The Bulletin: Fall 2020

20/20 Vision:

A Year of Reflection

FALL ’20

Editor Lauren Rauseo LBK Designs

Assistant Editor Brooke Blumberg Director of Marketing and Communications

Contributors Nathaniel Badder ’94 Director of Alumni Relations and Outreach

Kiera Davis-Griffith Associate Director of Marketing and Communications

Jeanne Green Development Communications and Operations Manager

Heather Harlan Warnack Director of Development

Mary Ellen Porter Associate Director of Development

Design Kevin Zwirble

Printing Mt. Royal Printing

The Gilman Bulletin is published by Gilman School, Baltimore, Maryland 21210.

Gilman School welcomes students of any race, color, religion, sexual orientation, and national or ethnic origin. gilman.edu facebook.com/GilmanSchool1897 twitter.com/GilmanSchool instagram.com/gilmanschool linkedin.com/school/gilman-school gilman.edu/lumenblog

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In This Issue FEATUR ES 4

20/20 Vision: A Year of Reflection

Matthew Grossman ’22 and Nigel Parker ’21 Building an Anti-Racist Culture

Dr. Charles C. Edwards II ’88 Fostering Healing from our Collective Pandemic Experience

Grant Carey ’20 Overcoming Adversity

ConnectED Learning Committee Ensuring Transformative Teaching and Learning Experiences

Beth Knapp Strengthening Meaningful Lifelong Relationships

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Fond Farewell

A fond farewell to teachers Amy Huntoon, Jennie Iglehart, Linda Trapp, and John Xanders

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Class of 2020 Graduation

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In Memoriam

William Merrick ’51 J. Richard Thomas, Sr. ’43 Willard Wiggins ’68

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D E PA R T M E N T S 21 Alumni News 32 School News 38 Service Learning 40 Arts 41 Athletics 46 Archives

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FROM THE HEADMASTER

Dear Gilman Family, Since the publication of our last edition of the Bulletin, a tidal wave of impactful events and forces has dramatically reshaped our world. The COVID-19 global pandemic and corresponding mitigation measures, a related economic downturn, social and political unrest and upheaval, violent storms and raging wildfires: They have transformed daily life, slowed commerce, highlighted injustice, and altered landscapes. Sadly, they have also taken lives. Any one of these phenomena would help to define an era; collectively, they have made 2020 a year the likes of which very few of us have experienced or could have imagined.

Reflecting on these events, they also provide clear examples to support the charge I gave to the Upper School boys in June and to all students as we opened this school year: They must be the problemsolvers and agents for good that this world so desperately needs. While these circumstances may seem grim and the forces insurmountable, the good news is that Gilman boys and men can, will, and already do rise to the challenge.

The people profiled in the following pages give us hope in the face of troubling headlines. They are students, teachers, doctors, and entrepreneurs. What’s more, they are uniters, mentors, creators, and fixers. They manifest Gilman’s ongoing efforts to fulfill our mission to educate

the whole boy in mind, body, and spirit and to produce men of character and integrity who have the skills and ability to make a positive contribution to the communities in which they live and work. The skills that they embody are precisely what we hope to instill in today’s students and what we have come to articulate as Gilman Skills — namely, the ability to: • Think creatively and expansively about our complex world, • Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, • Collaborate to solve problems and affect positive community impact, • Create works of self-expression that serve and inspire others.

Equipped to make a difference, these people — along with countless other Gilman boys and men of past, present, and future — continue to work to reshape our world in a positive light, one that reflects our best selves, individually and collectively.

I hope that you enjoy these profiles and updates on Gilman life on Roland Avenue and beyond. Just as important, I hope that the receipt of this Bulletin finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy.

Be well,

Henry P. A. Smyth Headmaster

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20/20 Vision: A Year of Reflection In March of 2020, the world changed in ways most of us had never even thought about before.

We had taken for granted our ability to spontaneously patronize shops and restaurants, to freely frequent fitness centers and salons, to casually visit friends and family members, and most notably for our Gilman community, to attend school.

This spring, School administrators and teachers suddenly faced a new challenge: how to deliver the Gilman experience in this new reality where we couldn’t meet in person, we couldn’t join together to play and compete in sports, we couldn’t congregate to express ourselves creatively, and we couldn’t embrace each other in a handshake or a hug.

How could we transform our ‘transformative teaching and learning’ model to one that is online? How could we adapt in-person instructional tools to virtual platforms?

In what innovative ways could we engage our boys without physically meeting them in the classrooms? What exactly will this new embodiment of education look like? How can we rethink everything we thought we knew? Once the immediate crisis of this pandemic is over, which of our adjustments will persist into the future? These are all questions we began to ask ourselves over the last few months, and that we continue to research and understand with the 2020-2021 school year underway.

The spring of 2020 not only brought about unusual and unexpected adversity with regard to COVID-19; this strange season has also brought to brighter light issues of social injustice and racial inequity that have been perpetuated, and often ignored, in our society for hundreds of years.

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Reflecting on these uncomfortable truths, we acknowledge that our own School’s history is not exempt from that of our larger community and country. Collectively, we must advance forward with building a culture of anti-racism, inclusion, and equity, and, as stated in our Strategic Plan, work to ensure that the success of any boy is determined by promise and engagement, and not by any cultural or social identifier. The conversations we must have may be uncomfortable, and it’s important that we embrace those moments in order to learn and make progress.

They say hindsight is 20/20. While it is often easier to look back on the past and see how we could have done better, it’s more constructive to look ahead and consciously plan for the best version of the future. As we reflect upon our approach to delivering the Gilman experience in this new world, we are examining how we can best meet the needs of our students going forward.

Our 20/20 vision and beyond is focused on building an antiracist culture, fostering healing from the collective pandemic experience, overcoming adversity, ensuring transformative teaching and learning experiences, and strengthening meaningful lifelong relationships for every Gilman boy.

Read on to learn more about how we are forging ahead.

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20/20 VISION: A YEAR OF REFLECTION

BUILDING AN ANTI-RACIST CULTURE

By Student Leaders Matthew Grossman ‘22 and Nigel Parker ‘21

2020 has brought on unparalleled challenges for everyone — a global pandemic, social distancing and feelings of uncertainty, virtual learning and working, and heightened racial tensions, among others.

How has your education at Gilman prepared you for these trying times?

NIGEL PARKER: My education at Gilman has exposed me to different opportunities to challenge my mind. By taking advantage of what Gilman has to offer, I have been able to develop as a student, a leader, and a person. Although these times are uncertain and often troubling, I am confident in saying that I have been well-prepared to handle this tumultuous year.

MATTHEW GROSSMAN: More than any curriculum could have ever taught me, the relationships I have built with my peers over the last 12 years have put me in the best position to take on the challenges of 2020. CIE (community, inclusion, and equity) work is relationship-based; at the basis of what we strive for are positive relationships among all members within our community. While we have been physically apart, my relationships with peers have given me opportunities to have important discussions with people of different backgrounds and ideas that have helped inform the way that I go about CIE work within the School.

What inspires you to do the work that you do?

MATTHEW GROSSMAN: The reason I am so involved in CIE work is because of the sense of responsibility I feel. In Middle School, I was inspired to start a Jewish Awareness Club (JAC), which began my journey in CIE work. Following that, I got the opportunity to work alongside the diversity council and attend several daylong diversity conferences/workshops. Through these,

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I K NOW TH AT I CA N H AV E AN I M PACT O N T H E CU LT URE OF G I L MA N A ND L EAV E B EH I N D A M O R E I NCL U SI V E CO MMUN I T Y F O R A L L ST U D ENTS.

- Nigel Parker ‘21

I have been inspired both by seeing how Gilman is a trailblazer in this work, but also by seeing the immense amount of work we still have to do as a school. This sense of responsibility has heightened over the past few months with the pandemic, and strengthened even more with the national conversation about anti-racism.

NIGEL PARKER: I am most inspired to do my work when I think about all of the kids that will come through Gilman after me. I know that I can have an impact on the culture of Gilman and leave behind a more inclusive community for all students.

I am also inspired when I hear my peers talk about how I have inspired them to be more vocal about issues that they care about.

What positive changes do you hope to see in your life/at Gilman/in the world as an outcome from what we have experienced, both personally and professionally, in 2020?

NIGEL PARKER: I hope to be a more confident leader. I have developed so much during this time of virtual experiences, and I have been able to adapt to the circumstances. My hope is that whatever situation I am in I will be able to adapt to it and still achieve at high levels.

MATTHEW GROSSMAN: 2020 has been a year in which we were physically so far apart, but our community as ‘One Gilman’ has come together and united despite such trying times. What ConnectED Learning did more than anything else was force each of us to truly become our brothers’ keepers, whether that was helping a friend understand content or reminding a peer about a class meeting.

Building an Anti-Racist Culture

In what ways has your young age served as an obstacle or an advantage as you set out to achieve your goals?

NIGEL PARKER: I have not found many disadvantages to being

Matthew Grossman ‘22

young. For the most part, it means that adults are more willing to listen to and value my opinion on current events. It can sometimes be a challenge when I am trying to engage with the student body in a serious manner about something that I care about.

MATTHEW GROSSMAN: Being younger has never been Nigel Parker ‘21

an obstacle for me in this work; rather, I think it has served as an advantage. All of the CIE work at Gilman centers around the students, and having the student perspective, I can better understand what the community needs. Whether it’s a fresh perspective on the curriculum being taught at all grade levels to a general feeling of the climate among students, this perspective is essential in CIE work. What has made it easier to use my voice is that faculty, parents, and Board members who have been working with us over the summer and into the school year have centered the students’ perspective in our conversations surrounding equity and inclusion.

With regard to racial injustice and inequity, what changes do you hope to see in the future at Gilman?

In the world?

MATTHEW GROSSMAN: There’s so much change that we are

What inspires you to engage in the work of social justice education at this particular moment in history?

MATTHEW GROSSMAN: As a white student, I feel a great sense of responsibility when it comes to CIE work — both to my own community and to other marginalized communities within our School. Over the past summer, as a global community, we’ve had such important conversations surrounding racism. With those conversations, I’ve felt a responsibility to use my privilege as a white student to help in creating an anti-racist community at Gilman.

NIGEL PARKER: I believe that this is a tipping point in the history of Gilman and in the history of America. The time is now for people of all kinds to call for justice and make substantial changes that will improve the lives of others. I hope to bring this education to the student body because there is so much division and unawareness in the world. Despite our differing opinions, I hope to bring us together in a respectful and constructive way.

working towards at a structural level — amending the systems that hold back minority groups from succeeding. This is why the word “equity” came to be centered in our diversity work, because we wanted to allow not only equal opportunity to all students at our School, but also equal access to those opportunities. At Gilman, however, I see our work being much more impactful at a personal level — teaching Gilman boys what it means to be anti-racist at a personal level and integrating that fundamentally into what it means to “be Gilman.”

NIGEL PARKER: I hope to see a Gilman where we take a considerable amount of time out of our days regularly to share and discuss our opinions. I think that there is a feeling of discomfort that comes with talking about racial injustice because we all do not have the same views. If we can build a community in which everyone feels comfortable enough to share their views and comfortable enough to learn more from others and maybe change their views, then we will be on the right path to a more inclusive and equitable community.

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20/20 VISION: A YEAR OF REFLECTION

FOSTERING HEALING FROM OUR COLLECTIVE PANDEMIC EXPERIENCE

By Health and Wellness Committee Chair Dr. Charles C. Edwards II ‘88

What inspires you to do the work that you do?

2020 has brought on unparalleled challenges for everyone — a global pandemic, social distancing and feelings of uncertainty, virtual learning and working, and heightened racial tensions, among others. How has your education at Gilman prepared you for these trying times?

The past year has had many major societal challenges for which there were no simple answers. My 12 years at Gilman taught me to work well with others towards a common goal ­— be that an academic project or an athletic prize. The multifaceted issues of 2020 are best approached with a team mentality — a team of smart, hardworking individuals who approach the issue from different perspectives.

