Winter 2014 hst web

19APR14_Cover_Draft_09:04SEP08_Cover_Draft_08.qxd

4/19/2014

1:47 PM

Page 1

Draft 9 (19APR14) NONPROFIT US POSTAGE

PAID LEWISTON, ME PERMIT NO. 82

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY THE MAGAZINE OF HOLDERNESS SCHOOL WINTER 2014

CHAPEL LANE PO BOX 1879 PLYMOUTH, NH 03264-1879

INSIDE: r The Ants Go Marching r It’s Not About Luck r Catching Up With

Peter and Peg Hendel

HOL-DER-NESS…IS THE SCHOOL CHEER WE DO IN ASSEMBLIES, AT GAMES, AND SOMETIMES JUST FOR FUN. IT HAS EVEN BEEN ADOPTED BY OUR SMALLEST “BULLS.” ABOVE, FACULTY CHILDREN MABEL CASEY, FINN LEWIS, BEN LEWIS, AND HANNAH CASEY CHEER PROUDLY FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNERS IN OCTOBER.

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. Flat size is 11.0 inches tall by 18.22 inches wide (includes 0.22 inches for perfect-bound spine); folded size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide. Artwork prints in four-color process and bleeds all four sides. Cover artwork; Cover IV and Cover I.

19APR14_Cover_Draft_09:04SEP08_Cover_Draft_08.qxd

4/19/2014

1:47 PM

Page 2

Draft 9 (19APR14)

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT. It started with a casual observation,

STEWARDSHIP, COMMUNITY, AND STICK-TO-ITIVENESS. THEY’RE IN OUR DNA.

a throwaway comment about an ice hockey rink that was to be discarded. It grew into a major grass-roots salvage effort, that only Holderness could have organized: kids and adults working shoulder to shoulder to save the rink, using sweat, muscle, and strategy to wrestle together something they knew was within their reach. The result? Pipes, rink boards and a boiler, repurposed with care and intention. A home ground for speed, strength, ice and zeal. A hockey program revitalized through pride of ownership. Bragging rights for decades.

The story of Holderness School’s rink, bought for one dollar, moved miles and re-assembled with student volunteers, is a legend that will outlive the rink itself. It’s a story of stewardship, of a community that knows how to cherish its resources and use them to bring greatness into being.

It’s a story of the Holderness way of doing things—together, with vision, and with a great deal of care.

HELP US TO KEEP THESE PROGRAMS ALIVE NOW AND WELL INTO THE FUTURE. GIVE TO THE HOLDERNESS FUND. WWW.GIVETOHOLDERNESS.ORG r WINTER CAN BE A TOUGH SEASON AT HOLDERNESS, BUT ONE OF THE DISTRACTIONS THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE BEARABLE IS POETRY OUT LOUD, A NATIONAL RECITATION CONTEST. STUDENTS BEGIN BY STUDYING AND MEMORIZING POEMS IN THEIR ENGLISH CLASSES, AND AS THEY PREPARE FOR THEIR RECITATIONS, SNIPPETS OF POETRY CAN BE HEARD FLOATING ON THE CRISP, FROSTY AIR ALL AROUND CAMPUS.

r BY THE END OF FEBRUARY, A CHAMPION IS CHOSEN AT A SCHOOLWIDE COMPETITION. THIS YEAR’S WINNER WAS HANNAH DURNAN (PICTURED ABOVE), AND THE RUNNER-UP WAS CAROLINE MURE (WHOSE SHOES ARE PICTURED ON THE COVER). HANNAH AND CAROLINE WENT ON TO PERFORM AT A REGIONAL EVENT WHERE HANNAH FINISHED THIRD, JUST SHY OF MOVING ON TO THE STATE LEVEL.

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:26 PM

Page 1

Draft 9 (19APR14)

F E AT U R E S

6

The Ants Go Marching Holderness School’s financial plan continues to change with each new generation, but thanks to Peter Hendel’s masterful spreadsheet and the careful planning of the board of trustees, the school is currently meeting every fiscal year-end in the black.

In this article Rick Carey takes a look at the financial sustainability of Holderness from 1879 into the future. BY RICK CAREY

ABOVE: Detail from – Holderness School capital campaign brochure, showing existing (solid fill) and proposed (hatched fill) structures.

It’s Not About Luck

16

What factors contribute to an independent school’s ability to thrive despite grim economic times like the crash of 2008? In part two of Phil Peck’s threepart series, he explores the delicate relationship between progress and stability. BY PHIL PECK

Catching Up with Peter and Peg Hendel

18

Peter and Peg Hendel have been active members of the Holderness community for 43 years, and their contributions stretch from Connell to Livermore, and from the tunnels under Route 175 to the trails beyond Bartsch. Despite what they may think, we couldn’t run this school without them. BY RICK CAREY

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:29 PM

Page 2

Draft 9 (19APR14)

D E PA R T M E N T S 3 From the Schoolhouse Board of Trustees Jonathan Baum Grace Macomber Bird Christopher Carney ’75, Treasurer Russell Cushman ’80 The Rev. Randolph Dales, Secretary Vicki Frei Nigel Furlonge Tracy McCoy Gillette ’89, Alumni Association President Douglas Griswold ’66 Robert Hall James Hamblin II ’77, Chairperson Jan Hauser The Right Rev. Robert Hirschfeld, President Paul Martini Richard Nesbitt Peter Nordblom Susan Paine ’82 R. Phillip Peck Thomas Phillips ’75 William Prickett ’81 Jake Reynolds ’86 Ian Sanderson ’79 Andrew Sawyer ’79 Jenny Seeman ’88 Harry Sheehy Gary Spiess Poppy Staub ’85 Jerome Thomas ’95 HEADMASTER EMERITUS The Rev. Brinton W. Woodward, Jr. HONORARY TRUSTEES Warren C. Cook Piper Orton ’74 W. Dexter Paine III ’79

4 From the Editor 5 03264: Letters to HST 22 Around the Quad 38 Sports 48 Update: Current Faculty and Staff 52 Update: Trustees 58 Alumni in the News; Homecoming and Reunion 2013 73 Class Notes 96 At This Point in Time

Holderness School Today is published three times a year by Penmor Lithographers. Please send notice of address changes to the Advancement Office, PO Box 1879, Plymouth, NH 03264, or advancement@holderness.org. © 2013 Holderness School EDITOR: Emily Magnus ’88 EDITOR EMERITUS: Jim Brewer ASSISTANT EDITORS: Rick Carey, Dee Black Rainville, Robert Caldwell, Lauraine Paquin, Steve Solberg, Judith Solberg, Courtney Williamson, Amy Woods, Clay Dingman DESIGN AND PRODUCTION: Clay Dingman, Barking Cat Productions Communications Design

PHOTOGRAPHY: Emily Magnus, Steve Solberg, Martha Macomber, Courtney Williamson, Art Durity, NEAT Photos Holderness School Today is printed on sustainably produced, chain-of-custody stock certified to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards. HST is printed using only wind-generated renewable power, and inks derived from vegetable sources.

ABOVE: The girls’ varsity field hockey team that won the Class C NEPSAC Championship in November.

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:32 PM

Page 3

Draft 9 (19APR14)

FROM THE SCHOOLHOUSE

Linking Budgets and Missions “How does your mission statement align with your operating budget?” I ask this question of the graduate students I am fortunate to teach in the Private School Leadership program at Columbia. They are often confused by this question because schools don’t always link budgets directly to missions. Thankfully, generations of Holderness leaders have understood the importance of this connection; I hope you will too once you have read the articles in this issue.

Working deliberately to be financially responsible has been part of Holderness School’s culture for a long time. Throughout the twentieth century we were blessed with remarkable leaders, both in the administration and at the board level, who at first found ways to keep our doors open and later developed a culture of careful fiscal planning that emphasized sustainability. In the feature article, Rick Carey looks at the long-term financial health of Holderness and the decisions the school has made to secure its health for future generations. His tale is one of hardship but immense progress.

While Rick took an historical look at Holderness School’s financial health, in my feature article I focused on current issues, ones that have affected not just Holderness but schools throughout New England. I share takeaways from my doctoral research as well as my work on the accrediting commission at neasc (New England Association of Schools and Colleges). You can read about the opportunities that I have found in both good and bad luck and the relationship between mission-driven plans and current trends. It’s a delicate balance that I believe Holderness is currently navigating successfully.

One of the administrative leaders who is working hard to help maintain the school’s financial health is cfo Peter Hendel. In the update on Peter and Peg Hendel, you’ll learn about Peter’s work as our cfo as well as the fun trivia that highlights Peg and Peter’s commitment to Holderness, which goes way back, years before either of them worked here.

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

Head of School Phil Peck poses with juniors Kai Lin, Charlie Day, and Will Tessier outside of Weld during the departure of Project Outreach. All three boys have already participated in Project Outreach but were on hand to say goodbye to their younger siblings. A day later, the three boys departed on Out Back.

In addition to Peter and Peg’s update, you can read about Duane Ford’s adventures during his year in the Chair Program as well as the work that his colleagues are doing on and off campus. You’ll learn about some milestones at the board level, including a tribute to our beloved Bishop Doug Theuner. And I hope you’ll also get a sense of the robust life on campus. This fall was busy with a wonderful reunion, tremendous academic and leadership programs, and a terrific sports season (the field hockey team won the nepsac Championship!).

Ultimately, Holderness is healthy because of the remarkable people who care deeply about the mission of the school. Holderness is a school, yes, but it is also more. Holderness is a lifestyle, one that students, faculty and staff, parents, alumni, and board members embrace and live. Because of this inspirational commitment, we can count our blessings on our past fiscal health and look optimistically to a future

where we will continue to grow, learn, serve, and lead within and outside the walls of our beautiful campus.

Phil Peck Head of School

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

3

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:32 PM

Page 4

Draft 9 (19APR14)

FROM THE EDITOR

That Unexpected Golden Opportunity “I’ve been meaning to give this to you for a while,” Rich Weymouth ’ says as he opens an envelope and spreads its contents next to my grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. It’s lunchtime in Weld in early January, and the room buzzes with the students’ conversations.

“It’s a picture of me from ,” he continues. Rich points to a photograph of five students in Holderness uniforms, standing arm-in-arm on the Lower Fields. On the back of the photograph, the names of the players and their coach are neatly identified in black Sharpie. And in an accompanying letter Cam Brown ’ recalls that the photo was taken “following the Lakes Region title game against Tilton—won by Holderness -!”

This happens to me on a fairly regular basis.

In the midst of a day filled with marathon proofreading and piles of transcript requests, someone will share with me a memory or a photo or a letter, adding color and texture to another page of Holderness School’s history.

Rich’s photo (reprinted on page ) was slightly out of focus and faded—the uniforms looked more purple than blue—but as I looked closely, I began to make out Rich’s jawline and his crooked smile in the boy on the left. It was clearly him. And at the other end of the line was coach Mark Perkins. He too I could recognize under all that hair and youthful bravado.

I also received this past summer a copy of a letter written by Bernard DeVoto, who among other things was a columnist for Harper’s magazine. Clark Irwin (parent of MJ Irwin ’ and Bill Irwin ’) sent me the letter, perhaps as a show of support during my first year as editor of this magazine. The letter was written in  to H.G. Merriam, a professor at the University of Montana. In the letter Devoto provides advice to Merriam’s students who might want to become editors. Interestingly enough, the advice he provides is still salient today. Editors, DeVoto writes, need to be able to “meet people casually and agreeably, to deal patiently with the neurotic tribe of writers,

4

especially the egotists among them, and to maintain editorial acuteness through a cocktail party which may unexpectedly turn up a golden opportunity.” Fortunately, I have not had to deal with any neurotic writers (yet!), but Devoto is right about the serendipitous nature of being an editor; the golden opportunities are often equally unexpected. When I am open to the likes of Rich Weymouth and Clark Irwin, they send me in exciting and rewarding directions.

For example, earlier this week, I was approached again, this time by football coach Duane Ford ’. Enthusiastically he shared with me the experiences of two seniors who had decided to try out for the football team for the first time last fall. “Their success needs to be documented,” Duane tried to convince me. It wasn’t that I needed convincing—the students’ successes are well-known—but for the life of me I couldn’t figure out how I could approach this article he wanted me to write; their football careers had ended along with the football season in November. But as Duane continued to share his passionate convictions, I started to remember other times I had heard this same story about other seniors who, tired of years of the same sports, blazed new trails and developed passions for entirely new games. As elusive as his idea originally sounded, I was drawn into his story and found once again an unexpected golden opportunity. Some days the ideas are a bit obscure and take a bit more effort to turn into opportunities, but they are there. Deadlines ensued before I had time to interview Duane’s football players, but I’m looking forward to documenting their story in the next issue of hst.

So please, feel free to send me an email, stop by my office, write me a letter. Your ideas are my inspiration, and they are what make this magazine a success.

Emily Adriance Magnus ’ Editor, Holderness School Today emagnus@holderness.org

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:32 PM

Page 5

Draft 9 (19APR14)

03264: LETTERS TO HST

Reflections and Corrections from our Readers From the Class of ’59 There was an article in the spring hst about life at Holderness today. Of course, it was all good and we know nothing is that clear. I would love to see an article that really describes what it is like to be a student at Holderness today. No doubt there is a mixture of good and bad just like there is in any situation. As I remember, I couldn’t wait to get home on vacations, but all in all my years at Holderness were the most formative of my life. We faced fewer problems than today’s students since we were so limited in the availability of making bad choices: no drugs, no problems of co-education, etc. What we did have was a faculty that was quite extraordinary for such a small school. I can’t believe that even today’s faculty could top the crew that we were exposed to.

I guess the real answer to life at Holderness can be found by reading the class notes of the last five graduating classes. They seem to be quite a group, and I must say that their achievements and their current active lifestyles say a lot about Holderness and the type of individuals who make up the student body.

On another subject, I recall Lee Kellogg ’ wanting to return to an alumni hockey game, and the comments I subsequently made to him.

We were a so-so team winning as much as we lost, but in retrospect we had quite a lot of success since many of our players went on to higher levels. For example, Lee played at unh, John Cleary ’ played at St. Lawrence, Charlie Witherell ’ played for Cornell, and Bruce Vogel ’ played at U. Conn. Not too bad to have three Division I graduates. Also, Bill Spangler ’, as good a defenseman as anyone, continued on at New Prep. As for myself, I was at one practice before the track coach at Dartmouth ended my hockey career.

Jerry Ashworth ’

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

“Air View” by Charles Hamilton ’47.

The Holderness School Christmas Card Please thank for me whoever made the fine choice of the picture for the school Christmas card last year. I’m of course referring to the wood engraved aerial view of the campus by student Charles Hamilton ’ with the guidance of his teacher Herb Waters. In my only year at Holderness,  to , I didn’t have Herb as a teacher but could easily tell by his presence and manner that he was as warm, caring and nurturing as all the other teachers and staff—a feeling about Holderness that firmly remains with me almost sixty years later.

David Wiggins ’ Blue Hill, ME

Corrections Although sometimes we think it would be nice, the editors of the hst are humble enough to admit that we are not perfect. Consequently, we find ourselves apologizing for the following mistakes in the last issue.

First, while we correctly identified Rose-Marie van Otterloo in her photo, in the text of “Taking that Fork in the Road,” we referred to her as Marie. Our apologies.

Second, in our “Letter to the Editors” section, we continued to have trouble identifying Andrew Sawyer ’. David Parker ’ I think was the first to inform us that the gentleman in the picture was actually Kirk Siegel ’; in this issue you will find a picture of the real Andrew Sawyer on page . Fortunately, Andrew and his friends found humor in the situation and actually used it as an opportunity to reunite; David Parker and Kirk Siegel exchanged emails for the first time in years. In addtion, Andrew was kind enough to write, “I am happy to be mistaken for both David Parker and Kirk Siegel. Both are powerful, successful, and have a passion for adventure.” Our apologies for our errors. We hope we have it right once and for all.

Oh, and last but not least, Jerry Ashworth’s request for “an article that really describes what it is like to be a student at Holderness today” has been noted. We will see what we can do about getting something into the next issue.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

5

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:11 PM

Page 6

Draft 9 (19APR14)

6

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:12 PM

Page 7

Draft 9 (19APR14)

THE ANTS GO MARCHING Financial sustainability has been both an impediment and an inspiration at the heart of the Holderness School enterprise since its founding.

We’re still here—and we’re still working on it. BY RICK CAREY THIS IS THE WAY HEAD OF SCHOOL PHIL PECK AND CHIEF FINANCIAL Officer Peter Hendel remember it. It was 2007, and they were driving back to Holderness from a meeting of the Association of Business Officers of Preparatory Schools (ABOPS). This is a relatively small association, forty or so, of the nation’s most reputable schools—invitation only, thank you—and Holderness was still a new member.

A

t that meeting, leaders from Harvard, Bentley, and other business schools had admonished the membership to take more of a long view in their financial planning. Phil was all for that, but he was worried—there were just so many variables in play, each leading to radically different outcomes, that he felt like they were being asked to place bets without any feel for the risks.

So Phil wished aloud for some sort of budget document that could look twenty years into the future like a crystal ball—not be a crystal ball, of course, though that would be nice. But it would be helpful if it could just act that way. So, for example, if health insurance for faculty and staff keeps rising at a near double-digit rate, what would that look like as a budgetary figure three years down the line? Ten years down the line? What would be the impact of that on other line items? How might that be offset by, say, a hike of five percent in annual giving?

If only these trends could be extrapolated into numbers that could be seen and

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

grasped, and allowed to demonstrate their effects on other numbers, which is to say, other areas of need—then at least Phil and the board of trustees might know how to hedge their bets.

Well, they can be, Peter said. A dynamic sort of spreadsheet could be developed that would include outcomes for the next twenty fiscal years, if you like. An eight percent hike, say, in health insurance?

Punch that in. Given a fixed bottom line, you could see the effects ripple forth up and down the boxes for that fiscal year, and also forward in time for succeeding fiscal years.

“Could you make something like that yourself?” Phil asked. He remembers Peter saying—with an in-the-catbird-seat sort of smile—that he wasn’t sure, but it would be fun to try.

Peter tried, and succeeded. Now it’s easily apparent how just a slight adjustment on the revenue side—say, upping the annual draw on the endowment by one percent—can make a huge and positive difference on the bottom line.

It’s hard not to consider that difference, in fact, and be impressed. Very impressed.

LESS THAN BARE-BONES “Frugality is in our DNA,” says Chair of the Board Jim Hamblin ’77. Of course it was on behalf of frugality that Holderness came to be. Founded as a school “whose great object shall be to combine the highest degree of excellence in instruction and care-taking with the lowest possible charge for room and board,” its first mandate was to be affordable to the sons of clergymen.

Its facilities were less than bare-bones, its faculty young and underpaid. But at $250 in tuition, a year at Holderness was a good bargain from the get-go.

Even a bargain school, however, needs to stay in the black to be financially sustainable. Two disastrous fires—one in 1882, the second in 1931—plunged Holderness deep into debt. After the second, when many trustees wanted to close the school, rector Edric Weld guaranteed that Holderness could stay on its feet. And the school did so over the next twenty years, but only with annual infusions of cash from his and his wife Gertrude’s family fortunes.

By the time he retired in 1951, Weld knew that the school’s “lowest possible charge for room and board,” had always been set impossibly low. So he had advice for his successor, Don Hagerman: increase enrollment, raise the tuition, pay for a stable faculty, and compete against other schools not on a

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

7

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

8

4/19/2014

2:12 PM

Page 8

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:12 PM

Page 9

Draft 9 (19APR14)

THE ANTS GO MARCHING

Don Hagerman, who during his tenure, increased enrollment to 226 students and established the school’s first endowment, worth $1.5 million by his retirement in 1977.

SINCE 1951 THE SCHOOL HAD COMPETED QUITE SUCCESSFULLY ON THIS NEW “EXCELLENCE IN CARE-TAKING AND INSTRUCTION” BASIS. AN OPTIMIST MIGHT THINK THAT HOLDERNESS HAD PRETTY WELL SOLVED THAT CONGENITAL PROBLEM OF FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY. price basis, but on an “excellence in caretaking and instruction” basis.

So Hagerman and his trustees set about doing that, little by little, over the next 26 years. By 1977, when Don retired, enrollment had swelled from 75 to 226 (including a few intrepid girls as day students), and tuition was at a level—$4,950 (boarding)— typical for a good New England school. In the ’60s Hagerman had also begun the serious business of looking for philanthropic angels among the alumni, and in the ’70s he launched the school’s first major capital campaign. This led to something Edric Weld could only dream about—an endowment, which stood at a very modest $1.5 million when The Rev. B.W. “Pete” Woodward took charge in 1978.

Not that Holderness—after its many decades of debt—was out of the red just yet. The school needed to get just a bit bigger still, incorporate girls into its enrollment, and pay for the facilities necessary for a co-ed school. In an effort to accomplish their goals, Woodward and his trustees added a full-scale development office and mounted two major capital campaigns over the next two decades.

INTO THE BLACK Those were not easy years for independent schools anywhere. The post-war economic boom was over; the Baby Boom generation had collected their diplomas and started smaller families; and many schools were forced to cut their enrollments as the school-age population

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

shrank, applications dwindled, and beds went unfilled.

“But actually, at Holderness enrollment remained strong,” says Piper Orton ’74, who served on the board from 1993 to 2004 as treasurer and then as chair. “Our numbers were always good that way. Our chief issue instead was supporting faculty recruitment and retention.”

Indeed the Holderness faculty was still underpaid by the standards of its peer schools, and they worked (and still work) especially hard in a traditional multiplepoints-of-contact model—i.e., faculty as teachers, coaches, and dorm parents—that many other schools were easing away from.

“So it wasn’t just a matter of salaries,” says Piper. “We needed to provide a competitive range of benefits—both health care and retirement—provide great professional development opportunities, and also attend to quality-of-life issues—for example, childcare for teaching couples, some private down-time for stressed dorm parents.”

During the 1990s, then, salaries and fiscal benefits were raised to a point slightly above the median for New England schools, and were earmarked for raises to stay ahead of bumps in the Consumer Price Index. “And of course—unless you can pay for it all out of increases in your annual giving or endowment—those raises put upward pressure on tuition,” adds Piper.

“The equation hasn’t changed much.”

Once the shift to co-education was complete, enrollment stabilized in the 1990s at around 275—the best balance, it was thought, between efficiencies of scale

and the intimacy of a small school. Tuition continued to climb as faculty compensation improved; other costs were climbing as well, but even so, the school’s tuition mark-ups were in sync with those at its peer schools—$27,250 by 2000.

Pete Woodward retired that year with the endowment at $24 million and climbing. He and his board had built three major new facilities—the Gallop Athletic Center, the Alfond Library, and Connell Dormitory—and renovated a number of others. He also had the fairly compensated, stable faculty that Edric Weld had recommended. The headmaster was dissatisfied, however, with the school’s level of financial aid—higher than it had been, yes, though not as high as Pete wanted— but each year Holderness ran in the black and managed to fatten its endowment, thanks both to fiscal prudence (or frugality, your choice) and the remarkable performance of its portfolio on the stock market.

Plainly, since 1951, the school had competed quite successfully on this new “excellence in care-taking and instruction” basis. An optimist might think that Holderness had pretty well solved that congenital problem of financial sustainability.

SUBTRACT ONE THIRD Every fiscal enterprise—especially a small, nonprofit educational one—is a piece of bread cast on the waters of a vast economic sea. In 2008 that sea was wracked by a perfect storm incubated in the U.S. housing market and whose aftereffects left us in the grasp of what has become known

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

9

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:12 PM

Page 10

Draft 9 (19APR14)

A page from a 1957 Holderness School fundraising brochure showing the proposed new dining hall that eventually became Weld Dining Hall. In 2008, Weld was renovated at a cost of $4.225 million, over 14 times the original projected construction cost of the building four decades earlier.

as the Great Recession. The school’s endowment had reached an historic high of $45.4 million in 2007 and was providing a hearty $1.8 million to the school’s annual operating budget. But by the end of the next year, the endowment had lost a third of its value.

Previous Holderness catastrophes involved either a building that was not insured (the Livermore Mansion) or one insured for only a fraction of its value (Knowlton Hall). Of course there is no way to insure money on the stock market, but there is a way to smooth out the peaks and valleys of the Dow Jones roller coaster ride. First defined in the ’90s by Eijk van Otterloo—then chair of the board’s investment committee—this method involved drawing only four percent from the endowment each year to fund operating expenses—as opposed to the five to seven percent customary at other schools

10

(whose endowments had also taken a tumble). Stability was also ensured because the four percent draw was not calculated using the current value of the endowment, but rather the average of its value (its “trailing average”) over the previous five years—not three years, as is the practice elsewhere.

“Thanks to that long trailing average, 2008 wasn’t nearly the disaster it would have been otherwise,” says Chief Operating Officer Steve Solberg. “It hurt, but the effects of it were spread out over the succeeding five years. That’s how we continued to move forward on strategic and operating priorities—including the construction of two new dormitories—while a number of other schools were cutting faculty and programs. In fact, given our spending rule, 2013 was the first year that our draw from the endowment was less than the preceding year.”

How much less? Fifty thousand dollars.

That may not sound like a lot in the context of a $14 million annual budget, but it’s a lot if that budget is already very lean by peer-school standards. It matters also that the daily operating budget is only part of it. “Actually, there are three different parts to it,” says current board treasurer Chris Carney ’75. “So, yes, first there’s the operating budget with its salaries and daily expenses. Then we have a separate budget for PPRRSM—that stands for Provision for Plant Replacement, Renewal, and Special Maintenance, which pays for the long-term care of our facilities. And then there’s a third budget for major new initiatives by way of building or renovation.”

In that operating budget, it’s daunting to behold how many of its line items are either fixed (salaries, benefits) or most certainly on the rise (food service, energy, health care). To cover it all, an independent school such as Holderness has three sources of revenue: tuition, philanthropic giving, and interest from the endowment.

“It’s very much a closed system,” notes Steve Solberg. “Unlike a corporation, we can’t ramp up production and put more widgets on the market. It’s a credit to our admission office and the strength of our program that our enrollment holds so steady year to year. But this also defines a limit in the amount of growth we see in operating revenues to offset corresponding growth in expenses.”

On the philanthropic front, the Holderness Fund has done remarkable things in recent years, registering steady increases in both the number of dollars raised and the number of people contributing. Last year’s sum of $1.345 million was a school record. The four percent draw on the endowment, on the other hand, has produced a smaller bundle of cash lately, and the Recession has enforced even more frugal expectations. “Based on past performance, we used to rely on growth of

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:12 PM

Page 11

Draft 9 (19APR14)

THE ANTS GO MARCHING

Pete Woodward with students in the 1970s outside of Weld Hall. Under Pete’s leadership faculty compensation improved, the endowment climbed to $24 million, and enrollment grew to 275 co-ed students.

eight percent per year,” adds Steve. “But in the fall of 2011, we down-graded our longterm planning assumption to a more conservative 6.5 percent.”

“THE OLD MODEL IS BROKEN” The immediate horizon promises at least some relief on the energy front. The construction of a $4 million biomass plant to burn wood chips will be such an improvement on the efficiency of the school’s aging fuel-fired furnaces and steam infrastructure that the system is expected to be cash-positive as early as its second year of operation. “That’ll be a very important step,” says Peter Hendel. “That will help deal with at least one escalating cost.”

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

But then there’s health care, which last year surged at a rate three times that of inflation. “We need to re-examine the role we play as an organization in support of that for our employees,” Peter says. From their shared office in Livermore, Peter and Steve Solberg toss out ideas that include expanding the role of the on-campus health center, providing cash for the purchase of private insurance, or prioritizing certain services at the expense of others.

“These are tough things to talk about, especially in such a family-oriented organization,” says Steve, “but it’s a conversation enforced by increasing costs.”

And what about the Affordable Care Act? Peter points out Holderness has long benefited from one of the touted efficien-

cies of that law. “We’ve always had our young and healthy participants paying the same premium as anyone else,” he says.

“But as a school, we’ve got big questions about where we’re going to end up with that law.”

Then there is health care for the school’s buildings, and in 2003 Peter Hendel helped see to it that the rules were re-written for PPRRSM. Historically, that budget had been underfunded at Holderness—as it has been at nearly every independent school. “That year we pledged ourselves to an annual ten percent increase in that budget,” Peter says.

“Now we have about $800,000 in that rainy-day fund to tackle deferred maintenance or emergencies. And when we begin

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

11

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:12 PM

Page 12

Draft 9 (19APR14)

HOLDERNESS BY THE NUMBERS SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PAST CENTURY BOARDING TUITION 1914–2014 In 1914, boarding tuition at Holderness School was $500 per year, about the cost ($550) of a Ford Model T four-door runabout—a standard family car for that time— and comparable to the average US household income that year ($600).

Today, boarding tuition is $53,000, in line with that of similar schools, comparable to the median US family income today (about $52,000) and higher than the base price ($39,500) of a Lexus ES 300H hybrid car.

FORD MODEL T

2014: $53,000

LEXUS ES 300H

1997: $23,110

1988: $12,300

1914: $500 1963: $2,500

ANNUAL BUDGET

THE HOLDERNESS FUND

Holderness’ annual budget in 1943 was $66,000 (boarding tuition was just $1,000). In 2014, the budget was well over 200 times the 1943 budget at $14.125 million.

The 1961 Annual Fund (today’s Holderness Fund) raised $47,000 (and contained a gift from the Class of 1889).

The 2012 Holderness Fund raised $1.36 million.

WELD DINING HALL

A COMPUTER SYSTEM

In 1957, the school sought to raise $295,000 to build a new dining hall (now Weld Dining Hall); the actual cost was over $351,000.

That same building in 2008 cost $4.225 million to renovate.

In 1973, Holderness purchased a stateof-the art NEC PDP-8E computer system (with 12K of memory) that at the time sold for about $15,000, including peripherals—or almost $80,000 in today’s dollars.

THE ENDOWMENT

POST-FIRE FUNDRAISING

In 1977, the school’s endowment was $1.5 million. By 2007, it had grown to $45.4 million. During the crash of 2008, the endowment dropped well over a third, settling at $27.6 million by early 2009. Today it is $47.2 million.

After the 1930 Knowlton Hall fire, Holderness School set about raising funds to retire debt incurred from rebuilding.

The school needed $20,000 according to a 1932 brochure. That’s over $340,000 in today’s dollars.

12

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:12 PM

Page 13

Draft 9 (19APR14)

THE ANTS GO MARCHING

FOR GENERATIONS, THE RULE OF THUMB ABOUT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL TUITION WAS THAT IT SHOULD BE ABOUT THE PRICE OF A FORD STATION WAGON—I.E., AFFORDABLE TO THE MIDDLE CLASS. NOW TUITIONS ARE WELL NORTH OF A LEXUS HYBRID. a major new construction project, it’s after fundraising that includes enough endowment to secure the cost of long-term deferred maintenance. Most nonprofits don’t have the discipline for that.”

Nonprofits that are independent schools though, have another big expense each year; it’s called financial aid. Partly this flows from the responsibility that all schools share in upholding the equalopportunity ideal of American education, and of the American dream itself. Of course this is a responsibility felt all the more keenly—felt way down in the DNA—at a school founded for the less-than-wealthy.

But bottom line, financial aid is good business. A school’s reputation is built on the ability and diversity of its students, and the correlation between that and the achievements of its graduates. A school that stints too much on the former loses first its rigor, and then its name. Edric Weld had no doubt about this and protected the school’s name by dispensing financial aid out of his own wallet.

Ever since the Welds, however, financial aid has come out of the operating budget.

As costs rise, and as tuition rises (now $53,000, boarding), so have levels of financial aid, to a degree that would impress even Pete Woodward: almost twenty-five percent of tuition revenue is applied to this purpose, with nearly forty percent of Holderness students receiving some amount of financial aid.

Does that price of tuition, though, make a mockery of “the lowest possible charge for room and board?” Not as compared to

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

other good schools and colleges, and particularly not if you consider that here—and elsewhere—the price of tuition covers only two-thirds of the real expense of a boarding school education.

Essentially, thanks to financial aid, the price of a Holderness education has become what a family can afford to pay.

“Our goal is to be accessible,” says Phil Peck, “since by any standard we are no longer affordable.”

Chris Carney cites Williams College president Adam Falk’s response to questions about this. “Nothing else in the economy is priced this way,” says Falk. “I think that’s why the public has a hard time understanding it.”

A very select few schools and colleges—ancient, venerable, and founded with no special charge to serve the lessthan-wealthy—are so rich in endowment, even in the Great Recession, that they can admit any qualified student regardless of ability to pay. Holderness aspires to such, but in the meantime it seeks an equipoise in the push-pull of tuition income versus financial aid outgo in a time in which demographics are even less auspicious than they were in the 1980s.

“We face the same sort of national down-swing as then in the general schoolage population,” says Steve Solberg. “But now that’s combined with an economic down-swing in the number of families who can afford to pay our full tuition.”

Phil Peck surveys the landscape and says, “It’s incredible how many independent schools are at risk now, financially.”

John S. Farber, head of the Old Trail School in Ohio, agrees, and suggests that the old model of staying afloat is broken.

Writing in Independent School magazine in 2012, Farber says, “We can no longer rely on traditional means of increasing tuition year after year and fund-raising often for our endowment and programming.”

So instead? Farber touts non-tuition revenue streams like “expanded summer programs, adult education, tutorial centers, teacher institutes, online curriculum,” and also entrepreneurial activities “that can be mission-related, but don’t have to be.” He cites schools that have allowed development on real estate holdings, or a nonprofit zoo that stays afloat thanks to its golf course, water park, and nearby hotel.

THE PERCENTAGE POINT POLEMIC So is a water park in Holderness’ future?

