Mercersburg Magazine - Summer 2012

Mercersburg A magazine for Mercersburg Academy family and friends

V O L U M E 3 9 N O . 1 s umme r 2 0 1 2

Behind the Scenes pag e

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M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e s u mm e r 2 0 1 2

VOLUME 39

NO. 1

sUMMEr 2012

A magazine for Mercersburg Academy family and friends

Mercersburg

Behind the Scenes

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1,051 Words

The waiting is the hardest part.

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Variety Show

A gallery of images highlighting just some of what goes on behind the scenes on campus. Page 16

Features

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Go inside a Supreme day in D.C., the climactic annual season finale for Mercersburg swimmers, and a note-worthy performance in the Big Apple. (And in the process, meet alumni working behind the scenes for the greater good.) Page 20 In our next issue: Look for full coverage of Mercersburg’s 119th Commencement exercises, Reunion Weekend 2012, and more.

My Say

Jeff Cohen on perspective, Facebook, and the two-way street of advice. Page 53

You Should Know

Kyle Hawbaker ’14 (right) starred as the teen heartthrob at the center of Stony Batter Players’ production of Bye Bye Birdie. Others with leading roles included Caitlin Cremins ’14 (left) as Kim, Alex Jackson ’15 as Albert, and Lane deCordova ’12 as Rosie. Laurie Mufson directed the production. Photo by Bill Green.

Photo credits: p. 2 Chris Crisman; p. 3 Bill Green; p. 4 (Dubowsky) Jennifer Pangraze, (students) stacey Talbot Grasa, (Eliason) Green; p. 5 (Argentina) Emily Howley, (Cum Laude) Lee Owen, (Kim) Grasa, (skuba Gray) Blane Faul Photography; p. 8–9 Green; p. 10 Kevin Gilbert; p. 11 (field hockey) Owen, (football) Dave Keeseman; p. 12 (soccer) Juny Kim ’14, (tennis) Gilbert; p. 13 (dance) ryan smith, (stony Batter) Green; p. 14 (Jo) richard rotz, (Magalia) sharon rankin; p. 15 (Flanagan) Kristy Higby, (Octet/Chorale) rankin; p. 16 (top) Lesley Gourley, (bottom) smith; p. 17 (top left) Green, (top right) Pangraze, (bottom) Jason Turner; p. 18 (top left) Gilbert, (top right) Owen, (bottom) Gourley; p. 19 (top) Green, (bottom) Bill Denison; p. 20–22 Owen; p. 24–25 John McKeith; p. 26–29 Owen; p. 30 (rosser) McKeith; p. 31 (cathedral) Heather Van Uxem Lewis; p. 32 Green; p. 35 (top) courtesy robert Hanawalt, (headshots) Grasa; p. 37 smith; p. 53 Green.

Cover Illustration: Peter and Maria Hoey

From the Head of School Via Mercersburg Irving-Marshall Week Athletics Arts Class Notes Mercersburg magazine is published three times annually (summer, fall, and winter) by the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications.

Mercersburg Academy 300 East Seminary Street Mercersburg, Pennsylvania 17236 Magazine correspondence: Lee_Owen@mercersburg.edu Class Notes correspondence: classnotes@mercersburg.edu Alumni correspondence/ change of address: Leslie_Miller@mercersburg.edu Read us online: www.mercersburg.edu/magazine

2 3 8 10 13 38 Editor: Lee Owen Class Notes Editor: Tyler Miller Contributors: Jeff Cohen, Susan Pasternack, Zally Price, Jay Quinn, Olivia Rosser ’12, Lindsay Tanton, Wallace Whitworth Art Direction: Aldrich Design Head of School: Douglas Hale Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications: Wallace Whitworth Assistant Head for Enrollment: Tommy Adams Assistant Head for Advancement: Brian Hargrove

© Copyright 2012 Mercersburg Academy. All rights reserved. No content from this publication may be reproduced or reprinted in any form without the express written consent of Mercersburg Academy.

Green Inks

Mercersburg Academy abides by both the spirit and the letter of the law in all its employment and admission policies. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.

From the Head of School

The Real Job

A

round 2006 The Washington Post teamed with a broadcasting company to create Washington Post Radio—a commercial news venture reminiscent of NPR where many of the Post’s print reporters gave live commentary under the banner of the fledgling network’s tag line, “There’s always more to the story.” This broadcast venture failed, but the tag line still resonates. My clear sense is that in much of life, there’s often the official story, and then there’s what happens behind the scenes: the real story.

This also seems true for any job, yours and mine included.

Job descriptions often have an air of exactness and rectitude and completeness, but to understand the true nature of any job, you have to get the fuller story, and you usually don’t get that in print from human resources. Because it is the spirit of a job—not the letter of it—that is the behind-the-scenes mortar giving meaning, muscle, and momentum to the boilerplate of the job “as advertised.” The letter takes care of the work; the spirit addresses the greater purpose.

All this reminds me somehow of Minnie Grove (the name sounds utterly Faulknerian, but it is absolutely real), my second grade teacher in McMinnville, Tennessee, in the late 1950s. Miss Minnie did not have a family; her job and her students were her family. My guess is also that she never had a job description handed to her. She knew that her job was to teach us second graders how to read, write, spell, add, subtract, multiply, divide, follow instructions, treat our classmates with respect, and eventually be prepared to receive our passport down the hall to third grade. But Miss Minnie understood that her real job consisted of much more: the total well being of every child within her care.

And perhaps at the risk of this column becoming too personal, back then, lunch at Fairview Elementary School cost a quarter per day. Every Monday, Miss Minnie would call each student to the front of the class to deliver his or her lunch money for the week. Eventually it would be my turn.

Being from a large rural family where money was often in short supply at that time, I would sometimes have no more than 75 cents to give her. But Miss Minnie never balked.

She would always look at me with a smile and say, “Okay, Douglas, that makes things even.” She knew I had not paid the full $1.25, and I certainly knew it, but no one else in the class knew it, because Miss Minnie had announced that I was “paid up.” At age seven, that amazing act of kindness felt particular and specific to me; it was not until years later that I came to understand she had most assuredly made up the difference for countless other second graders, year after year. Of course, on those occasions when I did not have the full amount, she was quietly opening her own wallet behind the scenes for the additional 50 cents. This was not part of her job description, but she clearly understood that for her, doing so was part of fulfilling the purpose and calling of the real job she had so lovingly agreed to perform.

We are blessed at Mercersburg to have this same sense of a higher purpose among all those who live and work here.

That sense of purpose extends, as well, to the members of our Board of Regents, accomplished men and women who give freely of their time, wisdom, and treasure to sustain this good place. Denise Dupré, our departing president, and David Frantz, her successor, as unpaid volunteers, exemplify that doing the real job—and doing it well—means acting as servant to all, not master. The Washington Post was right: there always is more to the story, just as there is always more to a job than any job description can reveal.

When we dig behind the scenes at Mercersburg—among the faculty, administration, staff, volunteers, and Board—to discover what the real job consists of, we find not shallowness or self-interest, but spirit and self-sacrifice, all in the name of serving the greater purpose of ensuring the well being of every young person entrusted to our care, regardless of our respective job descriptions.

I think Miss Minnie would be pleased.

Douglas Hale Head of School

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D at es to Rem em b er

Mercersburg A roundup of what’s news, what’s new, and what Mercersburg people are talking about.

sep 2

2012–2013 Opening Convocation

sep 3

Fall classes begin

sep 21-23

Family Weekend

Oct 26-28

Fall Alumni Weekend

Schedule subject to change; for a full and updated schedule of events, visit www.mercersburg.edu

Frantz to Lead Board of Regents David O. Frantz ’60 is the new president of Mercersburg’s Board of Regents. Frantz succeeds Denise M. Dupré ’76, who is stepping down after seven years of service as president of the Board.

Frantz originally joined the Board of Regents in 1987 and served as a vice president from 1994 to 2001 and from 2005 until his election as president. He is a past chair of the Board’s Academic Policy/Campus Life Committee, and also served for six years on Mercersburg’s Alumni Council, including one year as its president.

“I have no doubt that David will be an outstanding president,” Head of School Douglas Hale said. “Not only is he known for his wisdom, vision, quick wit, and buoyant personality, he brings a lifetime of superb experience and in-depth knowledge about the school world, both as a teacher and a senior administrator. Most importantly, he has a deep and abiding love for Mercersburg and the Mercersburg family.”

“It has been a great privilege to serve on Mercersburg’s Board of Regents over these many years,” said Frantz, “and it is a singular honor to have been elected president. Denise Dupré has provided exceptional leadership over the past seven years; we have been truly blessed to have had a president at the helm who has guided and inspired us with matchless style, grace, and acuity. I look forward to working together with all of the members of the Board, Head of School

Doug Hale, and the entire school community as we continue to enhance together the excellence of the school we all love.”

Frantz, who recently retired as secretary of the board of trustees at Ohio State University, is also professor emeritus of English David Frantz ’60 and there and a past recipient of the Denise Dupré ’76 University-Wide Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award and the Faculty Award for Distinguished University president, and we are ever so thankful for Service. He has served as assistant, associate, her love of and dedication to the whole of and professor of English at Ohio State since the Mercersburg family.”

“I can honestly tell you that I have 1968, in addition to being Ohio State’s Dean of the College of Humanities, Associate enjoyed every minute of my time as president Dean for Faculty Affairs and Research, and of the Board of Regents,” Dupré said. “The Associate Dean for Curriculum, Honors, and democratic spirit and collective wisdom of my fellow regents have made this an Undergraduate Affairs.

Dupré joined the Board of Regents exhilarating and supremely rewarding in 1995. Having chaired two Strategic experience. Watching Mercersburg thrive Planning Committees and the Admission/ and flourish has been and will continue to College Counseling Committee, she also be a great joy for me.”

A graduate of Princeton University, served on the Head Search, Finance, Investment, Committee on Regents, and where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Advancement Committees. From 2002 to Frantz earned his master’s degree from 2005 she was a vice president, and in 2005 the University of Michigan and his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, both she was elected president.

“In her seven years as president, Denise in English. He spent many years studying has inspired us all with her intelligence, Renaissance paintings and literature and is leadership, vision, drive, and generosity of the author of Festum Voluptatis: A Study of spirit,” Hale said. “The positive effect of her Renaissance Erotica. Frantz and his wife, tenure will be felt for years. She has done a Joanne, have a son, a daughter, and two marvelous job as both board member and grandchildren.

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’Burg’s EyE ViEw

caMpus notes

Love, a former coInvited speakers during captain of the men’s basthe spring term included ketball team at Duke environment al activUniversity (where he also ist and musician Jonny played football), joined Dubowsky, former the office of then-Senator National Football League Obama in 2007. Obama standout Lorenzo Neal, Jonny Dubowsky and chose Love as his perand Reggie Love, a students working in the sonal aide after winning former special assistant to community garden the 2008 presidential elecPresident Barack Obama.

Dubowksy, the Jacobs Residency Lecturer tion. Love traveled nearly a million miles with this year, was on campus for portions of three Obama, spending more time in four and a days in April. He gave a talk to the school half years with him than almost anyone else titled “Rock ’n Renew: Creating a Plan of on the planet. After leaving the post in 2011, Action for the Planet That Rocks,” and worked Love is pursuing an MBA from the University with students on three campus environmen- of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. tal projects: the installation of student-made solar panels, several projects in the school’s community garden, and an art composition.

As part of the day, students mounted and installed 16 solar panels at the Class of ’38 Observatory, which is now running off the grid on solar energy. English, biology, and chemOrbon Song istry classes set up an irrigation system at the DiLalla community garden by collecting rainwater Mercersburg seniors Aric DiLalla ’12, Mikaela from the roof of the nearby Masinter Outdoor Orbon ’12, and Gavin Song ’12 have been Education Center. Students planted pest- chosen as National Merit Finalists. It marks repellent flowers, installed wooden gates, and the first time multiple members of the senior planted the season’s first crop of vegetables. class have been honored since five students Neal is widely considered to be one of in the Class of 2004 earned the distinction the top fullbacks in NFL history. He played eight years ago.

16 seasons in the league for eight teams, DiLalla, of Raleigh, N.C., will attend including the Tampa Bay Northwestern University; Orbon, of Black Buccaneers, Tennessee Mountain, N.C., is headed to the University T i t a n s , S a n D i e g o of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Song, Chargers, and Baltimore of Seoul, Korea, is bound for the University Ravens, and was named of California, Berkeley. to the NFL’s 2000s AllNeal Decade Team. He visited On the 100th anniversary of its meet record Mercersburg as the Fowle at the Penn Relay Carnival (better known resident, and shared an inspirational message as the “Penn Relays”), Mercersburg’s famed at a March school meeting before participat- 1912 mile-relay team was inducted into the ing in the Fowle Forum conversation prior to Penn Relays Wall of Fame. The team, which the Academy’s weekly Sunday chapel service featured future Olympic gold medalist Ted with School Minister Dr. Lawrence Jones.

Meredith (1912), captured the event in 3:27 Neal is involved with several business 1/5 seconds, which shattered the old record ventures and also serves as an analyst for by three seconds. the Comcast Sports Net Bay Area television Meredith, who won two gold medals later network. During his visit, he also appeared that year at the 1912 Summer Olympics in via phone as a guest on the nationally syndi- Stockholm, ran the anchor leg for Mercersburg cated Jim Rome radio show. that day at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. Al

Robinson (1914) led off the relay, followed by Eugene “E.P.” Hammitt (1912) and Theodore Dale (1916).

The Penn Relays Wall of Fame was created in 1994 on the 100th anniversary of the event, which today hosts more than 15,000 high school, college, and club athletes over a fiveday period each year. Other Mercersburg alumni on the Wall of Fame include Charles Moore ’47; the 1939 440-yard relay team of Jack Watt ’39, Austin Kellam ’40, Bob Ufer ’39, and Paxson Gifford ’39; Allen Woodring ’18; and Lee Talbott (1907).