On the Health Committee we have expert physicians from a broad range of specialties and practice patterns. Such diverse expertise together with shared passion for Gilman makes for excellent discussion and occasional debates. Over the past year we have wrestled with important issues of mandatory measles vaccination, optimization of student emotional wellness, and COVID-19.

With COVID-19 we were learning as we went. Gilman’s administration hired consultants, and the Health and Wellness Committee met throughout the spring and summer to develop the optimal approach to School reopening. Often Committee members viewed matters differently and we had healthy debate.

In the end, a far superior result was produced through the process of working together.

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The teacher-coaches that I had at Gilman cared about me as a person: Coaches Duncan, Foreman, Thornbery, Julius, and so many more. It meant a lot to me when, as a freshman, Headmaster Finney would put his strong hand on my shoulder and ask me about my classes. I think that those Gilman relational experiences stuck with me and influenced me to pursue a people-focused career where I could make a difference in other people’s lives.

Helping others is not only the right thing to do, but it makes me feel good too.

I spend a lot of time working with people who suffer and who are missing out. I am always inspired to observe the resilience of the human spirit and the power of hope. Going into surgery, I tell my patients to imagine themselves at the starting line of the race.

I will stay with them every step of the way as their coach, but the path of recovery is theirs to take. Reaching the finish line of healing we celebrate together — it never gets old.

What positive changes do you hope to see in your life/at Gilman/in the world as an outcome from what we have experienced, both personally and professionally, in 2020?

Ideally, the complex challenges of 2020 would draw us as a civilization together with humility to sort out the best path forward. I have seen that occur at Gilman — especially with the deliberations on the return to school. Despite a range of strong opinions, administrators and experts worked together with mutual appreciation and a shared commitment to the School. An imperfect flexible plan was established and we are all still friends.

The Gilman reopening planning process was healthy and good — I learned a lot by being a part of it.

Gilman’s Health and Wellness Committee Chair: Charles C. Edwards II ’88, M.D. Members: Andrew Cameron ’87, M.D., Cardella Coleman, M.D., David M. Cromwell ’80, M.D., James Higgins, M.D., Lisa L. Maragakis M.D., M.P.H., Teri McCambridge, M.D., Shari Lawson, M.D., Eric L. Nuermberger M.D., Theresa Nguyen, M.D., James K. Porterfield, M.D., Kenneth C. Schuberth, M.D., Himani Shishodia, M.D., Eric P. Suan, M.D., F.A.C.S., Arman Taghizadeh ’95, M.D., James Williams, D.O., Amy Winkelstein, M.D.

Ex-officio: Henry P. A. Smyth, Lori E. Bristow, L.A.T., A.T.C., Kristin Brown, L.A.T., A.T.C., Edith D. Meacham, R.N., M.S.N., John Mojzisek, Ph.D., Nicholas A. Pitruzzella, L.A.T., A.T.C., Cyndi Ross, R.N., B.S.N., Russell Wrenn ’96, J.D.

As chair of the Health and Wellness Committee at Gilman, what have been the hardest decisions you’ve been a part of in 2020?

Decisions about return to school this fall often came down to navigating the known benefits of in-person education and unknown COVID-19 risks. Especially challenging was the very limited actual knowledge about COVID-19 transmission and the effectiveness of preventative strategies. Our Committee of physicians, along with consultants and administrators, deliberated and debated. We really, really wanted to get the kids back to inperson classes, but we were also 100 percent committed to the safety of all, especially our beloved faculty. Finding a path forward that would satisfy both priorities was and is hard.

How has your role in this position evolved in the last year and how do you foresee it changing in the coming months?

It is somewhat ironic that my specialty of spine surgery has not been all that relevant to the major health issues affecting Gilman. I have found that my primary role as Committee Chair is to set a positive tone, to keep the collaborative dialogue flowing, and to always make progress. My lack of expertise and bias in the areas of emotional

health and infectious disease probably make me a better leader of the brilliant physicians and scientists on the Committee who have so much to add.

The path to ‘normal’ school without masks is still unclear. There is much to sort out related to vaccines, herd immunity, eventually weaning from masks and return to physical contact. I hope to assist Gilman and its Health and Wellness Committee in moving forward one sensible step at a time.

How can Gilman reflect upon the challenges it has faced this year and rethink the ways in which it approaches health and wellness?

Anxiety, depression, and social dysfunction are likely consequences of the tremendous social disruption caused by COVID-19. Students who are emotionally unhealthy will not perform at their best academically, athletically, or socially. Gilman and all schools need to optimize their student support programs in order to recognize at-risk students and direct them appropriately. Prior to COVID-19, the Health and Wellness Committee actually established an Emotional Wellness Task Force. Chaired by current Head of Lower School Armond Lawson and comprised of Health and Wellness Committee physician and School administration members, the task force worked hard from January to June of 2020. The timing worked out perfectly, as their recommendations are ready to implement when we need them most.

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20/20 VISION: A YEAR OF REFLECTION

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

By McCormick Unsung Hero 2020 Award Winner Grant Carey ‘20

McCormick Unsung Hero Carey stands among an elite group of McCormick Unsung Hero award winners. He is the fourth person from Gilman to receive this prestigious award since its inception, 80 years ago.

2020 Golf: Grant Carey ’20

1965 Football: Benson Legg ’66

1962 Football: Ward Coe, III ’63

1942 Football: D.C. W. Finney

What positive changes do you hope to see in your life/at Gilman/in the world as an outcome from what we have experienced, both personally and professionally, in 2020?

2020 has brought on unparalleled challenges for everyone — a global pandemic, social distancing and feelings of uncertainty, virtual learning and working, and heightened racial tensions, among others. How has your education at Gilman prepared you for these trying times?

Obviously it’s been tough to look at the positives over the past several months, especially since it seems to be in our nature to dwell on the negatives, but I do think that there is some progress that can come out of this. My hope is that after we make it through these tough times, we come out the other side more adaptable, creative, accepting of change, and, in general, with better understanding and awareness. Before this pandemic, it was easy for people to find their comfort zones and stay in them.

I think a lot of the areas that Gilman helps to cultivate within Specifically in today’s society, with heightened social tension and their students served all of us well during these past few months. so much uneasiness about the future, it almost seemed safer to With regard to the social justice piece, Gilman never failed to narrow our focus and try and block remind students of the importance of out exterior noises and unwanted listening and empathizing, two skills AT I T S CO R E, B EYO ND A L L O F stress. However, as is the case with that I think are more important now T HE AC A D EMI CS, G I L MA N I S all obstacles we face in life, adversity than ever. There’s a reason empathy is forces you to adapt, and sometimes one of Gilman’s values: it’s because it’s A P LAC E TH AT TEACH ES K I D S rethink the way you go about things. one trait that bleeds into every single T HE I M PO R TA NCE O F H OW Although at points it seems dire, I am aspect of our lives. At its core, beyond YO U T R EAT O T H ER S. hopeful that this devastating crisis all of the academics, Gilman is a place that our world is facing will change that teaches kids the importance of people’s perspective. The coronavirus how you treat others. In a time where has affected all of us differently; some were hit harder than everyone seems to have an opinion, it’s so important to realize that others, but there is a commonality in the fact that we have all sometimes it isn’t about being right or wrong, it’s simply about being been forced to take a step back and reevaluate our lives, which I understanding, and that is something that I think Gilman helped to think could be a really good thing in the long run. instill in me throughout my four years.

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Overcoming Adversity

You have been faced with unique hardships in your life. Can you share a little bit of your story and how you have overcome adversity?

Some background: When I was born, doctors found an unknown mass in my left hip and so they removed it along with some of my muscles and other tissue. This stunted the growth in my entire leg and my left leg never fully developed — therefore I don’t have ankle mobility, feeling in my foot, or the ability to balance on my left leg, which causes me to limp and requires me to wear a brace.

To people who ask, I always say that it’s difficult to explain the physical limitations I have to deal with because I’ve never experienced anything else. Even though I know I’m different, everything I do feels normal to me because that’s how it’s been my entire life. Obviously, this hindrance has limited my athletic ability significantly, so while I’ve always loved playing sports like basketball or volleyball recreationally, I focused on golf. I think most of the troubles that I’m faced with stem from my knowledge that I’m different from everyone else. I’m aware that I’ll never fully overcome this mentally, but I’m happy with the way I’ve been able to look past it and not let it stop me from going after anything.

Have your life experiences prepared you differently than others to deal with the challenges of this year?

How?

Grant Carey ‘20

I think that throughout my life I’ve gained the ability to put things in perspective and a kind of understanding of how things in life fit together. I learned early on that life is inherently unfair and that it’s impossible to predict the future or foresee how things are going to turn out. I also think that I’ve come to understand what is important in life, and compartmentalize the good and the bad within the context of the ‘big picture.’

I believe that all of this has allowed me to take everything that has happened this year in stride, as I’ve tried to keep in mind the people who have been hit hardest by these past several months and understand how fortunate I am and how fortunate everyone around me is.

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ENSURING TRANSFORMATIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES

By ConnectED Learning Committee: Frank Bonsal ‘82, Managing Partner, Bonsal Capital Tye Campbell, Directory of Technology, Gilman School David Kim ‘97, Founder and Vice Chairman, C2 Education Peter Kwiterovich ‘87, Assistant Head of School, Gilman School Karlo Young ’97, Vice President & General Manager, 2U

2020 has brought on unparalleled challenges for everyone — a global pandemic, social distancing and feelings of uncertainty, virtual learning and working, and heightened racial tensions, among others.

How has Gilman prepared you for these trying times?

What positive changes do you hope to see in your life/at Gilman/in the world as an outcome from what we have experienced, both personally and professionally, in 2020?

TYE CAMPBELL: I just finished my fourth year here and it’s been

break us, I believe 2020 is intended to crack us open as a society in very positive ways. My belief is that this will make us more resilient, more intentional with things like our relationships and hygiene, how we think about climate and our appreciation for nature, and the list goes on — and this is true both as an individual and as an institution. My hope is that if we zoom (no pun intended) out far enough and are self-reflective, we’ll also rethink what our relationship needs to be with others for us to thrive as a society.

COVID-19 has made it very clear that an individual’s behavior can impact someone else in very serious ways even if they don’t intend for it to. So we all have an individual responsibility to keep others safe. Not just family members, but everyone. For me, that theme resonates beyond COVID-19 and even into the racial injustice conversation. So every day when I wake up, I think about what I can do to make the world better and Gilman better.

a testament to how Gilman has always operated, not just in the last few months. We are very team-oriented, very collaborative, and we are definitely one of the most caring places that I’ve been, in terms of people caring for the welfare and well-being of employees and our students. We kind of just went into this doing what we’ve always done...asking what is in the best interest of our students and what is in the best interest of our faculty and staff. When anyone goes through a situation like this with trials and tests — no matter who you try to present yourself as to the world — who you really are comes out. This has absolutely applied to Gilman in the best of ways. We’re doing what we’ve always done and what we’ve always tried to do — to be a great school.

What inspires you to do the work that you do?

PETER KWITEROVICH: I became an educator because of the men and women who had significant influence on me over my lifetime while at Gilman. These mentors were experts at creating impactful and influential relationships with their students and colleagues. Over my career, I try each day to emulate that approach — putting the emotional health and well-being of the students and colleagues at the forefront of each relationship. With the likes of Mr. Finney, Mr. Holley, Ms. Turner, and Mr. Smyth as role models, it is certainly a lofty aspiration but one definitely worthwhile in pursuing.

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The ConnectED Learning Committee was developed to help support the School as it navigates the uncharted waters of COVID-19, and virtual and hybrid learning.

KARLO YOUNG: Although at times it appears 2020 is meant to

How do you think the challenges of 2020 (pandemic, racial tensions, economic downturn) have impacted education? How is Gilman navigating these global challenges so that they can best prepare students for the world they will inherit?

DAVID KIM: It has been a learning experience for everyone as we transition from traditional classrooms to virtual ones; from part-time online to socially distanced classrooms. A huge challenge has been continuing to foster community and

Peter Kwiterovich ‘87, Assistant Head of School

David Kim ‘97

Tye Campbell, Director of Technology

interpersonal interactions. Education is beyond memorizing facts, but learning to work with one another — developing sympathy, empathy, and compassion. How do we develop leadership skills in such an environment?

