Buzzer Fall/Winter 2012

THE BROWNING SCHOOL

Fall/Winter 2012

ART IN FOCUS

Portrait Inspired by Lauren Redniss • By Ross Gramley ’23, Lower School

Second grade boys were introduced to RADIOACTIVE,

cyanotype prints with the help of Form V and VI chemistry

illustrations within it as a source of inspiration for creating

to page 42 for details.

the 2012 Common Book by Lauren Redniss, and used the

B • The Buzzer • fall 2012

students in a cross-disciplinary, cross-divisional project. Turn

CONTENTS

Contents

FALL/WINTER 2012

FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 10

4 On three separate occasions in September, Browning faculty, Form VI boys and Trustees were escorted on guided tours through the School to view the impressive renovations that occurred over the summer.

The shared reading of the Common Book each summer unites Browning’s faculty, staff, Trustees and boys entering Forms II to VI in the experience of reading the same book. This year’s choice, Radioactive: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss, sparked discussion and prompted cross-curriculum projects.

14 Thanks to a dedicated group of Browning parents and school librarians, the annual Book Fair includes plenty of shopping opportunities and a chance for the boys to hear guest authors discuss their work.

22 Greek and Latin teacher Brett Wisniewski and two Form VI boys participated in an unprecedented opportunity this summer, namely, an archaeological excavation on Yeronisos Island off the coast of Cyprus.

38

46

Last year’s introduction of modern languages in the third and fourth grades is the topic of an interview with Department Chair Megan Ryan who answered a series of questions about this new program and the response to it thus far.

Every year, the Parents Association awards stipends to faculty members who apply for specific projects, such as summer travel, research or study. Each recipient writes an article for the Buzzer about his or her project; three faculty are featured in this issue.

2 Contributors 3 From the Headmaster 25 From the Archives 26 The Local Buzz 42 Fine and Performing Arts 52 Athletics 56 Alumni Events 60 Class Notes 66 Alumni in the News

ON THE COVER

Headmaster Clement ordered shiny red hard hats emblazoned with the 125th anniversary logo especially for the tours taken this past September by faculty, Form VI boys and Trustees who were escorted through the School to view the impressive renovations that occurred over the summer.

Each tour included a detailed on-site review of progress made to date and a preview of the next steps in Phase II of renovations.

(See story on page 4.)

the Buzzer is printed on paper containing 10% total recycled fiber

CONTRIBUTORS BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2012–13

Laura Neller Lanigan Director of Alumni Affairs

Giurissa Félix Spanish

Lucy Warner Lower School Music

Megan Ryan Chair, Modern Languages Department

Judit Resika Mathematics

Brett Wisniewski Greek and Latin

MISSION STATEMENT Founded in 1888 as a college preparatory school for boys, The Browning School continues its commitment to the goals of John A. Browning: the pursuit of academic excellence and a lifelong love of learning,

the belief in the dignity of the individual, and the development of personal integrity and responsibility to the broader community.

The Browning boy develops amid these values.

The Browning alumnus is a good citizen,

James S. Chanos, President William L. Jacob III, Vice President R. Thomas Herman ’64, Secretary Celeste A. Guth, Assistant Secretary Thomas S. Hexner, Treasurer Richard L.N. Weaver ’75, Assistant Treasurer Michael Beys ‘89, President, Alumni Association Alka K. Singh, President, Parents Association H. Kenneth Metz, Vice President, Parents Association Stephen M. Clement, III, Headmaster Mildred J. Berendsen, Honorary Trustee Laura Z. Barket Stuart J. Ellman Elizabeth Granville-Smith Allan L. Gropper William S. Kingson Jeffrey Landes ‘83 Tricia Langton Wendy F. Levey David J. Liptak Jeffrey S. Olson Raul Pineda Michael L. Rankowitz Ellen Stafford-Sigg Sanjay Swani Lou Switzer Valda M. Witt Tucker York

BUZZER STAFF Stephen M. Clement, III, Headmaster Martin T. Haase, Director of Institutional Advancement Melanie S. McMahon, Director of Publications, Buzzer Editor Laura Neller Lanigan, Director of Alumni Affairs Contributing photographers: Christine Bramble, Marty Hyman Photography, Jeremy Katz ’04, Melanie McMahon, Laura Neller Lanigan, Sandy Pelz ’71, and Soo Mi Thompson.

sensitive to the needs of others, and respectful of divergent yet informed opinions.

He is, in the best sense of the word, a gentleman.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT The Browning School strives to create a diverse community in which all members are safe, respected and valued.

We believe that in actively promoting a diverse learning environment, we are fostering intellectual, social and emotional growth for all.

Recognizing and pursuing diversity, however, are not enough; we seek to transcend mere tolerance of differences and aspire to a celebration of the varied appearances, abilities, perspectives and values that characterize our community.

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The Buzzer is published three times a year

by The Browning School Office of Institutional Advancement. The School may be reached at 212 838 6280. The website is www.browning.edu.

The Browning School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, religion, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school directed programs, or employment practices.

FROM THE HEADMASTER

From the Headmaster LIVING ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF HOPE

R

ecently I heard

In the present, Browning

the American

boys and their parents and

Caro speak about

proactive. As soon as they

coordinated by

week’s closing – due primarily

our parents, over

to the School – they quickly

23 boxes of supplies

efforts through Interschool (a

were delivered

historian Robert

his latest volume on President Lyndon Baines Johnson titled, The Passage of Power. Caro

picked up an arresting phrase

used by the President as he was

enacting legislation to create the social programs known as the

Great Society. Too many Americans, the President noted, “live on the outskirts of hope.”

That image, the outskirts of hope, has stuck with me, and

I find myself returning to it often in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. It is hard to imagine that citizens of all five boroughs

as well as Long Island and New Jersey are (as I write in mid-

November) still on the outskirts of hope. Deprived of electricity, heat, phone and Internet connections, many New Yorkers

are still without the basic necessities of life. This shouldn’t be happening in the greatest city in the world!

I was proud of our governor and later our mayor for

making the link of waters rising to climate change, and I am

teachers have been very

returned to Browning after a

to travel issues and not damage went to work. Coordinating

In three deliveries

loose consortium composed of

to far-flung

Collegiate, Dalton, Nightingale,

communities

four areas of supplies to gather:

desperate for

Brearley, Browning, Chapin,

Spence, Trinity), they picked sturdy garbage bags (Lower School), flashlights (Middle

supplies.

School); C and D batteries

(Upper School) and cleaning supplies, especially bleach (faculty

and parents). In three deliveries coordinated by our parents, over 23 boxes of supplies were delivered to far-flung communities desperate for supplies.

Two other significant relief efforts are underway, and

hopeful that some of our current students will drive a renewed

again our boys play major roles. The Middle and Upper School

current issues. I personally believe that planting and nurturing

“Dress Down Days” during which, for the first time, faculty

interest in science and technology into careers to address our

tidal wetlands can be an important part of the solution. In terms of careers, one of my students in Advanced Expository Writing (code name for Write Your College Essays for the Headmaster)

came across this invocation of the value added by the university to which he is applying: “Build a Career. Earn a Living. Make a

Difference.” Addressing the needs of our environment is a goal for our boys in the future.

Student Councils collected funds, primarily by sponsoring two were invited to participate. Over $10,000 was raised. We were

deeply touched; more than one boy opened his piggy bank and

gave us the entire contents. We are also waiting to hear through the Mayor’s Fund about possible pairings with public schools

ravaged by the storm. I am sure our boys will want to help here too… on the outskirts of hope.

Stephen M. Clement, III Headmaster

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FEATURE

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Browning Community Takes Closer Look at Construction Progress

ON

three separate occasions in September, Browning faculty, Form VI boys and Trustees were escorted on guided tours through the lower level of the School as well as the Admissions, College Guidance and

Institutional Advancement Offices to view the impressive renovations that took place over the summer.

During the traditional opening assembly at Christ Church on the first day

of school, Browning’s Panther mascot accompanied the School’s hard-working

THRESHOLD TO THE FUTURE

maintenance crew (all sporting red hard hats) to the front of the church. There they

were recognized by Headmaster Clement for their tireless efforts to prepare the School for opening day.

Just after these gentlemen took their bows, the Headmaster called Form VI boys

forward to receive their own hard hats which they later wore while taking a guided

tour of recent renovations. Days earlier, faculty members donned hats for their own

II] E S {PHA

official tour before students arrived. Still later in September, Trustees received a hard hat and first-hand look at construction progress.

Headmaster Clement ordered the shiny red hard hats especially for these tours

which he conducted, along with Director of Institutional Advancement Marty Haase and construction officials. Each tour included a detailed on-site review of progress made to date and a preview of the next steps in Phase II of renovations. n

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FEATURE

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FEATURE

Common Book 2012 Garners Glowing Reviews RADIOACTIVE’S GLOW-IN-THE-DARK COVER A PRELUDE TO WHAT’S INSIDE

By Melanie McMahon, Buzzer Editor

L

ike catching fireflies or toasting marshmallows, the shared reading of the Common Book each summer unites The Browning School community, faculty, staff, Trustees and boys entering Forms II to VI

in the experience of reading the same book. As Head Librarian Sarah

Murphy notes, “The shared enterprise of the Common Book is intended to spark

conversation and discourse across disciplines and divisions. The endeavor is meant to provide collective knowledge and understanding, and most importantly, it is simply a way for us to join together as a community of curious individuals.”

Ms. Murphy introduced Browning’s 2012 Common Book to the community

this past spring, whetting the appetite of many a summer reader: “This year’s

choice is Radioactive: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss. An illustrated

biography of Marie and Pierre Curie, Radioactive is not only a fascinating portrayal of two tremendous scientists, it is also a reflection on progress, technology,

warfare, love, history and art. Furthermore, the physical book itself is an artistic

achievement. As The New York Times said, “It’s a deeply unusual and forceful thing to have in your hands.”

In his book review for The New York Times, Dwight Garner wrote the following

about Radioactive: “Described simply, Radioactive is an illustrated biography of

Marie Curie, the Polish-born French physicist famous for her work on radioactivity – she was the first person to win the Nobel Prize twice – and her equally accomplished husband, Pierre. It lays

bare their childhoods, the headlong love story, their scientific collaboration and the way their toxic discoveries, which included radium and polonium, poisoned them in slow motion.”

With these ringing endorsements in hand, Radioactive was hard to resist. During one of the

School’s faculty meetings at the end of August, a panel of teachers and administrators discussed their 10 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

(Above): The cover of the 2012 Common Book, Radioactive, is printed with glow-in-thedark ink, according to author Lauren Redniss who spoke to the Browning boys (see facing page) about her work as a writer and illustrator.

FEATURE BROWNING FACULTY PANEL: RADIOACTIVE IS REMARKABLE Zack Davis, Art

Sam Keany, Science Department Chair

The author’s illustrations were relevant to the

This book informs the reader on so many

content and very effective. I liked the way

levels. As a former dancer, I was surprised,

this book touched on the history of so many

to say the least, to read an excerpt from a

things, showing what collective thinking can result in.

Sarah Murphy, Head Librarian As Jim Reynolds says below, the reader

can open to any page of this book and start reading, even out of order! As part of the

lecture on radium presented by Loie Fuller,

a pioneer of modern dance and colleague of the Curies.

[Ms. Fuller used chemical salts for luminescent lighting and

stage costumes.] I also liked how this book depicted a career in science as one of hard work, at times “back-breaking.”

That’s good for Browning boys to know!

Common Book committee, I chose this book

Sarah Pribyl, English

in part because it’s written by a woman and

I liked the fact that it was a picture book, as it

thought that might make it interesting from the Browning

helped to tell the Curies’ story with various

boys’ point of view.

maps and other images.

Jim Reynolds, Head of Upper School I appreciated that the reader can open to

any page of this fascinating book and see

Gerry Protheroe, History Department Chair

quotation or citation. I gained a new

showed the link between history and science,

something interesting, whether it’s narrative,

I thought this book was marvelous, as it

awareness of the humanity and sacrifices of

something we teach here at Browning.

scientists like the Curies.

impressions of the book. Once the school year was underway,

masses of other things we cannot see but somehow, nonetheless,

engaged in various activities related to Radioactivity. (See page

eyes of faith.”

teachers and boys discussed the book and, in some cases,

42 for details on how Browning’s art and science curriculums

included the concept of cyanotype printing, used by the author to create her artwork.)

The reading of this particular Common Book, in fact,

coincidentally coincided with a summer of celebrations by the

scientific community. The July 4 announcement by the European

must be…and [is] just as real as any wraith imagined with the

“It is largely about invisible forces. Love and radioactivity, these things that we can’t see. To make a book about that was

Organization for Nuclear Research (commonly known as

an intriguing challenge.”

discovered was followed by CERN’s September announcement

— Lauren Redniss

CERN) that the Higgs boson or Higgs particle had finally been

that its official findings had passed peer review. Often referred

to as the “God particle,” Higgs boson was the last undiscovered

Speaking of the unseen world and the faith of scientists in

particle in the Standard Model of particle physics, which lays out

what the eye cannot behold, during an interview on National

interact. (Were they alive today, imagine the Curies’ interest in

about invisible forces. Love and radioactivity, these things that

the fundamental particles and forces of nature and the way they this progress made by their fellow scientists!)

A poem entitled, “The Evidence of Things Not Seen,” by Jay

Curlin in the July 30, 2012, New Yorker refers to the Higgs boson

as “A tiny massive thing that passes for what can best explain the 12 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

Public Radio, Ms. Redniss said this about her work: “It is largely we can’t see. To make a book about that was an intriguing

challenge.” Take it from the Browning community…Radioactivity is a must-read! n

Common Book Committee Members The committee members represent all three divisions of the School and many different departments. Thanks to the following volunteers for choosing the 2012 Common Book: Emily Boland

Sarah Murphy

Pat Flynn

Dan Ragsdale

Zack Davis

Sarah Pribyl

Mike Ingrisani

Jim Reynolds

Susan Levine

Stephanie Seto

Janet Lien

Jeremy Willis

AUTHOR’S NOTES

D

uring the many interviews Lauren Redniss granted, she answered a number of questions about Radioactive, including what prompted her to choose her subject matter

and how she researched the book. Her notes at the end of Radioactive also address a number of

curiosities, including the technique she employed to produce the images throughout it, as well as the unique typeface she created to tell the Curies’ tale.

n In the century since the Curies began their work, the world has struggled with

nuclear weapons proliferation, debated the role of radiation in medical treatment, and pondered nuclear energy as a solution to climate change. These debates all have roots in a love story in 19th century Paris.

n To research the book, I traveled to Hiroshima to interview atomic bomb survivors, to

the Nevada Test Site outside of Las Vegas to talk with weapons specialists, to Warsaw

to see the house where Marie Curie was born, to the Curie Institut in Paris to interview

the Curies’ granddaughter. I spoke with an oncologist exploring innovative radiation treatment in San Bernadino, California, and the Idaho National Laboratory’s Director of the Center for Space Nuclear Research about how nuclear power and propulsion can enable space exploration and crystal cities built on the moon.

n I made the artwork for the book using a process called “cyanotype.” Cyanotype is a camera-less photographic technique in which paper is coated with light-sensitive chemicals. When the chemically-treated paper is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, it turns a deep blue color. That blue has a sort of twilight quality. This type of printing captures what Marie Curie

called radium’s “spontaneous luminosity.” Also, photographic imaging was critical to both the discovery of X-rays and of radioactivity, so it made sense to me to use a process based on the idea of exposure to create the images in Radioactive.

n This book is set in Eusapia LR, a typeface I created based on the title pages of manuscripts at the New York Public Library. It is named after Eusapia Palladino, the Italian Spiritualist medium whose séances the Curies attended.