Mercersburg robotics students swept the top two places in the physical search & rescue category at the 2012 RoboCupJunior of New York/New Jersey in April. The teams of Cole Rataezyk ’12 and Matt MacMahon ’12 and Tom Zhang ’12 and Min Hee Lee ’12 placed first and second at the regional competition, earning Mercersburg the right to send a team to the global 2012 RoboCup competition in Mexico City this summer.

Mercersburg also performed admirably in the thermal search & rescue category; the team of Ashley Heisey ’12 and Stefan Johansson ’12 took second place, while the team of Ela Thompson ’12 and Pazin Tarasansombat ’13 placed fourth.

Robotics students from Mercersburg have previously competed at three global RoboCup competitions--in Atlanta (2007), Singapore (2010), and Istanbul, Turkey (2011).

Grafton Eliason, a fixture in Ford Hall for more than 20 years as manager of the student lounge and school store before his retirement in 2007, died January 1, 2012. He was 87.

A U.S. Army veteran, Grafton came to Mercersburg after a long career in military and governmental positions, including at nearby Letterkenny Army Depot. He and his wife, Zoe (who survives him), are fondly remembered for their custom of presenting roses to the school’s female graduates on Commencement day.

Burial will be at a later date in Arlington Memorial Cemetery.

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Elected Cum Laude in 2012

Global Exposure Six Mercersburg students and faculty members Emily Howley and Will Willis spent 10 days in Argentina this April for a symposium on education and poverty hosted by the Riverside School in the capital city of Buenos Aires.

Mercersburg was one of five schools from four continents represented at the symposium, which was the fourth for an Academy group in as many years. Other participating schools included the American British Academy (ABA) of Muscat, Oman; Colegio Alemán de San Felipe in San Felipe, Chile; and the Gauss Gymnasium in Worms, Germany, as well as Caistor Yarborough

Academy in England. Colegio Alemán and the Gauss Gymnasium are Mercersburg’s sister schools, and two previous symposiums attended by Mercersburg students have been held in Oman.

Mercersburg hosted a symposium on climate change and environmental issues in 2009 that welcomed students from the ABA, the Gauss Gymnasium, and the American International School of Abu Dhabi.

Students taking part in the trip (pictured, left to right) included Bridgette Cranston ’14, Mac Williams ’13, Suzanne Holcomb ’13, Caitlin Cremins ’14, Jenny Acuff ’13, and Chris Fritz ’13.

Princess For a Week Michelle Skuba Gray ’12 of Mandeville, La., served as a royal princess for the 2012 Washington D.C. Mardi Gras Ball. Skuba Gray, a four-year senior at Mercersburg, was selected

by Mystick Krewe of Louisianians King Tommy Cvitanovich to be in his court for the ball, which was held at the Washington Hilton. As part of the week, Skuba Gray (far left) flew to Baton Rouge to meet with Governor Bobby Jindal and First Lady Supriya Jindal at the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion.

Pictured are the 26 newest members of Mercersburg’s Cum Laude Society, all members of the Class of 2012 who were honored March 16. The distinction is the secondaryschool equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa. Front row, L–R: Linh Vu, Kathy Clarke, Ariel Garofalo, Val Langlois, Mikaela Orbon. Second row: Min Hee Lee, Nerissa Lam, Michelle Skuba Gray, Abby Ryland, Franklin & Marshall College President Daniel R. Porterfield (invited speaker). Third row: Rosie Hough, Frances Gong, Amber Yu, Cathy Wang. Fourth row: Winnie Lu, Sarah Allen, Sally Kim, Vanessa Anyanso, Jason Lee. Fifth row: Ryan Mahaffey, John Pribyl, Jin Yong Shin. Back row: Harrison Helm, Aric DiLalla, John San Filippo, Head of School Douglas Hale, Gerverus Flagg, Ted Fitzmaurice.

Another MAPL Victory “Coronation” (above), a drawing

by Sally Kim ’12, won Best In Show honors at the 2012 Mid-Atlantic Prep League Art Exhibition, which was held at Mercersburg for the first time. Work by students from Mercersburg, The Hill School, The Lawrenceville School, and The Peddie School was displayed in the Burgin Center for the Arts. Pieces by Mercersburg artists Kathy Clarke ’12 (threedimensional) and Abi Harper ’13 (special juror’s award) were also honored.

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1,051 Words Marshall members Megan

Kearley ’12, Kelly Hamilton ’13, Christina Hyrkas ’13, Emily Warfield ’12, and Ketty Zawarski ’12 gather alongside Irving members Sarah Milback ’13, Caroline Yoo ’13, and Liz Casparian ’13 to hear the results of this year’s Irving-Marshall competition. Turn the page to see which group went home happiest. Photo by Bill Green.

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Irving-Marshall Week 2012

Marshall declaimers (sitting, L–R): Caitlin Cremins ’14, thirdplace winner Kathy Clarke ’12, Maggie Collins ’14. Standing: Aric DiLalla ’12, Alex Jackson ’15.

MARSHALL 1075

IRVING 875

Irving declaimers (sitting, L–R): firstplace winner Lane deCordova ’12, Vivi Hyacinthe ’13, second-place winner Jennifer Nelson ’13. Standing: Mikaela Orbon ’12, Connor Weiss ’13.

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Lane deCordova ’12, this year’s Scoblionko Declamation Cup winner

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Athletics D ates to Re me mb e r

Aug 20

Football preseason registration

Sep 15

Sep 4

Volleyball vs. St. John’s Catholic Prep (first home event of fall)

Football vs. Spingarn (home opener)

Oct 27

Fall Alumni Weekend—most teams vs. Hill

Schedule subject to change; for a full and updated schedule of events, visit www.mercersburg.edu

Fall Varsity athletics roundup

boys’ cross country

Captains: Hunter Harrell ’12, cameron rogers ’12, rick stettler ’12 Boys’ Cross Country Award (most outstanding runner): stefan Kempe ’13 Boys’ Coaches’ Award (most improved runner): alex Kelly ’12 Charles R. Colbert ’51 Award (sportsmanship): Harrell Head coach: Matt geeza (1st season) MAPL/IPSL finish: 6th/2nd Highlights: The team finished behind only st. Maria goretti at the inaugural iPsL championships…

Kempe took fifth at the iPsL meet to earn all-league honors, while teammates alex Jackson ’15 and Harrell finished ninth and 10th, respectively, to give Mercersburg three runners in the top 10… seven runners matched or set personal bests at the MaPL championships at Peddie school, including Kelly (18:47, 27th) and Kempe (18:48, 28th)… Jackson was an academic all-MaPL selection.

girls’ cross country

Captains: abby colby ’12, Phoebe Moore ’13 Girls’ Cross Country Award (most outstanding runner): colby Girls’ Coaches’ Award (most improved runner): Maddie nelson ’15 Charles R. Colbert ’51 Award (sportsmanship): Moore Head coach: betsy Willis (9th season) MAPL/IPSL finish: 5th/champion Highlights: colby, who became the second Mercersburg runner to be named all-MaPL four times, won the iPsL individual championship at st.

James school by nearly three minutes… she lettered all four years and finished her Mercersburg career with 12 varsity letters; she will run at Dickinson college next year... colby also placed third at the MaPL championships (recording a personal best of 19:47 on the Peddie school course) and finished in the top five in every event this season… eight of the team’s nine runners recorded personal bests at the MaPL meet…

colby and nelson garnered all-iPsL honors, and colby was named academic all-MaPL.

Field Hockey

Captains: shelley LaMotte ’12, nina Mcintosh ’12, Kiersten sydnor ’12 Carol Anderson Field Hockey Award (most outstanding player): sydnor Beck Field Hockey Improvement Award (most improved player): suzanne Holcomb ’13 Becki Peace ’75 Field Hockey Award (most inspirational player): LaMotte Head coach: alicia Hawk (2nd season) Record: 12–4–1 (3–2 MaPL) Highlights: The team won a school-record 12 games (including an eight-game winning streak) and advanced to the final eight of the Pennsylvania independent schools athletic association state tournament… sydnor and Hawk swept the [chambersburg] Public Opinion’s area Player and coach of the Year awards… sydnor, who will play at bucknell next year, was a four-year varsity

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letterwinner and scored 57 career goals (24 of which came as a senior)… sydnor and LaMotte were first-team all-MaPL selections; LaMotte and brittany burg ’13 earned second-team allarea honors, and Mcintosh, Holcomb, and Paige richardson ’14 were chosen for the honorablemention squad… LaMotte joined sydnor on the allMaPL first team… the storm beat springside in the first round of the state tournament before falling at shipley in the quarterfinals… the team’s MaPL wins came over Hun, blair, and Hill… LaMotte and sydnor also earned academic all-MaPL recognition.

Football

Captains: game captains selected Football Award (most outstanding player): ayo adjibaba ’13 Coaches’ Award (most improved player): burke Helzel ’12 Head coach: Dan Walker (9th season) Record: 2–6 (0–5 MaPL) Highlights: gerverus Flagg ’12 earned first-team all-MaPL honors, while Lorenzo Vazquez ’13 was an honorable-mention selection… Flagg (offensive/ defensive line) and Vazquez (wide receiver) garnered second-team all-area honors from the Public Opinion, and ayo adjibaba ’13 (running back/ linebacker) and John-eric bell ’12 (placekicker) were chosen honorable mention… the blue storm won two of its last three games, including a dramatic 29–23 victory in the finale over Kiski… Flagg will play at georgetown university next year; the storm has produced at least one Division i football player

in each of Walker’s nine seasons… additionally, John san Filippo ’12 will play at Division iii Wesleyan university… Ted Fitzmaurice ’12 and ryan Mahaffey ’12 were named academic all-MaPL.

golf

Captains: match captains selected Golf Award (most outstanding player): seth noorbakhsh ’13 Coaches’ Award (most improved player): andrew Peterson ’14 Head coach: Paul galey (13th season) IPSL finish: champion Head-to-head record: 6–4 Highlights: Max Fink ’12 earned medalist honors at the iPsL championships by shooting 81 over 18 holes at beaver creek country club in Hagerstown

to help the blue storm best second-place st. James by 35 strokes… the team recorded head-to-head wins over sidwell Friends, st. James, st. Maria goretti, Middleburg academy, Kiski, and local foe James buchanan… Fink and noorbakhsh posted the team’s lowest individual score in three stroke-play events apiece; Peterson’s 39 against Potomac was the top nine-hole individual effort, and Fink’s 77 against Kiski was the best 18-hole score… the storm finished second out of 10 teams at the Dr. Marshall glenn invitational at charles Town, West Virginia… noorbakhsh was the team’s academic all-MaPL selection.

boys’ soccer

Captains: alfred Hylton-Dei ’12, evan Moats ’12, John Olszewski ’12 Boys’ Soccer Award (most outstanding player): Hylton-Dei Coaches’ Award (most improved player): ahmed abdel Latif ’12 Schweizer Cup (hard work/determination): Moats Head coach: Quentin McDowell (4th season) Record: 12–7–1 (2–3 MaPL) IPSL finish: champion Highlights: Hylton-Dei and Moats were firstteam all-MaPL selections and played in the Four Diamonds senior all-star game, and Olszewski was an honorable-mention choice and joined Hylton-Dei and Moats in the central Pennsylvania scholastic all-star game… the three captains were also named all-iPsL along with teammates breno calegari ’12 and Marco sant’anna ’12, and all-area by the Public Opinion alongside Vini nobrega ’12 (second team) and goalkeeper augusto Lima ’12 (honorable mention)… Hylton-Dei led the storm with 20 goals and added six assists, Moats and nobrega had a team-high seven assists apiece, and Olszewski anchored a defense that posted 10 clean sheets… Taku Yamane ’12 earned four varsity letters during his career… Lima and nobrega earned academic all-MaPL honors.

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girls’ soccer

Captains: sarah Firestone ’13, Mackenzie Quinn ’12, Laura rahauser ’12 VerStandig-Curtis Award (most outstanding player): rahauser Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Misa ikenaga ’13 Hendrickson-Hoffman Coaches’ Award (spirit): Hanna Warfield ’13 Head coach: Jason bershatsky (4th season) Record: 7–8 (0–5 MaPL) IPSL finish: champion Highlights: rahauser earned first-team allMaPL honors, and was joined by four teammates (Warfield, Katie Miller ’15, Melanie rankin ’14, and goalkeeper Teal Tasker ’15) on the all-iPsL squad… the storm was 3–1 against iPsL competition, including a 1–0 victory over st. John’s catholic Prep in the league title game which avenged an earlier loss to the Vikings in a penalty-kick shootout…

Quinn and rahauser were four-year letterwinners…

Miller was the team’s leading scorer (15 goals) and was one of three ninth graders to earn varsity letters ( joining Tasker and emily schoenberger ’15)... schoenberger and Lola Tijani ’13 were named academic all-MaPL.

girls’ Tennis

Captains: match captains selected Girls’ Tennis Award (most outstanding player): sarah allen ’12 Coaches’ Award (most improved player): greta strickler ’12 Head coach: Mike sweeney (8th season) Record: 3–6 (0–5 MaPL) IPSL finish: champion Highlights: The team won the 2011 iPsL title (which was held in spring 2011, since girls’ tennis is played in the spring in that league)… allen was an honorable-mention all-MaPL choice, an academic all-MaPL selection, and a four-year letterwinner… allen posted a 6–5 record at no. 1 singles, while Michaella Hoehn-saric ’13 and clare Wilkinson ’13 recorded the top doubles record (3–2)… the storm placed third as a team at the state college invitational, with brandau and the doubles team of strickler and Vanessa anyanso ’12 earning secondplace finishes in their respective flights… the team defeated Foxcroft (twice) and Harrisburg academy in head-to-head competition… four of the team’s top six players will return next season.