Not by a long shot, but there is genuine concern about what Farber calls “the old model.” For generations, the rule of thumb about independent school tuition was that it should be about the price of a Ford station wagon—i.e., affordable to the middle class. Now tuitions are well north of a Lexus hybrid. Okay, it’s true that no car is priced—like tuition—on a what-you-canafford basis. But in either event, no one wants the sticker price to go higher.

Which brings us back to endowment and Holderness School’s very conservative draw on that resource. Indeed the spreadsheet that Peter Hendel built is wonderful to behold. It uploads in the rich colors of a board game, and if you enter a

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

13

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:12 PM

Page 14

Draft 9 (19APR14)

A VERY PERSONAL PLANNED GIFT Sometimes the right tool can make a world of difference.

Not long ago, former head of Holderness School Pete Woodward spent some time researching technology.

Pete’s son Brint is fully blind, and Pete learned that voice recognition and other applications on tools like iPhones could help extend Brint’s independence and improve his day-to-day quality of life.

Former Headmaster Pete This was technology well Woodward with his son Brint at worth investing a little time a dedication ceremony in 2010. and effort into understanding, and at 72 years old, Pete was determined to get smart about Smartphones.

As so many of us know firsthand, a child often outstrips a parent’s ability where technology is concerned; already facile with his computer, Brint was no exception. With iPhone in hand and Siri as his new best friend, Brint began using the myriad apps designed to support blind or visually impaired users. His phone is now an indispensable tool for email, web research, and most especially his music (“Christmas music year round!” Pete notes).

In his 42 years, Brint has achieved remarkable things in the face of daunting challenges. In addition to his blindness, Brint is developmentally delayed with autistic behaviors. However, this has not dampened his zest for life, which is evident in both his love of physical activity (up to 600 flips a day on the trampoline!) and in his engagement with his community. Many have been welcomed to Rockywold/Deephaven by Brint, purchased a book from the Plymouth Readery with Brint’s help, been greeted at church by Brint, or read Brint’s coverage of the Senior Center in the Plymouth Record Enterprise. Providing the iPhone was simply a way to give Brint wings to fly further, a tool that helps broaden his sphere of independence.

And independence is what Pete hopes to encourage and protect for Brint, both now and into the future. For parents of

14

children with special needs, the future can be a daunting landscape of unknowns, and estate planning is particularly challenging. As a former head of school, Pete was certainly no stranger to the concepts of planned giving. However, as Brint’s father, Pete’s objectives were both more complex and more personal. In Pete’s words, “The main goal was the health, welfare, and security of my son in perpetuity of his lifetime.”

Providing for Brint was complicated further by the strict rules that guide whether and how he can receive government assistance: any provisions for his future had to be carefully structured with this in mind. After some intensive research and a lot of leg work with the advancement team at Holderness, Pete also worked with alumnus and former trustee Peter Kimball to structure a tool called a Charitable Remainder Unitrust (CRUT). That instrument makes regular payments to a Special Needs Trust (SNT) that provides for Brint within the necessary parameters. Pete has his own trusted and skilled advisors serving as trustees of the SNT, while Holderness School manages the corpus of the CRUT. After the death of Pete’s sons, the school will receive the assets from the CRUT, which (per Pete’s wishes) will be transferred to the school’s B. W. Woodward, Jr. Scholarship Fund.

Pete—normally very private about his financial affairs—feels strongly about sharing his story of creating this planned gift at Holderness School. He is proud of his membership in the Balch Society and wants people to know that they can address both the needs of their families and the needs of their community through planned giving. “The wonderful by-products of going this route were the tax benefits of the gift to Holderness School, and the gift itself to fund Holderness School financial aid, as our 1879 forefathers would have it,” Pete notes. And, because securing his son’s independence was core to the plan, there was no conflict in Pete’s giving priorities.

For Brint, a new iPhone expands his reach, giving him more ways to interact with the world around him. For Pete, the CRUT allows him to provide for his son, his school, and future generations of Holderness students. The right tool for the job can make all the difference.

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:12 PM

Page 15

Draft 9 (19APR14)

THE ANTS GO MARCHING

new number into any box reserved for assumptions—an increase in energy costs, say—the rest of the numbers scramble and reform across the document like the march of army ants.

So let’s experiment. With current resources and assumptions—including the usual five-year trailing-average draw on an endowment of $44 million—Peter’s spreadsheet anticipates for FY ’14 a surplus of $250,000, enough to cushion the school from most sorts of unanticipated expenses. Given the same assumptions, though, that surplus in FY ’15 shrinks to a razor-thin $5,000. Let’s not even talk about FY ’16.

But what happens if we increase that draw to, say, five percent? Plug it in. The army ants go marching, and something dramatic happens to that FY ’15 bottom line. That skinny surplus grows to a plush $450,000.

Peter Hendel says that much revenue would open up some attractive possibilities. “We could, for example, renovate some of our South Campus dorms,” he says, “or add a couple of much-needed full-time positions to our admission or advancement offices.”

And what if financial aid was reduced by just one or two percentage points? That would free up $100,000 in new revenue.

Unfortunately, directly tied to this matter of quantity is also one of quality. “Now you’re not getting quite the level of diversity that we’d otherwise have in our student body, and what’s the cost of that?” Peter asks.

“The spreadsheet can’t tell you.”

But quality and diversity aside, the fourpercent draw on the endowment—along with its five-year trailing average—accomplished just what it was designed to do in protecting Holderness from the abrupt and icy blast of the Recession—so much so that Holderness was able to use that blast to its advantage. Because of the collapse of the housing market, Holderness was able to build two dorms on Mr. Prospect

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

Road for what would have been the inflated price of one before the crash.

Eijk van Otterloo reminds us, though, that it wasn’t just a rising economic tide that provided that money in the first place.

“It’s true that from 2000 to 2008 we had the wind in our sails on the stock market,” he says. “But we also had a policy of increasing our exposure to equities, which of course are very volatile. And because of our conservative spending rule, and how rigorously it was applied, we knew we could weather the downturns, even one like ’08 turned out to be.”

Now that downturn is swinging up. The sails are puffing out again, but on this new sort of sea, Holderness is sailing with cargo that it didn’t have before: a probable ceiling on the price of tuition; the demands of a hungry PPRRSM account; the uncertainty and upward volatility of health care costs; and dips in both the numbers of school-age children looking at independent schools and in our base assumptions for endowment growth.

So what about it? What about this question of increasing the draw on the endowment? One notch up to five percent would still leave Holderness among the most frugal in its use of that resource; there would still be ample buoyancy in the event of another downturn and yet enough immediate revenue to make Holderness comfortably sustainable now and to the near horizon—especially if that were coupled with just a tick or two down in financial aid.

“These are things we’re talking about at the board level,” says Jim Hamblin. “It’s all on the table. It has to be. But it is always in the context of who we are and the paramount need to remain financially stable and sustainable.”

THE PARAMOUNT NATURE OF EXCELLENCE

might draw a line, of sorts, between what we’d like to learn from it and what we really can. “Phil would like projections fifteen years into the future,” Peter laughs. “I’m much more comfortable at five.”

Whether five, fifteen, or twenty, Peter believes—and Jim Hamblin agrees—that philanthropy of the large-gift sort will have to play a larger role in keeping schools everywhere afloat. And within schools themselves, a canny anticipation of needs and exigencies becomes even more paramount in keeping red ink at bay. Steve Solberg calls this “reviewing and questioning our assumptions” at the board’s annual financial planning retreats; among those assumptions that will be questioned will be the draw on the endowment and what’s thrown into the pot for financial aid.

And here—as the school enters into the next five-year revision of its overall strategic plan—Peter’s spreadsheet finds another important use. “In 2008 we came up with a plan that had certain financial imperatives,” he says, “and then we went to the board finance committee saying, ‘Okay, how are we going to pay for these?’ This time around we’ll simultaneously be developing a financial strategic plan that will work in a feedback loop with the overall plan regarding cost and budget issues.”

That spreadsheet, first conceived in the passenger seat of Phil Peck’s Volvo, will be the driving wheel of that feedback loop. In very modern terms, Holderness still seeks “the lowest possible charge for room and board,” but does so now with an insistence on the paramount nature of “excellence in care-taking and instruction”—a first-class faculty with competitive benefits, buildings built to last, and financial aid, as much as is prudent, for the talented children of clergy and whoever else might need it.

We’d include frugality, but not to worry—that’s in the DNA.

The ants on Peter Hendel’s remarkable spreadsheet march out to FY ’24, where we

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

15

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:12 PM

Page 16

Draft 9 (19APR14)

it’s not about luck During the Great Recession, many would argue that business owners had little control over their finances; their circumstances were directly linked to the actions and reactions of powers greater than their own. In part two of his three-part series, Head of School Phil Peck shares insights from his doctoral research that explore the impact of the Great Recession on independent schools. Phil Peck

“W

e sense a dangerous disease infecting our modern

The interesting thing is that while some schools continue to struggle,

culture and eroding hope: an increasingly prevalent view

others have recovered and gone on to thrive. Why? While both the good

that greatness owes more to circumstance, even luck, than

luck and bad luck happened to all schools, what was it that allowed some

to action and discipline—that what happens to us matters more than what we do. In games of chance, like a lottery or roulette, this view

to weather the storm better than others?

Part of the answer is in the numbers. Schools that resisted growing

seems plausible. But taken as an entire philosophy, applied more broadly

enrollment too quickly or taking on inordinate debt had struggles for sure,

to human endeavor, it’s a deeply debilitating life perspective, one that we

but they were able to bounce back more quickly as the economy recovered.

can’t imagine wanting to teach young people. Do we believe that our

Some independent schools, however, used the boom times to grow enroll-

actions count for little, that those who create something great are merely

ment very quickly and then engage in the “facilities arms race,” taking on

lucky, that our circumstances imprison us?” (Great by Choice, Collins)

debt to cover the cost of the facilities they could not afford. Both ideas

In his book, Jim Collins argues that everyone and every organization have both good and bad luck. But, he goes on to say, luck is not the issue; rather it is how we deal with good and bad luck that distinguishes greatness from mediocrity.

The market crash of 2008 was a turning point for independent

seemed to make sense when the economy was booming. Many of those schools, however, still have not recovered from the recession.

My research has shown that there is another characteristic that successful schools have in common, that has nothing to do with numbers.

The schools that are the most successful are the schools that focus their

schools, as it was for many industries. In the 1990s through 2007, many

attention on their mission. In good luck and in bad luck, there are

independent schools were thriving. The economy was growing, and a lot

opportunities. Enduring schools find those opportunities and take

of people could afford to send their children to private schools. Schools,

advantage of them in thoughtful ways. Troubled schools do not; instead

in turn, saw this as an opportunity to build and expand; it was a lucky

they ride the waves of both without considering how it may affect their

time to be in the independent school business. While some schools used

mission. Schools that know what they are good at and nurture their

this good fortune to grow their endowments and enhance their facilities

niche are the schools that thrive, despite potentially catastrophic finan-

and programs—and did so in a responsible manner—other schools built

cial crashes like 2008.

facilities, expanded enrollment, and took on significant debt, mortgaging

In the 1990s to 2007, Holderness could have taken on debt, grown

significant portions of their endowments in the process. There were dis-

the school to over 300 students, and jumped into the prep school facili-

tinct differences in how various schools handled this stream of good luck.

ties arms race. Instead we chose to invest slowly and methodically in

When the good fortune of the 1990s and early 2000s turned to bad

facilities and programs that were mission critical. Through generous

luck in 2008, the market crashed, endowments plummeted, and enroll-

gifts to vital programs and wise investing, our endowment grew by four

ment numbers dropped. The crash affected everyone, and some schools

times in the 1990s. Our facilities expanded but only in ways that directly

blamed their dire circumstances on bad luck. However, other schools

supported our mission and program and helped us do what we say we do

embraced this bad luck and took the opportunity to consider their mis-

better. In his bestseller Good to Great, Jim Collins writes, “Enduring great

sions and prioritize what was most important. Existing programs were

companies don’t exist merely to deliver returns to shareholders. Indeed,

made tighter and more focused, and new programs were given more

in a truly great company, profits and cash flow become like blood and

scrutiny to determine their purpose and outcomes. It was for those

water to a healthy body: They are absolutely essential for life, but they

schools an opportunity to get better and renew their focus on what was

are not the very point of life” (Collins, p. 194). Holderness is not set up

most important.

to earn a profit; it exists to educate students and provide them with a

16

holderness school today | Winter 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:13 PM

Page 17

Draft 9 (19APR14)

it’s not about the luck

Holderness School’s mission is all about family and community. That’s why in 2008 when Weld Dining Hall was renovated, one of the major goals was to expand the size of the dining hall so that faculty families, adults and children, would be able to attend evening meals.

supportive community in which to take appropriate risks that will allow

Much has changed in the last 25 years. Twenty-five years ago, a head-

them to grow and learn and move on to work for “the betterment of

master was just that—a leader of a school who was in charge of overseeing

humankind and God’s creation.” Similarly, the schools that I researched

the education of a group of students. Strategic plans rarely existed and

that were the most successful focused their attention on achieving their

competition for students was limited to very small geographic areas.

mission rather than watching their enrollment numbers. Knowing why

Today, in order to succeed, a head of school still has to oversee the care

you are doing what you are doing matters.

and education of students, but also has to be savvy about additional

Equally important is paying attention to current trends. A school that

responsibilities. Fundraising, social networking, strategic planning, etc. all

is focused entirely on its internal mission will grow stagnant and will

require attention from a head of school. Competition for prospective stu-

most likely fail to serve its constituents. In the 1970s when Vietnam was

dents is now global and strategic planning is imperative. Technology and

at a boiling point and the whole idea of a classroom education was being

global trends are constantly changing and require nimble thinking and

questioned, it was important for schools to explore other more experien-

quick responses. The responsibilities are not better or worse, easier or

tial types of learning. Similarly, it was important in 2008 to pay attention

more difficult, just different.

to the economic trends and adjust draws on endowment and financial aid

No question, leading a school is complicated. Nonetheless, it is

considerations. Today it is important to consider how the next generation

meaningful, rewarding, and fun because ultimately the art and science of

will function and thrive in a global environment and how STEM teaching

educating children is exciting and dynamic. But now there are opportu-

can help to integrate and enhance science and math education. While it is

nities to grow and improve in ways we never dreamed about 25 years

important for Holderness School to maintain its mission and stay true to

ago. Yes, some of that has to do with being in the right place at the right

its core principles, we must also pay attention to external trends and use

time. But it also has to do with paying attention to trends and knowing

our health and our good luck to respond aggressively.

when and how those trends will benefit and support a school’s mission—

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

or not.

Winter 2014 | holderness school today

17

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:13 PM

Page 18

Draft 9 (19APR14)

18

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:14 PM

Page 19

Draft 9 (19APR14)

Peter and Peg Hendel in Asiago, Italy after the Nordic World Masters Championships in 2013, during which Peter finished in the top 50.

Catching Up With Peter and Peg Hendel MORE THAN JUST FRIENDS Peter and Peg Hendel were part of the school community for  years before either one got on the payroll.

Now it’s been  years in the community, and this friendship is still paying big dividends for Holderness. by rick carey DURING THE 1970S AND ’80S, AMONG THE FRIENDS OF

The Nourse-Hendel partnership model soon became standard prac-

Holderness—that rather amorphous part of the community without a

tice on OB. And then there was this other enthusiasm of Peter’s—Nordic

sharply defined relation to the school—no one was friendlier than Peter

skiing. In 1981 then-coach Dennis Donahue was having trouble running

and Peg Hendel. Somehow they just kept falling into our orbit.

meets, timing races, and then getting the results out, all in a timely man-

In 1971 the young couple was living in Holderness. Peter was fresh out

ner. Dennis knew that Peter was tech-savvy enough to be doing some of

of Princeton, working at the Squam Lakes Science Center, and serving as

his own programming on computers at the science center. Might Peter

a volunteer fireman in a department that also included Rip Richards.

devise a program that could very quickly convert dozens of start and fin-

Peter was a hockey fan, an avid player himself, while Rip was the school’s

ish times into accurate race results?

chief of maintenance and varsity hockey coach. The Hendels liked to

Peter’s program was in place for that year’s Eastern Cup race at

come to the school to watch the hockey games, and eventually Rip

Holderness—what is now the Cheri Walsh Race—and the results were out

extended an invitation to Peter to join the faculty group that played hock-

in twenty minutes. That basic program is still in use today, and

ey for fun on evenings and weekends, either among themselves or against

Holderness races are still noted for their prompt and accurate results.

the varsity.

Peter did so, though he actually felt more like one of the kids than the

Finally Peter and Peg, these two Holderness neighbors, became so much a part of the Holderness community that in 1977 their first daughter

faculty. “There was one day Rip came out screaming at the kids to get

Kate ’96 was baby Jesus in the first manger-scene Christmas Eve service

their butts off the ice and into the locker room, which needed cleaning

celebrated by The Reverend—and Headmaster—Pete Woodward in the old

up,” Peter laughs. “I was so young I started skating off with them. ‘No, not

horse stable behind the head’s house.

you!’ Rip yelled.”

From there it was just a hop-step to playing—as a ringer, of sorts—on

It wasn’t until 1988 that we stopped being just friends. That was the year Peter Woodward needed a math teacher who could also coach

the faculty team that made visits to Proctor and Tilton and other area

Nordic skiing and help out with Out Back. It would be helpful as well if

schools to challenge other faculty teams. By then Peter had also begun

he were married, with a spouse willing to chip in as a dorm parent.

leading Boy Scout groups on winter camping excursions. Meanwhile the

Well, Peter wasn’t a mathematician, per se—he had studied biochem-

school’s Out Back program was just defining itself, and environmental sci-

istry at Princeton. Nor had he been a Nordic skier in school. Still, the job

ence teacher Bart Nourse had grown concerned about the risks of

description lined up so neatly with his passions that this was a hire that

assigning just one adult to each group out in the woods, as was the prac-

made itself, that felt like it should have been made years ago. Especially

tice then. “So one year Bart asked me if I’d come out with him on a

since Peg had become fast friends with the likes of Pat Henderson and

volunteer basis,” Peter says.

Shelley Perkins.

You bet he would. Peter had only two weeks of vacation each year

“One of the things I’ve always admired about Peter is what a quick

from the science center, but Peg resigned herself to the fact that Peter

learner he is, and how hungry he is to always be learning,” says Head of

would spend them out in the snowy woods—even in 1983, the March in

School Phil Peck. “In no time at all he was a great complement to me on

which their second daughter Sarah ’02 was only a few weeks old.

the Nordic ski staff in the ’80s and ’90s. I tended to take this holistic

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

19

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:15 PM

Page 20

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CATCHING UP WITH PETER AND PEG HENDEL

CLOCKWISE FROM PHOTOGRAPH AT TOP: Peter on Halloween in the early 1990s dressed as a logger; Peter sharing his passion for numbers with his students in Hagerman, Classroom 24, circa 1990s; Peter and Peg with their daughters, Kate and Sarah, and their signiďŹ cant others in Waterville, NH in 2013.

20

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Features_Draft_09:Holdnerness_School_Today_Winter_2013_Revised

4/19/2014

2:15 PM

Page 21

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CATCHING UP WITH PETER AND PEG HENDEL

the job description lined up so neatly with his passions that this was a hire that made itself, that felt like it should have been made years ago. approach to skiing, while Peter was much more analytic and detail-orient-

were just friends. Peg made a window quilt for it, and Kate’s fingerprints

ed in the way he studied video and broke down technique.”

are still in the grout on the back wall. They were all there—along with

That complementary approach soon established Peter—in his own right—as one of the top Junior ski coaches in the country. He was fre-

guests-of-honor Helen and Scott Nearing—for the dedication.

In 1988, back when Peter officially joined the faculty, he and Peg and the

quently invited to teach clinics and served several times as the lead

girls moved into Marshall Dormitory, where they were told not to get com-

coach for the New England Junior Olympic team at Nationals.

fortable because that creaky old building would soon be torn down. Twelve

This was a time when Nordic meets were governed by the United

years later, Marshall was still standing (though not for long) when the

States Ski Association and suffered from low funding and inattention

Hendels moved into the new Connell Dormitory, which had been one of the

from an organization that had more of an alpine bias. Could Peter help

special projects Peg had overseen under that previous business manager.

remedy that? Sure he could, becoming one of the founding fathers of the

Connell was nice, especially after the rigors of Marshall, but when

New England Nordic Skiing Association, which now governs meets in this

Peter and Peg relocated to the Bioshelter in 2003, it felt like they were at

region, and has provided a model for similar organizations in other

last moving into their spiritual home at Holderness. Peg has returned to

regions. Today Peter serves as NENSA’s treasurer.

her original passion—teaching—and is doing so with middle school stu-

Meanwhile Peg, who had been teaching at Holderness Central School,

dents at the Waterville Valley Academy. As busy as she has been over the

found herself useful at this school in a variety of ways. In addition to her

years, she has still managed to earn two Master’s degrees in education

role as a dorm parent, Peg also served as a special-projects assistant to

and a reading specialist certification. She also chaired Holderness

Business Manager Diane Shank; as a partner to Gail Stevens in the school

Central’s accreditation committee.

store; as a tutor and ninth-grade English teacher; and—from 2001 to 2005—as the school’s Director of Alumni Relations.

“Peg is one of those people who has just always been there for us,”

Her husband is still here in the heart of it all—still teaching a little math, still coaching in the Nordic program. He has helped steer the school through the Recession and has sharpened its commitment to

says Phil. “Whenever we had a sudden, unexpected need, large or small,

financial sustainability and long-range planning. His background in the

Peg could handle it. And as a director of Alumni Relations, she installed

classroom, on the ski trails, and on OB provides for high credibility when

systems and structures that we still use in the advancement office.”

he speaks to faculty or trustees about balancing the bottom line against

Over at the Hagerman Center, Peter proved himself a whiz in the math classroom—succeeding even with his own children. He remembers

the school’s programming needs.

Still, if you ask Peter what he’s most proud of so far about his tenure in

the day Kate said, “Great class, Dad,” and gave him a kiss, rather to the

the business office, he mentions not the bottom-line’s black ink, nor the

shock of classmates who hadn’t guessed they were related.

new dorms on Mt. Prospect Road he helped build, nor the imminent shift

Then in 2003 this math-enhanced biochem major was named the

to biomass energy he helped engineer—rather it’s the pedestrian tunnels

school’s business manager. In characteristic fashion, Peter fairly attacked

under Rt. 175, the sidewalks under the I-93 underpass, and the lights in

the learning curve, calling for information and advice from, and sharing

those areas.

data with, business managers at top schools throughout the country.

“That’s made an enormous difference in the safety of our students,

Within a year Holderness’ financial reputation had climbed high enough

especially the elimination of that crosswalk opposite Bartsch,” he says.

for Peter to be invited to join an organization of officers at the most

“There’s nothing glamorous about any of that, but it’s something that’s

secure schools in the country. “In 2001 I had gotten a letter denying us

been important and of benefit to the whole school.”

membership to ABOPS [the Association of Business Managers of

The glamour doesn’t matter. It’s just something a good friend of 43

Preparatory Schools],” Phil says. “But Peter has always found ways to

years takes care of. Especially if he got his start with Rip Richards in the

open doors and push us forward.”

fire department.

These days the Hendels live at the Bioshelter. Of course they had helped put that building together back in 1980, when they and the school

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

21

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:32 PM

Page 22

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AROUND THE QUAD

Ninth-Graders: From the Beginning

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: New students Kelly Attenborough, Dan Hauser, Elizabeth Osuchowski, Morgan Dawkins, and Storm Thompkins gather group gear for O-Hike; Senior leaders get ready to greet new students on Opening Day; math teacher Frank Cirone correctly identifies Skylar Robinson during the students’ first cookout while school counselor Carol Dopp checks his accuracy; Emily Perkins hugs her mom goodbye before heading out on OHike. Senior leader Zihan Guo greets new ninth grader Brett Hepler and helps him prepare for O-Hike.

22

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:33 PM

Page 23

Draft 9 (19APR14)

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

AROUND THE QUAD

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: On a crisp, fall afternoon, the ninth graders got up early and traveled to Loon Mountain where they spent the morning walking through the trees; Keying Yang poses with her aunt and all her gear before O-Hike; Virginia Bonsal and her mother on their ďŹ rst day at Holderness; Tony Boateng on the ropes course at Loon Mountain.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

23

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:33 PM

Page 24

AROUND THE QUAD

Improvisation With Glass and Origami

Senior Allie Renzi helps artist Erik Demaine demonstrate the playful nature of mathematics with an origami folding trick.

When Erik and Martin Demaine began working together, they decided to use a method of collaboration similar to actors practicing improv; the father and son pair agreed that no matter how impossible a suggestion might seem, they would say yes and embrace each other’s ideas.

They also agreed that their creations would be neither art nor math; they would be both.

“Scientists throughout the world have always had a tradition of collaboration,” explained Martin Demaine when he visited Holderness in October. “We want to bring that same spirit of collaboration to art.”

All of which led them to an interesting project with New Hampshire-based glass artist Shandra McLane, one in which the final artwork was neither completely scientific nor artistic, and was dominated neither by Shandra’s artistic sense nor the Demaine’s arithmetic planning. Instead their ideas, their mathematical reasoning, and their creative desires melded together to create beautiful

24

pieces that are greater than any single part in itself. The results of their work together were on display in the Edwards Art Gallery this fall.

While there were some pieces in the exhibit that the artists created independently in their own studios, many of the pieces in “Intersection: Art and Science” had their start at the Pilchuk Glass School in , when Shandra was the print shop coordinator and Erik and Martin were artists-in-residence. The trio began by developing prints of intricate origami sculptures created by Erik and Martin out of circular pieces of paper. The prints then were screenprinted onto multiple layers of glass and fused together in a kiln. The results were bold and bright, reflecting light and illuminating even the darkest corners of the gallery.

“It has been an honor to work with Erik and Martin for the past year and a half,” Shandra says. “Glass is a challenging medium, and it has been amazing to collaborate with them because of their extensive knowledge and their willingness to improvise.”

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Martin Demaine started the first private hot-glass studio in Canada in the s and has been called the father of Canadian glass.

Since , he has been the Angelika and Barton Weller Artist-in-Residence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Martin’s son Erik also works for mit in their mathematics department. Together they use their exploration in sculpture to help visualize and understand unsolved problems in mathematics and their mathematical knowledge to inspire new art forms. Among their artistic works are curved origami sculptures in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Renwick Gallery in the Smithsonian. Their scientific works include over sixty published joint papers, including several about combining mathematics and art. Currently, they are working on folding other materials, such as glass and steel.

Meanwhile, Shandra grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and completed a bfa at the University of Southern California in . She then went on to study at the Philchuk Glass School in Seattle, WA, where she focused her attention on a process of printing on glass that is similar to vitreography. She used this process to create beautiful contemporary glass furniture.

What she didn’t know at the time was that working with glass is much more than a personal interest; it’s in her blood. She first became interested in her heritage when a group of Swedish artists at Pilchuk told her that she looked exactly like a woman from their hometown. Later, when she researched her lineage, she learned that her ancestors had traveled to America from Svalbard, in the heart of the Kingdom of Crystal, where Swedes have been making glass since  and glass blowing studios are as numerous as Starbucks in Seattle.

Her ancestors were from the exact same town as her Swedish friends at Pilchuk.

But back in California, just when Shandra was establishing herself as an artist and receiv-

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:34 PM

Page 25

AROUND THE QUAD

LEFT: Artist Shandra McLane in front of one of her glass panels at the opening of “Intersections.” RIGHT: Displays of Erik and Martin Demaine’s curved-crease origami sculptures in the Edwards Art Gallery.

ing attention for her glass tables, her mother fell ill. Shandra’s life changed direction abruptly as she took care of her mother, married, moved to New Hampshire, and started raising her own children. While her family took precedence for many years, when Shandra’s son started elementary school, she commenced working with glass again and started experimenting with molding glass into bowls. Her success with kiln-formed glass bowls led to international recognition; she was named a finalist in the prestigious Bullseye Glass Emerge Competition in . It also led her to open her fabrication studio, Squam River Studios, in Ashland, NH. Recently, she and the Demaines were chosen out of hundreds of candidates to participate in a residency at the world-renowned Tacoma Museum of Glass.

She was also invited to a do a residency and

teach at the Venice Printmaking Studio in Venice, Italy.

“I love the challenges that working with glass presents,” says Shandra. “Different types of glass, different enamels, different kiln temperatures, different methods for molding all can be adjusted and manipulated to create really unique and creative pieces.”

Up next, Shandra and the Demaines are working on blowing glass with Shandra’s studio graphics. Shandra will print the graphics onto the glass at Squam River Studios and then take the slabs down to mit where a team of - people will help her and the Demaines bring their ideas to life.

“It will be challenging,” says Shandra. “I’ve never worked with blown glass before, so I’ll have to take into consideration a whole new set of variables.”

But despite the challenges ahead, Shandra remains optimistic. While their original ideas may not go exactly according to plan, with their combined knowledge and their willingness to improvise, the trio will no doubt create something that is beautiful and worthy of celebration.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

25

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:34 PM

Page 26

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AROUND THE QUAD

Heaven Can Wait Showcases Talented Student Cast

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: Henry Day and Ezra Cushing provide sports commentary between scenes; Joe Pendleton (played by Charlie Day) and Betty Logan (played by Charlotte Freccia) fall in love; Drew Houx and Alex Spina as angels discuss the fate of Joe; Virginia Bonsal and Becca Kelly, also angels, realize their critical error in sending Joe to heaven; Julia Farnsworth (played by Maggie Barton) and Tony Abbott (played by Zack Baum) formulate their murderous plans.

26

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:34 PM

Page 27

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AROUND THE QUAD

Student Musicians Rock Hagerman During Fall Concert

ABOVE: The Holderness band performs an original song by David Lockwood. BELOW LEFT: Anna Soderberg in her debut on the Hagerman stage.

BELOW RIGHT: Shihao Yu performs an original song, “Tick, Tock, Goes the Counter Clock.”

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

27

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:35 PM

Page 28

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AROUND THE QUAD

Committing to Diversity

Dean of Academic Affairs Peter Durnan and English teacher John Lin stand with students Rachel Tejeda and Maggie Peake in front of Schoolhouse after attending the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in DC.

“I want to invite everyone to a new club,” Rachel announced in an assembly on a Friday morning in December. “It doesn’t have a name yet, but I want to have conversations about diversity. I want to dance the salsa, and I want to meet students of diversity from other schools. If you want to join me, check Bulletin Board for further details after break.”

While she was a bit vague on the details, ninth-grader Rachel Tejeda’s passion for starting conversations about diversity was clear.

And fortunately, Rachel was not the only one.

Together with junior Maggie Peake and other

28

students, they hope to begin discussions and work to celebrate diversity at Holderness.

But where is their energy coming from?

Why now? Why, in what is admittedly still a mostly white school, have these girls decided to take on the topic of diversity? While their interest is certainly deep and personal, Rachel and Maggie recently received a boost and a bit of motivation at the Student Diversity Leadership Conference held in National Harbor, MD, where , students and , adults from all over the United States joined in

conversations about diversity issues for three days last December.

“At the conference everyone was open and understanding because we were all coming from very similar situations; almost everyone was part of a minority at an independent school,” explains Rachel. “We learned about the cycle of oppression and micro-aggression, and they taught us how to value, present, and feel proud of being ourselves. At every moment throughout the conference you could feel the energy within bouncing off of others.”

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:35 PM

Page 29

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AROUND THE QUAD

Maggie shares her enthusiasm: “Everyone was there because they wanted to be there. It was an amazing experience.”

According to their website, the sdlc, which is organized by the National Association of

concerning diversity, but we still have lots of work to do, and now is the time to do it.”

First, Peter believes that just attending the conference demonstrates a level of commitment to diversity; students and faculty have taken

We need to find ways for our students of color to connect with other students of color at other schools. For many of them, attending an independent school is like punching a ticket to a different world. — JOHN LIN Independent Schools, “is an inclusive, multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades –) from around the country…Participants develop an appreciation of their own identities, build effective cross-cultural communication skills, better understand the nature and development of effective strategies for social justice, and practice expression through the arts, while networking with their peers.”

While Maggie and Rachel participated in intense group discussions and thought-provoking games, English teacher John Lin and Dean of Academic Affairs Peter Durnan attended a second parallel nais conference, the People of Color Conference, which wants “participants to understand their roles in advancing their schools’ equity and justice around racial and ethnic identity.” Also attending the conference were current Holderness trustee Nigel Furlonge and former English teacher Joe Kennedy; Nigel’s sister, Giselle, presented at the conference while Jason Gordon ’ was a conference blogger.

Although John has attended the conference on  occasions, Peter was attending for his first time. “The speakers at the conference were thoroughly provocative,” Peter says, “and the discussions at the peripheries and outside of the sessions were life-altering for me. Holderness has established some great policies and patterns

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

time out of their busy schedules to discuss and wrestle with very difficult issues. Second, Peter hopes that now that he is back on campus he will be able to commit resources and time to curriculum development in diversity.

“If we are to address issues of diversity/ oppression/respect, it strikes me that we need to integrate these issues into our curriculum,” Peter says. “A logical step might be to alter the ninth-grade Humanities curriculum with an eye on these issues and also attempt to connect them to Project Outreach more deliberately.”

John would also like to see additional points of connection for Holderness students. “We need to find ways for our students to connect with students of color at other schools,” he explains. “For many of them, attending an independent school is like punching a ticket to a different world. And when they return home, it isn’t necessarily any easier. They are forever changed and are never fully a part of either world. These kids need opportunities to talk with others who are having similar experiences.”

Above all, both teachers believe their number one goal is to support students of diversity in their differences. Students of diversity have different perspectives than many of their peers, and while it would be easy to assimilate them into the Holderness culture and ask them to join the majority, Holderness needs instead to embrace their differences and help them devel-

op into strong people of color. A side benefit is that their diversity will push both the students and the school to make important and ultimately valuable changes.