Another challenge will be the college admissions process for this coming year and the next. Testing, though not perfect, has been one of the criteria. Activities have become non-existent. Gilman, however, with its great resources and college counseling team led

by Sarah Ross, has seen exceptional results this past year and is well-prepared to make sure our Gilman boys continue to excel in their matriculation results.

How has Gilman prepared for this new age of learning virtually and/or in a hybrid model? Are there tools/techniques/methods that you envision will remain after the pandemic is over?

FRANK BONSAL: From a glass-half-full perspective, COVID-19 has forced Gilman and the broader, formal learning community to address the holes in current pedagogy and act as a catalyst and perhaps equalizer across different learners. The online — or better yet — hybrid medium is being tested and improved at Gilman in real-time and is a critical factor in the School’s success midpandemic and well beyond.

PETER KWITEROVICH: The pandemic has been an accelerant with teaching and learning paradigm shifts. The instructional

Karlo Young ‘97

Frank Bonsal ‘82

techniques and mindsets that teachers now have towards education would have taken three to five years to accomplish. Technology use has increased and is now more consistently used by all teachers, but the more important ideas pertaining to skills development (such as the Gilman Skills), authentic assessments, and differentiated instruction, will have a lasting effect on how we teach and how students learn for decades from now.

Are there ways the School will benefit in the long term from the outside-the-box thinking we have done in 2020 with regard to how we teach and learn?

TYE CAMPBELL: If and when we do go back to normal and everyone is back in the building, I can’t imagine we go back to the way we had always done things before, and that we abandon all the teaching and training we did on virtual teaching, hybrid learning, and equity and inclusion. What I’m interested in is how we leverage that post-COVID...how do we make it so that we can take advantage of those things? Let’s not return to “normal” — instead, let’s take all we’ve learned and experienced and make Gilman even better. Does that mean our enrollment structure is different? Are there ways in which we may draw in kids outside the Baltimore or Maryland area who may want a virtual experience at Gilman? What are the opportunities that we might be able to take advantage of considering all the work we’ve done to get to this point? I’m really looking forward to how we approach these questions not only in the next several years but even in the next several months if we can strike while the iron is hot.

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STRENGTHENING MEANINGFUL LIFELONG RELATIONSHIPS

By Co-Director of the Finney-Greene Program Beth Knapp

What inspires you to do the work that you do?

I recently learned the term “steward of belonging” from Mike Molina (previous Finney-Greene Co-Director). He had learned it from Gilman alum Rodney Glasgow ’97. When I heard that, I thought, yes! Yes, that’s what I want to be! I want to be a “steward of belonging” in service of a more beloved community at Gilman.

And, of course, the students inspire me. They are brilliant and funny and curious. They are always teaching me new ways to look at stories and the world.

What changes have you had to make to your teaching style since spring of 2020?

As school began in the fall of 2019, I made relationships in the room my priority. I began the practice of greeting and intentionally checking in with each student at the beginning of each class. I also included the students in the co-creation of our classroom norms. When we moved into ConnectED Learning in March of 2020, I was delighted that relationshipbuilding had been a priority in my classes throughout the I WANT TO BE A “STEWARD OF What positive changes do year. We were able to continue you hope to see in your life/ to work collaboratively and BELONGING” IN SERVICE OF productively, and we had practice at Gilman/in the world as an A MORE BELOVED COMMUNITY in being vulnerable with one outcome from what we have AT GILMAN. Beth Knapp another. While I have always experienced, both personally been a teacher who values the and professionally, in 2020? interpersonal connections forged I hope to see Gilman live into the aspirational statement to “become in the classroom, those relationships have come even more to the a school in which the success of any boy is determined by promise forefront over the past eight months. Being in separate spaces and engagement and not by any cultural or social identifier.” (Gilman from my students has underscored the need to connect and to Strategic Plan) learn together.

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Strengthening Meaningful Lifelong Relationships

Beth Knapp, Co-Director of the Finney-Greene Program

What are you looking forward to in the year to come?

And what are you concerned about?

I have the same answer to both parts of this question. I am most looking forward to forging new and strong connections with and among students. My biggest concern is about how to most effectively do that in a virtual or hybrid Gilman.

In your role as Finney-Greene Co-Director, how do you anticipate the boys in that program being inspired to learn and reach their individual potential?

The students in the Finney-Greene program (31 in total this year!) are incredible young people, who are also musicians and athletes and students. Before school started, some of the Finney-Greene

seniors were able to spend time via Zoom with the incoming freshmen; those seniors gave fantastic and caring advice to their younger peers. The seniors shared how important organization and time management are, and they also emphasized how crucial it is that students lean on the adults in the community who are here to help them. My point is that Finney-Greene scholars are working daily to reach their individual potential, and they are figuring out concrete tools to bring their potential further into focus.

They are supported in their quest by dedicated teachers and coaches. It is my hope that all 31 Finney-Greene scholars feel supported unequivocally by Gilman, and that they seek out assistance when they need it.

To learn more about the Finney Greene program, visit gilman.edu/finneygreene.

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20/20 VISION: A YEAR OF REFLECTION

ALUMNI ON THE FRONT LINES The current pandemic has produced loss and generated fear, but it has also provided a wonderful opportunity for willing and able individuals to rise to the occasion and help their communities. We are proud to recognize some of the alumni who have answered the call, in ways both large and small, to help ensure that we all get through this together.

Dr. Ethan Weiss ’87, a San Francisco-based cardiologist, “heeded the dog whistle” and boarded a plane bound for COVID19-stricken New York on April 25. He and other Bay Area medical professionals served on the ground as attending physicians in a COVID ICU. Read his first-person account of this remarkable story at gilman.edu/weiss, and then an update about his experience at gilman.edu/weiss2.

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Former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland and Founder of the Whistleblower Law Collaborative Bob Thomas ’76 spoke with Boston’s WGBH about the rise of scams related to the pandemic’s stimulus payments and unemployment claims. Listen to the full interview at gilman.edu/thomas and learn more at whistleblowerllc.com.

ALUMNI ON THE FRONT LINES

Singleton Mathews ’02 is a Battle Captain for the National Guard, which is delivering food to civilians at local soup kitchens and schools and establishing medical testing sites for COVID-19 in Maryland. As of the Guard’s activation on March 12, Capt.

Matthews receives requests for military assistance and is in charge of coordinating with units to determine which soldiers are best-equipped to help and subsequently plans missions.

Parker Knott ’16 organized a community drive-by parade to show our collective gratitude for the brave and tireless health care workers at Johns Hopkins Hospital on Thursday, May 7. Participants were “loud and visible,” beeped horns, held posters, waved, applauded, and played music! See photos from the event on Instagram @HospitalHeroes410.

Classmates R Adams Cowley ’10 and Jay Brooks ’10, launched Feed the Fight MD, which is collecting donations to purchase meals from local restaurants and provide them free-of-charge to health care heroes on the front lines. Learn more and support their effort by visiting their Facebook page (facebook.com/feedthefightmd).

They also partnered with Brandon Copeland ’09, whose Beyond the Basics Foundation is assisting with food deliveries.

Andrew Todd ’02 lives in Tokyo and volunteers as a software engineer with Safecast, a nonprofit founded after the 2011 Fukushima earthquake and nuclear disaster to help collect and share radiation and environmental data. The group has turned its attention to COVID-19 and created a tool to help people report their experiences with testing.

Learn more at safecast.org/covid19.

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20/20 VISION: A YEAR OF REFLECTION

Colt Miller ’10 and his colleagues at connectRN created a software platform that deploys nurses to care facilities.

They’ve partnered with more than 100 health care facilities supporting thousands of patient beds. The platform now has more than 1,000 RNs, LPNs, and GNAs licensed and credentialed in Maryland who are ready and willing to care for those in need.

The tool also provides daily COVID-19 screening, tracking, and education information.

Visit connectRN.com to learn more.

Hoby Buppert ’91 at Preppy Pimp is producing a line of stylish face masks featuring their customary bold prints made from a hypoallergenic moisture-wicking finish that keeps the face dry, cool, and comfortable. For every mask purchased, a second mask is sent at no charge with the intention that it be donated to someone in the community in need of face protection. Learn more at preppypimp.com.

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In response to the current pandemic, Charlie Moore ’76 and his team at DinnerTime — an app that helps members plan, shop, and prepare delicious, healthy meals using ingredients that are on sale at grocery stores nationwide — are giving away their services. Visit gilman.edu/moore to read more about how you can redeem a free six-month subscription and, in doing so, help them help others.

ALUMNI ON THE FRONT LINES

Dr. Jeremy Pollock ’03 gave the thumbs up as he prepares for the challenges ahead on the front lines combating the coronavirus.

“Doing our best in unprecedented/uncharted territories!

Gilman training and ethos are with me every step of the way!”

- Dr. Jeremy Pollock, University of Maryland Medical System Read more about how Dr. Pollock and other cardiologists are being impacted at gilman.edu/pollock.

After 16 years of running a transportation company, Michael Saunders ’93 was ready for a change that would allow for greater community engagement and was eager to put to use the many lessons he had learned in the service industry. So, he decided to launch a coffee company. Then, a global pandemic hit. And so, he pivoted again, putting the needs of the community first, and partnered with Gilman to do a canned food drive and raise funds for meals for front-line workers and those experiencing food insecurity. Learn more on the Spinning Cups Coffee Facebook page (facebook.com/spinningcups).

Dr. Andy Sabatier, PT DPT CSCS ’01 is the lead physical therapist in a mixed ICU in Central Oregon. While most people think only of doctors and nurses in an ICU, the work of critical care physical therapy can mean the difference between life and death, or survival and returning to a full life. He is pictured wearing a CAPR system that allows patients to see the faces of their clinicians, which fosters more effective communication and has been “truly a difference-maker.”

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20/20 VISION: A YEAR OF REFLECTION

ALUMNI AUTHORS Fighting Pollution and Climate Change

by Richard Emory ’59

Debt Bomb

by Michael Ginsberg ’93

The North Atlantic Cities

by Charles Duff ’71

Racing Time: a Memoir of Love, Loss and Liberation

by Patrick Smithwick ’69

The Bottom: A Theopoetic of the Streets

Space Skunks: A Children’s Book About Saving Earth

by Josh Potler ’03

by Rev. Chaz Howard ’96 Learn more about these and other Gilman alumni authors at gilman.edu/alumniauthors.

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Alumni Events

Alumni Events

Gilman Alumni Gather in Manhattan for the NYC Regional Event

Gilman Alumni Gather at Everfi’s D.C. Headquarters

A chilly Manhattan evening could not dampen the enthusiasm on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, when more than 60 Gilman alumni from the surrounding area gathered at Sardi’s restaurant, a staple of the New York theater scene. Alumni Association President Khalil Uqdah ‘06 welcomed the group and spoke of the importance of staying engaged even when you don’t live in Baltimore. Faculty members Robby Ford and John Rowell shared exciting news about the music and performing arts programs, respectively. And, Headmaster Henry P. A. Smyth concluded the program with an update on the school year and details of the newly unveiled Strategic Plan.

More than 40 Gilman alumni from the 1960s through the 2010s gathered at Everfi’s office in northwestern D.C. to reconnect and reminisce, as well as to hear about current happenings at the School on Wednesday, October 23, 2019. Alumni Association Vice President Malcolm Ruff ‘02 welcomed the group and spoke about the importance of being engaged as an alum, even when you don’t live in the Baltimore area. Everfi Chief Revenue Officer Bobby Moran ‘97, the event’s host, talked about how grateful he was that Gilman had instilled in him a foundation of character and competence that has helped guide his decision-making throughout his career. And, Headmaster Henry P. A. Smyth concluded the evening, laying out key components of the newly unveiled Strategic Plan and taking questions from the crowd.

