ghgdevelopment.com

Class Agent 4134 Saltwater Blvd.

Tampa, FL 33615 kc.tenukas@cbre.com

’99 J. MATTHEW KOWALCHICK

Class Agent Avon Old Farms School 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001 kowalchickm@avonoldfarms.com ’99 ANDREW M. KUNISCH

Co-Head Class Agent 936 S Howard Ave., Unit 307 Tampa, FL 33606-2492 kunisch23@yahoo.com ’99 STEPHEN A. ZAPPONE

Co-Head Class Agent 55 W Mountain Rd. West Simsbury, CT 06092-2306 zappones@yahoo.com

’01 NICHOLAS H. LAROCQUE

Co-Head Class Agent 60 Gardner Rd., #1 Brookline, MA 02445-4524 larocque.nicholas@gmail.com ’01 STEPHEN C. WAGNER

Class Agent 136 Forge Dr. Avon, CT 06001-3255 swagner@aaplusbonding.com ’02 WILLIAM N. PALMER

Head Class Agent 5835 Cherokee Dr. Fairway, KS 66205 wnpalmer@gmail.com ’03 PETER M. FORD

Class Agent 1206 Ross Dr. SW Vienna, VA 22180-6722 ugamgr13@gmail.com

’03 JAMES T. TANG

Head Class Agent 300 East 84th St., Apt. 2A New York, NY 10028 jamesttang@gmail.com ’04 LUKE R. ARCHAMBAULT

Class Agent 15 Old Hartford Ave. East Granby, CT 06026 archambaultl@avonoldfarms.com MIKE FINNEGAN ’04

Mike Finnegan ’04 recently moved to London, England, with his family.

The relocation is due to Mike’s new role as chief of staff for Vanguard International, which includes all of Vanguard’s businesses outside the United States. He and his family are excited to live in a new city and begin exploring the United Kingdom.

’01 CRAIG P. CHESTER

Class Agent 4017 Tennyson Rd. University Park, MD 20782-2157 cpchester@gmail.com ’01 CHRISTOPHER D. COLEMAN

Co-Head Class Agent 210 Foote St. Barrington, RI 02806-2943 christopherdcoleman@gmail.com ’01 MATTHEW J. HADDAD

Class Agent 17125 Arkansas Ln. Davidson, NC 28036-7085

Alex Nicolia ’04 and his wife, Christina, had their second child, Giulia Victoria, on May 7, 2020. Their oldest child, Viviana Elisa, was born on February 11, 2019. They currently live in Long Island, New York.

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’04 PATRICK L. FORSHNER

’05 PATRICK A. IRWIN

Class Agent 115 North Ave. Natick, MA 01760-3514 pforshner@gmail.com

Class Agent 1526 Myron St. Niskayuna, NY 12309-4222 pirwin312@gmail.com

’04 MATTHEW H. MORAN

’05 ANDREW B. LAWRENCE

Head Class Agent 1605 Sansom St., #206 Philadelphia, PA 19013 matthew.h.moran@gmail.com

Class Agent 968 Bay Rd. South Hamilton, MA 01982 mooklawrence@gmail.com

’05 JOHN W. DUCCI

’05 DANE G. LEMERIS

Class Agent 282 Wildcat Hill Rd. Harwinton, CT 06791 jducci@duccielectrical.com

Head Class Agent 239 W 4th St., Apt. 2 New York, NY 10014-2664 dlemeris@gmail.com

’05 JACKSON O. HOWARD

’05 JOHN C. MORI

Class Agent 3333 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Apt. 803 Washington, DC 20008 jacksonhoward@gmail.com

The Class of 2004 got together via Zoom three times during the long spring to share stories, laughs, and a drink or two.

Class Agent 248 Smith Ridge Rd. New Canaan, CT 06840-3622 johncmori@gmail.com

Mark Pohlman ’05 and his wife welcomed Grace Ann into this world on December 21, 2019. “Grace’s middle name is in memory of my wife’s grandmother, Ann, who passed away peacefully at the age of 94 exactly one year prior to her birth. She has two older siblings: Calla (2) and Welles (4),” wrote Mark.