And so, as Rachel begins to organize her club, by her side will be Director of Diversity Tobi Pfenninger as well as John and Peter.

Maggie has set goals for herself as well. Before leaving the conference, she pledged to stand up for people who can’t or don’t know how to stand up for themselves. It’s a lofty goal, but with the sdlc speakers’ words ringing in her ears, we think she won’t have any trouble achieving it, not just for herself but for the school as well.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

29

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:35 PM

Page 30

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AROUND THE QUAD

Preparing to Live in a Majority-Minority Nation

Mandarin teacher Jonathan Higgins prepares students for global citizenship, not just through language lessons but through cultural lessons as well.

According to the  US Census Bureau Report, “The U.S. is projected to become a majority-minority nation for the first time in . While the non-Hispanic white population will remain the largest single group, no group will make up a majority. All in all, minorities, now  percent of the U.S. population, are projected to comprise  percent of the population in .”

In short, cultural competency and global citizenship matter; the cultural diversity of the United States can be a strength for our country, but only if our citizens are prepared to work with each other, no matter the differences.

“College and life after college will be diverse,” says Spanish teacher and Director of Diversity Tobi Pfenninger. “If we don’t take the time now to educate our students, they won’t have the skills necessary to be effective leaders in the real world.”

30

And while Holderness continues to admit students from all over the world in order to create a geographically diverse student body, there is more to be done. Educating global citizens means discussing current events from all over the world and paying attention to cultural differences both within our own community and outside in the real world.

It also means finding opportunities to fully immerse students in other cultures in order to not only learn a language but also to understand a culture different from one’s own. But travel is expensive and student trips often occur during the same times when students are committed to jobs and athletic training. It becomes a matter of prioritizing, and many students are not able to find the time.

“In central New Hampshire immersion won’t just happen,” agrees Tobi. “Creating global awareness has to be intentional.”

One change in the Holderness curriculum that will make cultural competency and global awareness more of a priority is the development of a Global Citizenship Certificate. Most likely, the certificate will require students to study four years of a language and complete several independent research projects that focus on issues of global concern. Students will also need to help with international student homestays during school vacations and participate in at least one two-week homestay in a country with a different language and culture. Unfortunately, this program will take several years to develop, and while it represents a significant step in the right direction, the development of a Global Citizenship Certificate is only one piece to a much more complicated puzzle.

In the meantime, many academic departments are initiating changes. The history department continues to develop courses that

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:36 PM

Page 31

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AROUND THE QUAD

examine issues of global concern, and the English department has introduced international authors into their literature courses. The language department has actively engaged in developing students’ awareness of global and cultural issues as well. While studying a foreign language used to focus much more on the language itself, language courses now place equal emphasis on culture.

“The teaching of a foreign language has changed dramatically in the last decade,” agrees Language Department Chair Janice PedrinNielson. “It used to be that the cultural aspects of a country were not discussed until level three.

Now from the first year, culture is infused into the curriculum. The experiences of our teachers are crucial to this new approach.”

Preparing for cultural competency is helped by hiring teachers who have experienced cultural diversity themselves. In the language department, many of the teachers have travelled extensively and have spent time living in foreign countries. Spanish teacher Kristen Fischer lived in Spain for a year while completing her Master’s; Janice lived in France for a year during college and studied at the Sorbonne; Spanish teacher Jean Henchey went to high school in Spain; and Tobi Pfenninger lived in Austria for a year and has traveled and lived in several Spanish-speaking countries.

Recent hires Mandarin teacher Jonathan Higgins and Spanish teacher Kelly Pope have also lived abroad. Jonathan lived in China for over seven years and continues to travel to China several times a year with Plymouth State University as the school seeks to diversify its own student body.

“Now that we have some solid contacts with high schools and recruiters, my job has been to demonstrate the value of a degree from psu,” Jonathan explains. “I spend a lot of time finding out what students on campus and alumni are doing and sharing their accomplishments with our contacts in China. My knowledge of the Chinese culture has been crucial to setting up

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

and maintaining these relationships.” Jonathan has also helped Holderness in its communications with Chinese families. Last year he helped interview three prospective students, one of whom, Keying Yang, is now a member of the Class of .

Closer to home, Kelly spent last year in Nicaragua volunteering for Soccer Without Borders, whose mission is “to use soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing underserved youth with a toolkit to overcome obstacles to growth, inclusion, and personal success.” Two to three days a week, Kelly played soccer with seven- to -year-old girls. Two other evenings a week she met with them for activities that emphasized life-skills and provided the girls with the support necessary to become leaders within their own communities.

“Our main objective was to create a safe space for the girls in a culture where that didn’t exist before,” says Kelly. And while her focus was on teaching the girls, Kelly found herself learning as well. “When I moved there I was close to being fluent in the Spanish language, but I left with cultural fluency. I learned how to express my ideas diplomatically without offending my Nicaraguan coworkers, which can be a tricky thing to master; Spanish speakers are careful with their tenses when expressing things in a polite and professional way. I am now keenly aware of how to communicate that difference to my students so they are well prepared for their own immersion experiences.”

Other language teachers are finding additional ways to expose students to the world.

“The internet has really changed the way I teach,” shares Tobi. “In the past we could only read about travel from Quito to Machu Picchu or the interaction of vendors in a Guatemalan market; our discussions were limited by the details contained in the students’ textbooks. But now there are YouTube videos that give students the opportunity to see what they are reading about. They can actually experience the train ride to Machu

Picchu and walk through a Guatemalan market and listen to the villagers barter. With the touch of a button my students are exposed to cultures around the world every day.”

And with that visual knowledge, students are given the opportunity to reflect on their own cultural assumptions. “We try to get students to understand that their perspectives exist because of the cultures they live in,” says Janice. “It is only through studying other cultures that they can examine their own cultures and their own biases.”

The language department is also in the midst of a turnover during which four of their eight teachers will be recipients of the Van Otterloo Henderson Brewer Chair Program. This year Spanish teacher Jean Henchey is taking a year to complete an online mat Spanish program through Rutgers University. She also traveled to Spain, where she spent a great deal of time understanding bilingualism and multilingualism.

“I have some high school friends who still live in Barcelona (that’s where I went to high school),” Jean wrote in a letter home. “I had some very interesting conversations with them about the Catalan language and the politics behind it. There are definitely some strong feelings about languages in Europe, as they come into contact with one another so frequently. I look forward to sharing my research with the Holderness community.”

Next year it will be Spanish teacher Kristen Fischer’s turn. Tobi Pfenninger and Janice Pedrin-Nielson will take their turns in the following years.

It is an exciting time to be a language teacher. In some ways the job has become much more difficult—requiring cultural knowledge as well as linguistic knowledge. But thanks to technology and travel opportunities through the Chair Program, the opportunities to open up new worlds to students are endless. And in a world where no one will make up a majority, this knowledge will be crucial.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

31

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:36 PM

Page 32

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AROUND THE QUAD

Giving Back the Holderness Way

From left to right students Lydia Fisher, Seo Jung Kim, Linh Le, So Min Park, and Rachel Tejeda sell cupcakes during the Fall Parents’ Weekend to raise money for the Trevor Project.

Before graduating, all Holderness students are required to complete  hours of community service. Most students complete this requirement through Project Outreach during their ninth-grade year or participate in other service projects during their summer vacations. Other students choose to fulfill the requirement by working with local organizations like Meals for Many and the Bridge House during the school year. But what is impressive is that many students don’t stop there. Throughout the school year, students look beyond the Holderness campus and find other ways to give back.

While some of these community outreach efforts occur every year, others are initiated by

32

students and demonstrate their passionate commitment to caring for others and helping with troubling issues around the world. Below are some of the numbers. r two at-risk children go to camp each summer thanks to the sale of doughnuts after assemblies on Friday mornings. About  (for an average of  doughnuts per week) is raised each year. r  meals per semester are served

by Holderness students during Meals for Many at the Plymouth Congregational Church on Thursday evenings. r four students per semester visit the Bridge House (a local homeless shelter)

on Friday evenings—and some Sundays— and play with the children while their parents go out to eat with school chaplain Rich Weymouth. r five families received Thanksgiving baskets this year thanks to the generosity of the Holderness community. The baskets were paid for through the sale of raffle tickets; the same students who volunteered at the Bridge House this fall also organized the raffle. r nine children woke up to presents from Santa on Christmas morning at the Bridge House. Dorm leaders collected money for the presents in the evenings

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:36 PM

Page 33

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AROUND THE QUAD

r

r

The CHOP crew with Mr. Flinders circa 2009.

during the month of December. Then the same students who volunteer at the Bridge House on Friday evenings picked out the presents for the children. r  cords of dry, seasoned firewood have been delivered to the local community over the past five years. Members of the Community Heating Outreach Program (chop) drop trees surrounding the Outdoor Chapel, buck them up, move them down hill, then split, stack and later deliver the wood to needy families who heat with wood in the winter. The majority of the work is done during the transition week between fall and winter sports when about six students show up each day to help out. In addition, during the fall athletic season, several teams will take a day or two off from formal practice and spend the afternoon hauling and splitting wood. r  at-risk kids receive homework help and mentoring each day after school from Holderness students who volunteer at the

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

Pemi-Baker Youth Center instead of participating in sports on campus. r  rainbow cupcakes were baked by the Gay-Straight Alliance for a Fall Parents’ Weekend cupcake sale. The proceeds, , were donated to the Trevor Project, a nonprofit providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (lgbtq) young people, ages –. r  students walked the Lighted Loop on the Holderness trails in honor of Joe’s Walk for Change, a non-profit organization that seeks to raise awareness of the effects of bullying. Joe’s son committed suicide after being bullied both in school and online. In honor of his son, Joe decided to walk across the country to try to raise awareness of bullying. While walking through Colorado, Joe was hit by a car in October . Now people across the country are joining together to help finish Joe’s walk. In total

r

r

Holderness students contributed  miles to Joe’s journey.  care packages were sent to members of the Holderness community serving in the armed forces overseas. It began this year with eleven individuals and local businesses who gave gift cards or gifts in-kind that were used to fill the packages.

Then, Holderness students donated money to pay for the mailing expenses and baking supplies. Finally, vestry members baked cookies and brownies, wrote notes to each service person, and packed and mailed the items—just in time for the holidays. As a side note,  was raised in chapel collections to pay for the postage on the packages; the final postage bill was ..  students and faculty gathered on the cross-country trails a second time this fall with glow sticks and their running clothes to show their support for a recent alumnus who has begun a battle with leukemia. This young alumnus was one of our top cross-country runners, and appropriately the group walked/ran the cross country trails to honor him.  pints of blood were donated during a Holderness Red Cross Blood drive in October. Led by faculty member Doonie Brewer and students CJ Sansing and Ezra Cushing, over  students, faculty, and staff volunteered by giving blood or baking food for the event.  t-shirts were sold by Ben Luz in support of Movember a global charity that seeks to raise vital funds and awareness to combat prostate and testicular cancer and mental health challenges.

coming up: On April , the whole school will participate in Relay for Life, an overnight community walk that raises money for cancer research and patient support. Look for ways to support the effort on our website this spring!

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

33

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:37 PM

Page 34

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AROUND THE QUAD

Jesus’ Most Frequent Topic of Conversation The following is excerpted from a Randy Dales Chapel Talk in September.

Let me start by asking you a question. What one subject did Jesus talk about more than any other? Was it love? “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your strength?” No. Was it forgiveness? “Forgive us our trespasses (in the same manner) as we forgive others.” No. Was it being good or doing good? “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” No. What subject is Jesus quoted as addressing more than anything else? It is money, and our relationship with money.

Why? If you think about it, money is an important part of our lives all the time (and especially in difficult economic times). Do you have enough money now to do all the things you want to do? Will there be a job for you when you graduate from college? We all think about money, and I don’t imagine that Jesus begrudges us that. No, his concern, I believe, is with how our relationship with our money affects our relationships with others.

In today’s reading, we heard Jesus’ parable about the lives and after-lives of an unnamed rich man and a poverty stricken beggar named Lazarus. There is a temptation for us to think about Jesus’ stories as just quaint tales that we might discuss in theology class. We may even enjoy the stories. But are we willing to take the next step—to ask what Jesus might be saying through them to you and me?

Today’s parable of the ironic reversal of fortunes of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus illustrates the stark contrast between the lifestyles of the first-century, rich-and-famous and the bag ladies and welfare recipients who might have camped just outside his estate. The rich man, we hear, is “clothed in purple,” that is, he wears linen suits that come from the finest stores. His wife’s dresses come from Neiman Marcus, not the local thrift shop. And he “feast-

34

ed sumptuously every day.” That means he probably worried about his weight or his increased cholesterol, but not about where his next meal would come from.

Oh, I don’t doubt that he had his worries, but they weren’t about whether he’d lose his job in a time of economic downturn, or if he might be unable to afford health insurance. And I’m sure that he would have agreed with the concept of trickle-down economics, that lower taxes for those at the top would somehow make the economy stronger for everyone.

Outside the rich man’s gate one finds Lazarus-the-beggar. Lazarus is penniless, without any public safety net to keep him from falling through the cracks. He must beg to live.

And he has a chronic, unsanitary infection with no emergency room or health insurance to fix it, no Obamacare to pick up the tab. Not only that, he’s a drag on society, for Lazarus does no useful work; he neither holds down a job nor pays taxes. Instead he scrounges off others for what little he has. He is both pathetic and revolting, for he appears to make no effort to keep the stray dogs from licking his sores.

Now try, if you can, to picture yourself in that parable. Can you see yourself in that picture? If the story was set in New Hampshire, which person might you know? With which would you probably associate?

I find it intriguing that Lazarus is the only named character in any of Jesus’ parables. He had a name. He was identified by Jesus as a real, living human being. But the rich man is given no name, and Jesus doesn’t tell us much about him. Was he otherwise a good man? Did he pay his employees decent wages? Did he belong to the Rotary? Did he give to his church? Jesus doesn’t say.

So what was the rich man’s sin? What was it that caused him to end up in torment, reversing the roles that he and Lazarus had known in this life? He never ordered the beggar removed from his front lawn. He apparently didn’t prevent Lazarus from rummaging through his

garbage. There is absolutely no indication that he ever did anything mean or hostile to him. So what was his sin? While the rich man did nothing to cause Lazarus’ suffering, he did possess the means to alleviate it, and he did not.

He didn’t do anything wrong; rather, he did nothing at all.

His sin was that he never noticed Lazarus.

As the parable indicates, he knew Lazarus’ name, yet he never saw him as a person who merited his concern; he never even saw him at all in a world that has so many poor and hungry people.

Let me close with a true story about a wellto-do businessman, who parked his brand new car, did an errand, and returned to find a poor, ragged little boy standing by the car, just admiring it.

“Is this your car?” the boy asked.

“Yes,” the man replied.

“It’s beautiful,” said the boy. “How much did you pay for it?”

“To be honest,” the man answered, “I don’t know; it was a present from my brother.”

“You mean your brother just gave it to you, and it didn’t cost you a penny?”

“That’s right.”

When the child began, “Oh boy, I wish that I…” the man was sure that he was going to say, “I wish I had a brother like that.” But that isn’t what he said. Instead, the boy said, “I wish that I could be a brother like that.”

The man concluded: “There I was in my fancy suit, with money in my pocket and the keys to a brand new car in my hand. And here was this little boy off the street. Yet that impoverished kid had more love in his heart than I. He is richer than I.” Are the poor, those who are without healthcare or enough food to feed their families, invisible to us? Or can we see them as our brothers and sisters? Amen.

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:37 PM

Page 35

Draft 9 (19APR14)

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

AROUND THE QUAD

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

35

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:37 PM

Page 36

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AROUND THE QUAD

Holderness Welcomes Parents, Celebrates Hoit Renovation

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: The entrance to Hoit Dormitory, sparkling in the sunlight after its recent renovation; Risa and Teagan Mosenthal posing outside of Rathbun with their parents; Linh Le and Lydia Fisher with Lydia’s parents outside of Weld; Ella Butlig with her parents between teacher conferences; Eliana Mallory and Jesse Ransford with their parents outside of Hoit.

36

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:38 PM

Page 37

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AROUND THE QUAD

ABOVE: Ben and Will Coleman with their parents outside of Alfond Library. BELOW LEFT: Haroon Rahimi proudly displays the pumpkins he carved for Hoit’s Open House. BELOW RIGHT: Ben Chapin receives a hug from his mom between parent teacher conferences.

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

37

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:38 PM

Page 38

Draft 9 (19APR14)

SPORTS

A Winning Season: A View from the Net

Goalie Paige Pfenninger gets help from her teammates during a game against KUA.

by paige pfenninger ’ Less than thirty seconds after the starting whistle blew, the ball was already in our circle and a Gunnery player was winding up to shoot. We were in deep trouble.

The Holderness field hockey team has made playoffs for more than  consecutive years, yet the last time the team won the nepsac Championships was seven years ago. What made this year different? Every year we have talented players and knowledgeable coaches, but rarely are we able to win a championship game.

This year we just had more of everything.

We had many extremely talented players, four very experienced coaches, and three amazing captains who succeeded in bringing the team together in every way possible. But the key dif-

38

ference between this year and past years was our ability to work as a team.

During the second half of the championship game, the ball made it into our circle again, but before I could even begin to make sure that every player was marked by a defender, Allie Solms was already sprinting up the right side of the field with the ball (this made organizing the defense rather difficult). This type of breakaway happened over and over again throughout the season.

During the rare occasion when I was actually able to witness a speedy breakaway, I always noticed that the breakaway didn’t happen because of one player’s abilities. Allie Renzi’s powerful drive couldn’t accomplish it, nor could Tess O’Brien’s stunning ability to weave between players or Hedi Droste’s fantastic cross

field passes. It was a combination of everyone’s abilities: everyone’s drives, everyone’s passes, and everyone’s dodges.

Everything from defensive coordination to goal scoring was flawless due to our ability to communicate and trust our teammates on and off the field. The teamwork that every girl on the varsity field hockey team demonstrated allowed us to keep moving forward and to continue to play, even when we were losing.

Our ability to work together prevented the Gunnery from scoring that early goal. And in that instant we proved that we deserved to play in the championship game and had the will and drive to win it. We then went on to score three goals in less than five minutes just to prove our point.

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:39 PM

Page 39

Draft 9 (19APR14)

SPORTS

A Winning Season: The Parents’ View from the Sidelines by chris renzi p ’, ’, ’ and dana solms p ’ It has been nothing but an honor and a pleasure to watch this team grow, develop, and succeed in their quest to be crowned champions!

From the moment they step onto the field each and every day, the girls on the Holderness field hockey team embrace each other with love, respect, and confidence. Gentle hip checks, chest bumps, and stick clicks during games and during practices keep the girls connected; it is clear that they want to win, and they want to do it together.

Led by their captains, the girls began every game with a chant; the crowd and their opponents could only hear, “Day by day…getting better and better…’til we can’t be beat…won’t be beat!” The girls believed in this motto this year and they accomplished exactly what they cheered; but more importantly, they did it together with smiles on their faces.

During games against nmh, Groton, and Proctor early in the season, they proved that they had a stifling defense from the goalie out, the passing skills to make the ball move sharply and with purpose, and the shooting proficiency to generate successful goals during every game. Later on in the season there were nail biters against New Hampton and Kimball Union in which the skills of the Bulls were tested but proved adequate. By mid-season during games against Hebron, Proctor, and St. George’s, their intensity waned and inspiration only came late in the games when the girls had fallen behind. Fortunately, intense and tight - wins against larger schools like Milton and Cushing got the girls back on track. The season topper was the all-cylinders-firing effort on Tabor Day! The big, blue Bulls came out flying and did not stop until the final whistle; it was a great way to end the regular season and head into the nepsac tournament.

Over the last two years, this team has only lost two games, each time by only one goal. The

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

Katie Remien and her teammates perform their pregame rituals.

first defeat occurred during the  nepsac semi-finals against Winsor; Winsor scored an early goal, and the girls were not able to convert. I don’t think they ever lost the taste of that defeat. The second loss occurred this fall against Phillips Exeter Academy. The girls accepted the loss but once again, remembered that losing was not an option for the  nepsac finals. They had their sights set, and this was but a gentle reminder.

On the day of the finals, the temperature was moderate and a light drizzle fell. Unfortunately, it was too far for the Holderness student body to travel, so the girls were on their own. The crowd had no idea what to expect from the girls and their opponent, The Gunnery.

Within seconds of the whistle signaling the beginning of the game, Gunnery succeeded in getting inside the Bulls’ circle and firing a great shot on net. Our goalie made a fantastic save and the girls quickly realized their championship game had begun. While their teammates stood

arm-in-arm on the sideline cheering, Holderness took the ball down the field and scored. Within four minutes and  seconds, the Bulls were up by three goals and continued to play with intensity until they were up by six.

Every single member of the Holderness varsity field hockey team had an opportunity to play on the field during that championship game.

The girls should be just as proud of this achievement as they should be of the championship itself. These girls have truly earned their titles of Lakes Region champions and New England Prep School champions. They made watching field hockey the most exciting and thrilling past time over the past two years!

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

39

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:39 PM

Page 40

Draft 9 (19APR14)

SPORTS

“Like Nothing I Had Ever Done” Beyond the turf, the Holderness trails cut through the woods, up and over hills, across the contours of the unforgiving New Hampshire terrain. Trees line the wide, main trails, their dense lower branches often creating tangled walls of impenetrable green. But look carefully, and you’ll find other trails shooting into the woods. These trails are narrow and curve like long, serpentine snakes through the undergrowth. Occasionally, the trails are interrupted by narrow, one-lane bridges that span rocky creeks and deep gullies. In other places, the trails track right over fallen tree trunks and massive boulders, reveling in the challenges the natural obstacles create.

These trails are the work of the mountain biking team. And like their trails, the mountain biking team prefers not to draw attention to itself. The athletes ride deep in the woods, often off campus, and their races are rare. All season they push themselves physically and mentally to conquer the difficult jumps and natural objects they have built into their trails. And with the White Mountains and the Lakes Region in their backyard, the team has over  other trails to choose from as well, including well-known destinations like Franklin Falls and the Highland Mountain Bike Park. They also ride on lesserknown trails that they have learned about through word of mouth.

“It is so hard to pick a favorite memory of the season because of all the amazing days we had,” says Teagan Mosenthal, who joined the team this year and received the Most Improved Award at the end of the season. “From doing trail work to riding local hiking trails to going to a downhill bike park, everything we did offered new challenges and experiences that were like nothing I had ever done.”

And that is the ethos of the team—to try things one has never done before. While the group always includes new riders like Teagan as well as seasoned experts, the team’s primary goal is to encourage everyone to ride new

40

Carter Daume and Teagan Mosenthal at the start of the team’s race on the Holderness trails on Fall Spirit Day.

obstacles, take calculated risks, and imagine what is possible.

And while that can be sometimes overwhelming at first, the riders accomplish amazing things. “The first day of mountain biking was a disaster,” recalls Teagan. “The returning members of the team took all of the newcomers on what they considered ‘easy’ trails, however they were anything but. Staying on my bike for more than a minute at a time was nearly impossible; we were all concerned about how the season would go.”

But each day the riders piled into a Holderness van and sought new trails with new challenges, pushing themselves to try, even when the terrain was difficult. And by two weeks into the season, head coach Andrew Sheppe says with pride, everyone was able to keep up. “It is triumphant to watch a kid, who has looked at a jump or some other obstacle for months, finally find the courage and skill to do it,” says Andrew.

The team also spends a great deal of time digging in the dirt and wrestling rocks. On Thursdays, to give their bodies time to recover from long Wednesday trips, the riders leave their bikes at Bartsch, pick up their shovels, hammers, rakes, and clippers, and head off into the woods to work on their trails. While Andrew ultimately decides what trails to work on, the students have a great deal of input.

“Often when we’re riding we are spread out and there is little time to talk or hang out,” explains Andrew. “But trail work days allow students to socialize and relax.” And work. They rake leaves and lop limbs to make paths, shovel dirt to make jumps, hammer nails into planks to build bridges, and move rocks to create berms.

The end result, so far, is about eight kilometers of single track that challenges even the best Holderness riders.

“Our goal is to create enough trails that we can ride continuously for an hour on single track without having to repeat any parts,”

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:39 PM

Page 41

Draft 9 (19APR14)

SPORTS

LEFT: Holderness racers pursue a KUA athlete on the Upper Fields at Holderness. RIGHT: The mountain bike team poses for their team photo in front of Bartsch.

shares Andrew. They have about four more kilometers to go.

Started in  by Tiaan van der Linde ’, who also taught English at Holderness from  to , the mountain biking team was intentionally created to give students an alternative to competitive field sports. The team was small, and everyone was expected to have several years of single-track experience. Racing was limited.

And while Andrew believes that for the most part Tiann’s model is solid, he has a few tweaks he’d like to make that he hopes will be subtle but will take the riders to a new level.

First, he would like to expand the team and allow for riders with a wider range of ability.

“In the past there have been six to eight students in the program every fall,” Andrew explains. “This year there were , and we had to hire a second coach. By next year we are hoping to expand to .”

Andrew also hopes to increase the number of races the team attends. Within the Lakes

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

Region League, in which Holderness participates in other sports, there is a consistent race schedule throughout the fall on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Holderness mountain biking team occasionally participates but usually chooses instead to use Wednesdays and Saturdays to travel further from campus and ride for longer.

Andrew is willing, however, to change that schedule and pursue more racing because of other equally important skills. Andrew believes that racing more frequently will formalize the students’ training and increase their endurance and mental toughness. “Our riders are technically very skilled,” explains Andrew, “but their endurance is limited.”

Clark Macomber, who has been on the team for three years, admits that his coach is correct; he remembers their race against kua this past fall: “On the single track that was really technical, our team was able to outride kua. But in races sometimes that doesn’t matter because you can just get off and run the harder parts.

With racing, it is often more a matter of aerobic endurance than technical skill.”

The challenge next year will be to introduce the kind of training that will allow for better endurance while at the same time will include enough technical trail riding to maintain the riders’ skills. It will also be difficult to balance the program’s focus on trail work and team camaraderie with speed and serious competition. But Holderness students and their coaches rarely shy away from challenges, and the mountain biking team led by Andrew Sheppe is no exception; facing challenges is their specialty.

So next fall, watch for Holderness racers riding with the best in the Lakes Region League. But also be on the lookout for their tracks on obscure trails in the local woods; they’ll be the ones riding a jump again and again, honing their technical skills and cheering each other on to success.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

41

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:40 PM

Page 42

Draft 9 (19APR14)

SPORTS

LEFT: Tenth-grader Nate Sampo takes control of the ball in a game against KUA on Spirit Day. RIGHT: Junior Luke Randle steals the ball from a KUA player also during Spirit Day.

Boys’ JV (2 and 3) Soccer by john lin The Deuce and the Tre joined forces this season, and what a combined force they were!

Twenty-five players strong, this rag-tag bunch of fun-loving Bulls played a combined -game schedule, the most of any Holderness soccer team. Leading the herd were captains Jack Yanchitis, Henry Hall, and Lewis MundyShaw (who was also an Athlete of the Week for his good sportsmanship and consistent hard work). Every player made it onto the field for about the same amount of time this season, and we hope that the good competition and fun practices, which included some rambling up a few local peaks, will bring the herd thundering back for more next fall. We congratulate our teams’ Most Improved Players, Jesse Ransford ( JV) and Sam Mason ( JV), whose ball skills improved greatly, and our Coach’s Award winners, Geoff West ( JV) and Henry

42

Hall ( JV), two hard-working athletes who led by example.

Boys’ JV1 Soccer by george negroponte The boys’ JV soccer team had an excellent season, earning a -- record. With several upperclassmen and returners on the team, we hit our stride early in the season. The challenge became sustaining that high level of play.

Highlights included several dramatic victories; the tremendous comeback win over Exeter was perhaps the most impressive. One of our best overall games was a solid win on kua Day, and one of our toughest moments came roughly a week later during a crushing defeat to the same team after going up - in the first half. The loss was critical, teaching the boys to work together as a team and play a full game with focus and intensity. Special thanks to our captains, Jack Herrick and Luke Randle, who completed an excellent season last year and fell

right back into stride with one another this season. Congratulations to Jack Herrick who received the Coach’s Award, and Henry Sheffield, who played goalie for the first time this season and won the Most Improved Award. We are hoping that we get to coach some of these same players next year, but we know we will be losing many of them to the varsity team and graduation.

Boys’ Varsity Soccer by craig antonides ’ The boys’ varsity soccer team finished the regular season with an -- record. We had our usual rough start, playing a difficult schedule that put us at - early in the season. After a loss to VA on Parents’ Weekend, our chances of earning post-season play looked dim.

Thankfully, we had boys on this team who were in no way ready to throw in the towel, and they came to practice every day wanting to improve and start winning. That’s exactly what hap-

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:40 PM

Page 43

Draft 9 (19APR14)

SPORTS

LEFT TO RIGHT: Senior Parker Weekes fights for possession during a game against Exeter on the Turf; ninth-grader Elizabeth Osuchowski takes control of the ball on the Lower Fields during a girls’ JV soccer game; junior Abby Jones dribbles the ball away from KUA during a game on the Turf.

pened, as the team finished the second half of the season with a -- record, winning its final four games. The strong finish and strength of their schedule earned the team a berth in the nepsac Class C tournament where they faced off in the quarter finals against Concord Academy. Unfortunately, a loss in that game halted a run at the cup. The coaches can’t say enough good things about this team and the leadership shown by the captains and seniors.

Girls’ JV Soccer by erik ely The girls’ JV soccer program finished a successful  campaign with a winning record of --. With only three returning players from last year, the girls had to work hard in the first week of the season to get to know each other on and off the field. Fortunately, from day one it wasn’t a problem. A small group of local girls, who had already been playing together for a few seasons, led the charge; Liz Casey, Hannah

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

Fernandes, Chase McLane, and Ella Mure helped to establish team bonds even before the girls had set foot on the field for their first game.

Although the Bulls had no problems on the offensive half of the field, the defense was the key to the team’s success. Led by goalie Alexa Dannis—who gave up just  goals in  games—and assisted by Adrianna Quinn, Storm Thompkins, Ella Mure and Hannah Fernandes, the Bulls put up seven shutouts and were able to beat long-time rivals and perennial powerhouses like kua and Phillips Exeter. The offensive standout had to be first-year player and Most Improved Award recipient, Ella Butlig. Having no competitive soccer experience in her past, Butlig took to the game with ease and led the team with  goals for the year!

Holding both the offense and defense together was a solid midfield group. Cat McLaughlin, Elizabeth Osuchowski, Kayli Cutler, and Rachel Tejeda all shared time in the midfield and were the glue that held the potent offense and sting-

ing defense of the Bulls together. With this incredibly successful group of young girls, it may be that Holderness soccer will be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come.

Girls’ Varsity Soccer by kelly pope The girls’ varsity soccer team finished the season with six wins and ten losses. For the fourth year in a row the girls’ soccer program weathered a change in coaching staff; the seniors have had to adjust and readjust to new leadership each year. Despite these changes, this team has not missed a beat, thanks to the unwavering and consistently strong leadership of the seniors, particularly that of co-captain Lea Rice who received the Coach’s Award at the end of the season for her strong, vocal leadership and her solid play in net all season long. Her cocaptain Becky Begley led the team in points with six goals and four assists. The Bulls dropped very close games to eventual Lakes

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

43

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:40 PM

Page 44

Draft 9 (19APR14)

SPORTS

LEFT: Junior Jack Vatcher climbs at Rumney Cliffs. RIGHT: Ninth-grader Logan Kilfoyle leads the charge in a game against KUA on the Quad.

Region champions kua and Brewster. They also saw an impressive five-game winning streak in the middle of the season during which they outscored their opponents -. All the girls improved their game immensely, but the recipient of this year’s Most Improved Award went to Julia Thulander, who worked hard day in and day out and became a dangerous member of our attack. In general the team was young, and while six seniors will graduate this year, we look forward to more success next year as the younger players improve their skills and bond more closely as a team.

Rock Climbing by erik thatcher ’ This season saw a mix of new and old faces on the climbing team. In this ideal scenario, it was great to have returning students who “knew the ropes” and were able to help facilitate safe, fun days at the cliffs. At the same time, it was also great to be able to introduce new students to

44

the sport; they provided the energy and excitement only found in those who are discovering climbing for the first time. We were also blessed with incredible weather this season. If we couldn’t climb on any given day, it was just as likely that there was a need for rest, regardless of the weather. This season’s team got a thorough tour of the climbing routes in Rumney. While most days were spent down low at the Meadows and Parking Lot Wall, we were also able to explore the Black Jack and Pound Boulders, climb on exposed cliffs like New Wave, Main, and Jimmy Cliff, and even watch some strong climbers at Wiamea. To further their exposure, every student got to do a multi-pitch climb on -foot Cathedral Ledge as well as three days of crack climbing at Echo and Cathedral. This year’s Coach’s Award went to returning climber Chance Wright who was always willing to offer a belay and was enthusiastic no matter the day’s plan. With three new boys who quickly caught the climbing bug, it

was hard to choose just one who was the most improved. But despite his nomination for worst belayer of the year, the coaches decided to give Jack Vatcher the Most Improved Award. Jack showed the most determination to push himself to climb harder routes cleanly and showed a genuine passion for this sport.

JV Field Hockey by kelsey berry The JV field hockey team finished the season with a record of --. Senior captain Caroline Plante and junior captain Lily Hamblin, led the team of newcomers and experienced players.