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BOOK FAIR

(L to R): At the annual Book Fair Cocktail Party, Head Librarian Sarah Murphy moderated a panel of visitng authors, including Lauren Redniss, Jennifer Miller, Ted Dimon ’74, Robin Shulman, Anthony Swofford and Len Berman.

2012 Book Fair A LITERARY DELIGHT

A

long with Halloween and Thanksgiving, the annual Book Fair is one of the most anticipated events of the fall season at Browning. “In celebration of books and reading,” the

Parents Association and school librarians – with the help of Browning’s maintenance staff – again organized a four-day

fair that included an array of books for readers of all ages and interests, as well as appearances by guest authors who spoke

for the cocktail party, while Lee Bacon, author of Joshua

Dread, addressed Middle School boys at their assembly,

returning a few days later for a book signing. Second graders were treated to a presentation in the library by author and illustrator Dan Yaccarino, who explained the process of

creating his books which include The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau and All the Way to America.

Browning parents, faculty, staff and alumni mingled

to boys in their classrooms and graciously signed the books

with visiting authors at the Book Fair Cocktail Party, where

Lower School students enjoyed the first of the fair’s

and the chance to chat. Head Librarian Sarah Murphy took

they bought.

events during an assembly featuring Stephen Savage, author and illustrator of Little Tug and Where’s Walrus?

Lauren Redniss, author of Century Girl and the 2012

Common Book, Radioactive, spoke to boys in Forms II to VI during an Upper School Assembly, returning that evening

14 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

they also did some shopping and enjoyed drinks, appetizers this opportunity to introduce visiting writers and their work.

Browning alumnus Ted Dimon ’74, who wrote Your Body,

Your Voice, was among the authors in attendance, along with sports writer Len Berman, fiction writer Jennifer Miller, food writer Robin Shulman and memoirist Anthony Swofford.

Head Librarian Sarah Murphy introduced another visiting author, Stephen Savage, when he spoke at a Lower School Assembly; Mr. Savage delighted the boys by drawing Walrus, a character from his book, Where’s Walrus, peering from a front window of The Browning School. (Look closely on the screen behind him and Ms. Murphy and you will see Walrus, too!) During the cocktail party, Stuart Orenstein ’00, Ted Dimon ’74 and Allanby Singleton-Green ’83 had a chance to chat; Ted was one of the visiting authors on the panel that evening.

Saturday’s Family Day featured further appearances by

Just in case they did not get enough of this fantastic

visiting authors, along with raffles, a bake sale and library-

fair, Browning boys had another chance to browse and

to meet the following writers: RJ Palacio, author of Wonder;

a return visit by Stephen Savage and Lee Bacon. Abby

classroom donation opportunities. Families were fortunate

Mary Tavener Holmes, author of The Elephant from Baghdad; and Jorge Aguirre, author of Giants Beware! Dan Yaccarino returned as well.

buy books on the final day of the fair, when they enjoyed Hanlon, author of Ralph Tells a Story, was in attendance as well after visiting Browning’s third graders to discuss her writing process with them.

n

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2012 BOOK FAIR

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2012 BOOK FAIR

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FEATURE

An “Unparalleled Educational Experience” BROWNING BOYS PARTICIPATE IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION

By Brett Wisniewski, Greek and Latin Teacher

This summer afforded an unprecedented opportunity for the Browning community. Through the generosity of current parent and alumnus Nikos Zoullas ’55 and his wife, Susan, and the cooperation of the Classics Department at New York University, I had the chance to accompany two Browning boys from the Class of 2013 to an archaeological excavation on Yeronisos Island off the coast of Cyprus. The excavation has been under the directorship of Professor Joan Breton Connelly from NYU since 1990 and has been yielding significant and exciting materials since its inception. Ben Jacobs, Farouk Oni and I were full participants in the dig for 10 days in June, and we are all of the opinion that it was an unparalleled educational experience.

T

he site of the excavation is on a small island 280 meters off the western coast of Cyprus, about 17 kilometers from the city of Paphos, which

served as the capital of Cyprus during the Hel-

lenistic period (323-30 BC). Yeronisos (which mean “Sacred Island” in Greek) is small, only 300 meters long and 75 meters wide (think of three football fields placed end to end.)

The sides of the island are steep, and the surface is a plateau.

It has no water source of its own, and ancient peoples had to devise their own ingenious methods of collecting and

maintaining a water supply. Needless to say, this makes for a

daunting place to carry on an excavation, but the director and her team have made the site practicable for archaeologists

22 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

and ecologically safe for the flora and fauna that populate the island in the offseason.

Finds have shown that the island had two distinct

phases of activity. The first was as far back as the Chalcolithic era (c. 3100 BC), where there are artifacts of a productive fishing community. Red lustrous wares, rubbing stones

and other tools of the era have been found, and our own

Farouk Oni removed a sizable stone from the earth that was identified as a Chalcolithic anvil used in the construction of

other stone tools. The island was uninhabited from 3000 BC

until around 80 BC, when technology employed by Egyptians was used in construction of a collecting basin and cistern, thereby supplying the island with a viable place for fresh

Courtesy of NYU Classics Department

Our own Farouk Oni removed a sizable

that part of the island suffered massive erosion due to an

stone from the earth that was identified

of a large public building used as a residence for pilgrims

as a Chalcolithic anvil used in the construction of other stone tools.

ancient earthquake. There are further signs of a foundation to the temple of Apollo, including pottery, eating utensils, amulets and other signs of religious and social activity.

These finds, in addition to coinage relating to Cleopatra and her son, Caesarion (the offspring of her union with Julius

Caesar), have led to the hypothesis that the island was a place water. At that time, Cyprus was under the control of Ptolemy

dedicated to bringing young men on the edge of adulthood

XII and his successor, Cleopatra.

through ancient rites of passage. This made the site especially

construction. A temple to the Greek god Apollo sat on the

we were, in essence, excavating an ancient equivalent of

During this period, there is evidence of large-scale

western edge of the site but was largely destroyed when

important for our group from The Browning School, as Browning itself.

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 23

FEATURE

The digging itself was meticulous, as we would only pick into the earth to the depth of two centimeters and sweep out the surrounding dirt, keeping close eyes out for changes in soil color and texture, as well as any ancient remains.

Our days began at 5:30 in the morning, when we caught

a quick breakfast and headed down to the harbor to meet

the rest of the team and catch our fishing boat to the island.

Professor Connelly has made Yeronisos an educational

opportunity for a number of NYU undergraduate students (the bulk of our team), and, thus, the dig is a truly

“hands-on” experience for all involved. After a short jaunt through the sea under the hands of our expert captain,

The digging itself was meticulous, as we would only pick

into the earth to the depth of two centimeters and sweep out the surrounding dirt, keeping close eyes out for changes in

soil color and texture, as well as any ancient remains. Most

days would end around 2:00 p.m. before the heat became too

unbearable. Afterward, we would head back to the mainland for lunch and the sorting of the day’s finds.

The work was tough, precise and consistently rewarding.

Valentinos, we were pulled across to Yeronisos in a small

In addition to excellent and hearty food, we had the chance

the tools of the trade (a pick-axe, bucket, dust pan, brush and

where we had a private audience with one of the abbots,

dingy and began our climb up to the dig site. We grabbed

trowel), and set to work in our trench. The days were hot and dusty, and we were very thirsty. By 11:00 a.m. we were more than ready for “second breakfast” in the small shelter built

for such occasion. There we had a chance to take a breath and catch up with the other team members to trade stories about

what we had found that day. Our trench was very productive of bits of pottery, glass, ancient flints and other materials.

24 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

to swim in the Mediterranean, visit a medieval monastery

and see other remains and excavations in Paphos. This was

an excursion that will not soon be forgotten by Ben, Farouk or me. Professor Connelly and all of the team were highly

impressed with the work ethic, intelligence and unflagging enthusiasm of the Browning gentlemen, and they look forward to working with us in the future. n

FROM THE ARCHIVES

From the Archives

S

hirley Carter Burden ’26 (1908-1989), a prominent American photographer and greatgreat-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt., was

drawn to our attention by Alumni Association

Treasurer Richard Helgason ’82. According to records from

the New York Public Library, Mr. Burden is “best known for

photo essays [in book form] concerning various topics,

including God Is My Life, a photo essay about the Trappist

monks at the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani in Tennessee, and I Wonder Why, which depicted incidents in a young black girl’s life, particularly her dealings with racial prejudice.”

I Wonder Why, published by Doubleday & Co., Inc., in

his pictorial essays exploring aspects of Catholic culture,

1963, is an especially poignant collection of photographs.

promoted the appreciation of photography through service

including “The Red Skelton Show” and “The Tonight Show.”

racial intolerance and architectural heritage. Mr. Burden

on the boards and advisory committees of several museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, and was a long-

time supporter and chairman of the board of Aperture [a

photography magazine]. Colleagues and friends included, among others, Edward Steichen, Dorothea Lange, Ansel Adams, Minor White and Thomas Merton.”

The New York Times wrote in his obituary that Mr. Burden

was the founder of the Burden Gallery in Manhattan and

the senior partner in the private investment firm of William A. M. Burden & Company. He was a trustee of the Museum of Modern Art and former chairman of its photography

department, as well as a trustee and former teacher at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif.

The website, IMDbPro, noted that Mr. Burden became

This book was later produced for television programs,

The final pages reveal a young African-American girl – the

narrator who has been “wondering why.” Earlier pages show photos of rain, woods, puppies, pretty dresses, weddings and babies – all things the little girl likes. She questions

why, with so much in common, others who appreciate all

these things, too, don’t like her simply because of the color of her skin. The book can still be purchased online or in

bookstores; in fact, James Cummins Bookseller on Madison Avenue carries a first edition with a note by Mr. Burden

inscribed to his publisher, “Dear Nelson, I don’t know if

you know what a wonderful feeling it is when someone has enough confidence in your work to print it. Thank you for giving me that wonderful feeling. Shirley Burden.”

Mr. Burden’s other books include Behold Thy Mother,

infatuated with photography as a young man: “After

Presence, The Vanderbilts in My Life, Chairs and The Mary I

to work for Pathe News and subsequently would work in

Photography at Harvard University in 1999. While many

graduating from The Browning School in 1926, [he] went

Hollywood with Merian C. Cooper. After the end of World

War II, Burden opened a photography studio in Beverly Hills that specialized in still shots for advertising agencies and

architectural firms. From there, he expanded into publishing

Love. His family established the Burden Professorship in

of his photos and archives are part of The New York Public

Library Humanities and Social Sciences Library Manuscripts and Archives Division, it is difficult to find a public photograph of the photographer himself. n

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 25

THE LOCAL BUZZ

The Local Buzz

BROWNING BOYS WALK THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE

ON

a sunny September day, second grade boys, accompanied by teachers Rachel Gerber and

Alison Hilton, along with parent chaperones, took a bus to the

Brooklyn Bridge. As the East River sparkled beneath them, the group walked across the pedestrian promenade of this iconic feature of the New York City skyline. A link between the two boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Bridge,

which serves approximately 150,000 vehicles and pedestrians every day, was the longest steel suspension bridge of its day when it opened in 1883.

Every year, Browning’s second grade class pays a visit

to the bridge, learning about its history beforehand as part of

The boys each carried a clipboard with them to record what

their year-long study of all the city’s boroughs. In fact, their

they saw during their crossing, including the Statue of Liberty,

the bus, asking them about its creator, John Augustus Roebling,

The boys also sketched the New York City skyline from their

as chief engineer upon his father’s death. (In 1869, just before

were still drawing as they ate their lunch in a nearby park. When

compass readings across the East River and died of tetanus three

noted the length of it as well as the historical markers and dates

see the bridge completed.)

and touch the cables was definitely a bonus! n

teachers quizzed the boys a bit before they disembarked from

Williamsburg and Manhattan Bridges, bikers, boats and so on.

and the fact that his son, Washington A. Roebling, took over

vantage point on the bridge. With pencils in hand, many of them

construction began, Roebling was injured while taking some

asked what they found most interesting about the bridge, they

weeks later. Washington’s wife, Emily, assisted her husband to

along the promenade route. Of course, being able to reach out

26 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 27

THE LOCAL BUZZ

FIVE NEW TRUSTEES JOIN BROWNING’S BOARD

T

he Browning School welcomes five new members to its Board of Trustees, including Elizabeth

Granville-Smith P ’21, ‘25 , Jeff Landes ’83, Ken Metz P ’23, ’24, Raul Pineda P ‘24 and Lou Switzer P ’19.

Elizabeth Granville-Smith is Managing Director

at BV Investment Partners in New York City, having

joined the firm in 1996 as an associate. She has more than 19 years of investment banking and principal investing

experience. Ms. Granville-Smith is a member of the firm’s investment and valuation committees. Previously, she

was an investment banking analyst at Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc. Ms. Granville-Smith earned an B.A. in history and

economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1991

in all facets of employment law, including compliance with EEO laws and other statutes. He is the author of

numerous publications on employment law issues and

frequently lectures on workplace issues to business and employer groups and at the Cornell University School

of Industrial and Labor Relations. Mr. Landes received a B.A. degree from Vassar College in 1987 and a J.D. in 1992 from Washington University in St. Louis, School

of Law. Mr. Landes served as President of Browning’s

Alumni Association from September 2000 to June 2006; in that capacity he served on Browning’s Board as a Constituent Trustee.

H. Kenneth Metz is the owner and producer of

and M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University

Fokejoco, LLC, a motion pictures and film company in

member of Codman Academy Foundation.