Volleyball

Captains: Melody gomez ’13, Vivi Hyacinthe ’13 Erin Carey ’91 Memorial Volleyball Award (most outstanding player): elise robbins ’13 Coaches’ Award (most improved player): zoe alpert ’14 Head coach: brent gift (16th season) Record: 5–9 IPSL Tournament finish: 2nd

Highlights: The team advanced to the finals of the iPsL Tournament by beating st. Maria goretti before falling in the title match to host Maryland school for the Deaf… robbins and gomez both earned all-iPsL honors… gomez led the team in

kills (134) and blocks (13.5)… robbins was the team leader in assists (111) and aces (91), while alpert tallied a team-high 54 digs… gomez was named the recipient of the team’s academic award… eight of the team’s 10 players were underclassmen.

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arts

Dat e s to Rem em b er

Sep 21–23

Stony Batter Players present Antigone

Nov 10

Fall Pops Concert

Nov 3

Fall Dance Concert

Nov 11

Student Music Recital

Schedule subject to change; for a full and updated schedule of events, visit www.mercersburg.edu

Dance director: Denise Dalton

“Rich Man’s Frug,” a Bob Fosse-inspired piece by guest choreographer Ray Hatch

Abby Ryland ’12 performs “By Heart,” a tribute to her late mother, Lisa

stony batter Players directors: Laurie Mufson, Matt Maurer, steve crick Shakespeare Scenes (top right) (L-R) Logan Trask ’13, Ritika Malkani ’13, Abi Harper ’13, Sarah Vorsheck ’13, and Stefany Pham ’13 in Love’s Labour’s Lost (bottom right) Alex Boyd ’13 and Lauren Reilly ’13 in Macbeth

Bye Bye Birdie (far left) Lane deCordova ’12 (standing) and Alex Jackson ’15

Shakespeare Scenes

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instrumental Music

directors: richard rotz, Jack Hawbaker, Michael cameron Violinist Robin Jo ’12 became the first Mercersburg student to be selected for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s All-State Orchestra. The concert was held in Lancaster in April.

Concert Band

Vocal Music

directors: richard rotz, Jim brinson

Magalia

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Visual art faculty: Mark Flowers, Wells gray, Kristy Higby

2012 MAPL ART EXHIBITION 3D Merit Award: Kathy Clarke ’12, “Truth de Facto” (above left) Special Juror’s Award: Abi Harper ’13, “See My Leaf” (above right)

Jack Flanagan ’14, ceramics

Octet (above) Chorale (right)

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Behind the Scenes at Mercersburg With 430 students, more than 250 employees, security patrols 365 days a year, a variety of programs for kids ages 7 through 17 during the summer months, more than 1,100 prospective students and family members visiting the grounds for admission events and tours each year, and a total of 300 acres nestled between town and country, there is always plenty of movement on Mercersburg’s campus. Take a peek at some of what goes on outside of the immediate spotlight.

Head of School Douglas Hale chats over lunch in the dining hall with James Riford ’14 and Seth Noorbakhsh ’13

Morgan Hopkins ’12 works on a sculpture in the Burgin Center for the Arts’ Moore Ceramics Studio

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Andrew Peterson ’14 (far right) talks with incoming student Daniel Jornlin ’16 and his parents, Len and Sally Jornlin, at a revisit day hosted by the Office of Admission & Financial Aid

Mackenzie Brink ’14 and Josh Okot ’15 work in the Community Garden

Meredith Wallace ’12 and Phoebe Moore ’13 lead the girls’ varsity lacrosse team onto the field for practice

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Behind the Scenes at Mercersburg

Head football coach Dan Walker and players prepare for kickoff

Faculty member Mark Flowers works with Shelley LaMotte ’12 in a Burgin Center art studio

Dining Services supervisors Barb Mann and Ruth Guessford set up for an evening event in Traylor Hall

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Kathy Clarke ’12 applies stage makeup to Nick Vögele ’12 before Stony Batter Players’ performance of World War Z Head Athletic Trainer Marilyn Houck works on the shoulder of softball player Meg Peterson ’14 in the training room

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Philip Kantaros (front row, far left) with faculty and students on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court

Their Day in Court Inside the American judicial system’s highest level with Mercersburg students

By Lee Owen

S o m e w h e r e b e t w e e n Fr e d e r i c k a n d Gaithersburg, Maryland, a portion of Interstate 270 is packed with commuters heading toward the Capital Beltway on a Tuesday morning in greater Washington, D.C. To describe the traffic as “slowed to a crawl” would be inaccurate; such a description implies that the vehicles are actually moving, which is not the case. Hondas and Audis and Toyotas idle in the southbound lanes as their occupants down mugs of coffee, apply makeup, and even text and chat on their cellphones (in clear violation of Maryland state law).

Inside a minibus on the same stretch of road, the conversation is much different.

Thirteen Mercersburg students and four faculty members (including trip leader and History Department Chair Philip Kantaros) review and debate court precedents and both constitutional and legal arguments they anticipate encountering as spectators during oral arguments later that morning at the United States Supreme Court.

That is, if the traffic clears.

The bus left just after 7:30 a.m. from Mercersburg (approximately 90 miles from downtown Washington, and a little more

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than an hour and a half’s worth of driving time in minimal traffic—which this morning’s rush hour is not). To account for the expected gridlock, the group allowed three hours for travel in order to arrive at the Court in time to pass through security and be seated for Jackson v. Hobbs, one of two cases the Court will hear on this day.

As the dashboard clock nears 10:30, the bus is forced to detour around the Capitol complex for security reasons since President Obama is arriving on Capitol Hill at the same moment. Below the Court’s iconic steps, long lines of college kids, law students, and other hopeful observers gather for the handful of general-admission tickets available for distribution, but the Mercersburg group can bypass the line thanks to Paul Irving, a Mercersburg parent and former U.S. Secret Service agent who is now the sergeant-at-arms for the House of Representatives. Irving arranged for the group’s advance reservations, which will include a private tour of the Court following the arguments.

The group files into the chamber, a modest-sized, ornate room with red velvet drapes, marble pillars, and bench seating for a small number of spectators, media, government officials, and members of the Supreme Court Bar. Since Supreme Court hearings are never televised or broadcast, the chamber is one of the few bastions of American government remaining virtually unseen to the general public. (Transcripts and audio recordings of oral arguments are made available on the Court’s website, www. supremecourt.gov.)

“There was a moment we all felt where your mouth just drops open—where you realize the Supreme Court justices are sitting there a few yards in front of you,” Kantaros said. “So few people have ever seen them at work because there are no cameras in the courtroom. To be able to involve the students in an experience like this is invaluable.”

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“Seeing the real thing was overwhelming and unreal.”

“I was shocked that the courtroom felt so small for a room with so much importance and so much history,” said Hannah Lutz ’12, one of the students on the trip. “Seeing the real thing was overwhelming and unreal.”

The nine justices—six men and three women, ranging in age from the 52-yearold Elena Kagan to the 79-year-old Ruth Bader Ginsburg, sit behind a semicircular, elevated table in reclining chairs as they ask questions of and gather information from attorneys representing the petitioner (in this case, Kuntrell Jackson, who at age 14 was convicted of capital murder when he and two friends robbed and killed a videostore clerk) and the respondent (the state of Arkansas, where the crime was committed).

Jackson received a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, even though he was not the triggerman and was just 14 at the time of the murder. The case made its way up the chain of appeals (with the Arkansas Supreme Court upholding Jackson’s sentence in February 2011) before the U.S. Supreme Court selected it as one of approximately 75 cases it would hear during its 2011–2012 term. The issue at stake is whether a juvenile sentenced to life in prison without any chance of parole violates the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, which protects citizens from “cruel and unusual punishment,” or the 14th Amendment, which guarantees due process to the accused.

The Mercersburg students in the chamber that day all studied these issues in courses taught by Kantaros in constitutional issues and comparative government. Many of the same students spent a February afternoon discussing similar topics with Judge Shawn Meyers ’86 in his judicial chambers at the state courthouse in Chambersburg. (Meyers

was elected in 2009 as a judge for the Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania’s 39th Judicial District.)

“We saw Judge Meyers handling dispositions and sentencing, so when combined with what we witnessed at the Supreme Court, we truly experienced both ends of the judicial system,” Kantaros said. “You can’t help but be impressed by the degree of seriousness and solemnity of purpose by which the courts operate. Stop by your local court any day of the week and you can see cases involving jail time or loss of custody of children, and that’s about as deadly serious as it gets in society.”

Back at the Supreme Court, Bryan Stevenson, an attorney and the founder and executive director of the Equal Rights Initiative, argues Jackson’s case. Several justices interrupt Stevenson in midsentence to ask questions or clarify statements.

The current iteration of the Court is often described as a “hot bench,” meaning that the nine justices—save for Clarence Thomas, who has not spoken a word in an oral argument since February 2006—are more conversant and loquacious than many of their predecessors. Clerks for each justice sit behind the bench and are available to bring photocopies of legal briefs or deliver notes to other justices during a session.

After Stevenson finishes his argument, his counterpart from the Arkansas assistant attorney general’s office, Kent Holt, takes the floor. The students watch as Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer take the lead in grilling Holt about the Arkansas statute that required Jackson to be automatically sentenced to life in prison with no chance at parole.

During the 56-minute hearing, Breyer and Sotomayor are the most frequent ques-

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Paul Irving, House sergeant-at-arms and Mercersburg parent

tioners from the bench. All the justices speak with the exception of Thomas and Antonin Scalia, though Scalia did question Stevenson at length in the first case the Court heard that morning—Miller v. Alabama, which deals with a similar issue of a 14-year-old sentenced to life without parole. (Stevenson argued for the petitioner in both cases.)

“The active back-and-forth arguments between the justices and attorneys turned out to be much more interesting than I

Silence is Golden

Justice Clarence Thomas last spoke during a Supreme Court oral argument in February 2006. And there’s a reason for that, as he told C-SPAN in a 2007 interview: “I would like to be referred to as the ‘listening justice.’ I still believe that if somebody else is talking, somebody should be listening.”

To the untrained eye, at least during Jackson v. Hobbs, Thomas clearly had the fastest handwriting of any justice and took a staggering amount of notes.

thought,” said Tom Zhang ’12, who took two terms of Constitutional Issues with Kantaros and will attend Amherst College next year. “I figured it would be a dull hearing with a few boring legal questions asked by the justices at the end of the attorneys’ presentations, but I was absolutely wrong. The justices were very passionate and asked tough and sensitive questions.”

With a strike of the gavel, Chief Justice John Roberts officially wraps up the session at 12:11 p.m. (On June 25, the Court handed down a 5–4 decision in favor of Jackson, ruling that the Eighth Amendment forbids life in prison without the possibility of parole for juveniles.) As most of the gallery heads for the exits, the Mercersburg group files into the office of Supreme Court Marshal Pamela Talkin, who graciously agreed to meet with the students at the suggestion of Irving, her colleague from the adjacent Capitol.

Talkin and the students discuss the performance of the attorneys (the students universally agree that Stevenson was the more impressive of the two), some of the logistics and quirks of the court, and her career. She is in charge of security, maintenance, and operations for the Supreme Court build-

ing—and with highly anticipated hearings scheduled for the following week on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, she tells the students that the next week will be much different for her and her staff with the increased scrutiny and security.

Following a behind-the-scenes tour with a Court staffer and a photo of the group’s John Marshall Literary Society members with a statue of their society’s namesake (Marshall was chief justice from 1801 to 1835), the Mercersburg contingent gobbles down a quick lunch at a Capitol Hill eatery before its appointment at the Capitol, which is to include a tour of the building and a meeting with Irving in his office. In a bit of serendipity, the group’s Capitol tour guide, Martha Gabriel, turns out to be the sister of a Mercersburg alumnus; her brother, Harry Denny ’52, attended Mercersburg more than 60 years before.

Among the stops on the tour are the Old Supreme Court Chamber, where the Court met from 1810 to 1860 (and also the location from which Samuel Morse sent his first coded message in 1844), and a live look at debate on the floor of the House of Representatives. Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona speaks to a mostly empty chamber— maybe 20 to 25 people are on the floor, including aides, pages, and the House stenographer—as he argues that the provisions of H. Res. 587 violate Clause 9(b) of Rule XXI of the Rules of the U.S. House. (At least for this reporter, it brings to mind the famous Mark Twain quote that those who respect the law and sausages should watch neither being made.)

The Mercersburg group then moves from the House chamber—the site of the president’s annual State of the Union address— to the office of the man whose entrance and announcement “Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States!” signals the traditional

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“I can’t tell you how amazing it was to hear some of the precedents we learned and discussed in class to be used in an actual argument in the Supreme Court.” beginning of the State of the Union. That man is none other than Paul Irving, the House’s sergeant-at-arms and the father of Allen Irving ’12, who is on the trip after taking term courses with Kantaros in the fall and winter.

The elder Irving talks with the students about his 25 years in the Secret Service, including his work with both Presidents Bush and Clinton, and his responsibilities as the chief of security for the House chamber.

For most of recorded history, the doorkeeper of the House was responsible for the State of the Union introduction, but in 1995, the sergeant-at-arms absorbed those responsibilities. So the announcement is now Irving’s to make.

As the discussion wraps up, one of the students asks about a large number of coins that Irving has on display throughout his office.

Irving explains that they are challenge coins, usually given, held, and exchanged by or between members of military or law-enforcement units. Irving gives each member of the Mercersburg group a coin bearing the insignia of his office and of the House itself.

Preferring to not experience the same crush of rush-hour traffic leaving the city that it fought during the morning commute, the group eats dinner at a Mexican restaurant blocks from the Capitol before the ride home. This time, the journey takes about the usual 90 minutes, and the bus arrives back on campus with more than a bunch of tired students and faculty. All the participants return with an experience they will remember long after their academic careers are complete.

“As a history teacher, I’ve been lucky to be able to travel a fair amount in life,” Kantaros said. “That’s important because when I’m teaching about a country and have experienced a country, I can teach it better because the subject is more personal to me. Similarly, to watch the nation’s top judges deal with the very same cases we studied in a quasi-isolated classroom gives context to what we’ve done, and for the rest of their lives our students will be able to put themselves back in the Court and tap into what they experienced.”