The Coach’s Award was earned by ninth-grader Karina Bladon for her admirable drive to improve and her willingness to play whatever position was necessary, including goalie! The Most Improved Award went to a newcomer both to the sport of field hockey and to Holderness—Marytalia Nugnes. Mary worked hard to improve her stick skills and was a burst

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:41 PM

Page 45

Draft 9 (19APR14)

SPORTS

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: Coach Allie Skelley discusses strategy with the JV football team during half time; led by Ezra Cushing, the varsity bulls work for a touchdown against Tilton; Holderness and KUA fans cheer on their varsity field hockey teams on the Turf.

of energy whenever she was on the field. Many girls contributed to the success of the season; Aly Axman was a dominant force on the forward line, and Avery Morgan was a leader defensively. Although frustrated with two ties against Proctor, and losses to Gould, Exeter, and Tabor, the girls consistently played hard and developed their skills, showing enormous growth both individually and as a team.

Varsity Field Hockey by doonie brewer In August, we knew we had a special group—a complementary blend of abilities, skills, and personalities. With the lingering sting of an abrupt ending to last year’s strong season, there

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

was an air of determination from the first day of practice. Led by senior captains Tess O’Brien, Allie Renzi, and Hedi Droste, these players worked hard, played hard, and supported each other all season. Successes added up, pressure built—the monkey clung to our backs tighter and tighter. One single goal, scored by our opponent, helped us to focus on what was important—our game. In the end, the girls’ dedication and determination were rewarded with a New England Championship; one made all the sweeter because all  girls played an important role in that victory. Special thanks to our additional seniors—Megan Shenton, Coco Clemens, Sarah Garrett, Allie Solms, and Morgan Bayreuther.

JV Football by chris milmoe The  Holderness JV football season was an extraordinary success. The team went - with victories over St. Paul’s, Cardigan Mountain, and Proctor. The team ran an explosive offense under the guidance of offensive coordinator Alley Skelley, averaging  points a game. Quarterback Jack Brill was successful at distributing the ball to running backs Tyrese Cocking and Drew Hodson, while tight ends Sam Meau and Cole Potter stretched the field in the passing game. The offensive line was anchored by Ted Mello, Allen Jarabek, and Michael Page. Defensively the team ran an aggressive - scheme, attacking their oppo-

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

45

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:41 PM

Page 46

Draft 9 (19APR14)

SPORTS

LEFT: Varsity runner Cayla Penny heads into her final mile during a race at New Hampton. RIGHT: JV runner Young Soo Sung sets a quick pace through the corn fields during Moulton Farm’s 5K race in November.

nents any time they got the chance. Middle linebacker Henry “Hank” Day was the heart of the defense, leading the team in tackles.

Defensive coordinator Chris Milmoe also got great play out of nose tackle Perry KurkerMraz, defensive end Rory MacLeod, and cornerback Max Lash. It was an exciting season of which the boys can be proud.

year was beating Fairchester League CoChampion Kingswood Oxford in a thrilling - game. Thanks goes out to the senior class for showing great leadership and work ethic.

Corey Begley, Ezra Cushing, Adam Pettengill, Matty Thomas, Mike Hogervorst, Ray Jackson, Jason Nunez, Sam Paine, CJ Sansing, Stephen Wilk—thank you!

Varsity Football

Cross-Country Running

by rick eccleston ’ The  Holderness varsity football team ended the season -. They fought hard in every game and competed until the final whistle. The future looks good for the Bulls as the offense was led by freshman running back Ben Tessier. In addition, junior quarterback Liam O’Reilly was a constant threat through the air and on the ground. Praise must be granted to the offensive line made up of Corey Begley, Matty Thomas, Adam Pettengill, Jack Kinney, Sam Paine, and Joe Gillis. The highlight of the

by nicole glew The Holderness cross-country team racked up another season of terrific performances. The group was indisputably the hardest working and most spirited group the program has seen in many years. Their season-long diligence and camaraderie paid dividends as the team was rewarded with a Lakes Region Championship title for the boys, and Lakes Region runners-up honors for the girls. The formidable trio of Drew Houx, Charles Harker, and Dougie DeLuca effectively dominated the field to gar-

46

ner the top spots at every race. In the girls’ races, Kayla Penny, Hannah Slattery, and Greta Davis ran tough races, falling just short of the front-loaded team from kua. Buoyed by strong Lakes Region Championship performances, the team headed to St. George’s School in Rhode Island for the nepsac Championships (meanwhile the JV teams ran a culminating road race in Meredith, NH). Both teams, derailed by the insidious stomach bug, ran gutsy races but fell short of their end-of-season goals. As always, the big race was a terrific learning opportunity for the team and served as a benchmark for next season’s goals. Coaches Pat Casey, Nicole Glew, Chris Stigum, and Frank Cirone enjoyed working with such a dynamic and diligent collection of athletes and look forward to next fall!

Mountain Biking by andrew sheppe ’ We have several different ways to measure success in mountain biking. We work to ride faster

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:42 PM

Page 47

Draft 9 (19APR14)

SPORTS

Junior Jeremey Batchelder catches air off a jump on the Holderness trails.

and clear more obstacles. We try to find new challenges without taking unreasonable risks.

But ultimately, we are out there to enjoy the process, and no one does that better than Perry Craver, this year’s recipient of the Coach’s Award. Perry pushes himself, but does not get discouraged when he fails. He has his favorite rides, but he appreciates variety and never complains about a destination. Perry even gets a twinkle in his eye when his bike breaks, because he enjoys fixing it. In addition to riding the Holderness trails, we rode Mt. Prospect, Moody’s Trails in Campton, Rumney’s Rattlesnake, Holderness’ Rattlesnake, Fox Park, Franklin Falls, Page Hill, Ramblin View Farm, Blueberry Hill, Mt. Livermore, Waterville

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

Valley, and Smarts Brook. We also spent one day a week building single track courses on the Holderness trails, linking jumps, sharp turns, and single-track bridges that tested our technical skills. All of our new riders took great strides this year, but Teagan Mosenthal stood out as the Most Improved. She did not back down from challenges, and by the end of the season, she was completing climbs and clearing jumps before many of her teammates. The weather was fantastic, the bikes didn’t break any more than usual, and we only put the van in a ditch once. It was a great season.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

47

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:42 PM

Page 48

Draft 9 (19APR14)

UPDATE: CURRENT FACULTY AND STAFF

The Capacity to Love

Duane Ford on his return from Out Back in March of this year.

At a moment of tension, big or small, who do you think about? Yourself or others?

Holderness Dean of Students Duane Ford ’ knows that the most successful students are those who think of others first. And while he admits that some of us are more predisposed to caring for others, he believes students can be taught skills that can change their orientation.

He also believes that Holderness does a number of good things to develop caring citizens, but much of it is nebulous and undocumented.

So last year when he participated in the Van Otterloo Henderson Brewer Chair Program, Duane hoped to discover ways to develop and talk about citizenship that were tangible and could be systematically tracked.

“At Holderness we do a lot of things to develop good citizens and strong leaders—Out

48

Back, the Job Program, Special Programs,” says Duane, “but we don’t have a way to talk about them and we don’t have a way to give students feedback so that they can learn about leadership and reflect on what they are doing and not doing. I want to know if it can be systematically delivered and if it can, how to package it.”

Last year, while Frank Cirone filled in for him in the Dean’s Office and Allie Skelley covered for him in his dorm, Duane visited colleges up and down the East Coast. He visited Bowdoin, Colby, Williams, and many schools in the Boston area. He also spoke with people at the University of Maryland, where he learned about the National Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs. At Dartmouth he spoke with Director of Athletics and Holderness trustee Harry Sheehy, who has recently launched a new initiative at Dartmouth that seeks to integrate the athletic, academic, and personal goals of its students. Peak Performance is about supporting and educating students so that they learn healthy habits now that will allow them to live fulfilling lives and be leaders in their chosen fields.

“A lot of colleges are doing exactly what Dartmouth is doing,” says Duane. “They’re talking about nutrition and sleep and study skills and developing programs that coordinate all aspects of a student’s college career. But Dartmouth is the only school, to my knowledge, that is adding leadership into the mix. I think we can replicate what they are doing here at Holderness.”

At the secondary level, Duane spent time at Midland School in Los Olivos, CA, where Head of School Will Graham ’ has been drawing on his experiences at Holderness to develop his school’s leadership program through their own version of the Holderness Job Program.

“The amazing thing about their program is that their whole system is student-based,” Duane explains. “If a student doesn’t do his/her

job, there’s no school staff to cover. The students really have to buy in or the whole system fails.”

Coincidentally, while Duane was on sabbatical, Will Graham, who was also a classmate of Duane’s at Middlebury, was asking some of the same questions about leadership from a different angle. In an effort to express his appreciation for the leadership and guidance of his teammates and coaches in college, Will decided to make a movie, ultimately titled, Pass It On! The documentary brought together not just Duane and Will but many other members of their team.

“While I did a lot of reading and researching during my year away, I also spent a lot of time reconnecting with my friends who are in the independent school business and share my experiences,” explained Duane. With their help, Duane discovered a crucial factor that he believes determines a person’s commitment to leadership.

“The capacity to love seems to be the differentiator in leadership,” Duane wrote in a letter to his Middlebury coach. “All the other factors are within a statistical margin and really make them the same from team to team (organization to organization). There is a paradox in performing your job at a high level and at the same time really caring about group dynamics and your team’s performance.”

And as Duane shares in an interview in Will’s documentary, when a student gets in trouble at Holderness, once the facts are put aside, he almost always begins by asking the same questions. Do you want to be here? Do you care about this community? Who are the adults who you connect with? Those connections are vital to repairing, reconnecting, and making successful forward progress. Those same connections are important for leaders to establish; with care and connection to others, a leader can lead.

So what did Duane return to Holderness with? Above all, a sense of renewal. As most Chair Program recipients will attest, a year away from Holderness gives faculty a chance to slow down, learn something new, and reconsid-

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:42 PM

Page 49

Draft 9 (19APR14)

UPDATE: CURRENT FACULTY AND STAFF

er old ideas from new perspectives. It also provides faculty with the energy to establish new programs and revitalize old ones once they return to campus.

For Duane, his focus continues to be on the Job Program and leadership development.

While the Holderness Job Program works well and provides students with real-life situations in which their participation and leadership decisions matter, Duane continues to tweak it and make small improvements. Morning pantry and the shoveling of paths in the winter were given up a while ago (kids do after all need their sleep), but other jobs have taken their place. In recent years, a crew of  student workers have been charged with the task of organizing and facilitating the school’s recycling efforts; and this year four students were asked to work with the Communications Office. They have started a blog, helped with photography at numerous Holderness events, and have even written articles for this magazine (see page ).

Duane has also adopted a plan he calls the Delta Force. In the spring when leadership elections occur, there are often students who want to be leaders but are not given a chance. Duane encourages these students to look around campus, identify areas of need, and write proposals that explain what should be done. Students have responded with terrific ideas. Because of the Delta Force, there are now crews that clean the minibuses on a weekly basis and tidy up Weld as well.

But Duane’s biggest goal upon returning from his sabbatical has been to implement a citizenship report. “The report is being developed directly from the Holderness School leadership ballot students fill out in April every year,” says Duane. “Often students haven’t thought out the qualities that appear on the leadership ballot and are surprised when they don’t do well during the leadership elections. The citizenship reports, that will be filled out by faculty, their peers, and other members of the community, should give them regular feedback and opportunities to reflect on how others view their behavior and performance in many situations. If this report works, students

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

DUANE’S BOOK LIST In his search for a deeper understanding of leadership, Duane Ford did a great deal of reading during his sabbatical year. He began by focusing on leadership in athletics, moved on to books about the military, and finished the year reading about presidents. His list also expanded in other directions as people with whom he met suggested other books throughout the year. His daughter, a Middlebury coach, a US ski team coach, and a friend of a friend at a dinner party all contributed to the creation of the list below. r Exploring Leadership, by Richard Bolden, Beverly Hawkins, Jonathan Gosling, and Scott Taylor (2011). r Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else, by Geoff Colvin (2008). r The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance,

by David Epstein (2013). r Eye Witness to Power: The Essence of Leadership Nixon to Clinton, by David Gergen (2000). r Peak Performance: Inspirational Business Lessons from the World’s Top Sports Organizations, by Clive Gilson, Mike Pratt, Kevin Roberts, and Ed Weymes (2000). r Paid to Think: A Leader’s Toolkit for Redefining Your Furture, by David and Lorrie Goldsmith (2012). r Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin (2005). r Pass It On! by Will Graham ’72 (2012). r Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success, by Adam Grant (2013). r The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL, by Eric Greitens (2012). r When the Game Stands Tall: The Story of the De La Salle Spartans and Football’s Longest Winning Streak, by Neil Hayes (2003). r Thinking Body, Dancing Mind: Taosports for Extraordinary Performance in Athletics, Business and Life, by Chungliang Al Huang and Jerry Lynch (1994). r Paterno, by Joe Posnanski (2012). r Divergent, by Veronica Roth (2011). r How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, by Paul Tough (2013).

will no longer be surprised by leadership elections in the spring.” He is hoping the report will be in place next fall.

And that will be a tangible development, not just of Duane’s year in the Chair Program, but of the leadership program at Holderness; students will be able to understand what it means to be a leader at Holderness School and beyond.

However, there remains that elusive sense of love and care for the other guy that is difficult to quantify but that Duane found was crucial to developing leadership. Perhaps not all leadership qualities can be labeled and quantified, but their importance has been noted and will no doubt be taught to generations of Holderness students.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

49

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:42 PM

Page 50

Draft 9 (19APR14)

UPDATE: CURRENT FACULTY AND STAFF

Painting in Oz

During her year in Australia, art teacher Kathryn Field decided to connect with her community by painting portraits of residents of a local nursing home.

The photos above and on the facing page show both the works in process and the finished portraits. The image on the facing page at far right is a landscape painting of the Australian outback by Kathryn.

There are some opportunities that are just too good to pass up. Last winter, while art teacher Kathryn Field trudged through the snow at Holderness, her husband Leo was working in Australia where summer was just beginning. As his responsibilities extended from weeks into months, Kathryn wondered if it would be possible for her to spend the following year traveling with him. Not only would she be able to escape winter in New Hampshire for a year, but she would also be able to take art classes and explore art in a completely different part of the world. In April, she spoke with then Dean of Faculty Chris Day and with his blessing, began making plans to take a year off. In July, she packed her bags and started an incredible journey to the other side of the world. Below are excerpts from her emails from Sydney, Australia. july : Maybe they call this Oz because you couldn’t find anywhere further from home.

I am fascinated by the visual diversity and dynamic pulse of the city but get overloaded by the number of people everywhere. On a Sunday

50

night the streets are packed with people of all ages; the smells are hot and pungent, and the strains of different languages weave an exotic melody in the evening air. Leo and I have been walking miles, trying to figure out how to furnish our new loft space that we will move into in two weeks. I am very excited to get there and have a space to begin working again. The drawing classes have been great, but having a place to call home will make a big difference. august : Leo and I are trying hard to fit into the youthful and healthy culture of Sydney. We had a fun day walking for miles and stopping periodically for fruit, wine, or snacks. And last night we walked for almost three hours. We started at a photo exhibit on the construction of the Opera House, then headed for a walk around the harbor, discovering an area we had not yet explored. Later we hopped in a cab and went to another harbor area and had dinner at a Greek restaurant.

october : I have signed up for a portrait workshop with a woman who does four-foot portraits in watercolor. I am going along with two wonderful women whom I met at my drawing class, so I am very excited. I’m breaking out of the -inch box that I have been stuck in! Maybe this year will alter the path of my work. I am working toward something different, but I am just not sure where it is going. I always tell my students to be comfortable in chaos because that is where change comes from, so I have been trying to listen to my own teaching. october : For six days Leo and I have been visiting properties (see editor’s note) in the NW territory. For four of the days, Leo and his colleagues were in meetings, so I painted, taught in a local school for one morning, visited the Nauiyu aboriginal settlement, and viewed art at the Merrepen Arts, Culture and Language Aboriginal Corporation. For the last two days, Leo and I traveled with the family of the ceo of aaco to view about five different

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:42 PM

Page 51

Draft 9 (19APR14)

UPDATE: CURRENT FACULTY AND STAFF

I am working toward something different, but I am just not sure where it is going. I always tell my students to be comfortable in chaos because that is where change comes from, so I have been trying to listen to my own teaching. stations. On the first day we alternated travel between a helicopter and a truck. Of course, you can guess which mode of transportation I preferred—flight over wheels any day for me. It is very clear that if I lived in the outback I would become a pilot! november : I am doing volunteer work once a week at Gertrude Abbott Nursing Home painting portraits of the residents. I felt like I needed more to do and a way to get to know my community, so on a walk I stopped in the local nursing home and proposed this idea.

It took about a month to organize, but today is my second visit, and it went well. I was inspired by the portraits I did of the Holderness community, so I am working on three portraits of some of the residents.

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

I do miss teaching and my great classroom, but I am enjoying my freedom and flexibility. I still take classes two days a week and then have time for my studio work the other days.

Friendships are slowly developing which I am grateful for. november : Painting the seniors’ portraits has been very challenging because I never ask the participants to sit still. As I paint, other residents become interested and gather around creating a true sense of community and sharing. We all laugh and kid about the painting, my skills, the models’ beauty; the level of intimacy is very tender. I feel like art is a gift that is important to share, and this is my way of contributing to the community that I live in.

november : Great week working with my senior friends. I find their faces fascinating.

Cheers, Kathryn. december : Tomorrow we leave for Melbourne to stay with Leo’s friends who I like very much. Before we leave I am going to visit my friends in the nursing home and give them framed copies of their portraits, and Leo offered to go with me. None of the people that I have painted have family, so I thought it would be nice to pay them a visit. I have become very fond of them. editor’s note: Kathryn’s husband Leo works for the Australian Agricultural Company which is a world-leading provider of beef. With more than , head of cattle, the company operates  cattle stations, two feedlots and three farms across more than . million hectares of land across Queensland and the Northern Territory—an area three times the size of New Hampshire!

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

51

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:42 PM

Page 52

UPDATE: TRUSTEES

The Right Reverend Douglas Edwin Theuner: In Memoriam November , –November ,  “He was never afraid,” recalls current Bishop of New Hampshire Robert Hirschfeld. “He embodied this kind of fearlessness that can only come when you’ve become soaked in the love of God.” It is hard not to fall back on tradition – to speak of Bishop Theuner’s life, his fearlessness, and all that he accomplished. But, to do so would be to go against his wishes; in his own eulogy, which he wrote and recorded before he died, he said, “If my friends and colleagues have honored my wishes, it spares us all the usual well-intentioned, pious platitudes and humorous anecdotes which are quite pointless since they speak of the past when what we are about here is the future.”

Fair enough, no pious platitudes or pointless speeches that dwell on the past.

I do feel, however, that it is necessary to speak of the present and the future. Bishop Theuner’s accomplishments may remain in the past, but, to borrow a Christian phrase, the fruits of his labors continue to show forth even today. As the Bishop said in his own eulogy, “As we go through life, we make impressions upon the lives of others for good or ill. And, as we make impressions on the lives of others, we become part of their lives.” In Bishop Theuner’s case, his actions contributed to the health and welfare of many people and organizations in long-lasting ways that matter now and will continue to matter for years to come. Holderness School is one of those organizations.

Because of Bishop Theuner, Holderness School maintained its strong ties with the Episcopal Church. By charter in  the Bishop of New Hampshire was designated as the president of the Holderness School board of trustees, and through the years the bishops of New Hampshire have been quite involved with the school. Bishops Dallas, Hall, and Smith were all part of that tradition. When it was his turn, Bishop Theuner’s commitment to

52

Bishop Theuner during an All Saints’ Day service in the Holderness chapel in 2009.

Episcopal schools also led to strong ties with the White Mountain School (where his son attended) and the National Association of Episcopal Schools (where he served on the board). At Holderness his involvement at the board level gave him many opportunities to help establish long-term practices that cultivated the spiritual life and practices of the school.

“He was the catalyst and an active member of two spiritual life strategic planning retreats,” recalls Head of School Phil Peck. “He was active in over  commencements—giving the homily at the baccalaureate, doing the benediction, and enthusiastically handing out diplomas to our newly minted alumni. He was passionate about expanding the size of our chapel, and at every commencement service he would issue an invitation, saying ‘We would benefit tremendously by expanding the chapel, and if anyone is interested in helping with that sacred work, please talk with Mr. Peck or me.’”

Even towards the end of his life, his enthusiasm for Holderness’ future never failed. “When

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Randy Dales and I visited him two weeks before he passed away,” explains Phil, “we walked into the room and Doug lit up and said, ‘Holderness is here!’ He asked about lots of faculty, about the board members past and present, and talked about how excited he was that Rob Hirschfeld was totally engaged in the life of Holderness. He even asked how plans for the renovation were going.”

Bishop Thuener’s strongly held belief that Episcopal communion and worship were not just for those of the Episcopal faith is one of his most lasting legacies at Holderness. As former Headmaster Pete Woodward explains, rather than water down the Episcopal Church (its theology, faith, doctrine, and Prayer Book), Bishop Theuner focused on the fact that, in his perspective and practice, it was inclusive of other religions and faiths.

“For example, Doug and I agreed that to celebrate Christianity is to at the same time celebrate Judaism,” says Pete. While some in the Episcopal faith didn’t agree, Bishop Theuner’s

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:42 PM

Page 53

UPDATE: TRUSTEES

LEFT: The Bishop speaking at Commencement in 2008. RIGHT: Graduate Miles Sellyn receives a warm embrace along with his diploma in 2008.

personal conviction made sense, and continues to make sense, at Holderness where Jews, Catholics, Muslims, and agnostics sit shoulder to shoulder in chapel.

“Bishop Thuener’s message was all-inclusive,” shares Steve Solberg, who was the director of communications and is currently the chief operating officer of Holderness. “He helped students to understand that while much of what we do at Holderness is framed in the Episcopal tradition, it is much more about spirituality than about religion.” While most schools have given up altogether on the education of the spirit, Holderness students gather in the chapel twice a week, say grace at all sit-down dinners, and are required to take a semester of theology.

Because of Bishop Theuner, now and into the future, Holderness upholds these traditions and has committed to educating not just the mind and body but also the spirit of every student who attends.

Pete Woodward and his wife Kathy felt so strongly about Bishop Thuener’s contributions

to Holderness that they created an award in his memory that is presented at graduation every year. The Douglas E. Theuner Award is given to a person who has faithfully and generously served the school but who is not a graduate of the school. Recipients of the award have included Frank Aguilar, Ed Shanahan, Paul Gould, Pam Grey-Bennett, Richard and Gail Stevens, and Jim Brewer.

“Doug represented the strength and presence of God underlying and undergirding everything we did and were,” explains Pete. “I remain in deep gratitude for his inexhaustible gifts to Holderness School.”

In his eulogy, Bishop Theuner said, “I have always hoped that the sum of my life would be to have left this world just a little bit better than I found it, insofar as that may be possible for any of us. Whether that is the case is not for me to judge, but I go on to the next phase of life in the fond hope that it may be.”

While it may not be his place to judge, nor mine, I can say with confidence that there are

many people who still recall pieces of his advice and snippets of his sermons and use those words to move into the future. Soaked in the love of God, Bishop Theuner’s fearless approach to life was inspirational and transformative. A pious platitude? Perhaps. But it is also proof of the lasting impressions he made on those around him and a confirmation that he left the world a little better than he found it.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

53

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:42 PM

Page 54

Draft 9 (19APR14)

UPDATE: TRUSTEES

Saying “Goodbye,” or Perhaps Just “See You Later”

Tamar Pichette

Ellyn Paine Weisel ’87

Holderness has a way of attracting hard-working, passionate people to its board of trustees.

Tamar Pichette and Ellyn Paine Weisel ’, who have both served on the board for the last four years, are no exceptions.

Head of School Phil Peck describes both as possessing indomitable positive energy.

“They both are passionate about Holderness,” says Phil. “At the same time they are both very good at asking hard questions that help the school move forward.”

During her term on the board, Tamar served on both the School Life Committee and the Intellectual Life Committee. She helped envision and bring to life the : student to faculty ratio in all the dorms as well as the new student lounge in the west wing of Weld. She was also instrumental in introducing student participation to the School Life Committee and creating a model for those committee meetings that allowed for rich, meaningful discussions rather than simple, cursory updates.

“And during some of the toughest recent financial times,” Phil shares, “Tamar and her family were incredibly generous and gave us a

significant portion of the resources necessary to move forward with the first phase of the residential life plan. We couldn’t have built the new dorms without their help.”

For her part, Ellyn worked closely with Executive Director of Advancement and External Relations Robert Caldwell to restructure the Advancement Office. As Chair of the Advancement and External Relations Committee, Ellyn was instrumental in the launch of the current True Blue loyalty campaign and helped strengthen the school’s profile and brand presence.

“Ellyn brought broad development, marketing, and non-profit experience as well as a passion for spreading Holderness’ mission and message to alumni, parents, and families,” says Robert. “Her strategic vision, drive, and active involvement in all advancement areas have led to numerous successes, including significant growth in donor loyalty, number of donors, and total giving every year.”

Fortunately for Holderness, the women’s connections to the school go far beyond their years of service on the board. While Tamar’s

54

three children are all recent Holderness graduates (Mimi ’, Jules ’, Celine ’), Ellyn, along with many of her siblings, are alumni as well. These ties have helped bond Tamar and Ellyn to the school and made their : am conference calls on the West Coast a little more bearable (Trustee Executive Committee conference calls often used to occur at : am on the East Coast). They will also make it more difficult for them to say no when Holderness calls on their expertise in the future.

In fact, Phil has already asked Tamar to work with the board unofficially as they review and rewrite the school’s strategic plan, and Robert continues to rely on Ellyn to chair the Holderness Fund. She continues to provide leadership in designing, implementing, and evaluating programs that will help Holderness School build a long-term base of support while also raising maximum support.

So while we say goodbye and thank you for their official years of service, Holderness still relies on their expertise in less formal capacities.

Their vision, passion, and knowledge continue to be invaluable in shaping the direction and mission of the school.

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:42 PM

Page 55

Draft 9 (19APR14)

UPDATE: TRUSTEES

Andrew Sawyer ’79 Joins Board of Trustees

Andrew Sawyer

“Holderness gave me, without a doubt, the best education I have ever received,” says Andrew Sawyer ’. This is not a criticism of the other two institutions he attended but rather is an indication of the life-long impact this small school has had on him.

Andrew remembers traveling to ski races with Don Henderson and running the cross-country trails with Jay Stroud. He also remembers the strong friendships he developed with both his classmates and his teachers—many of whom he remains in contact with today.

“My teachers took a personal interest in me and were willing to work with me one-on-one,” says Andrew. “Holderness was, and continues to be, a special environment that doesn’t exist for me anywhere else.”

And fortunately for Holderness, this is probably why he returned  years later, to serve on the board of trustees. While he will claim that he brings very little additional knowledge or expertise to the board, others will disagree, particularly Chair of the Board Jim Hamblin.

“For the last few years, as a non-board member of the Investment Committee,

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

Andrew has brought us a wealth of expertise and careful guidance,” says Jim. “His experience as an investment professional, coupled with his status as an alumnus, gives him a unique appreciation for his role and for the importance the Holderness endowment plays in assuring the school’s future.”

After graduating from Holderness in , Andrew attended the University of Maine, where he raced on their Division I alpine ski team and received a BA in business administration and finance. In , he also earned his mba from Pace University. Andrew then served as a portfolio manager at TD Banknorth, the pension and investment manager at Raytheon, an investment analyst at Prime Buchholz & Associates, and the trust department head at Fuji Bank. Andrew is currently the chief investment officer for the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (mainepers). He is also a member of the Maine cfa Society and Boston Security Analysts Society.

In addition to his professional pursuits, Andrew serves on the board of several nonprofits. He is on the investment committee at MaineHealth, a nonprofit corporation devoted to building a family of healthcare services that offers high-quality, cost-efficient, preventive care. He is also on the board and the chair of the investment committee at the Mitchell Institute (established originally by Senator George Mitchell) that annually provides one graduate from each high school in Maine with a , scholarship for college.

While Andrew is excited to officially serve on the board—after all, he has attended every single investment committee meeting for the past two years—it is not because he has grand plans for Holderness or thinks the school needs to make significant changes.

“The school is already on the right track with its governance and its programs,” says Andrew. “The value I add is in the margins.”

Having said that, Andrew has a clear sense of what Holderness is and is not.

“We have to be careful to not be too many things to too many people,” he explains. “It will be important as we move forward and devise a new strategic plan to remember we are a toptier, small school with a focus of developing students with high moral character. Holderness is not just trying to create good students; we’re in the business of creating good people.”

And soon some of those good people may include his own sons. Andrew and his wife Tisha have three sons (Morgan , Alden , and Jackson ), all of whom are equally passionate about all things skiing and biking.

While the future is hard to predict, he is looking forward to touring Holderness with them and giving them a chance to experience Holderness for themselves.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

55

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:43 PM

Page 56

Draft 9 (19APR14)

UPDATE: TRUSTEES

What It Means to be a Servant Leader tive support and office space. Each fellow is expected to devote between  to  hours per week to individual pro bono projects from September  to June . The kinds of projects include: establishing a volunteer attorneys program; mentoring and training young lawyers; working with nonprofits on corporate governance; representing asylum seekers; expanding financial literacy; assisting with real estate matters; working to facilitate adoption of abused and neglected children; assisting the poor in preparing wills and health care proxies; and expanding urban agricultural opportunities.”

Fellows are expected to meet once a month with community leaders, legal services providers, and public interest organizations, and to share experiences and ideas to better assist the needs of the communities they will be serving.

Gary Spiess

“There’s no question,” says Phil Peck, “Gary models for his Holderness family what it means to be a servant leader.”

Gary Spiess was a member of the Holderness board of trustees from  until ; from – he was the chair of the committee. But Holderness continued to need his support, so he returned to the board in  and continues to play a vital role in the management of the school.

“He was the first board member to step off the board and then reengage again later as a full board member,” continues Phil. “His wisdom, historical perspective, and legal advice make him an invaluable member of the board.”

But Holderness is not the only organization to benefit from Gary’s advice and expertise.

This fall Gary was selected as a fellow to the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission.

The fellows partner with non-profit and legal service organizations on pro bono projects

56

throughout the Commonwealth. First launched in , the Access to Justice Commission enables experienced and accomplished attorneys who have retired, or are transitioning into retirement, an opportunity to provide critically needed legal assistance to under-served populations.

“Last year’s pilot program worked so well that this year we have increased the number of fellows from seven to twelve,” explained Justice Gants, who co-chairs the commission. “The success of this program in pairing attorneys transitioning into retirement with important pro bono projects has made it a national model, which will likely be replicated in other states.”

According to an article released by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, “The program is structured by partnering fellows with a legal services provider or non-profit organization of their choice. The non-profit will provide training and support while law firms will provide resources, such as administra-

INTERESTED IN NETWORKING WITH OTHER HOLDERNESS ALUMNI? Whether you want to network with classmates, get to know alumni in your area, or become a mentor, Net Directories is a great way to connect. To update your own profile or search the data base for other alumni go to: www.netdirectories.com/ ~holderness/login.cgi

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:53 PM

Page 57

Draft 9 (19APR14)

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

over 150 years ago, this man led his family to make an investment that is still paying dividends and is still directly impacting the learning experiences of Holderness students.

2 2 2

Please consider making a similar investment by becoming a member of the Balch Society at Holderness School.

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

the rev. lewis p. w. balch, jr., circa 1867

the balch society honors a group of forward-thinking individuals who support Holderness School by combining charitable giving goals with estate and ďŹ nancial planning goals.

When you make a planned gift, you creatively support the school, yourself, and your loved ones, while inspiring generosity in others. Joining the Balch Society involves no dues or solicitations, but members will be included in Balch Society communications and invited to participate in special events.

The most important beneďŹ ts? Giving Holderness School strength and providing educational opportunities for generations of students. Design a plan today that works for you and your family.

For more information, contact Pete Barnum, Director of Leadership Giving, at 603.779.5221 or pbarnum@holderness.org.

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:54 PM

Page 58

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

That Crazy Level of Commitment Nick ’08 and Alex ’06 Martini Street skiers and filmmakers Nick ’ and Alex ’ Martini release Mutiny, which dares to include content other urban ski movies have danced around.

First there was a kid and his brother on skis, twelve and fourteen or so, but they weren’t content to just ski. Instead they kept daring each other into see-if-you-can-top-this sorts of stunts. Skip ahead fifteen years or so to a January afternoon spent soaring between Boston’s skyscrapers in a helicopter and dipping into a snow-covered Fenway Park.

The common—and crucial—element to both memories? A videocamera.

Those stunt-skiing brothers were Nick and Alex Martini. In between stunts, they raced for the famous Franconia Ski Club. They drove back and forth with their parents—their father is current trustee Paul Martini—between the mountains and their home in Winchester, MA, and they began independent school at nearby Belmont Hill. Given the brothers’ affinity for snow sports, however, it was inevitable that they would transfer to Holderness.

And then their daredevil side led them into the world of free skiing, where—while they both attended the University of Colorado at Boulder on a part-time basis—they enjoyed rapid professional success. They were featured athletes in a number of different ski films, and as they acquired sponsors, they discovered they were acquiring something else as well: the connections, the resources, the support, and the experience to do what they had loved doing growing up—making their own ski movies.

“It was something we’d been doing on a recreational level all through our Holderness years,” Nick says, and alumni of that era remember those films—small vignettes of rebel attitude, terrain park and on-campus pyrotechnics, and amazingly high production values.

The activities may have been recreational (and

58

hair-raising), but the films themselves were something more.

So in  the brothers became partners in a film company: Stept Productions. “Why Stept?”

Nick says. “No, it doesn’t mean anything. We were young. We liked how it sounded.”

By now Stept has put out eleven films.

Network () won in the category of Best Amateur Film at the International Free Skiing Film Festival (iF). Weight () won Best Jib Film at the next iF. Their newest film, though—Mutiny—is their most ambitious project yet, and it’s not your usual sort of ski film.

