Remembering Tell White ’GB, PTT

BY SHELLEY BORROR JACKSON FHS, P’00

Going Home Again

Remembering the life of the charismatic, charming Tell White ’GB, PTT 1933–2022

Every now and then, one person really does make a difference. Nowhere was this truer than in Tell White’s return to Bement as one of the most impactful volunteers a school could hope for.

Tell and his sister, Sheila Lummis ’GB, came to Bement as five- and seven-year-old siblings, and there they spent their academic lives until it was time for high school. Tell was adamant that this was the best thing that could have happened in his childhood.

Tell’s return as a volunteer at Bement was a near miss. Newly retired from 41 years at Container Corporation of America in 1999, he was at loose ends. He soon placed a call to see if Bement could use any help. He left this message with whomever answered the phone, but that important message was never delivered. When Tell’s call wasn’t returned, he called again. This time, the right person (Cynthia Hinckley PTT, P’97, PF) answered, and the proverbial “the rest is history” began.

Tell’s first assignment was to help with the school’s 75th reunion. Grace Bement was no longer living, and that generation of alumni had no head of school to whom they could return. Coincidentally, I was in my first year of Bement headship, didn’t know a single alum, and was completely intimidated by this looming event. Tell and his era needed a head, I needed alumni, and we joyfully adopted each other. A robust group of Grace Bement alumni returned for the reunion, and Tell welcomed them as only he could do. He led them through hours of poignant stories with a common thread of abiding love for Grace Bement and the remarkable school she started. I was enchanted.

The storytelling and reconnections were magical, and the need for a more formal alumni association emerged. Who better than the charismatic, charming Tell White to lead that new group? As president of the alumni association for roughly 15 years, he also sat on the Bement Board of Trustees, a role that meant the world to him. When Tell chose to speak at a meeting, what he said was worth hearing. He suffered no fools, was always focused on the school’s mission, and found courage when others couldn’t.

Upon learning that Tell had passed away, an outpouring of messages from fellow trustees included these words to capture their cherished friend: loyal, elegant, positive, creative, outgoing, optimistic. They noted his “boundless love” for the school, repeatedly referred to him as a gentleman, and, most of all, called working with him “an honor.” Craig White TT, P’03, a former chef at Bement, fondly remembers Tell’s penchant for cookies, often snitching a few from a platter in the kitchen and then wrapping up a few more. Tell’s love of cookies was celebrated this past winter at Bement on Tell White Cookie Day to remind everyone of the power of a cookie in one’s pocket.

Something special happened every time Tell set foot on campus; he had celebrity status. One of his many gifts was the immediate friendship he extended to everyone he met. Kindergarten children knew Mr. White, middle school kids thought he was a cool old dude, teachers welcomed him into their classrooms. He was an open ear and wide shoulders for alumni who wanted to share their stories.

Another dear Bement friend recently asked me what Tell’s greatest gifts to the school had been. I was surprised by the speed with which I could answer that. Tell brought Grace Bement back to life. Through Tell, we reaffirmed her passion for literature and the arts, her understanding of child development, her deep respect for play in the outdoors. Her students weren’t tested, assessed, and evaluated, but Tell would often say, “I learned everything that matters in life from Grace Bement.” She observed her students keenly and sent their parents lengthy letters about the children’s lives at Bement. One of Tell’s letters shared her pride over his ability to “accept frequent pummeling at recess by his peers,” something I can’t imagine any head of school writing today but something Tell assured me developed his equanimity and resilience.

Most of all, Tell taught us that Grace Bement created a school where children were loved. Time and again he referenced that this is where he felt most loved in his youth, and when he returned for his countless visits later in life, he became a happy little boy again. Tell taught us that childhood is sacred and that returning to its place matters, the stories matter, and certainly the people who love us matter. Tell proved Thomas Wolfe wrong; we really can go home again.

The Bement School and I were forever changed when Tell returned in 2000. We both gained one of the best friends we could ever have.

Tell White’s obituary may be found at seacoastonline.com/obituaries/p0185648.