Without exception, the students agree fully.

“The trip was definitely one of the most memorable moments of my Mercersburg career,” said Jaden Walle ’12, who plans to study political science at Montana State University and pursue a career in government.

“Constitutional Issues was by far my favorite class here, and having the opportunity to see the Supreme Court hear a prominent case was incredible.”

“I can’t tell you how amazing it was to hear some of the precedents we learned and discussed in class to be used in an actual argument in the Supreme Court,” Zhang said.

“And what we talked about with Judge Meyers, Mr. Irving, and other government officials was extremely relevant to the course. It’s a fantastic feeling to learn something that is truly useful in life.”

Funding for the trip was provided by the D. Louise and Edward S. Young ’43 Endowment, which supports the teaching of U.S. constitutional principles with special consideration of the Bill of Rights and its foundation.

Case Studies

A sampling of relevant Supreme Court cases examined and debated by the class prior to Jackson v. Hobbs: Enmund v. Florida (1982) The Burger Court rules 5–4 to set aside the death penalty for the driver of a getaway car in a felony murder case, ruling the death penalty to be disproportionate punishment and thus in violation of the Eighth Amendment ban on “cruel and unusual punishment” because the offender did not kill, intend to kill, or even contemplate that murder would result from the felony.

Tison v. Arizona (1987) In a 5–4 decision, the Rehnquist Court pulls back on Enmund a bit, allowing the death penalty to be applied to a defendant in a felony murder case who, though not the triggerman, was a major participant in the felony and showed reckless indifference to human life.

Atkins v. Virginia (2002) The Rehnquist Court rules, in a 6–3 vote, that the death penalty cannot be applied to mentally retarded defendants.

Roper v. Simmons (2005) In another 5–4 decision, the Rehnquist Court rules that contemporary standards of decency have evolved to the point that the execution of minors violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition of “cruel and unusual punishment.”

G ra h a m v. F l o r i d a ( 2 0 1 0 ) T h e Roberts Court votes 6–3 that the Eighth Amendment’s “cruel and unusual punishment” clause does not permit juvenile offenders to be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for non-homicidal offenses.

—summaries by Philip Kantaros

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water

world Mercersburg’s swiMMers and divers take on their fellow beasts of the east by lee owen

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At 6 a.m.,

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the pool is already full on the opening day of the 112th Eastern Interscholastic Swimming & Diving Championships in Philadelphia.

Swimmers are used to early wakeup calls, but just in case they need an extra jolt on this particular morning, loud music pulses from the speakers in La Salle University’s Kirk Natatorium to help the athletes get ready for the meet. An alphabet soup of swim caps, legs, elbows, and feet pokes out of the water during the warm-up period as parents and fans fill the seats above the pool.

Easterns (as the meet is more commonly known) is the capstone event for prep-school swimmers hailing from a significant swath of the eastern U.S.—and sometimes a larger area. Schools from as far away as Florida, Tennessee, and Texas have competed at Easterns in the past against teams from the Mid-Atlantic and New England, but this year it’s an affair largely for top prep-school programs from Virginia to Massachusetts.

Mercersburg has won more than 20 Easterns titles in its storied swimming history, including six under head coach Pete Williams, who came to the Academy in 1988. The Blue Storm boys captured the 2010 Easterns championship, but entering the 2012 meet, it’s the Storm girls that have the highest hopes of a title—which would be their first Easterns crown since 1988.

Host Germantown Academy stands in the way in both the girls’ and boys’ divisions, as does Peddie, the Storm’s Mid-Atlantic Prep League rival. In January, the Mercersburg girls (traditionally known as the “S’women”) beat Peddie in a dual meet for the first time since 2003.

The Falcons edged the Storm at the MAPL Championships two weeks later, so Easterns awaits as a tiebreaker of sorts between the squads.

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How They Finished Final team standings

girls (27 teams) 1. Germantown Academy, 533 2. Episcopal Academy, 412 3. Peddie, 383 4. mercersburg, 322 5. Penn Charter, 184 6. Lawrenceville, 174 7. Suffield, 168 8. Baldwin, 126 9. Western Reserve, 124 10. Agnes Irwin, 117 Boys (24 teams) 1. Germantown Academy, 475 2. Peddie, 438 3. Haverford, 303 4. Loyola Blakefield, 280 5. Penn Charter, 209 6. Malvern Prep, 197 7. Lawrenceville, 179 8. mercersburg, 146 9. Georgetown Prep, 145 10. Episcopal Academy, 134

Katerina Parowski ’15, Kelly Hamilton ’13, Danielle Parowski ’12, and Maddi Thompson ’12 on the podium

Easterns is comprised of four sessions held over two days. Preliminary heats are held in the morning, with finals showcased during the evening sessions. Diving competitions are held between the swimming sessions. Teams earn points that correspond to where their individual swimmers and relay teams finish, and the boys’ and girls’ squads with the highest aggregate score after two days win the coveted Easterns title.

Friday morning, February 24 (preliminaries)

The girls’ 200-yard medley relay “A” team is the first group of Mercersburg swimmers to compete, in the second of six heats in the event. Alex Royal-Eatmon ’14 is first off the blocks for the Storm, followed by Catherine Levins ’13, Christina Hyrkas ’13, and Katerina Parowski ’15. The quartet finishes fourth in its loaded heat, which is still good for fifth among the 36 teams. The ultimate goal of the morning session is not necessarily to win your heat, but to post one of the top six times among all heats in order to qualify for the “A” final in the evening— where as many as 48 points are up for grabs in a relay final and 24 points in an individual final. (Three finals—A, B, and C—are

held in each event, so the top 18 finishers earn points for their teams.)

“The only thing you can win in the morning is a lane at night,” Williams says.

Schools may enter two relays in each event but only the highest-finishing relay team from a school is eligible to swim in a final. Mercersburg’s “B” relay team in the girls’ 200 medley posts the 15th-fastest time, but will not swim in a final because of the “A” team’s fifth-place preliminary effort.

With 12 events scheduled one right after another, there is hardly any lag time between heats. In fact, by 8:30, all 13 heats of the girls’ and boys’ 200 medley relay are completed. Six minutes later, Ilkin Telli ’13 hits the water as the first individual competitor for the Blue Storm; she records a personal best in the 200 freestyle to notch a spot in the C final. In the next heat, Danielle Parowski ’12 posts the sixthbest time to become the first individual Mercersburg swimmer to qualify for an A final; in all, four of the 18 swimmers to punch tickets for an evening final in the event are from Mercersburg. (Each school may have a maximum of four individuals score points in an event.)

By 9:16 a.m., it’s clear that Germantown Academy is the team to beat. Mercersburg assistant coach Frank Betkowski notes that the host Patriots have swimmers with AllAmerica qualifying times in every event so far. “You win Easterns with depth, not just speed,” he says.

Speaking of depth, just 12 Blue Storm male swimmers made the trip; the low number is due in part to back-to-back large graduating classes, including the core of the 2010 Easterns championship team.

The biggest events on the program (by number of entrants) are the boys’ and girls’ 50 freestyle; 24 heats for boys and 21 for girls. Mercersburg places a swimmer in the finals of each, as co-captain Maddi Thompson ’12 swims the fifth-fastest time in the girls’ division and Scott von Jouanne ’12 turns in the fastest effort for the boys (21.12 seconds). Von Jouanne, a postgraduate

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student at Mercersburg who is bound for West Point, was an All-American in 2011 in the 50 free while swimming for Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama.

The morning session ends with the Storm’s girls’ and boys’ 200 freestyle relay teams qualifying fourth and sixth, respectively, for the finals that night. In all, 15 individuals and four relay teams are advancing to the finals. It’s a solid start, but if there is a cloud on the horizon it’s the fact that just three of the individuals—Danielle Parowski and Thompson in the girls’ competition and von Jouanne in the boys’— posted a top-six preliminary time, which means Germantown, Peddie, and Episcopal (with several more swimmers in A finals) are bound to rack up more points than the Storm on the first night.

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Still Standing

A board above the pool at La Salle University’s Kirk Natatorium displays the school records for La Salle’s teams (known as the Explorers) and the fastest times posted in the pool regardless of school. Mercersburg swimmers hold four records in the latter category: Boys’ 100 butterfly: Melvin Stewart ’88, 48.09 (1987) Boys’ 200 butterfly: Stewart, 1:47.74 (1987) Boys’ 200 medley relay: Zasha Robles ’92/Mike Kidd ’92/Brian Craft ’92/Greg Gipson ’93, 1:31.10 (1992) Boys’ 200 freestyle relay: Craft/Zack Gipson ’93/Geri Mewett ’92/ G. Gipson, 1:22.70 (1992) Friday evening, February 24 (Finals)

The atmosphere changes in the building when the medals come out. The intensity picks up, the cheers are louder, and the stakes are obviously higher.

“Everyone gets more excited and more anxious,” said Thompson, a postgrad-

uate student and future Navy swimmer.

“Everyone gets up for every event and cheers all the swimmers on, which is much different than at a lot of other meets.”

The group of Mercersburg parents and supporters (who have traveled from as close as the Philadelphia suburbs and as far away

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Final Scores

A list of the Mercersburg swimmers who advanced to finals at the 2012 Eastern Interscholastic Swimming & Diving Championships: GIRLS 200-yard medley relay 4. Alex Royal-Eatmon ’14, Catherine Levins ’13, Christina Hyrkas ’13, Katerina Parowski ’15 (1:51.14) 200 freestyle 5. Danielle Parowski ’12 (1:55.42) 11. Leah Selznick ’12 (1:59.17) 17. Ilkin Telli ’13 (1:57.96) 18. Hannah Lutz ’12 (2:00.05) 200 individual medley 10. Hyrkas (2:11.08) 17. Levins (2:13.80) 18. Emily Sanders ’13 (2:14.07) 50 freestyle 6. Maddi Thompson ’12 (24.17) 12. K. Parowski (25.25) 16. Megan Kearley ’12 (25.58) 100 butterfly 11. Kelly Hamilton ’13 (59.02) 200 freestyle relay 4. Thompson, D. Parowski, K. Parowski, Hamilton (1:38.33) 100 freestyle 6. Thompson (52.45) 9. D. Parowski (53.58) 18. Becca Selznick ’15 (55.84) 500 freestyle 10. Ilkin Telli ’13 (5:11.79) 11. Renee Lundgren ’13 (5:12.17) 14. L. Selznick (5:17.26) 17. Jordan Hotz ’14 (5:23.82) 100 backstroke 3. Hamilton (58.06) 12. Kara Alvarez ’13 (1:01.16) 15. Amanda Begley ’14 (1:02.94) 100 breaststroke 4. Levins (1:05.67) 13. Sanders (1:08.83) 400 freestyle relay 2. Thompson, D. Parowski, Kearley, Hamilton (3:30.95)

BOYS 200-yard medley relay 11. Carson Owlett ’13, Tom Zhang ’12, Harrison Helm ’12, Eric Brown ’12 (1:40.87) 200 freestyle 17. Nate Dubbs ’15 (1:48.23) 50 freestyle 2. Scott von Jouanne ’12 (21.25) 15. Owlett (22.34) 16. Kevin Shivers ’13 (22.62) 200 freestyle relay 6. von Jouanne, Owlett, Brown, Shivers (1:28.19) 100 freestyle 3. von Jouanne (46.59) 500 freestyle 16. Dubbs (4:54.50) 100 breaststroke 8. Zhang (59.83) 400 freestyle relay 8. von Jouanne, Owlett, Brown, Shivers (3:15.32)

as Dubai) settles in to watch the first A final of the night, and the Storm’s girls’ 200 medley relay team places fourth (one spot higher than in its preliminary heat) to get Mercersburg on the board with 38 points.

Germantown, Peddie, and Episcopal take the top three places.

In the boys’ 50 free final, Penn Charter’s Jamal Willis (who was two hundredths of a second slower than von Jouanne in the prelims) edges out the Mercersburg star by going under 21 seconds (20.95 to von Jouanne’s 21.25). Still, von Jouanne’s second-place finish will be the highest for a Storm individual all weekend.

The first day ends with the Mercersburg girls in fourth place (163 points, trailing third-place Episcopal by 48 points) and the boys in ninth place (84 points, just two points behind eighth-place Suffield Academy).

A bus full of tired swimmers makes the 25-minute trek back to the Marriott in suburban West Conshohocken, where their beds and the same early wake-up calls await.

Saturday morning, February 25 (preliminarieS)

The morning begins well for the Storm, as Margaret Burnett ’13 wins the day’s very first heat of the girls’ 100 freestyle. Thompson, Danielle Parowski, and Becca Selznick ’15 qualify for the event’s A, B, and C finals, respectively. In the boys’ division of the 100 free, von Jouanne grinds through and turns in the second-fastest preliminary time.

Four Storm swimmers punch their tickets for the girls’ 500 free finals before one of the best moments of the entire event unfolds for Mercersburg. Nate Dubbs ’15 (who swam in the C final of the boys’ 200 free on Friday) is a late entry into a morning heat of the 500 free after another swimmer drops out.

Dubbs responds by beating his seed time in the event by a whopping 16 seconds to make the Saturday-night finals. The Mercersburg contingent erupts as Dubbs touches the wall with a qualifying time.

Later in the morning, Levins wins her heat in the 100 breaststroke and posts a time good for All-America consideration (1:05.01) in the process to rank third. Kelly Hamilton

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’13 also qualifies third in the girls’ 100 backstroke and is part of the 400 free relay team (with Thompson, Danielle Parowski, and Selznick) that wins its heat and turns in a fourth-place qualifying time.

Fo r t h e s e c o n d - s t r a i g h t d a y, 1 5 Mercersburg individuals prepare to swim in the finals. The two 400 free relay teams will join them.

Saturday evening, February 25 (FinalS)

In between sessions, four Mercersburg divers take part in the girls’ one-meter diving competition. Patricia Neno ’12 and Bridget Filipe ’14 are among the 22 divers that advance to the semifinals, but neither reaches the finals.