As with Stept’s previous films, almost all the skiing is not on slopes, but rather in the midst of cities—off roofs, over monuments, down stairwell rails, and…well, you get the idea. “If you’re a big-mountain skier, maybe you want to go to Alaska, for example, to make a ski film,” Nick explains. “But if you do what we do, it can’t be just an ordinary terrain park. You need the challenge of a big-city environment.”

And these films all have back stories: arranging access to areas where, strictly speaking, it’s not legal to ski; setting up the stunts; and then dealing with the aftermath when—inevitably— some of the stunts go wrong and injuries are incurred. Mutiny dares to include all that.

“This is a more story-based film, done in a more documentary style,” Nick says. “It includes all the trials and tribulations, and because of that it’s definitely darker than our previous films.”

SkiMonster.com says, in its review of Mutiny, “Nick Martini and Cam Riley [who is both a director of and an actor in the movie] of Stept Productions have, once again, come out with yet another ‘Holy sh!t’ kind of hardcore urban ski movie that pushes the envelope of stomp-or-else consequences. Mutiny is unlike any other ski movie coming out this fall, and it shows how crazy the level of commitment has gotten with street skiing.”

In other words—after  days of shooting, much of it in Boston, including that skyscraperand-Fenway shot;  days of post-production

A scene from the trailer for Mutiny: height and grace amid the stony slopes of urban architecture.

work; and “some shenanigans that went horribly wrong,” Nick said in an interview with Powder magazine—Mutiny is deeper and more honest than anything else in its genre.

In another interview—on Freeskier.com— Nick was asked, given the danger inherent in what he and his crew are doing, to “rate what you guys do as a viable career alternative on a scale from one to ten.” Nick declined to do the math, saying, “No one in our crew will be jumping off buildings when we are sixty, and we are well aware of that. We all have things other than skiing going on in our lives and believe in a healthy mix. Personally, I believe most of us will be involved in the ski industry for a long time.”

The trick then—more important than all the other tricks—is staying healthy long enough to allow that involvement and make it to sixty. In the meantime, poised precariously on that razor edge between adrenaline and art, Nick and Alex Martini are making a new sort of statement.

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:54 PM

Page 59

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

Bagging—Metaphorically—Another Tall Peak Nat Faxon ’93 Actor/director/scriptwriter/comedian Nat Faxon ’ is the winner of the  Distinguished Alumnus Award. That caps a good summer for his new hit film.

“Anywhere else people might have made fun of a boy in small shorts and roller blades,” said Nat Faxon, who was once, when he arrived here, four feet tall and squeaky-voiced. “But not at Holderness. My individuality was embraced.

My sense of humor was encouraged. I was told to take risks and was rewarded for them.”

Nat shared this memory during an allschool assembly on the Friday of Homecoming and Reunion Weekend in September when he was presented with the  Distinguished Alumnus Award for outstanding leadership and service to one’s community or professional field. Nat also shared his surprise at being given the award. “Because I’m pretty sure,” he said, “you have to invent something or climb a very tall peak to get this.”

Inventions and tall peaks are helpful, but we don’t need to be literal. A terrific feature film screenplay is like an invention (or a mountain peak), and in  Nat won an even bigger award—an Oscar for “Best Adaptation”—by co-writing the script for the hit George Clooney film, The Descendants.

Since then there have been other peaks, with a valley in between. Last year Nat was cast as the male lead in a  Fox Network comedy, Ben and Kate. The show played to very warm reviews—particularly for Nat’s performance as ne’er-do-well brother Ben trying to change his spots for the sake of his sister Kate—but it was cancelled early in the season, in the midst of an episode shoot.

That disappointment, though, was followed immediately by the success of The Way, Way Back, one of the past summer’s hit films, which Nat co-wrote and co-directed with his friend Jim Rash. Starring Steve Carell and Toni Collette,

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

Nat Faxon appeared with his Holderness drama teacher, Martha Kesler, at an all-school assembly in September. Martha was in person, and Nat was on Skype from California.

the film—says the website Rotten Tomatoes— “makes use of its talented cast, finely tuned script, and an abundance of charm to deliver a funny and satisfying coming-of-age story.”

Jim Rash was also Nat’s co-writer on The Descendants script. The pair met as members of the famed Los Angeles comedy improv troupe, the Groundlings, and currently Rash can be seen as an eccentric college dean on the nbc sit-com Community. On the big screen, the success of the Faxon-Rash partnership has already elicited comparisons between them and the Coen brothers.

A place as competitive as Hollywood can be lonely, but thanks to this partnership, Nat doesn’t find it so. “There is something wonderful about experiencing this with somebody else,” Nat told Britain’s The Guardian last August (“Jim Rash and Nat Faxon On The Way, Way Back: ‘It’s a Rebirth,’” //).

“Having the lows together is comforting, and there’s something so gratifying about sharing the highs together.”

Fortunately for Nat, lately there have been more highs than lows, which have kept him

busy—and also prevented him from visiting Holderness in person. Instead, that Friday assembly appearance was made possible via Skype. But while it was mid-morning at Holderness, it was still very early morning in southern California; on the big screen in Hagerman Auditorium, Nat sipped his first cup of coffee, as his three children photobombed his computer camera. And after trading stories with his beloved drama teacher Martha Kesler, who retired from Holderness in , Nat finished his visit by speaking directly to the students.

“Know that everything you’re taught here will have a profound influence on your life,” Nat said. “That goes for the moments when you’re encouraged and supported, to the moments that seem challenging or slightly confusing at the time. Being on morning serving in the winter was very difficult for me, but it gave me some of the resolve I needed to stay in this industry. All of your experiences here are part of what will make you who you are.”

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

59

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:54 PM

Page 60

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

The Art of Well-Being Jay Mead ’78 Artist Jay Mead ’ is creating the sort of work— and leading the sort of life—where questions of politics, energy, environment, and art share a common answer in the principles of sustainability.

One cannot accuse Jay Mead of creating art for art’s sake—at least not only for art’s sake. There is humanity to think about as well, and all the trouble we get into. In the late ’s and early ’s, when Jay was studying art at Dartmouth College, such trouble included the Reagan administration’s covert actions in Central America and Dartmouth’s investments in South African corporations that endorsed apartheid.

“I very vividly remember seeing and being part of the Bread and Puppet Theater performances on the Hanover Green at Dartmouth,” Jay says. “It was my first real exposure to art as a means for social change. I saw that you didn’t necessarily have to preach. Instead you could make statements through imagery, statements that were also fun and whimsical. And funny thing—the police were never negative to people who were animating giant puppets.”

Then there’s also art for nature’s sake. Jay grew up immersed in nature, pruning branches and planting seedlings on a Christmas tree farm on the shores of Squam Lake. That was after Jay’s architect father had moved the family away from a troubled public school system in Massachusetts to land owned by Jay’s grandmother; it also happened to be close to a good independent school.

As a day student at Holderness, Jay came home evenings and weekends to work on the tree farm and learn firsthand the ethos of sustainability that lies at the heart of farming—and about the inherent beauty of trees as well. In front of Jay’s house a lovely spreading elm had succumbed to Dutch elm disease. The tree was supposed to come down, but Jay prevailed upon his parents to leave its trunk standing.

60

LEFT: The old pavilion Jay renovated and filled with a forest of birch trees. The pavilion was part of this year’s Sculpturefest, an exhibition mounted annually in Woodstock, VT. RIGHT: The stump that Jay made from discarded redwood timber. On display in San Francisco, the installation called attention to California’s destruction of its redwood forests.

Once he graduated from Dartmouth and came back to the Lakes Region to teach art at Holderness, as he did through much of the ’s, that tree stump became his first big sculptural piece. “It was abstract,” Jay laughs. “I carved it so that it resembled a giant Celtic rune, I guess, and hollowed it out enough so you could sit inside.”

During that time Jay joined Bread and Puppet as a puppeteer at several large demonstrations in New York and Washington, DC. Then, in , he moved to San Francisco and became a core member of the Wise Fool Puppet Intervention troupe, a sort of Breadand-Puppet West that similarly combines theater and social activism.

It was there that the sort of environmental art Jay had first practiced by Squam Lake blossomed into the art of environmental activism.

“Found Stump,” done for the San Francisco Arts Commission, had more than a passing resemblance to that transfigured elm—twenty feet high, a naked trunk raised in the middle of

the city. But this one was made entirely of discarded redwood lumber, and therefore disturbingly suggestive of the headlong destruction of the state’s redwood forests.

Meanwhile the Wise Fools staged skits on issues of multiculturalism, aids/hiv, the societal impacts of capitalism, and the second Iraq War. The latter two subjects shared common ground with matters of oil consumption and its effects on the environment. Politics, energy, environmentalism, and art all became more firmly superimposed on each other in Jay’s mind.

In  Jay moved—with his wife and two boys—to Cobb Hill, a cohousing community in Hartland, VT. Also a working farm, Cobb Hill is dedicated to living as lightly and sustainably on its land as possible. Meanwhile Jay’s art was moving more and more out of the gallery and into the outdoors. “When I had work in galleries, I missed having a dialogue with an audience,” he says. “Public art, on the other hand, in either performance or installation

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:54 PM

Page 61

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

Radiating Cheerfulness form, seems to be more about connecting directly with people.”

For the past ten years, Jay has been one of the artists exhibiting at Sculpturefest, which is mounted annually, from Labor Day through the fall, in the fields and barns of two farms in Woodstock, VT. This year’s installation, “The Forest Within,” began with a crumbling summer pavilion that Jay restored and then filled with an artificial grove of limbless white saplings.

Jay’s friend Peter Heller, author of the acclaimed debut novel The Dog Stars (Vintage, ), describes the installation as follows: “The old pavilion suddenly looked like it would burst its seams with pride. Because it was now a shadow box that held a forest. A ghost forest. A forest of birch at night, or aspen. It was a little church, and inside danced the rows of slender luminous trees, and it was a sepulcher also, and the forest was skeletal, a photographic negative of the living world, what it may become.”

Jay’s is the sort of art that is both a warning of what the world might become and a celebration of what it is—and therefore wide enough in its force to straddle both danger and delight.

And it flows out of an ethos that made him a natural for a  Fellowship for Leaders in Arts and Culture from the Rockwood Leadership Institute. There Jay is even further refining the skills in vision and communication necessary for community leaders in the arts, says the rli, who are “concerned with the wellbeing of humanity and the biosphere.”

Jay sometimes feels that the phrase “art work” is a misnomer—that “heart work” is what it really involves. In Jay Mead’s heart are both a civil human community living within its means, and a world of healthy, flourishing forests. You might call it art for sustainability’s sake. editor’s note: Forest Within image courtesy of Carla Kimball.

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

“A Reef Forever,” hand-cut paper and acrylics,

by Sine Morse

Sine Morse ’88 Sine Morse ’ did a lot of cutting and coloring paper with her small children when they were young. Mia and Max may have outgrown that, but Sine hasn’t. Now she’s brightening the Pacific Northwest.

A few years ago—once her two small children were attending school full-time, and she wasn’t doing so much cutting and paper-coloring anymore—Sine Morse thought about school for herself.

She had gone to Colorado University at Boulder with a love of snow sports and to accomplish a combined major in psychology and biology. She was on the pre-med track then and primed for a career in medicine. But now she was thinking more in terms of a graduate

degree in child psychology and work with abused or neglected children.

But somehow that never happened. “Instead I went back to kindergarten,” Sine laughs, which means that she just went on cutting and coloring. But that’s worked out alright for a self-taught artist who is now one of the bright new lights in the Portland, OR, arts community.

“No, I never took art past the eighth grade,” Sine admits. “I grew up in Aspen and was mostly into Nordic skiing at Holderness. At CU I got sidetracked into snowboarding. So then I got a job with Wave Rave, which makes snowboarding clothing—I worked in international sales for them—and then ran my own snowboard retail shop in Boulder for six years.”

Then there was some time spent doing property management on the thousand-acre Aspen ranch of film producer Peter Guber. By then her family had mostly moved out of Colorado, and in —with her husband Mark and their youngest only four months old—she made what she calls “a blind move” to Portland. They knew only that the city was manageably small, with Mt. Hood, the Pacific, and wine country nearby.

Then some combination of nature and nurture took over.

“My dad was a woodworker, and I grew up watching my mother do art all the time,” she says. “And once the kids were in school, I realized how much I enjoyed simply cutting things out, and painting them, and assembling them.

As a personality I’m very Type A, and also very meticulous. So cutting paper? Well, you don’t need a lot of skill, actually, but you do need time and patience because it’s kind of tedious.

And I find it has become a sort of meditation practice for me.”

So instead of cut-paper artifacts to entertain Mia and Max (now  and , respectively), she began to make artifacts to entertain adults. But don’t look for the influence of, say, Henri Matisse in her work; look instead for the effect CONTINUED ON PAGE 62

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

61

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:54 PM

Page 62

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

“Into the Evening,” hand-cut paper and acrylics, by Sine Morse.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 61 of the three-dimensional pop-up books she loved growing up in Aspen and that she shared with her own kids.

She uses watercolor paper, because it’s thick and malleable and cuts only with scissors— never an x-acto knife. Then she paints in acrylic and builds layered or rolled pieces that occupy a borderland between two and three dimensions, sometimes as stand-alone works, sometimes as displays inside shadow boxes.

In whatever setting, their elements—almost always drawn from nature—are so intricate and impeccably crisp that it’s hard to believe that they’re cut from paper. The technique is very grown up, but the artistry conveys a wide-eyed wonder at the world, and a sense of fun, that recalls all the best parts of kindergarten.

“Her work is enchanting and whimsical,” says Portland’s Pearl Gallery, which offers original Morses for sale, “and her brightly colored

62

unique creations depict a natural world that pops with vivid life.”

It makes perfect sense, then, that a Morse work is hanging in the Portland Children’s Hospital. She is also on the roster of contem-

hood,” wrote Portland artist/blogger R.B. Richter last November. “Having encountered her and her bright and delightful work a few times in the past couple years, I was jazzed! So over the hills and into the wilds of SE Portland

Their elements are so intricate and impeccably crisp that it’s hard to believe that they’re cut from paper. porary Portland artists whose art is available for sale (or rental) from the Portland Art Museum.

Thinking back to that leap from Colorado, Sine says now, “Portland fit requirements we didn’t even know we had.” One such requirement—who knew?—would be a local arts scene that would welcome meditations as idiosyncratic as these.

Ah, but it does. “Recently I got a wonderful surprise in my mailbox: an invitation to Sine Morse’s opening at Suzette Creperie in Portland’s charming SE Belmont neighbor-

to check it out. And it was well worth it!

Beyond how sweet a person she is, the show looked good: she’s got the whole space and has a wide variety of subjects and prices on the walls.”

So she could have been a child psychologist working with troubled kids. Instead she’s using a child’s psychology, and the spiritual discipline of a perfectionist, to create works that, in the words of the American Crafts Council, “radiate cheerfulness.”

That helps too.

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:55 PM

Page 63

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

Stand By Your Man

Jeremy Foley during a press conference in 2010.

Jeremy Foley ’70 Jeremy Foley ’, says Sports Illustrated, is “the most respected athletic director in the profession.”

But in refusing to abandon a besieged football coach, he may be putting it all at risk.

Things change fast at the top of the pecking order in college football. Last year the new head coach at the University of Florida—a man hired by Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley—was a genius. The Gators went - and nearly won a national title. Later Coach Will Muschamp was voted Southeast Conference Coach of the Year.

This year, as of the beginning of December, the Gators were -, not heading for a bowl game, and coming off a humiliating - thrashing by arch-rival Florida State. The fans, the boosters, and many in the media wanted

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

Muschamp fired. But Jeremy didn’t back off a statement he made following an early loss to Vanderbilt: “I’m a thousand percent convinced that Will Muschamp is the guy to lead this football program.”

Sports Illustrated analyst Pete Thamel—who writes SI’s “Inside College Football” column— has called that “a bold and wildly unpopular endorsement,” and added in his November th column that Jeremy has “put his legacy on the line by standing by his man.”

Of course part of that legacy, Thamel concedes, involves a history of bold and controversial moves. Says Thamel, “Foley hired Billy Donovan [to coach men’s basketball] in  when many thought Donovan was too young. He swayed Urban Meyer to choose Florida over Notre Dame in  [to coach football] when no one thought a spread offense

would work in the sec. Those hires led to four national titles between the two.”

Jeremy has also displayed a willingness to correct a mistake as soon as it’s apparent.

“Foley’s decision to fire Ron Zook [who was hired to replace Meyer] in October  was considered controversial because of its timing,” Thamel writes. “In retrospect, it was genius.”

That genius-like success at the helm of Gator athletics has been apparent since the beginning. Jeremy rose from clerking in the Florida athletic ticket office in  to Director of Athletics in . Since then Florida’s has become the only Division I program to win multiple national championships in the marquee sports of football and men’s basketball; overall, Gator athletic teams have won  national crowns.

Jeremy’s is one of the few athletic departments to run a profit, and the program posts impressive numbers in graduation rate, public service, and Academic All-Americans. Thamel calls Jeremy “the most respected athletic director in the profession.”

But it seems that just as a football coach can lose his luster very quickly, so too can an athletic director. It should be pointed out that Muschamp’s roster has been ravaged by injuries, with eight starters missing, for example, in a loss to Georgia Southern.

“The  season will play out a lot like usc’s this fall,” Thamel writes, “with every move magnified through the prism of a coach on the hot seat. If the Gators slip again, it could be an excruciating season filled with empty seats and heated vitriol.”

Jeremy continues to brush away the vitriol directed this season at Muschamp and maintains that last year’s conference Coach of the Year is still a good coach.

He’s taking a stand on behalf of a man he believes in—which, in the right sort of world, should even further burnish his legacy, no matter what happens.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

63

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:55 PM

Page 64

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

Opening a Path Through Dyslexia Dr. Elizabeth Norton ’01 Dr. Elizabeth Norton ’ is the co-author of a paper that suggests a crucial advance in our understanding of dyslexia. It all began with a tough choice between the joys of literature or science.

At Holderness Liz Norton had a hard time figuring what excited her more—literature or science. And because of that, the world may soon be identifying—and treating—dyslexia in children sooner and more effectively than ever.

Sometimes things just work out well.

First there was Norm Walker’s freshman English class, which nurtured in her a passion

sort of major: the Landmark School, in Prides Crossing, MA, where the focus is on students with language-based learning disabilities.

Foremost among these is dyslexia, which affects around ten percent of the U.S. population.

“These are very bright kids,” she says. “They just have trouble reading. I was there just a year, though. I was glad to get the teaching experience, but I found that I missed doing research.”

So in  she began a doctoral program at Tufts in child development. She completed that doctorate last year, with the help of an advisor, doing collaborative work in cognitive neuroscience at mit’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research. And that has led to a position for Liz

Dyslexia isn’t just a tendency to get letters reversed: it’s any difficulty in learning to read that can’t be explained by problems in vision, hearing, or the

Liz Norton’s paper in The Journal of

opportunity to learn. — DR. ELIZABETH NORTON

opened up a whole new avenue of research

Neuroscience on the roots of dyslexia has and possible treatment.

for language and literature, making her think she wanted to be a writer. Then there was Chris Little’s chemistry class, and Paul Elkins and Katie Gamble’s biology classes. Maybe she wanted to be a scientist instead.

At Dartmouth she decided to go with science and began a pre-med program there. But a course on language acquisition in children suggested that words and numbers, language and science, weren’t necessarily such exclusive categories. Finally, she fused them together into a self-designed major on language development and the brain.

“The science piece, language, writing—it all came together in that major,” she says, “which was built around course-work in areas like psychology, education, neuroscience, and linguistics. I loved it.”

But then what do you do with it? She started out teaching in a place well-suited for that

64

as a post-doctoral fellow at the McGovern Institute.

Which is where her doctoral research ripened into a paper—“Tracking the Roots of Reading Ability”—that’s been getting a lot of buzz in the science world and the media since its publication last August in The Journal of Neuroscience. “Dyslexia isn’t just a tendency to get letters reversed,” says Liz, who is one of the paper’s two lead authors. “It’s any difficulty in learning to read that can’t be explained by problems in vision, hearing, or the opportunity to learn.”

Right now dyslexia can’t be reliably diagnosed until the second grade, which is when kids are expected to be reading, but some immediately fail. Liz and her collaborators wondered if there might be something in the structure or circuitry of the brain—something that might show up in images, say, from an mri

or eeg—that would indicate a predisposition to dyslexia, and so allow earlier intervention.

One of the remarkable things about Liz’s study is how many children it involves. “We went to  different schools throughout Massachusetts, and offered to do free screenings of the pre-reading skills that relate to dyslexia,” she says. “In return we were allowed to ask the parents of the children who participated in the screening to volunteer their kids for brain imaging. We have  children in the study, and that’s huge. Most studies in the field involve maybe sixteen to twenty.”

Even more remarkable are the study’s dramatic early results. The kindergarten screenings involved several behavioral tests with sounds and letters. One focused on phonological awareness—the ability to identify and manipulate the individual sounds of a word. “Of course the first step in reading is to match printed let-

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:55 PM

Page 65

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

standing written and spoken language). No one knew, however, whether that smaller pathway was a cause, a symptom, or a result of dyslexia.

The fact that the condition is seen in children who haven’t yet started to read—and that it so consistently links up to trouble with phonemes—suggests strongly that it might in fact be a cause, or at least serve as an accurate early predictor for reading difficulty.

Now the serious testing begins, as these kindergarteners are tracked into the second grade and the beginning of formal reading instruction. More papers are to come. “I’ve got steady work for the next three years,” Liz laughs.

Timing may not be everything in language skills, but it nearly is. If teachers and parents know who might be dyslexic at an early age, they’ll also know who needs extra practice in phonological awareness. That just might be enough to strengthen that pathway, to widen it, and save millions of bright kids from years of frustration.

If that happens, while we’re cheering for Liz, let’s not forget to thank Mr. Walker, Mr. Little, Dr. Gamble, and Mr. Elkins. editor’s note: Photographs courtesy of Justin Knight.

Liz prepares a child for one of the brain scans that can help predict which children have a predisposition for dyslexia.

ters with the sounds that you know exist in a word,” Liz says.

Interestingly, trouble on this test correlates strongly with a certain sort of brain scan. “We already know that adults with dyslexia display

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

less size and organization in a certain pathway in the brain,” she says.

This is the arcuate fasciculus, a white-matter structure that connects Broca’s area (involved in speech production) to Wernicke’s area (under-

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

65

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:55 PM

Page 66

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

First the Marshalls, then Manhattan Chip Ellis ’65 Chip Ellis ’ has held a lot of different jobs over the years. The latest involves a new source of energy that just might solve this global warming problem.

Back in the s—following the Arab oil embargo, soaring petroleum prices, and long lines of impatient drivers at American filling stations—the US government funded a study on the commercial feasibility of a little-known form of alternative energy: ocean thermal energy conversion (otec). otec, however, wasn’t a new idea. In  French scientist Arsene D’Arsonval theorized that if you took a liquid with a very low boiling point—like ammonia—and used warm tropical sea water to boil it, the ammonia’s increase in volume (in going from liquid to gas) would create great pressure in a confined chamber. That pressure could then be released to turn a turbine and generate electrical power. Next take cold sea water from the ocean floor to cool the ammonia, and you’ve begun a cycle that can be repeated for, well, as long as the oceans roll.

Fifty years later, in Cuba, D’Arsonval’s theory was tested and proven. But no one was much interested at a time when petroleum was cheap and the infrastructure of a petroleum-based economy was being raised all over the world.

That s embargo signaled the end of cheap petroleum but not the end of that sort of economy, which of course still thrives. That government study on otec, which took place in the waters of Hawaii, ultimately concluded that D’Arsonval’s old idea in fact was commercially, as well as technically, feasible. Then the government money ran out, the embargo ended, and the world went on pumping gas.

Meanwhile young Chip Ellis was finding his way. He grew up in Hanover, NH, the son of a Brown-educated engineer, with an interest in science. From Holderness he went to Brown.

There he was no longer the smartest scientist in

66

Chip Ellis’s job as general manager of Energy Harvesting Systems has made him one of the key players in the development of a technology that draws energy from the ocean.

the room, and he found himself beguiled by a new love instead—theater.

He stayed at Brown only a year before joining a Providence theater group. Later in  Chip moved to Hawaii for work in theater, tel-

ent sorts of financial management positions for an Internet applications service provider, a software development company, a telephone utility, a group of radio stations, and a waterfront construction firm.

Wherever it begins, the technology promises a vast supply of renewable, non-polluting energy. evision, and television production. Eventually he joined a company pioneering the new technology of cable television. “As so often happens with successful pioneers,” Chip says, “we ended up being bought out by aol/Time-Warner.”

In  it was back to school in an entirely new sort of field—an mba in finance and cpa credentials in accounting from the University of Hawaii. With that Chip continued in the sort of career that fills out many pages on a resume.

Going back just to , Chip has held differ-

At the moment he’s got two jobs. He’s director of finance for Hawai’i Health Connector, a nonprofit helping insurance providers and customers link up under the terms of the Affordable Care Act. And he’s the general manager of a little company called Energy Harvesting Systems.

One of the unforeseen consequences of the petroleum economy has been the buildup of carbon in the atmosphere—leading to what increasingly looks like real climate change and a

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:56 PM

Page 67

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

well-documented rise in ocean levels as glaciers and ice caps melt. If you want a close-up look at the peril of rising ocean levels, plan a trip to the south Pacific’s Marshall Islands. Kwajalein Atoll, for example, is only a few meters above sea level, and during high tides now portions of its occupied lands are awash. “The Marshall Islands,” wrote London’s Guardian in November, “are in peril of being the first country obliterated by climate change.”

Kwajalein is also, like much of the rest of the Marshalls, strapped by unemployment, high energy costs, and shortages of drinking water. But the sea water threatening to drown it is warm and tropical, and Chip Ellis is among those hoping that this little piece of besieged real estate—so remote that the US used it for testing nuclear bombs in the s—might be the place where a new economic paradigm could begin to emerge.

Energy Harvesting Systems is the brainchild of two Honolulu entrepreneur/engineers, Dr. Alfred A. Yee and Dr. Hans Krock, the latter also a University of Hawaii faculty member.

They and their general manager are hammering out a deal with the Marshall Islands government to build an otec platform—perhaps the world’s first—off the coast of Kwajalein.

“It’s just the perfect location,” Chip says. “The temperature differential in the water is outstanding, the wind and sea conditions are favorable, and we’d have a reliable market in a place where electricity now is diesel-generated and where petroleum costs are particularly high.”

One has to use that word “perhaps” because of the one great obstacle to otec technology: how much it costs up front to build the platform and get it going. This little capital project has a price tag of  million.

It helps that the US military has a base on Kwajalein. That means the Pentagon is interested as well and is playing a large role in the talks. Nonetheless, it may be that the world’s first otec platform will be built by the Lockheed Corporation, negotiating now with

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

An OTC platform such as this costs $500 million to build, but the potential rewards, both locally and world-wide, are much greater than that.

the Chinese government to float one off China’s Hainan Island.

Wherever it begins, the technology promises a vast supply of renewable, non-polluting energy. “You can site any number of these platforms within a few miles of each other so long as you’ve got water that’s a thousand meters deep,” Chip says. “Each one can generate a humongous supply of electricity that’s exportable. And one of the byproducts of this process is hydrogen.”

And that, more than cheap electricity, is the key to the st century. “With hydrogen you’ve got something that so dwarfs the energy potential of petroleum that in thirty to fifty years people are going to be incredulous that we ever used oil,” Chip says. “Which makes it very possible that the Marshall Islands can be this century’s Saudi Arabia.”

And no place on Earth could benefit more from an otec platform than the Marshalls.

Another by-product of the technology, if desired, is de-salinated water. So the project offers local jobs, abundant electricity, and clean water for all that nation’s islands; for the rest of the world, it just might provide an escape from greenhouse gasses.

Chip says he is very encouraged by the way talks are going so far: “We hope to have an actionable agreement in place next year and a fully operational platform in three to four years.”

If so, this restless job seeker may have found something he can settle into for a while—which would be good not just for the lowlands of the south Pacific but also for Manhattan.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

67

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:56 PM

Page 68

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

Going Backcountry Bruce Edgerly ’78 Not many business owners can claim that their inspiration came from an avalanche. But that is just what happened to Bruce Edgerly ’ as he developed his first outdoor equipment store in the early ’s.

Tracker dts. Arsenal Shovel with ABlade and cm Saw. Float  Airbag Backpack. Stealth  Probe. At first glance the product names in the Backcountry Access online catalog read like nasa’s next moon landing packing list. This is serious-sounding equipment; these are sophisticated tools, engineered for threatening conditions. But take a second look and the landscape of their website starts to look friendlier and more familiar, more like the kind of gear you might aspire to own—now that your New Year’s resolution is to get back into shape and get off the beaten path. There are photos of epic powder runs, awe-inspiring landscapes, and even an entire educational section on backcountry safety. Okay, you think, I can be a part of this. I can do this.

Backcountry Access, Inc. (bca) and its avalanche safety products are the -year-old brainchild of Holderness alumnus Bruce Edgerly and his co-founder Bruce McGowan.

You could say their company is just one more of those cool, innovative, game-changing ideas that got its start in a garage—because it did— but you’d have to add that it also traces its origins to an avalanche, differentiating it just a little bit from say, Apple, or Nirvana.

Ask Bruce Edgerly (“Edge”) about the avalanche that inspired his company, and he doesn’t hesitate: “It was January ,  at Berthoud Pass, Colorado. I got completely buried in an avalanche and had to be rescued by my partner.” Edgerly and McGowan had just started their company and were field-testing a prototype for their first product—a ski touring binding accessory called the Alpine Trekker.

The accident “stirred the pot a little bit,” says Edgerly. “It gave us the internal resolve to

68

Bruce Edgerly wearing an airbag-equipped backpack. The airbag helps someone caught in a slide to remain on top of an avalanche and also reduces neck and head trauma.

launch an entire product line involving avalanche safety.” They partnered with a “whiz kid” friend, John Hereford, who helped them develop their Tracker dts avalanche transceiver.

Four years later it came to fruition.

In fact, the Tracker dts revolutionized the backcountry skiing industry. As the world’s first digital avalanche transceiver, it made avalanche rescues much easier for the typical recreational skier. Before that, transceivers were mainly used by specialists such as patrollers, guides, and transportation workers. bca was one of a handful of companies to get in on the ground floor.

Recently, the company was purchased by

Seattle-based K Sports, whose ceo calls bca “a leader in research, engineering, and snowsafety education.”

Turning adversity into momentum is something Bruce Edgerly has been doing since his teens. When his parents moved to Miami, FL at the peak of his “Bobby Orr inspired” hockey passion, he managed to convince them to send him to Holderness. “It was one of the greatest moves my parents ever made to get me out of Miami and up to New Hampshire,” he says.

Edgerly applied himself over his three years, winning the coveted Clarkson Award, which is awarded to that student who is fully engaged in

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:56 PM

Page 69

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

“Edge” field tests BCA’s Float 42 airbag in January, 2014 on a business trip to Niseko, Japan. Photo by J Rayne.

the life of the school and takes advantage of the school’s opportunities. While “Edge” played hockey during his Holderness career, it was also a chance to keep skiing. “I had learned to ski at Wildcat by trying (and failing) to keep up with my older brothers. At Holderness I sometimes hopped on the ‘wrecked’ (normally called ‘Rec’) ski bus in the afternoon when we had night hockey practice. And I remember hitting the Holderness ski jump pretty hard, sometimes starting up in the trees above the start.” Later, at Brown University, skiing would beat out hockey for Edgerly’s interest. After two years of JV hockey and a year off ski bumming at Alta, UT, he joined the school’s ski team. To this day he skis every weekend and

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

saves one day a week for ski touring—not to mention the occasional “business trip” to Jackson Hole, British Columbia, or Chamonix.

Not surprisingly, Edgerly’s love of the backcountry has its origins at Holderness as well: “I was on Out Back with Bill Burke—the coolest teacher ever. We laughed all the way from Plymouth to Lancaster.” It helped that Burke was Edgerly’s hockey coach too. But Burke wasn’t his only mentor. “I was already kind of hooked on outdoor activities because of Bill Biddle,” says Edgerly. “I remember a trip to Mount Lafayette in early February in brutal mid-winter conditions. The snow was deep and the view incredible, and I fell in love with being out in it—it was a big day for me.” Edgerly even

stuck around New Hampshire in the summers to work on an all-Holderness trail crew for the Appalachian Mountain Club, also organized by Biddle—“a lot of hard work and black flies but high adventure too,” Edgerly recalls.

These days Edgerly concerns himself with making sure those high adventurers stay safe.

What’s new in snow safety, he says, involves human behavior. “It’s not really about digging snow pits anymore or assessing the snow stability—it’s about communicating and planning and having a functional group. What causes problems is not a lack of knowledge but a lack of good planning and communication.” bca has always had a focus on education— Edgerly says education is as important as gear—and what that means lately is working on communication tools. The company is making a new two-way-radio, for example, a specialized, winterized version called the BC Link. Another thing they’re doing is working closely with an organization called aiare (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education) on an iPhone app that provides tour planning and communication tools. “We take pride in not just selling products, but in educating people, contributing to our industry, and especially saving lives,” says Edgerly.

Speaking of the industry—Holderness is a big part of it. “I run into people from Holderness everywhere,” laughs Edgerly. “They’re all over the place. We have a common bond that connects us when we run into each other in the aisles at trade shows. I often see Holderness folks like [ski mountaineer] Chris Davenport, [Skiing Magazine editor] Sam Bass, and [Teton Gravity Research co-founder] Steve Jones at least once a year. I feel like I never left!” editor’s note: Photos are courtesy of Backcountry Access, Inc.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

69

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:59 PM

Page 70

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI EVENTS

Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2013

70

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

2:00 PM

Page 71

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI EVENTS

Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2013 began on Friday evening with a celebration at Biederman’s Pub where everyone had a chance to catch up and reconnect. Saturday was a beautiful day for a picnic lunch behind Weld, and the games on the athletic fields kept us entertained throughout the afternoon. On Saturday evening there were dinner receptions both at the Common Man and in Weld Dining Hall. Those that dined at the Common Man were fortunate to have two special guests in attendance—Velvet Elvis and Justin Bieber. It was great to have everyone on campus, and we hope to see some of you again next year!

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

71

19APR14_Departments_Alumni_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

2:02 PM

Page 72

Draft 9 (19APR14)

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

2013 Distinguished Service Awards

ABOVE: Phil Peck presenting the Distinguished Service Award to Alex McCormick ’88. AT RIGHT: Geoge Textor ’63 receiving his award at the 50th Reunion dinner in Weld Dining Hall.

72

Holderness School’s Distinguished Service Award was established  years ago to honor an alumnus or alumna in a reunion class who, through devotion and dedicated service, has significantly and positively affected the health and well-being of Holderness School.

Service comes in different forms over the course of a lifetime, so beginning this year, the school will present two such awards annually, recognizing both an individual from the th reunion class or older, as well as an individual from a younger class.

The first recipient of the  Distinguished Service Award is George C. Textor ’. George has long exemplified success in business, community life, and family life. By committing his time and energy to Holderness, he has helped to make our school a more successful enterprise. George’s work as class correspondent, reunion volunteer, and class agent represent only a fraction of his support. In addition to contributing to the Holderness Fund for  of his  years since graduation, George also has opened his home to countless alumni, parents,

and friends—helping connect those of our Holderness family residing in the greater Seattle area.

Alex MacCormick ’ received our second  Distinguished Service Award. Referred to by his peers as the “great connector,” Alex has long been a deeply engaged member of his class and of the school community. Acting as a donor, a class agent, a class correspondent, a reunion volunteer, an event host, and an attendee of almost everything Holderness, Alex consistently aspires to make Holderness a stronger and better place. For his recent th reunion, Alex worked tirelessly to bring together his classmates–both physically, as they celebrated on campus at the Alumni Homecoming Reunion, and symbolically, with  of his class contributing to the Holderness Fund. Alex’s reputation for energy and inspiration precedes him in the larger Holderness community.

Congratulations, Alex and George, for your service to and support of our school. You are models for us all.

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by9.0 inches wide.

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 73

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

Milestones IN MEMORIAM Douglass B. Auer ’56 June 12, 2013 Lee C. Bright ’49 May 1, 2013 Clinton B. Dyer ’74 November 17, 2012 Richard David Gray ’59 July 13, 2013 Peter B. Frenning ’48 September 28, 2013 Justin P. Orr ’59 July 9, 2013 James F. Robinson ’63 November 10, 2012 Eric R. Rush ’95 June 17, 2013

ALUMNI BIRTHS Lindsay Garre Bierwirth ’93 and Fred Bierwirth: Harriet Pierce Bierwirth, June 25, 2013 Sean Clifford ’00 and Brandy Clifford: Colton Pierce Clifford, May 20, 2013 Kellan Florio ’01 and Diana Zotos Florio: Zoe Elizabeth Florio, July 3, 2013 Rachel Cooke Foley ’04 and Michael “Jay” Foley: Connor Foley, October 28, 2013 John Glidden ’01 and Keri Brace: Harrison Jack Glidden, June 29, 2013 John Hamilton ’98 and Elizabeth Hamilton: Channing Elizabeth Hamilton, August 6, 2012 Katie Sweeney Lepak ’00 and Pete Lepak: Tyler Patrick Lepak, July 25, 2013

New faculty and staff children: Ava Carmella Herring and her big sister Penelope; Hadley Lynn Lewis

Kourtney Brim Martin ’07 and Stephen Martin ’07: Mitchell Stephen Martin, June 21, 2013 Andrew McGann ’04 and Katie McGann: Owen Thomas McGann, August 18, 2013 Kevin Meier ’96 and Amy Meier: Lillian Kay Meier, June 25, 2013 Page Connolly Minshall ’99 and Thad Minshall: Thaddeus MacLeod Minshall Jr., June 19, 2013 Tim O’Donnell ’00 and Jacqueline O’Donnell: Coradina O’Donnell, February 27, 2013 Ginny Kingman Schreiber ’93 and Christopher Schreiber:

SHARE YOUR NEWS! Have you recently encountered a milestone in your life?

Share your news with your classmates! Please contact Amy Woods at alumni@holderness.org.

Wesley Schreiber, June 28, 2013 Andre Tennille ’01 and Leah Tennille: Andre Townsend Tennille IV, September 8, 2013

FACULTY AND STAFF BIRTHS Emily and Robert Caldwell: Geoffrey England Caldwell and Carder Caldwell, February 7, 2014 Jena and Andrew Herring: Ava Carmella Herring, September 22, 2013 Renee and Tyler Lewis: Hadley Lynn Lewis, August 16, 2013

MARRIAGES William “Blake” Barber ’01 and Kristen Henning, Warren, VT, September 7, 2013 Levi Doria ’00 and Joanna Fontaine, May 18, 2013 Devon Douglas ’99 and Thomas Leahy, Stowe, VT, August 25, 2013 Sheila Finnegan ’82 and Tim First, August 18, 2013

David Grilk ’09 and Stephanie MacDougall, Montreal, Canada, July 29, 2013 Marta Heinen ’04 and Justin Robinson, July 27, 2013 Kate Hendel ’96 and Laurence Paik, Virginia, July 26, 2013 Devin Hewitt ’03 and Assem Sapanova, August 17, 2013 Michael Heyward ’07 and Olga Betre, December 26, 2013 Allycia Kimball ’05 and Matt Waxman, July 21, 2013 Brendan Murphy ’03 and Etifwork Yirga Ahmed, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, May 11, 2013 Allison Neal ’04 and Scott Graham, County Clare, Ireland, October 11, 2013 Martynas Pocius ’05 and Viktrija Kunauskaite, June 27, 2013 Meg Rapelye ’97 and Kate Goguen, Boston, MA, November 29, 2013 Sam Rigby ’03 and Laura French, June 15, 2013 Brooke Saba ’05 and Brendan McDowell, Holderness, NH, September 7, 2013

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

73

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 74

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

’45 Harry Emmons writes, “As I approached my 87th year, Roz and I made the big move in July to condominium living by moving three miles north from Darien to New Canaan, CT. We’re two blocks from downtown and love the convenience of being close to all activities, not to mention the pleasure of not worrying about yard maintenance. I’d like to hear from any classmate. My new address is: 97 South Avenue, Apt. A, New Canaan, CT 06840.”

Jim McKee ’35 at 97 years young.

’35 Jim McKee just celebrated his 97th birthday! He continues to live in his own home and can be found with his nose in a book at any given moment.

’35–’40 Want to connect with your classmates? Consider becoming a Class Correspondent and encourage your classmates to reconnect in the HST Class Notes. For more information, contact us at alumni@holderness.org. Thank you!

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Harry Emmons ’45 emmonshr@gmail.com

’46 Want to connect with your classmates? Consider becoming a Class Correspondent and encourage your classmates to reconnect in the HST Class Notes. For more information, contact us at alumni@holderness.org. Thank you!

’47 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Bill Briggs ’47 912.927.0408 matdalenadriggs@ymail.com

’41

’48

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Dick Marden ’41 rgmarden@gmail.com

Rik Clark writes, “The much anticipated 65th reunion took place September 20–22, 2013, as part of Alumni Homecoming weekend. This was a change from the 60th reunion which took place in June of 2008 after the end of the school’s academic year.

Being at Holderness while school was in session was great—an opportunity to interact with administration, faculty, and students. Holderness is one of the finest independent schools in the

’42–’44 Want to connect with your classmates? Consider becoming a Class Correspondent and encourage your classmates to reconnect in the HST Class Notes. For more information, contact us at alumni@holderness.org. Thank you!

74

country, and it was a treat to see it in action. Classmate Paul Wilson and his wife Bess joined Sandy and me for the reunion.

Dean Mullavey had hoped to come down from Canada but a car accident not far from home left him shaken up. His car was damaged as well, but both are now okay. Will there be a 70th reunion in 2018? Stay tuned.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Rik Clark ’48 508.428.5262 capeclarks@aol.com

’49 (reunion) Outside of the usual health issues, this year for Pat and Jim “Tex” Coulter has become the year of the dogs: “Our kids vacation and travel with our grandchildren, leaving us to the dogs so to speak. The neighbors think we’ve started a dog walking service. Those frisky pets are like squirming kids—full of energy and wanting affection and attention 24/7. Yes, relentless. The upside is that the animals wake us early each morning to take us for walks.

The dogs seem to know we aren’t getting enough exercise. Best to Holderness, especially the ’49ers.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Bill Baskin ’49 203.488.0566 Willliam_c_baskin@sbcglobal.net

’50 Frank M. Hammond writes, “Upon graduating from Holderness in 1950, I started at Northeastern University in Boston and lived with my aunt and uncle in Cambridge. During that year, I spent a lot of time with Bigelow Green, who was going to Tufts, and Roy Krebs, who was attending Harvard. After completing my

freshman year, I dropped out of college and moved to NYC where I shared an apartment with my sister Pat on Morningside Drive in Manhattan. I took a job in the mail room of an advertising agency owned by one of my father’s former patients. My time in NYC in the early fifties was pretty uneventful. I took a few evening courses but did little to continue my college education. In the spring of 1953, I volunteered for the draft and ended up at Fort Dix where I did my basic training and went on to military police school. From there I was shipped to the Far East and was assigned to an MP company in Pusan, Korea, where I remained and completed my tour of duty. I was separated from the service in the early spring of 1955. The years from ’55 to ’60 were fairly unproductive as I move from job to job in NYC until I met my present wife, Squidge (Ann), who helped me focus on my future and encouraged me to return to school and finish college. I graduated from Columbia University, finally, and we moved to New Hampshire and settled in the college town of New London. I started teaching at a public school in Sunapee, a delightful little community the next town over from where we lived. I liked the staff, students, and parents so much that I stayed at the Sunapee Middle/High School for the rest of my career, finally retiring in 1995 after 32 years of service.

During those years, I also became involved in the environmental movement and was invited to be the executive director of the Lake Sunapee Protective Association.

Our organization supported water testing programs and lobbied the state legislature and the national Congress to support bills written to help us fulfill our mission. I’ve been retired for 18 years during

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 75

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

which time I have allowed for extensive reading and some writing. Because of my interest in foreign policy issues, I also accepted a position as an educational coordinator of the New Hampshire Council on World Affairs. For several years I traveled around the state organizing student and teacher conferences.

It was a rewarding experience because I was able to bring educators together with politicians, diplomats, and professors from UNH, along with other colleges specializing in foreign affairs. It amazes me how easily one can gain access to the rich educational and political resources that are at hand in this state of ours. On a lighter note, during those earlier years, I teamed up with a few people, and we started a jazz group call The Four Fakers. Two of us lived up to the name with very little effort. I played the piano in the key of C major only, staying away from the black keys as much as possible and operating with a very limited choice of chords, much to the chagrin of a respectful audience. Fortunately, the other members of the Four Fakers were musicians who reckoned with the group’s artistic shortcomings with patience and good humor; we were able to get away with covering up our mistakes with an aggressive drummer who knew just when to strum longer and harder while the dysfunctional members of the group were doing their solos. And finally, permit me to brag about my family which I hope my classmates will do as well when they prepare their autobiographical profiles. Our daughter, Bebe, is married to Jim Casey. They have two children; Henry is going into his sophomore year at the Landmark School in Massachusetts, and Megan is currently in the eighth grade. Their parents

have done a magnificent job of raising them. Our daughter, Bebe, has much on her plate, because in addition to raising a family, she has been very successful in selling title insurance. Our son-in-law works for US Customs in Boston and makes the 90-minute commute from New London, New Hampshire, without complaint every day. At the risk of rambling any further, I’m signing off. We’re blessed to have these fond memories to treasure and keep us old-timers ‘propped up’ a little longer”…Bill (Chico) L. Laird writes, “I think it was about February of senior year when the letter came from Bates College in Lewiston, ME congratulating me on my participation in the New England Secondary School Debating Invitational that Bates hosted the previous spring. They added that if I cared to apply for admission as a freshman in the Bates Class of 1954, they’d waive the SATs! In short, my fiancee, Carolann McKesson, and I both graduated four years later. WOW— a sheep skin, a wife-to-be, a draft-postponed education, and a great time! But Uncle Sam was right behind me as I received my diploma, and less than a month later, I was on my way to Fort Dix, NJ. Because of a leg injury, I was classified “non-combat,” and spent the rest of my Army time at Fort Monmouth, NJ, single handedly defending the state of New Jersey! My civilian career was all insurance—although in many different shapes and forms. I started with the Marine Dept. of Aetna Casualty and Surety Company in Hartford in July 0f ’56. When I left in ’66 to go into the agency business, I had been in eight different offices from Milwaukee to Washington, DC and points between. Everyone ought to start and run their own business once (that’s enough!). The front porch

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

of our home in Batavia, IL became my office in November of ’66; when I went to the john, the agency was closed. Fourteen years later, I had earned the CPCU designation, was a past president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois and the State National Director, and had merged with the largest agency in Kane County. Then we sold that agency to a national broker, Corroon and Black. I took early retirement from Corroon where I was Senior VP of Marketing in ’94 (I now think they were down-sizing, but that term wasn’t in vogue).

We stayed right here in Middle Tennessee—love it! The kids visit from Chicago and Atlanta and hate to leave to go back home. We weren’t born here, but we got here as soon as we could!”

a bit then got a job with a 250year-old Amsterdam trading company focusing on China and Japan. He writes, “They sent me to Tokyo, where I have lived happily for the last forty years, most of the time working for Sony. My wife Mikie and I have two children, who each have two children of their own. They all live in San Francisco but want to get back to Tokyo; this is difficult because the Japanese economy is at present somewhat somnambulant. I often think of Holderness, the sweet New Hampshire countryside, and Joe Abbey, who somehow taught me that words could stun. I have written four books about Tokyo and have a website: www.tokyohometown.blogspot.jp.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Frank Hammond ’50 603.526.6001 fhammond64@comcast.net

Bill Lofquist writes that Kim Mason is yet another classmate turned successful entrepreneur.

After Holderness, Kim graduated from Bowdoin College in 1958 with a major in economics. A ROTC product, he spent three months at Fort Benning, GA and then finished up with troop duty at Fort Dix, NJ. In 1961 Kim became employed by Armstrong World Industries, a building materials firm. He spent eight years split between Lansing, MI and Minneapolis, MN. In 1969 he switched fields, joining the Honeywell Corporation’s Information Systems Division. He worked out of Wellesley, MA, and engaged in sales and marketing until 1991. Finding a niche in the software information field, Kim formed his own company, KMA Associates, in 1992, a firm specializing in venture software startups.

Retiring in 2001, he turned the firm over to his son, Chris, and moved to a farm in Paris, ME. Kim is active in community affairs, working as vice chairperson of the

’51 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Bill Summers ’51 603.523.7817 bfparadise@earthlink.net

’52 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Al Teele ’52 859.734.3625

’53 Want to connect with your classmates? Consider becoming a Class Correspondent and encourage your classmates to reconnect in the HST Class Notes. For more information, contact us at alumni@holderness.org. Thank you!

After graduating from Princeton, Rick Kennedy kicked around for

’54 (reunion)

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

75

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 76

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

Oxford Hills Growth Council and fundraising for the McLaughlin Garden Foundation. Both Masons are involved with Wolfe’s Neck Farm, a 646-acre saltwater farm dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture. Kim refuses to leave Maine, moving first to Freeport in 2003 and then to Falmouth in 2010. Thankfully for us, he found Holderness and New Hampshire in 1952.

CLASS CORESPONDENT Bill Lofquist ’54 808.744.7419 btlofquist@hawaiiantel.net

’55 Bill Byers finds himself in the woods. He writes poetically, “The forest seems to grow by leaps.

Red spruce, fir, and white pine suddenly pop up in a throng.

They crowd each other, so I go with chain saw in hand to effect a polite distance; the junk trees are weeded. We seek a three-generation forest. It grows ever outward into fields and has to be cut back.

Spruce, fir, and pine get cut to yield greens for wreaths, swags, and decorations. These are gifted to Arts of Tolland as well as to several churches. In years to come, my boys and nephews will market saw logs; right now we cut the trees my father worked. Woods are to be within. A best time happens as snow starts its first fall.

Flakes whisper down amongst the needles. Bows gently sough. So it is as 78 approaches. A gift!”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Bill Byers ’55 wbyers1@comcast.net

’56 Tom Anthony writes, “Can’t say I’ve been doing a lot new. I continuing to write a good deal and

76

am revising a book I wrote last spring. I have decided that as 75 looms, I am retired as a singer. I still break into song when moved to, but no longer seek out performances. Susan and I are joining writer/daughter Jessica in Lucca, Italy next May. For a month before, Jess will be ensconced at a writer’s residency in Bogliasco, Italy. She will meet us afterwards for a couple of weeks. Daughter Kate has just opened an expanded chocolate shop that is taking more time than she has, but we are full of admiration for her dedication. I also have added a new title: “Grandfather of a Hockey Player.”

Remembering my own stumbling efforts on the rink next to Hoit House, I can scarcely believe it. I must say it’s a good thing we’re retired, or we wouldn’t have time to do everything. Instead of wondering how it all got done before retirement, I now know that it didn’t. Oh, and there’s woodworking. It always seems as if there’s something else to be built or repaired. My general view is that if something needs to be built, then the coast of Maine is the place to do it—besides, there’s a pretty fine hardwood lumberyard just down the road. Several years ago, I gave up running after 33 years; my knees made it clear that this was a chapter now closed.

But I missed the high, so I bought a road bike this summer and gradually am getting back into the routine. The high is still achievable, after 15 miles or so!”…Dick Stone writes, “We continue to spend summers in Newport, ME and winters in Fort Myers, FL. We enjoy being on the water in both places. This fall we did take a trip with another couple. It was an eight-day river cruise on the Danube River, starting in Budapest, Hungary and continuing through Austria and ending in

Nuremburg, Germany. We lived on a ‘long boat’ which was over 400 feet long but only had 160 passengers. We enjoyed it more than a lot of ocean trips as it was more intimate. We cruised some days and some nights, but took side tours each day. During the trip, we went through over 25 locks, rising over 1,000 feet total.

We were very impressed with the old buildings, churches, and castles, including one palace that had 1,000 rooms. The architecture and statuary were also amazing.” …Dick Meyer adds, “I know I’m getting old. Almost exactly a year ago (it is December as I write this) I had surgery for a torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder. This was from doing overhead work with a fairly heavy portable drill. The surgery went fine, and the only noticeable after effect has been a weakness in that arm, especially when attempting to lift something overhead or to push outward such as opening a heavy door. All this because I continue as a volunteer restoring antique narrow-gauge railroad cars in downtown Portland, ME, right on the waterfront in the historic Portland Company complex of buildings. There is job security in this because there is no train shed, and the wooden cars deteriorate faster than my crew can repair them. Daphne continues her volunteer work every Tuesday at the Naples Public Library, giving walking tours of downtown Portland for the Maine Historical Society; she is also a docent in the Portland Observatory for the Greater Portland Landmarks Organization.

This is a 200-year-old, 86-foot wooden tower, on Munjoy Hill, erected to allow the observance of returning ships as they first enter Casco Bay. In August we hosted our 50th anniversary party at the Naples, ME American Legion Hall.

We were afraid no one would

come to Maine for the actual anniversary in April, but about 75 showed up in the middle of summer (after all, this is the heart of the lakes region).”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Dick Meyer ’56 richard419@roadrunner.com

’57 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Frederick Ellison ’57 greatspeak03@yahoo.com

’58 Greetings. Hoping you will have a good winter and that we can meet next year or at least share some ideas. Dave Boynton reports that he had a recurrence of leukemia (end of August) and presently is undergoing chemo treatments with plans to whip the disease once again and make next year’s party! He writes, “I am a patient of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and fly down from Jacksonville once per month for a week’s worth of treatment. I’m hopeful that these trips will lead to a stem cell transplant. The doctors are encouraged and I’m making progress. Other than that, I play a lot of golf (not very well) and travel the roads between Jacksonville, Raleigh, Atlanta, and Richmond visiting our eight grandchildren. I stay in touch on a regular basis with George Pransky and Bob Weiss. We are looking forward to a visit from Bob in February. I enjoy getting the Holderness updates and hearing all about our classmates. I definitely plan to see everyone next fall.”…Tim Dewart said, “Since retiring eight years ago from designing and producing backgrounds for advertising media, I have taken up the part time role of being a tour direc-

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 77

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

tor/guide in the Boston area. I enrolled in an educational course to learn the field, then got my NYC license and started doing tours in the Boston and NYC area for groups of young students from abroad. Recently, I enrolled as a Boston by Foot Guide, basically just to learn more about Boston’s notable architecture. I’m trying to stay fit mowing the lawn and working out at the gym. Annie and I get away to our cottage on the St. Lawrence River in an old village called Tadoussac in the summer and fall, but most of the time we can be found in Beverly.

Tony Dyer lives a half hour away and has been very hospitable, providing us with humorous chats and a meal or two thrown in. A recent highlight for my wife and me was a week-long visit to Cuba on a special People-to-People cultural visa. The pictures I took can be found on my website: www. tourwithtim.com.” (They are well worth seeing! CK)… John Greenman has thought a lot about his years at Holderness. It is said that the teenage years are critical, formative years: “Clearly, this was true of me. Memory has smoothed out many of the rough spots from my four years at Holderness, but some still linger in the mind to teach and inform me. My Holderness experience became for me a model which reflected the values of integrity and commitment, faith and courage. Not that I always lived up to them, but I strove to do so as did my fellow students at school. Holderness was my home away from home, my school family. It was difficult to move on, but impossible not to move on.

Because of that experience, I recognized a good teacher when I found one, and I found the further education I needed. I approached challenges in life from an intellectual perspective

which allowed me to see what my options were and enjoy my work even more. Because of the school’s religious commitment, I also became aware of a spiritual dimension in all that I did. So, I am glad of my deep affection for Holderness. The love I experienced there has indeed been reduplicated over and over again in events of my life and people I have met. So, in a sense, the values of the school really did go with me and will forever remain a part of me. Thank you, Holderness School, for all you have done and all you continue to do.”… Bruce Lundgren wrote from Koblenz, Germany on his way to Amsterdam via a river boat cruise that originated in Vienna. From there, he flew to Barcelona and boarded a Celebrity Line cruise ship en route to Ft. Lauderdale.

They returned home on December 9, having left on November 9: “After nine years of teaching tennis at a girls’ camp in Maine, I’m calling it quits. I’ll be 75 next summer, and I find myself slowing down while the campers seem to be getting younger. It’s also time to sell our Maine cottage as we want to spend more time travelling while we are relatively healthy.”… Doug Rand said that his life is pretty quiet, but it sounds very interesting to me. He writes, “I have been living very close to NYC (New Rochelle) for the last ten years with my second wife, Ruth Hogue Angeletti, who is soon to retire from her research work in proteomics (it is not in the dictionary and I suspect a hoax) at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx.

When that happens, we will move back to our house near Gallatin Gateway in southwestern Montana where my son Ken lives.

In New York, we live a short walk from our sailboat and have made trips south to Norfolk and north

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

to Maine. I retired from architecture about 12 years ago after suffering a traumatic brain injury in a car accident. Since then I have done volunteer work in the Bronx Housing Court as a guardian ad litem, worked as a stage manager in live theater, and helped to restore an old steamship, Lilac, that is tied up on the Hudson by Greenwich Village, now called the West Village. I was very active in conservation issues during the 35 years I lived in Montana and continue to hike a lot in the Hudson Valley and the Adirondacks. This past summer I sailed our Cape Dory 25 from New York to Duluth via the canals and Great Lakes, then loaded Loon on a trailer, and drove her to our barn in Montana where she now sits. Water and mountains ring my bells. I am curious about our classmates who have passed away. Does anyone have the names and dates? I am also conflicted about the boarding school life. I was a day student and only remember staying one night at Holderness. If anyone would like to talk about being away at a school for the high school years, I would be interested.”…Don Latham thinks life continues to be good—if not a bit hectic: “Here’s a YouTube site that has a video of my barbershop quartet, Bygone Days, performing at the Northeastern District competition last year: www.youtube. com/watch?v=sKksbdAHNPc. I have also recently been elected president of our chorus, The Merrimack Valley Townsmen, which is based in Haverhill, MA. We really have a good time performing around the area; whether it’s the quartet or the chorus, we always seem to receive a warm welcome. Jen retired last July so we are both creatures of the leisure life? (I sometimes wonder when I even had time to teach full

time for 45 years!) In addition to singing with the barbershop groups, I continue to attend art class every week and will once again be coordinating the ski program for the North Andover after-school program (while taking a few runs myself). I am also the chairman for the Duke University AAAC (Alumni Admissions Advisory Committee) for the State of New Hampshire. Lastly, I am on the board of trustees for our local library and have recently been promoted to PIC of transportation for our granddaughter who is attending Phillips Andover this year as a sophomore…so life continues to be full and interesting. My very best to you and to all our classmates.” … I, Charlie Kellogg, can say that retirement is playing a strong hand, but the not-for-profit volunteering seems to be taking as much time as I can give it, especially our local land trust. The health story is another matter.

After encountering chest pains while running up hills, I sought out a cardiologist who agreed it should be investigated. Eventually I gained the assistance of a little right coronary artery stent, which means I can run again. Before that procedure, my wife and I, at a walking pace, enjoyed a trip with college friends to Andalucia, Spain, where I benefited from Russ Salmon’s Spanish lessons at last. I have very good memories of our fall reunion and was reminded how enjoyable it is to learn more about our classmates. Keep that in mind as you plan your 2014 events. We plan to spend our winter between Jackson, NH and Manchester, MA with a lot of time devoted to Nordic skiing and other snow sports… The Michael Kingstons are well and enjoying their eight grandchildren. He writes, “Our eldest son Tim, and his wife Jennifer, moved their

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

77

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 78

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

family, including three grandchildren, to Chile six months ago.

Last June Goldman Sachs asked Tim to open an office in Santiago, Chile, so all three granddaughters finished their school year in Manhattan and then spent the next six months in a Spanishspeaking school in Santiago.

Needless to say, their Spanish is virtually fluent with a good Chilean accent. In early January, they returned to New York and to their studies at the Special Music School where each one is continuing to develop her violin, piano, and cello skills. Our number two son David and his wife Mia got tired of the heat and lack of snow in Washington, DC and convinced his employer to let them move to Norwich, VT, much to the delight of their two children. Nils, our oldest grandchild, is an avid downhill skier (I did try to get him to consider Holderness), while Hanna, Nils’ younger sister, is an avid equestrian. Both grandchildren are currently in the Hanover, NH, school system. Our daughter, Courtney, along with husband, Andy, plus three granddaughters live in Portola Valley, CA which is near Stanford in Menlo Park.

They recently moved to Chile where Courtney will continue to manage our Kingston Family Vineyards wine business. The vineyard had a particularly difficult spring as we were hit with some very deep frosts, the worst of which reached minus eight degrees Centigrade. No known frost control measure can deal with a frost that severe. We must always remember that growing wine grapes is an agricultural pursuit and is therefore at the whims of Mother Nature. Louise and I are traveling a great deal; however, most of the destinations include grandchildren. We were in Chile for Thanksgiving with Tim and Jennifer and their three

78

daughters before heading to California. This week we are headed back to our cabin in Averill, VT, where all will gather for Christmas and some will stay on for New Year’s. In January we are looking forward to taking a trip to Antarctica, not the chosen destination for many, but something which has been on my “bucket list” for a long time. The ship sails from Valparaiso, Chile and works its way down the Coast of Chile to Ushuaia, Argentina in the Beagle Channel, before crossing the Drake Passage to Antarctica. The return is via the Falkland Islands before landing in Buenos Aires, Argentina.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Charlie Kellogg ’58 Phone: 978.526.8241 cwkellogg@hotmail.com

’59 (reunion) Buster Welch writes, “No news on this end, aside from a very nice note from Donna who told us that David Gray died. Otherwise same old, same old… veggies and deer in the freezer, supporting kids and grandkids as usual. We went to a fair this summer, and on a whim, Cathy stopped at a fortune teller’s booth. The lady looked into her crystal ball, blanched, then said, ‘I have very bad news.

Your husband will soon die a horrible death.’ Cathy composed herself and asked, ‘Will I be acquitted?’ When I sent this to my old friends, the uniform response was, ‘Yes.’”…Bruce Vogel also has nothing new or big or significant to report—maybe something will happen. I hope so; I’m happy but a little bored and dispirited by today’s politics. Hope all’s well— pro deo et genere humano.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Jerry Ashworth ’59 Home: 207.361.1105 Cell: 617.833.7478 ashworth@maine.rr.com

’60 Apologies for the lack of notes in the last (Summer 2013) issue…Ross Deachman, a stalwart contributor, thanks your humble and obedient Class Correspondent (YHOCC) for chasing him down and reports Nancy and he had medical concerns last fall—Nancy with breast cancer and Ross with prostate problems. His tests turned out negative; Nancy had a cancerous lump which was removed in early November. They were anticipating no further surgery and no chemo, but she was to start daily radiation for three or four weeks just after Thanksgiving. They still plan on 10 weeks in Florida starting February 1. Ross is still lawyering part time and serving on the school board as he has for the past 25 years. In his spare time he wrote a chapter for a book published in celebration of Plymouth’s 250th anniversary. His contribution covered the decade from 1973–83. Ross emails with Soko Sokoloski occasionally— ”mostly silly jokes or nostalgia things.” Ross went to a Holderness function for incoming day students in September and was invited to the Headmaster’s (I know, Head of School) holiday reception on December 21.

Apparently they wanted some whitehairs (Ross’s word, not mine!)…Gerry Shyavitz assures us that Pearl and he are still alive, well, and happy. He is practicing law again part time in Haverhill, MA. He also works full time for the IRS as an Under Reporter Agent. His daughter Abby, whose children are Londynn and Aurora (ages nine and seven), is an attor-

ney in Montréal. His other daughter, Sara, is in marketing at Green Mountain Coffee in Vermont. Her kids are Bradley and Mia, 10 and six. “Will see everyone for our 55th reunion. This time I am coming,” says Shy. What better reason do you need than to see a Shyavitz or two at 50+5?…John Despres writes, “After spending the summer in Santa Monica and a month in Australia and New Zealand, we’re back in Miami Beach for our third winter. I’m still retired, apart from periodic conference calls and meetings for the boards of the Phillips Collection and Human Rights in North Korea in Washington, DC. In 2014, we plan to celebrate our 50th anniversary, enjoy a week of skiing in Jackson Hole, and venture into the Canadian wilderness for several days with our three grandsons and their parents. While I long looked forward to our 50th reunion, I’m still undecided whether to go to my 50th at Harvard.”…Dick Funkhouser, who speculates that being a Class Correspondent must be rather like herding cats—he has that right—says he is now teaching economics part time at New York University. As he still lives in Vermont, a lengthy commute is involved, but this is far outweighed by helping students make sense of the post-recession economy. Over the past three years he has found there has been a surprising interest on their part about these usually quite boring matters, so all-in-all it’s great fun, as is spending a fair amount of time in New York City…As for YHOCC, Maureen and I (Len Richards) continue living in our home of 24 years, also occupied from time to time by a succession of nondescript cats.

Maureen is still professing at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Education, while I’ve been

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 79

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

retired from the Bank of New York Mellon for almost five years.

I still, however, do a little work for a couple of former customers I really like. My sons L.B. and James are still in Silicon Valley.

L.B. is a special education teacher in the Fremont Union High School District. James, who is married with two children, is a software engineering manager at LinkedIn. We haven’t yet met James’s second child, who arrived last April 1.

We’ll make her acquaintance at some point this winter. I’m trying to take the class lead in the immaturity department (difficult task, I know), as I recently acquired my first—and probably last—true sports car, which I’ve enjoyed far beyond all expectations.

Responsibility is so overrated.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Len Richards ’60 lenrichards@mac.com

’61 John Cleary just dug a small farm pond in southeastern Louisiana clay during their dry season.

Other than installing the final section of vertical stand-pipe for controlling the final water height, the pond is complete. He writes, “We now await the arrival of water to fill the pond. Here in Louisiana our water table lies within a half of an inch from the ground surface. So I now face a new problem: how to spread the newly dug, sticky, gelatinous, wet clay. It behaves similar to jello but sticks to everything. I have discovered that if it can dry somewhat, it becomes harder and easier to spread with a power rake and/or chopper attachments. I may have to work this clay in many small increments. By the time you have read about my current issue, hopefully I will have found a reasonable solution. Don’t life’s little

problems provide wonderful entertainment?”… The past year has been full of blessings for Candace and John Holley. They write, “We have visited some wonderful places (Salish, WA; Bend, OR; Zihuatanejo, Mexico; San Jose del Cabo, Mexico; and New Orleans, LA). We have watched our grandchildren grow into wonderful young adults. And we have helped two youngsters through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Candace is on the board of the National Crime Victims Law Institute, and I am president of the local Rotary Club. Life is good!”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Mark Shub ’61 mshub@shubanderson.com

’62 Want to connect with your classmates? Consider becoming a Class Correspondent and encourage your classmates to reconnect in the HST Class Notes. For more information, contact us at alumni@holderness.org. Thank you!

