ST. GEORGE’S
THE BULLETIN OF ST. GEORGE’S SCHOOL // SUMMER 2025
CORE VALUES
Our historic mission guides us to this day
COMMON BONDS
Once again, sixth-formers cited the school’s long-standing traditions, including Middlesex Weekend, the Pie Race, Spring Dance Weekend — and the Christmas Festival — as “things they hope never change at St. George’s” during year-end conversations with Head of School Michael Wirtz.
In December 2024, we celebrated our 113th Yule Night in the Chapel and at the Christmas Feast in King Hall. Alumni, we’re guessing you, too, remember that evening.
ST. GEORGE’S
FEATURES
3 A New Era for Arden-Diman-Eccles
Renovation of the historic dormitory complex is nearly complete
15 A Dragon to the NHL
Everett Baldwin ’25 drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning
18 Civil discourse in action
Students learn the importance of constructive — and compassionate — dialogue
20 To Dragons, it’s just our song
The storied history of “Jerusalem”
26 What St. George’s stands for
A student reflects on what it means to be honorable
28 His pragmatism may have saved the school
During World War II and the early postwar years, financial constraints nearly closed St. George’s. Alumni of the era credit former headmaster Willet Lawrence Eccles for its comeback.
The St. George’s Bulletin is published biannually. It's printed on 8 pt. Stirling Matte Cover and 70-pound Stirling Matte Text by Lane Press, South Burlington, Vermont. Typefaces used are Antwerp, Brix Sans, and Brix Slab. Please send correspondence to bulletin_editor@ stgeorges.edu
© 2025 St. George’s School
OUR MISSION The specific objectives of St. George’s are to give its students the opportunity of developing to the fullest extent possible the particular gifts that are theirs and to encourage in them the desire to do so. Their immediate job after leaving school is to handle successfully the demands of college; later it is hoped that their lives will be ones of constructive service to the world and to God.
Today, we continue to teach our students the value of learning and achievement, service to others, and respect for the individual. We believe that these goals can best be accomplished by exposing students to a wide range of ideas and choices in the context of a rigorous curriculum and a supportive residential community. Therefore, we welcome students and teachers of various talents and backgrounds, and we encourage their dedication to a multiplicity of pursuits — intellectual, spiritual, and physical — that will enable them to succeed in and contribute to a complex, changing world.
DEPARTMENTS
02 A Letter from the Head of School
03 Campus News
31 Alumni News
40 Class Notes
80 Student Essay
ON THE COVER
The Chapel and Memorial Schoolhouse at dusk.
PHOTO BY ADAM RICHINS
The Bulletin of ST. GEORGE’S SCHOOL
Michael C. Wirtz Head of School
Jedd Whitlock Director of Advancement
Suzanne McGrady Director of Communications
Jeremy Moreau Web Manager
Ian Vescera
Digital Communications Specialist
Adam Bastien Designer
From the Hilltop
Iclearly remember the train ride to New York City for my first St. George’s reception at the New York Yacht Club.* With a few hours of uninterrupted time, I had the space to reflect on that week’s Leadership Team meeting, where my team and I discussed our aspirations for our students, our colleagues, and the school as a whole. Where did we want the school to be in five years? What did we want St. George’s to be known for? The conversation, while interesting and productive, left me searching for more enduring guidance regarding our future. And then it hit me: we have great language in the school’s mission statement, diversity vision statement, and honor code.
I spent the rest of the train ride analyzing SG’s foundational documents, teasing apart phrases and grouping various concepts together. Ultimately, I found that the mission statement could be distilled down to helping students “[develop] to the fullest extent possible the particular gifts that are theirs,” while the 2009 diversity vision statement encouraged community members to “promote genuine respect for each individual” and the honor code expects us to be “truthful in words, honorable in actions.” The mission statement also answers the ultimate “why?” for St. George’s: to help students lead lives of “constructive service to the world and to God.”
In an effort to test out this language, we spent a subsequent faculty meeting thinking about the places where these particular phrases were readily apparent in the life of the school and where we might improve how they were expressed. It was a valuable conversation and one that I repeated with a
small focus group of students. Both exercises were critical, not only for identifying SG’s strengths and opportunities to improve, but because they validated the universality of the phrases themselves as our core values. St. George’s did not need to invent core values, we only needed to highlight language found in our powerful foundational documents, all of which had long guided the school.
Since those exercises and early conversations, we have been more intentional in our efforts to elevate, make visible, and live out our core values. For example, in the most recent election cycle for Senior Prefects and Honor Board members, students were asked to rate candidates against how well they perceived students to model these values. Candidates were then asked to talk about a core value and its importance to their St. George’s experience as part of the public question and answer session held before voting opened. I hope you enjoy reading about additional examples of the ways in which SG’s core values are present in the life of the school.
As St. George’s embarks on a strategic planning process during the 2025-2026 academic year, the Board of Trustees, school leadership, and all those a part of the process will keep these core values front and center in our thinking. These values are timeless, articulating what the school has taught generations of alumni and defining our goals for the students of today.
* The ride home was also quite memorable, due to a flat tire that left me, Julie Butler, Wendy Drysdale, Ryan Mulhern, and Kelly Richards stranded and requiring a tow truck! We ultimately arrived back on the Hilltop at 2 a.m.!
This summer will mark the completion of one of the most complex and comprehensive capital projects in the school’s history: the renovation and expansion of the Arden-Diman-Eccles dormitory project. An effort made possible only with the generosity of St. George’s alumni, family, and friends, the project marks a milestone in the evolution of student life on campus.
The final phase of the project, the renovation of Eccles Hall — the northernmost dormitory in the complex — will be completed in time to reopen this fall and house 40 boys. Last fall, 34 girls moved into freshly renovated spaces in Arden Hall, and boarding and day students had full use of the newly configured community spaces of Diman, beneath the complex’s signature clock tower.