62

CLASS NOTES

’05 DAVID E. ROTHSCHILD

Class Agent 210 East 68th St., PHB New York, NY 10065 davidedwardrothschild@gmail.com ’05 ROBERT M. TESAR

Class Agent 42605 County Rd., #36 Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 rtesar86@gmail.com ’06 STUART D. BEATH

Class Agent 6 Willow Hill Rd. Saint Louis, MO 63124-2070 sbeath10@gmail.com

A big thank you to Dr. Chris Hampton ’09, recent graduate of UCONN Medical School. Chris is doing hero work on the frontline COVID-19 team at the VA Hospital and Brooklyn Hospital in New York City. Our gratitude and good thoughts are with him as he aspires and perseveres in this crisis.

’06 MICHAEL J. BUCCHINO

Class Agent 304 Ridge Rd. Cedar Grove, NJ 07009-1947 michaeljon4@gmail.com ’06 KEVIN T. DRISCOLL

Co-Head Class Agent 252 E 61st St., Apt. 3BN New York, NY 10065-0350 kevin.t.driscoll@gmail.com ’06 STEPHEN P. DRISCOLL

Class Agent 1530 Locust St., Apt. 3F Philadelphia, PA 19102-4419 ’06 HENRY L. MURRAY III

Class Agent PO Box 883302 Steamboat Springs, CO 80488 henry.l.murray@gmail.com ’06 JOSHUA P. PAVANO

Co-Head Class Agent 60 Forest Hills Dr. Farmington, CT 06032-3017 jpavano@gmail.com ’06 ROBERT P. THEIS

Class Agent 1419 Olden Ln. SE Atlanta, GA 30316 rptheis@gmail.com ’07 MATTHEW D. BEATH

Class Agent 11806 Mayfield Ave., #101 Los Angeles, CA 90049 mbeath11@gmail.com ’07 CHRISTOPHER P. CANNING

Class Agent 567 North 500 West Moab, UT 84532

’07 SE YOON CHOI

’07 ARMAND W. WILSON

’09 CONOR R. CUMMINGS

Class Agent 108-903 LG Zai Apartment, Echon-1 Dong, Yongsan Ku Seoul, Korea

Class Agent 3167 North St. Fairfield, CT 06824-1627 armandwwilson@gmail.com

Class Agent 2527 Q St. NW, #302 Washington, DC 20007 conorcummings@gmail.com

’07 CASEY R. COONS

’08 WILL H. HENDRICKS

’09 ANTHONY CUSANO

Co-Head Class Agent 50A Oak St. Wakefield, MA 01880 caseycoons4@gmail.com

Co-Head Class Agent 3818 Highland Ave. Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 willheatonhendricks@gmail.com

Class Agent 35 Avalon Dr. Avon, CT 06001-3539 cusanoa25@gmail.com

’07 MATTHEW N. GIAMALIS

’08 DAVID R. HOLLADY

’09 JOHN F. DRISCOLL

Class Agent 23 W 69th St., B New York, NY 10023 mngiamalis@gmail.com

Class Agent 72 Arlington Ave. Kensington, CA 94707-1132 David@hollady.com

Class Agent 157 Lake Ave. Manasquan, NJ 08736-3238

’07 TYLER C. HADDAD

’08 PETER J. HOLST-GRUBBE

Co-Head Class Agent 81 Brookside Dr. Longmeadow, MA 01106-2319 tyler.c.haddad@gmail.com

Class Agent 402 E 90th St., Apt. 4F New York, NY 10128-5136 holstgrubbep@gmail.com

’07 JONATHAN R. HASPILAIRE

’08 KEVIN S. SISTI

Class Agent 27 East Concord St., Unit 1 Boston, MA 02118 Jonathan.Haspilaire@gmail.com ’07 BRIAN C. MALCHOFF

Class Agent Avon Old Farms School 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001 malchoffb@avonoldfarms.com ’07 KENNETH TRENTOWSKI