As the tuxedo-clad public-address announcer alerts the crowd to the start of the evening session, team captains Thompson, Leah Selznick ’12, Hannah Lutz ’12, Eric Brown ’12, and Harrison Helm ’12 gather the Mercersburg squad at poolside for one last pep talk. For seven seniors swimming in the night’s finals, this will be their final competition in a Mercersburg swim cap. In the first event—the 100 free—two of those seniors, Thompson and von Jouanne, reach

the podium as the sixth-place and third-place finishers, respectively, in the girls’ and boys’ divisions.

Four Mercersburg swimmers place in B and C finals of the girls’ 500 free. During the A final, a swell of anticipation builds as Germantown Academy’s Rachel Zilinskas surges ahead of the pace for an Easterns meet record. She touches the pad to break the mark in 4:40.04 for the loudest cheers of the weekend—from all the fans and swimmers in attendance, not just her teammates and Germantown supporters.

Not to be outdone, Zilinskas’ Germantown teammate Arthur Frayler shatters both the Easterns and national-prep records in the boys’ 500 free (which follows the girls’ finals). For Williams, it brings back memories of February 21, 1992, when the Mercersburg 200 medley relay and 200 free relay boys’ squads broke Easterns and national-prep records on the same day.

“It was kind of the same thing, and it was exciting,” Williams says. “Easterns attracts a pretty knowledgeable crowd.” (Both of Mercersburg’s records from 1992 still stand as Easterns benchmarks.)

After Hamilton (third, 100 back) and

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Levins (fourth, 100 breast) clinch more hardware for Mercersburg, the Storm’s girls’ 400 free relay squad closes its night by jumping up two places (past Peddie and Episcopal) to take second behind Germantown. The boys’ 400 free relay squad captures eighth place, matching its final team finish.

In the final tally, host Germantown sweeps the boys’ and girls’ championships.

Mercersburg sends its contingent of senior girls to the podium to accept the fourth-place trophy, and the entire squad is all smiles as it poses for a team photo before heading its separate ways. (With spring break underway at Mercersburg, just four of the 39 swimmers who arrived on the team bus returned directly to campus late that night.)

“The championship meet is always what you shoot for,” Williams says. “For us, that’s Easterns. There’s a lot of pressure on the kids, but it’s the same pressure they’re going to face all the way up the line to the Olympic trials. If you’re really competitive it’s hard to be satisfied with anything other than first or second. But seeing the kids do their best and record their best times is really rewarding, both from a coaching standpoint and for the kids themselves.”

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Truly

Divine A ChorAle member reCAps the group’s performAnCe At A fAmed new York CAthedrAl by olivia rosser ’12 Last fall, the Mercersburg Chorale learned that it had been invited to sing at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York City. We all ooo-ed and ahh-ed at the news, and though we were excited to sing in such a magnificent space and city, we were also somewhat nervous—but our directors, Mr. Richard Rotz and Mr. James Brinson, assured us we would be fully prepared and ready for the performance in March.

Fast-forward a few performances and five months later to March 18 at 5:50 a.m. Of course, my alarm clock did not ring at 4:45 as I had intended. Instead, one of my Chorale friends woke me 10 minutes before the bus was to leave campus. I quickly brushed my teeth, grabbed my bag, and ran out the door. Somehow I arrived at the bus in front of the Burgin Center for the Arts just in time for departure.

The ride to New York was somewhat of a blur, seeing as I slept most of the way (I was still dealing with jetlag after spending two weeks in India with another group of Mercersburg students over spring break). After stopping for breakfast, we arrived in Manhattan and checked into our hotel. Our performance was part of Evensong at the cathedral at 4 p.m., leaving us little time to relax.

We were immediately struck by the magnificence of the Saint John the Divine as we pulled up—the high towers, the garden, and statues were all so beautiful!

And yet it was so quiet and peaceful inside. The setup of the cathedral is similar to that of our own Irvine Memorial Chapel at Mercersburg, but much larger.

Measuring 601 feet, it is the longest cathedral in the U.S. and one of the longest in the world. My favorite part of the cathedral was the blue rosette located above the door at the front entrance.

The resident Saint John’s choir was something to behold. Though the choir had only six people, their mature and trained voices were almost as powerful as our 35-voice choir. It blew our minds.

Our performance went extremely well.

Two of my favorite pieces were the William Dawson spiritual Soon Ah Will Be Done and Charles Stanford’s Nunc Dimittis (which is an excerpt from the book of Luke). It was such a thrill to sing in the cathedral; you

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A B o ut t h e c At h e d r A l

the cathedral church of Saint John the divine is located on the upper West Side of Manhattan and serves as the cathedral for the episcopal diocese of New York. the cathedral’s nave was designed by noted architect ralph Adams cram, who also designed Mercersburg’s Irvine Memorial chapel.

could feel everyone’s energy and excitement.

I know that it was really meaningful for Mr. Rotz and Mr. Brinson as well.

After the performance, we went to Havana Lounge, a Cuban restaurant just a few blocks away from the cathedral, for an event organized by Mercersburg’s Alumni & Development Office. The food was delicious, and the conversation was good too.

It is always nice to visit with Mercersburg alumni.

That night, we had the option of choosing one of three Broadway shows: Mamma Mia!, Godspell, or Chicago. I went to see Chicago along with some other students. It was funny, with two sassy main characters and plenty of jazz. On our second and final day in New York, we took a morning stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge and toured Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art. Overall, the trip was a great success. It was a pleasant treat for me, especially since

this was my first year singing in the Chorale.

I am really glad that I added Chorale to my schedule. The trip will go down as one of the most memorable experiences in my four years at Mercersburg Academy.

Rosser, of Abingdon, Maryland, will attend George Washington University in the fall.

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(L-R) Payton Lissette ’14, Stacie Rice Lissette ’85, Dylan Lissette, Max Lissette ’14

Chip(s) Off the BlOCk for Stacie Rice lissette ’85, all roads lead to (or from) Mercersburg By lee Owen

Behind every educational institution, regardless of size, there are countless people working behind the scenes. Like all its counterparts in the school world, Mercersburg is in perpetual motion thanks to its faculty and staff, parents, volunteers, donors, and volunteer leaders.

At Mercersburg, Stacie Rice Lissette ’85 is the only current member of the Board of Regents who is also a graduate of the school and the parent of enrolled students. She and her husband, Dylan, sent their eldest son and only daughter—twins Max ’14 and Payton ’14—to the Academy as ninth-graders; they will enter the 11th grade in the fall.

In 1921, Lissette’s great-grandparents, Bill and Salie Utz, began making potato chips in the kitchen of their home

in Hanover, Pennsylvania. That endeavor grew into Utz Quality Foods Inc., which manufactures more than 90 varieties of snack foods for distribution across the United States.

Lissette serves on the Utz board of directors; her parents, Mike and Jane Rice, continue to run the company, while Dylan Lissette is the chief operating officer.

“Just like at Mercersburg, our family business has been blessed with great people in key positions, which has made all the difference,” she says. “Every generation has grown the business.”

Growing up in Hanover (about 60 miles east of Mercersburg, between Gettysburg and York), Lissette watched her best friend from home, Beth Jones Sisca ’82,

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go off to the Academy two years after an elder sister, Molly Jones Mancini ’79. Lissette remembers staying overnight on a visit to campus as an eighth-grader and deciding then that Mercersburg was the place for her.

“I was sold,” she says. “I wanted a better education than what I would get at home.

“I went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an undergrad and then law school at George Washington University, but my four years here had the most impact and really made such a difference for the rest of my education and my future. At Mercersburg, it’s so much more than what you learn in the classroom. This place offers more of that than any place I’ve seen, from sports to arts to travel, and being exposed to kids from all different places and all walks of life. I’m from a small town in Pennsylvania. It’s invaluable to be part of a community of people from different backgrounds and religions and family lives.”

As an 11th-grader, Lissette was part of the only group of female students in the school’s history to call Keil Hall home; she lived there while South Cottage was undergoing renovations during the 1983–1984 school year. Lissette lists her work as head of Blue Key with Barbara Burgin, wife of then Headmaster Walter Burgin ’53, and as a chapel usher with School Minister Lawrence Jones (“before he was ‘Dr.’ Jones,” she points out) as important to her development, in addition to the other opportunities she discovered.

“This place encourages you to try new things and step out of your comfort zone,” says Lissette, who also played field hockey, basketball, and squash as a student. “As a teenager, you’re not always naturally inclined to do that, and feeling secure when you’re trying something new is such a gift, and it’s even more the case now than when I was a student. What the Burgin Center for the Arts has been able to do for this school is

“My four years here really made such a difference for the rest of my education and my future.

At Mercersburg, it’s so much more than what you learn in the classroom.”

--Stacie Rice Lissette ’85 amazing, and to be a female student-athlete here is much different now.”

Lissette met her husband while she was in law school at George Washington. She clerked for a judge in D.C. after graduation, which made for a long commute for her husband to Hanover when he went to work for Utz. So the couple moved back to Lissette’s hometown after the twins were born in 1996.

By that time, Lissette had become active in Mercersburg’s Alumni Council and was asked to represent the group on the search committee for the new head of school that ultimately chose Douglas Hale to lead the institution. She spent three years on the Alumni Council before joining the Board of Regents in 1998; after stepping down from the Board in 2007, she re-joined the organization in 2009.

“The Alumni Council works really hard to orient the students to the idea of what it means to be an alum,” she says, “and about the different ways to stay connected with the school—through philanthropy and other ways. The alumni body can be a huge resource to kids as they leave here and grad-

33

uate from college and try to determine what their next steps are.

“And it’s so interesting and I’m thrilled to be a part of the Board. As a student it honestly never crossed my mind what they did— they’d arrive for meetings and do their work and it really was behind the scenes. So now it’s interesting and I’m thrilled and honored to be a part of that group. To be involved and see their roles, the oversight and the strategic planning… I’m completely amazed at the commitment of the people on it. There are several of us that are alums [on the Board], and I come to the meetings and leave here knowing that these people really care about the school.”

Lissette is particularly excited about the new Simon Student Center at Ford Hall, which will occupy the space of the former student lounge below the dining hall and is scheduled for completion in time for the opening of the 2013–2014 school year. In fact, the Lissettes made a lead gift to name the new center’s game room in their family’s honor.

“It will be incredible for the students,” Lissette says. “It will add an entirely new dimension to residential life here. Just like the Burgin Center and the new and improved Nolde Gymnasium—it will have the same type of effect on this campus.”

The Lissettes are frequent visitors to campus for Payton’s and Max’s athletic contests; combined, the twins have earned five varsity letters (in girls’ soccer, girls’ lacrosse, and boys’ golf) in their first two years at Mercersburg.

“We love this place so much,” she says.

“As a parent now, to be able to see your children have and experience this opportunity brings tears to your eyes. And I can already see Max and Payton appreciating it and knowing what a great gift they have being students here.”

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An

American

In

√ Afghanistan √ Iran √ Saudi Arabia √ France √ Germany √ Botswana √ Swaziland √ Mauritania √ Cameroon √ Gabon √ DRC √ Uganda √ Angola √ Pakistan √ South Korea √ Mali

RoBeRt HAnAwAlt IS A veteRAn oF HUMAnItARIAn woRK In FARAwAy loCAleS By lee owen

B y h i s c o u n t , Robert hanawalt ’67 has crossed the Atlantic ocean 73 times.

Living and working in 16 countries other than his native united states has made that cosmopolitan figure possible—but it has been far from five-star hotels and cruises on the French Riviera for hanawalt, a senior unicEF officer and former Peace corps volunteer and country director. All but three of his professional stops have been in Africa or the Middle East, including his current residence, the West African nation of Mali, where he came out of retirement to serve as chief of operations in the country until the close of 2012.

As in many of the places where hanawalt has lived during his personal career, there is plenty of critical work to be done in Mali, where more than 400,000 people have been displaced by the tuareg takeover of the northern part of the country. Mali ranks above only 12 of 187 nations in the united nations Development Programme’s human Development index (below yemen, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan). citizens of Mali have an average life expectancy of just 53 years. “i’ve always been more interested in making a contribution than just making money,” says hanawalt, who grew up in the small central Pennsylvania town of Belleville, 25 miles southeast of state college. “i wanted to find something i felt passionate about and wanted to do.” hanawalt actually retired—or so he thought—in February, after 39 years working overseas (12 years with unicEF, 10 years with the Peace corps, and 17 years with contractors, including two years with the saudi Arabian government’s Ministry of Agriculture and Water). But just two months later, he left his home in Washington, D.c., for West Africa. it’s the latest stop on an extensive global itinerary for hanawalt, who spent his final three years of high school at Mercersburg. After earning a bachelor’s degree from American university and finding little fulfillment in a post-college stint at a D.c.-area consulting firm, he walked into a Peace corps recruiting office in Washington and signed up. hanawalt was assigned to Afghanistan, where the king had just been removed from power by his own brother-in-law in a bloodless coup d’état. the new volunteer arrived to find an essentially undeveloped land. “though even some of the smallest villages had electricity, at that time the capital city of Kabul had no public water or sewage system,” he remembers. “People were dirt poor. Everyone had boreholes where they pumped water up to a roof tank. they heated with wood. there was no television in the country at all. there were a few telephones but back then they were so expensive that no one really used them.” hanawalt, who taught classes in English as a second language in Afghanistan, did meet his future wife, nicole, while stationed there.

A native of Alexandria, Virginia, she had come to Afghanistan to visit her father, who was working there. After completing his first stint with the Peace corps and before the couple’s two sons were born, hanawalt spent two years working as a technical trainer in iran. the assignment came to a halt in 1979, just before iranian students overran the u.s. embassy in tehran and 66 hostages (including Mercersburg parent L. Bruce Laingen) were taken prisoner.