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Alumni News

Lacrosse Alumni Take on Current Greyhounds On Saturday, November 30, 2019, while most of us were out shopping or hanging holiday decorations, more than 40 past and present Gilman lacrosse players gathered on the Oval field to shake off the turkey-infused rust and test their mettle against one another. About 15 to 20 alumni from 2015-2019, many currently playing at DI and DIII programs, suited up against some of this year’s Greyhounds. Says Piper Bond ‘18, “The game was a lot of fun and went very well. The first half was the alumni vs. the current team, and the alumni prevailed 5-3. During the second half, we split into teams that were a mix of alumni and current players, and it was a close game.

Overall it was a very fun day!” The game, organized primarily

by Xander Martin ‘19, featured several brother-on-brother match-ups, including the DeMuths, Carneals, Halperts, Heberts, and Godines. And, a supportive crew of parents, teachers, and coaches — including Messers Daly, Heubeck, Hoffman, Hudson, and Matthews — came out to watch, and Dan Muhly, PP generously officiated the game. Says Piper, “We hope to make this an annual tradition going forward!

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Reunion Zero Typically, Gilman alumni have to wait five years to come back to campus for their first official reunion. But we think that is just too long! So, on Saturday, December 21, 2019, when most of them were back in town for their holiday break, we invited members of the Class of 2019 back to campus to reconnect and reminisce at the first-ever Reunion Zero. More than 45 of the School’s most recent graduates returned for the event, which included a video game truck and ping pong match-ups before a pancake breakfast. Messers Ford, Gouline, Matthews, Molina, and Schmick, as well as Mrs. Ross, greeted the crowd and caught up on the latest news.

Alumni Events

Former Gilman Footballers Huddle Up with This Year’s Team

Alumni Weekend

On Friday, September 20, 2019, former Gilman football players from the 1960s through the 2010s returned to campus to take in a pre-game practice, share a barbecue dinner with the team, and speak with Head Coach Nick Bach. As the team practiced on Brown Field, the alumni watched from Sotir Stadium and reconnected with one another. After practice, the boys joined the alums on Harris Terrace. Once everyone had piled their plates high with food, Malcolm Ruff ‘02, who played collegiately at Duke University, talked to the team about the proud tradition of Gilman football, the deep bonds forged on the gridiron, and the incredible support the team has within the alumni base and beyond. When he wrapped up, Coach Bach sent the boys home and stayed to speak with the alumni about the state of the program.

On April 2, we made the very difficult decision to postpone Alumni Weekend 2020. The coronavirus pandemic had just begun to sweep the nation in earnest, and we did not feel like we could bring alumni back to campus in a safe and comfortable manner. But, we also did not want to let the weekend pass without doing something to celebrate the milestone reunions of classes ending in 0s and 5s. So, we dug deep into our archives and unearthed all sorts of great treasures, which we copied, scanned, and cropped so that we could distribute them electronically. The result — a Virtual AW2020 — included video messages, photos, Cynosures, Bulletins, Gilman News articles, and more that brought these classes back to their time on Roland Avenue. Some classes even took the additional step of organizing a Zoom call (then a novelty, as opposed to being the necessity it is today) to reconnect and reminisce.

We knew these efforts couldn’t replace the fun of walking around campus chatting with lifelong friends, but we hope it brought some joy to and rekindled some fond memories for folks at a time of great uncertainty.

Right now, we are planning to have a dual reunion in spring 2021, welcoming back the classes ending in 0s and 5s and 1s and 6s. However, if the last several months have taught us anything, it’s that things can change at a moment’s notice. So, please stay tuned! We are continuing to monitor the coronavirus situation closely, and will make a more informed decision about the viability of this plan early in 2021.

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Alumni News

Gilman Goes to California

Burgers With Boh

Gilman Alumni Gather in Atlanta

Over three days in January 2020, Gilman alumni gathered in four different California cities to reconnect and reminisce. Starting in Los Angeles, Van Durrer ‘87 hosted fellow Greyhounds for an evening reception at Fia, a hip Santa Monica restaurant.

The next day, Blake McCallister ‘92 welcomed alumni for lunch at Cafe Pro Bono in Palo Alto. That evening, another crew gathered at the Radiant Gallery in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood.

And, the next day, a smaller but no less enthusiastic group joined J. D. Kameen ‘10 at the True Food Kitchen in San Diego’s Fashion Valley. Each stop provided a chance for local alumni to catch up with one another and to hear from School representatives on all of the latest news from Roland Avenue.

More than 60 Gilman alumni climbed onto the roof deck of the iconic Natty Boh Tower on Tuesday, October 1, 2019, in Brewers Hill for a Baltimore-area happy hour hosted by Rick Diehl ‘81, David Knipp ‘82, Wells Obrecht ‘82, and Dustin Rogers-Little ‘06. The crowd, boasting alums as far back as 1952 and as recent as 2014, reconnected with one another and favorite teachers, munched on burgers and sausages masterfully grilled by Dustin, and soaked in the incredible views. Wells capped off the evening by quizzing the group with Gilman-related trivia, earning excited winners some cool Brewers Hill swag.

A lively and diverse group of Gilman alumni met at 5Church Atlanta on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, for a delightful evening of food, drink, and camaraderie.

Hosted by Marcus Simms ‘95, the event offered Atlanta-area alumni ranging from 1972-2014 the opportunity to meet one another and to share their experiences at Gilman.

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Alumni Events

Alumni Gather for Holiday Hoops

#TogetherGilman: Navigating Uncertainty

Proving that age is just a number, alumni from the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s laced up their high-tops for the 19th Annual Alumni Basketball Game on Saturday, December 21, 2019. Gilman’s all-time leading scorer, Jalen Rucker ‘19 showed off his remarkable playmaking ability; Jibri McLean ‘13 showed he can still fly up and down the court; Thomas Booker ‘18, a defensive end on the Stanford football team, showed off the rewards from two years of hard work in the weight room; and Mark Abrams ‘95 edged out Russell Wrenn ‘96 for the oldest participant award. However, according to the game’s official statistician, Russell did sink a few more shots. Good fun was had by all, and the group enjoyed a nutritious post-game meal of pizza and buffalo wings before heading out.

More than 350 alumni, parents, faculty, and staff tuned in for the online speaker series, #TogetherGilman: Navigating Uncertainty. The series featured 15 alumni experts in just its first six episodes on health, finance, athletics, education, tech, and international relations, talking about the pandemic’s impact on their industry, how they and firms in their field are adapting, and what conclusions we might be able to draw for the future.

Ted McKeldin ’55, an enthusiastic webinar participant, shared the following feedback: “[It was] a pleasure to hear and see such bright young men. They give me hope for the future of our country, and to think that they are Gilman graduates.”

The first episode focuses on health care, the move from in-person doctor visits to virtual video calls, and how this shift may carry over in a post-pandemic world.

One noteworthy episode breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of various online educational formats, a subject matter that is quite apropos for students and families at Gilman and across the country right now.

A particularly relevant episode came mid-June, when Gilman senior Nigel Parker (profiled on page 6) moderated a conversation about social justice. Topics such as the efficacy of public protests, what true police reform could look like, and how to address the mass incarceration plaguing our society were discussed.

Visit gilman.edu/navigatinguncertainty to learn more about the speakers and to watch recordings of previous episodes.

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Alumni News

39th Bull & Oyster Roast: The Reboot On Friday, November 1, 2019, more than 600 Gilman alumni, parents, faculty, and staff members filled the Finney Arena for the 39th Bull & Oyster Roast: The Reboot. The western-themed community celebration featured a delicious buffet dinner provided by The Classic Catering People and fresh oysters shucked by The Local Oyster. When attendees weren’t enjoying DJ Jolly on the wheels-ofsteel, they danced the night away with live performances from Eric Marner and The Brave New World — featuring Tammy Testerman. For those who wanted to test their luck, the Money Wheel and mechanical bull were fan favorites. Special thanks to Parent Association Chairs Tracy Bradlee and Stefanie Paterakis as well as Alumni Association Chairs Rich Evans ’60 and Del Schmidt ’99, for their extraordinary efforts to bring this event to life.

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Alumni Mentoring

Gilman Students Descend on Wall Street An early wake-up call and a chilly day could not dampen the enthusiasm when 18 Gilman students boarded a train bound for New York City on Wednesday, November 13, 2019. As part of the Wall Street 101 program, these students would visit with three different financial firms, meet more than a dozen alumni working in various roles in the financial sector, and learn about career paths, courses of study, and much more. Previous to the trip, Chad Burdette ’02 had traveled down to Baltimore to prepare the students with an overview of the basics of the financial industry.

The day started with a visit to Morgan Stanley, where Michael Schaftel ’84 and Michael Faridi ’02 gave the boys a tour and explained how a large investment bank works.

From there, it was off to Lazard Asset Management — located at 30 Rockefeller Center, no less — where Arif Joshi ’94 quizzed the group on potential investment opportunities in emerging markets. The day concluded at Berkshire Capital, where Bruce Cameron ’74 moderated a panel discussion with Mark Bower ’99, Corey Popham ’95, and Greg Stamas ’06, which covered a broad range of topics from investment strategy to career options and networking opportunities. The group raced back to Penn Station to board the train home… but not before stopping for pizza!

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Alumni News

Alumni On Campus Starting Up What do you get when you take 20 students, 10 parent and alumni mentors, and one Danish-born entrepreneur/ facilitator, and sequester them in Centennial Hall for two days in early December? Six brand-new businesses designed to solve real-world problems, of course! During the Startup Experience, a two-day crash course in entrepreneurship, student teams are led through the process of problem identification, solution determination, customer definition, and ultimately market-product fit. The event concludes with a Shark Tank-style pitch session to alumni and parent judges.

This year’s business, many of which carried a social impact, included: • Next Step – a digital consulting service designed to empower youth by helping them determine if it makes more sense to matriculate to college or join the workforce • Package Guard – a device and service designed to secure packages at residences, thereby reducing package theft and saving recipients and retailers thousands of dollars • GroceryMadeEasy – an app that provides real-time health and price information designed to help consumers make smarter decisions while grocery shopping to meet their diet and budget goals • Spark Block – a smart home device linked to an app that uses artificial intelligence to help consumers reduce energy usage, saving them money and reducing their environmental impact

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• UniForum – a digital marketplace designed to facilitate the buying and selling of gently used clothing by parents within specific school communities • Smokeless – a medical testing and monitoring service that, in conjunction with insurance carriers, is aimed at reducing marijuana usage by teenagers According to the judges, Package Guard had the best combination of business plan and product pitch. But, the audience vote went instead to Spark Block.

Many of the teams carried these ideas forward to revamp and refine them during the spring entrepreneurship class.

Alumni on Campus

Combating Fear

The Importance of Bipartisanship

Reverend Dr. Chaz Howard ’96, Chaplain for the University of Pennsylvania, returned to Gilman on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 to speak with Upper School students in conjunction with Black History Month. In a voice that is part pastor, part older brother, Chaz challenged students to combat fears — their own and those of others — in order to foster a more inclusive and cohesive society. He spoke of the Penn basketball coach who challenged his players to play without fear in order to find greater success on the court. He talked about overcoming his own fears and anxieties at an all-white, all-Jewish summer camp — an experience that ultimately brought him greater understanding. “Our generation,” Chaz warned, “has become somewhat apathetic.”

Bruce Mehlman ’87 — the Mehlman in the D.C.-based fullservice, bipartisan government relations firm Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas — returned to campus to speak with Upper School students on Friday, March 6, 2020. Mehlman, who was drawn to the field because the role encompasses so many of his interests including public policy, politics, marketing, and sociology, cut through the misconceptions and misinformation about lobbyists. He spoke of the importance of bipartisanship and the cyclical nature of politics over time. He encouraged students to be informed — on both sides of an issue (if for no other reason than to counter someone’s argument more astutely) — and to vote, no matter whom you vote for. He answered questions about geopolitical trends with China and the role of companies like TikTok.

He continued, “But, your generation can bring about fundamental societal change! By combating fear, we break down barriers, bring people together, and offset the troubling polarization that is challenging our world.”