Class Agent 335 Nicholas Ct. Wilmington, DE 19808 ktrentowski@gmail.com

Co-Head Class Agent 64 Pinnacle Rd. Farmington, CT 06032 kevin@oldlimeproductions.com ’09 JOHN B. BEATH

Head Class Agent 1152 Rue la Ville Walk St. Louis, MO 63141 beathj@gmail.com ’09 JAKE R. BOURGAULT

Class Agent 1413 5th St. NW, #200 Washington, DC 20001 jake.bourgault@gmail.com

’09 MICHAEL C. MANGAN

Class Agent 367 Macon St., #2 Brooklyn, NY 11233-1009 michael.mangan424@gmail.com ’09 JOHN P. ROTCHFORD

Class Agent 1535 Caraleigh Mills Ct., Apt. 105 Raleigh, NC 27603-6451 rotcjp9@gmail.com ’09 PERRY C. WASSERBAUER

Class Agent 284 Harvard St., Ste. 12 Cambridge, MA 02139-2363 perry.wasserbauer@gmail.com ’10 MATTHEW R. COZ

Head Class Agent 711 Cliffside Terr.

Greensboro, NC 27403 mcoz55@gmail.com

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’10 PATRICK D. HAMPTON

Class Agent 1001 Fulton St., #2 Brooklyn, NY 11238 pdavishampton@gmail.com ’10 TAFT M. HAVRON

Class Agent 1808B Ashwood Ave. Nashville, TN 37212-5012 tafthavron@gmail.com ’10 BENJAMIN B. LAROCQUE

Class Agent 800 Elgin Rd., Apt. 811 Evanston, IL 60201 blarocque15@gmail.com ’10 BENJAMIN T. WILLIAMS

Class Agent 345 Clinton Ave., #11H Brooklyn, NY 11238 btwilliams2010@aim.com ’11 DOMINICK O. ANDRE

Class Agent 100 Commandants Way, #309 Chelsea, MA 02150 andrepu17@gmail.com

Taft Havron ’10 and his now wife, Sarah Reed Havron, returned to the Avon Old Farms campus on Saturday, August 29, for a beautiful wedding day shot by Cam Andrews ’19. Congratulations Taft and Sarah, and great work, Cam!

’11 BENJAMIN A. CROCKER

Class Agent 24 S Angell St., #2 Providence, RI 02906-5207 crocker.ben.a@gmail.com

’12 EMMET ROGERS

Class Agent 171 East 2nd St., Apt. 5 New York, NY 10009 emmetrogers012@gmail.com

’11 MICHAEL S. FLYNN JR.

Class Agent 25 Sybil Creek Pl. Branford, CT 06405-5261 mike.flynn09@gmail.com

’12 JEREMY D. ROSS

Class Agent 111 Richards Rd. Litchfield, CT 06759 jeremyross101@gmail.com

’11 STEVEN M. HONEYMAN

Class Agent 260 Deerbrooke Cir. Southington, CT 06489 Smhoneyman@gmail.com

’12 JOHN D. SHAMBURGER

Head Class Agent 3185 Nancy Creek Rd. NW Atlanta, GA 30327-1903 shamburgerd@gmail.com

’11 HARRISON M. LYONS

Class Agent 316 S 10th Ave. Bozeman, MT 59715 hlyons@suffolk.com ’11 OLIVER K. ROTHMANN

Head Class Agent 50 Broadlawn Park, Apt. 506 Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 orothmann1@babson.edu

One of our own joins a skit on the Tonight Show, starring Jimmy Fallon. Latif (Jet) Rivers '10 of the Harlem Globetrotters shines on and off the court. Great job, Latif! We are so proud of you.