Florida State University. He is a familiar face to many at

of Pennsylvania in 1996. She is the treasurer and a board Jeffrey “Jeff” Landes ’83 is a member of the Firm,

Labor and Employment Practice at Epstein Becker

& Green in New York City. Mr. Landes’ experience

includes counseling clients in a variety of industries

28 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

New York City. Mr. Metz earned a B.A. degree from

Browning, serving as an admissions tour guide for the

School. Mr. Metz was president of the International Pre-

School Parents Association for two years and is currently

Many of the new Browning Trustees met with Board members and faculty, as well as Headmaster Clement, in his office this fall.

vice president of the Browning Parents Association. He also co-chaired the Parents Association’s 2012 Spring

Benefit – “Browning Goes Bollywood” – at The Plaza

Hispanico, as well as a trustee at Westside Montessori School where he also served as treasurer of the board.

Lucious “Lou” Switzer is the CEO and Chairman

Hotel. Mr. Metz is currently lending his expertise in the

of The Switzer Group in New York City. Mr. Switzer

School’s 125th anniversary.

graduated from Pratt Institute), and today it is one of the

planning of special events to celebrate The Browning

Raul Pineda is Executive Director of Private Wealth

Management at Morgan Stanley in New York City,

where he focuses on global portfolios for international clients. Private Wealth Management provides highly

customized financial advice and brokerage services to

individuals, families and foundations with $20 million or more in investable assets. Mr. Pineda was educated at the American School of London and Universidad

Iberoamericana in Mexico City; in 1997 he received an

M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Mr. Pineda teaches a professional development class on value investing at Barnard College. He is a board member of Ballet

founded The Switzer Group in 1975 (the same year he

most highly respected design firms in the nation. A 100

percent Minority-Owned-Business-Enterprise, the firm is committed to preserving diversity within the firm and in its choice of suppliers and consultants. A member of the

prestigious Interior Design Hall of Fame with 50 million square feet of completed projects and 40-plus years of professional experience, Mr. Switzer also received the 2008 “Entrepreneur of the Year” Award from Project

Enterprise, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to

support and develop entrepreneurs and small businesses in under-resourced communities in New York City. n

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 29

THE LOCAL BUZZ

Victoria Hays

Lillian Darché

Stephen Jasikoff

Betty Noel

Nora Reilly

Julianne Rowland

Kristen Sheppard

Melodie Ting

Kelly West

Emilie Wolf

BROWNING WELCOMES NEW FACULTY

WE

are pleased to introduce the new faculty members who joined

the Browning community this fall.

A graduate of Lehigh University where

she earned a B.A. in English, Lillian Darché is

a second and third grade associate teacher at Browning and is

working toward her M.S. in education at Bank Street College. She is also skilled in printmaking. Prior to coming to Browning, she taught at Langston Hughes Academy in New Orleans.

Stephen Jasikoff earned a B.A. from Middlebury College and

a master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University.

He teaches history in both the Middle and Upper Schools at

Browning. Prior to his tenure here, he taught at Chase Collegiate

School, Stratton Mountain School and McCallie School. In addition to teaching history, Stephen has served as a dorm head, athletic coach and academic advisor.

First grade teacher Victoria Hays received a B.A. from

Hamilton College and earned a master’s degree in early childhood education from New York University: The Steinhardt School of

Education. She previously taught kindergarten and first grade at Albany Academy and The Chapin School. While at Chapin, she also served as the class five basketball coach.

A Middle and Upper School science teacher at Browning,

Betty Noel earned a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and

microbiology from Stony Brook University and a B.A. in biology from City University of New York Brooklyn College. She taught science and served as a basketball coach at Marymount School before coming to Browning.

Library Assistant Nora Reilly earned a master’s in library

science from Queens College, an M.F.A. from Sarah Lawrence

College and a B.A. in English from Trinity College. Nora worked as the education programs administrator and archivist for the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art prior to coming to

Browning. She also served as an information assistant at Donnell World Languages/Reference Department of the New York Public Library.

Julianne Rowland is a new Pre-Primary associate teacher at

Browning. She earned an M.S. in elementary education from 30 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

the University of Bridgeport and a B.A. in communication from Villanova University. Julianne served as a substitute teacher at

Bethlehem Elementary School in Connecticut and also worked as a camp counselor and child care worker.

Kristen Sheppard serves as the Middle and Upper School

learning specialist at Browning. She earned a master’s from New York University’s Graduate School of Education and a B.S. from

Cornell University. Prior to coming to Browning, Kristen worked

as a learning and reading specialist at The Calhoun School, Hunter College Campus Schools and The Dwight School.

Melodie Ting joins Browning as a Middle and Upper School

science teacher. She received an M.S. in chemistry from The

University of Pennsylvania and a B.S. in chemistry from Long

Island University. Melodie was an MCAT chemistry instructor for the Princeton Review before coming to Browning. During

her undergraduate and graduate years, she served as a teaching assistant for a number of lectures and labs.

Director of Lower School Admissions Kelly West returns to

Browning where she previously served as a teacher and Acting Head of the Lower School. Kelly earned an M.A. in special

education from the Steinhardt School of Education at New York University, as well as a B.A. in psychology from the Columbian

School of Arts and Sciences at The George Washington University.

Prior to returning here, she was Assistant Director of Lower School Admissions at The Hewitt School.

Science teacher Emilie Wolf earned a bachelor’s degree in

agriculture and environmental studies from McGill University

and has been developing and leading science-based camps and

activities since her graduation. Most recently she was employed by the American Museum of Natural History as a biology

educator and teaching assistant for the museum’s Adventures in Space program. n

FORMS VI AND III FOCUS ON TEAM-BUILDING

H

ead of Upper School Jim Reynolds reported on two excursions taken by

Forms VI and III during the first week of school.

“On September 4, I joined Form III boys along with Dean of Students Sam Keany and the

2012 Peer Leaders for an orientation day. In the

morning, Form III and the other participants had a chance to meet the new members of the class

and to reunite with classmates. After a meeting with me, the boys broke into small groups and

took tours of the building with Peer Leaders. Though rain threatened the day, the group headed to the Sheep Meadow in Central Park for some team-building activities, led by Form VI Peer Leaders. Everyone enjoyed lunch in the park before heading off to prepare for the first day of school. A fun time was had by all!”

Mr. Reynolds added, “A few days later, I joined Form VI and Director of College Guidance Sanford

Pelz for Browning’s annual trek to Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill, N.Y., for a day of team-building

exercises and high- and low-ropes challenges. With the help of facilitators from the Mountain Workshop, the young men in Form VI became reacquainted with the concept of team work, the value of listening, and the joy of accomplishment. With the burden of college applications ahead of them, Form VI had a day to relax together and set the tone for their exciting, and at times nerve-wracking, senior year at

Browning. The weather was beautiful, and it was clearly evident that this year’s Form VI is close-knit, ambitious and supportive of one another. The trip was a great kickoff for the Class of 2013!” n

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY FEATURES TWO SPEAKERS

J

effrey Landes ’83, a new Trustee (see story on page 28) and member of the Firm, Labor and Employment Practice at Epstein Becker & Green in New York City, along with JoAnn Deak, Ph.D., spoke at Browning’s Professional

Development Day in October.

Mr. Landes discussed issues of child safety and professional conduct with the School’s faculty, while Ms. Deak’s

presentation focused on “A Look at the Current Brain Research: Important Windows of Neuro-sensitivity in the First and

Second Decades of Life.” She concentrated her remarks on brain research of boys aged six to 18 years, with particular focus on how today’s digital world affects them. Dr. Deak will return to Browning to speak with parents on February 11. n

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 31

THE LOCAL BUZZ

FOURTH GRADE BOYS PRESENT BLAZER BADGES TO PP-K BUDDIES

IN

September, Browning’s Pre-Primary (PP-K) boys met their fourth grade “Buddies” for the first time. Katherine Kummer, who teaches PP-K, and fourth grade teacher Bill Cantwell worked together to team up each of the younger boys

with an older boy. Throughout the year, Buddies meet every two weeks. This first meeting was an exciting one, as each of the PP-K boys received an official badge to be sewn onto their Browning blazer, as well as a handshake from their Buddy. Ms. Kummer and

Mr. Cantwell explained the significance of the logo emblazoned on the badge, noting that it features the lamp of learning. They also explained the School’s motto of “Grytte” and the fact that it means they should stay determined and never give up.

Ms. Kummer noted, “As Buddies, the boys share many activities, including art projects, reading to one another, outings to

the park and play time together. Many of the fourth grade boys were once PP-K boys, too, and still remember their ‘Fourth Grade

Buddies’ fondly! The pairing is a wonderful opportunity for the older boys to take on a role of mentoring and leadership, and strong

bonds are quickly formed between the younger and older students. We anticipate a year of fun, learning and camaraderie within the 2012-2013 Pre-Primary/Fourth Grade Buddy partnership!” n

FORMS V & VI TAKE COLLEGE CAMPUS TOURS, A UNIQUE FEATURE OF BROWNING’S COLLEGE PREP PROGRAM

ON

the morning of September 19, Forms V and VI boarded a coach bus to begin the annual Browning School College Trip. Led by Director of College

Guidance Sanford Pelz, who was accompanied by Head of Upper School Jim Reynolds,

English teacher Kevin Dearinger and history teacher Steve Jasikoff, the boys spent the next three days exploring the campuses of Drew University, Lehigh University, Muhlenburg

University, Villanova University, Swarthmore College, Haverford College, Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Reynolds noted, “As always, the trip

provided the young men of Forms V and VI with the opportunity to experience the college atmosphere, sample the nutritional offerings at several of the

schools at which we had lunch or dinner, and further differentiate the varieties of colleges to which they

may be applying in the next few months (Form VI) and in a year (Form V). The weather was superb,

making each campus appear even more beautiful

than the last. The traditional college trip is invaluable, and, according to the admissions representatives we met with, it continues to be a unique feature of the Browning college preparation program.” n

32 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

BOYS NEW TO SCHOOL MEET BROWNING LEADERS OVER BREAKFAST

IN

September, Headmaster Stephen Clement and Head of Upper School Jim Reynolds

met with those boys new to the Upper School for an informal breakfast and conversation

in the Cook Room. Mr. Reynolds noted, “The

traditional New Upper School Student Breakfast is a terrific way for the boys entering Browning at the Form III and Form IV levels to meet the

Headmaster and converse with him about their prior experiences, both academic and personal.

The boys also had the opportunity to debrief a bit

about their first week of school. Mr. Clement and I look forward to celebrating the future successes of these new members of the Browning community.”

Later that month, Headmaster Clement

and Head of Middle School Chris Dunham met with those students new to the Middle School

for a similar breakfast and conversation in the

Headmaster’s Office. Mr. Dunham spoke about

his own years at an independent school and the fact that his father was a headmaster and still thoroughly enjoys teaching. n

FIFTH GRADE BOYS TOUR MYSTIC SEAPORT

IN

September, the fifth grade boys headed to Mystic, Conn., for their class’ annual overnight

trip. Teacher Dan Ragsdale reports that the crisp fall

weather was perfect for exploring historic Mystic Village

Museum. He added, “The boys were fascinated by the ship repair and blacksmith shops, but the top attraction was

the tour of the S.S. Morgan, an 1844 whaling ship that the seaport has been restoring for several years. The second

half of the afternoon was spent at Mystic Aquarium, where

the boys learned the difference between seals and sea lions, posed for pictures with Beluga whales, and petted manta rays and (small) sharks. The next morning was spent at

the Pequot Museum, where the boys toured life-size, walkthrough dioramas depicting Native American life, as well as a variety of interactive exhibits depicting the history of the Pequot nation.” n

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 33

THE LOCAL BUZZ BROWNING CONTINUES COMMUNITY SERVICE Hurricane Relief and Ronald McDonald House Benefit from Latest Efforts

E

ach year, in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, the Browning community – parents, students and faculty alike

– participate in the Middle School’s food drive to benefit New

York City’s largest community-based food pantry, the Yorkville Common Pantry (YCP).

Located at 8 E. 109th Street,

YCP focuses on aiding residents of East Harlem and other

underserved communities

throughout New York City.

Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, YCP distributes

grocery packages to between

1,600 and 1,800 families. John

Carroll, who has led the drive

Middle School boys conducted their annual food drive which went beyond the local food bank recipients this year, extending as well to those affected by Hurricane Sandy.

the School’s 2012 drive also

they, too, cared about

for the past 11 years, noted that aided relief efforts for those

affected by Hurricane Sandy, as the YCP extended its outreach farther than ever. For more

information on YCP, please visit their website at www.ycp.org

The Browning community

also supported hurricane relief efforts through the Mayor’s Office, donating batteries,

flashlights, garbage bags and Lower School boys participated in the Ronald McDonald Kids Charity Fun Run in support of hospitalized children and their families.

cleaning supplies, as well as sponsoring “Dress Down

Days” for boys and faculty

on two different days. In fact,

dressing in casual attire resulted in a record amount of money raised by such an event at Browning – over $10,000. Head of

Upper School Jim Reynolds commented, “It was incredible to

see this community open its heart and resources to support the

efforts and to bring some form of relief to those whom Hurricane Sandy impacted so greatly. While most of our families were not immediately affected by the storm, we did have some families who were hit quite hard. As we move forward, our boys

will continue to find ways to contribute to these relief efforts.

Browning is a place of compassion and resolve; our families

demonstrated that during the storm’s aftermath. Our students,

many of whom asked what Browning could do to help, continue to look for ways to aid the relief. Our faculty gave generously

as well, not because they, too, got to ‘dress down,’ but because 34 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

those whose lives were deeply impacted by Hurricane Sandy.”

Second grade

teacher Rachel

Gerber, community service coordinator

for the Lower School, reports that nearly 50 Browning boys

participated in the

November Ronald McDonald Kids

Charity Fun Run.

Ms. Gerber noted, “Runners raised

money for the Ronald

McDonald House New York which assists and

houses families in need while their sick child is cared for at a New

York City hospital. Our boys enthusiastically

Alex Bendo ’13 and Michael Gabrellian ’13 were pleased to present over $10,000 in “Dress Down Days” proceeds to Business Office Assistant Dorette Headley as part of the School’s hurricane relief efforts.

raised money for this

important cause; we were thrilled with the turnout for our first Fun Run. Sixty-five boys came out to run and had a wonderful time! We look forward to continuing this event yearly. Thank you to all of the boys who participated!” n

FORM III BOYS CAMP, CANOE AND RAFT DOWN THE DELAWARE

IN

late September, Form III students enjoyed their traditional trip to Greeley, Pa., for two days of

activities. The excursion was led by Head of Upper School Jim

all participants’ spirits remained high, and the boys had a great time rafting six miles down the Delaware to Matamoras, Pa.”