Hanawalt (fourth from left) in Pakistan

“I was in Iran during the whole buildup to the revolution,” says Hanawalt, who worked in the city of Isfahan, about 300 miles south of Tehran. “It was a strange situation, to say the least. The Iranians were saying that things would get better and that I should stay. Five weeks later, it was clear things would not improve. I was on the very last plane out of the country, since I was low on the priority list as a single male [without a family in Iran].

“The thing is, at no point while I was in Iran did I personally feel any fear or hostility. After I was back, I was visiting a friend in New York and we saw one of my friends from Isfahan on TV demonstrating in front of the American embassy. We figured he was doing it for public reasons, since we knew he was a friend to us Americans.

The demonstrations weren’t against Americans personally, per se.

They were against official American policy. It’s kind of like how it is now in Pakistan.”

In the 1980s, Hanawalt worked for a consortium of companies on a training program for the Saudi Arabian navy. He assisted in the development of two large desalination plants and the creation of a vocational school for Saudi engineers.

When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990, Hanawalt was involved with a consulting project for the Saudi airport authority, and found that it suddenly became more difficult to hire American engineers to go abroad to work with their Saudi counterparts— “though all the airports where they went were pretty safe due to the presence of the American military,” he says.

Hanawalt returned to the Peace Corps in 1992 after accepting a position as a programming and training officer in Botswana, which marked the first of his several stops on the African continent. He spent parts of three years there before being promoted to country director of the Mauritania office. In 1996, he was transferred to Cameroon, where he was held at gunpoint when armed men robbed the Peace Corps office and adjacent guesthouse there.

“There was nothing we could do,” he says. “The feeling of help-

Faces of Peace Two members of Mercersburg’s current faculty, Ray Larson and Matthew Caretti, have also served as Peace Corps volunteers. Both were stationed in Africa; Larson was assigned

Caretti

to Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) from 1972 to 1975, and Caretti worked in South Africa from 2003 to 2005.

Larson is head of the science department, while Caretti teaches English and religion and is director of the school’s Writing Center.

Larson

lessness is what frustrates you more than anything.” Not long afterward, the American ambassador to Cameroon was robbed and had his car stolen.

“It can happen at any level,” Hanawalt says. “You have to be very security-conscious. You take your clues from the local population.

Even when you’re at home you often have security guards, many armed. You have to work to not become complacent and let down your guard. You’re always concerned about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Still, Hanawalt’s family joined him on most of his assignments, with the exception of his three years in the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo. “You develop stronger bonds within a family [when you’re abroad] because you truly become a unit,” he says.

“Since our sons [ages 24 and 27] have gotten older, they’ve moved away and it’s harder to see them as often—though ironically, I’ve talked to both of them today. When you reconnect after being separated, it can be difficult to make adjustments to being together again, but the bonds you have help you withstand the test.”

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Presidential Salute a conversation with outgoi ng BoarD of regents presi Dent Den ise m. Du pré ’76 Denise Dupré ’76 of Dover, Massachusetts, joined the Mercersburg Board of Regents in 1995, and served as vice president of the organization from 2002 until being elected its president in 2005. She stepped down after seven years leading the Board this spring. [For more information and to read a story about new Board President and longtime Regent David Frantz ’60, see page 3.]

Mercersburg magazine: A lot has happened here in a relatively short time in terms of fundraising initiatives and new construction (including the Burgin Center, Regents’ Field, renovations to Nolde Gymnasium, and the construction beginning this summer in Ford Hall). What are some of the things looking back that you’re most proud of having been accomplished?

Dupré: New facilities are important and add to the quality of life on campus, but sometimes the intangible things can truly be the most important. Mercersburg has always prided itself on providing education for a student regardless of socioeconomic status. We as a school do everything we can to get the right student body and make it affordable regardless of a student’s ability to pay. Approximately 49 percent of our students receive some sort of financial aid, which compares pretty favorably with many of our peer institutions. The joyful part is that Mercersburg is incredibly generous and creates a world mix that results in an immensely better experience for everyone there.

We care enormously about the quality of what happens in class, on the athletic fields, and in the arts. The quality of teaching is the essence of what Mercersburg has to focus on doing. We as a Board want to do everything we can to be sure teachers are

well supported in a professional-development sense, and that they’re energetic and enthused about being members of this community. We want to do everything we can to bring the best educators here. Some of it is hiring the right teachers in the first place; some is retraining and retaining the folks you have, and making sure the values of the community are a shared set. mm: Looking back, was there a particular

piece of advice or counsel from any of your predecessors here that proved immensely valuable?

Dupré: One of the things that’s very special about the Mercersburg Board is that every opinion matters. It’s a highly democratic forum and a true working board; people roll up their sleeves and get the job done.

In 17 years on the Board here I’ve worked with a lot of people, and everyone truly is part of the team. mm: Aside from the obvious physical

changes and improvements, how do you think Mercersburg as a school has changed and evolved in the time you’ve been on the Board?

Dupré: There is certainly more of a global reach in the number of countries and states represented in the student body. I think the evolution of technology and connectivity

has played into our hands as well. Because it’s now so much easier to stay in touch from wherever you are, Mercersburg’s location has become a strength instead of a weakness.

Bringing the world here is so much easier, which helps in terms of what you can do in the classroom. m m : Can you briefly t alk about the Mercersburg Plan from a Board perspective, and why the school’s willingness to adapt and incorporate change while remaining true to its historical roots is so important?

Dupré: Mercersburg has such rich history and tradition that gives it grounding and roots, which is something we never want to let go. That said, if you’re not looking forward and don’t have the desire to respond and change, you don’t move forward. The Mercersburg Plan is research based; it reflects the collective insight of lots of constituents and reflects research in how one best teaches high-school age students. It embodies the things Mercersburg is doing and can do really well, and is pragmatic and implemented in a way that is real. mm: As David [Frantz] assumes the presidency from you, can you talk about his service to the Board and his leadership?

Dupré: David is a superb leader. I’ve had the good fortune of working closely with him my entire tenure. He is thoughtful and wise, has a great sense of humor, and is uniquely rooted in ways that create collaboration and the right kind of spirit. I have the highest regard for him as a person and a colleague and think he’ll be superb.

—Lee Owen

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Class Notes Bob Walton ’57 (left) and his wife, Mary Ann, visited Bob’s classmate Jon Peterson ’57 and Sunny Langkammerer in Savannah, Georgia. They toured Skidaway Island, where Jon and Sunny live. “It was a great day with a lot of good catch-up and chit-chat about Mercersburg,” Bob says.

Submit class notes via email to classnotes@mercersburg.edu or by contacting your class agent directly. Submissions may appear online or in print.

Mercersburg reserves the right to edit submissions for space or content, and is not responsible for more than reasonable editing or fact-checking.

When sending or uploading photos, please submit images of the highest quality possible; some images captured by cell phones or other cameras may not be suitable for print.

Class notes are also available online at www.mercersburg. edu/classnotes.

business leaders for their contributions to the university and the community.

’32 Homer Bast’s wife, Mary Jane, died

Standard American 21, recently published Glory of Notrump, his second book on contract bridge.

’40 nancy Fox, wife of Oscar Fox and

Bill Alexander 740-282-5810

June 2, 2008.

mother of John Fox ’68, passed away October 31, 2011.

’42

Gilbert “Gib” James continues to serve as co-chairman of the James & sons insurance agency. He owns several other Ohio-based businesses with his brother, bill, and is serving on the boards of the international Foundation, Wirt Foundation, swanston Foundation, rayen Foundation, Oak Hill Foundation, and arms Historical Foundation.

Harry McAlpine 703-893-3893

’47

Judge John North II and his son, David, maintain an impressive collection of classic automobiles. The group includes a 1939 rolls-royce Wraith that was recently completed and won awards for “best new coachwork” and “Peoples’ choice” in a field of 250 cars at the amelia island concours d’elegance.

Hugh Miller hcmfaia@comcast.net

’48

John Thomas, author of So Mr. Mayor, You Want to Improve Productivity and

’49

Henry Rentschler shares that his four daughters have given him seven grandchildren and 15 greatgrandchildren. “My wife Lori divorced me, married me again, and divorced me again,” he says. “she is still my best friend.” Henry also has a book of 50 short stories ready for publication; a novel and book of poems are in the works.

H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest received the 2011 alexander Hamilton Medal from columbia college. The medal is the highest honor paid to a member of the columbia community and is presented by the school’s alumni association.

’52

Stephen Katz writes that his wife of nearly 53 years, Patricia, died February 10, 2012.

Arnold Regardie has undertaken a new blog, www.clearwriting4u.com, dedicated to the development of clear writing guidelines and techniques for all those who are interested in improving their writing.

Jack Connolly jackconnollyjr@gmail.com

’54

Fred Engh was featured on the golf channel’s Golf Central program in november 2011. The show traced his athletic journey, which began as the only caucasian golfer on the Maryland state college (now the university of Maryland eastern shore) golf team in the early 1960s and culminated with his creation of the national alliance for Youth sports.

’58

Peter Carpenter’s wife, Janet, passed away august 20, 2011.

Clem Geitner hkyleather@aol.com

’59

Robert Hecht’s wife, cynthia, died February 21, 2011.

Bill Thompson thomps132@gmail.com

’61

John Hench received the 2011 george a. and Jean s. DeLong book History book Prize. The award was presented by the society for the History of authorship, reading, and Publishing for John’s 2010 work, Books as Weapons: Publishing, Propaganda, and the Battle for Global Markets in the Era of World War II. John lives in shrewsbury, Massachusetts. salisbury university named Tom Hershey the recipient of its Perdue Leadership award. Founded by the school’s Franklin P. Perdue school of business, the award recognizes

Ross Dicker dicker5@msn.com Jon Dubbs j.dubbs@rcn.com Bruce Eckert beckert@eains.com David Gilmer james.d.gilmer@valley.net Tom Hoober trhoober1@gmail.com Phil Marstiller marstiller@verizon.net Walt Mitchell waltermitc@aol.com Jack Reilly jackreillysr@gmail.com Ron Stephany ronstephany@verizon.net Buck Stultz buckstultz@msn.com

Mike Radbill meradbill@gmail.com

’62

’64

Jeff Robison retired in June 2011 after 19 years as copy editor and reporter at The Sheridan Press, the daily newspaper in sheridan, Wyoming. in addition to writing for other newspapers and a magazine, Jeff worked as a commercial pilot and sold cars during his career.

He and his wife, beth, have lived in sheridan since 1984. Their son, russell, is an air traffic controller in Los angeles.

Jeff sends heartiest best wishes to his friends from ’eighty-eight and Main Hall.

Mac Butts macsear@aol.com Jere Keefer jsklrk@embarqmail.com

’65

David Barensfeld was named to a committee on manufacturing convened

by Pennsylvania governor Tom corbett.

The 27-member committee will search for ways to strengthen the state’s manufacturing industries and will

The Boxed Set:

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39

Inspiring scenery. Rich traditions. ...all for you in two totally new, immaculately photographed books that capture the Mercersburg story and spirit.

Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Robin Hood and acclaimed author James Crutchfield have collaborated to produce a two-book hardcover set that Mercersburg alumni, families, and friends are sure to love.

Mercersburg: An Extraordinary Campus Tradition weaves the school’s history with vivid photos of the campus and countryside.

Mercersburg: An Extraordinary Athletic Tradition celebrates the school’s athletic legacy, past and present, through imagery and prose.

60

$

plus $9 tax and shipping

Order your boxed set by calling 717-328-6146, visiting www.mercersburgstore.com, or printing an order form at www.mercersburg.edu/photobook and returning it to: Mercersburg Academy Store, 300 East Seminary Street, Mercersburg, PA 17236.

Net proceeds will support student scholarships.

’67

Ken Berents kberents@gmail.com Fred Cooke fcooke1@charter.net Andy Crago cragoacj@aol.com Allan Rose angelrose152000@yahoo.com Ed Russell martnwod@bellsouth.net Tony Trenga anthony_trenga@vaed.uscourts.gov Bill Zimmerman wbzimmerman@wolforg.net

Mercersburg Regent Phil Dunmire ’64, national president of the Navy League of the United States, speaks at the opening of the Navy League’s annual SeaAirSpace Exposition in April. Standing behind him (L–R) are Charlie Hautau, convention chairman; Adm. Robert Papp, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard; Gen. Joseph Dunford, assistant commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps; and Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of Naval Operations.

send its report to the governor and the general assembly.

Phil Lloyd retired in June 2011 from the law firm Vorys, sater, seymour and Pease LLP. He now serves as chief operating officer of the McDowell

Family Offices and as a director of First Merit bank, in addition to the philanthropic boards on which he serves, including Mercersburg’s board of regents.

Jonathan Cooper works as a physician peer reviewer for the new York state Office of the Medicaid inspector general and for the island Peer review Organization on Long island. Previously, he served as medical director of several new York physical rehabilitation facilities, with specialization in pain management and Lou gehrig’s disease.

He and his wife, rose gieger cooper, have been married 34 years; their daughter, claire cosima, now teaches english in Oman. “We enjoy travel, gardening, skiing, kayaking, astronomy, snorkel/scuba, and hiking,” Jonathan says. “Various furry four-legged critters have vastly enriched our experience of life over the years.”

’68

Michael Gery michael.gery@carolinacountry.com Rich Helzel rhelzel@mac.com Doug Miller dougmiller@cogentrix.com Bruce Newman brucegnewman@gmail.com Platt Safford plattsafford@yahoo.com

R. Blaikie Hines published his newest civil War book, The Battle of First Bull Run: An Illustrated Atlas and Battlefield Guide, after eight years of writing and research.

Harry Apfelbaum hlavmd@dejazzd.com Rick Fleck aspnrick@aol.com Dick Seibert rseibert@knobhall.com

’69

Jay Apfelbaum continues to divide his time in Philadelphia between his vocation (the law) and his avocation (duplicate bridge). He made a gift to Mercersburg’s library of his book, The Bridge Monologues: Bidding without Opposition, with special thanks to former faculty members Dave Tyson

40

Marriages Mercersbu rg Magazi n e suMMer 2012

Paul Sullivan ’71 and Cynthia Ruth Kelly, March 17, 2010.