’12 BENJAMIN J. CASELLA

’12 CONNOR P. DOYLE

’12 MICHAEL A. NICOLIA

Class Agent 316 Johnson Hill Rd. Washington, MA 01223

Class Agent Apartment 7K, Olympia House 279 East 44th St. New York, NY 10017 doyle12187@gmail.com

Class Agent 103 Davison Ln. West West Islip, NY 11795 michael.nicolia@gmail.com

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CLASS NOTES

’12 RYAN K. YEN

’14 LIAM P. GILBERT

Class Agent 4228 Winding Way Ct. Dallas, TX 75287-2767 ryan.kho.yen@gmail.com

Class Agent 149 Stenton Ave. Blue Bell, PA 19422 gilbertl1911@gmail.com

’13 MANUEL BARNES CASO BERCHT

’14 TRAVIS F. KOZAK

Class Agent Bosque de Sabinos 88 11700 Bosques de Las Lomas Mexico City, DF 11700 Mexico manuelbarnes@gmail.com ’13 VINCENT F. DEBLASIO

Class Agent 240 South 7th St. Philadelphia, PA 19106 vincent@deblasiogroup.com ’13 WILSON P. MEYER

Head Class Agent 250 Fairview Ln. Clarksville, TN 37040-6638 wilsonpmeyer@gmail.com ’13 SEAMUS N. O'BRIEN

Class Agent 800 Chatham Hall Cir. Chatham, VA 24531 seamus.n.obrien@gmail.com ’13 JOHN J. VAN ALLEN

Class Agent 10 New St., Apt. 511 Boston, MA 02128 jjghyu@gmail.com ’13 WILLIAM M. WHITE

Class Agent 70 Castlerock Dr. Sanford, NC 27332-1379 william.white1994@gmail.com ’14 CHRISTIAN F. AWE

Class Agent 75 Kettle Pond Dr. Wakefield, RI 02879-5417 Christianawe20@gmail.com ’14 LANCE C. BERRY

Class Agent 14036 Claysparrow Rd. Charlotte, NC 28278-6864 lance.berry@mac.com ’14 CODY R. DOYLE

Class Agent Avon Old Farms School 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001 crdoyle13@gmail.com

Class Agent 64 Addison Rd., Apt. 116 Glastonbury, CT 06033 Travis.f.kozak@gmail.com ’14 PETER N. MURPHY

Class Agent 450 Ocean Blvd., Apt. 101C Lantana, FL 33462 ’14 MICKOY R. NICHOL

Co-Head Class Agent Avon Old Farms School 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001 nicholm@avonoldfarms.com ’14 RYAN D. PHILLIPS

Co-Head Class Agent 737 North Point St. San Francisco, CA 94109 rydphillips@gmail.com ’14 GIUSEPPE A. REESE-MELLONE

Class Agent 8 Malbert Rd., Unit 3 Boston, MA 02135 yankeedude209@aol.com ’15 WILLIAM C. DAVIS

Co-Head Class Agent 11 Parker Rd. Avon, CT 06001 cdavis7@me.com ’15 CHRISTIAN E. DI ANTONIO

Co-Head Class Agent 2145 College St. Montgomery, AL 36106 diantoniochristian@gmail.com ’15 MICHAEL P. DIETRICK

Class Agent 204 Monomoy Cir. Centerville, MA 02632 mpdietrick@gmail.com ’15 MATTHEW D. HAHN

Class Agent 4948 Edge Rock Dr. Chantilly, VA 20151 Matthew.d.hahn.12@gmail.com

This past December, Cooper Napoli ’16 started his own company, Delta-Five Performance. Cooper developed a passion for performance training while at Avon. He was entering his senior year when the weight room was redone in 2015, and that year of utilizing the facility and having a great strength coach opened his eyes to the potential of the human body. He remembers making training programs (a lot better now than they were back then) for friends and teammates on the lacrosse team starting when he was 16.

Cooper has plenty of offerings for athletes at any level: he’s worked with athletes ranging from high school baseball, football, and lacrosse players who’ve never been in a weight room to members of the UFC, PGA, and NFL going for championships in their respective sports.

Delta-Five Performance primarily works online, although Cooper and his fiancée just moved to Boulder, Colo.