Vaccine Expert Informs and Entertains Dr. Paul Offit ’69 returned to campus on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, for just the second time since his graduation. The award-winning pediatrician, researcher, inventor, author, and speaker opened his assembly, naturally, by talking about the Salem witch trials. To be fair, the trials were the topic of Offit’s senior speech, which was the last time he had taken the lectern in the Alumni Auditorium. Offit, who is an internationally acclaimed expert on vaccines, immunology, and virology, informed and entertained the crowd with stories about measles outbreaks, the anti-vaccination movement, peanut allergies, his experiences on “The Colbert Report,” and more. After his talk, about 35 students and

faculty members joined him for cookies and conversation in the Gilman Room. To learn more about Paul and his work, visit paul-offit.com.

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Alumni News

recognized repeatedly for his efforts earning three Army Commendation medals for meritorious service, as well as the Bronze Star Medal and Meritorious Service Medal for exceptional service.

Lou returned to Gilman on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, to present the annual Veterans Day assembly and to share some of his experiences with current students. In his inspirational talk, Lou challenged students to: • Think about service as putting others ahead of yourself (even though you often get more out of it than you put into it!); • Be willing to fail — and fail big! — and to understand that it is okay to be scared;

Kousouris Shares Important Veterans Day Message Lou Koursouris ’93 has enjoyed a long and successful career in commercial real estate. Before joining Corporate America, however, Lou found great success in an entirely other arena. He served as a Field Artillery Officer for the United States Army from May 1998 through November 2003 when he was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain. In his five-plus years of active duty service, Lou served as a Platoon Leader, a Battery Executive Officer, and a Battalion Intelligence Officer. In this last role, he was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in February 2003. Over the years, Lou was

• Redefine toughness as a willingness to help lift others, to be inclusive, and to be humble; • Practice gratitude, which can give you the perspective needed to fight through tough times; • Go beyond thanking veterans for their service by demonstrating your support for a cause that they — or you ­— hold dear; • And to honor veterans not just on Veterans Day but throughout the year.

Afterward, Lou joined students and faculty members in the Gilman Room for a more intimate conversation about military history, service, leadership, and college selection.

Zoom Assemblies In the spring of 2020, the Upper School — all 480+ students and faculty — crammed into a Zoom room to hear from Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Darius Jennings ’11, who talked about the foundation his Gilman education has provided to him, the reasons he chose to attend the University of Virginia, and what it is like to play in the business-first NFL. Jack Tortolani ’20 and Jack Stuzin ’20 interviewed Jennings about what a Gilman education has brought to

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Alumni on Campus

Alumni Share Dinner and Career Advice with Current Seniors Two dozen Gilman alumni returned to campus on January 22 for the second annual Senior Class Dinner & Networking Night. The alumni represented eight different broad industry groups, and each individual brought with him a different story to tell about what he does for work now and how he got to where he is today. After a quick dinner and some opening remarks from Kevin Haus ’10, chair of the Alumni Association Board of Governors

Young & Future Alumni subcommittee, the group spread out around the first floor of Carey Hall for more targeted discussions. Each senior visited with two different industries where he learned about different potential career paths. And, afterward, there was time for less formal networking wherein the seniors could follow up with specific alumni to discuss courses of study, internship and job decisions, and Senior Encounter opportunities.

his life, with participation by Head of Upper School Rob Heubeck and Dean of Student Life John Schmick ’97.

Scott Bartlett ’96 spent some time with Upper School boys during assembly on Thursday, May 14. As a 12-year man at Gilman, Scott played football and was involved with the Traveling Men and the musical. Scott is a singer, songwriter, artist, teacher, entrepreneur, and guitarist for the band Saving Abel. He spoke about how he got his musical start in Gilman’s Guitar Club, his love for classic rock, the challenges of being in a rock band in the digital era, and many other topics related to his career. Regarding his time at Gilman, Scott said, “…I really can’t say enough good about it.”

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School News

Armond T. Lawson is the Next Head of Middle School On February 28, 2020, Armond T. Lawson was named the next Head of Middle School. After an extensive search that produced a very strong pool of candidates, Armond emerged as the one to lead the Middle School into the future.

Armond was slated to begin his new role starting July 1, 2020.

Because of the departure of Lower School Head Armistead Webster at the end of the 2019-2020 school year, and hiring obstacles related to the pandemic, Armond graciously agreed to remain in the Lower School and serve as Interim Head for the 2020-2021 school year. He will begin his role as Head of Middle School starting July 1, 2021.

AROUND CAMPUS (AND THE GLOBE): THE PORTAL

It appeared sometime in the summer of 2019.

Students were whispering about it among each other: “Have you seen it? There’s a weird shipping container in the back of the Middle School.”

Well actually, that golden shipping container is a portal, connecting the Gilman community to countries all over the globe. Shared Studios created these portals to create interconnected, immersive spaces that host dialogues, performances, classes, collaborations, and more for 32

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Armond is well known here at Gilman and in the Middle School, having joined the faculty in 2006. Before assuming his current role as Assistant Head of Lower School in 2018, he served as the Middle School counselor for 12 years.

During this time at Gilman, he has earned the respect and admiration of colleagues, students, and parents. Known for his authenticity, insightfulness, and genuine care for students and faculty alike, Armond embodies the right mix of joy and seriousness of purpose that have made our Middle School such a special place. Over the last few years, Armond has chaired two important schoolwide task forces: one on gender identity and equity and another on student emotional health. He is also a member of Gilman’s Academic Council. Prior to Gilman, Armond worked as a counselor at Landon School in Bethesda and The Blake School in Minneapolis. Armond began his independent school career at Crossroads School in St. Louis, where he worked in admissions and was the Middle School Director. His personal traits, breadth of experience, and understanding of Middle School life position him well to lead with success.

Please join in congratulating Armond on his appointment.

those who enter. Simply put, these portals were designed to use faceto-face communication to break down distance and differences.

Fortunately, one such experience was with alum Mike Lwin ’01.

Gilman’s Co-Director of Global Education Robby Ford called a handful of students to campus early on Tuesday, October 8, 2019.

It was just before 7:30 a.m. in Baltimore, which meant it was 6:00 p.m. in Myanmar (formerly Burma), where Lwin and a couple of local students were getting ready to climb into the gold shipping container. Separated by more than 8,000 miles, the students talked about adjusting to life in Myanmar, cultural differences, and career ambitions. “When I was a Gilman student, I honestly had no idea of the much broader world outside of Roland Park and Baltimore,” said Mike, who has lived in Yangon (formerly Rangoon) for seven years and runs a social enterprise firm called Koe Koe Tech. “Gilman students are some of the brightest people I’ve ever met, and they will be future world leaders; our future world leaders need to know how the rest of the world lives.

There’s no reason they need to wait until they’re 25 to have those experiences. Gilman students can start having those experiences now.” To date, more than 100 Gilman boys have participated in conversations with other students in more than 15 different sites, including Mexico City; Lagos, Nigeria; and Herat, Afghanistan.

School News

New School Store We can all benefit from a fresh start sometimes.

Our school store is no exception. For the last few years, the store has lived in the basement of the Lumen Center. While there was plenty of space to show off the great gear, the location wasn’t highly trafficked and didn’t receive any natural light.

One of the 2019 construction priorities was to bring the school store into a more prominent place. When students returned to school after the 2019 holiday break, they found the brand new store on the Terrace level of the Lumen Center, making it an easy stop on the way to or from the Dining Hall. A door that opens to the Becker Sculpture Garden also makes it easily accessible during sporting events. Check out their great line of hats, T-shirts, sweatshirts, and more at gilmanschoolstore.com.

Announcing Gilman’s Blue & Gray Café!

On Monday, December 2, 2020, Gilman’s Blue & Gray Café opened for service. The Café is located in the Lumen Center, adjacent to the dining hall. Menu items include breakfast sandwiches, wraps, salads, and snacks, freshly prepared in order to provide Gilman faculty, staff, and students with more options to stay nourished throughout the school day.

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School News

Walter Lord Library Renovation 34

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On Thursday, September 5, 2019, Middle School boys arrived early to school, eagerly awaiting the unveiling of the new Walter Lord Library. During the summer of 2019, the library received a complete makeover intended to modernize the space and accommodate shifts in student needs and the ever-changing dynamism of library spaces.

From new modular bookshelves to movable furniture to a brighter ambiance, the library now serves as a space for more than just researching and checking out books. It is a student-centered space that welcomes the boys to explore the collection, and to gather to learn and collaborate.

School News

Middle School librarian Faith Ward reflects on the new space: WHAT INSPIRED THE NEW DESIGN OF THE LIBRARY?

We looked at a variety of other independent school libraries as well as some of the local university library spaces.

The Brody Learning Commons at Johns Hopkins is a part of the Eisenhower Library. The commons included some spaces we had an appreciation for such as a large open hub for gathering and a quieter work space that could also function as a classroom area. We also saw the utility of acquiring furniture that was very flexible — it can be moved easily to accommodate shifting groups of boys and empowers them to create the spaces they need as opposed to fitting into an already configured set of furniture. All of the tables have a white board surface so students can draw and solve equations as often as needed!

The utility of the large open space has helped us expand programming ideas for the Middle School to include having class meetings and admissions gatherings in the Library too.

OF ALL OF THE CHANGES MADE, WHAT WERE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT?

The mobile shelving units that house the fiction collection have been a tremendous success. The boys enjoy having the fiction books out front and center and the ability to browse in a very open space since the shelves are not high.

There is also a lot of tabletop space that the mobile shelves afford. This allows us display space for books that change often. Middle School students are always on the lookout for something new, and with such a high volume of students in the Library throughout the day, we have ample opportunity to highlight and share new books with the boys.

We also added one special rolling chair that the boys love sitting in!

HOW DO YOU HOPE THE NEW SPACE CONTINUES TO INSPIRE THE BOYS’ LOVE OF LEARNING AND READING?

The boys really set forth on a process of discovery in the Middle School. They are learning about their own independence and what they are capable of achieving, and they are really honing in on the things they are passionate about. The boys also truly enjoy their time together — talking, laughing, planning, studying, and helping one another. I think that in the library they can dig deeply into a subject and they can be inspired to learn something new that excites them. The boys also acknowledge how welcoming the library space is and that keeps them coming back each day.

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School News

Student Leaders Attend Baltimore Student Diversity Leadership Conference at Gilman More than 400 student leaders from area high schools attended the Baltimore Student Diversity Leadership Conference (BSDLC) on Saturday, November 9, 2019, at Gilman. Students from Landon School, Holton-Arms School, Oldfields School, and Calvert Hall College were also in attendance.

Highlights for BSDLC 2019 included: • Keynote Speaker: Katie Sarai Arevalo, youth activist for Baltimore Algebra Project • Student-led workshops on systemic racism, gender equity, LGBT identity, mindfulness and wellness, climate justice, critical political issues, global activism, and more.

• Live Concert (surprise guest artist) and Open Mic Talent presentation • Teachers’, Advisors,’ and Diversity Practitioners’ workshop: “When Treating All of the Kids the Same is the Problem”

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The W. P. Carey College Counseling Center In June 2018, Headmaster Henry P. A. Smyth announced a $3 million investment from the W. P. Carey Foundation to endow the Gilman School college counseling program.

This leadership gift to the School’s First Things First campaign is the largest donation to support college counseling received by the School.

In recognition of the Foundation’s support, the college counseling center was named The W. P. Carey College Counseling Center. Along with the endowed fund to support the School’s college counseling program, the Foundation’s gift also established an endowed lecture series. The Francis J. Carey, Jr. Visiting Speaker Series invites deans of admissions from leading colleges and universities to speak to Gilman students and parents about admissions, leadership, and inspiring accomplishment. The series kicked off on Friday, October 23, 2020, with a virtual visit from Karen Richardson, Princeton University’s Dean of Admissions.

On November 7, 2019, the W. P. Carey College Counseling Center became the official home to Gilman’s College Counseling team. After many years of being scattered throughout Carey Hall, the team was thrilled about the new space, and, more importantly, the opportunity to be closer together. The new offices are located on the south side of Carey Hall on the terrace level. Director of College Counseling Sarah Ross reflects on the gift, the new space, and the exciting opportunities ahead: “It is the aim of the Gilman College Counseling Office to cultivate a culture of hospitality. We seek to create an

environment where students feel comfortable, welcome, and at home. The elegant layout of the W. P. Carey College Counseling Center incorporates both past and future, highlighting the historical elements of the original building, while also featuring a modern design. Light pours in through the 19th-century, ten-foot windows, and student art adorns the walls.