Jon Huberth writes, “Belated thanks for a wonderfully organized 50th reunion last fall. A class act. Retirement is not a word in my lexicon, as I still am teaching at Manhattanville College once a week and am producing and directing fundraising and recruiting videos for the likes of Lafayette and Marist Colleges, the University of Vermont, Manhattan Theatre Club, and the Center for Human Development. Plus, I got back on stage this spring in a local production of On Golden Pond, playing Norman, of course— the aging, acerbic, politically incorrect, sarcastic curmudgeon.

My friends who saw it said, ‘Oh, I get it. You memorized the lines and then played yourself.’ I admit it; it’s true.”… Monty Meigs moved

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

to Austin in October. He writes, “Am now semi-retired and finding out that every day is a weekend day. I hope to do some teaching as an adjunct professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UTAustin. In the meantime, we have already watched Elena star at volley ball and James catch a touchdown and make a gamewinning interception of a Hail Mary pass in flag football. The 31st move was the last.”

’63 Thank you, George Textor, for sharing with us your 50th reunion thoughts: “I hope you guys enjoyed the 50th reunion weekend and came away with a sense of satisfaction that Holderness is in good hands. The school looked great. Many of the buildings are new—new athletic, art, and science facilities—but they all had a sense of the school I knew 50 years ago. Livermore sparkled, but it somehow seemed a little smaller than I remember. Perhaps it was having cocktails in the old dining room with classmates and teachers like Jim Brewer that was different. I couldn’t help thinking …did most of us really fit into this dining room and listen to announcements and reports from just concluded varsity and JV sports teams? I did catch myself looking up to see if the butter stains were still on the ceiling— they are gone. Friday’s dinner with alumni and classmates was great, but I wish we could have done it again Saturday evening. I really enjoyed seeing old friends and roommates, but there just wasn’t enough time to spend with everyone. The Class of 1963 was not the oldest group there, so maybe we can have a good turnout a few years from now and at a more leisurely pace. Of course, some things were very different. For

those who were not able to attend Friday’s morning assembly, it is now in the Hagerman Center, which does not look at all like the old Schoolhouse. It is college lecture hall seating with a high tech Skype system that enabled a conversation with and presentation to a distinguished alumnus in California. Big Don’s (Don Hagerman) portrait is there in the lobby though, and you could almost feel those big hands on your shoulders at dinner announcements sometimes. We had an excellent class turnout including James Allen, Peter Chapman, William Cuthbert, William Dewart, Frederick Eidsness, David Hagerman, Keith Hall, George LeBoutillier, Robert Lunger, Thomas McIlvain, George McNeil, Jeffrey Milne, Morgan Nields, David Pope, Gary Richardson, Arthur Sleeper, and George Textor. And we did something unique with our class gift.

We raised over $25,000 with 46% participation, allowing us to create the Class of 1963 Holderness Fund Scholar for the 2014 academic year. The minimum amount to fund a Holderness Fund Scholar is $25,000 and we beat that amount! Perhaps we can keep the scholarship going in coming years? It would be wonderful to send a student through three or all four years of a Holderness education. We all commented on how great the school looks and how engaged and impressive the students are.

That takes money. A big thanks to the school and all the people who worked hard to organize the weekend for us, and a special thanks to Mr. Brewer for coming to our cocktail party and dinner.

It was meaningful to have him there with us. The booklet of individual class bios was wonderful and showed a lot of thought.

Several additions were submitted

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

79

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 80

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

guest cottage within the stable.

Susan says it’s more inviting out there than in the house. In a year or two I’ll wrap up my 28-year career at Morgan Stanley in Middleton, MA. In the meantime we’re still in Andover for three or four days a week. However, I’m happiest when I’m outdoors, especially fly fishing and hiking. I hope to see many of my classmates at our 50th reunion in 2018. I’d like to hear from them anytime. Email me at stevehirsh@verizon.net.”

Rich Weymouth ’70, Cam Brown ’70, Gordon Stockwood ’70, Joe Spaulding ’70, Kirk Hinman ’70, and Coach Mark Perkins in May 1970 following the Lakes Region title game vs. Tilton—won by Holderness, 7-5!

after the weekend, and the school plans to include the additions and send the updated book out to everyone. This was interesting stuff and fun to read, so if you have a mind to, send in something of what you have been doing so it can be included. Wishing you all good health; I hope we can do this again.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Dave Hagerman ’63 Home: 603.795.2793 Cell: 603.646.2251 david.s.hagerman@dartmouth.edu

’64 (reunion) CLASS CORRESPONDENT Sandy Alexander ’64 603.763.2304 Salex88@comcast.net

’65 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Terry Jacobs ’65 215.247.9127 haj3@jacobswyper.com

80

’66 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Peter Janney ’66 978.969.1163 PJ@ApLLon.com

’67 CLASS CORRESPONDENT John Pfeifle ’67 Home: 603.938.5981 Cell: 603.491.7272 john@pfeifles.com

’68 John Coles almost got together with Bruce Flenniken for a sail on his yacht this summer; maybe next summer. Meanwhile, Steve Hirshberg remembers the Holderness trail crew of 1964 and writes, “In November I finished cutting a 12-foot trail through the woods behind our 1791 sea captain’s cape in Union, ME. This was an invigorating week-long project, though greatly facilitated by my chain saw. My task was further eased by the constant company of our three joyous black dogs. We finished renovations on the house in October, plus the addition of a

CLASS CORRESPONDENT John Coles ’68 j.coles@rcn.com

’69 (reunion) CLASS CORRESPONDENT Jon Porter ’69 860.644.8430 jwoodporter@cox.net

’70 Peter Weiner has taken off all college and school window stickers from his vehicle and writes, “I am either about to buy a new car or I’m going through a change-of-life experience.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Peter Weiner ’70 prepco@ncia.net

’71 Want to connect with your classmates? Consider becoming a Class Correspondent and encourage your classmates to reconnect in the HST Class Notes. For more information, contact us at alumni@holderness.org. Thank you!

David Taylor writes, “My son Joshua graduated from Middlebury College, went on to Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, and is now an

ensign in the Navy. He is stationed in Virginia Beach and is the weapons officer on an amphib (these vessels transport Marines to and from missions). While his first 24-month tour started in June, they have not yet been deployed. He is learning a lot and really enjoying the experience.

We’re very proud of him. Our daughter Elena ’09 is in her final year at Washington College where she is studying to be an elementary school teacher. So in a matter of months, we will officially be ‘empty nesters.’ My wife Deborah has just started a new career (it’s never too late) working for HunterDouglas, the window treatments company. We were originally just customers, but the salesperson thought Deborah would make a great addition to her team. The latest news for me is that a longterm consulting client (Guardian Life Insurance) has hired me into a full-time position managing their enterprise-wide application access management implementation. It should be a great place to finish my working career.”

’72 Will Graham must have ESP (or at least ESPN2). After I got my alert to start compiling the next batch of class notes for Holderness School Today, but before I sent out my note to all of you, I heard from Will, who, you will recall, is headmaster of the Midland School in Los Olivos, CA. Will wrote in November that he recently completed a film project that reflects on the lessons his coaches and mentors passed on to him at the Bancroft School, at Holderness, and at Middlebury College. The film is called Pass it On, and features Duane Ford ’74 and Bill Clough. “It may or may not be of interest to Holderness staff or alumni,” he writes. “Duane

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 81

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

has a copy of the film if you want to take a look.” You can view the trailer at www.passitonthe movie.com … Mark Pillsbury reports from Rhode Island that he is still working at Cruising World magazine: “I’m reporting to the office on a daily basis to read the accounts of those out sailing about the globe—the devils. As I write (in November), we’re rushing into yet another winter, a chilly season for living on a boat in Newport, RI. I can only think that I am at long last reaping the benefits of that first Holderness Out Back experiment we all so enjoyed all those years ago.”…

Mark Rheault writes from Plymouth, MA that he retired last year to devote more time to his passion of making the world a kinder gentler place for those with variations in sexual orientation and gender identity. “My activism,” he writes, “includes presenting workshops at area conferences, guest lecturing at human sexuality classes, and providing support to families coping with a wide variety of emerging bisexual, lesbian, gay, and transgender issues.” Mark’s wife, Laurie, volunteers as the president and village manager of South Meadow Village, the over-55 community to which they moved a few years ago. “It is more like a full time job than retirement,” he says. Their daughter Jenn works in social work as a case manager, and their son Greg is married and enjoying his career as a director of student engagement at George Washington University. “Any classmates passing through Plymouth or Provincetown, I am always up for a cup of coffee and a hello,” he adds. Mark’s new email address is mark@capeflier.com… From Concord, MA, Eric Haartz writes, “The last time we were in touch, I rambled semi-coherently about

the pace of things and the mythical ‘brake pedal of life.’ I’ve since worn out the brake lining and am going like heck. Somewhere in the blur of this year, my wife Denise and I found time to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Other classmates have longer marital tenure, but you know how special that milestone can be. Gosh, Denise sure is a patient and understanding lady.” … Tom Cooper reports from Watertown, MA, that his kids, like many of ours, are out of college, and that he and his wife are still working.

He says he recently sat next to a woman at a dinner who had gone to the Dana Hall School in Wellesley and was a huge fan of our former English teacher John Cameron who is now retired…

Peter Kimball and I share something in common. We are both proud to announce the arrival of granddaughters. In Peter’s case, Emma Grace Baker is his second.

In my case, Elizabeth Avery Shepard is my first. Libby was born at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, to my son Ted, and his wife Dr. Jessica Fortier Shepard on November 16, weighing 9 lbs. 3 oz. Any way you look at it, these grandchildren are something to be very grateful for.

Ted works at South Shore Bank in Weymouth, and Jess is a veterinarian at the New England Animal Medical Center in West Bridgewater. Gratefully, they have settled in Massachusetts in Duxbury, not too far from our summer home on Cape Cod. Thanks to all of you who took the time to send me a note. It is really great to hear what everybody is up to. So until next time, peace.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Dwight Shepard ’72 shepdb@comcast.net

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Mac Jackson ’75 802.583.2833 skifarmer@live.com

’76 Mac Jackson ’75 (right side of flag) and veterans at a ceremony at the WWII Memorial.

’73 CLASS CORRESPONDENTS Dick Conant Jr. ’73 rconantjr@msn.com Peter Garrison ’73 petergarrison44@gmail.com

’74 (reunion) CLASS CORRESPONDENT Walter Malmquist ’74 802.222.4282 wmalmquist@kingcon.com

’75 Mac Jackson writes, “Over Columbus Day weekend 2013, the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division held their national reunion in Washington, DC. Forty-three WWII veterans attended along with present day veterans and descendants. I attended as a descendant, as my dad was a member. The weekend with the veterans was awesome and the ceremony right at the WWII Memorial was unforgettable.”

Perry Babcok is still living in Lake Placid, NY and shares his insights from Facebook. He has learned that Baird Gourlay still enjoys skiing; Rick Shipton has discovered the art of cooking; John Putnam makes expensive cheese but still enjoys inexpensive wine; and Hunter TenBroeck has become an excellent photographer.

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS Biff Gentsch ’76 Home: 847.256.1471 Cell: 847.778.3581 eventproducts@aol.com Charlie Bolling ’76 ChasGolf7@aol.com

’77 Jody Collins is currently the sales and marketing rep for a home health and hospice company which is part of Community Health Services. They own and operate 130 hospitals, 65 home health agencies, and 25 hospice agencies nationwide. He writes, “My wife Michelle runs the expense department at Forest Pharmaceuticals where she checks and monitors the sales reps’ expenses. My daughter Cassandra finished a two-year stint in Teach for America in Atlanta after graduating from UC Boulder. She recently moved to Brooklyn and works for a charter school there. I had the pleasure of visiting with her a few weeks back and took in a Jets-Steelers game with her. The game wasn’t very good, but we had a ball. I also spent some fun time with Charlie Bolling ’76 out here in St. Louis in May when he qualified for the U.S. Senior Open. Olin was sadly absent due to some back issues, but he finished the season admirably. If anyone is heading this way, let me know. My email is jodymcollins@sbcglobal.net.”

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

81

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 82

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

Andrew Wilson ’78 and family.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Peter Grant ’77 603.715.5445 pete@grantcom.us

’78 As our own Jud - J.D. Hale - so aptly observed in the aftermath of our 35th reunion, “We met. We partied, legally, unlike our real times together. And we did have a blast. But we also did miss you guys (and gals!) that could not attend.” Or to paraphrase a line or two from The Standells’ “Dirty Water”: “I wanna tell you a story, I wanna tell you about my school, Down by the river, Down by the banks of the river Pemigewasset…” Okay, just to be clear, none of us went anywhere near the Pemi on alumni weekend, unless you count Friday’s night opening reception downtown at Biederman’s. There weren’t a lot of us there: Jud and me, along with Paul “Boz Scaggs” Bozuwa, Jay “Guy La Tree” Mead, Kirk “No, really, I’m not James Taylor” Siegel, and the ultimate ’78 party animal, Scott Sirles. Also on hand was that Holderness institution, Lew

82

Overaker. The next morning, after Jud, Jay, Kirk and Mike Silitch `79 did a leisurely jaunt around the Squam Lakes Region on bikes, we all reunited for the barbecue lunch outside Weld where Nick Brown and Margo (Farley) Woodall and her husband John joined in the festivities. After chowing down, Jud, Jay, and Boz had to leave to attend to other far-flung functions, so it was left to Margo, Scott, and me to hold down the honor of our class at the Saturday evening dinner at the Common Man Inn…Sadly, three days after the gathering at Holderness, there was a reunion of another kind.

Bruce Edgerly and his family held a memorial for his mother in Lexington, MA. I wasn’t able to attend, but I’m happy to report that even though it was a somber occasion, Jud, Rob Wagner, and Scott Brown were on hand to lend their support to the Edge. I hadn’t realized this when we were all at Holderness, but Edge’s mom was Brownie’s aunt…Speaking of Brownie, he is enjoying being a stage dad to the hilt. His 16-yearold daughter Stowe is a full time professional actress in New York

City, having already completed numerous national TV commercials, acted in regional theatre, and recently guest starred on Law and Order SVU. And for those who caught the live performance of The Sound Of Music on NBC, Stowe played the Nun Postulant (and was Liesl’s understudy). “She has been at school at NBC all fall and is loving it,” Brownie writes.

“She’s on her way, despite her sketchy gene pool.” While Stowe gains fame in the footlights, Brownie’s son Axel had the opportunity to learn from former Holderness School lacrosse coach Fred Beam who was in his final year of coaching at Groton—a season to remember. A junior at the time, Axel ended up breaking Groton’s single season goals (54) and points (67) records. Axel will be Groton’s captain this spring and will attend Babson College in 2015. Beamsy, meanwhile, is still wondering what kind of lax player Brownie could have been if he hadn’t spent so much time ogling certain young ladies and leading the Chew Crew on all sorts of extracurricular missions. Aside from having stayed married for more than two decades, Brown Dawg still lives life to the fullest.

“Doing lots of surfing, skating, and skiing,” he says. “Pretty damn happy.” …Jud and his wife Cindy are experiencing life as empty nesters for the first time, with daughter Lacey taking in her freshman year at Connecticut College in New London. Lacey’s older sister is a senior at Bates, and brother Charlie is working in Los Angeles. Jud and Cindy will have visited Charlie for Christmas by the time y’all read this. And talk about going Hollywood— Charlie’s girlfriend Ava DelucaVerley is in a new NBC show called Growing Up Fisher that is starting in February after the conclusion of the Winter Olympics.

Jud plans to do some skiing out West this winter; maybe he will run into classmate David Parker…

Dave has a son at Westminster College where he is in the school’s aviation program. “I’m looking forward to visiting him for the killer Utah powder and having him take me flying!” Dave writes…

The Mt. Prospect Country Club’s Maine wing is alive and well.

Loric Weymouth says he and John Mitchell are keeping the Maine coast safe from harm or at least from inept boaters. “Been seeing a lot of John Mitchell,” Loric writes of his fellow boatbuilder. “Meanwhile I continue to slog it out here on the coast of Maine with, what else, a 1975 Land Rover to do my tool hauling and pull the spare trailer around.

This may seem masochistic, but it keeps things very interesting, and it is a great calling card.” Loric is married and has two boys, eight and five. “(I) have very little time left at the end of the day, especially when everyone goes to bed at 8 PM,” he says. “I’m looking forward to a snowy winter with lots of cross-country skiing and maybe some downhill at the Camden Snow Bowl.”…Andy Wilson is now in his 17th year doing his best Don Hagerman imitation at the Grier School, a boarding school for girls in central Pennsylvania.

Part of his job is to recruit students for the school, which means lots of travelling and frequent opportunities to touch base with classmates… Like Jud and Cindy, my wife and I are adjusting to the empty nest. Our older son Zack is in Austin, TX and is looking for full-time employment. He has a bachelor’s degree in music but is willing to consider other jobs. Our youngest, Jake, is in Los Angeles working in a vegan restaurant near UCLA and trying to decide what he wants to do with the rest of his life. He is a talented musi-

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 83

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

L–R, Jen Comstock Reed ’89, Eric Pflaum, Sarah Trainor Pflaum ’89, Tom Hong, Alix Rosen Hong ’89, Dave Robison, Jen Murphy Robison ’89, Christy Wood Donovan ’89, Jim Donovan.

cian and a bright young man committed to social justice. As for me, I’m still at the New Haven Register, now in my 16th year. By the time you read this, I will have made my debut appearance in Connecticut Monthly magazine, a sister publication of the Register.

My story will look at what the economy holds for The Land of Steady Habits in 2014. Hope you all are well. Stay happy and stay in touch.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Luther Turmelle ’78 203.271.0041 l.turmelle@sbcglobal.net

’79 (reunion) CLASS CORRESPONDENT Cullen Morse ’79 970.544.4814 cbmaspen@hotmail.com

’80 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Greg White ’80 508.337.8798 GgNH@aol.com

A group of holiday elves meet at Hart’s Turkey Farm in Meredith, New Hampshire: Mark Cavanaugh ’82, Peter Wensberg ’84, Charlie Hanson ’83, Ben Lewis ’82, Chris Hopkins ’83, Walter Dodge ’83, and George Samaras ’82.

’81

’83

hope all of you are well and enjoying middle age too!”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Bill Baskin ’81 860.659.1840 BaskinWC@aetna.com

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Jud Madden ’83 216.215.7445 justin.madden64@gmail.com

’87

’82

’84 (reunion)

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Kathryn Lubrano Robinson ’87 401.274.0980 Kathryn.robinson@gmail.com

After six years of going full tilt in venture capital (mostly pegged for education innovation), in early 2013 Frank Bonsal pared his General Partner role at New Markets Venture Partners to take on a more local incubation role: “Now as Director of Entrepreneurship at Towson University (and Venture Partner at New Markets), I am working to incubate edtech solutions in Greater Baltimore, some of which will have real scale or VC merit. Of course, the most important piece of news is that my eldest child, Virginia Bonsal ’17, entered Holderness this fall. So far she is loving the Holderness community.

Go Bulls!”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Fred Ludtke ’84 ludtke4@gmail.com

’88

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Chris Pesek ’82 952.303.4755 Chris.pesek@am. joneslanglasalle.com

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

’85 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Jean-Louis Trombetta ’85 jeanlouistrombetta@gmail.com

’86 Want to connect with your classmates? Consider becoming a Class Correspondent and encourage your classmates to reconnect in the HST Class Notes. For more information, contact us at alumni@holderness.org. Thank you!

Caroline Jones writes, “I find it hard to believe I have a child that is old enough to be driving!

Duncan is 16, Madeline 14, and Stephanie 12. Life seems to just be moving on and is wonderful! I

Alex McCormick writes, “Hey class, hope all is well. We had a great 25th reunion with over 30 classmates in attendance. I can’t mention everyone’s name, but a few of the standouts would have to be Ali Christie (all the way from Uruguay), Chris Keeler, Chris Hayes, David Warren (with his great wife), Dr. Chris Klein, Paula Lillard, and Lisa Hand. It’s amazing after all these years that it’s like seeing family. I find it incredible that during only three or four years of school such an everlasting bond can be built.

Sounds hokey, I know, but it’s true; I think it says a lot about the spirit of Holderness. A lot of people missed this reunion, so I hope we will see you at the 30th or before then. Many thanks to the Holderness staff for feeding us

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

83

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 84

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

The kids of Jen Comstock Reed ’89, Sarah Trainor Pflaum ’89, Alix Rosen Hong ’89, Jen Murphy Robison ’89, and Christy Wood Donovan ’89.

Aaron Woods ’90 with wife Amy and children Madison and Jacob on a hike in the White Mountains.

Alumni from the ’80s during Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2013: Charlie Staples ’88, Chris Klein ’88, Rob Sarvis ’88, Chris Stewart ’88, Alex MacCormick ’88, and Tracy McCoy Gillette ’89

and making us feel at home.

Chris Stewart and I stopped by Todd Wagner’s ’89 Applecrest Farms in Hampton Falls on our way to Plymouth…Chris Keeler still lives in Santa Cruz and has a new gig working for Sunny D… Chris Teufel lives in Enumclaw, WA with his wife and two sons (close to Mt. Rainer and Crystal Mountain Ski Area)… Jennifer Alfond Seaman ran into Dean Bellissimo at Fenway during the World Series… Karen Woodbury is busy running her restaurants in

84

Portland, OR… Matt Schonwald writes, “The Schonwalds started our ski season in the Northwest in October on Mt. Baker. Charlotte turned six and is training to be at Holderness in 2021 with skiing, soccer, climbing, and her multiplication tables on her resume. I am hoping to go to Japan in search of deep powder; heading there in February/March if anyone wants to join me.”… Jennifer Holden still represents Sarah Hendrickson of the U.S. Ski Jumping Team… Brett Jones has

Wes Schreiber, son of Ginny Kingman Schreiber ’93.

become an avid koozie collector…

Check out the new business venture spearheaded by the wife of Mike Hillegass (www.sportsstuds.com).

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Alex MacCormick ’88 646.229.4291 amaccormick@centerlanellc.com

’89 (reunion) Here’s some news from the class of 1989. Christy Wood Donovan’s four children (Emily three, Burke five, Clark nine, and Sophia 12) keep her busy with all kinds of activities including gymnastics, trampoline jumping, swimming, baseball, soccer, Tae Kwon Do, tennis, fencing, and horseback

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 85

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

Morgan “Mugsy” Nields’ ’93 two children.

Katie McQuilkin Garnett’s ’93 kids model their Holderness schwag.

riding. They split their time between Washington, DC (during the week) and their Middleburg, VA farm (on the weekends).

During ski racing season they are up at Whitetail Resort in Pennsylvania. Christy enjoys competing with her horse Hero and is hoping to get involved with one of the local therapeutic riding centers where she plans to merge her training as a physical therapist with her passion for horses… Brad Greenwood writes that all is well in Kittery. His girls Cora and Charlie are doing well and having fun. Megan and he are working hard on their repping business which continues to progress and evolve in a positive way. They hang out a lot with David Gerasin ’91 and his family who live right down the way… As for me, my family and I continue to really love living in Marblehead, MA. We finally found the right fixer upper and so are once again happily living in construction.

Believe it or not our 25th reunion

Abbie Wilson ’93 and her daughter, Alina, at the Lights Festival at the Washington Zoo

Kate Hendel ’96 and Laurence Paik married in Virginia on July 26, 2013.

is this year, so I hope to hear from and see many of you soon!

racing, gymnastics competitions, and ninja classes.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Jen Murphy Robison ’89 207.239.5578 jennifermrobison@yahoo.com

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Courtney Fleisher ’90 773.633.6144 courtneyfleisher@alumni.bates.edu

’90

’91

Aaron Woods is loving life in New Hampshire. He is still selling real estate for Peabody and Smith in the Plymouth area and gets back to campus quite often (his wife Amy works in the Advancement Office). Their two children— Madison (nine) and Jacob (seven)—keep him busy with ski

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Terra Reilly ’91 sansivera@gmail.com

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

’92 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Kelly Mullen Wieser ’92 kelly@wiesermail.com

’93 Hilary S. Taylor writes, “My daughter Sadie is a glorious extrovert at four and a half. I live with her and my mom in sunny San Diego, which was 74 degrees on December 1 (my poor New England brain almost imploded). I continue my work with international students and U.S. students studying foreign languages; my junior high school year with School Year Abroad in France (to which Mr. Hammond told me to apply) has had a lasting effect, that is clear. Affectionate 2014 wishes to you all.”…Katie McQuilkin Garnett shares the

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

85

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:50 PM

Page 86

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

Kevin ’96 and Amy Meier welcomed Lillian Kay Meier on June 25, 2013.

Jack, Griffin, and Grace McCreedy (children of Brooke Aronson McCreedy ’99) in Malahide, Ireland.

following news: “I had a blast at reunion this fall. It was great to see everyone, and the kids loved their souvenirs from the weekend (see photo)! I have run into a few other Holderness folks in the area, especially at Megan Flynn and Moria Flynn’s mixer at M.Flynn—lots of fun.”…Kevin Zifcak writes, “I am in year 15 at Worcester Academy. I’m teaching a new course, Global Studies, and am now coaching the girls’ hockey team. It should be an exciting year. Lily is now seven and Josh is five. We are all doing well.”…

Finally, Kate Rapelye Farrington sends this news: “We moved to Cohasset, MA after three great years in London. Ed, Ned (11), Lucy (nine), and I are all enjoying being back in Massachusetts close to family and friends.”…

Ginny Kingman Schieber writes, “Greetings from Seattle. As the days grow gray and rainy, I have been enjoying the company of our youngest son, Wesley, who turned five months old on Thanksgiving.

When our family grew to five, I became seriously out-numbered by boy things—superheroes, trains, dinosaurs, leaving the toilet seat up; all bodily function noises are extremely funny as well. I really don’t want to live in a house

86

where farts are constantly funny, but I do take solace in my teaching job where all the students are girls! I will be heading back to teaching drama and directing The Little Mermaid in January after having enjoyed over six months of family leave. It will be hard to go back and leave Wes in daycare, but I am looking forward to using the creative portion of my brain and being around adults again. I really enjoyed seeing so many of you at reunion in September, and I hope that I will visit with some of you before another five years pass.

If you are ever in Seattle, I’d love to meet you at one of our 450 Starbucks locations for coffee!”

College. In July 2013, we moved to Washington, DC where I’ve been assigned as aide de camp to the Commandant of the Marine Corps.” …Dave Castor says, “I moved to Las Vegas… I’m still in the Air Force and was recently assigned to Creech AFB where I keep UAVs (unmanned aircraft) flying. If anyone is passing through, I would be glad to hear from you.”…Lindsey Nields Kennedy is “loving the Portland life! I’m living a balanced life— working on an organic produce farm and at a creative drop-in center for homeless people. If anyone is in the giving mood, check out p:ear at pearmentor.org; it’s an awesome, inspiring place that makes a difference. Oh yeah, I also played hockey with Barb Gordon a few weeks ago! Love this place”…As for me, I’ve nothing new to report. Life is good in the Northeast with the boys and dogs!

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS Ramey Harris-Tatar ’94 781.292.4301 rameyht@yahoo.com

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Lindsay Dewar Fontana ’93 linds_dewar@yahoo.com

Sam Bass ’94 720.431.9637 samuel.g.bass@gmail.com

’94 (reunion)

’95

Marc Ellison writes, “Everything is going well here in Boston. I started working for a small batch vodka company out of Texas in January called Deep Eddy. The job has kept me busy, as I’ve been traveling all over the eastern seaboard from Maine down to DC. I also caught up with Pete LaCasse in Chicago a few months back! Hopefully I’ll see some of you in my travels.” …Bunge Cook wrote to say, “I eloped with Eliza Scott on Maui in 2011. In 20122013 we moved to Newport, RI where I attended the Naval War

CLASS CORRESPONDENT John Farnsworth ’95 617.694.8674 jpfarns@yahoo.com

’96 CLASS CORRESPONDENTS Emily Evans MacLaury ’96 emaclaury@gmail.com Heather Pierce Roy ’96 310.699.9532 heatherbpierce@hotmail.com

’97 Congratulations to Meg Rapelye who was married on November 29 in Boston! Hillary Gadsby sent in the following news: “I am shooting the pilot of my online TV show tomorrow (12/9). It is called Stiletto Gals. I write a blog called stilettogal.com, and I am doing an interactive interview series with women entrepreneurs all over the country. The show will air sometime next year.”…Sachie Hayashi is living in Boulder County, CO and has been happily married for six and half years; she has two daughters (Hana four and half and Emma two)…Kris Langetieg is back in New England and has been teaching at Cardigan Mountain School for the past year.

He shares, “We are expecting our second son in early January.”

That’s it for our class. Best wishes to all in the New Year.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Putney Haley ’97 putneypyles@gmail.com

’98 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Tara Walker Hamer ’98 603.707.0030 taraphotography@gmail.com

’99 (reunion) Greetings class of ’99. I hope you enjoy the news from our classmates. Megan (Bitter) Griffith writes, “I am still living in Wellesley with my husband Tyler Griffith and three children: Charlie (four), Paige (two), and Caroline (nine months). We are looking forward to spending as much time as possible up in Stowe this winter (anything to keep these kids busy!). I was recently accepted to run with team Mass Eye and Ear for the 2014 Boston Marathon,

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:51 PM

Page 87

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

Jason Myler ’94 and Tim Barnhorst ’00 after the White Mountain Gran Fondo on Tim’s Grandpa Moe’s 100th birthday on August 24 (100 miles for 100 years).

so I guess much of my winter and early spring will be busy with training. Other than that things are pretty quiet around here!”…Zachary Brown writes, “Things are still going well for us here in San Francisco. My wife Michelle and I are still living and working in downtown SF, (or Gotham City for today’s BatKid festivities). Michelle works for an internet advertising company, and I am still working as a commercial real estate sustainability manager for CBRE. We are both hoping for lots of snow for snowboarding in North Lake Tahoe this season. I still occasionally get to DJ in clubs in the city.”…Devon (Douglas) Leahy writes, “My news is that I got married this summer (August).

Tom and I met while we were in grad school at the University of Michigan getting dual degrees (MBA/MS) through the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise. I’m currently working as the director of strategy at a sustainable innovation agency called BBMG in Brooklyn, NY and living in Tribeca with our dog Harley. I also should note that Courtney Goldsmith Broadwater ’98 was responsible for getting us together and was a bridesmaid in the wedding! Her husband and mine grew up in NYC together!”…As for me, we moved our three children (Jack eight, Griffin five, and Grace two)

(L–R) Tim Barnhorst ’00, science teacher Reggie Pettitt, and Robbie King ’99 at Krempels King of the Road Challenge.

to Dublin, Ireland last April. It has been quite the adventure for us.

All three kids love going to school here and learning about all things “Irish”—including the different words and phrases which often stump us! They will either be thoroughly confused when we go home, or they will confuse their American teachers! The thing we have enjoyed most about living here is the traveling. Thus far we have visited France (twice), Belgium, Poland, and Austria; we hope to add a few more countries to that list before we most likely return to Massachusetts at the end of the school year. Thank you to everyone who shared news! It is always fun catching up! All the best…

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Brooke Aronson McCreedy ’99 Home: 508.528.8033 Cell: 360.908.3095 Brooke.mccreedy@gmail.com

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

’00 Is it bad that I can’t even remember what was happening during our last collection of Class Notes?

Well, it means one of two things.

Either we are all just super busy with our grand lives, or I’m just getting OLD! Without further ado, here are what your fellow classmates have been up to. Jonathan Campbell is well in Michigan: “Erin and I had a great summer and even hosted the Macombers who visited Northern Michigan for the first time. My company, Lake Effect, is busy building online brand strategies, smart phone apps, and other digital tools. I’m looking forward to attending Graham Boardman’s ’99 wedding in May.” Rory Kelly is extremely busy with his new and brilliant career as a hand model. It’s true, he admits that he’s only on the Blist at the moment, but one day he’ll make it to the big time!

However, if anyone is looking for Rory he can be found living it up and working hard in the DC area.

He’ll tell you all about his new career. Robert Whitehouse is working in Manhattan at an ad agency called mcgarrybowen: “Although I don’t do advertising, I am the learning and development manager, so I get to interact with all the departments. Great place!

I was in Vermont recently and got to spend some time with Katie Bohlin and her beautiful baby girl Reagan (Andy ’01 was working, so I didn’t get to see him). My partner and I also had the chance to do dinner with Phil and Robin Peck a few months ago here in the city. It was great talking with them about the life of the school and what’s new and exciting in Holderness’ world. I am looking forward to the next Holderness event in NYC. I hope to see some familiar faces and connect with new ones. I follow quite a few

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

87

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:51 PM

Page 88

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

Channing Weymouth ’02 with Kathy Weymouth at the NEPSAC field hockey championship.

Chris Rogers ’02, Tyler Weymouth ’02, Sam Beck ’03, Dave Madeira ’03, Blake Barber ’01, Kristen Henning, Rich Weymouth ’70, Kathy Weymouth, Blair Weymouth ’04, and Channing Weymouth ’02.

André Townsend Tennille IV, son of Andre Tennille ’01.

Zoe Elizabeth Florio, daughter of Kellan Florio ’01.

Holderness friends on Instagram, and I love seeing how everyone is doing.”…Mike Schnurr is excited for his upcoming bachelor party where he will be catching up with former classmates Sully Sullivan and Ryan Tyler before getting married next summer…Katie (Sweeney) Lepak and husband Pete welcomed a baby boy to their family this summer. Tyler Patrick Lepak was born on July 25, 2013. He was born five weeks early but did great and was able to come home after just four days.

She writes, “Needless to say our lives have changed drastically,

and we fall more and more in love with him every day!”…Tim Barnhorst sent us two photos from his busy summer of training and riding his bike with fellow Holderness Bulls. It was great getting to see a few of his adventures. Andrew Sheppe had a good summer and saw lots of people from the class of ’00: “I saw Andrew Sullivan when he came to Holderness in the spring.