Mr. Reynolds added, “The trip proved a great opportunity

Reynolds, along with Classics Department Chair John Young

for the newest members of the Upper School to enjoy each

Mr. Reynolds reports, “The boys unloaded into cabins and

new students in the grade to Browning. The various personal

and Matt Brown, physical education instructor and coach.

began their first day of outdoor activities, including high-ropes courses, a zip line and canoeing on Lake Selma. The weather

was cooperative, and the boys were able to capsize their canoes

and frolic in the water if they wanted to. In the evening, the boys gathered in an open air gymnasium for a camp fire and S’mores roasting. On Friday, the boys were up early for breakfast and

to pack in preparation for their rafting trip down the Delaware River. The next day’s weather was a bit more challenging; rain

varied between light showers and out and out downpours. But

other’s company and for the class to further welcome the

challenges of the first day gave each student the chance to push himself beyond his comfort zone and to see that his classmates supported his effort and that he could accomplish something he may not have initially thought possible. The rafting trip gave all of the boys a chance to frolic, swim and splash to

their hearts’ content as we made our way downstream. It is

with great pleasure that the Upper School welcomes Form III, and confidence is very high that we will be celebrating many successes for this class in the years to come.” n

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 35

THE LOCAL BUZZ GRYTTE STUDENT NEWSPAPER GARNERS SILVER MEDAL

T

he Browning school newspaper, the Grytte, was awarded a Silver Medalist Certificate from the Columbia

Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) as part of its annual

critique of student publications. CSPA is affiliated with the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University.

The Grytte offers Middle and Upper School students

the opportunity to participate in all aspects of newspaper production, including planning and writing, layout

and editing, proofreading and photography. The paper

documents school life by providing news, feature sections,

editorials, surveys and articles on students, alumni, faculty

and parents. All students are welcome to participate and are Grytte faculty advisors and staff accepted the Silver Medalist Certificate from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association on behalf of last year’s Grytte staff. (L to R, front row): Advisor Jeremy Katz ’04, Kevin Barbosa, Alexander Gottdiener, David Valentin, Editor-in-Chief Michael Gabrellian, David Eisman, Christopher Russo and Caleb Sussman; (back row): Jack Reiss, Gregory Belgorod, Philip Van Scheltinga, Wilfred Wallis, Spencer Reuben, Alexander Wizowaty, Paul Pricop and Advisor Stafford Travers ’05. The Grytte was directed in 2011-12 by Editor-in-Chief Harrison Messer ’12.

encouraged to add their creativity and special talents to this

publication. Membership remains open throughout the year.

Headmaster Clement met with the Grytte staff in

October at a special breakfast to celebrate the CSPA award.

Congratulations to all! n

FACULTY AND PARENTS ENJOY A DAY ON THE LINKS

UPPER SCHOOL BOYS FOCUS ON CIVICS AND ELECTIONS

A

mid-October Upper School Assembly focused on the U.S.

Presidential election, as well as the

importance of local elections. Included in the

Some members of Browning’s faculty and Form I parents enjoyed a golf outing at Brynwood Golf and Tennis Club in September.

program were presentations by mathematics

teacher Marcia Wallace and three boys in her statistics class who explained the history and mechanics of the Electoral College. A video about the history of voting rights in

America was also shown. Upper School Head Jim Reynolds introduced Benjamin J. Kallos, Esq., a candidate for City

Council, who spoke to the boys about civic responsibility

and what it is like to be a Democratic candidate for Council District 5 on the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island. n

36 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

[Editor’s Note: Please visit the Browning website to view additional photos of many items in The Local Buzz.]

www.browning.edu

FALL FUN ON THE FARM FOR PRE-PRIMARY AND FIRST GRADE BOYS

F

irst grade boys visited the Queens County Farm Museum in October

where they took a hayride, enjoyed

seeing the farm animals and chose a

pumpkin to take home. Pre-Primary boys headed to Dr. Davies’ Apple

Farm in Congers, N.Y., where they also enjoyed a hayride as well as plenty of apple-picking in the orchard.

n

A FOND FAREWELL TO CHEF CLARK

L

ast but not least, we end The Local Buzz on a wistful note as we bid good-bye to Cecilie Clark, Head Chef at

Browning and a familiar face to so many boys and faculty

members for the past 15 years. Cecilie provided daily meals

in the dining hall for the entire community and made special

occasions, such as Browning’s Alumni Reunion, even more so

with her unique flair and culinary skills. As Headmaster Clement commented during Cecilie’s farewell party attended by family

and faculty, she will be missed for many reasons, most especially “her big heart!” Cheers and best wishes, Cecilie! – M.M. n

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 37

FEATURE

Teaching Modern Languages in the Lower School A LOOK BACK AT THE FIRST YEAR

By Melanie McMahon, Buzzer Editor

Last year’s introduction of modern languages in the Lower School is the topic of an interview with Department Chair Megan Ryan. In early October, she sat down with me to answer a series of questions about this new program and the response to it thus far.

MM: Please explain the curriculum for teaching modern languages in the Lower School. Which languages are taught to these younger boys?

lesson on the importance of being a “global citizen” in this evershrinking world we inhabit.

MR: Starting last year, we began to teach French and Spanish in

MM: As Chair of the Modern Languages Department, did you

try to create an immersion experience in the classroom and teach

School? Were you and the other language teachers nervous in

some exposure to the written word, but it is limited. In addition

MR: Teaching a foreign language to a Form V boy is quite

time exploring the wide variety of cultures associated with either

Mr. Bernard, Ms. Félix, Ms. Suárez and I had to put on our

the Lower School (third and fourth grades) two days a week. We

have any initial misgivings about its introduction in the Lower

the target language through listening and speaking. There is

the beginning?

to our focus on the acquisition of the target language, we spend

different than teaching the same subject to a third grader.

French or Spanish.

“primary school hats,” so it was an adjustment in many ways.

MM: What prompted Browning to make this decision? Can

it so enjoyable to teach at the Lower School level. Personally, I

you elaborate on how learning a foreign language at a younger age benefits boys?

MR: The research clearly indicates that the earlier you introduce a foreign language to a child, the easier it is for him or her to acquire it. It is as simple as that. And exposing the boys to

foreign languages and cultures at a young age is an essential

38 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

And, yes, we were slightly nervous at first, but all of us found

really love teaching the third grade boys. They bring a different

kind of energy to the table, and it is exciting for me to think about ways to best tap into that energy. And I, like my colleagues, am

also happy to have another audience with whom I can share my passion for studying foreign languages and cultures.

Modern Languages Department Chair Megan Ryan and her class review the alphabet, numbers and salutations and even express their ages by tossing a beanbag bird to one another. She notes that the boys love this sort of kinesthetic learning and movement.

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 39

FEATURE

MM: What were the results of this initiative?

How have the boys and their parents responded? Have you made any “tweaks” to the curriculum in this new school year?

MR: The boys love it! The overall response to introducing foreign languages in the Lower

School has been extremely positive. And not

just on the boys’ part; the parents and teachers

have responded enthusiastically as well. In fact,

I have not heard one negative comment. Moving forward, we hope this continues to be the case.

As teachers, we’re excited to see how our

own enthusiasm for foreign language has caught on in the classroom with the younger boys. Our initial success in the Lower School will only

serve to strengthen Browning’s strong modern

languages program. We are very proud of what we accomplished in the first year. Of course, every year we strive to improve and build a

better machine – and that is always exciting! n French teacher Dominique Bernard uses engaging props such as “fake” produce and even a clown wig to help boys learn the French words for various objects.

40 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

LOWER SCHOOL SPANISH 3 BLOG ALLOWS PARENTS TO FOLLOW ALONG

By Giurissa Félix, Spanish Teacher

F

rom simply including visual cues to highlight my curriculum, to creating assignments that require the

use of technology, to completely integrating the SMART

Board into every lesson, I have embraced technology as an indispensable pedagogical tool that ensures our students remain fully engaged and actively interested in learning.

The introduction of foreign language in the Lower School not only offered me the opportunity to expose my third

grade Spanish class to many vital experiences with several Spanish-speaking cultures, but also presented me with

an exciting new challenge: as the boys learn to familiarize themselves with new sounds, a different intonation and new ways of expressing themselves, how would I be

able to ensure and strengthen the students’ cognitive engagement with the language outside of class?

Director of Academic Technology Jeremy Sambuca

introduced me to Google Sites, a Google app that can

function as “a team-oriented site where multiple people

can collaborate and share files” or, in my case, operate as a simple, teacher-driven learning management system.

I could not hold back my surprise at how easily anyone can create and administer his or her site effectively.

With Google Sites, I can easily integrate all Google tools,

including documents, presentations, music and video files, while creating a collaborative environment which allows me to communicate with students and parents. Anyone

with a Google account can access the Sites menu and create

a Google Sites website. Once you choose a theme and create a home page, the website is as easy to create as editing

and managing a Google document. I started by setting up the homepage as a Welcome Page by simply uploading a

photograph of my third grade class, which I took the first day of class. Once I knew how I wanted my site layout to

appear, adding pages, content and links from outside sites and uploading downloadable resources was simple.

Taking into account the limited exposure that many

students have to a foreign language, it was essential for

me to create a venue that would involve the parents in the

content of our Spanish lessons from the beginning, and that would allow them to follow their son’s progress and assist

him in his foreign language development. The LS Spanish 3

Blog makes it possible for parents to not only experience the

essence of what our lessons in the Lower Spanish class entail, but, ideally, it also allows them to engage in the experience of learning a foreign language along with their sons. n

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 41

FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS

COMMON BOOK CREATES CROSS-CURRICULUM INTEREST Art and Science Combine Once Again at Browning

AS

featured on page 10 of this Buzzer, the Common Book is a “shared enterprise, intended to spark

conversation and discourse across disciplines and divisions. “ Art

teacher Zack Davis and science teacher Melodie Ting collaborated on a project based on their reading of Radioactive. Zack explains,

“Melodie and I tested out the process in the physical science lab, making sure we would be able to pursue the idea of having the second grade boys produce cyanotype prints. Fortunately, we

found success, and the second graders began making drawings

the first week of October, while the Upper School science students created cyanotype prints with the younger boys’ images.”

He added, “The second grade boys had been studying the

figure and executing paintings in watercolor. They were also

recently introduced to the Common Book, Radioactive, and used

42 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

the illustrations within it as sources of inspiration for a series

of drawings. These drawings were traced onto transparencies using black permanent ink. The transparencies were then

handed off to Melodie’s Form V and VI chemistry students for use in the cyanotype printing process. The chemistry students prepped the paper with the light-sensitive chemical that

ultimately produces Prussian blue. Before exposing the paper

to sunlight, the transparency with the drawing was placed over the top. Upon exposure to the light, the areas that are blocked

by the image remain white as the rest of the surface gradually turns blue, leaving a print of the image much like that seen in

the pages of Radioactive. The final prints were on display during the Book Fair here at Browning – a true cross-disciplinary, cross-divisional project!”

Facing page: Art teacher Zack Davis and science teacher Melodie Ting collaborated on a project based on the Common Book reading of Radioactive. Second graders made drawings in art class, while the Upper School science students created cyanotype prints with the younger boys’ images. At left: Science Department Chair Sam Keany and second grade boys also created cyanotype prints. Many of the final works were on display during the annual Book Fair this fall.

Art Department Chair Nik Vlahos and fourth grade boys looked at Radioactive and discussed how the images and text each helped tell the story. The boys then made drawings of their own characters and, finally, colorful prints using printmaking inks.

Science Department Chair Sam Keany and his second grade

story. The boys then made drawings of their characters and,

Art Department Chair Nik Vlahos incorporated the

option of adding titles, a couple of sentences, and decorative

boys also created cyanotype prints with the same success.

Common Book into his curriculum, working with the fourth grade boys to create original characters along with stories or

titles to accompany the image. Nik explained, “We talked about

finally, prints using printmaking inks. They were given the

borders. All lettering had to be carefully considered and not executed in plain handwriting.”

This is not the first time that the art and science curriculums

posters, book covers and illustrations while focusing on how

have crossed at The Browning School. In the Summer issue of the

a story. We also looked at Radioactive and discussed how the

to Black Rock Forest where they created art from the material in

lettering can be creative and how a couple of sentences can tell images and text of the book were helping each other tell the

Buzzer (page 47), for example, we covered a trip by Form I boys the natural surroundings. n

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 43

FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS

MUSICAL ENSEMBLE OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND AT BROWNING

L

ower School music teacher Lucy Warner is pleased to enumerate the many opportunities available to

Browning boys in Pre-Primary through Form VI who are

interested in playing a musical instrument and being part of a performing group.

Ms. Warner explains: “This is the second year for the

Ovation Orchestra which runs rehearsals throughout all nine months of the school year. This strong 10-piece orchestra,

conducted by Rachel Han, is for selected Middle School and Upper School students and for qualifying fourth-graders.

These young musicians perform at various off-site venues,

including the Methodist Senior Home in Riverdale, as well as at the Holiday Show in December and at Parents Association meetings here at the School.” This year’s Ovation Orchestra

the program at the Lower School Closing, slated this school

Raftopoulos, Tak Ishikawa, Sebastian Baquero and Hercules

The Jazz Ensemble, conducted by Marc Daine, is open

is comprised of Armaan Rawat, Michael Riley, Philip

year for May 31, 2013.

Sotos on violin, Jack Freiser on viola, Edwin Wallis and Caleb

to Upper School jazz players and qualifying Middle School

Ms. Warner notes that there are orchestras for Lower

This musical group – always a “hit” at the annual Browning

Sussman on cello, and Brogan Smith on flute.

musicians on keyboard, bass, guitar, drums and saxophone.

School students as well, including the Tick-Tock Orchestra

Holiday Show in December – presents its special brand of jazz

for beginning orchestral string players in the Lower School,

and blues at both in-school and off-site concerts.

School Starbright Orchestra for young intermediate players,

Browning prides itself on providing a variety of musical

Lower School string players (violinists, violists, cellists and

musicians in the School to enjoy the challenges and rewards of

conducted by Lucie Gelinas. Ms. Gelinas also directs the Lower

“From classical music to more contemporary sounds,

as well as the Strings of Spring Orchestra consisting of all

ensembles for its students, motivating both younger and older

guitarists). While all groups perform at the Holiday Show, the

rehearsing and performing together,” said Ms. Warner. n

20-25-member Strings of Spring Orchestra traditionally opens

44 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

FIFTH GRADE BOYS FOCUS ON FOOTWEAR

T

he fifth grade boys “stepped” into the new school year by working

with clay to design a shoe, according to Art Department Chair Nik Vlahos. He

described the creative process of the project: “We looked at many pictures of footwear and discussed topics such as the kind of

attitude different kinds of shoes express.

The boys then worked on a small model

of what they will eventually make larger.

I encouraged them to have fun and add

details and flourishes that they have never

seen before. In the end, they do not have to make a conventional shoe. I was excited to see how well their maquettes turned out

and the ease with which they used the clay.

The finished pieces will be on display at the annual art show in March.” n

MUSIC SURVEY CLASS MEMBERS ATTEND OPERA AT LINCOLN CENTER

IN

October, Mr. Prestigiacomo’s

Music Survey class members attended

the final dress rehearsal of Thomas Adès’ opera, “The Tempest,” at Lincoln Center.