In a typical year, we expect to host hundreds of meetings with students and their parents. The center has four private offices for one-on-one meetings, and a comfortable waiting area where students and guests can gather. The beautifully appointed conference room is available to hold regular staff meetings, and host the more than one hundred college admissions representatives who visit Gilman each year.

The inspiring space speaks to the value placed on building relationships, and the important role college counseling plays in helping students shape their futures.

Now that the College Counseling team has settled into our new home, it is our intention to further develop the counseling program, to expand the body of counseling resources, develop a college counseling curriculum, and continue to provide state-of-the-art college counseling.

We seek to provide students with the tools, information, and support necessary to identify their purpose and pursue their aspirations with confidence. It is our goal to help each young man find his best college fit by identifying schools where he will continue to flourish and become the best version of himself.”

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Service Learning

Service Learning

Gilman’s philosophy emphasizes a commitment to the community and service to others.

Even amidst a global pandemic, our students and community members were eager to help.

Gilman Service Learning includes:

All School

3

virtual day of service

service saturdays

food collection for bea gaddy and bentley food pantries

produce harvested at first fruits farm

casseroles prepared by families for Our Daily Bread Employment Center

tri-school service mixer (on Zoom) to make masks for first responders

Lower School lunches prepared for manna house (once per month by grade level)

musical performances recorded by students for residents at pickersgill retirement community

items purchased from the franciscan center’s wish list

hundreds of notes of encouragement written by students for baltimore hunger project

Upper School

2

food drives

2 food drives for the donald bentley food pantry: we helped to fill the pantry shelves for the holidays with hundreds of non-perishable food items

at least

50 hours

annual read-a-thon: students grades pre-k - 5 kept track of their reading time and solicited donations from sponsors, raising more than $22,000 to benefit the Donald Bentley Food Pantry

student-run initiatives included dunks for diabetes, american red cross club, lunches for weinberg housing and resource center (nearly 400 lunches each week)

of service completed by each student as a requirement for graduation

nearly

400 lunches each week

annual thanksgiving and winter holiday drives

Middle School

2,000+ community service hours

more than 2,000 hours of community service completed by eighth graders

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letters of support written by students for first responders and active duty service members through operation gratitude

food insecurity issues researched by seventh grade students in preparation for a weekly lunch donation project for paul’s place, inc. (cancelled due to COVID) 6 hours of visits per sixth grade student with residents at pickersgill retirement community (only two-thirds of the class was able to participate due to COVID)

G I L MA N B U L L ET I N

nearly $2,000 raised annually from hoops for habitat for humanity

pb&j sandwiches for paul’s place, inc.

winter holiday season singing performance at a retirement community by the middle t’s and the traveling men

the middle school supports unicef, breast cancer awareness, and the spencer grace tully foundation each year

annual thanksgiving and winter holiday drives

Service Learning

Q&A with Donell Thompson ’91, Director of Service Learning

WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN GOALS FOR THE SERVICE-LEARNING PROGRAM AT GILMAN?

Briefly, to expose students to opportunities where they can make a difference and to help them learn that they have the capacity to change the world. At the Lower School level, students are introduced to the idea of “helping others” as advocates.

They learn about issues, and teachers provide models for solutions for mitigating those issues. At the Middle School level, our hope is to gradually introduce students to direct service opportunities where they can see the impact of their efforts and interact directly with the community. At the Upper School level, my hope is that students connect with organizations that search for ways to eradicate (rather than mitigate) some of these issues, and can add their effort, energy, passion, and ideas to help effect change.

AMIDST A PANDEMIC, ONE COULD ARGUE THAT SERVICE LEARNING/SERVICE TO OTHERS WAS IMPERATIVE. HOW DID GILMAN AND THE BOYS RISE TO THE CHALLENGE?

Gilman’s students and families were eager to help.

On Monday, June 1, 2020, we held our first Virtual Day of Service. More than 100 members of the community signed up in advance to participate, and even more joined in that day.

LONGER TERM, WHAT IMPACT DO YOU HOPE THAT SERVICE-LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES HAVE ON THE BOYS?

Our job as educators is to amplify the good that already resides in each one of our students by providing opportunities for growth in the classroom, on the field, or out in the community. To that end, I think I try to align the School’s program with the mission “...to produce (adults) of character and integrity who have the skills and ability to make a positive contribution to the communities in which they live and work.” My hope is that through the School’s service-learning program and opportunities, students will learn about themselves and will build confidence in their potential to make an impact on the world around them.

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Arts Recap

Creative Inclinations: Exhibiting Talent, Hard Work, and Resilience Gilman’s Upper School studio art program is modeled after a college-level sequence wherein the first two years of study is centered largely on skills development in drawing and painting and the final two years are then designed such that students are charged with finding their own aesthetic voice. In their senior year, students are provided individual studio space in the art room where they can work independently during class and at any other point during the day if they wish. On any given afternoon, this space will be humming with activity as seniors work toward their Thesis Exhibition. Here, each student is asked to create a strong body of independent work informed by their own creative inclinations and contemporary art practice. At the end of the year, we’d typically see a rotation of Thesis shows take place in the Montgomery Gallery during the month of May.

Adam Masom ‘20

Jack Tortolani ‘20

This past year saw a terrific group of students move through the senior art space. Although our on-campus time was cut short due to COVID-19, all of our senior artists were fortunate enough to exhibit their work locally at the Roland Park office of Monument Sotheby’s Realty in February and March. This was the second such Gilman exhibition at this location and was once again a terrific success. During our virtual learning experience in the spring, Gilman hosted a Thesis Exhibition on our website where our young artists could share their remarkable work with the community.

Visit the online exhibit here: gilman.edu/seniorart

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Sal Ricci ‘20

Athletics

Sports Shots The 2019-2020 athletic season started out like any other, but it ended in a way that no one could have predicted. Even circumstances of a global pandemic could not stop Gilman athletes from giving it their best, playing their hardest, and breaking records.

WATER POLO Second MIAA championship following an undefeated MIAA season Set program record for wins (18) Photo courtesy of Kimberly Raley.

SWIMMING Brody Schrepfer, Ian Raley, Eric Zhang and Bryce Lloyd broke the 200 free relay record — 1:28.82

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Athletics

INDOOR TRACK Josh Green — Triple Jump — 46’7.5 Beck Wittstadt — Mile — 4:20.36 JB Brooks — 55 Hurdles — 7.68 4 x 200 Relay — JB Brooks, Mamady Dangnokho, Peter Heubeck, Nico Gonzalez-Reed — 1:33.59 Sprint Medley Relay — Gus Gortezi, JB Brooks, Nico Gonzalez-Reed, and Beck Wittstadt — 3:33.60

Fall 2019 Records Cross Country 2019

Soccer 2019

Water Polo

Invitationals – 2 first place; 1 second place League – 5 wins; 2 losses MIAA Championship – 2nd Place

9 Wins 8 Losses 1 Tie MIAA Championship – Lost in OT in Quarterfinals

18 Wins 3 Losses MIAA Championship – MIAA Champs!

Football 2019 1 Win

Volleyball

7 Losses

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14 Wins 5 Losses MIAA Championship – Lost in Finals

G I L MA N B U L L ET I N

Athletics

WRESTLING Andy Weinstein won the MIAA championship at 126 pounds, and Mattheus Carroll earned National Prep All-American status.

Hosted the MIAA Championships for its 100th anniversary.

See page 44 for more on the 100th anniversary festivities of both the MIAA and Gilman wrestling.

Winter 2019-2020 Records Basketball

Indoor Track

Swimming

16 Wins 10 Losses MIAA Championship – Lost in Quarterfinals

4 Wins in Dual Meets MIAA Dual Meet Champs!

MIAA Championship Meet – 2nd Place

4 Wins 2 Losses MIAA Championship – 4th Place

Squash

Wrestling (dual matches)

13 Wins 0 Losses MIAA Team Champs!

11 Wins 4 Losses

Ice Hockey 10 Wins 0 Losses 1 Tie MIAA Championship – MIAA Champs!

Due to COVID-19, the spring 2020 season came to an early end.

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Athletics

100 Years

of Wrestling

On February 8, 2020, nearly 50 Gilman alumni, coaches, parents, spouses, and friends gathered in the Old Gym to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Gilman wrestling. The reception was held in conjunction with the 2020 MIAA Wrestling Championships, which was also celebrating its 100th anniversary and was also started by the patriarch of Gilman wrestling, Edward Russell.

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Included in the celebration were five past head coaches, as well as a number of the legendary names of both Gilman School and Gilman wrestling history — Finney, Tickner, Brown, Franklin, and Gamper, to name a few.

Current Head Coach Bryn Holmes treated the group to an exciting update on the state of the team, and former Head Coach Eddie Brown shared a historical perspective on the program. Alumni from as far back as 1952 to as recently as 2008 were in attendance.

Athletics

2020 Signing Day In front of faculty, staff, friends, and family, 26 of Gilman’s top athletes announced where they intend to continue their athletic and academic careers. Please see the full list below.

BASEBALL

LACROSSE (continued)

SQUASH

Michael Mallas, Lafayette College

Dutch Furlong, Bucknell University

Ned Gildea, Dartmouth College

Tripp Myers, Johns Hopkins University

Wallace Halpert, Georgetown University

Will Rice, Hamilton College

Danny Rosenfield, Davidson College

Pearson Harrington, Connecticut College

Jackson Tacka, U.S. Naval Academy

Sam King, Harvard College

SOCCER

Ryan Williamson, St. Bonaventure

Tommy Martinson, Harvard College

Mattias Hanchard, University of Pennsylvania

Matt Spencer, Colorado College FOOTBALL

Billy Spilman, Yale University

TENNIS

Stephen Gladis, Butler University

Jack Stuzin, Yale University

Dylan Walters, Brandeis University

Jack Tortolani, University of Denver LACROSSE

Nick Tussing, Washington & Lee University

TRACK

Jay Campbell, Sewanee:

The University of the South

Pierce Washburn, Marquette University

Nico Gonzalez-Reed, U.S. Naval Academy

Jack Witherspoon, Syracuse University

Max Carneal, Colorado College Tom Cottle, Vassar College

Signing Day By the Numbers:

26 Students

22 Schools from Maryland to California

7 Sports

21% of the Class of 2020 will play a sport at the college level.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

Gilman Open Air School, 1915

From the Archives: Gilman’s Response to Epidemics a Century Ago 46

G I L MA N B U L L ET I N

While the COVID-19 pandemic is unlike anything we have ever seen, this is not the first epidemic Gilman has encountered. In 1911, Gilman opened the Open Air School in part to avoid the spread of disease. The fresh air of Gilman’s Open Air School was not only supposed to help ward off the spread of contagious diseases, but was also supposed to stimulate Lower School students’ minds. During the winter, students kept warm by wrapping in blankets and keeping their feet in boxes filled with hot bricks. The Open Air School operated at Gilman from 1911 to 1922, when a new Lower School building opened.

EPIDEMICS

1916 Polio In the summer of 1916, an outbreak of polio hit New York City, extending to Baltimore in July. Known then as the infantile paralysis epidemic, it infected mostly younger children. Health officials combated the disease by enforcing quarantines and the closure of public places. May Holmes, who worked at Gilman from 1916 to 1982, documented the extent to which disease shaped Gilman’s early years in her unpublished memoirs. According to Holmes: “Parents who had been out of town all summer with their families decided to stay out of town until the epidemic subsided. The faculty returned to School at the regularly scheduled date and along with the staff, buckled down to hard, physical labor. Many families had asked to have sets of books sent to them and the packaging and mailing of books was no small job...

At the same time the School was sending individual instructions and outlines of work to each boy who

1918 Influenza Pandemic The 1918-1919 school year was a unique one for Gilman on several fronts. World War I was looming large, and many of Gilman’s alumni and teachers were fighting overseas. In September 1918, the influenza hit Baltimore. According to May Holmes, “in early September 1918, the public was warned about spreading colds and the first cases of “Spanish flu” began to appear [in Baltimore]. Few means of combating this strange infection were known except by absolute quarantine. It was so widespread and contracted so easily, it had to run its course. Toward the end of October, it began to wane but by the end of the six-week epidemic, over 50,000 in the State had contracted it.”