“Arden was originally built in 1907 from a donation from William Wood, the parent of two SG students … It’s so awesome that Arden is still able to house so many students almost
“It allows for a space for our community to come together — for our day students, for our boarding students to be a united community. This space really directly impacts how students go about the campus.”
—HEAD OF SCHOOL
MICHAEL WIRTZ AT THE CELEBRATION OF THE REOPENING OF ARDEN AND DIMAN HALLS, OCTOBER 2024
This photo of the original construction of the Diman Hall clock tower appeared in the Red & White student newspaper on April 18, 1925. Note the glimpse of a 1920s-era automobile on the right.
The
66th Annual
Teachers honored for instructional excellence
Endowed teaching chairs formally acknowledge and reward SG faculty members’ outstanding contributions to the academic program
Humanities teacher Meg Coffin and art teacher Ray Woishek ’89 were honored for excellence in teaching and granted prestigious teaching chairs last fall.
Ms. Coffin was granted the John L. Welsh Jr. ’42 Chair in English. Established in 2000, the Welsh Chair was given in honor of John L. Welsh by his wife, Phoebe Cook Welsh, and their children with the goal of heightening the importance of teaching English at the secondary school level.
Mr. Woishek was honored with the G. Danforth Hollins Teaching Chair. Established in 1997, the chair was given by Peter B. Freeman GP’00 to honor a faculty member whose enthusiasm and dedication to all aspects of life at St. George’s capture the spirit of Mr. Hollins’ lifelong commitment.
This fall, three more faculty members will be granted teaching chairs, receiving the mantle from teachers who retired this past June.
Pie Race
Mr. Lewis’ last race
After 26 years, Mr. Lewis presided over his last Pie Race. Mr. Lewis took over the Pie Race from the late former physics teacher Ted Hersey in 1999.
“I love the fun and informal nature of the Pie Race. The students seem to really love taking a break from the pressures of their studies and just laugh and let loose for a little while. I feel honored to have been the ‘keeper of the flame’. The Pie Race is a great tradition, and I was really lucky to be a part of it.”
Boys’ varsity squash wins U.S. High School Team Squash National Championship
For the second time in program history, our boys’ varsity squash team won a national championship! The boys won the Division IV title at the 2025 U.S. High School Team Squash National Championships in Philadelphia Feb. 21-23, winning the title match 4-3 over the Woodberry Forest School from Virginia. Will Husband ’25, Ashton Kellogg ’25, Andrew Quinn ’27, and Jiaming Xu ’27 all won their matches in the finals to secure the victory for SG.
Head coach Pat Cosquer, in his first year at SG coaching the program, realized his team had championship potential in the few weeks leading up to Nationals in Philadelphia.
“I knew they were on the verge of something big towards the end of the season when we lost a few really hard-fought matches and when I saw them competing and showing top effort against elite competition in our league,” said Coach Cosquer. “We all realized we could win the tournament a few days prior to the start of play when we saw the draw and understood that we had the talent and desire to be champions.”
For the seniors on the team, the victory was not the result of one weekend of great play but rather the steps it took to get there — getting better one day at a time.
“Our season has been an incredible journey of growth,” said captain Gianni Spentzos ’25. “As a team, we grew in our intentionality. Each day was an opportunity to hone our focus more than the last. I am proud of the team for choosing to pursue improvement. Our experience brought joy, taught us to battle, and strengthened our character.”
That character and resilience was put to the test when the Dragons had to win four matches over three days to claim the championship. St. George’s started off the weekend defeating the Potomac School 5-2 on Friday. The team hit the ground running on Saturday with a clean 7-0 sweep of William Penn Charter and a
comfortable 6-1 win over the Berkshire School in the semifinals.
The Dragons had all they could handle in the championship match on Sunday versus Woodberry Forest as the tightly contested match came down to the wire. In the end, senior captain Ashton Kellogg ’25 won the deciding match 3-2.
When the final point was scored, Ashton took off his goggles, lifted his racket in celebration as his teammates joined him on the court — embracing one another to share in the accomplishment.
“When the reality of the D4 Nationals final set in, I was hit with a surge of accomplishment,” said senior captain Owen Gooch ’25. “As a captain, I felt like the work I had put into developing this group of guys into a squash team had culminated perfectly. I finally saw all of the guys leaving everything they had on the court. But it wasn’t for themselves; it was for their teammates.”
“A journey often leads to a destination; I am so grateful and proud that ours led to the D4 National Championship,” said Gianni. “Our victory is an accomplishment we will cherish forever, leaving our legacy on the St. George’s Squash Program. I hope it serves as a source of inspiration for future St. George’s teams to take the program further than we left it, strive for improvement, and collectively pursue success.”
Community connection through language
SG students lead language classes at Aquidneck Elementary
When a large yellow school bus pulled up to Aquidneck Elementary the morning of Dec. 14, students exited the vehicle bundled up in winter coats, with smiles on their faces and projects in hand for the day’s language classes. However, these kids were just a little bit taller than the ones who normally disembark at this school. More than 100 students from 16 language classes at St. George’s School poured out of the bus into Aquidneck Elementary for the third annual Language and Culture Festival — ready for the chance to lead a classroom, share their love of language, and make some new friends.
“I am always so proud of our students and touched by the feedback we get from the school,” said SG’s chair of the Language and Culture Studies Department, Catherine Rodero Scholhamer. “It is a fun celebration of learning, teaching, language, and culture that everyone seems to enjoy.”
“Chinese is a hard language to learn at any age, but these kids picked it up right away, diving into our activity of making an ornament. I am holding a picture with the Chinese character ai, which means love!”
– MAIA SONI ’27
At the Language and Culture Festival, St. George’s students in level 3 and 3 honors French, Latin, and Spanish courses — along with all students enrolled in Chinese — spend the morning at
Aquidneck Elementary and teach the elementary school students about their language of study. This requires a lot of preparation prior to this day, as SG students have to discuss and plan their lesson,
practice presenting the material in an effective manner, and implement any feedback from their teacher and peers. They also create the necessary visual materials needed for their lessons, which can range from decorated poster boards to a display for a puppet show.
“The experience with the Aquidneck Elementary students was one of the most fun and engaging activities I have participated in during my SG career thus far,” said Aggie Dursi ’27, shown at right putting on a puppet show in Spanish with her partner, Millie Coval Carapia ’26. “Working with the students was a different experience that was definitely unique, and honestly I was a little nervous at first because I didn't know how the students would react to our work or if they would be interested.
“But when we started talking about the project and providing context, I could see they immediately showed curiosity in what we had to say, which was awesome to see.”
Beyond sharing the joy of language, the Language and Culture Festival helped to strengthen the bonds between St. George’s and the local school community, and even allowed SG students to impart valuable lessons to the younger students.
“Being able to teach the value of honesty through the folktale felt like I was making a genuine impact on the children,” said Harshan Hundal ’26, who performed a puppet show with Jake Lee ’25. “They all stayed engaged and seemed to enjoy our time together, so it was fun to bring smiles to their faces.”
While the SG students are the ones technically doing the teaching, they are the first to tell you how beneficial it is for their own learning.
“It was so fun for me and my fellow classmates to teach younger children and to put what we have learned into action,” said Maia Soni ’27. “Chinese is definitely a hard language to learn and can seem scary, but after studying the language for two years, it has become much easier for me. Having the opportunity to teach helped both my classmates and me put all of our knowledge and learning into perspective, and we realized how far
children and this is their moment, and others are new to this type of experience and rise to the occasion,” said Ms. Rodero Scholhamer.
“For the Aquidneck students, seeing the way their faces lit up during the activities, hearing them recite words in various languages, and watching the way they ran to hug the SG students goodbye showed how impactful a morning spent learning together could be.”
“To give students the opportunity of developing to the fullest extent possible the particular gifts that are theirs ...”
– from St. George’s Mission Statement
A beginning diver takes the plunge — and makes waves in the ISL
When swim and dive team member Brewster Worth ’28 won the “Most Improved Player” award this past winter, it didn’t really tell the whole story. In fact, his coaches would probably say that in Brewster’s case it should’ve been called the “Most Miraculously Improved Player” award.
A novice, the third-former hadn’t yet learned the necessary number of dives to compete successfully in the first meet of the 2024-’25 season, in December. And yet just two months later on Feb. 19, he was posing at the Hoyt Pool with a medal around his neck, having been crowned the ISL/EIL All-Around 2025 Diving Champion.
Brewster’s mom and dad spotted his athletic potential when he was little.
“My parents always knew I was kind of a springy person,” he said. He took gymnastics lessons when he was very young and springboard diving lessons when he was in sixth grade at Buckley School, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. “But we never really got the ball rolling. I did it for maybe a year and a half, but nothing exciting really happened, so we put the idea aside,” he said.
Back in the fall, contemplating his first winter sports season at SG, Brewster — also a skilled cross-country runner and track standout — told his dad about the swimming and diving program. “He said, ‘You should definitely do it,’” Brewster said. “‘Try something new.’”
Luckily for St. George’s, retired U.S. Naval officer Ric Finn, who served as an assistant swim coach at SG from 2015 to 2020, before we even had
a diving board, was willing to come out of retirement to take on a new student.
A former high school diver in Long Island, New York, Mr. Finn dove in college at Southern Connecticut State University, went on to coach diving at Ball State University, and while he was stationed overseas in the Navy, coached swimming and diving in Italy and Saudi Arabia.
With Brewster, he had to start small, Mr. Finn said.
In his first meet in December, Brewster was disqualified because he failed two dives in a six-dive meet, at one point hitting the board.
Brewster, however, was not deterred. “Matter of fact, I think it motivated him,” Mr. Finn said. “He’s very willing to take on the next challenge.”
For the championship meet, Brewster would have to perform 11 dives.
With Mr. Finn’s expertise, and SG diving standout Cash Martin ’24 serving as an assistant coach, Brewster plugged away, training in the pool and on a trampoline at a gymnastics academy on Wednesdays in East Greenwich. Feb. 12, 2025, was a turning point. It was a meet against the Wheeler School, and Brewster was facing a fifth-former he’d once admired — and thought he would never catch up to — in the fall.
“My final dive was my back one-and-a-half somersault with a half twist,” he said.
It scored very well — two 8.5s and an 8.
He came in first place.
“In my first competition of the season, it felt like I was an animal in a zoo cage. It was so quiet in the pool … the pool was completely flat … and I was just standing on the diving board waiting, thinking, ‘What is going to happen?’” he said.
“I was doubting my ability to succeed … I was thinking, ‘How good can I really get at this? … How well am I going to progress?’”
The championship answered his questions.
2025
On May 25, 104 members of the Class of 2025 graduated from St. George’s School during the 122nd Prize Day ceremony.
the NHL: Everett Baldwin drafted by Tampa Bay Lightning
Defenseman Everett Baldwin ’25 was selected 151st overall in the fifth round of the 2025 NHL draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning on June 28. Everett, a St. George’s School Class of 2025 graduate, played in 78 career games for the Dragons over three seasons, totaling 63 points — 18 goals and 45 assists.
“It was unreal,” Everett said upon seeing his name pop up on NHL Network. “It’s hard to put into words. You
think about everything that you’ve done to get to that point … just really thankful for everyone who was here to support me as well.”
“Everett has a unique mix of unbelievable physical talent and an incredible work ethic,” said St. George’s boys’ hockey Head Coach Allie Skelley. “He is the best pure skater I have seen in 20-plus years of coaching prep school hockey.”
Everett, a native of Rumford, Rhode Island, and current Providence College commit, was a three-time All-ISL selection and a two-time All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention for St. George’s. During his junior season, Everett helped lead the Dragons to a 23-4-1 record, culminating in an ISL Eberhart Division Title and the school’s first-ever appearance in the NEPSAC Stuart/ Corkery Elite 8 Tournament.
“Everett was a great fit for SG as he was a local Rhode Island kid who wanted better academics and hockey, and we were able to do that for him,” said St. George’s School’s Athletic Director Bob Pipe. “SG has been able to help him grow and mature into a better student and athlete. Everett totally bought into all that SG offered, and that’s why he stayed and really wanted to graduate from SG while many tried to lure him to other places.”
Beyond SG, Everett has played on the national stage, competing in the USA Hockey’s Chipotle All-American Game this past January as well as spending time with the U.S. National U18 Team and the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League (USHL).
“Everett is the ultimate competitor who hates to lose, which is probably another trait that makes him so good,” said Coach Skelley. “He is confident in his abilities and isn’t afraid to make plays. Some kids at his age can shy away from the big moments, but Everett is different — he is someone who seeks out the big moments.”
Everett is the third St. George’s graduate to be drafted to an NHL team. Current St. George’s Dean of Enrollment Management Ryan Mulhern ’91 was selected in the eighth round of the 1992 draft by the Calgary Flames and Shea Guthrie ’05 was drafted by the New York Islanders in the third round of the 2005 draft.
“We are proud of everything Everett accomplished here and look forward to seeing him succeed at the next level,” said Mr. Pipe.
Courtesy: Tampa Bay Lightning.
Everett Baldwin ’25 was joined by his hockey teammates to celebrate his draft day.
“Promote genuine respect for each individual.”
– from St. George’s Diversity Vision Statement, 2009
CIVIL
A
guide
for group discussion
Civil discourse initiative incorporates values such as honesty, integrity, and mutual respect
This year, civil discourse became a focus throughout our classrooms, with the aim to teach students to listen to understand, articulate their own perspectives, and build bridges of understanding — even on challenging topics.
The work began last summer when a group of faculty members, led by Sarah Mason of the Horton Center for Learning and humanities teacher Chad Ploskina, developed a definition of civil discourse at SG to create a shared understanding of the term:
“St. George’s School values the teaching, learning, and elevation of civil discourse in our community as an essential element of our education. In keeping with our identity as an Episcopal school, we commit to respecting the dignity of each person in an open exchange of ideas, fostering constructive communication across differences.
“We believe that civil discourse entails intentional listening and respectful dialog powered by genuine curiosity about the ideas and experiences of others. By exploring points of agreement and difference, we develop a deeper understanding of ourselves, others, and the world around us.”
With that definition in mind, the entire faculty read “I Never Thought of It That Way,” by Mónica Guzmán, in preparation for discussions in several meetings as well as the run-up to the presidential election.
Meanwhile, nearly 20 students particularly interested in fostering mutual understanding with their peers volunteered to become Civil Discourse Fellows, taking part in a number of workshops, including one last fall: “Skills for Challenging Conversations,” facilitated by Braver Angels, a nationwide citizens’
organization “uniting red and blue Americans in a working alliance to depolarize America.”
As heads of the Political Progress Club, Townsend Adams ’25, a self-described Democrat, and Courtland Hare ’25, a self-described Republican, took the lead in bringing the Braver Angels’ work to the Hilltop. The two led several events to bring students of various backgrounds and ideologies together on the Hilltop.
In October, Adams and Hare served as moderators for an all-school event in Madeira Hall featuring State Senators Louis DiPalma (D-Dist. 12) and Jessica de la Cruz (R-Dist. 23) aimed at helping students better understand state government and how legislators from all political parties work together.
In November, the two organized an election-viewing event in the Hamblet Campus Center that drew more than 100 students.
Washington, D.C., offered by the Close Up Foundation, where the group participated in a number of workshops and discussions centered around civic engagement and community advocacy. The group, also including students of various backgrounds from Pennsylvania, New York City, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, bonded over finding solutions to such student-life issues as funding for school clubs, particularly to purchase food.
It was an exercise in coming together to find common interests and motivations, the students said.
In an article about St. George’s civil discourse initiative in the Red & White student newspaper, Mr. Ploskina told Red & White news editor Ireland Nordstrom ’25 that there are big upsides to focusing on understanding the experiences of others in our own community.
With the development of studentleadership skills in mind, Ms. Mason and Mr. Ploskina accompanied five students to the Feb. 5-7 NAIS Student Civic Leadership Summit in
“We believe civil discourse is powered by genuine curiosity about others’ ideas and experiences,” he said. “By listening and responding thoughtfully, students can not only build stronger relationships with each other but also deepen their understanding of the world.”
To Dragons, it’s just our Cue the Kleenex;
“Jerusalem” is about to play in the St. George’s Chapel
hat is it about “Jerusalem”?
Yes, we have our very own “School Hymn,” whose words, penned in 1905 by our founder’s sister, Louise Diman, were meant specifically to connect us to our history and the place we all occupy on “this windswept slope.”
And we have the “St. George’s Day Hymn,” befitting our so-named school, as a unique chapel-service staple.
But the power of the community singing along to the mighty organ strains of “Jerusalem” seems to awaken in St. Georgians an energy, or nostalgia, more than any
Have you too felt the same surprisingly raw emotion rise in your throat at the swell of the organ notes before “And did those feet in ancient times …”?
Although many American boarding schools sing “Jerusalem” on special occasions, it doesn’t seem to make a difference in our feelings of possessiveness about the song. To Dragons across generations, it is our song. Certainly on Prize Day, but also on just a regular chapel day — a Tuesday or Thursday, when we may be making our way through an otherwise ordinary morning, and then, wait, we’re singing “Jerusalem”!
When sixth-formers were asked a few years ago, “What song will always remind you of your time at St. George’s?” the overwhelming response was “Jerusalem.”
And when a student was interviewed for our 125th-anniversary video, she recounted attending a chapel service with her mother, an alumna, and the wonderment she felt at seeing her mother crying when the hymn played. “What is it about this place?” she asked. Was it “this place” … or was it “that song”?
While “Jerusalem” today is a steadfastly English song, one that has become a sort of unofficial national anthem of England sung at rugby matches and royal weddings, a look back at its history helps to understand why the hymn came to hold such a grip on our emotions, such an ability to rouse a St. George’s crowd across the pond.
The lyrics of “Jerusalem” come, of course, from the prologue to the 1810 epic “Milton,” by radical poet and artist William Blake, written around 1804.
“Jerusalem” the hymn came to life in England in 1916, when the Fight for Right wartime propaganda movement needed an anthem.
According to historians, Robert Bridges, England’s poet laureate, asked the composer Sir Hubert Parry, then a professor of composition and music history at the Royal College of Music, to write accompanying music that “an audience could take up and join in.”
Ian Newman, director of graduate studies at the University of Notre Dame, writes that Bridges “plucked Blake’s verses out of obscurity by including them in his collection ‘The Spirit of Man,’ an anthology of poetry and philosophy that was assembled explicitly for patriotic purposes, to boost the morale of British soldiers and civilians during the Great War.”
As it turns out, the hymn — and what later became of it — also says as much about
When sixth-formers were asked a few years ago, “What song will always remind you of your time at St. George’s?” the overwhelming response was “Jerusalem.”
Portrait of William Blake by artist Thomas Phillips. Oil on canvas, 1807.
Free for the taking, the song has been covered by a number of artists and choirs who’ve offered versions from classic to contemporary.
Progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s version of “Jerusalem” was originally recorded in August 1973 during the sessions for their album “Brain Salad Surgery.”
The “Jerusalem” hymn featured in the closing of the 1981 film “Chariots of Fire” was performed by the English choral group the Ambrosian Singers.
In 2000, the English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys remixed “Jerusalem” for the official FA England “Euro 2000” football tournament. You can hear it on Apple Music and Spotify.
Classical music fans point to this 2009 recording by British choir and period instrument orchestra The Sixteen as a proper version.
And Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins recorded this version in 2016. Listen here
principles and integrity as it does about John Milton’s journey of self-discovery.
While Mr. Parry clearly accomplished what was asked of him upon writing his musical accompaniment to the poetry, deep down he grew uneasy with what had become of his composition.
As “Jerusalem” became a wartime fixture, Parry, a pacifist, grew disenchanted and withdrew his support for the Fight for Right Movement.
Instead, in 1918 he granted the copyright to a cause closer to his heart: the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies.
“People seem to enjoy singing it, and having the vote ought to diffuse a good deal of joy too,” he reportedly said. Parry, God bless him, was a supporter of women’s right to vote and “a liberal humanist who championed music for all.”
After the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies was dissolved, Parry signed
over the hymn’s copyright to the community-based organization the Women’s Institute, where it remained until it entered the public domain, in 1968.
So how in the world did a piece of poetry by William Blake — by all accounts an eccentric, nonconforming radical — become such an enduring “hit” across English athletic stadiums and New England boarding schools?
Parry’s music “strips the words of some of their complexity, doubling down on Bridges’ propagandistic inclusion of it in ‘The Spirit of Man,’” Newman asserts. “Parry’s is a powerful, unambiguously patriotic tune, with rousing opening chords that are self-consciously anthemic, intended for performance by crowds in ways that express a collective passion for England’s ‘Green and Pleasant Land.’”
And, I would argue, St. George’s “windswept slope.”
“I pledge to be truthful in my words and honorable in my actions.”
– from St. George’s Honor Code
INTEGRITY
An
Honoring what St. George’s stands for
excerpt from a Chapel address given last fall by the 2024-’25 chair of the St. George’s Honor Board, Owen Gooch ’25
THE HONOR CODE AT St. George’s creates the framework for an ideal St. George’s student to live a life of constructive service to the world and God. When you make a poor decision, the Honor Code and Honor Board are there to help you correct it and re-enter the community positively.
In my experience, the Honor Code has often been portrayed as a list of negatives. Don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t steal. Despite critically guiding the way we conduct ourselves at St. George’s, these phrases only discourage acts of dishonor; they don’t actively encourage us to live lives of constructive service to the world. Personally, I am a firm believer in the analogy of the skier skiing through trees.
Don’t hit the trees
Only sees the trees
Stay on the path
Only sees the clear snow
The way the Honor Code is often explained and ingrained into the minds of students only allows us to think of all of the ways we can break it. A code of ethics that I have grown
up hearing and try to live my life by takes the opposite approach. A few of my favorites of these ethics are as follows:
“Live each day with courage.”
“Ride for the brand.”
“Take pride in your work.”
“LIVE EACH DAY WITH COURAGE”
The world is a terrifying, unorganized, daunting, confusing place to live. We’re all here on this planet for the first time, and for the most part, none of us have any idea what we’re doing. The unfortunate truth is that because of this, each and every one of us lives with horrible, crushing insecurities and fears that push us down and cause us to make very poor decisions — decisions that can harm ourselves and others. These fears do very little good for our lives. In the upcoming year, every person in this chapel will come across countless speed bumps, things we cannot expect, problems we don’t know how to solve. In these moments, we need to have courage — courage to keep going with faith that everything will be alright, courage to admit to our faults, courage to ask for help, to seek guidance. It can be terrifying to admit that you
need help. But suppose you can find the courage to avoid cutting corners and taking the easy way around the challenges of life and instead, you find support. Especially at a place like St. George’s, you will find exactly what you need to keep moving forward through this crazy world.
“RIDE FOR THE BRAND”
If anyone is confused by this terminology, it essentially means to go about your actions in a way that positively represents the groups and communities you are a part of. I personally am very proud to be a member of this community. I have a deep respect for the work that is done at St. George’s by the faculty, staff, and all of the students. I also recognize the fact that it is an honor and a privilege, but not a right to call myself a St. George’s student and to
St. George’s student and honor what St. George’s stands for in all you do.
“TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR WORK”
While we all represent St. George’s in what we do, most importantly, we represent ourselves. In each assignment you turn in, each paper you write, each minute you spend preparing for a sport, performance, debate, or speech, I encourage you to put forth your greatest effort so that, whatever the outcome, whether you ace it or completely fail, whether you win or lose, play every note to perfection or forget to tune your instrument, you know that you worked to the best of your ability. As we all know, this year is one of great change. In the coming days, another change will be implemented in that the
Honor Book, a tradition that was in place for many years in the past and is now returning. I want all of us to use this as an opportunity. An opportunity to claim the 2024-’25 school year as your own, to sign your name, and to say “I was a part of this year of change and growth,” and to confirm that you contributed to creating such an amazing community at St. George’s. I also want you to take it as an opportunity to make a promise to yourself that the work you do this year is worth being proud of, that you will devote this year to constructive service to God, to the world, and to St. George’s. We are all extraordinarily fortunate to attend school here, and there are many people who worked very hard for all of us to have this opportunity. So, for the next 37 weeks, if we can all devote ourselves to living each day with courage, riding for the brand, and taking pride in
Apolarizing character in his time, history has seemed to soften the edges
Willet Eccles with student Arnold G. Dana II in 1944.
For 80 years, since its completion in 1928, alumni knew the building only as Diman North (or D-North, for short). It was not until May 17, 2008, upon the generous gift from a devoted alumnus and generous benefactor, that the dormitory was formally named in memory of Dr. Willet Lawrence Eccles, the fifth headmaster of St. George’s.
There’s no doubt that Dr. Willet Lawrence Eccles had both detractors and supporters during his seven tumultuous years on the Hilltop from 1943 to 1951. Some disliked his indifference to tradition and sometimes “abrasive” personality; others viewed his single-mindedness and desire for inclusivity with abiding admiration.
When Dr. Eccles arrived at St. George’s in 1943, he inherited a school that was in near financial ruin. Equipped to handle 175 students, the school in that year had just 89. World War II was taking its toll, claiming the lives of 29 St. George’s men — from George Rathbone Dyer, Class of 1926, in 1941 to William Donald Twining, Class of 1940, in 1946.
A leader with impressive academic credentials (he had bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as a Ph.D. from Columbia University), Dr. Eccles got to work right away. By his second year, he lifted the enrollment to 123. He hired a meticulous business manager to clean up the St. George’s financial affairs, and was
uncharacteristically open with alumni about the state of the school.
Upon the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the school, Dr. Eccles wrote a paper titled, “What of the Future?” In it, he confidently predicted that “not only will St. George’s and other schools of its type survive, but they will have a more important function to perform in American life than heretofore.” His goals were noble. He aspired to teach students “how to get good results from whatever they undertook, which means to work intelligently and hard” and to train students “in the principles of living useful, constructive, unselfish” lives. The aim was to produce students “of character and purpose.”
In many ways Dr. Eccles was able to accomplish what founder John B. Diman hoped for as he built the school: that a St. George’s education would be made available to students from a broad spectrum of society “admitted on the basis of intellect and character, more than the ability to pay.”
Dr. Eccles died in Los Angeles in 1982 and will forever be remembered for his support of students with more varied backgrounds, learning styles, and experiences, some of whom greatly admired their headmaster and who went on to make extraordinarily generous donations to the school — the impact of which endure to this day.
Hear from members of the Honor Board: What does INTEGRITY mean to you?
Ya
sh
In my opinion, integrity, at its core, is respect for your own character. I try to go forth every day living my life with integrity because I enjoy the peace it brings me. There isn’t much to worry about if you keep it real with yourself and act in accordance with the values you have.”
Gianni
Integrity is the alignment of words and actions ... Integrity is the truthful connection between what one says they will do and what they actually do. At St. George’s, my enduring pursuit has been to broaden our shared appreciation and commitment by contributing to our community with my particular strengths. Along the way, I learned that there is no shortcut to achieving this goal, no easy path through, only integrity. I discovered that striving to align what I do in public, when everyone is watching, with what I do in private, when no one is, is what ultimately manifests the goals I have for individual and collective betterment.”
This year St. George’s highest alumni honor, the John B. Diman Award, was presented to nationally recognized palliative care physician and disability rights advocate Dr. BJ Miller ’89.
A specialist in end-of-life care, Dr. Miller has been interviewed by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times magazine and NPR’s “Fresh Air,” sharing his personal experiences following a lifethreatening accident, as well as the wisdom he has gained caring for patients facing terminal illnesses.
Dr. Miller joined us on the Hilltop to share remarks with classmates and the campus community at the Diman Award Ceremony on May 16 in the Chapel.
“I don’t know that I’m going to have a lot of advice for you students, per se, but some might be that if you’re interested in dying well, you can start today,” he said. “I would not wait until you’re on death’s door to start thinking about it, because it promises to teach you so much more than you can imagine. If you can come in touch with the ephemeral nature of your life … you will begin to appreciate it. You will begin to serve it, and it you.”
View Dr. Miller’s entire talk on our YouTube channel.
Writing professor delivers this year’s Dent Lecture
Dr. Todd Craig ’93, author and awardwinning associate professor of English at the City University of New York, was this year’s speaker for our Richard H. Dent ’46 Annual Forum on Jan. 30. Dr. Craig, whose most recent book is “’K for the Way’: DJ Rhetoric and Literacy for 21st Century Writing Studies,” treated us to a music-laced talk in Madeira Hall, recounting his days on the Hilltop; what fueled his passion for hip-hop; his continued education at Williams College, Harvard, and St. John’s University; and his career teaching young people the craft of writing. Dr. Craig also hosted two workshops on teaching writing for faculty members, performed a DJ set in King Hall, and visited classes. Dr. Craig’s lecture is on our YouTube channel.
Alumna publishes debut novel
Bailey Seybolt ’04 tapped into the real-life story of Saint Joseph’s Orphanage in Burlington, Vermont, for her first novel, “Coram House,” published this spring by Atria House. Booklist gave the novel a starred review, noting, “Seybolt blends true crime and fiction in this absorbing debut. Part Gothic novel … and part investigative reporting procedural, this will both disturb and fascinate readers.” Listen to an interview with Ms. Seybolt on Vermont Public Radio’s website. And if you’ll be in western Massachusetts this fall, consider attending her book talk at Odyssey Books in South Hadley on Sept. 23.
Hall of Fame inductees celebrated for accomplishments, contributions to SG sports
St. George’s 15th Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Banquet in the Dorrance Field House honored six individual athletes — Jay Davenport IV ’95, Siu Lynn Leong ’01, Adolphe Coulibaly ’04, Michael Taylor ’06, Sarah Dick ’07, and Sydney Mas ’10 — as well as the 2005 boys’ varsity hockey team, former sailing coach Roy Williams, and former team physician
Dr. James Maher. The ceremony, which recognizes the players, coaches, teams, and friends who have made significant contributions to the SG athletic program, brought more than 130 alumni, family members, and guests to the Hilltop. Read more about our illustrious inductees on our website, stgeorges.edu. Type “Sports Hall of Fame” in the search bar.
SG alum returns to display artwork in Hunter Gallery
From Sept. 20 through Oct. 19, 2024, Makai
Murray ’21 had the floor to himself at St. George’s — a familiar feeling for this Dragon. During his time at SG, Mr. Murray was no stranger to the spotlight. He dazzled on the court in the Van Beuren Gymnasium as a star member of the varsity basketball team, playing well enough to secure a commitment to play at Tufts University, and he often addressed the whole SG community, delivering numerous speeches as the Class of 2021 senior prefect.
This time, the now-retired athlete held the spotlight in a different location on campus: the Hunter Gallery. He was setting up his exhibit “Reflection Before Progression,” preparing to showcase it to the local Aquidneck Island community.
“It felt very good,” Mr. Murray said about displaying his artwork at SG. “It was nice to be back at the place that I feel played a pivotal part in me becoming an artist, as well as being able to work with Mr. Hansel.”
Mr. Murray, who graduated this spring from Tufts with a
degree in philosophy, said that SG helped him develop his passion for art and gave him the space to find his voice.
“A lot of my work is about looking at myself and a lot stems from personal investigation. My time at SG really gave me a lot to leave with and then propelled me into an art career by way of questions and searching for answers through a creative medium.”
While Mr. Murray set up his exhibit, students in Mr. Hansel’s Drawing & 2D Design class stopped by the gallery to
chat with the artist, pick his brain, and talk about their own career ambitions.
“I asked the students to question themselves and question what they really want to do,” Mr. Murray said. “Question the things that tell them who they are.”
That advice is something Mr. Murray took himself. Prior to actually joining the Tufts basketball team, he took a step back from the game to pursue his artistic passion instead.
“I had the opportunity to be the person that I was chasing
for a while. I also have this portion of me that really wants to perform at the top level of whatever I do, and I knew that I wasn’t LeBron James, so art was a bit more appealing at the time.”
And displaying his artwork at SG — a place that means so much to him — is a step on his artistic journey that he will always cherish.
“I love SG and what it stands for and the opportunity it provides for students like me, as well as students in general, and I’m just glad I have the opportunity to come back and meet new people and learn. I feel very blessed to have gone there when I did and to have met the faculty, and to have been well received by the community.”
Engaged alumni inspire today’s students
Our Dragon Tales Program helps build valuable connections within our community. For alumni who volunteer to visit classes and share their career journeys, it’s a chance to engage with young Dragons who are just imagining their futures and deciding their next steps. For current students, it’s a priceless opportunity to learn about a career they may be interested in, as well as meet others who know the St. George’s experience and who may share their passions. This year’s Dragon Tales participants included alumni from several industries, including entertainment, STEM, and the law. Our students were thrilled to meet these accomplished alumni, and our alumni had a great time meeting — and inspiring — these future leaders. Alums, would you consider being an active member of our Dragon network and sharing your story? For those alumni from the class years 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1996, 2001, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2021, who will be celebrating reunion years, this could be a great time to join us for Alumni Weekend next May 15-17 — and meet today’s impressive and curious Dragons. If you’re interested in sharing your Dragon Tale, contact us at events@stgeorges.edu.
Celebrating our special Dragon community on Alumni Weekend
WITH NEARLY 300 ALUMNI joining us on the Hilltop May 16-18, Alumni Weekend 2025 was a testament to the strength of the St. George’s community. From the presentation of St. George’s highest alumni honor, the John B. Diman Award, to Dr. BJ Miller ’89 to the Saturday night dinner on Ocean Field and Sunday Chapel service, Alumni Weekend was packed with memorable moments bringing together Dragons across generations.