Mr. Prestigiacomo, Head of the Music

Department, reports: “The boys have been

studying the history of opera as part of their

music course work this term, as well as studying the works of Shakespeare with their English

teacher, Mr. Dearinger, who accompanied us to

the rehearsal. Each boy will be writing a review of his experience at the Metropolitan Opera; look for selected reviews to be included in a future edition of the Buzzer.”

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 45

SUMMER SOJOURNS Each year, the Parents Association awards stipends to faculty members who apply for specific projects, such as summer travel, research or study. Each recipient writes an article for the Buzzer about his or her project; three faculty are featured in this issue.

COMPOSERS FOR ALL SEASONS

By Lucy Warner, Lower School Music Teacher

W

hat is one of the most recognizable pieces of Western Classical music, written almost 300 years ago by a red-haired priest from Venice?

(Hint: summer, autumn…)

To check your answer, ask a Browning Lower School boy.

Lower School music teacher Lucy Warner poses with two Venetians dressed in the traditional costume of carnival revelers.

I set out in July of 2011 to discover more about the music,

life and times of Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741), composer of “The Four Seasons (Le Quattro Stagioni).” My goal was to enrich my classroom presentation of this master composer’s contribution to musical history to my students in the upcoming school

year. Related to the visit, serendipity showered me with the

opportunity to experience the musical magic not only of Vivaldi but of two additional musicians who were also scheduled to be

featured in the Browning Lower School Composer-of-the-Month

program during the school year: Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) and

I vowed that when I returned to the classroom, I would help enable my students to “touch” and feel the power and beauty of this music, the costumes, the staging of Verdi’s “Triumphal March.”

Richard Strauss (1864-1949).

accomplished master violinist and gifted composer. Today,

and support which made this valuable educational venture

cellos and other instruments played by the young female

A heartfelt “Grazie” to all the Browning parents’ generosity

gracing the second floor of the Ospedale della Pietá, violins,

possible!

residents are displayed. In addition, documents which include

music in Venice – the city where he was born, studied and

onlooker under glass alongside original musical manuscripts

venue where this artist reigned as musical director and

seeing these historic treasures first-hand! On my return, I would

Through the experience of live performance of Vivaldi’s

lists of the charges’ names, birthdates and duties stare at the

worked – and through first-hand examination of the Venetian

in Vivaldi’s hand. The Browning boys would have delighted in

composer to varying degrees for over 30 years, I gained a greater

describe this musical adventure and show them photos.

way across little bridges and cobblestone walkways to the

our first composer to welcome the “younger set” of Browning

The Ospedale della Pietá. This once-flourishing Children’s Home

students’ interest in the music of “il Prete Rosso” inspired me to

1703, it chose the then 25-year-old composer to direct its vocal

basics facts. Making a V with progressively varied sets of fingers

understanding of this Italian musician and his era. I made my

Two months later: On East 62 St. in Manhattan, Vivaldi was

building that was once a vital part of Vivaldi’s professional life:

boys back to school in September. During our discussions, the

for orphaned girls stressed the virtue of musical excellence. In

devise a hand signal which would help them remember a few

and instrumental ensembles as well as give instruction on violin.

and finally using the first finger and thumb, this chant-with-the-

to his amber-colored hair and red cape, along with his duties

in Venice / V for violin / He died in Vienna.” At the end of the

instrumental and vocal groups at the Ospedale della Pietá so

hand, proclaimed, “And his music is ‘Five Stars!’ ”

countries to attend the girls’ performances. Alongside his

evening, I was struck by the amazing virtuosity and artistic

The “red priest” (il prete rosso), Vivaldi’s nickname due

as a part-time member of the clergy) succeeded in making the musically acclaimed that royalty traveled from surrounding role as conductor of rehearsals and concerts, Vivaldi was an 46 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

hand became a favorite memory device: “V for Vivaldi / Born

month, a proud third grader, displaying all the Vs with his open Back to July: On a pleasantly warm summer Venetian

presentation of an all-Vivaldi concert (including the technically

dazzling Storm movement of the “Summer” concerto in “The

concerto took turns at the SMART Board, touching and moving

– replete with each instrumentalist dressed in period costume –

violin featured, versus vigorously using a SmartPen to mark a

Four Seasons”). The musical ensemble “I Musici Veneziani”

presented a stunning performance in the ample and yet intimate, richly-appointed second-floor “salone” of the Scuola Grande di San Teodoro. The effect was breathtaking!

An easy late-morning drive by car on the Autostrade

landed me in Verona. My destination? The ancient coliseum Arena di Verona, located in the center of town, where I

would revel for a few glorious hours outdoors under the

stars, ensconced within the magnificent sights and sounds of

Giuseppe Verdi’s grand opera Aida. All afternoon it drizzled, sometimes delivering sparsely falling droplets, sometimes

heavy, steady rain. I was praying, after traveling across the

graphics of individual violins when they perceived the solo

dense patch of red whenever the “tutti” (full orchestra) played.

This gave the students the opportunity to not only heighten their listening and instrumental recognition skills but also to develop a basic understanding of how musical form can be visually

displayed. (This exercise also provides a springboard for the

boys to eventually indicate musical sections with the letters A,

B, etc.) In another Vivaldi-themed study, the first movement of

“Autumn” provided a perfect vehicle for Lower School students

to reinforce their familiarity with musical dynamics such as piano (soft), pianissimo (very soft), forte (loud) and fortissimo (very loud).

En route home to New York I had arranged a stop in

ocean thousands of miles, after tearing myself away from

Munich to pay my respects to the birthplace of the German

as if it were a slim bar of platinum, that the performance would

Sprach Zarathustra/Thus Spake Zarathustra” provided the

Vivaldi and Venice, now clinging steadfastly to my Arena ticket not be cancelled. Suddenly, all exited and a woman dressed in

white Egyptian splendor took center stage to signal “per favore, take your seat,” by striking a large gong. After a few minutes

she appeared again with the gong, heightening the anticipation with crescendos, signaling that the conductor’s entrance was imminent. The open night sky coupled with the coliseum’s grandeur amid its look and feel of ancient ruins created a

magical environment for this extraordinary presentation of Verdi’s beloved work.

The singers, the orchestra, gave a magnificent performance.

I vowed that, when I returned to the classroom, I would help

enable my students to “touch” and feel the power and beauty

of this music, the costumes, the staging of Verdi’s “Triumphal March.” During our study of this composer the following

composer Richard Strauss. (His musical tone poem “Also

theme for the 1968 hit movie, “2001: A Space Odyssey.”) I

arrived in the Bavarian capital a day earlier than planned after

being informed at the Venice train station that a sudden Italian train strike was imminent – something which could make it impossible for me to catch my departing flight back to New

York City from Munich International Airport a few days later.

This impending “bad situation” turned out to be a stroke of

incredibly good luck. Because of the timing, I happened to meet

an elderly “angel” standing on the steps outside Munich’s grand Staatsoper (State Opera) building 10 minutes before curtain time that very evening. She invited me to join her with a gratis extra ticket – to see none other than Strauss’ enchanting opera “Der Rosenkavalier!” This was the experience of a lifetime.

At Browning, my students enjoyed singing musical intervals

November, the Browning boys acted out this scene in the Wilson

of fifths and fourths and discovering these in various songs,

slaves, horses or dancers – or sitting “on high” as royalty

these intervals in the opening measures of Richard Strauss’ “Also

Room “arena,” marching or shuffling or prancing as soldiers,

watching the procession – all while inspired by the giant SMART Board screen and speakers which filled the room with the spectacle and Verdi’s awe-inspiring music.

After driving back to Venice, I found the church where the

newborn Vivaldi had been baptized. It is a small, handsome parish “chiesa” that sits on an old square, not far from the

Ospedale where Vivaldi taught and composed. From birth to his death, after myriad travels which landed him, at the end, in Vienna, Vivaldi had garnered an impressive ouvre which

reading and writing the musical notation, as we also identified Sprach Zarathustra.” Through this orchestral masterpiece, the

boys enriched their knowledge of musical instruments such as

the contrabassoon, the double bass, the organ, and members of the brass family. And we reviewed again the dynamic words and symbols for louder and softer passages, examining the

orchestral score (i.e., the written notes) on the SMART Board to

enhance musical notation skills at varying levels, depending on the boys’ ages.

My flight home from Munich rewarded me with the chance

included over 500 concerti featuring varied instruments (four of

to bask in the afterglow of a trip filled with inspiring music and

Stagioni” violin concerti), over 40 operas, sacred vocal music,

that had first inspired me to make plans for such a richly

this genre being the revolutionarily programmatic “Le Quattro plus instrumental sinfonias, sonata and chamber music.

Back at Browning a few months later, first and second grade

students listening to the third movement of Vivaldi’s “Summer”

new teaching ideas. It was Antonio Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” rewarding program of study. After this extraordinary summer

journey, maybe someday I’ll be lucky enough to return to Venice – in autumn, winter and spring. n

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 47

SUMMER SOJOURNS VIAJE A ANDALUSI’A

By Giurissa Félix, Spanish Teacher

AS

part of my general academic objective of complementing the study of the Spanish language

and Spanish and Latin American literature with the experience

of visiting and internalizing the physical sites, the urban contexts, and the natural landscapes which make up the objective

correlative of the Spanish language and of Spanish literature and culture, I undertook last summer an intellectually enriching trip

to Andalusía in southern Spain with a view to assimilating first-

hand the spaces and the various cultures of that region of Spain.

The main cities I visited include Seville, Granada and Córdoba.

There is one significant precedent in my Spanish language and literature teaching experience in this regard: last year, I took the boys on a field trip to see and enjoy authentic Flamenco

dancing. The boys were so struck and enthusiastic about this

experience that I hope to repeat that field trip soon. As I continue to make adjustments to the curriculum, I hope to include more discussions on the Moorish, Gipsy, Jewish, and of course, the

Catholic, influences on Spanish language, literature and culture.

I was fortunate to stay at El Hotel Patio de las Cruces,

located in the picturesque Santa Cruz District, the historical

Spanish teacher Giurissa Félix and a view of La Alhambra, a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Spain, in the background.

As I continue to make adjustments to the curriculum, I hope to include more discussions on the Moorish, Gipsy, Jewish, and of course, the Catholic, influences on Spanish language, literature and culture.

center of Seville. One could easily appreciate the legacy of

Aware that I was Dominican, she understood my amusement.

monuments were within walking distance of each other. El Hotel

of the remains in Columbus’ tomb in Santo Domingo. The

the diverse cultures, since many of most important historical

Patio de las Cruces was built in the 18th century and modernized just a few years ago. It is located in the ancient Jewish quarter,

which, until the expulsion of the Jews from Seville in 1483, was

the second most important Jewish community in Spain, behind

Toledo (a city know proverbially among Jews as “the Jerusalem of Europe”).

Some of the most impressive architectural sites in Seville

were the La catedral de Santa María de la Sede (The Seville

Cathedral), and La torre de la Giralda (The Giralda Tower), a

testament to the Moors’ architectural legacy. Construction on the tower began in the 12th century during the reign of the

For centuries, there have been doubts regarding the authenticity Dominican Republic claims that Christopher Columbus’ remains are housed in El Faro Colón (Columbus Lighthouse), a cross-

shaped building that spans several streets. According to new

DNA findings, the bones in Seville belong indeed to Christopher

Columbus, which, for many, discredits the Dominican Republic’s claims that his remains are in Santo Domingo. However, since Seville only possesses fragments, many believe that is still

conceivable that Santo Domingo might also hold part of the

explorer’s body, especially since his body was moved several times after his death.

Both the tour guide and I had a good laugh regarding

Almohads, on the remnants of the Aljama Mosque and its minarete

the controversy, but we were both aware of what is at stake.

considered to be a distinctive feature of the Islamic mosques),

sparked debate in the last few years, the reasons for wanting

(a tall slender tower with one or more projecting balconies,

which were destroyed when Seville was re-conquered by the

Christians. For its part, the Seville Cathedral is the third-largest church in the world, but it is the largest Gothic cathedral. It

is also the burial place for two of the most important figures in Spanish history: King Saint Ferdinand II of Castille and Christopher Columbus.

As my tour group reached the monumental tomb

specifically sculpted to house the remains of Christopher

Columbus, the tour guide quickly noticed the smirk on my face.

48 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

Despite the fact that the figure of Christopher Columbus has to claim the explorer as their own are clear. Losing the right

to claim the remains of Christopher Columbus would strike

a severe blow to an increasingly dispirited country and ailing

Dominican economy. On the other hand, it is important from a historical, cultural and literary perspective to be aware that the link between Columbus and the city of Seville is rooted in the

fact that the entire process of conquest and colonization of the

American continent, from Oregon on the North, to the Patagonia in the South (to say nothing of the Spaniards’ enterprise of

conquest, colonization and/or missionary work in the Far Eastern

male members of the Abencerraje family who were lucky to live

century and well into the 19th) was managed administratively

what he perceived as a shameless act of dishonor, he ordered the

lands of the Philippines, Japan and China, throughout the 16th

from the city of Seville. This accounts for the rise of this city as a

major trading post in 16th century Europe, as well as for its status as one of the richest European cities of that time.

Returning to my trip, one of my favorite places to relax was

Los Jardines de Murillo (The Gardens of Murillo), named for the

within the confines of the fortified city. Seeking vengeance for

beheading of all 36 members. They disposed of the heads on the

fountains and in the river. According to legend, the crimson blood of the Abencerraje family can still be seen flowing through the fountains of La Alhambra.

Even before the publication of Washington Irving’s “Tales

famous Spanish painter, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. Just a few

of the Alhambra,” the name Abencerraje was legendary for other

can find the statue of the literary character I have mentioned,

moriscas (Moorish novels) appeared. Narrated in a romantic

feet away is the Plaza de Refinadores, a small plaza in which you Don Juan. In Spain itself, numerous works have centered on the famous character, each attempting in its own way to give the

character new form and expression. In the 18th century, Zamorra, a Spanish playwright, wrote No hay plazo que no se cumpla ni deuda que no se pague (There is no term that does not end, no debt that

reasons. At the height of Renaissance Spain, a series of novelas

and idealized tone, they chronicled the civil strife between the

Muslim and Christian cultures during the Reconquest, treating

both Muslim and Christian protagonists with the same degree of consideration and empathy.

The influence of the Moorish novels is evident in Washington

is not paid) and in 1884, the major Spanish Romantic poet and

Irving’s “Tales of the Alhambra,” in which he recorded his

Tirso clearly condemns el burlador (trickster or faithless seducer),

book became one of the most important documentation on the

dramatist José Zorrilla y Moral wrote Don Juan Tenorio. Whereas Zamorra and Zorrilla resolve things differently. In Zorrilla’s play, Don Juan is redeemed by the love of Doña Inés. Zamorra prefers ambiguity and leaves Don Juan’s destiny uncertain. As a way

to pay homage to the literary figure, as of five years ago, the city

council proposed an annual celebration in which various theatre companies present theatrical versions for all ages of the famed play by Spanish Romantic poet and dramatist, Jose Zorrilla.