As part of the quarantine, Gilman was closed for three weeks, re-opening on October 31, 1918. According to an October 29, 1918 Gilman News article, “on the whole, the school has been very fortunate in its experience with influenza.

While the epidemic has affected a rather large percentage of the boys, there have been but few virulent cases and no critical ones.” That same issue of the Gilman News lamented that the flu “has very seriously hindered football practice” and “there are few on the squads who have not had the disease during the last three weeks.” The first three weeks of football were canceled, but

would or would not do the work conscientiously; return it to the master who graded it; who then returned the corrected paper to the boy.

“School opened on October 11th for boys in Forms Three through Six [9th-12th grades] in the Upper School. All boys had to be 7-day boarders, including day boys who wished to come. Sixty-one reported.

Each one was required to report to the Infirmary each morning. No one was allowed to go home, if he were a day boy, nor to go to the City nor to Roland Park. However, they could go out for rides with their parents. On Sunday church services were conducted at the School by visiting ministers.

“The Second Form was admitted on November 1st, and the day boys were allowed to return home. About two weeks later the lower forms were admitted. The total enrollment (grades Four through Twelve) for 1916-1917 was 201, of whom 37 were 5-day boarders, and 26 were 7-day.”

the season would continue and Gilman won their first game of the season against City College 35-0. That winter, Gilman held their regular exams, although a December 10 editorial in the Gilman News worried that “the prospect for the examinations are truly far from favorable.” In January, the Dramatics Association convinced the faculty that a scaled-down version of their annual play could move forward as two one-act playlets (the final result would be only one play that the students performed in the spring).

Although the School began resuming normal activities, the flu would continue to impact the students during the winter. According to Holmes, “the boarders began to come down with it in droves. As more of them developed it, the 3rd floor North Corridor was made a part of the Infirmary. When a boarder reported sick, immediately we moved his bed to the third floor.

The vacated room was thoroughly fumigated, and the boy whose room was commandeered, was moved to the sick boy’s room, bag, and baggage.”

During the winter, both Headmaster Frank W. Pine and Business Manager Peter Blanchard were diagnosed with the influenza and Mr. E. Boyd Morrow had to cut his honeymoon short to take over for Mr. Pine. Although both men recovered from the flu, the virus left Headmaster

Pine in a weak condition. Pine developed a severe streptococcus infection, and after five weeks of illness, died on February 3, 1919. Mr. Morrow would continue acting as Headmaster for the remainder of the year until the Board of Trustees voted Captain L. Wardlaw Miles to be Gilman’s sixth Headmaster in 1919.

To end the tumultuous year, on Sunday, June 8, 1919, Gilman held a special memorial service for Mr. Pine, at which Dr. John M. T. Finney presided, followed by the Baccalaureate Sermon. The Commencement address the next day was delivered by Franklin D. Roosevelt, then Assistant Secretary of the Navy.

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FOND FAREWELL

Amy Huntoon Upper School Teacher 22 years at Gilman

By Karl Connolly, Upper School Art Teacher It’s hard for me to imagine returning to Gilman this fall without Amy being there with me. I came to Gilman in the fall of 2000. At that point, Amy had been teaching Photojournalism on a part-time basis since 1998. She was ideally suited to this position having spent 12 years as a photographer with the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Gilman’s art department is set such that all studio courses share the same space. I can’t remember a single day where Amy and I didn’t discuss art, teaching, politics, or family. She’s been an invaluable colleague and friend, and I wish her all the very best in her well-earned retirement.

After shepherding her three sons, Matthew (’00), Stephen (’02), and Daniel (’06), through Gilman, Amy finally elected to join us full time. In her newly expanded role she’d teach Photography, Photojournalism, AP Art History, and 10th grade Art History.

She was also drawn in to guide Cynosure, which, in her capable hands, won multiple national awards from Jostens in design and photography.

Deeply committed to notions of community, equity, and our environment, Amy could weave the biggest ideas into the simplest of projects. For years, she did the Face of Baltimore project, where our students would explore the city and its constituents, gathering portraits and stories along the way. Dovetailing with her love of Thoreau, her Stoney Run project introduced students to the rich wonders of our natural environment. Among patience and kindness, one of Amy’s gifts was her ability to work with each student individually, understanding their ideas, aspirations, and needs, and then helping them move forward in a circumspect and mindful manner.

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As an advisor, Amy was equally gifted. Whatever the topic of the day happened to be, she’d provide space for open, honest, and constructive discussion. Indeed, this was equally true as a colleague. During her time at Gilman, Amy always spoke her mind; she was a force for good and for progress at Gilman, and we are a better place for her having been here with us. She helped us see ourselves a little more clearly. By way of sharing a simple recent example, I’ll note that in recognition of the history of our school, Amy lobbied for a portrait of our founder, Anne Galbraith Carey, to be moved to a place of much greater prominence. By her advocacy, this fine painting now hangs above Gilman Room in Carey Hall. For me, this will serve as a fine, daily reminder of Amy’s time with us and her 22 years of service to our School.

FOND FAREWELL

Jennie Iglehart Lower School Teacher 34 years at Gilman

By Adam Herb, former Lower School and current Middle School Math Teacher Boys will miss the Friday Jolly Rancher, the creative holiday decorations, and the vast and varied movie selections for long bus rides to St. Mary’s City… Teachers will miss the fun, inviting faculty parties at Jennie’s house and her stylish and impeccable wardrobe… But what we all will miss together about Mrs. Iglehart — adults and boys alike ­— are the things that matter most: her warmth, sincerity, and an unwavering willingness to help and listen to anyone. No matter what is happening in Mrs. Iglehart’s life, she has always made time for someone else. On any given day, you could find Jennie comforting, welcoming, or supporting someone in whatever way was needed.

After working as a nurse for several years at Hopkins, two of which she spent in pediatric intensive care, Jennie turned to teaching. Her impressive career spanned from science to language arts to fourth grade homeroom teacher. From day one, she has balanced high expectations with a gentle and sympathetic approach to getting the most from students. Gilman Lower School boys and Mrs. I. were equally engrossed in each other’s personal interests, and the students received respectful, constructive feedback along the way. Mrs. I.’s read-alouds were always a hit. The boys grew from her wisdom and humor, and they benefited from her willingness to try new things, whether it was in her first year, her 34th year, or anywhere in between.

Professionally, Jennie was described by former Head of Lower School Leith Herrmann ’64 as “the consummate team player.”

She offered excellent ideas but also genuinely sought out and considered the perspectives of others.

Over our 11 years together, Jennie encouraged me to do goofy cheers with our boys for Spirit Day and go the extra mile for a fun holiday party. She showed me how to dive deeper into social studies and how to craft meaningful poetry projects. She put up with my loud music, listened with intention and a smile to my mid-life ruminations, and when Jennie could no longer stand the constant beleaguering, she even let me teach her how to play (or at least tolerate?) fantasy football with her boys in math class.

To my great friend, Jennie Iglehart, I wish a joyous and fulfilling life-after-teaching. The Hounds will miss you, but your family and grandchildren are waiting. Best of luck, and ‘May you never have “Breakfast for Lunch” again!’

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FOND FAREWELL

Linda Trapp

Upper School Teacher 29 years at Gilman

By Jerry Thornbery, retired Upper School Teacher It is hard to believe that 29 years ago this spring, Tom Carr and Joe Duncan informed Linda Trapp about a job opening at Gilman School. Although happy with her job at Roland Park Country where she had taught for more than a decade, Linda thought that it would be an exciting challenge to journey across Roland Avenue to teach French and Spanish at her eldest son’s new school. Quickly she became a valued member of the Foreign Language Department.

Little did she imagine in 1991 that she would stay for nearly three decades, and leave as that department’s chair.

During the summers, Ms. Trapp took students abroad to France or Spain, studied in Europe and in Central America, and in so many ways, brought her experiences and love of languages into the classroom when school resumed. One of the highlights of a summer abroad occurred in July 1997 when she and her Gilman colleague Christine Sarbanes watched the Bastille Day fireworks in Paris from the American embassy. As the wife of a U.S. Senator, Christine had no problem getting into the American embassy, but she was able to bring Linda along only by passing her off as her aide.

What is not well known, however, is that Ms. Trapp also became an equally valued member of the Athletic Department, coaching all three seasons for many years. In the fall of 1991, she met Jerry Thornbery, the junior varsity cross country coach and worked with him until he stepped down from the program. Then she aided Joe Duncan for a number of years in his capacity as varsity and junior varsity cross country coach. For several decades, Linda also served as one of Coach Johnnie Foreman’s track assistants.

It was in the winter, however, that Linda Trapp rose to the forefront.

Although nominally headed by Coach Thornbery, the IM Winter Jogging’s real superstar was Linda. In fact, Jerry grew so dependent

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G I L MA N B U L L ET I N

on her enthusiasm and athletic prowess that she became Head Coach Trapp while he stepped down to become her humble assistant, and later, her team manager. Eventually he discovered that the only way he could keep her in sight as she tore along the sidewalks of Roland Park was to use binoculars. Under Head Coach Trapp’s remarkable tenure, the IM Winter Jogging Team remained undefeated. In the last years of her Gilman athletic career, she became the head coach of the IM Bowling Program. There she enjoyed equal success and demonstrated her bowling skills.

Linda Trapp’s ultimate legacy to Gilman School is her dedication to her students and their endeavors. She worked long hours to prepare for her classes and graded the student assignments with extensive comments. She always was available for extra help. Sometimes these help sessions ran over and she breathlessly appeared at cross country or winter jogging practice a few minutes late. To Linda, her students always came first. And she supported them in other endeavors as well, never missing a Gilman play or musical concert, and attending more Gilman dances than she would like to remember.

So for those of us who have admired Ms. Trapp over the years as a Gilman teacher and colleague, we salute her for a job well done.

Enjoy your time in Maine, Linda...don’t shovel too much snow, and once in a while, head south to Baltimore and say hello.

FOND FAREWELL

John Xanders Lower School Teacher 40 years at Gilman

By Nick Schloeder ’85 , Lower School Teacher

The Lower School lost a true legend with the retiring of John Xanders. His booming voice and thunderous laugh will be sorely missed, and the halls of Gilman will never quite be the same. For almost 40 years, John was a staple in 5B and as a baseball and wrestling coach. Hundreds of young men sat and absorbed John’s wisdom and love of learning as he casually leaned over his famous podium or leaned back in his chair with his feet up on the desk.

John simply had that special gift of connecting with his students and getting them to see their potential and the importance of working hard to achieve it. He was acutely aware that he was one of many, and would continue the work of previous teachers and pass the students along to others to build upon his piece of their foundation.

A staple of each spring was when former students would wander through the fifth grade corridor, sometimes with their young children, seeking out Mr. X. to thank him or reminisce about their time in 5B. His lasting influence on his students is reflected in how many speak so fondly of their time with him and so readily want to tell him about their current lives. Teaching with John for more than 20 years, his face immediately lit up when he saw them coming, and John always remembered a name and a funny story about them. I was constantly amazed at the genuine warmth and affection his students have for him and he for them.

John provided so much more to his students’ experience than just academics, although his passion for reading was infectious. “I never liked to read until I had Mr. X.” is a common refrain from his boys, a number of whom have gone on to become authors themselves. John was so much more to those of us who had the pleasure of being his colleague. He was a great friend who could

be counted on when the chips were down. I was the beneficiary of his thoughtful and kind heart more times than I can count.

John’s pranks and self-deprecating humor will be missed by those who worked with him. My son, James, and I still laugh about how John was setting up his bulletin board and proceeded to nonchalantly staple James to the wall as he worked. From that moment on, he was “Uncle John,” and he had a fan for life.

I have found myself asking, “What will it be like to teach without my old friend?” I guess I will find out, but I am not looking forward to it. I have John’s old room now, but I know I am merely occupying a space that will always be 5B, the home of a legendary educator, a valued colleague, a compassionate coach, and a great friend to all who had the opportunity to know him.

On behalf of all your former colleagues, I hope you come home often to see the school you have forever left a better place by your presence.

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Gilman Class of 2020 Graduation 52

G I L MA N B U L L ET I N

Car Parade On Saturday, June 6, 2020, members of the Class of 2020 lined up to celebrate their graduation. Except this year, they were in their cars. So, while they could not walk across the stage in front of the Old Gym, they were still surrounded by the friends, family, faculty, and staff who have watched them grow and thrive during their formative years at Gilman. Students and their families drove through campus as faculty and staff waved signs, rang cowbells, and cheered the incredible accomplishments of this talented group.

GRADUATION

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GRADUATION

Diplomas Between Wednesday, June 3 and Saturday, June 6, the Class of 2020 donned the customary white pants, blue shirt, blue blazer, and Gilman tie. Accompanied by their family members, soon-to-be graduates walked past Carey Hall to meet Headmaster Henry P. A. Smyth and Head of Upper School Rob Heubeck who presented them with their diplomas.

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GRADUATION

The Ties That Bind

In 2019, the Alumni Association Board of Governors renewed the tradition of presenting the graduating seniors with their Gilman ties during their final week on campus. The event provided a great connection between the alumni and the students and was very well-received by all.

But, the group’s plans to repeat the effort this year were squashed by social distancing concerns. So, since we could not bring the boys to the ties, we took the ties to the boys.

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On Tuesday, June 2, 2020, members of the Alumni Association Board of Governors, the faculty, and their families — all Gilman alumni themselves — drove to each student’s home to make the presentation in an appropriately safe and careful manner. In all, 55 “drivers” delivered Gilman ties to 124 graduating seniors, racking up hundreds of miles all over the state of Maryland. And while this effort cannot make up for the challenges that these young men faced last spring, we sincerely hope that it helps them to understand their importance within the Gilman community and the support that they have from the more than 8,000 Gilman alumni.

f o s las

c e h t

125 boys

in this graduating class attend

72across institutions the nation 29

schools welcomed two or more incoming freshman from Gilman

Five of the eight Ivy League schools include Gilman graduates in their first-year classes, with Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, and Dartmouth welcoming the most, at three.

24 BOYS

RECEIVED RECOGNITION FROM THE NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: Ü 2 FINALISTS Ü 5 SEMIFINALISTS Ü 19 COMMENDED Ü 2 NATIONAL HISPANIC 58

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2020 100% of boys attend college

class of

85%

of the class headed to a most or highly competitive college according to Barron’s scale

2020 college choices

American University Bard College Boston College Brandeis University Bucknell University (3) Butler University Carnegie Mellon University (3) Clemson University Colgate University College of Charleston Colorado College (3) Connecticut College Dartmouth College (3) Davidson College (2) Duke University Elon University (2) Franklin & Marshall College Georgetown University Hamilton College Harvard College (3) Howard University Johns Hopkins University (5) Lafayette College (2) Loyola University Maryland Macalester College Marquette University Miami University - Oxford Mississippi State University (2) Northeastern University Northwestern University (2) Pennsylvania State University (2) Princeton University Purdue University - Main Campus Saint Louis University Sewanee - The University of the South Skidmore College Southern Methodist University St. Bonaventure University Stanford University

Swarthmore College Syracuse University The Oberlin Conservatory of Music The University of Arizona The University of Texas at Austin Towson University (2) Tufts University Tulane University of Louisiana United States Naval Academy (2) University of CaliforniaLos Angeles University of Chicago (2) University of Colorado Boulder (2) University of Delaware (2) University of Denver (3) University of Maryland Baltimore County (3) University of Maryland College Park (3) University of Notre Dame (3) University of Pennsylvania (3) University of Richmond University of South Carolina Columbia University of Tulsa University of Virginia Main Campus Ursinus College Vanderbilt University (4) Vassar College Villanova University (2) Wake Forest University (5) Washington and Lee University (3) Washington College (4) Washington University in St. Louis (3) Wesleyan University William and Mary Yale University (2)

In Memoriam

William “Bill” Merrick ’51 For generations of Gilman students, hearing the name Bill Merrick will automatically bring one of his songs to mind. A graduate of Gilman’s Class of 1951, Mr. Merrick, who passed on July 21, 2020, began teaching at Gilman in 1958, when he was fresh out of Washington and Lee University and two years as a seaman in the Navy.

He began teaching in Gilman’s fifth grade but would spend much of his 58-year career at home in the fourth grade. Arguably the “Greatest Lower School Musical Comedy Producer and Director ever,” Merrick is remembered through the musical mnemonic devices that he taught during fourth grade geography class, armed with his trusty ukulele. Mr. Merrick directed hundreds of students in his annual 4A musicals, which he wrote and directed.

In addition to his music, Mr. Merrick is remembered for being a great role model for both students and his colleagues. As now-retired Lower School Head Leith Herrmann ’64 wrote back in 2008 to commemorate Mr. Merrick’s 50 years at Gilman, “he exemplifies humility and civility in an era where those qualities are in short supply.

He is selfless, deeply caring for others, and a friend to all.

Bill Merrick is, in every way, a gentleman. Even after 50 years on the Gilman faculty, Mr. Merrick’s creative flair burns brightly, as does his passion for teaching. Bill’s devotion to his boys and school parallels that of his own role model, Henry Callard. The former headmaster, known for picking up every scrap of litter he found on campus, inspired Bill to perpetuate that example. Mr. Merrick is Gilman’s #1 first-class citizen!”

In 2005, Mr. Merrick won the May Holmes Service Award, which the Gilman Alumni Association awards to a member of the Gilman community who has served in the school in a distinguished and meritorious fashion.

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In Memoriam

J. Richard Thomas, Sr. ’43 It is with great sadness that we share with you the passing of J. Richard Thomas, Sr. on January 19, 2020.

Gilman’s current development efforts and successes are no doubt a result of the strong philanthropic foundation that Mr. Thomas laid so many years ago. Mr. Thomas championed the need for the role of charitable giving to the School. He and his wife, Mary McCormick Thomas, have supported annual giving at Gilman since its inception. Further, Mr. Thomas led The Challenge of Leadership Campaign, Gilman’s first capital campaign, raising $6 million for new construction and new endowment for faculty salaries and financial aid, which closed in 1972.

During Mr. Thomas’ term as Board president from 1980 to 1985, the School raised $6 million through the Building Character Campaign. Mr. Thomas also chaired the 1997-1998 Centennial, a yearlong celebration that involved more than 300 volunteers producing a variety of events. In 1999, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, along with their adult children and their spouses, Paul and Mary Stuart Gillespie, Joan and Richard Thomas ’72, Christine and Henry Thomas ’76, and Sarah and William Thomas ’81 supported the development conference room in memory of Mr. Thomas’ parents. In 2015, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas established the J. Richard and Mary McCormick Thomas Development Chair to support an exemplary Gilman faculty or staff member. A Lifetime Trustee, Mr. Thomas also helped lay the foundation for The Grasshopper Society and the current planned giving program.

President of the Board of Trustees Mark R. Fetting ’72 reflected, “Richard Thomas is among those few special people who served Gilman so well. Had it not been for

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Richard, Gilman would not be what it is today and will be in the future. His contributions to leadership, policy, and development are unsurpassed. Richard was a lifelong mentor to me and many others, and I am so thankful for his leadership and joyful friendship.”

In Memoriam

Willard Wiggins ’68 Willard Wiggins ’68, who enrolled at Gilman in 1964 and graduated four years later as one of the “Fantastic Four” — a nickname bestowed upon the School’s first four Black graduates — passed away on December 13, 2019, at the age of 68. At Gilman, Mr. Wiggins excelled academically, played football, and sang with the Traveling Men. After graduation, he attended Cornell University and earned his degree in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University.

Wiggins had a long and successful career with the Social Security Administration, rising through the ranks and ultimately serving as the Director of the Architectural Engineering Services Division.

Wiggins and his wife, Leslie, have four daughters, Wendolyn, Wynona, Waquel, and Josette, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Classmate Travers Nelson ’68 said, “Willard and I became friends easily and quickly. He was often at the Nelson home in Guilford on weekends and I was, less often, at the Wiggins home on Edmondson Avenue, a block that is now boarded up. It was less obvious to me at the time but the passing years have added perspective to Willard’s astonishing accomplishment of being able to come from inner city Baltimore to become an integral, essential, and natural

part of the class of 1968. A true friend, Willard was one of my groomsmen when I married in 1985, and (the real test of friendship) helped me to move three times over the decades. Willard was courageous, modest, and generous, with a wonderful sense of humor. I will always remember his broad smile and contented laughter, and recall fondly his soft-spoken but piercing intelligence and perception.

In his passing, too soon, we have lost a good friend and an exemplar of the best of Gilman.”

Rest in Peace: Dr. Anne O. Emery Dr. Anne O. Emery (May 15, 1927 - August 19, 2020) was born in Thomasville, Alabama. Along with her husband, Mr. Vallen Emery, she was the parent to three sons: Vallen Jr., Gregory ’68, and Travis ’74.

Dr. Emery served as an educator in both the New Orleans and Baltimore City School systems. She rose through the BCPS ranks, ultimately serving as principal of William H. Lemmel Junior High School and Walbrook Senior High School. Dr. Emery also became an area school superintendent.

In 1963, the Emerys supported the enrollment of their son Greg at Gilman School. As one of the first Black students in the school, and the only Black student in his class the first year, this was a challenging time. As active parents, the Emerys provided candid guidance and advice to the Gilman administration and served as informal advisors to Gilman Headmasters Ludlow Baldwin and Redmond Finney. After Greg graduated in 1968, the Emerys went on to enroll their youngest son, Travis, at Gilman.

The Emerys served in many civil, professional, and social organizations in the Baltimore City community. Most notably, the

Emerys helped found the Heritage United Church of Christ, and Dr. Emery organized and served as the first president of the Baltimore chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. Dr. Emery also founded and led a Baltimore City Charter School — the Bluford Drew Jemison Academy — an elementary school in both East and West Baltimore (two locations) focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programming. Mr. Emery passed away in 2004. Sons Greg and Travis Emery passed away in 2000 and 2016, respectively.

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In Memoriam

IN MEMORIAM WE REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE DIED RECENTLY. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE.

Class of 1955 Mr. J. Carey Martien, II

Class of 1969 Mr. Kinloch N. Yellott, III

Class of 1957 Dr. William E. Woodward

Class of 1970 Mr. John W. Clinnin

Class of 1958 Mr. Alan D. Yarbro

Class of 1977 Mr. Paul K. Englert

Class of 1944 Mr. Matthew C. Fenton, III Dr. Daniel Willard, III

Class of 1959 Mr. Edward L. Clapp Mr. Robert W. Grose

Class of 1981 Mr. Henry C. Galleher

Class of 1947 Mr. Redmond C. S. Finney

Class of 1960 Mr. Louis Neilson, III

Class of 1948 Mr. Richard F. Blue

Class of 1963 Mr. N. Eugene Austen Dr. Robert B. Leonard

Class of 1938 Mr. Richard Hynson, Sr. Mr. Thomas W. Winstead Class of 1943 Mr. J. Richard Thomas, Sr. Mr. Charles L. Wagandt, II

Class of 1949 Mr. Alva P. Weaver, III Class of 1950 Mr. Gordon M. F. Stick, IV Class of 1951 Mr. G. Gibson Carey, IV Mr. William S. Merrick, Jr. Class of 1954 Mr. George van Bibber Shriver, Jr.

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Class of 1966 Mr. Eric T. Hendrix Class of 1967 Mr. Christopher C. Rouse, III Class of 1968 Mr. James D. H. Hooker Mr. Willard C. Wiggins

Class of 1982 Mr. Robert Rouse Bone Class of 1996 Mr. Antoine “Tony” Barco Mr. James W. Sibal Class of 2007 Mr. Adam P. Janet Former Faculty/Staff Members Ms. Barbara G. Hawks Mrs. Betsey Heuisler Deaths reported to Gilman between June 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020