I saw Rory Kelly in DC in June, Ryan Tyler in Seattle in July, and Sam Atwood in Ft. Worth in August. More recently, I ran into Becky Thurrell at Biederman’s

88

when she was in town visiting her mom. Kristin, Oliver (three), Parker (one), Laika the dog, and I live in upper Rathbun.” Matt Powers’ life is progressing: “My boys are three and seven. James is a promising young drummer; he is just starting to hear ‘in key’ and plays by ear in key on keys.

Oliver is trying to keep up with his brother at every turn. My wife and I are hard at work on building our side business’s first steps: food, forestry, and permaculture.

We are working on making ourselves, and then our community, food independent. Eventually, it will even be energy independent.

It’s a lot of digging and burying of wood at this point, but within a few years we will have a nearly completely self-managed garden/forest system where watering, fertilizing, and weeding are a thing of the past. I had tomatoes here up until the end of the first week of hard frost, and I even have plants still alive ringed with snow! We hope to eventually have a B&B on the road to Yosemite for tourists… so maybe I’ll see you all in a few years!”…Sean Clifford writes, “Things are great down here in Georgia. Last year my wife and I welcomed our third child (second son) Colton.”…Trevor Dean recently took a new job in Montreal, so for this year he writes, “I am commuting back and forth weekly between Montreal and Fredericton. Janet and Sutter

are back at home in Fredericton holding down the fort for now. I’m looking forward to this winter and getting Sutter on skates. You never know, he could be a future Bull, if his mother lets him leave the nest! I talk with Timmy Barnhorst every now and then (he generally makes fun of me for not having enough pictures on Instagram). That’s all that is really new on my end.”…Rob Maguire says there is nothing too exciting to report this year, but I have a feeling he is holding out on us!

From what I know, Rob is still in the Boston area, so everyone get down there to see him and see what he’s been up to… Tim O’Donnell is doing well: “I am still living and working in the Boston area. Life has taken a big turn for the best; my wife and I welcomed our daughter into the world in February—hands down the best thing I’ve ever done. She is nine months old now, and I’m starting to finally catch up on some sleep.

I still see some Holderness folks from time to time. Rob Maguire works in a biz similar to mine, and we catch up once in a while. I went to Levi Doria’s wedding a few months ago—really great catching up with him as it had been a long time.” …Zak Fishkin writes, “Get ahead, stay ahead!”

Very sound advice from our Zen Master Zak, who as far as I know is still rocking it in Vail, CO…I am doing well and love being back in Alaska with the US Coast Guard.

I have filled up my first few months back with non-stop training and flying. Let me just say that flying in Alaska is one of the most beautiful and yet heart-pounding experiences of my life. If anyone gets a chance, get out here for a visit. Oh, and you may even see my beautiful “mug” in the background of the popular Weather Channel show—Coast Guard Alaska. It was a great late surge of

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:51 PM

Page 89

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

Kate and Dave Lapointe ’03, Etifwork Yirga Ahmed Murphy with Dave’s son Rudy, Brendan Murphy ’03, Brenna Fox ’03, Casey Carr ’03 and Nate Parker ’03.

Channing ’02 and Blair ’04 Weymouth on a sister trip in San Francisco.

Etifwork Yirga Ahmed Murphy (wife of Brendan Murphy ’03) and her mother and Brendan Murphy ’03.

class notes, especially since I did not get the class message out until late. Typical for me, but I swear next go around I’ll be on my A game. Until then, have a great winter. To steal a line from one of the greats—“Be well, do good work, and stay in touch.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Andrew “Sully” Sullivan ’00 518.894.2957 myireland20@gmail.com

’01 Hi All! Hope everyone is doing well! Here’s what’s new with the Class of ’01. Joy Domin Southworth writes in, “My Wellness Center is doing great! I have recently expanded to

include physical therapy, and this fall I finished an outside track around the perimeter of the building. If you are in the area, please stop in for a SurfSET workout or spin!! The kids love running around the studio. Grace just turned five and Thomas is two and a half. When Ryan is not at work, he is also at the studio or carting around the kids.”…Andre Tennille is a proud dad! He writes, “Leah and I welcomed our son, André Townsend Tennille IV, a.k.a. Townsend or Andre4000, on September 8, 2013. We were sad to miss Blake’s wedding that weekend.” Congrats, Dre! …Christine Cunningham says, “I am back to work teaching grade four/five on Haida Gwaii (Northern BC) after a year on maternity leave with Claire, our busy little one-year-old. We’ve had a great year and life contin-

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

Ryan Tyler ’00 with brother Keith Tyler ’02 who was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor for his actions in Afghanistan.

ues to treat us well.”…Charlie Gaylord is engaged!! He says, “I am happy to tell you that I am an engaged man now to Jamie Helene Britt.” Congrats, Charlie! …Amanda French is also engaged! She writes, “I’m getting married this summer, and I couldn’t think of a more perfect place than the Holderness Chapel! My Dad, fiancé, and I took a look at it this summer with Mr. Weymouth.

It was nice to be back on campus.

I haven’t been there in a while, because I have been living on the West Coast and am never able to attend reunions—unfortunately.

I’m still working as an elementary school counselor and absolutely loving it! Sophie Moeller lives about 15 minutes from me, so I see her all the time. She is actually going to sing at my wedding as I walk down the aisle. I know she will make it beautiful and unique; she has always had an amazing voice!” …Patrick Regan has had a busy year! He writes in, “Things are going great for my family and me. We are stationed at Fort Campbell, KY where I am the JAG for a special forces battalion. I just returned from a six-month deployment to Afghanistan with a special operations task force. It was a great experience and a lot of hard work. My family and I will

Connor Foley, son of Rachel Cooke Foley ’04.

be here in Tennessee for another six to eight months, and then we are moving to Washington, DC. I have two boys, Hayden (eight) and Brennan (three), who are doing great and keep Katy and me extremely busy. Katy teaches fifth grade in the same elementary school that Hayden attends.” …As for me, Karyn Hoepp Jennings, I had a crazy busy summer/fall with weddings and family things, but all was super fun! My husband and I own a house in Lee, NH, and I’m still working at a radio station as an interactive sales coordinator/graphic designer. I also still do my daily Hollywood gossip report on our station, Hot Hits 94.1 in Manchester/103.1 in Concord! Tune in if you’re in the area! Hope everyone else is doing well! Happy 2014!

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS Karyn Hoepp Jennings ’01 603.421.4151 KarynPJennings@gmail.com Adam Lavallee ’01 a.l.lavallee@gmail.com

’02 Keith Tyler was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor for his actions in Afghanistan. His award

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

89

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:51 PM

Page 90

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

Liam Tith, son of Kate Kenly Tith ’04.

Nick Payeur ’03 and Christa Ramsey were on top of Mt. Katahdin in Maine on the Fourth of July when he proposed.

reads, “Staff Sergeant Keith A. Tyler, Joint Task Force, for exceptionally meritorious achievement as a Weapons Squad Leader for a Joint Task Force in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On this date, Sergeant Tyler selflessly and with little regard for his own personal safety, engaged and destroyed multiple enemy combatants maneuvering on the assault force while under extremely effective fire. He continued to suppress and draw the attention of many more enemy combatants away from the main assault force. Sergeant Tyler masterfully employed his element by regaining the initiative during intense combat and destroying multiple enemy positions.

Through his distinctive accomplishments, Staff Sergeant Tyler reflected great credit upon himself, this command, and the United States Army.”

Congratulations, Keith!

90

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Betsy Pantazelos ’02 774.270.0588 b.pantazelos@gmail.com Facebook: Holdernessclassof2002

’03 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Nick Payeur ’03 Npayeur001@maine.rr.com

’04 (reunion) Greetings from the class of 2004.

I have recently bought a condominium in South Boston and am working at EBI Consulting in Burlington, MA. I have been keeping active with running and a little indoor soccer here and there…Marina Chiasson is living in Aspen and has launched a chocolate company called Aspen Fine Chocolates. She makes handmade truffles for events and special orders and will hopefully

be shipping them around the country soon…Ashley Hedlund Healy is living and working in Boston, and she and her husband, Matt, are expecting their first baby in February, 2014…Taylor Embury is living in Denver, working at Navigant Research in Boulder, playing lacrosse for the Colorado Sabertooths, and coaching locally…Dave Campbell is currently living in Vermont but is moving to Colorado for the winter and then to Costa Rica for the spring and summer. He is continuing to run his clothing brand Another Best Day (anotherbestday.com) while developing websites for small businesses and nonprofits. He is looking forward to moving back to the West (having grown up in Idaho) before some Central American adventuring…Alan Thompson was living in Boston and running the hockey program at a sports training facility in Norwood, MA called Athletic Republic, but he just moved back to Gilford, NH in September. He is now running the strength program and coaching the varsity hockey and baseball teams at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro. He is also doing a little substitute teaching, although his ideal job would be to work in admissions…Kate Kenly Tith and her husband, Mike, are busy rais-

ing their 20-month-old son, Liam, while Rachel Cooke Foley has a one-month-old son, Connor.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Ryan McManus ’04 rbmcmanus@gmail.com

’05 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Brie Keefe ’05 brie.keefe@gmail.com

’06 Jess Saba is living in Brooklyn, NY with her sister Ashley ’05.

Jess is working out of The Centre for Social Innovation and is running Good Point—a marketing consultancy she started three years ago for clients who run businesses with clear social causes.

Jess works to connect impact investors from NYC with social enterprise projects in Nicaragua; she is traveling between NYC and Central America in order to develop an understanding of businesses that solve issues related to poverty, health, and environmental change.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Jessica Saba ’06 603.381.6699 jessicalsaba@gmail.com

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:51 PM

Page 91

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

’07 Congratulations to Mike “Ice” Heyward and his lovely bride Olga Betre, who were married on December 26, 2013.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Annie Hanson ’07 annie.e.hanson@gmail.com

’08 Hello! Let me start by saying how great it was to see everyone who came to reunion! It was such a great weekend, and I loved catching up with everyone. Those of you who couldn’t make it, you were definitely missed! Hopefully more of you can join us for our 10-year reunion; I guarantee you’ll be glad that you did. Here are some updates from the Class of ’08: Kelly Giller writes, “I graduated from UNH this spring with a hospitality management and ecogastronomy dual major and a dairy management minor. After working for another Holderness alum, John Putnam ’75 at his dairy farm in Vermont, I moved to New York where I’m managing a dairy farm that produces cheese on site. I’m only an hour outside of NYC if any alumni want to visit!”…Craig Leach has recently moved to South Boston from Portsmouth, NH and is living with Alex Osborne. He is working at Pioneer Investments as a wholesaler…Margot Cutter is enjoying her second year at McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific…Annie Carney is reliving her Smith dorm days, as she and Anna Bohlin are roommates in Brookline. Annie works at a digital marketing agency in project management…RJ O’Riordan writes, “I enlisted in the US Military over the summer of 2013 after graduating cum laude from the University of New Hampshire

with a degree in political science.

I recently deployed to South Korea on a year-long tour working in operations. I plan on traveling around Asia as much as possible.

I’m also hoping to meet up with fellow Holderness students!” It was great to see a lot of Holderness alumni at RJ’s going away party, courtesy of Gretchen Hyslip; luckily RJ was also able to make it to part of reunion!…Polly Babcock is an assistant to photographer Russell James, who shoots commercially for Victoria’s Secret and for performers such as Barbara Streisand, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill. Polly works as his second assistant on every shoot whether in New York City, France, Haiti, or Los Angeles. Polly currently lives in Brooklyn.

Master Chief Petty Officer Kat Goguen and Meg Rapelye ’97 with their daughter.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Jessica White ’08 978.886.2670 white.jessica.madigan@gmail.com

’09 (reunion) Hadley Bergh spent the summer interning for a marketing firm in Washington, DC after graduating from Colorado College. She is now working as an associate at a small business-to-business management consulting firm in Chicago…Megan Currier now lives in Chicago, IL near Wrigley Field and works downtown in The Loop at Hillshire Brands where she assists in procuring all ingredients and packaging for brands like Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farms, and Ball Park Hot Dogs!…Lane Curran graduated from Bates College this spring with honors in biology.

Since then she has been working in the ICU at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, recruiting patients for a clinical research study. She will begin medical school in a year and a half and is interested in becoming

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

a trauma surgeon…Abby Thompson writes, “I started classes to complete a Master’s program just days after graduation—no rest for the weary! I am currently a full time intern in a second-grade classroom as part of the Masters in Teaching program at Simmons. I will graduate in May, and hopefully have my own classroom in the fall!”…After having his college plans derailed following an accident and traumatic brain injury, Cam Leblanc has recuperated and is back to work. Now part of management in a prominent applied materials company, he is working towards a paramedic license and is studying workplace and environmental safety. He is also coaching weekends for the third season at CVA (He knows it’s traitorous, but it’s his home and some of his kids have been accepted to Holderness.)…Cody Bohonnon is in Denver finishing up a fifth year at the University of Denver where he will graduate with an MBA. He has accepted a management consulting job in

New York City that he will begin after graduation… Pam Louden graduated from Stonehill College in May and then spent time traveling in Australia. Right now she is working in New Hampshire trying to start a career in criminal justice. During the winter she coaches an all-girls ice hockey team. She has spent time in Spain and Italy and cannot wait to continue traveling the world before she settles down and pursues her career in law enforcement…Since graduating from Williams this spring, Ian Nesbitt has been traveling around the country and is working on publishing his first scientific journal article. He is currently an assistant Nordic coach at St. Michael’s College and hopes to start work at a small geophysical consulting firm in NYC come springtime…Sophia Schwartz is currently living in Steamboat Springs, CO where she is training and competing as a member of the US Freestyle Ski Team. In the spring, Sophia will return to Dartmouth College to

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

91

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:51 PM

Page 92

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

Members of the Class of ’08 during Homecoming and Reunion Weekend: Chris Cummings, Haley Hamblin, Jessi White, Annie Carney, Sacha Gouchie, Gretchen Hyslip, Tim Nolan, Ryan O’Riordan, Brittany Dove, and Dan Marvin.

continue taking classes…Caitlin Mitchell moved to Burlington in August and has been working at Patagonia. She will soon be starting her new job as an accounts manager for Skida, a small hat and neck-warmer company based in Burlington. She will be getting the chance to travel some this year, visiting Jackson, WY in December and then driving across the country in February with roommate Corinne in search of powder!…James O’Leary has been working at the Charter Trust Company in Hanover, NH. He has also been studying all fall for the Level 1 Chartered Financial Analyst Exam which he will be taking December 7. He writes, “I am looking forward to meeting up with some Holderness alumni in NYC for New Year’s.”…Andrew

92

Grace is currently pursuing a history degree at John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH. This past summer he interned at Odgers Berndtson, an executive search firm… Jake McPhee is starting his last semester of electrical engineering at the University of Miami and is looking forward to his graduation. He also is working on a small start-up with two of his classmates; they are creating automated smart gardens… After attending the Argyros School of Business and Economics, as well as the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Morgan Irons graduated from Chapman University last May with a degree in business and an emphasis in marketing. She has accepted a job in San Diego as a marketing and production assis-

tant. With her degree she has truly found her passion in the creative industry and could not be happier now that she has become a team member of Elevator Agency…Chris Borsoi has been working as a business analyst at Aldo Groupe since August, focusing mostly on e-commerce and marketing strategies. He still hasn’t given up the dream, playing beer league hockey three to four times a week… Jack Dings is working for State Street Bank in Boston, MA. He is moving into a new apartment in Boston on January 1 and is looking forward to our five-year reunion…Aloha, from Holly Block! She has spent the past month and half on the beautiful island of Maui. She graduated from the University of Tampa in May and is currently

spending time soul searching a bit before settling into the monotonous routine of an actual job…

Trudy Crowley graduated with a major in geography from UVM. Now she is skiing and maintaining backcountry yurts and huts for Sun Valley Trekking…Stephen Smith is living in Bozeman, MT. He is graduating from Montana State University in the spring of 2014 and is then going on to guide full time for River’s Edge Fly Shop. When Stephen is not working, you can find him upland bird hunting with his two-year-old German shorthaired pointer or skiing Lone Peak Mountain in Big Sky…Meg McNulty is in her first year at Emory University’s School of Law in Atlanta, GA. She is serving as the first-year class representative to the Student Bar

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:51 PM

Page 93

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

Association and is working for the admissions office as a student ambassador to help recruit incoming students…After graduating with a history and art degree from Elon University, Ally Stride left for Europe to be an au pair to an Italian family. Over the course of three months, she traveled from the coast of Italy to the Alps, spent a month in London, and sailed the Ionian Islands in Greece. Upon her return, she moved to New York City to start her new job as an executive assistant to the CEO and CFO of Tutor.com and will be working closely with their marketing team to build their brand.

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS Meg McNulty ’09 mmcnulty@mail.smcvt.edu Allison Stride ’09 astride@elon.edu

’10 CLASS CORRESPONDENTS Abby Alexander ’10 abigail.jane.alexander@gmail.com Ashleigh Boulton ’10 amayboulton@gmail.com John McCoy ’10 jmccoy@students.colgate.edu Em Pettengill ’10 978.852.1477 pettenge@garnet.union.edu

’11 Charlotte Noyes writes, “As my fall semester at George Washington University is coming to an end, I am finishing up my term as the vice president of event planning (for my sorority Pi Beta Phi), which involved planning all the chapter’s social events. I am looking forward to

going abroad to Paris where I will be studying art history and fine arts. I can’t wait to travel Europe, learn from all the different cultures, and enjoy their food. While in Europe, I will be meeting up with other Holderness alumni, which I am sure will add many more memories to our friendships as well as to our Holderness experience, which never stops even after you graduate.”…Hannah Weiner says, “I’m studying international relations and playing on a club softball team. From time to time, I help the ESL club teach English to Spanish-speaking adults in the Fredericksburg community. I went to Tanzania last summer with my school and looked at their system of government and how they take care of problems like scarce water.”…

Brooke Robertson transferred to UNH after completing her freshman year at BU and is so happy!

She writes, “There are so many fellow Holderness grads around, and it is so nice to see them. I still see Alex Muzyka every single day, and we are planning the season for our club ski team! We can’t wait to get back on snow and hopefully run into more Holderness kids!”…Sarah Fauver writes, “I am juggling a solid course load, an injured horse, a high-energy horse, and a babysitting job this semester. When the semester starts to wind down, I will start to gear up for a winter break trip to Ecuador to study alpacas. I’m currently uncertain about my career path but an animal science major and a psychology minor should lead to something!” …Paige Kozlowski is studying at ICADE Business School in Madrid this fall: “It’s been awesome, and I’ve seen so many Holderness alumni! I ran into Amanda Engelhardt, Cecily Cushman, and Emily Starer in Germany and visited Alex Kuno

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

in Denmark. I even got to BBQ with Alvaro “Pancho” Apraiz ’10 in Madrid and met up with Eduard Galtes ’14 in Barcelona.

I head home for the holidays; then I’m off to VT for ski camp with Emily Starer. Can’t wait for ski season!” …Juliet Dalton writes, “My junior year has been going really well! Field hockey season was exciting as usual and kept me very busy along with classes. I am looking forward to studying in southern France this spring, and I hope to see some other Holderness alumni while I’m abroad!”…Casey Powell shares that UVM has been amazing so far: “Other than the lake, friends, and (of course) the amazing food, I have filled my time with several UVM student-run organizations.

I am an active member of the feminist club, a Big Buddy for elementary school children, and a member of Feel Good, an advocacy campaign to end world hunger by selling grilled cheeses. I am also a part of a couple intramural sport leagues, including soccer and broom ball (which is quite possibly the funniest thing I have ever done). I am currently a psychology major and women and gender studies minor, both of which have been an amazing duo in my academic and personal life.

I also will be studying in Tuscany, Italy in the spring, and I can’t wait!” …Sarah Stride is loving her interior design major at High Point University. Currently, she is gearing up for a semester abroad in Florence with a few of her Kappa Delta sorority sisters! …Radvile Autukaite writes, “Student-athlete life rocks! My junior year has been a great journey so far! I am currently double majoring in business management and business entrepreneurship.

On top of taking many business classes, last spring I was elected student government president for

this school year. It has been a great experience that has challenged me in many different ways.

In addition to SGA, I am also part of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and a member of the Cardinal Key Club. However, the most exciting time of the year just started! Basketball season is going great so far, and we are striving towards the maximum results this year!” …Lizz Hale is also still loving UVM and often sees many fellow Holderness alumni either around school or when she is working at Ben and Jerry’s. “I now am a happy and proud mother to a beautiful cat whom I adore,” she writes. “I hope to visit Holderness soon!” …Cecily Cushman is studying in Barcelona, Spain this fall and writes, “I love running into many fellow alumni during my travels throughout Europe. I am studying economics and human development at Connecticut College, and I can’t wait to get back to play lacrosse. I will be living in Boston this summer and would love to get together with any and all Holderness alumni!”

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS Cecily Cushman ’11 781.710.5292 ccushma1@conncoll.edu Mandy Engelhardt ’11 amanda_engelhardt@brown.edu Jamie McNulty ’11 mcnultyj@garnet.union.edu Sam Macomber ’11 sammac@adelphia.net

’12 It is likely that the Class of 2012 remembers the infamous blacksmithing club at Holderness; now students at Connecticut College can also learn and enjoy this skill, thanks to Chris Daniel. He has not

WINTER 2014 | HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY

93

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:51 PM

Page 94

Draft 9 (19APR14)

CLASS NOTES

only brought blacksmithing to Connecticut College but is involved with the ski team and fencing clubs on campus as well…Matthew Kinney is the elected executive recruitment chair for Beta Theta Pi at St. Lawrence University…Meanwhile Gavin Bayreuther is having an incredible freshman year at SLU and has been tearing it up on the ice as well as in the classroom…Also at SLU, Eliza Cowie has been training hard as a member of the women’s alpine ski team and is joined by classmate David Bugbee, who is currently studying economics and preparing for the upcoming lacrosse season… Lily Ford is also preparing for her lacrosse season, but as a freshman on the UNH women’s team! …Charlie Defeo had another successful year of playing for the men’s soccer team at UVM. He is currently second on the team for points scored, with two goals and three assists so far this season…Olayode Ahmed is also having a great fall season and hoping to have his men’s soccer team at Indiana University continue its success at the Summit League Conference. He is excited to visit Holderness this spring and wishes the rest of the Class of 2012 well at their respective schools…Alex Leininger is doing well and enjoying his time in Milwaukee just as much as his time spent in Marion, MA over the summer while living and working with classmates Connor Loree and Nate Lamson. They were able to make the most of their time in Massachusetts, with visits to the Cape as well as into Boston to meet up with other Holderness alumni such as Drew Walsh…Boston was home to other alumni for the summer as well, such as Kristina Micalizzi, who was working at the Greek consulate and spent time with Emily Starer ’11 before travelling abroad

94

in the fall…Just west of Boston, Stephanie Symecko recently finished up a successful term at WPI in her classes, field hockey, and Alpha Xi Delta recruitment. She also headed over to Tabor Day a few weeks ago and saw many members of the Class of 2013 including, Stepper Hall ’13, Francis Miles ’13, Sarah Bell ’13, Mackenzie Mahar ’13, and a handful more…Over the summer, Abby Slattery travelled to Amman, Jordan for an intensive Arabic program to further enhance her language skills…Sara Mogollon continued to use her Spanish language skills in NYC this past summer when she interned in Union Square and had the opportunity to write, translate, and work with her company’s tourism board for Ecuador and Peru. She is further enhancing her knowledge and studying abroad for three weeks in Buenos Aires in December…This summer was an exciting one as well for Abby Guerra who went on CORTRAMID for the Navy during which she flew a jet trainer, spent time on a ballistic missile submarine, and shot a bazooka! She remains actively involved with leadership in the Navy ROTC Battalion at Boston University and continues to spend time with Keith Bohlin who recently transferred to Boston College…Samantha Cloud also transferred to Boston College and loves the city life…Julia Potter is taking advantage of Miami after transferring from a school in New York City to the University of Miami. She continues to grow her jewelry business byJulia and is participating in a 30-day yoga challenge with her sister Jessie Potter ’08 who is currently a yoga instructor in Miami…At Emory University, Yejin Hwang enjoys school and is participating in the Korean International Students Association and in the Korean

Adoptees Mentorship Program…Katie Leake has been relishing her time back on land in beautiful Colorado at CU. She loves school and frequently sees classmate Pippa Blau around campus…Molly Monahan is enjoying the West Coast life and weather as well. She is studying to be a marine biologist and looks forward to further classes in her major…Sam Lee continues to support the fight against cancer; after establishing Relay for Life at Holderness, she is now volunteering for the Healing Cancer Foundation in Canada…Also in Canada, Andrew Munroe is currently living in Aurora and playing in the Ontario Junior Hockey League where he is one of the league leaders in statistics as a goaltender…Shawn Watson is having a tremendous year after making the move back to New England where he is playing varsity hockey at NEC…Nate Lamson not only has enjoyed playing club hockey at Hamilton but also looks forward to an on-campus internship this summer after a challenging year as a chemistry major…Continuing his biology studies at Washington and Lee, Oliver Nettere is the president of his school’s fly-fishing club and lives at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house. He has been visited frequently by Keith Babus who is heading to England for school in the spring…Further north, Nick Renzi recently had a visit from Jamie McNulty ’11, who came to watch one of his club hockey games at Boston University. The two also ran into Dylan Zimmerman ’10 who was staying with Jack Hyslip ’10 who is Renzi’s defensive partner on the BU club hockey team…Patricia Porta is currently studying chemistry at San Sebastian in Spain and spent time with Miguel Arias in Spain over the summer as well.

…After spending the summer working at the Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona, Miguel Arias is back at school in London enjoying all the city has to offer…Josie Brownell also spent a portion of the fall studying abroad in France where she was able to take a month-long philosophy course through a unique program that Colorado College offers its students. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the class of 2012 update! We love to hear from all of you and see what exciting things you all have been up to in the past year. Best of luck for the remainder of the year and hope to see you all back at Holderness come spring! Keep in touch!

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS Peter Ferrante ’12 Pferrant4@gmail.com Matthew Kinney ’12 Mnkinn12@stlawu.edu Alex Leininger ’12 Alexbleininger@yahoo.com Kristina Micalizzi ’12 ksm48@georgetown.edu Stephanie Symecko ’12 Srsymecko@wpi.edu

’13 CLASS CORRESPONDENTS Kelly DiNapoli ’13 kac288@wildcats.unh.edu Olivia Leatherwood ’13 olivia.leatherwood@gmail.com

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. F

19APR14_Class_Notes_Draft_09:HST_Class_Notes_2013

4/19/2014

1:52 PM

Page 95

Draft 9 (19APR14)

SAVE THE DATE HOLDERNESS SCHOOL

HOMECOMING AND REUNION WEEKEND

SEPTEMBER 2014

26–28

l Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

REGISTER AT WWW.HOLDERNESS.ORG/REUNION2014

#COMEBACKFORBLUE

19APR14_Departments_Draft_09:HST_Departments_Winter_2013

4/19/2014

1:43 PM

Page 96

Draft 9 (19APR14)

AT THIS POINT IN TIME

Would It Not Be a Pleasure?

Carpenter during Edric Weld’s tenure.

by liesl magnus ’ Consider the spring of  when the trustees possessed plans for a new gymnasium at Holderness School. A committee had looked over the grounds of the school for an appropriate place for its construction. They had also hired an architect by the name of Mr. Howard Greenley, a Holderness School graduate of . Along with the plans, Mr. Greenley sent to the school a watercolor of the proposed project. The laying of the cornerstone was planned for June of , bringing the total number of buildings on campus to five.

This endeavor was the brainchild of the Old Boys of Holderness School (as the alumni association was previously known), and they raised the money for the initial construction. The cornerstone, “of light colored local granite, free from imperfections” was placed during the commencement exercises in June exactly according to plan, indicating to the student body that they would have a new gymnasium for their athletic

96

endeavors the following year. The original plans also contained rooms for physics and chemistry and a running track that was suspended above the gym floor and was meant to double as a viewing platform for theatrics and basketball games. Everyone was ready, the student body was excited…and then nothing.

Nothing happened. No beams were raised.

No walls were built. For weeks the bricks and the cornerstone that they surrounded stood idle. The cornerstone that had been so carefully ordered sat untouched. Weeks stretched into months. Months lengthened into years. And still nothing.

The funds provided by the school and the alumni had proved to be insufficient to pay for a project that was originally thought to cost only ,. This news generated cries of frustration from the current students who published numerous pleas to the alumni in The Argus, which was the school newspaper at the time.

“Would it not be a pleasure,” they asked, “to come back to the old school where we have all

spent years of our light-hearted youth, point to the gymnasium and say, ‘I had something to do with the erection of that building which means so much to Holderness.’”

In the end, while the alumni were able to pay for a portion of the construction costs, the school had to take on debt in order to finish the project. The dedication finally took place in the spring of .

But the story isn’t over there. From the founding of the school up until this point in time, the treasurer had been a man named Josiah Carpenter, who by all accounts was an honest, kind gentleman, “a well rounded man, realizing fully all his obligations to himself, his family, his friends and neighbors” (The Granite Monthly, July ). After his death in , his wife Georgia Carpenter, in an early embodiment of what was to become known as planned giving, donated two hundred and fifty shares in the Amoskeag Mill Company to Holderness School. The shares were used not only to pay off the debt incurred during the construction of Carpenter but also to provide Mrs. Carpenter with enough money to live on until her death. Thus, it was after Josiah Carpenter that the hall was named.

One hundred years later the building still stands, having evolved beautifully to fit the needs of the school and the students. And  years later we stand at another crossroad. Like the students of a hundred years ago had hoped for a new gym, so too do the students at Holderness today hope for a new science building. Although we come from different times and different places, we look different, and we speak differently, we still all share one thing. Hope. We all share the hope for a better school and a better education for the students that come after us. What was reflected in the hearts and minds of the students of  is reflected in the hopes and dreams and words of the students today. We all share the hope of a physical embodiment of the spirit of learning, and most importantly, the knowledge that we can do it.

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY | WINTER 2014

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. Finished size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide.

19APR14_Cover_Draft_09:04SEP08_Cover_Draft_08.qxd

4/19/2014

1:47 PM

Page 2

Draft 9 (19APR14)

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT. It started with a casual observation,

STEWARDSHIP, COMMUNITY, AND STICK-TO-ITIVENESS. THEY’RE IN OUR DNA.

a throwaway comment about an ice hockey rink that was to be discarded. It grew into a major grass-roots salvage effort, that only Holderness could have organized: kids and adults working shoulder to shoulder to save the rink, using sweat, muscle, and strategy to wrestle together something they knew was within their reach. The result? Pipes, rink boards and a boiler, repurposed with care and intention. A home ground for speed, strength, ice and zeal. A hockey program revitalized through pride of ownership. Bragging rights for decades.

The story of Holderness School’s rink, bought for one dollar, moved miles and re-assembled with student volunteers, is a legend that will outlive the rink itself. It’s a story of stewardship, of a community that knows how to cherish its resources and use them to bring greatness into being.

It’s a story of the Holderness way of doing things—together, with vision, and with a great deal of care.

HELP US TO KEEP THESE PROGRAMS ALIVE NOW AND WELL INTO THE FUTURE. GIVE TO THE HOLDERNESS FUND. WWW.GIVETOHOLDERNESS.ORG r WINTER CAN BE A TOUGH SEASON AT HOLDERNESS, BUT ONE OF THE DISTRACTIONS THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE BEARABLE IS POETRY OUT LOUD, A NATIONAL RECITATION CONTEST. STUDENTS BEGIN BY STUDYING AND MEMORIZING POEMS IN THEIR ENGLISH CLASSES, AND AS THEY PREPARE FOR THEIR RECITATIONS, SNIPPETS OF POETRY CAN BE HEARD FLOATING ON THE CRISP, FROSTY AIR ALL AROUND CAMPUS.

r BY THE END OF FEBRUARY, A CHAMPION IS CHOSEN AT A SCHOOLWIDE COMPETITION. THIS YEAR’S WINNER WAS HANNAH DURNAN (PICTURED ABOVE), AND THE RUNNER-UP WAS CAROLINE MURE (WHOSE SHOES ARE PICTURED ON THE COVER). HANNAH AND CAROLINE WENT ON TO PERFORM AT A REGIONAL EVENT WHERE HANNAH FINISHED THIRD, JUST SHY OF MOVING ON TO THE STATE LEVEL.

19APR14_Cover_Draft_09:04SEP08_Cover_Draft_08.qxd

4/19/2014

1:47 PM

Page 1

Draft 9 (19APR14) NONPROFIT US POSTAGE

PAID LEWISTON, ME PERMIT NO. 82

HOLDERNESS SCHOOL TODAY THE MAGAZINE OF HOLDERNESS SCHOOL WINTER 2014

CHAPEL LANE PO BOX 1879 PLYMOUTH, NH 03264-1879

INSIDE: r The Ants Go Marching r It’s Not About Luck r Catching Up With

Peter and Peg Hendel

HOL-DER-NESS…IS THE SCHOOL CHEER WE DO IN ASSEMBLIES, AT GAMES, AND SOMETIMES JUST FOR FUN. IT HAS EVEN BEEN ADOPTED BY OUR SMALLEST “BULLS.” ABOVE, FACULTY CHILDREN MABEL CASEY, FINN LEWIS, BEN LEWIS, AND HANNAH CASEY CHEER PROUDLY FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNERS IN OCTOBER.

Holderness School Winter 2014 Holderness School Today magazine. Flat size is 11.0 inches tall by 18.22 inches wide (includes 0.22 inches for perfect-bound spine); folded size is 11.0 inches tall by 9.0 inches wide. Artwork prints in four-color process and bleeds all four sides. Cover artwork; Cover IV and Cover I.