Moving on to another major city I visited in this trip, one

of the most visited sites in Spain is La Alhambra, which literally translates to “The Red Fortress” (so named for the color of the red stone used to build the fortress). La Alhambra is a palace

and fortress complex built for the last Muslims Emirs in Spain within a fortified city in Granada in the 14th century. As you

enter La Alhambra, you have no choice but to walk through the

stunning gardens and admire the intricate detail of the ravishing

architecture which has inspired so many European and American authors, both Hispanic and Anglo-Saxon.

Many credit Washington Irving, an American author best

observations and historical research of the city. Although the

Alhambra, one cannot forget the Muslim influence in Spanish culture. Perhaps the greatest piece of literature to have been

influenced by El abencerraje y la hermosa Jarifa is Calderón’s tragedy El príncipe constante (The Constant Prince), which is set in North Africa, where the Portuguese prince Don Fernando, the tragic hero, is part of a love triangle involving Fénix, the beautiful

Moorish princess, and her Moorish suitor, Muley. Goethe, who directed The Constant Prince, thought that play (and Calderón’s plays in general) to be the greatest ever written (as he confided to Alexander von Humboldt in a conversation). Thus, the

influence of Moorish stories, and the hybrid Moorish-Christian stories which arose during the eight centuries of war between the Spanish and the Moors on the Peninsula, particularly in

Andalusía (Seville, Granada, Córdoba) offered the mythical and literature basis for the creation of what many leading European

writers and thinkers consider the best play, the best tragedy, and the best theater in the Western world.

In sum, this trip to Andalusía, Spain, has made me

known for his short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,”

immensely more aware of the cultural importance of this region of

World with the glory of La Alhambra. After an extended stay

the arts in general.

and U.S. ambassador to Spain, for familiarizing the Western at La Alhambra, Irving was inspired to pen his “Tales of the

Spain in the development of modern literature, opera, theater, and Thanks to this intellectually stimulating and enlightening

Alhambra,” a collection of essays and stories which seamlessly

trip to Andalusía, Spain, I have a strong sense of a deepening of

he brings to life the legend of Los Abencerrajes, for which a hall

particularly of Seville and Granada, for Spain, but of these cities

weave history, legends and fiction. In one of his short stories, has been named in the mighty fortress after a tragic incident.

According to legend, after having witnessed an amorous moment between a member of the prominent Abencerrajes and one of his favorite concubines, Boabdil, the last sultan of Granada decided to invite him to a palatial banquet. Since he did not have a clear image of the brazen suitor, he requested the attendance of 36

my awareness not only of the cultural importance of Andalusía, and this region for the cultural history of Europe and the modern world. This awareness has enhanced my understanding of

Spanish literature, arts, and history, but most importantly, has

served to substantially broaden and to strengthen my intellectual command of the subjects I teach here at Browning. n

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 49

SUMMER SOJOURNS MATH IN ITALY: WHERE SCIENCE, ART AND MUSIC MEET

By Judit Resika, Mathematics Teacher

W

ith the generous support of Browning’s Parents Association, I was able to spend a week in Italy this

summer exploring places in Florence (Firenze) and Bologna that related to mathematics.

In Firenze, a favorite tourist destination in Europe, each of

the city’s squares (piazzas), palaces (palazzos), and churches or

basilicas features its own history and historic figures. Florence’s squares are like outdoor museums with beautiful works of art.

People from all over the world go there to see the huge Gothic

Cathedral (Il Duomo), the Baptistery of John the Baptist from the

11th century, and the Bell Tower (Campanile). My favorites were the Ponte Vecchio, the fantastic old bridge built in 1345, and the Piazza della Signora, where I really enjoyed seeing important statues, including a copy of Michelangelo’s David.

Firenze has numerous renowned museums; you need

days to digest each of them. I was happy to spend a long time

in the Museum of Galileo, right next to the Uffizi Gallery. I was amazed at the vast collection of scientific items acquired by the

Medici family. The museum is filled with invention and science through time: clocks, compasses, telescopes, maps and early

calculators. Science lessons I learned at school came to life here.

Most interesting were the devices to investigate the effects of

gravity. The rooms on Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) were highlights for me. I saw the telescopes he created using the ideas of a

Dutch spectacle maker. These were the telescopes that rocked

the foundation of Aristotle’s, Ptolemy’s and the Roman Catholic Church’s geocentric view of the universe. Galileo used them to

discover Jupiter’s moons. I saw his binocular and compass. Even

three of his fingers and one tooth were on display. Why were the fingers cut? In 1737, admirers of Galileo removed his fingers and tooth from his body as it was being moved from a storage place to a monumental tomb in the Basilica of Santa Croce, where for 500 years, monuments were erected to honor great Florentines,

including Michelangelo Bounarotti and Gioacchino Rossini. My other favorite display was one featuring numerous compasses.

I made a day trip to visit the two most popular attractions

in Tuscany, Sienna and San Gimignano. It’s hard to find words to describe these medieval cities. The view from the wonderful terrace of the Facciatone next to Siena’s Cathedral (Duomo)

provided an excellent panoramic view over the city and the outlying Tuscan countryside. It was as breathtaking as the

richness of the inside of this Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral.

San Gimignano’s history begins around the 10th century. Of the original 72 medieval towers, it has managed to conserve 14 of 50 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

varying height which have become its international symbol. No wonder that Franco Zeffirelli filmed most of the “Assisi” scenes

here for his 1972 movie about St. Francis of Assisi, “Brother Son, Sister Moon,” which I loved as a teenager. Walking along the

ancient walls, buildings and churches was a highlight of my stay in Italy, and I definitely would like to go back for a longer visit.

After another day spent in the middle of Florence with

tons of tourist, seeing all the important “must sees,” it was

actually nice to take the tram to the Museum of Mathematics and see some outer areas of this beautiful city. The museum is located on the campus of Istitucio Tecnico Marco Polo.

Besides the numerous history panels on European and Arabic mathematicians, the museum featured two excellent rooms I

enjoyed the most. I spent time in the Pythagoras room solving a series of puzzles, and I saw many panels illustrating his

life and teaching. The other interactive exhibition room was dedicated to curves, their history and their contribution to

science, technology and everyday life. I tried some old and new instruments to draw different curves. A large part of the room

was dedicated to conic sections: circle, parabola and hyperbola.

My favorite was the giant cone, showing the conic sections.

The museum made me realize even more that the history of mathematics plays a very important role in the didactics of

mathematics. I believe that the knowledge of how and when

some problems and methods were born can make the lessons

more interesting and digestible. It contributes to a complete and unitary vision of the knowledge, in general, and helps in the

identification and overcoming of some difficulties. I am hoping to incorporate what I learned in my classes.

Firenze’s main train station, from which I took a high-

speed train to Bologna, is located across from the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. This church had an important role in

Galileo’s life. From the pulpit of this church, in December 1614, Dominican Tommaso Caccini denounced the heretical nature

of the Copernical system, also involving Galileo as a supporter.

The train trip itself is worth a couple of sentences. The line is 48.8 miles long, includes 45.9 miles of tunnels, 2.2 miles on

embankment or in cutting and 0.7 miles of viaduct. It took 37

minutes. If you make the calculation, it comes out as an average speed of above 79 miles per hour!

Bologna is the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region. It is

commonly described by three adjectives: the learned one because it has the oldest university in Europe; the fat one, which is a

reference to its cuisine; and the red one stems from the color of roofs and building walls. I fell in love with the city’s buildings, almost all of them with arcades.

The reason I chose Bologna as one of my destinations on

this trip was a book, a very special one for a mathematics teacher:

the first algebra book, written by Rafael Bombelli in 1569. The

book is in the University’s Library, in the Palazzo Archiginnasio.

The University was founded in 1088, and until the 16th century, the classes had been held in buildings scattered all over the city.

In 1563 during the Council of Trent in the face of the new ideas

proposed by Martin Luther, new decisions were made regarding education at the University of Bologna. In order to gain total

The reason I chose Bologna as one of my destinations on this trip was a book, a very special one for a mathematics teacher: the first algebra book, written

by Rafael Bombelli in 1569.

control of the students and professors, the classes were now to

take place in the Archiginnasio, a building erected especially for this purpose. Among the many famous students was a Polish astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543). I was lucky

enough to visit one of the main historical rooms, the Anatomy Theatre, where anatomy was taught empirically through

dissection of corpses. At present the old university venue is

the seat of the City Library with one of the biggest collection of books, manuscripts and rarities in Italy.

I prepared my visit in advance. Right after school ended in

June, I emailed the library requesting to see the algebra book. I received an answer assuring me that the book would be ready

when I arrived. Growing up, I had old books around me. By old

I mean books from the mid-19th century. But Bombelli’s L’algebra is much older. I didn’t know what to expect. I was wondering if I could actually touch this book. Or would I need white gloves?

Well, here is what happened: I arrived at the library, checked

in and found the room of rare manuscripts. The librarian knew

about my visit, and the book was there. I was informed about the rules and filled out some forms. I signed a couple of papers

about taking only a certain number of photos of certain pages.

Then they handed me the book with the modern version of it,

which was a paperback book written in modern Italian and with

everyday math notations. So, I found myself sitting in a 450-yearold building, reading a 450-year-old book!

Math teacher Judit Resika visited the Museum of Mathematics near Florence where she explored an exhibit dedicated to conic sections; her favorite was the giant cone.

managed to settle the problem with imaginary numbers. The

classes at Browning, I will share pictures of some interesting

Rafael Bombelli (1526-1573) was the person who finally

book is well known for its contribution to solving cubic and

quartic equations using roots of negative numbers (imaginary

pages from the original book.

Bologna offered me other wonderful places to visit – many

numbers). It contains significant work on the relationship

towers (Torre) and gateways (Porta) made my navigation easy in

hands include two additional geometry books. Bombelli’s

using a spiral staircase), the beautiful symbol of the city. My

between algebra and geometry. The manuscripts I held in my manuscript notation for powers of the unknowns (e.g., x raised

to the second power) is a semicircle with the original number of

the power over the coefficient. The print edition reproduces this notation in diagrams of calculations, but, due to a limitation of

the city. I climbed up to the top of the Asinelli tower (592 steps,

favorite square was the monumental piazza Maggiore. I crossed

Piazza Verdi, Rossini, Marconi and Galvani – names we all know from music and science classes.

Spending a week in this part of the word, walking on the

print, places the semicircle next to the coefficient in the running

streets where famous scientists, musicians and artists walked

for piu (plus). L’ algebra came out in print in 1572. The modern

believe I will use in the classroom, and I am sure my students

text. Bombelli uses the shorthand m for meno (minus) and p

edition replaces those signs with the contemporary – and +, but

otherwise respects the notations of the 1572 edition. In my math

many centuries ago, was inspiring. It gave me new ideas that I will benefit from them. I appreciate the Parents Association’s help in making this wonderful trip happen.

n

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 51

ATHLETICS

Athletics PRE-SEASON SOCCER CAMP SETS THE PACE

AS

Browning boys returned in September, Director of Athletics Andrew West was pleased to report on

the results of pre-season soccer: “The soccer season got off to a

very strong start with an impressive 32 boys at pre-season camp.

The team once again traveled up to Lenox, Mass., to Camp MahKee-Nac where the boys worked hard to shake off the summer cobwebs and prepare for the season. For the first time ever,

boys from the incoming Form I were invited; they blended in

perfectly and did a great job. The 7/8 coaches, Mr. Brown and Mr. Protheroe, were pleasantly surprised with both the talent and commitment level our young boys showed.”

Mr. West added, “JV Coach Travers also was happy to see

so many of the boys working hard, talking about the upcoming season and ready to make some noise in the league. Varsity

Coaches Watson and Zeuner got a good look at some of the players, too.” n

52 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 53

ATHLETICS

A STRONG FINISH FOR FALL SEASON

By Andrew H. West ’92, Director of Athletics

T

he Form I and II soccer players were undefeated in their league and won their sixth consecutive NYCAL Middle School

Championship. Browning’s varsity soccer team secured a spot in the

NYCAL play-offs, squaring off against rival Columbia Prep in the first round. The teams played twice earlier in the season with Columbia Prep coming out on top both times, 2-0. Despite their best efforts,

Browning lost 2-1 in the semifinals. The JV Panthers worked hard all season long and showed nice improvement throughout.

The varsity cross country team rounded out a successful fall

season, consistently placing first at the regular meets and making a

strong showing at the NYCAL Championship Meet at Van Cortland Park. Coach Dominique Bernard reported, “A determined Wilfred

Wallis ’13 led the way for Browning over a challenging course with a great time of 18:12 (5:52 a mile), finishing 14th overall in the New York State Championship on November 10.” n

54 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 55

ALUMNI EVENTS

Alumni Events

By Laura Neller Lanigan, Director of Alumni Affairs

Browning alumni at the first Alumni Council meeting of the school year in September.

2012 ALUMNI COUNCIL MEETING

T

he first Alumni Council meeting of 2012-13 was held in the Wilson Room on Monday, September 10. Twenty-

six guests were in attendance. The meeting kicked off with special guest Sam Keany, dean of students and head of the science department, who spoke about a new internship initiative he is launching for Browning Upper School

students. Following Mr. Keany’s presentation, President Michael Beys ‘89 appointed 24 members to the 2012-13

Alumni Council and Director of Alumni Affairs Laura Neller Lanigan gave a report on the record alumni Annual Fund

numbers from 2011-12 as well as a look at the year ahead. In

56 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

addition, Director of Institutional Advancement Marty Haase

provided more information about the Annual Fund in general and he also touched on highlights about the school’s capital

campaign, recent renovations and plans for Browning’s 125th anniversary in 2013. Alumni volunteered for four special

committees at this first meeting of the year: the Advancement Committee, the Reunion and 125th Anniversary Committee, the Nominating Committee and the Young Alumni

Committee. Stay tuned for more news on what this dedicated group of alumni is up to! n

More than 20 alumni attended the September Alumni Council meeting. Back row (L to R): Louis Lenglet ‘02, Christopher Jennings ‘99, Andy Madden ‘96, Elias Trahanas ‘06, John Moran ‘97, Jeffrey Sado ‘76, Peter Stavropoulos ‘82, Benjamin Melting ‘00, George Grimbilas ‘80, Nicholas Versandi ‘01, Michael Hutzler ‘83, Stuart Orenstein ‘00, Bill Reed ‘85, Nikola Barisic ‘00, Garrett Bowden ‘69, Justin Kingson ‘98. Front row (L to R): Stephan Rothe ‘87, Allanby Singleton-Green ‘83, Michael Beys ‘89, Richard Helgason ‘82, Nader Mobargha ‘91, Nicholas Taub ‘08.

UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS Browning-Marymount Reunion: January 25, 6:30 PM, Metropolitan Museum of Art Alumni Council Meeting: January 28, 6:00 PM, Wilson Room Presentation of the Stephen M. Clement, III Chair for the Humanities to Dr. Gerald J. Protheroe February 5, 5:30 PM, Lower Gym Alumni Council Note-a-thon: February 25, 6:00 PM, Wilson Room 2nd Annual Class of 2000 Distinguished Speaker Series: TBA Alumni had the opportunity to hear from Dean of Students Sam Keany, who was the special guest at the September Alumni Council meeting.

Alumni Council Meeting: April 8, 6:00 PM, Wilson Room Spring Benefit: May 3, TBA, Museum of Natural History Alumni Reunion and 125th Anniversary Celebration: May 9, All Day, TBA THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 57

ALUMNI EVENTS

2012 ALUMNI SOCCER GAME

Back row (L to R): Andrew West ‘92, Laurent Manuel ‘03, Nick Christy ‘09, Stephan Rothe ‘87, Alex Sheridan ‘04, Christopher Perkins ‘08, Alexander Bank ‘05. Front row (L to R): Alex Theodorou ‘93, Robin Lewis ‘05, Martin Arnabal ‘01, Dominik Davalos ‘08, Jon Rodriguez ‘11, Gerald Protheroe, Dan Ragsdale.

By Alexander A. Sheridan ’04

IN

what has grown into as unique a tradition as any that Browning offers its students and alums, the annual Alumni/Varsity Soccer Game lived up to its rich rivalry on a beautiful September

afternoon on Randall’s Island on September 13. Featuring a team of graduates ranging from the late 80s to the

late 00s, the alumni squad (bolstered by faculty members Gerald Protheroe and Dan Ragsdale) found its touch early, jumping out to a lead after a goal by former varsity captain Martin Arnabal ‘01. Up to the challenge, a

young but talented and gritty varsity squad responded minutes later off a header by Arthur Mensah ‘16 to tie the score heading into halftime.

The alums jumped back ahead after Chris Perkins ’08 scored to open the second half, but the varsity team

quickly netted a game-tying score when Philip Van Scheltinga ‘14 found the back of the goal off a poorly

defended corner kick. The back and forth battle continued late into the second half as the alums worked hard to

fight off the speedy varsity squad. The alums took the final lead of the game after Alex Theodorou ‘93 put the elder Panthers ahead 3-2, but Will Jacob ‘16 broke through the alumni defense in the closing minutes of the match to score the equalizing goal.

As the teams walked off the field, players exchanged handshakes and high fives, acknowledging and

appreciating the effort both their teammates and opponents displayed in the annual scrimmage. As the varsity

squad gathered on the sideline with Coaches Watson and Zeuner to debrief, the alums, just a few short yards away, gathered to share the stories and memories that make our Athletic Department such a vital part of the Browning experience both as students and alumni. n

58 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

The Alumni Team and the Varsity Team joined together for a group shot at half-time.

It was a beautiful day on Randall’s Island for this year’s Alumni Soccer Game.

Members of the Alumni Team gathered on the field prior to the start of the game.

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 59

CLASS NOTES

Class Notes To share news with the Browning

award sponsored by the Asahi Glass

Lanigan, director of alumni affairs, at 212-838-

prizes are awarded to individuals or

community, please contact Laura Neller

Foundation in Japan. The Blue Planet

6280 Ext. 192 or llanigan@browning.edu.

organizations each year that make outstanding achievements in scientific research and its application in helping to solve global environmental problems.

1930s

Dr. Lovejoy received the award for pioneering work in biodiversity science and conservation, including how human-

The late John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Class of 1893, will be honored posthumously during Browning’s 125

th

anniversary John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Class of 1893.

celebration on May 9 with the Class of 1938

Alumnus Achievement Award. Please see page 69 for more details!

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Jones ‘56 visited Browning in October.

person from our class that I have regular contact with, primarily by e-mail, is my good friend George von Haunalter ‘52. However, my wife, Dinny, and I

In the summer Buzzer, we incorrectly stated the invitees to Wes Vernon ‘49’s 80th birthday celebration. The invitees included all his children, grandchildren and his one great-grandchild.

diversity loss. His career spans multiple decades and includes many creative and important contributions to research on the severe impact of land use on biodiversity and ecosystems.

were able to have cocktails with George and his wife, Gabriela, in New York City about five years ago when we were celebrating our anniversary. But that’s pretty much the limit of our face-to-face visits. The lucky fellow spends half his

1940s

caused habitat fragmentation causes bio-

1960s Gonzalo Mariategui ’61 recently wrote

year in the summer and fall months in

a book titled The House of the Three

Switzerland overlooking a beautiful

Patios, a tale of two artists in conflict.

lake and the other half in Santa Rosa,

Mr. Mariategui provided the follow-

California. As far as I can tell, George and his wife are living a fine life. As for the Goodwins, we are doing well and as a matter fact we are leaving October 1 for a 10-day visit to France including a river cruise down the Saone River.

By coincidence we will not be very far from where George lives. My best to all of my old Browning classmates who

1950s Phillip K. Goodwin ’52 recently submitted the following news: “The only 60 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

may read this. The Buzzer would love to hear from you.”

In June, Thomas E. Lovejoy, III ’59 was awarded the 21st annual Blue Planet Prize, the international environmental

Gonzalo Mariategui ’61 sent us this photo of himself over the summer.

ing synopsis: “The novel is the conflict

ings, from about age seven onwards.

between the best dean in the history of

We also learned to read some music,

the School of Fine Arts of Lima and the

sing, and play the recorder in a music

most talented student that has studied

class. These great hymn melodies must

in the school. The House of the Three

have contributed to my musical sensi-

Patios is also a crude look of the Lima

bility. Their four-phrase structure com-

world of fine arts during the twentieth

municates the very essence of classical

century. The end is totally unexpected.”

subject matter in music.” Mr. Young

Mr. Mariategui lives in Peru and sends his best regards to all at Browning.

Charles J. Plohn, Jr. ’62 recently sent in the following news: “While the Class of 1962 with five classmates attending may or may not have achieved a record turnout for a 50th Reunion in the almost 125year history of The Browning School, we expect to set a record for a 51st Reunion.

Six (John Baker ‘62, Clyde Harris ‘62, Peter Muller ‘62, Haughton Randolph ‘62, Fred Spoor ‘62 and Charles Plohn ‘62) of the surviving 11 members of the Class of 1962 who graduated from Browning have already signed up and we are working on the other members of the class who graduated from the School or elsewhere to attend. We had an outstanding time at our 50th and look forward to reminiscing and partying with our friends in ‘63 as they join us in

tells us today that he is immeasurably Webster Young, Jr. ’68 is a composer and music journalist.

“In my class at The Browning School for Boys in New York City – nearly half became musicians. In this case, they became classical musicians. Included were nearly all of my best friends – I found out much later. This developed after we graduated, unknown to each of us. Tony Movshon ‘68, a best friend for years, became a conductor. Michael Clyne ‘68 became a professional organ-

grateful for what Browning did for him, and that the acknowledgements within the book contain a thank you to Browning. Mr. Young is a published neoclassical composer who has reached his Opus 130. He was twice invited to be a candidate for directorship of the National Endowment for the Arts and he has been a music journalist for several years, writing opinion pieces for Newsday, the Intercollegiate Review and the Catholic Herald in London.

ist. Lee Adamo ‘68 became a pianist and studio musician. Treat Rinear ‘68 became a pianist. David Achelis became a bass player. I became a pianist and composer. At university and afterwards, I heard that these friends had become musicians. There was a destiny at work in this class of 1964 conjunction of

1970s Scott M. Young ’70 has three children and lives on the Hana Coast of Maui, Hawaii.

the True Grytte Society.”

students.” The second excerpt is as fol-

H. Robert Lind ’63 recently sent in the

lows: “In the World War II generation –

David G. Holleb ’73 recently sent in the

that of my father and mother – nobody

following news: “Our son, Matthew,

played an instrument, and I was not

graduated on June 18 from the US Mer-

exposed to classical music – other than

chant Marine Academy. He is heading

what there was in the late 1950s at the

to Savannah, Ga., in August to start his

private elementary school in New York

new career in marine transportation.”

following news: “Moving to Southern California for grandparents, travel and climate considerations. This is our 14th and hopefully ultimate move!”

Webster Young, Jr. ’68 wrote a book called Berkeley-Paris Express: A Lively Memoir of Studying Classical Music and Painting, published in July 2012. Berkeley-Paris Express is the colorful story of the education of a young composer (the author as a young man) who has quit popular music and begun to write his first symphony. The story recalls the influences of people and places upon him, and two excerpts from his book refer to Browning and his classmates:

City, the Browning School for Boys, where I began in 3rd grade. Fortunately, this was no mean exposure. Two or three days in the week began with an assembly of the whole school, at which most of the great hymns from the Anglican ‘Hymnal’ were sung. Wonderful melodies from hymns like ‘Faith of Our Fathers’, ‘Crown Him With Many Crowns,’ ‘This is My Father’s World,’ ‘Onward Christian Soldiers,’ and more rang in my brain through many morn-

Wickford Welden ’73 recently sent in the following news: “’Tales,’ my first collection of short stories, was selfpublished in January of this year. It has been well-received. Another collection, ‘The Door to The Basement,’ is scheduled to be printed soon.”

In the spring, Theodore Dimon, Jr. ’74 founded The Dimon Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to the scientific and practical exploration of man’s unique THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 61

CLASS NOTES who died when the Titanic went down in 1912. 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking.

Mr. Straus was one of the owners of Macy’s.

When the ship began to sink, Mrs. Straus refused to leave her husband’s side, despite being offered one of the last seats on a lifeboat.

In September, Christopher Stainbrook ’77 sent us this photo of himself taken on his cell phone.

As the story goes, the couple was last seen

is now St. Timothy’s Catholic Church,

sitting in deck chairs

Fort Worth, TX.”

as a wave washed over them. Their love story is one of the most famous tales of the ship’s sinking. In April, Mr. Gladstone traveled to Brett Gladstone ’75 was in New York in April to honor his greatgreat-grandparents, Ida and Isador Straus, victims of the Titanic’s sinking in 1912.

New York to honor his great-great-grandparents during a series of

psychophysical design, and to a holistic

tribute events held at Straus Park on the

and conscious way of living based on an

Upper West Side.

understanding of this design. Dr. Dimon also recently authored a book titled Your Body, Your Voice: The Key to Natural Singing and Speaking. In April, Judy and Jamie Dimon ’74 hosted an event at their home in honor of Dr. Dimon and The Dimon Institute’s founding. Alumni Association President Michael Beys ’89 and Director of Alumni Affairs Laura Neller Lanigan both attended. During the event, Dr. Dimon spoke at length about the mission of the organization, which is operating as a non-profit out of a brownstone in Harlem. Dr. Dimon has been studying and researching the topic of the human being and its potential for conscious development for 35 years. For more information, please visit www. dimoninstitute.org.

Brett Gladstone ’75 is the great-greatgrandson of Isador and Ida Straus, 62 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

Clendenen W. Watkins ‘77 recently sent in the following news: “My wife Lisa and I run an entertainment company called D`vyne Entertainment and this fall we will be hosting a major in-studio musical event which is called Spooky Jam. We are proud to provide such a forum to the musical community and to promote a positive networking environment for one and all. Spooky Jam is also co-sponsored by Jeff West,

Alexander C. McCormick ’76 recently

owner and proprietor of Ultrasound

sent in the following news: “Still on the

Rehearsal Studios. Hope you all had a

faculty at Indiana University Bloom-

great summer…for more information

ington, where I teach in the higher

you can find us on LinkedIn.”

education doctoral program and run a national project on college quality called the National Survey of Student Engagement or NSSE.” Christopher C. Stainbrook ’77 recently sent in the following news: “After twenty-two years as an Episcopal clergyman, I have responded to the generous offer made by Pope Benedict XVI to Episcopalians/Anglicans all over the world in the Apostolic Constitu-

L to R: Lisa Watkins, Jeff West and Clendenen Watkins ‘77 are sponsoring a musical event called Spooky Jam.

tion ANGLICANORUM COETIBUS

John P. Cleary ’78 recently sent in the

and was ordained a Catholic Priest in

following news: “After completing

June. The Episcopal congregation that I

my doctoral degree in philosophy at

served as Vicar (St. Timothy’s, Episco-

the Institute for the Advancement of

pal) also became Catholic with me, and

Philosophy for Children at Montclair State University, I have been appointed

Professor of Philosophy at Raritan Val-

tutional clients including investment,

ley Communty College. Hello to all at

domestic and international banks, and

Browning and my class.”

private equity funds in the areas of real estate and structured finance and property acquisition and development.

Mr. Clark’s extensive experience repre-

1980s In July 2012, David A. Callaway ’82 was named editor-in-chief of USA TODAY. He will be responsible for the national newspaper and the news coverage on all digital products. He is the subject of Alumni in the News, see page 66. He and his wife, Nanci, will be living in McLean, Va., but keeping their current home in Northern California. Prior to joining USA TODAY, Mr. Callaway was editor-in-chief of MarketWatch for 13 years. Under his guidance there, MarketWatch was named “Best in Business” for large financial websites three times by the Society of American Business Editors & Writers.

senting both institutional lenders and property owners positions him to provide pragmatic and balanced advice.

William Tanous ’88 is vice president of Warner Music Group. In May, he married Julie Beth Phillips in Birmingham, Ala.

Peter Cohen ’99 with his fiancée, Sara Byrne.

Peter R. Orphanos ’89 is founder and

Peter R. Cohen ’99 sent in the following

president of Orphmedia, a growing web development and online restaurant solutions company. Orphmedia has clients including Rosa Mexicano, Marea and Nicoletta. In July, the company launched its first iPhone app called DIGITAL PLATE (www.digitalplate. com), a social media food diary where users can archive and share food shots with friends.

two Society of American Business Editors and Writers awards for his weekly commentary column, which he wrote for 12 years. This past May, Mr. Callaway was the 2012 co-recipient (along with his brother, Jack P. Callaway ’84) of Browning’s Class of 1938 Alumnus Achievement Award.

Charles T. Enders ’82 recently sent in the following news: “Greetings! My wife, Jennifer, and I are raising our young daughter in the great small city of Portland, Maine. We also have a young dog named Zoe.” Brooks S. Clark ’84 joined law firm Polsinelli Shughart’s financial services department in July. Mr. Clark will continue his practice of advising insti-

we currently live and work. We are planning to have our wedding back in New York in May 2013.”

John C. Dearie ’99 married Sarah Miller on June 23 in Lenox, Mass.