’15 JACOB ROCHFORD

’16 SEAN C. NAPOLI

Class Agent 34 Taine Mountain Rd. Burlington, CT 06013 jake.rochford@gmail.com

Class Agent 6644 Finley Place Boulder, CO 80301 napolisc10@gmail.com

’15 EDMUND T. TAKATA

SURYA RAMASAMY ’16

Class Agent 275 Mountain Spring Rd. Farmington, CT 06032 edmundtakata@gmail.com

Surya Ramasamy ’16 was inducted into the Bates Scholar-Athlete Society at Bates College. The Bates Scholar-Athlete Society honors graduating seniors who have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.5 or have received a special nomination from the faculty for outstanding academic achievement in their junior and senior years and who have participated in a varsity sport for a minimum of three years.

’16 MICHAEL J. GIAMALIS

Class Agent 5 Jordan Ln. Farmington, CT 06085 michael.giamalis@richmond.edu ’16 MATTHEW T. HORTON

Head Class Agent 1 Nashua St., Apt. 1202 Boston, MA 02114-1611 horton_matt@bentley.edu ’16 ALESSIO R. MARCOGLIESE

Co-Head Class Agent 590 Kindersley Montreal H3R 1S4 Canada alessio.marcogliese@gmail.com ’16 PETER J. MOECKEL

Class Agent PO Box 30151 Sea Island, GA 31561-0151 pmoeckel@nd.edu

’16 TUCKER J. SYMES

Class Agent 6 Onion River Rd. Wenham, MA 01984 tucker.symes@usma.edu ’16 ANDREW J. WALTZER

Class Agent 123 Cosey Beach Ave., Apt. 4 East Haven, CT 06512-4958 waltzerandrew@gmail.com

The Avonian // FALL 2020

’16 JACOB J. WHITTY

’18 KEVIN E. HUVELDT

Class Agent Avon Old Farms School 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001

Head Class Agent 96 Four Mile Rd. West Hartford, CT 06107-2703 kevinhuveldt4@gmail.com

’16 BRADY M. WILLIAMSON

’19 WILLIAM B. AARON

Class Agent 218 Kingswood Dr. Avon, CT 06001 Willicao@bc.edu

Class Agent 38 Loomis Dr., 2B West Hartford, CT 06107

’17 RYAN P. ASHE

Class Agent W297N3341 Woodridge Cir. Pewaukee, WI 53072 rashe@middlebury.edu ’17 JEREMY L. AWE

Class Agent 75 Kettle Pond Dr. Wakefield, RI 02879-5417 Ja0475@bard.edu ’17 NATE J. BERGIN

Class Agent 80 Main St. Farmington, CT 06032 Njb78@georgetown.edu

’19 REZA BADIEE

Class Agent 1395 Park Row La Jolla, CA 92037 rezbad2@gmail.com ’19 XUFENG DAI

Class Agent 629 Che Zhan Rd. Shang Pin Apartment 1-2902 Wenzhou, ZHE 325000 China DXF2000715@gmail.com ’19 MAXWELL A. MILLER

Head Class Agent 625 Treehouse Cir. Saint Augustine, FL 32095-6837 mmiller20413@gmail.com

The school has learned of the following deaths: JOHN B. LIEBLER ’38 RICHARD E. DOREMUS ’43 JOHN H. BARTER ’52

’19 NOLAN J. MORR

Class Agent 55 Savarese Ln. Burlington, CT 06013

Class Agent 67 Sandy Brook Rd. Colebrook, CT 06021 nmorr14@gmail.com

’17 RYAN G. LANCHBURY

’19 WILLIAM B. MURRAY

Class Agent 4225 Gleneagles Ct. Burlington, ON L7M 4A4 Canada ryan.lanchbury@richmond.edu

Class Agent 93 Ayrshire Ln. Avon, CT 06001-2101 murrayw344@gmail.com

’17 KEVIN A. SIEBER

’19 JARED K. O'HARE

Head Class Agent 55 Shore Rd. Clinton, CT 06413 ksieber@friars.providence.edu

Class Agent 9 Sonoma Ln. Middletown, CT 06457 jaredkoa@comcast.net

’17 XAVIER M. VEGA

’19 TREVOR O. WEHNER

Class Agent 257 South Water St. East Windsor, CT 06088 xmv22.eth@gmail.com

Class Agent 14100 Kings Valley Highway Monmouth, OR 97361-9572 wehnertrevor@gmail.com

’17 ZACHARY J. WINEMASTER

’19 CULLEN M. YOUNG

Class Agent 343 North Ahwahnee Rd. Lake Forest, IL 60045 winemasterzach@gmail.com

Class Agent 9 Mockingbird Ln. Maynard, MA 01754-2253

’17 EDWARD J. BRENNAN

IN MEMORIAM

ALVAH L. MILLER ’55 PAUL R. WIESNER ’56 RODRIGO HOLGUIN ’61 LAWRENCE S. BRICK ’64 JOHN K. SHAW III ’64 PETER HAUSBERG ’66 SCOTT J. PONTER ’69 HENRY D. RILEY, III ’69 ADDISON B. MARSH ’70 NICHOLAS P. PARKER ’75 JASON C. MUELLER ’96 PETER J. MAZZA ’97 GEORGE M. TRAUTMAN H’98 ABEL AGANBEGYAN JR. ’16 GERALD F. GLADSTONE ’16

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66

The Last Word

Avon Old Farms Memories

BY SETH MENDELL ’52

G

raham Deckers's winning Christmas card in last year’s Avon Old Farms holiday competition brought back many special memories for me and my wife, Alice.

In September 1962, when I returned from my second tour of duty with the U.S. Army at the time of the Berlin Wall crisis, Alice and I moved into the apartment depicted in Graham’s art. Phyllis, our first child, slept in the room on the second floor with the smaller of the two dormers; our bedroom was nearer the quadrangle side of Pelican. Two years later, our second daughter, Margaret, joined the family.

The windows on the first floor of our apartment looked out from the living and dining rooms onto a sizable

triangular area between the ends of Diogenes and Pelican.

In his watercolor, Graham showed this area covered with snow. In the summer of 1963, I asked Headmaster Don Pierpont if the school had any old brick I could use to build a patio in that triangle. He reached for the phone, and the following morning, a large truck with a hydraulic lift deposited two large pallets of bricks in the circle in front of Diogenes. Bill Kegley, custodian of buildings and grounds, was quick to tell me to move the bricks out of the road, as they were blocking the way for emergency vehicles. It was summer, the boys were gone, and only a few faculty members were on campus. It took all day, but finally, with a little help, all 2,000 bricks had been thrown

The Avonian // FALL 2020

Graham Deckers’s winning Christmas card in last year’s Avon Old Farms holiday competition brought back many special memories for me and my wife, Alice.

over the wall and lay in a heap at the bottom of the hill.

With those bricks, I built a split-level patio. The upper level surrounded a large oak tree that stood in the middle of the triangle area. In the fall, we watched squirrels eat acorns up in the branches from our bedroom windows. The lower patio curved around the base of the tree and made a good spot for a grill and a picnic table. To get to my creation, we came down the cellar stairs from the kitchen into the tunnels that ran under the buildings and out through a door on the back side of Pelican. Faculty living in the Diogenes apartment next door had the same access to the patio through their kitchen. We greatly enjoyed the area along with others for the years we lived there.

A more humorous memory Graham's watercolor invoked (although not at the time) involved the three underclassmen living on the third floor. At the time, the school was increasing in size, and Don asked the faculty families living in the quadrangle apartments in Eagle, Pelican, and Diogenes to give up their third floors. This worked because the third floors could be accessed through the bathrooms at the end of the dormitory hallways. The interior stairways in our apartments to the rooms above were blocked with large sheets of plywood, barring any traffic up or down.

One evening while school was in session, Alice, Frank Leavitt '52, and I were sitting and talking in the living room when a torrent of water gushed down the stairs and onto the floor. I quickly ran up our stairs. However, the water was coming not from our second-floor bathroom but down the stairs from the third floor—which was totally blocked.

I dashed back down to the living room; Alice and Frank had rolled back the carpet and were mopping the floor. Out the front door I ran, turned left on the flagstone walkway leading to the entrance of Pelican, up two flights of stairs to the third floor, down the hallway through the dormitory

67

bathrooms, and then to the doorway to the third floor, where three students lived. I burst through the door, and there was the source of the water cascading into our living room two floors below. The door to the bathroom was open, and standing in the toilet bowl was Josh Lipman, trying to jam a bath towel down the toilet to stop the flow of water. The toilets on the campus were pressure flushed, and the valve was stuck open— hence the cascade. I took off a shoe and hit the valve until it closed. Then the story came out: the boys had been eating oranges and throwing the peels into the toilet. To get the peels to go down, they had held the handle of the valve down, and it stuck. I explained the mess we had in our living room and told them to use the toilets in the dormitory until the plumber came in the morning to unplug their toilet and fix the valve. We all smiled and said “goodnight.”

Downstairs, the living room had been put back in order. The three of us sat down, and I started to explain the cause of the waterfall, when torrents of water flooded down the stairs again. Out the door I ran, turned left along the walkway into the dorm, up two flights of stairs, left down the hallway, and for a second time burst into the boys’ quarters. No sign of the boys. I pounded the valve until it shut, and the water stopped flowing. I went looking for the boys, and all three—Josh, Malcolm Hirsh, and Andy Schorr—were hiding in one of the rooms.

Curiosity had won out, and they had had to see if the toilet flushed. Of course, it did not. We had a little chat, and this time there were no smiles when I left.

Now, nearly 60 years later, Alice and I are still in contact with the “boys.” We always have a good laugh remembering the events of that evening.

I congratulate Graham ’20 for winning the competition with such a spectacular view of the faculty apartment on the Diogenes end of Pelican Dormitory and thank him for prompting me to reminiscence about the time I spent there.

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PARTING SHOTS Though this publication is dedicated to the memory of George M. Trautman, his presence and impact on our community live on in the 24 people he hired who continue to serve Avon today:

Edward Brennan, Associate Director of Facilities | hired 1995

Mercedes Featherston, Music Teacher |

Debra Case, Director of Information Technology | hired 1993

hired 1996

Jonathan Crocker, Director of College Counseling | hired 1994 Arthur Custer, School Historian, History Teacher | hired 1982 Michelle Custer, French Teacher | hired 1991 Peter Deckers ’90, Associate Director of Information Technology | hired 1995 Marie Delnicki, Standardized Testing Director | hired 1976 Jim Detora, Head of School | hired 1993 Robert Dowling ’91, Provost | hired 1995 Brian Doyle, Dean of Students, Varsity Baseball Head Coach | hired 1993 Lara Doyle, School Store Manager | hired 1995 Kevin Driscoll ’72, Alumni Relations Officer, Head Football Coach Emeritus | hired 1978

Robert Frenette, Shipping and Receiving Coordinator | hired 1993 Deborah Garber, Director of Baxter Library | hired 1997 John Gardner, Varsity Hockey Head Coach | hired 1975 Troy Johansen, Plumber | hired 1992 James Kassel, Woodworking Teacher | hired 1994 David McElheny, Math Teacher | hired 1979 Arthur Mehos, History Teacher | hired 1989 Peter Rice ’76, Science Department Chair | hired 1994 John Riley, Rink Manager | hired 1993 Timothy Roller, Director of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, Associate Director of College Counseling | hired 1996 Glenn Wilcox, Director of Facilities | hired 1993

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Albany, NY Permit No. 97 500 Old Farms Road Avon, Connecticut 06001 www.avonoldfarms.com

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Parents If this issue is addressed to your son or to your family, but your son no longer maintains an address at your home, please reach out to us with the correct address.

Email us at: alumni@avonoldfarms.com or use our form online at: www.avonoldfarms.com/UpdateAddress

Remembering George M. Trautman  1933–2020