Ann Collier ’99 and Matthew Ellement, May 2, 2009.

Greg Rohman ’99 and Neoma Leslie, October 15, 2011.

Matt Rutherford ’03 and Danielle Hess, April 19, 2012.

Stephanie Turner ’06 and John McGraw, March 17, 2012.

A Mercersburg family photo from the wedding of George Ettenger ’02 and Elizabeth Porter, September 25, 2011, in Pittsboro, North Carolina.

(L–R): Pete Sartz ’62, Andrew Miller ’00, Elizabeth and George, Sam Miller ’03, Douglas Miller ’68, Kolb Ettenger ’03. (The Ettengers and the younger Millers are first cousins, as are Sartz and Douglas Miller; the Mercersburg legacy goes back to the late Linn Steiger, who was George’s, Kolb’s, Andrew’s, and Sam’s greatgrandfather and a member of the Class of 1905.)

Bethany Galey ’02 and Nicholas Wobker on their wedding day, August 13, 2011, in Mercersburg.

and the late bob smith, who helped him refine his bridge game while a student at Mercersburg. by the time he was 25, Jay had won his first national championship; he is a former member of the national board of directors of the american contract bridge League.

David Hawbaker’s mother, blanche angle Highlands Hawbaker, passed away December 7, 2011.

Dick Seibert, the co-owner and managing partner of Knob Hall Winery in clear spring, Maryland, has been named president of the Maryland Wineries association.

’70

Robert Laird, the author of The Boomer Bible, continues to write for his personal blog, www.instapunk.com.

The wedding of Julian Böcker ’01 and Céline Schwich, December 10, 2011, in Moers, Germany.

’71

a student at antietam bible seminary in Hagerstown. “although i originally retired in 1999,” Paul says, “i consider myself semi-retired now.”

emily burns-Higley, wife of James Higley and mother of Kyle Higley ’00, died april 15, 2011.

James Thompson, his wife, Melissa, and their chocolate labs, Landie and ranger, moved to Frümsen, switzerland, due to a company transfer in september.

James works for Hilti ag in schaan, Liechtenstein, as a business developer for the nuclear market. He and Melissa look forward to skiing in the alps and hiking the vast trail network once the snow disappears.

Joe Rendina jjrendina@gmail.com

John rich sr., father of John Rich and Brian Rich ’78, passed away December 30, 2011.

Paul Sullivan married cynthia ruth Kelly March 17, 2010. Paul and cynthia both grew up in Frostburg, Maryland, but didn’t meet until 2006. cynthia is a realtor with coldwell banker innovations, and Paul recently became a realtor to assist her in commercial real estate. He also continues to practice law, having moved his primary office to Hagerstown, and is active in a marriage-mediation ministry and as

’72

Shelley Beck shelleybeckryan@gmail.com Jeff Frankel j_frankel@yahoo.com Sol Gordon sgordon@solgordoninsurance.com

Tom Hadzor t.hadzor@duke.edu Rich Haskell rkhjr2008@gmail.com Joe Imler jrikraut@aol.com

George Davis georgeldavisco@earthlink.net Jeff Gingrich jeff.gingrich@morefield.com John Jones Judge_John_E_Jones @pamd.uscourts.gov Joe Lee jos.lee@comcast.net Donald Lee donald.h.lee@vanderbilt.edu Bob McClure bmcclure@hbmcclure.com

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Chris Nelson cnelson@norfolkacademy.org Chip Vink chip_vink@mercersburg.edu Paul Stamets was featured in the health section of The Huffington Post for his research on the cancer-fighting agents in mushrooms.

’74 Works by Steve Flanagan were displayed as part of the group show “away,” a holiday invitational exhibition and sale at the atlantic gallery in new York city in December. Proceeds from the show benefited the Food bank of new York.

Molly Froehlich mollyfro@aol.com Greg Morris mormgt@aol.com

’75

Jane Gregson works in the realestate and tour-operating business in costa rica.

’77

Harold Goodemote hgoodemote@cfl.rr.com Bruce Leighty bruce.leighty@verizon.net Lisa Lewandowski Straface lisastraface@aol.com Tom Lindquist toml@ballardcos.com Will McClintic william.mcclintic@wfadvisors.com Lindley Peterson Fleury lindley285@yahoo.com

Thomas Coates is a new member of the Peninsula regional Health system’s board of directors.

Alden Sells runs an advertising agency in new Paltz, new York. He plays in the semi-pro rock band Maddog on the weekends.

Bailey Weathers is director of athletics at grace college, an naia school in Winona Lake, indiana.

Dave Holzwarth holzwarthd@mercersburg.edu Walt McGhee wmcghee@yahoo.com John Swing jtswing@optonline.net

’78

Mary Bachman Wilson enjoyed lunch with classmate Beth McShane Brand. “it was as if we were still hanging out at south cottage, but with lots of life events to add,” Mary says. “What a blessing. “greetings and good—no, best—wishes to my friends and classmates, as well as current students.

What a school.”

41

The Hello strangers, a band that includes Mercersburg faculty member Dave Holzwarth along with Larissa Chace Smith ’97, Katie O’Neal ’97, and Brechyn Chace ’03, won the grandprize package in airPlay Direct’s “Win an americana record Deal” contest.

The package included an iMi records recording contract, radio distribution and marketing package, and publicrelations consulting package.

Dave Dupont david.dupont@rbc.com

’80

Nina Porter Winfield’s mother, ann Porter, died December 17, 2011.

Karen Craig karen.craig1@gmail.com Josh Turner jbt4@comcast.net Dave Wagner wags1262@sbcglobal.net Jay Yarid jryaridjr@yahoo.com

’81 Left to right: Clayton Young ’08, Mercersburg head boys’ squash coach Chip Vink ’73, and First Lieutenant Aidan Crofton ’07 at a squash match between the Navy juniorvarsity and Mercersburg varsity squads in February in Annapolis. Clayton was the Navy JV team captain this year and Aidan, who played on the Navy varsity, coached the Mids’ JV team for the match.

John Koch’s father, richard, passed away november 18, 2011.

Andy Alpert adalpert@comcast.net José Espino jose.espino3@gmail.com Addison Hunt addison_hunt@yahoo.com Dee Dee Maucher ddmaucher@yahoo.com Charlie McCullough macksix@sbcglobal.net John Ryland ryland@stny.rr.com John Saucer john.saucer @aaacapitalmanagement.com Bob Silverman rsilverman@foley.com Todd Wells todd.wells@jetblue.com Duncan White duncan.m.white@accenture.com

’82

Jay Lennon ’85, a U.S. Air Force officer who is spending a year at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, gives a presentation to upper-level Mercersburg history students. Jay spoke on ethics in the military during both war and peacetime, as well as his time serving as a fighter pilot in Iraq and as chief of targeting operations in Afghanistan.

Bella and Nicolas, children of Ivonne Bayona Skrbich ’87 and her husband, Mike, with Olympic medalists Melvin Stewart ’88 (right) and Kara Lynn Joyce at the Fitter and Faster Tour in Katy, Texas.

Rip Esselstyn’s movie Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue, produced by Forks over Knives, is available on netflix. The film deals with the application of ‘plant-strong’ eating in real people’s lives.

’84

Tom Hornbaker tshornbaker@yahoo.com Betsy Rider-Williams brider-williams@goberkscounty.com

Chase Poffenberger is the new co-owner of academic Travel abroad, a 61-yearold international travel company that works with nonprofit organizations, museums, and universities. chase has served as executive vice president of the company for the past five years.

José Espino ’82 (left) and Andy Alpert ’82 (right) visited classmate Parker Ward ’82 (center) at Parker’s home in Florida. They all planned on making it to their 30th reunion in June.

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’85 received an

Benicio Del Toro honorary degree from universidad interamericana de Puerto rico. He stars in the upcoming Oliver stone film Savages (which is scheduled for release this summer) as part of an ensemble cast that includes Taylor Kitsch, salma Hayek, blake Lively, John Travolta, and uma Thurman. benicio is also one of the directors of the upcoming spanish anthology film 7 Days in Havana.

Narun Sooppipatt ’95 (left) and Varong Sooppipatt ’95 (right) with their classmate J.T. Gibson ’95 (center) in Bangkok, Thailand. Varong, Narun, and Narun’s wife Nod hosted J.T. and his wife, Kara, during a trip they took around Asia.

Julia Clark MacInnis julia@macinnisweb.com Nancy Gallagher Jones njones@hessiancircle.com Elizabeth Steinhauser Bray mail@elizabethbray.com

’86

Eric Weatherholtz was featured in

Building on its success raising funds for the restoration of Irvine Memorial Chapel’s Holy Grail window, the Loyalty Club is launching its next effort: fundraising for restoration of the Chapel window Saint Michael Slaying the Dragon.

The Saint Michael window is located in the east transept gallery and depicts the archangel Saint Michael interceding on God’s behalf to vanquish a satanic dragon. The window was dedicated in memory of Ralph Talbot ’16, who was the first Marine Corps aviator to receive the Medal of Honor and was killed in France during World War I. The Saint Michael window restoration is expected to cost $40,000. The Loyalty Club is inviting alumni who are veterans or active duty members of the military to participate in this ongoing tribute to Talbot’s heroism and to honor all alumni who serve their country by supporting this restoration project. To learn more, contact Gail Reeder at 717-328-6323 or reederg@mercersburg.edu.

Creative Loafing Atlanta’s “20 People to Watch in 2012” for his property and redevelopment work.

Julie Gilmer Schaner julschaner@gmail.com Laura Morsman Thorsen laura.thorsen@gmail.com Louis Najera lnajera@davincigrp.com Adam Viener adam@imwave.com Audrey Webber Esposito awesposito@yahoo.com Rich Weihe rich.weihe@karbone.com

’87

Jan Moller and his wife, Kelli, welcomed their first child, annalise Mary Moller, on september 7. Jan left The TimesPicayune of new Orleans after nine years to become director of the Louisiana budget Project, a nonprofit research and advocacy group.

Bill Taylor’s father, Will, died January 12, 2011.

Allison Wielobob and her husband, brent allen, welcomed a daughter, Margaret allison allen, november 10, 2010. she joins sister catie and brother ben.

’91

Tara Brendle Owens is a mathematics lecturer at the university of glasgow in scotland, where she discovered that Veronica Sisson ’06 is enrolled.

Tara noticed Veronica because she was walking across campus wearing a Mercersburg sweatshirt. now, Veronica is the Owens’ favorite babysitter.

Peggy Burns peggy@drawnandquarterly.com Pia Catton piacatton@gmail.com Emily Gilmer Caldwell emily.g.caldwell@gmail.com Marc Madonia mpmadonia@gmail.com Meghan Myers Labot meghan@rjlabot.com Chip Nuttall cliffnuttall1@comcast.net Eileen Sheffler Prugh eileen@prughrealestate.com

’92

Andrew Gibson and Tamara Caouette ’93 received the silver award in the 2011 american society of interior Designers Project Design awards for smileworks, their dental practice in Mount Pleasant, south carolina. The doctors were also honored in the 2010 Dental Office Design competition for best new small practices in the nation. andrew’s father, James ’64, and brother, J.T. ’95, are practicing dentists in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and his sister, Heather ’88, has her dental practice in Winchester, Virginia.

Births/Adoptions To Jan Moller ’87 and his wife, Kelli: a daughter, Annalise Mary Moller, September 7, 2011.

To Julian Böcker ’01 and his wife, Céline: a daughter, Amélie, March 17, 2012.

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To Colleen Corcoran Yates ’99 and her husband, Tim: a daughter, Fiona Charlotte, August 6, 2011.

(above) Angela Pomella-Garnsey ’97 and her husband, Brian, welcomed a daughter, Payton Amelia, August 24, 2011. Payton joins big sister Reagan Elizabeth. Angie is a detective with the Delaware State Police Division of Gaming Enforcement.

To Ben Graham ’94 and his wife, Brigid: a daughter, Sara Margaret, November 17, 2011.

(left) To Ann Collier Ellement ’99 and her husband, Matthew: a daughter, Adeline Claire, October 4, 2011.

To Colin Marsh ’01 and his wife, Becca: a daughter, Breckyn Glorianna, September 27, 2011.

To Allison Wielobob ’87 and her husband, Brent Allen: a daughter, Margaret Allison Allen, November 10, 2010.

To Larissa Chace Smith ’97 and her husband, Ryan: a son, Boone Vincent, April 17, 2012.

Amy McGovern, a professor of computer science at the university of Oklahoma, appeared on the PBS News Hour in March to discuss the technological advancements she and her colleagues are using to improve and refine tornado-warning systems.

Amer Al-Nimr ameralnimr@hotmail.com Danielle Dahlstrom dlld93@hotmail.com Bobby Malone bobbymalone@yahoo.com

’93

Alyson McKee Humphreys amckee675@aol.com Jamil Myrie jmyrie@foreyes.com Rob Pitts robkpitts@hotmail.com Paul Royer pbr2121@gmail.com Karen Pak Oppenheimer has been busy being a mum with two girls: Lucy, who is almost 4, and Olivia, who just turned 2. Karen is working for the nonprofit World Health Partners.

Tim Gocke tim.gocke@gmail.com Rob Jefferson rmcjefferson@gmail.com Elizabeth Jordan Lawrence ejl76@carolina.rr.com

’94

Ben Graham and his wife, brigid, welcomed a daughter, sara Margaret, november 17, 2011. “Mom and daughter are doing great and 3-yearold emma is relishing her new role as the big sister,” ben says.

Crystal Hatfield Miller divorced in 2011 and is now a single mother to her seven children. she graduated from ameriTech college with an a.s. in nursing and is a licensed registered nurse working in home health and hospice.