Sebastian E. Habr ’99 is the finance and human resources director within a leading fashion public relations firm

Editor and Publisher’s EPPY Award Service.” Mr. Callaway personally won

Byrne of Melbourne, Australia, where

the New York office of Karla Otto Inc.,

In addition, MarketWatch won the three times for “Best Internet Business

news: “I was recently engaged to Sara

with offices in London, Paris Milan,

1990s

New York, Los Angeles and Hong

Christopher M. Coffey ’98 recently sent

signers both well known and newly

in the following news: “Still working for the mayor’s office and greatly enjoying it. Living in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, with my partner, Adam.”

Kong. Karla Otto New York represents top-tier European and American delaunched, including Marni, Viktor & Rolf, Emilio Pucci, Jil Sander, Kanye West and Celine.

Brett C. Model ’98 recently sent in the following news: “After nearly 10 years in China and one year in Bhutan, I moved to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in May 2012. I am working on opening the MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach Resort, an 1,100 room Las Vegas style casino resort on the southern coast of the country.

Vietnam is an intriguing place with an interesting history, great food and gorgeous landscapes. I can be reached via email: brettcmodel@hotmail.com.”

2000s Nikola Barisic ’00 recently relocated back to New York from Los Angeles, where he continues to be a talent manager at Untitled Entertainment, a firm specializing in representing A-list actors, writers and directors. Nikola remains an avid supporter of Browning alumni activities—being in New

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 63

CLASS NOTES York makes it much easier for him to

Browning in October to discuss plans

participate. He has recently joined the

for their class’s 10th Reunion at Brown-

Advancement Committee, a sub-com-

ing on Thursday, May 9. Class of 2003,

mittee of the Alumni Council.

mark your calendars for what is shaping up to be a great night!

Fran Civetta ’00 recently sent in the following news: “This year has been a busy one. A lot of travel for Fran Civetta ’00 sent us this photo of himself in September.

work, been DJ’ing nonstop for the last two years,

Jack Ludwig ’01 visited Browning in July and spent time with Headmaster Steve Clement and Director of Alumni Affairs Laura Neller Lanigan.

Actor Paul Dano ’02 starred in two movies over the summer: “Ruby Sparks” and “For Ellen.” In August, Buzzer Editor Melanie McMahon was honored to meet Mr. Dano when he made a special guest appearance at her local independent theatre on opening night of the movie, “Ruby

just doesn’t seem to slow down. Some

Sparks.” He

highlights from this year: The Playboy

discussed

Art Basil Party in Miami, Mick Rock’s

the produc-

Rocked event with Phantogram + Marc

tion of the

Ronson, VS Magazine party with Hel-

movie which

ena Christensen + LCD Soundsystem,

he starred

RollingStone’s Electric Milk RockRoom

in and also

at the Coachella Music festival with Ra-

entertained

dioHead…amongst many others.”

Justin F. Karr ’00 graduated from business school and joined the US consumer products M&A advisory group

questions Director of Publications Melanie McMahon met Paul Dano ‘02 in August.

from the “standingroom-only”

at Ernst & Young.

audience. Afterward, he graciously auto-

Last summer, Andy Sandberg ‘01 di-

for her (see photo above) in which he was

rected and produced the Off-Broadway

featured as part of an article on Brown-

premiere of The Last Smoker in America.

ing’s public speaking program.

The original cast album has been recorded and will be released soon.

He also received a 2012 Tony Award nomination for his production of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man, which closed on September 9. This spring, Andy will be directing the world premiere of the new play, Operation Epsilon, in Cambridge, MA. Other projects in development for Broadway and Off-Broadway include Application Pending, Beyond the Music, Shida, Straight, and Summer Schlock.

He is looking forward to seeing his classmates at various Browning alumni events throughout the year!

64 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

graphed the summer issue of the Buzzer

Geoffrey L. Shraga ’02 recently sent in the following news: “I graduated from Cornell University in 2006 and became a US Army infantry officer. Since then, I’ve deployed to Baghdad, Iraq and to Kandahar, Afghanistan. In 2011, I married my wife, Emily. This year I

Peter B. Allen ‘03 and Berk Sonmez ‘03 at Browning in October.

John E. Katsos ’03 recently sent us the following news: “Last year I was hired as the Assistant Professor of Business Law and Ethics at the American University in Dubai. I just got appointed Chair of the Department of Business and Economics as well so things are going well on the job front. On the personal front, my wife, Kristina, and I welcomed our first child, Sofia Barbara, this past June.” He looks forward to joining the Class of 2003 for their 10th Browning Reunion on May 9, 2013.

In July, Kevin D. Seal ’04 completed a master’s degree in education from Bank Street College. He is now working at the Waldorf School of Pittsburgh, where he works with the Pre-Kindergarten class.

Justin A. Krasner ’06 works as an editorial assistant at Workman Publishing.

graduated with honors from the Army

R. Nicholas Perkins ’08 graduated from

Electronic Warfare Officer Course. I’m

St. Andrews in June and accepted a job

currently stationed at Fort Sill, Okla.,

in equities research with Fidelity Invest-

for training and pursuing an MBA at

ments in London.

Oklahoma State University.”

In May, Philip Devereux-Demetriad ’08

10th Reunion Co-Chairs Peter Allen ‘03

graduated magna cum laude from Se-

and Berk K. Sonmez ‘03 returned to

wanee: The University of the South, ma-

his summer interning in economic policy

first term’s courses include: Calculus II,

and development at the American Action

Chemistry II, English Literature, Naval

Forum in Washington, DC.

History, Leadership and Seamanship.

In September, his father wrote to us

This fall, Andrew Scott ’08 performed

that James’s “superior education from

as police chief in the LA opera “The

Browning is a continuing advantage.”

Two Foscari” by Giuseppe Verdi.

2010s Philip Devereux-Demetriad ’08 with his mother at his graduation from Sewanee in May.

joring in international political economy and minoring in French studies. He spent

James R. Brisotti ’12 completed a rigorous summer of basic training at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. His academic year began in August and his

Faculty News

In June, Sarah Mitchell Duddy, former Browning faculty, attended a reunion at Nichols School in Buffalo, N.Y., where Headmaster Clement was also in attendance.

Christopher A. Karachale, former Browning faculty, recently

James R. Brisotti ’12

In Memoriam Basil R. Campbell, Former Faculty Linda Cassano P ‘07

accepted a position with Hanson Bridgett LLP as senior coun-

William J. Coffey P ‘98

sel in their San Francisco office.

Celeste Holm P ’55, ‘64

Carol Goulian Stewart, former Browning faculty, recently wrote to us saying she had a wonderful time seeing former faculty and students at Alumni Reunion in May, and that she will always have fond memories of Browning. She

Harold M. Lynn P ‘09 Duncan A. MacGuigan ‘69 Jose W. Noyes ‘55 Arthur O. Sulzberger ‘44 Guy K. Vann ‘72

also shared news of her three L to R: Steve Clement, Sarah Mitchell Duddy and Grace Duddy at Nichols School in June.

college-age sons. Victor is a senior at Trinity College and a physics major. James is a junior

For more information, including links to obituaries, please visit www.browning.edu/alumni.

at NYU, majoring in English. Andrew is also at NYU; he is a freshman and economics major.

Reverend Basil R. Campbell, former Browning faculty, passed away on August 13, 2012. He began working at The Browning School in 1962, where he served in various roles as assistant headmaster, director of admissions and teacher of religion, until retiring in 1987.

Reverend Basil Campbell, former faculty member, passed away in August.

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 65

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

David Callaway ’82 in the News In July, USA TODAY named David A. Callaway ’82 as its new editor-in-chief. David’s appointment was covered by the major media, including, of course, USA TODAY itself, which wrote, “Callaway, 48, who has been editor-in-chief at the financial news site MarketWatch and its predecessor, CBS MarketWatch, since 2003, will oversee the overall content strategy for USA

TODAY and be responsible for furthering the digital transformation of the newsroom.” David, along with his brother, Jack ’84, is the 2012 co-recipient of Browning’s Class of 1938 Alumnus Achievement Award. He is among a number of alumni who have chosen journalism as a career, including the late

But then USA TODAY reinvented storytelling and

changed how news was produced. We added shorter stories that were straight and to-the-point, full-color photos and

charts, and an unprecedented satellite printing strategy that allowed the same newspaper to appear on doorsteps and news racks from Hackensack to Honolulu.

Just as in 1982, now it’s time to evolve again. But this

time we have to deliver on multiple platforms, from video

to interactive graphics to text and photos. In what can only be described as a new “Gutenberg moment,” the world

of media is exploding. People can get the story anywhere, anytime and on any device.

Thirty years ago, the major media from the previous

30 years hadn’t changed: CBS, NBC, ABC, AP, Reuters, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post were the dominant news brands. CNN was just two years old.

Few predicted the Internet or how it would change

Arthur O. Sulzberger ‘44, P ’70, publisher of The New York

things. Or that news and media coverage would splinter

excelling in journalism. Staff members of Browning’s student news-

Tonight, MTV and many more. Or that today we’d be

Times, who died in September. Browning students today are also paper, the Grytte, were recently awarded a Silver Medalist Certificate from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. (See story on page 36.) As part of USA TODAY’s 30th anniversary celebration in September, David wrote an article entitled, “The Future of News: You,” excerpted below.

I

t’s all about you.

Not readers, not viewers, not listeners, not mobile

users. No, it’s about you, the consumers of news.

Thirty years ago, you got your news by newspapers,

into dozens of niche brands: ESPN, C-SPAN, Entertainment primarily consuming news from all those sources on our phones and tablets.

Our children don’t distinguish between TV and radio

anymore. Indeed, hundreds of thousands of Americans have given up their household TVs and just watch video on the Web. Newspapers are closing right and left, or switching focus to their websites.

The biggest news brands of 2012, aside from USA

TODAY, are CNN, Fox News, Bloomberg News, Yahoo

magazines, television and radio. Different journalists

News, and upstarts like The Huffington Post and Politico.

moving from typewriters to primitive computers,

ago. The Times, Journal, Reuters and Post are all still popular

on primitive Radio Shack TRS-80 laptops, and clumsy

news the way you now want it, digitally.

provided coverage through different media. We were

None of these, except for a nascent CNN, existed 30 years

experimenting with transmitting news directly from events

and dominant, but mostly because they’ve learned to deliver

mobile phones the size of milk cartons.

66 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

Your “news feed” on Facebook or your Twitter feeds

wouldn’t even qualify as news by traditional standards, but those places are where you go for the news you and your friends want.

The game changes every generation. The next 30 years

will be no different. Imagine how flexible tablets, flying

That’s why the biggest brands are beginning to look at news not from the point of how it’s

cars and hologram technology will change delivery. Or the

collected and delivered, but for

the Internet in so-called cloud technology. The big news

what it has always been in its

fading away and the smartest ones thriving by changing their

most basic form—telling you

ability to store vast realms of data on DNA, or simply on

brands will change too, with new players emerging, others display, delivery and business models.

You, the user, will be even more closely tied to the news,

contributing your thoughts, your photos, your videos and

your locations when news breaks. You will make more news

something new.

than you ever have before.

aren’t enough: The trick is to make them work together.

more than ever. Even with the fragmentation of news and

the senior editors from news departments such as video,

still unimagined, you will migrate to brands you trust for

and across platforms to deliver national news, charts and

advice, celebrity interviews or e-book reviews.

the country. Included in the mix will be news flowing across

But brands like USA TODAY will still matter, perhaps

So we’re building a hub-and-spoke news desk where

information online, on phones and tablets and on devices

graphics, breaking news, and enterprise will work together

the essentials, be it political opinion, sports, weather, stock

visuals to every local Gannett paper and TV station across

That’s why the biggest brands are beginning to look at

news not from the point of how it’s collected and delivered, but for what it has always been in its most basic form—

social media, much of it from you, our readers and viewers…

This will happen because you will demand it. Even

as many news jobs and news organizations cease to exist,

telling you something new.

victims of old business models, you want more news than

investigative news, will converge, as you demand unique

emerge. Experiments with news by subscription and news

not ours…

pay plans will hardly be noticed by consumers, much like

That means breaking news and enterprise, or

approaches from your news brands. But on your time frame, At USA TODAY, we’re taking it a step further. We’re

creating a news desk that combines the journalistic firepower

ever. New ways to sell and distribute advertising will

on demand will get more creative, to the point where the best cable TV is today. Only then will these assets really take off.

You need news to succeed today, to enjoy your life and

of not only the USA TODAY newsroom but all of the 82

your families and friends, and to make sense of a rapidly

Gannett Co. Inc., some 5,000 journalists in all…But numbers

years. See you then. n

newspapers, 23 TV stations and other news assets of our parent,

changing world. That’s one thing that won’t be different in 30

THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012 • 67

68 • THE BUZZER • FALL/WINTER 2012

Save the Dates!

FRIDAY, MAY 3

Spring Benefit at the American Museum of Natural History

• Celebrating 25 years of leadership by Headmaster Stephen M. Clement, III

Alumni Reunion at The Browning School

THURSDAY, MAY 9

• Hosted by the Parents Association

• Celebrating the history of the School across 125 years and showcasing Browning’s new facilities

• All alumni invited; Classes ending in “3” and “8” are celebrating major reunions

• Presenting the Class of 1938 Alumnus Achievement Award

• Including the annual True Grytte Society and Consecutive-Year Donors Luncheon as well as an Alumni Career Panel

• Hosted by the Alumni Association

The Class of 1938 Alumnus Achievement Award will be presented posthumously to The Browning School’s first student, the late John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Class of 1893.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5

125th Birthday Celebration at The Browning School

• Alumni, current parents, past parents and faculty are invited to toast to Browning’s past, present and future as we celebrate 125 years since Browning’s founding in 1888

All Alumni Reunion events as well as the 125th Birthday Celebration will be free of charge.

If this magazine is addressed to your son who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Office of Institutional Advancement at 212 838-6280 x 115 with the correct mailing address. Thank you.

1888: Grover Cleveland was President, but this was a year he would rather forget. At first glance, it appeared that the 51-year-old President had won his bid for reelection. He narrowly received more votes in the general election than Benjamin Harrison – but Harrison was declared the victor because he won in the Electoral College.

– R. Thomas Herman ’64, excerpt from Chapter I of his book, The History of The Browning School 1888 – 1988

On November 6, 2012, as Browning prepared to celebrate its 125th year (25 years after alumnus Tom Herman penned his book commemorating the School’s Centennial), President Obama (like Cleveland, aged 51) won the U.S. Presidential race. Mock elections were held that day at Browning, with President Obama declared the winner by a vote of 165 to 140. Boys in Grades 2 through Form VI were eligible to vote, along with faculty and staff. Pictured above are younger Browning boys – pencils and ballots in hand – excited, curious and some still pondering, about to enter the voting “booth” and later receive their sticker stating, “Voting Counts.”