Photos from the celebration are available on our PhotoShelter site.
NEXT YEAR’S ALUMNI WEEKEND will take place May 15-17, 2026, with a special 40th Thunder Reunion taking place for the Classes of 1985, 1986, and 1987 — and a special 10th Thunder Reunion for the Classes of 2015, 2016, and 2017. Save the date!
50th anniversary of Geronimo finishes with a flourish
Certainly, one of the highlights of Alumni Weekend this year was the culmination of our yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Geronimo program, which brought together dozens of former shipmates to honor program founder and captain Stevie Connett and his late wife, Babbie. The two were recognized with a Dean Award, given to community members who’ve demonstrated exceptional service to the school. It was also announced that Geronimo alumni had come together to rename the restricted Geronimo Endowed Fund as The Steve and Babbie Connett Geronimo Endowed Fund, and raise more than $300,000, which will help sustain the program for many years to come.
“I think this celebration is a wonderful honor for Babbie and me,” Captain Connett told the crowd gathered for the celebration. “And it’s great to see that Geronimo has remained such an important educational part of St. George’s.
“The thing that I want to emphasize about this event is that it’s really a tribute to the whole community of people who had the imagination, the courage, and the nerve really, to create and sustain the Geronimo program.”
To date, more than 1,600 students have participated in the Geronimo program. Many thanks to Christina Connett Brophy ’87, Christopher Lee ‘87, James L. Brown ’87, and trustee Hannah Swett ‘87 for their leadership in helping us celebrate 50 years of Geronimo!
Christina Connett Brophy ’87, Geronimo program founder and captain Stevie Connett, trustee Hannah Swett ‘87, James L. Brown ’87, and Christopher Lee ‘87 at the Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Geronimo in May.
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
PUERTO RICO
PUERTO RICO
SPAIN
NEWPORT
The CLASS NOTES section has been removed from this digital copy of the Bulletin to respect our alums’ privacy.
Class notes are only available in the print edition.
My blank canvas
BY ETHAN STEARNS ’25
Maya walked into Nationals Stadium that Sunday afternoon clutching her mother’s hand with nothing more than reassurance that she would finally meet someone just like her. She was a quiet but curious 7-year-old girl with a sparkly unicorn shirt and a headscarf to match.
The game began, and the umpire yelled, “Play ball!” Tension was thick, and I wanted to break the ice somehow. I started to chat with her only to realize her English was not very good. Strike one, I thought to myself. By the third inning, I brought in the great equalizer: food. She and I sat there with a tub of popcorn. I caught her staring at my head and face, noticing my lack of eyebrows, eyelashes, and hair. It’s OK, I thought, Maya, you could do this. Finally, it was the seventh inning stretch, and I stood up, took off my baseball cap, and revealed what she was there to see. Yes, I was completely bald, too. I look just like you, Maya; it will be OK.
Hair identity is a commonality amongst many within society. The styles are endless: straight, curly, short, long, dense, thin. Hair is represented within society as the seat of the soul and possesses significance in race and culture. However, what started for me as straight and short hair quickly grew to sporadic patches and, finally, total baldness. I felt I had lost my identity and confidence. As a response, I began to embark on my journey into what it means to have a piece of my self-expression nullified and to help those who lose this piece of their identity as well.
injecting syringes into my head for hair growth, was unsuccessful. After four months, I reached a point of implacable hair loss, and my family and I decided to shave my head.
Feeling like a blank canvas on my head, I entered school the next day, afraid of what was to come. I was anxious about the possible spiteful comments. However, sitting in first-period class, I was greeted by both my father and grandfather, who had shaved their heads completely bald. They explained to the class what alopecia was and how it affected me. Afterward, my classmates couldn’t have been more understanding. From that day forward, I realized how fortunate I was to receive the support I had and thus created a nonprofit organization named Ethan’s Alopecia Awareness to help children who struggle with alopecia, emotionally or financially.
Though I have been honored to mentor different people, Maya has remained in my mind. After connecting through social media, my family and I offered to take her and her family to a Nationals baseball game and offer her guidance with the disease after losing the majority of her hair three months prior. While discovering she had the disease and coping with the significant hair loss, she was confined to her home due to the pandemic. While only seeing completely bald alopecia patients online, I was the first to make this impression in person.
In the sterile doctor’s office, my 12-year-old self was in a hypnotic state and was clenching the sheet of white parchment table paper for reassurance. It was then the doctor said, “You have alopecia.” As months went on, treatment after treatment, even one consisting of
The baseball game on that fateful night gave me the most tremendous sense of meaning. After removing my baseball cap, Maya looked at me with reassurance, trust, and happiness. She no longer was the only one. Together, we gave each other the confidence we needed. A blank canvas for hair speaks volumes about the pride and courage we have to show what simply terrifies us the most. The looks or stares were no longer critical. It is more than just hair; we simply don’t need it.
This is Ethan’s college essay. He will be attending the University of Notre Dame this fall.
Retiring
teachers honored at Alumni Weekend, faculty “clap out”
During the Alumni Weekend dinner, our four retiring longtime faculty members — math teacher Doug Lewis, science teacher Holly Williams, math teacher Warren Williams, and art teacher Mike Hansel — were honored and recognized for their combined 126 years of service to SG. Head of School Michael Wirtz offered a few words of appreciation for each retiree before they received a standing ovation from the guests in attendance. And on the final day of classes in May, students and employees lined the halls of the Chapel and Memorial Schoolhouse, as well as driveway to the Front Circle, to give these four a celebratory send-off and a much-deserved round of applause.
Watch the video on our Instagram page.