’95 John Koontz is working as a project manager for spire solar systems. The company recently commissioned a solar photovoltaic array for the berkshire school in sheffield, Massachusetts,

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from the university of Duisburg-essen in germany after completing his thesis, “Democratic Legitimacy of the common security and Defence Policy of the european union” last July. Julian and céline also welcomed a daughter, amélie, March 17, 2012.

Logan Chace is in his first year as an english teacher and director of residential life at Wyoming seminary in Kingston, Pennsylvania.

Mercersburg friends Pat Morgan ’08 and Bryan Morgan ’07 after Pat’s performance as the Baker in Davidson College’s production of Into the Woods. Bryan, then a senior at Duke University, drove three hours to see the show. Pat, a political science major and president of the a cappella group Androgyny, was nominated for outstanding lead actor in a Charlotte-area college/university production by the Metrolina Theater Association.

which will be the largest PV power plant in the state.

Lori Esposit Miller lorimiller234@gmail.com

’96

Wes Wrightson has been living and working in sub-saharan africa for nearly 13 years. He is country director for international Medical corps, a nongovernmental organization that implements large u.s. government projects in sierra Leone. “i have previously worked all over the continent—Drc, rwanda, burundi, senegal, guinea, and Mauritania, to name a few—so i don’t really ever get home,” Wes writes. “When i do come home—usually once a year for christmastime—it’s to Vancouver, british columbia.” Wes has been married to isla cameron, an international-school teacher, for more than three years; they have been together for nearly nine years.

Immy Byrd immybyrd@yahoo.com Josh Leland joshua.leland@gmail.com Emily Peterson emilyadairpeterson@gmail.com Adam Reeder reederindc@gmail.com Leah Rockwell rockwellle@mercersburg.edu Chris Senker chrissenker@yahoo.com Bob Snyder robert.snyder@us.redbull.com

’97

Jenn Flanagan Bradley bradleyj@mercersburg.edu

’99

James blackburn iii, father of Sarah Blackburn Brincefield, Jamie Blackburn ’03, and Natalie Blackburn ’05 and father-in-law of Victoria Leontieva Blackburn ’03, passed away March 5, 2012.

Colleen Corcoran Yates and her husband, Tim, welcomed a daughter, Fiona charlotte, august 6, 2011. “We are having so much fun with Fiona and trying to soak up every moment as she seems to be growing quickly!” says colleen. after graduating from bucerius Law school in Hamburg, germany, Lars Teigelack is working in the iPO department of the Frankfurt office of White & case, a new York-based law firm. He’s enjoying the work, and says if any Mercersburg alumni or friends are in the Frankfurt area, he’d be glad to meet up.

Ann Marie Bliley abliley@gmail.com Jamie Hughes hughesjc@lafayette.edu

’01

Julian Böcker married céline schwich December 10, 2011, in Moers, germany. after working in the european Parliament in brussels for more than five years, Julian returned to germany and now works in corporate communications for Duisport, a logistics company. He received a Ph.D.

Wes Miller is the head men’s basketball coach at unc greensboro—and, at age 29, is the youngest head coach in all of ncaa Division i men’s basketball. Wes was serving as an assistant coach for the spartans under Mike Dement before Dement resigned in December 2011, elevating Wes to the head position on an interim basis. uncg started the season 2–8 but went 11–11 under Wes’ direction and won the southern conference’s northern Division championship before falling in the semifinals of the league tournament.

He was named the permanent head coach on March 6.

Peter Banzhaf peterbanzhaf@gmail.com Nikki Barbuzanes nichole.barbuzanes@gmail.com Anne Curry acc3@lehigh.edu Bethany Galey Wobker bgaley01@shepherd.edu Alison Llewelyn alison.llewelyn@gmail.com David Posner posner.david@gmail.com Amy Shaffer Post aespost@gmail.com

’02

Bethany Galey married nicholas Wobker august 13, 2011, in the irvine Memorial chapel; bethany’s father, faculty member and former school minister The rev. Paul W. galey, officiated. bethany and nick live in Mercersburg.

Alpana Ranade completed a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering in June 2011 and works for boeing’s research and technology division in seattle.

Ian Thompson is engaged to elizabeth Horan. a July wedding is planned in Portsmouth, rhode island.

Joe Ambrose josephambrose@gmail.com Tony Balzebre afbthree@gmail.com Nate Fochtman nfochtman@gmail.com Jenn Hendrickson jennhendrickson@gmail.com Meredith Knott merrek421@hotmail.com

’03

Romone Penny romone@pursuitdc.com Matt Rutherford rudm14@basejumper.com Wynn Thane wtthane@gmail.com Vanessa Youngs veyoungs@gmail.com Whitney Groseclose is working in the admissions office at Holton-arms school and coaching middle- and upper-school field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. she also coaches Future elite, a club lacrosse team.

Matt Brennan brennan1273@gmail.com Alexis Imler alexis.imler@gmail.com Tammy McBeth Armstrong tammy.l.armstrong@gmail.com

’05

Molly Goldstein completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology and the performing arts from evergreen state college in spring 2011 and relocated to buenos aires, argentina, where she is working as a visual and performance artist. Molly originally visited south america on a gilman international scholarship to study expressive arts therapy, and loved argentina so much that she decided to make it her home. she is developing a larger collaborative multi-modal piece with other artists in buenos aires and looks forward to dealing with issues of social justice, diversity, and the meaning of home.

Her website is www.MoLeeOmeh.com.

Alexis Imler is engaged to David gray; a november wedding is planned at bedford springs resort in bedford, Pennsylvania. alexis is working as a gas-operations analyst in the capital Planning and budgeting Department of consol energy in Pittsburgh.

Ryan Reid proposed to Taylor Miller during a television commercial ryan appeared in for ashley Furniture during super bowl XLVi on WHag, the nbc affiliate in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Taylor said yes; a July 2013 wedding is planned in the irvine Memorial chapel.

Medora Hartz dora22356@gmail.com

’06

Josh Edgin, a left-handed pitcher in the new York Mets’ system, did not allow a run in 10 1/3 innings of relief during spring training with the big-league club. Though there was widespread speculation that he might make the Mets’ opening day roster, Josh began the year as the closer at class aa binghamton and was promoted to class aaa buffalo just three weeks into the season.

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e suMMer 2012

Ryan Colby w.ryan.colby@gmail.com Neil Gordon ngordon@oxy.edu Xanthe Hilton xanthe89@gmail.com Tim McQuait tim.mcquait@gmail.com Tim Rahauser rahausert@gmail.com Chuck Roberts cer2141@columbia.edu Matteo Scammell matteoscammell@gmail.com Matt Von Lunen mercersburg07@yahoo.com Nick Mazzei ’07 is engaged to Leigh Sherer; an August 2012 wedding is planned in Rose Haven, Maryland. Nick works as an investment officer with GreatSeats.com in Beltsville, Maryland.

Stephon Fullerton works for Philadelphia-based Wonderlab Media, a music and creative media company whose services include DJing, music production, and digital content creation. stephon’s classmate Paul Rutherford is also a member of Wonderlab Media.

Stephanie Turner married John Mcgraw March 17, 2012, in the irvine Memorial chapel. stephanie’s brother, george, passed away three days earlier.

Chris Freeland freelandc@comcast.net Anna Hunka loveannahunka@gmail.com Mary Lancaster mlancast@hamilton.edu Hannah Starr hs1218@messiah.edu Ethan Strickler efrogstrick@gmail.com Dave Strider striderd17@hotmail.com Remy Wheat wheatr12@gmail.com

’07

coffee roasted in teeny, tiny ecofriendly batches. “also, my resume looks great!” she says, twirling an imaginary, immaculately waxed mustache.

Ben Eaton is pursuing an Mba at Towson university, where he will also play football for one season. since ben completed graduation requirements at Lafayette university with a year of ncaa eligibility remaining, he is eligible to play immediately for Towson this fall.

Sean Johnson is a navy seaL.

’08

When not finishing her degree in Mandarin chinese at Portland state university, Sarah Eadie enjoys riding her fixed gear bicycle while listening to obscure local artists and drinking

Elisabeth Rohrbach graduated from the university of arizona in December 2011 with a major in studio art and a minor in german. in January, she began graduate work at the new York school of interior Design.

Fleet White has been selected for submarine duty with the u.s. navy. He is a senior at the naval academy and is competing on navy’s men’s outdoor track and field team.

45

Nigel van Oostrum led the Franklin Pierce university men’s basketball team to a share of the northeast-10 conference regular-season title and the second round of the ncaa Division ii Tournament’s east regional. nigel nearly recorded a triple-double with nine points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in the ravens’ first-round ncaa win over Philadelphia university.

Rich Yue is a French major at ithaca college and is studying abroad in Morocco this semester. “i actually first fostered my interest for the French language at Mercersburg,” he says. “i attribute my inquisitive nature of other cultures and languages to Heather Prescott!” rich adds that after working as a fundraiser for ithaca, he now knows the importance of annual giving.

Paige Harry lpharry2010@gmail.com

’10

Clayton Young has been assigned to surface warfare duty in the u.s. navy.

Joan Hawbaker, mother of faculty member Jack Hawbaker and grandmother of Kip Hawbaker and Kyle Hawbaker ’14, died February 4, 2012.

’09

’11

Kiersten Bell bellk@kenyon.edu Ariel Imler animler@edisto.cofc.edu Rachael Porter rmp413@lehigh.edu Bond Stockdale stockdaleb7@gmail.com

Georgia Baker bakerg1993@gmail.com Liza Rizzo lizadupre@gmail.com August Jonas won the first collegiate tournament he entered as a member

New on the Board of Regents David G. Wagner ’81 Valencia, Pennsylvania

Thomas B. Hadzor ’72 Durham, North Carolina

Dave is vice president and director of human resources for ii-Vi incorporated. He previously spent 22 years with Owens corning inc., joining the company upon his graduation from Juniata college.

While at Mercersburg, Dave was senior class president and a dorm prefect and was a member of the lacrosse, wrestling, squash, and soccer teams. He has served as a class agent and an alumni council member. His two brothers, gregory ’79 and brian ’84, are also Mercersburg alumni.

Tom is the director of development for the Duke university Libraries.

Previously he was Mercersburg’s director of annual giving and also served as Wilkes university’s vice president for alumni, development, and university relations. Tom received a bachelor’s degree from Muhlenberg college and a master’s degree from Michigan state university.

While at Mercersburg, he served as a dorm prefect and was a member of the football, basketball, baseball, and golf teams. He is a former alumni council president and current class agent. Tom and his wife, susan, have six children.

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of the navy men’s golf team. He took medalist honors at the navy Fall classic last september with a 4-under-par 138 over two rounds, and also finished seventh at the rehoboth beach invitational later that month.

David Marshall is enrolled in the honors program at Virginia Tech, where he received a scholarship from the school’s college of business.

Tucker Sandercock, a freshman midfielder at binghamton university, was named to the all-america east conference men’s soccer team.

Nikki Wolny is playing ncaa Division i tennis at santa clara university after making the team as a walk-on.

Faculty Alysia Oakley was inducted into the Oberlin college athletics Hall of Fame. an english teacher and faculty member at Mercersburg since 2007, alysia was a standout goalie for Oberlin’s women’s soccer and lacrosse teams. a threetime all-Midwest region selection in

lacrosse, she helped Oberlin win three conference championships in four years, and also tied the school’s career shutout record in soccer (12).

Ron Simar received a specialrecognition award from the Pennsylvania independent schools athletic association. ron, who served as Mercersburg’s athletic director for 20 years, was one of the founding members of the Paisaa, which includes more than 30 member schools and sponsors 14 state-championship events. ron is head of Mercersburg’s physical education department and is the father of three Mercersburg alumni: Matt Simar ’86, Seton Simar-Moritz ’90, and Eric Mercer ’91.

Former Faculty Faculty emeritus Earle Grover was featured in the fall 2011 issue of Open Views, a publication of the Lancaster Farmland Trust. The article offers a brief history of his family’s homestead, the 113-acre Heidelbaugh Farm in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and earle’s decision to preserve the property

by donating its development rights to the trust.

David Ira Kagan’s third book, Sugar Valley Villages, was published in July 2011 by the arcadia Publishing company. co-authored with John Harbach sr., the book is a collection of captioned photographs—along with a four-page history—of the eight communities in the north-central Pennsylvania area of sugar Valley.

David’s previous two books in the “images of america” series include Pine Creek Villages (2008) and Middletown Borough (2009), the former about the north-central Pennsylvania valley where he has lived for the past 20 years and the latter about his hometown in central Pennsylvania.

Frank Miriello, who was Mercersburg’s head football and boys’ lacrosse coach from 1986 to 1989, retired as head football coach at Washington and Lee university after 45 years in coaching.

Frank, who became the head coach at W&L in 1995, is the program’s alltime leader in victories after compiling a 90-79-1 overall mark. He won two conference titles, took the generals

to the ncaa Division iii playoffs for the first time in school history, and captured the Old Dominion athletic conference’s coach of the Year award five times (most recently in 2010). in addition to his time at Mercersburg and W&L, Frank also coached at five different high schools in Pennsylvania and served as an assistant at Hampdensydney and VMi. Al Pisano and his wife, Peg, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July 2011. al was Mercersburg’s head football/lacrosse coach and physical education director from 1976 to 1983.

He retired in august 2010 from berkeley Prep in Tampa, Florida, after 27 years there. al and Peg have four children, including three who are Mercersburg alumni: Laura Pisano Lyshon ’80, Mike Pisano ’81, and Ronald Pisano ’84.

Faculty emeritus Tim Rockwell and his wife, bonnie, participated in a stitching ceremony of the national 9/11 Flag at the Martinsburg Va Medical center in West Virginia.

Alumni Weekend October 26-28, 2012 www.mercersburg.edu/alumniweekend

Come home to Mercersburg for the traditional Step Songs, bonfire, and all-school picnic, plus a homecoming for alumni military service members past and present.

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e suMMer 2012

Obituaries

Obituaries ’32

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Gloria, as well as a son, a daughter, and four grandchildren.

Joseph W. