Georgian, Winter 2003

Georgian A Publication of George School, Newtown, Pennsylvania

Volume 75 • Number 1 • Winter 2003

A Tribute to Palmer Sharpless — Teacher, Craftsman and Mentor

By Cristina Lucuski

Tom Goss

H

Popular woodworking teacher Palmer Sharpless is survived by his wife, Joan, and his children, Herbert ’66, NancyLynn ’69, Linda ’70, Betty ’73, and Martin ’79.

Former teacher and dean of students Tom Goss took this picture of Palmer in 1980.

undreds of people gathered on December 21, 2002 at the George School Meeting House to celebrate the life and mourn the death of beloved woodshop teacher Palmer Sharpless. He died on December 4, 2002, after a brief battle with cancer.

“He coached us with his gentle, knowing insistence on care and quality,” Judson Randall ’55 said of his former woodshop teacher.

Palmer’s successor and current woodshop teacher Carter Sio ’76 recounts memories of his friend and mentor. “That soft voice, the gentle manner — whether demonstrating, teaching or talking to a stranger — Palmer [had] the gift of making us all feel safe and confident.”

In 1976, Palmer participated in the first wood turning symposium for educators.

George School then co-sponsored the next nine years of symposiums before turning over the reins to others. Palmer also played a crucial role in the resulting American Association of Woodturners and was chairman of its local chapter committee. His exuberant good humor and charisma no doubt played a role in the organization’s success. The organization now lists more than 8,300 members and 140 local chapters.

A consummate teacher, Palmer was a frequent presenter at national symposiums, Bucks County craft fairs and historic events at Pennsbury Manor, William Penn’s country home.

At George School, Palmer was also chair of the arts department and the originator of the annual October event — Harvest Weekend — that popularized apple butter making on campus.

A skilled craftsman, Palmer made commissioned pieces for Tiffany & Co. and turned 100 pieces of mahogany for the Independence Hall restoration in Philadelphia. In addition, he made customized furniture for architects and homebuilders. Palmer also made woodturned bowls, honey dippers and baby toys that are cherished by friends and admirers.

Palmer retired in 1984 after nearly 40 years of teaching woodshop at George School. Carter said that even through the last years of his life, Palmer continued to “lead and model as though he were still in the classroom, teaching us to hold dearly the gifts we have and to leave the world a better place when it is our time to pass on.”

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During Alumni Weekend, there will be a memorial meeting for worship to celebrate the life of Palmer Sharpless on Saturday, May 10, 2003, at 3:30 p.m. in the George School Meeting House.

Inside this georgian ALUMNI TO BE HONORED

CLASSES WITH QUAKER SPIRIT

Literacy coach and social worker have

Nancy Starmer puts Quakerism into

dedicated their lives to children.

practice in the classroom.

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Page 7

Alumni to be honored

Social Worker Advocates for Children

By Diana Cutshall

J

ohn Steinfirst’s earliest exposure to the extremes of poverty and wealth came during the summer of 1959. He had just completed his freshman year at Duke and was working as a Winant Volunteer in a settlement house on London’s impoverished East Side. What he saw there kindled his desire to make a positive difference in the world.

“It was quite a summer,” John explains. “We were working in the poorest neighborhood I had ever seen. Then on an unusually hot day in July, we got word at the settlement house that the Queen Mother had invited us to tea at Clarence House. Instead of serving tea, however, butlers brought out silver trays of martinis and Chesterfield cigarettes. The contrast was vivid and unforgettable.”

That fall, John returned to Duke, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English and history. After graduation, he took a job as one of only two caseworkers in

Durham County’s children’s division. One year later, he entered New York University to pursue a master’s degree in social work. He has worked in the field ever since.

John later completed a unique program for non-profit executives at Columbia University’s School of Business.

John began his career with the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services in New York City. In 1988, he moved from the east to the west coast to become president and CEO of the Fred Finch Youth Center, a residential and community mental health human services agency in the East Bay area of San Francisco. That same year, he co-founded Interfaith Connection, an organization that mediates issues among couples of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds; he continues to work there as a facilitator.

Since then, John has served as a public advocate for children’s mental health services. As a result

of his lobbying at state and local levels of government, millions of dollars have been allocated to medical and mental health services for the poor. He also has written numerous professional papers that include Why Children Kill and The New Russian Jewish Immigrant: Acculturation, Sociological and Mental Health Issues.

John was recently interviewed by a student of his, who perhaps described him best. “People like John Steinfirst are the people that we need more of in this world if we are to continue on in a positive direction,” Patrick Dwyer said. “He has sacrificed a normal life with a lot more money for an extraordinary life for a lot less money, but he doesn’t look at it as a sacrifice. He sees it as a privilege — a privilege to make a difference and a change for the better in children’s lives. John is the kind of person to lead the way and pave the road for better lives and futures for children.”

John Steinfirst ’58 will receive an alumni award at the Alumni Gathering on Saturday, May 10, 2003, at 11 a.m.

John, who graduated from George School in 1958, credits the school with starting him off in the right direction. “I passed up other schools to go there because it was co-ed. That was what most appealed to me then. Now I’m really glad my parents and I made that choice. George School gave me a foundation for learning and taught me to think independently, and in ways that, when I look back, were probably not conventional. It set the stage for developing tolerance and a value system I could incorporate into my personal and professional lives.”

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During Alumni Weekend, John will present a master class on issues of adolescence.

Literacy Coach Helps Children’s Interest in Reading Take Flight

“B

ooks give wings to a child’s imagination,” Miriam Marecek ’58 said of her work with children’s literacy. “I’m so honored to fly with them as they take off and explore the wonderful, magical world found between the covers of a book.” In fact, her own personal life is much like a book, filled with magic, triumph and a happy ending that rivals one of her all-time favorite children’s books, Uri Shulevitz’s The Treasure.

Today, as a nationally known expert in reading, teaching and school reform, Miriam claims that her love affair with reading ignited after she emigrated from Czechoslovakia following the Communist takeover in 1948.

Leaving behind a comfortable life and extended family in Czechoslovakia, Miriam and her family struggled emotionally and financially in the US after their immigration. A short time after settling in Florida, her family met a Quaker woman who suggested that Miriam attend George School

for “a better education.” With only a few changes of clothing in her small suitcase, she made her way to George School, alone.

It wasn’t long before her father’s position as a visiting college professor forced her family to move for the first of numerous times. This time Miriam didn’t join her family. George School had quickly become a stable home for her and later, for her sister as well.

Miriam fondly recalls the time and attention that a home economics teacher spent with her.

“Mrs. Wills took me under her wing and treated me like the daughter she never had. She taught me to sew so well that I sewed for the rest of my life,” she said. “I was able to copy anything out of a magazine and create it.”

Following her graduation from George School, Miriam went on to Earlham College to study French literature. She continued her education at Columbia University where she earned her master’s in reading and her Ph.D. in children’s literature and film.

Cydney Ambrose

By Kimberly Miller Robbins

Miriam Marecek ’58 with her three children (from left to right) Tomás ’99, Alenka ’96 and Jan Zeman ’94. Her son Jan was a Laramore Award recipient at George School for exemplifying strong character and quiet leadership. Miriam will receive an alumni award during the Alumni Gathering on Saturday, May 10, 2003.

Her love for teaching and reading has led her to teach educators at Boston University, Tufts University, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and numerous high-risk elementary schools.

“Now that I’m directly teaching and coaching teachers in schools, I know that if I can inspire teachers, they, in turn, can excite children about books,” explains Miriam. “I want teachers to feel continued on page 7

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Photography at a glance

Juggling Activities and School Is an Art

Changing Gears: Social Activist Turned Photographer

By Cristina Lucuski

By Diana Cutshall

the deans, students’ advisors, dorm staff members, and prefects.

Her involvement as a Peer Group leader also called for her to put her leadership skills into practice. Peer Group is a program for new students to help them adjust to George School and some of the pressures of high school life. Led by students and a faculty or staff member, each group meets once a week for the first term. The activities are designed to build bridges between people, to be both informative and fun.

Tina was a good fit for this role. “[She] is a delightful young woman who proved to be a caring and committed Peer Group leader,” said Cindy Law, staff coleader of her Peer Group. “She was pleasant, hardworking and conscientious.”

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tudying Mayan Indian press and professional travel writlanguage and culture at the ers. Tourists and residents “on University of Mexico. safari” take pictures around Exploring Europe and the Washington, DC, as David teaches Yucatan Peninsula astride a them the basics of travel photogmotor-scooter. raphy in English, German, French, Living with a family in France or Spanish. through the Experiment in Yet, behind the perceivable International Living. outlines of David’s life, there is a These adventures, experienced less visible past that tells a differduring his young adulthood, ent story. It began in 1936 when helped shape the rest of E. David Edward David Luria was born to Luria’s ’54 life. In addition to filling Estela de Lima, an American him with curiosity, this gave him woman, and Benjamin Frank an enduring appreciation for all Luria, a German; both were different types of peoSephardic Jews living in ple worldwide.

Hamburg, Germany, “My attitudes were during Hitler’s reign. very much influenced His parents gave him

by George School, the German first name where I was first introof Edward because it duced to social service, was too dangerous at moderation and the time for him to be respect,” David said. called David.

“Quakers have such a “There were only low-key, direct about ten Sephardic approach to spirituality, families remaining in E. David Luria ’54 has trained and a quiet but effecHamburg,” David over 2,000 people in the tive way of working explains, “and we techniques of travel and internationally.” were lucky to get out landmark photography. In After graduating in 1938. Had we not addition, he is a photo study tour instructor for the from Amherst College left when we did, we Corcoran Gallery of Art, The in 1958, David did a would certainly have Smithsonian Resident three-year stint in the been among the 5,600 Associate Program and the US Army, serving in Jews from Hamburg National Academy of Germany as a commuwho eventually perPhotography. nications intelligence ished in the Nazi conspecialist. Over the next 30 years, centration camps.” Among those he lived in Colombia, Panama and who died were six of David’s the US, working as a senior cousins, an aunt and an uncle. administrator for a number of In 1998, David was invited international nonprofit organizaback to Hamburg as an honored tions, including CARE and guest and official photographer Partners of the Americas. for the opening of the exhibition, Jerusalem of the North: The History Then in 1995, at the age of 59, of The Sephardic Jews of Hamburg.

David made a dramatic career “Returning to Hamburg was one change that earned him a spot on of the most interesting and imporNBC-TV’s Today Show.

“Photography was always my tant episodes of my life,” says hobby,” he explains, “so I decided David. “I was so touched by the to try making a living as a comexhibition that I invited its curator mercial photographer. And I can to come to Washington to attend a tell you, I’m a much happier perreunion of the Luria and de Lima son now that I don’t have to sit in families. Not only did he accept an office all day.” the invitation, but he also added a As proof of his success, David’s whole new section to the exhibiphotos have appeared on 23 magation catalogue — the Lurias of Hamburg. Thus, a family tale that zine covers and in 55 publicabegan in tragedy ended on a positions, including TIME magazine.

He also established a booming tive note of pride in the past and business, Washington Photo Safari hope for the future.” (www.WashingtonPhotoSafari.com), which has received enthusiastic reviews from participants, the

S

Bob Kris t

Patsy Patten

T

he young child’s big, round eyes gazed up and demanded full attention. The lack of any other colors in the photo besides gray, black and white simplified the photograph and emphasized the child’s imploring eyes.

Tina Rysz ’03 paused at this photo as she flipped through her scrapbook of photos taken for her advanced photography class.

Critiquing her work, Tina’s teacher Danielle Picard-Sheehan pointed out that particular photo and remarked that it would be a perfect entry for the Drexel University High School Photography Contest. Danielle also selected a digitally altered print of Tina as a child with her mother and a black and white photo of the Vietnamese landscape that Tina took during her June 2002 stay as a George School workcamper. All three photos demonstrate Tina’s natural talent for photography. “Photography is a good form of expression,” Tina said. “However, it is really important to dedicate a lot of time to it, to develop and perfect your skills.”

Besides photography, Tina juggles many activities throughout the school year, in addition to being an honor roll student. She is an accomplished athlete playing soccer and lacrosse for GS. And this is the first year she is not playing varsity basketball. She plays the flute and is a member of the Discipline Committee, Executive Committee for the Class of 2003 and an Admission tour guide. She was also an Ambassador for the Admission office and a Peer Group leader last year. As a member of the Discipline Committee, she and the group decide the disciplinary response for students who break major school rules.

The committee is comprised of six students, three faculty members,

Tina Rysz ’03 has had the same advisor for the past three years, Rachel Williams Speller.

Rachel admires Tina’s level of commitment to everything she does and her ability to juggle many activities at once with ease.

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Music as a career

Vocalist Sings With Joy

Accomplished Cellist Shares Zeal for Classical Music

By Cristina Lucuski

By Cristina Lucuski

strate that talent. “After that expene of Marthajane rience,” she recalled. “I now see it Robinson’s earliest childas a gift to the audience.” hood memories is that of Unfortunately, there came a curling up on her mother’s lap at time in Marthajane’s life when the age of two and singing. Some sickness kept her close to home years later Marthajane decided and busy with numerous medical that she wanted to be an opera appointments. Tired of the pain singer, just like her great-aunt. and helplessness she felt from She sang a lot at home growhaving both lupus and thyroid ing up, but her first formal training cancer, she attended a workshop came when she attended George on therapeutic touch, a healing School. Marthajane took voice lestechnique that relies on the sons, played the piano and sang in notion of human energy fields. the chorus. It was at George “The first time I had it done, I was School that Marthajane sang a role pain-free for two hours,” she said. in her very first opera. Singing in Those two hours had such an that opera felt so right, that she impact on Marthajane that she knew without a doubt that it was was soon enrolled in a therapeuwhat she was destined to do. tic touch training program. Once After graduating from George her training in the technique was School in 1964, she went on to complete, she decided to earn two bachelor’s degrees — become a chaplain. She one in music and one in voice enrolled at Chestnut Hill in 1967 and 1968 respectively.

College where she earned Marthajane married and then her M.S. in clinical pastoral traveled the country with her education. military husband. During that For many years, she led an time she sang and directed in a cappella chorus workdifferent military chapels shop at Friends as they traveled. After General Conference her husband’s career called Sing With Joy. settled down a bit, She also worked at she began performJeanes Hospital, a ing with a nationally Quaker hospital in known, top-notch Philadelphia, chorus in Boston. singing to hospital Throughout her patients and percareer, Marthajane forming therahas traveled Although she no longer sings in operas Marthajane Robinson ’64 performs with peutic touch on around the counthe Music Group of Philadelphia, which them. Most of the try to audition for specializes in 20th and 21st century patients she the Metropolitan music. worked with at Opera, the City Jeanes Hospital Opera of New were terminally ill. One experiYork, Boston Opera, and Seattle ence she had with a patient Opera. She has performed in proved to be particularly rewardmany different operas including: ing. “I was visiting one woman The Mikado, Madame Butterfly, with Alzheimer’s who hadn’t Amahl and the Night Visitors, spoken in years,” she said. “I had a Carmen, and Cavalleria Rusticana. feeling that she used to be a musiDuring one performance in cian so I sang a song for her. her career, Marthajane realized When I was finished the song she just how powerful an impact said to me, ‘That was beautiful.’” music can have on a person.

“Once, while singing an aria by Handel, I looked out into the audience,” she said. “In the crowd, a particular man caught my eye. As I took a closer look, I realized he was crying.”

Marthajane was moved.

Before that incident, she regarded her talent for singing as a gift she possessed and performing as a way for her to demon-

O

M

ichelle Djokic ’78 remembers the day it was decided that she would play the cello. She never really picked the cello as the instrument she wanted to play; the opportunity to play it came to her. “When I was nine years old, my father came home from work one day with a cello,” she said. “It was a small cello, made for a child, and I was the only one who could fit it.”

Michelle grew up in Trenton, NJ, as the youngest of seven children. Her father, a Yugoslavian immigrant, grew up yearning to play an instrument. Unfortunately, his family’s economic circumstances prevented him from fulfilling this dream, but he was determined to give his children the opportunity to pursue their musical interests.

“One thing that my parents made available to us were music lessons,” Michelle said. “They never wanted music to be a career choice for us, but knew that it was a critical part of our development.”

Her brother Pierre was the first one to take an interest in music.

As a 12-year-old cellist, he won a competition for young aspiring artists that allowed him to perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra as a soloist. Pierre is now the associate principal cellist of the Montreal Symphony.

Another brother, Phillipe is now a

concert violinist. Both brothers graduated from The Julliard School in New York City.

Growing up with two brothers involved with music was a big influence on Michelle. “I was always listening to someone practice at home,” she said. “I absorbed it from constantly watching my brothers as a child.”

Although Michelle was naturally talented at playing the cello, studying with world-famous teacher and musician Leonard Rose and musician Channing Robbins taught her technique and enthusiasm. She flourished so quickly as a musician that she earned the opportunity to enter Julliard’s pre-college at age 10. By age 13, Michelle also won the opportunity to perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra as a soloist, following in her brother Pierre’s footsteps. Following George School, Michelle entered Julliard at the age of 17.

Throughout her three years as a GS student, Michelle credits the school for supporting her musical career. “George School was incredibly supportive of my wanting to do this [play the cello professionally],” she said. “They wanted me to achieve both academically and artistically.”

Today, Michelle still performs with and is music director of the organization she founded, the Concordia Chamber Players continued on next page

Annie McCormick

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Michelle Djokic’s organization, the Concordia Chamber Players, plans to expand their concerts from three to five per year, with the hope of doing annual two-week summer festivals.

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Music in the making

Flautist Heads Revival of George School Orchestra

By Carol J. Suplee

O

ften, while Karen “I have been positively Hallowell is studying a astounded at how much joy I score, she will incorporate derive from being with these stuthe handwritten margin notes left dents,” Karen said. “I love passing by her predecessor Michael on to them what I know about Sherrin in her instructions to the music and what it means to be a George School Orchestra musimusician. It requires that students cians. “I am so happy to be one of tap into their creativity, learn selfthose [people] on campus who discipline, balance their individuare able to talk about Michael to ality with responsibility to the young musicians,” Karen said. group, take risks, and listen “He had such a great love for deeply. All these things are valued teaching, for bringing out the best

by George School.” in students and The orchestra making them feel has been welgood about themcomed warmly by selves.” the George School The revival of family and the the orchestra at broader communiGeorge School is a ty. The group has fitting tribute to performed in joint Michael, the late, concerts with legendary head of George School’s the music departCommunity ment who directChorus, in alled it for many school assemblies years. Jackie and at Pennswood Coren, music Village. In department head, December, several In addition to her role as head of the first discussed the selected string student orchestra, Karen Hallowell is idea of bringing players performed George School's director of back the orchestra to acclaim alongadmission. to Nancy Starmer. side professionals After receiving Nancy’s approval, at a local Messiah sing-in. Karen Jackie approached Karen about continues to seek outside perhelping to revive the orchestra formance opportunities for the from its eight-year hiatus. With young musicians.

Nancy Starmer’s enthusiastic supLily Roza ’05, expresses a view port, Karen agreed to teach two that other students have echoed.

75-minute periods each week, A cellist for eight years, she says with rehearsals, student consultathat playing in the “new” orchestions and performances squeezed tra is more fun and more interestinto the rest of her “spare” time. ing than playing music solo. “It is The time was right for a great playing with other musirevival. Music faculty, prospective cians and learning how to listen to families and students had been one another,” Lily said. “I’m very expressing interest. “I am thrilled glad the orchestra came back to that Karen agreed,” said Nancy, George School.” who admits to being a closet Karen holds a bachelor’s flautist. “Orchestras are close to degree in music from Lycoming my heart. Scheduling was a chalCollege and a master’s degree in lenge, but we worked it out and educational leadership from the the response has been amazing.”

University of Pennsylvania. She The orchestra was reborn in began studying flute at the age of the fall of 2001 with 23 musicians, 8. At 13, she was invited to play in a very commendable beginning. the Wind Symphony of Southern This year, the ranks have grown to New Jersey, primarily an adult 33 players who provide an ensemble of musicians, music impressive instrumentation — teachers and advanced students. eleven violins (three doubling More recently, she has served the when needed on viola), a viola, Wind Symphony as principal five cellos, two string basses, flautist. Although she has played three clarinets, five flutes (one in a variety of groups, most of her doubling on piano), an alto saxoexperience has been as a flute phone, a French horn, a tromsoloist. She is also an active vocalbone, and three trumpets. ist both as an ensemble member

“When the students are

excited or touched by the music, I am, at that moment,

completely happy.”

Students Ben Hart ’05, Jennie Ocker-Sevick ’05, Lily Roza ’05, and Sara Dayton ’05 practice for an upcoming orchestra performance.

and soloist. Karen is quick to assert that the George School orchestra experience tops them all.

“I think I have discovered for the first time in my life,” Karen said, “a role that enables me to

draw on the best of myself, a role that may be closest to the core of my being and my heart. When the students are excited or touched by the music, I am, at that moment, completely happy.”

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Accomplished Cellist…cont’d from page 4

(www.concordiaplayers.org).

Well-known and experienced players gather from all over the country in the quaint riverside town of New Hope, PA, and perform three concerts a year. “For these musicians, New Hope is a welcomed respite from New York City,” Michelle said. “And in New Hope, you absolutely get the same level [performance] you get in New York, if not better.”

Michelle believes that society as a whole puts a label on listening to classical music and, as a result, many children are not

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exposed to it. She has made it her mission to help children in area schools gain an appreciation for the classical music form. She conducts “Informances” the week prior to a concert where she plays the cello for the children and invites them to share thoughts that come to mind when they listen to it. “I encourage [the children] to listen with their eyes,” she said. “I want to open up their ears so that they think about music from their own perspective, with no baggage.”

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Portrait of two artists

Playwright Continues to Shoot for the Stars

By Peggy Berger

F

or Adam Kraar, all the world’s a stage, just as it has been since shortly after his graduation from George School in 1974. At the beginning of his studies at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA, Adam took a class given by a professional playwright. He found the course invigorating.

“I had always written and my father was a journalist. Writing for the theater seemed challenging and important,” Adam noted.

When Adam was 7, his father became a foreign correspondent.

The Kraar family lived in India, Thailand and Singapore. Adam really liked living abroad although he feels he was too young to think much about it. It was upon returning to the United States at age 16 and entering George School as a sophomore that Adam experienced culture shock.

His attendance at George

Currently, Adam Kraar ’74 is working on a trilogy of fulllength plays about Americans living in Asia and the culture shock they experience upon returning to the US.

“I strive to create highly

personal, truthful work that also speaks to a wide audience…”

School was mostly his parents’ idea. They felt he would get a better education than at an American School abroad. His mother thought that the Quaker philosophy would be a good influence on him.

Adam said that, “while at George School, I got wonderful encouragement for my writing.

The school gave me a creative writing award and a short story I wrote for Margaret Robinson’s creative writing class won a prize from Seventeen magazine.”

After earning his B.A. from Hampshire College in 1977, Adam worked as a playwright and had some of his plays performed. He worked in off-off Broadway theaters as a stage manager and playwright while learning more about his craft and meeting new collaborators. The experience helped immensely and Adam was glad that he didn’t go directly to gradu-

ate school. He received his M.F.A. from Columbia University in New York in 1987.

Since that time, Adam has been involved with numerous theater organizations. The Manhattan Theatre Club, one of the leading off-Broadway theaters in New York City and the country, gave Adam a fellowship in 1998.

He considers this to be one of his bigger breaks. It also introduced him to a lot of other writers. His play New World Rhapsody, commissioned by the Manhattan Theatre Club and winner of the prestigious Reva Shiner FullLength Play Award in 2001, premiered at the H. B. Playwrights Theatre in Greenwich Village, NY, this past November. The Spirit House, another of his full-length plays, was produced recently at Performance Network, a professional theater in Ann Arbor, MI. In addition, Adam has written continued on page 7

Painter Finds Inspiration In the Great Outdoors

By Odie LeFever

D

aniel Anthonisen ’88 can see the Tohicken Creek from the carriage house apartment where he has lived for the past three years. The creek is the focus of many of his paintings.

Recently, he began to paint people as well, like his girlfriend Alice and his dad.

But mostly Dan paints the creek.

He stops painting outdoors when it gets much below freezing.

Otherwise, he is usually outside painting … while standing in the water, canoeing or watching the water from the bank. He is emotionally connected to the Point Pleasant, PA, area and the Delaware River, having moved to the area with his family when he was a toddler and having played, fished and explored there with friends as he grew up.

This is the environment where he is happy, where he feels he can create paintings that meet his artistic goal of revealing something soulful and vital.

Painting people is a relatively new experience for him but he has been studying anatomy for

some time now. He knows some people have a knack for painting people, but he has to work at it.

“You have to practice drawing just like you need to practice playing your instrument if you are a musician,” he said.

He remembers a period in the 1990s when he practiced portraiture by drawing the juvenile offenders he was living with. He was working for Vision Quest, a program that substitutes rugged outdoor experiences for prison.

His primary job was setting up teepees and sharing the responsibilities of supervising 12 or 13 juveniles with other counselors.

Through his experiences that summer, he learned to set boundaries on how he wanted to be treated himself.

“The juvenile youths were almost 100 percent supportive about my drawing and having their portraits done,” Dan said in amazement.

He liked that he was doing something constructive in that job, but he didn’t stay all that long. He left after three months and returned to Bucks County

where he has lived ever since, the last four years spent primarily painting.

Dan clearly values a life led constructively. He is determined to live a healthy life, exercising, making sure his days have structure and being deliberate about his art as an expression and as a business.

When Dan wants to be inspired, he goes to the Brandywine Museum. “I admire the work of Andrew Wyeth through and through,” he said.

Dan also studies the work of Edmund C. Tarbell, who did a lot of interiors around the turn of the 20th century.

Dan remembers enjoying the art classes at George School because he got to see the work of other students who were excited about art and because teachers like Pam Grumbach and Mike Williamson kept their students’ imaginations open. “The art classes,” Dan remembers, “were structured, but structured loosely.

I thought [my art experience at George School] was fantastic.”

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Daniel Anthonisen ’88 got his fine arts degree from Carnegie Mellon. His landscape work has been exhibited at many places including the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, PA.

Classes with Quaker spirit

Quaker Methodology Alive In the Classroom

“I

have been very much aware, in my role as head of school, of how different and how powerful the Quaker decisionmaking process is,” Nancy Starmer said.

So when the possibility arose to teach a freshman global interdependence class for the first term of the 2002-03 school year, Nancy took advantage of the opportunity to teach her students about the Quaker decision-making process. In the current events portion of the class, she integrated the Quaker process into class discussions about the United States’ possible war on Iraq. “I wanted to give students an opportunity to see for themselves how Quaker decision making is different from a debate, where one side wins and one loses, or a discussion that ends in a show of hands on a question,” Nancy explained.

Over a four-week period, Nancy’s class read weekly news articles and attended two school assemblies on the topic, wrote position papers, discussed the pros and cons of war with Iraq, and held a formal debate on the topic. At the end of this time, Nancy led a meeting for worship for business in the classroom with the goal of coming to unity on the topic. “In a meeting for worship for business, the purpose is not to persuade others of a point of view,” Nancy explained, “but to

listen openly and deeply to what others have to say, so that the group together can come to a better decision than any one person might be able to arrive at individually.”

Although her class did not reach unity on the topic, the exercise was instructive and student responses to the technique varied.

“Some found the discipline of listening difficult,” Nancy explained.

“Others found that the meeting’s slower pace helped them discern what was most important from the myriad of facts. Another said he found that having the time to reflect, and working to come together as a group, helped him to feel more confident about a topic that he finds troubling.”

Although Nancy does not teach on a regular basis due to the demands of her position as head of school, she thoroughly enjoys the experience. “I try to teach whenever I can, in part because I love teaching and also because the classroom is the heart of the school,” she said. “Teaching helps me get to know a broader group of students and keeps me in touch with what faculty members do every day.”

Head of School Nancy Starmer values Quaker truth seeking in the affairs of academics, whether as a classroom technique for understanding world events or as a method for evaluating the curriculum. In fall 2002, Nancy initiated a multi-year curriculum review process that was grounded in the readings of A Mind at a Time by Mel Levine and Growing Into Goodness: Essays on Quaker Education by Paul Lacey.

“…the purpose is not to persuade others of a point of view,” Nancy explained,

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Literacy Coach…cont’d from page 2

confident about what they’re doing and along with me, be continual learners.” Miriam’s passion for connecting kids with great children’s books led her to her current position as an Annenberg literacy coach.

“We’re dealing with kids whose lives are on edge every moment. I know the power of stories and books …. I am determined to keep connecting children with books and also with our wonderful public libraries,” Miriam added.

When Miriam isn’t teaching, she spends time speaking at international conferences discussing recent books, new literacy teach-

Joe Wallace

By Cristina Lucuski

“but to listen openly and deeply to what others have to say,…”

Playwright…cont’d from page 6

ing trends and professional staff development in elementary schools. She also serves as an educational consultant and literacy specialist for numerous publishing companies, a pediatric literacy outreach program and a new television series Words That Cook. Her work with Weston Woods’ television series, A Likely Story, was nominated for an Emmy Award.

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During Alumni Weekend, Miriam will present a master class on literacy standards and children’s books.

fifteen 10-minute plays, many of which have been produced and several published.

Adam hopes to reach a larger audience in New York and seeks ways that theater can reach new, younger and/or more diverse audiences. “I strive to create highly personal, truthful work that also speaks to a wide audience.

Beyond that is the formidable practical problem of finding producers brave enough to do any new play, let alone one that isn’t like last season’s hit.”

His long-range goals include becoming a resident playwright at a leading national theater. He is also very interested in continuing

Georgian • Page 7 G e o r g e S c h o o l W i n t e r 2 0 0 3

to experiment with the dramatic form, finding new ways to make character, relationships and language into central values, without becoming esoteric. “Finally,” he affirmed, “I’d like to become more involved in opening up the theater to new voices, and advocating new ways for institutional theaters to discover those voices.”

Adam resides in Brooklyn with his astrologer wife Karen, who, he hopes, will find no fault with his stars.

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Inspiration from the past

Woodworking Projects Generate A Lot of Press

Scholarship Fund Celebrates Memory Of Medical Pioneer

By Cristina Lucuski

By Rebecca Wilkinson

In the 1930s, 16-year-old Florence Marshall ’40 moved in with her relatives following the death of her mother. She and her teenage nephew Richard Palmer shared a relationship that, over time, came to resemble that of a brother and sister.

This relationship lasted for the duration of Florence’s life.

“T

he moral is this, you can have a fine life as a craftsman as long as you have an intelligent wife,” Richard (Dick) Hicks ’42 said with a chuckle. The fact that Dick is a craftsman at heart is evident; he has spent over 60 years devoting his life to his art. He speaks passionately about his projects, both past and present. He is proud of his son’s skill crafting furniture and there is admiration in his voice when he describes an ancient farmhouse, completely hand-hewn, that he and his wife Shirley visited on a trip to Norway.

Working with wood has always been his forte. While recalling his years at George School, Dick admits, “I was completely spoiled when it came to working with the woodshop.” With a small laugh, he recalled rescuing his grade in Latin class by building a detailed model of a Roman house labeled with all the appropriate terms.

After spending time as a Marine, Dick worked as an industrial patternmaker until health problems, due to shrapnel in his shoulder, forced him to stop in 1966. At this point, he “floundered around looking for something to do.” He knew, however, that he would find something where he could continue to work with his hands.

Dick’s moment of inspiration came in 1976. He recalls, “It was the bicentennial year and there was a lot of interest in historical things. I saw a picture of a wooden printing press in TIME and I thought it would be fun to try to build one of my own.”

Through word of mouth, the president of Quick Copy Corporation heard of Dick’s handmade press and traveled with his manager to Dick’s home in New Mexico. Dick commented that it was love at first sight. “He [the president] immediately removed his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and started applying the ink,” Dick said. While the president got his hands dirty, his manager watched and mumbled under his breath, “New toy, definitely a new toy.” As a result, Dick gained his first commission and built a press for the foyer of the company’s headquarters in Houston, TX. Over the following years, Dick built approximately 29 additional presses. They are scattered across

Dick Hicks ’42 and his wife Shirley currently live in the house he built in 1971 with the help of their son. In addition to crafting replicas of the printing press, Dick has carved replicas of German carousel animals and worked on recreating antique rifles.

With a small laugh, he recalled rescuing his grade in Latin class

by building a detailed model of a Roman house labeled with all the appropriate terms. the United States as showpieces in both publishing corporations such as Xerox, and as working models in museums. One traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to Norway after Dick accepted an invitation to give a lecture about his craft.

Dick is especially pleased that his creations have been incorporated into educational programs for schoolchildren. One of his replicas is part of a display for Constitution Hall Park in Huntsville, AL, where the state’s constitution was printed.

“Shortly after the press arrived,” Dick recounts, “Alabama’s state government started a program where every fourth grade student visited the museum and had a chance to work the press.” A similar

program was adopted in a printing museum in Albuquerque, NM, which houses another one of his replicas.

His last press was built in 1990; since then health problems forced him to look for other projects. He has, however, continued to work in other ways. Currently, Dick is supervising the construction of his retirement home adjacent to his current property. The plans include exposed wood on the front porch that will need to be carved once the construction is done.

Dick has reserved this job for himself.

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Georgian • Page 8 G e o r g e S c h o o l W i n t e r 2 0 0 3

Florence passed away in February of 2002, losing her battle with a lifethreatening illness. Richard knew what George School meant to her and wanted to keep her memory alive. He did so by establishing the Florence N. Marshall Scholarship Fund that would provide tuition assistance for incoming George School students demonstrating financial need. “I primarily established this scholarship fund out of love for her,” Richard said.

“Secondly, I was a benefactor of her will and thought this would be pleasing to her and a good way to memorialize her by putting the funds to good use.”

“We should all try to leave things better than we found them.”

A 1940 graduate of George School, Florence spent her life following her personal credo, “We should all try to leave things better than we found them.” Florence earned a medical degree from Cornell in 1948 during a time when a woman’s career in medicine was often limited to nursing.

After her internship and residency at New York Hospital, she spent 24 years in rural Haiti working with children at Albert Schweitzer Hospital.

After returning to the United States, Florence continued to work in pediatrics specializing in infectious diseases and working with children with AIDS. She also taught medical students and received many distinguished awards for her service to others. Thanks to her nephew Richard Palmer, an endowed scholarship bearing her name will remind us of her compassion and service to others.

NOTE: Pages removed from this document to protect the privacy of GS alumni.

Alumni may login to the alumni community at http://alumni.georgeschool.org to view the full version of this issue.

eQuiz highlights

Snapshot in Time…

The winter survey focused on photography trends and interests of alumni. We received a tremendous response to this survey. Thank you to the 386 alumni who participated! The following is a sampling of the responses. For complete results of the survey, visit the George School website at www.georgeschool.org and select “Alumni eQuiz” from the site index.

Say Cheese

Measure Your Aptitude

Alumni identify people as being the preferred subject to photograph.

Nature/wildlife and scenery came in second and third.

Alumni describe their prowess with a camera as depicted below.

PEOPLE 51.8% NATURE/WILDLIFE 16.5% SCENERY14.7% EXPERIMENTAL/ABSTRACT 7.6% OTHER 6.3% SPORTS/ACTION 3.1% 50% INTERMEDIATE

Processing Your Pix

20% ADVANCED

30% BEGINNER

eQuiz results show that almost a fifth of alumni develop their own photographs in the darkroom frequently or on occasion.

Camera Preference While a majority of alumni still prefer to use a 35mm camera, a large percentage are using digital cameras.

LET LAB DO IT

56.2%

35MM 59.7% DIGITAL 28.2%

USE DIGITAL CAMERA

25.3%

DEVELOP THEIR OWN

MEDIUM FORMAT 3.7%

VIDEO 2.6%

18.5%

Georgian

Volume 75 • Number 1 • Winter 2003

IN THIS ISSUE Remembering Palmer Sharpless..............1 Social Worker Advocates for Kids...........2 Literacy Coach Works With Children ....2 Senior Juggles School Life .........................3 Social Activist Turned Photographer.....3 Vocalist Sings With Joy ...............................4 Cellist Teaches Appreciation ....................4 GS Orchestra Revival ...................................5 Playwright Shoots for the Stars ................6 Artist Inspired by Nature ............................6 Classes With Quaker Spirit ........................7 Printing Press Replicas ................................8 Scholarship Fund ..........................................8 Class Notes ......................................................9 In Memoriam ................................................15 eQuiz Highlights .........................................16

OTHER 4.5%

LARGE FORMAT 1.3%

Cristina Lucuski, Editor Georgian@georgeschool.org 215-579-6568 © 2003 George School Design: Turnaround Marketing Communications

Advancement Office George School Box 4438 Newtown PA 18940-0908 www.georgeschool.org

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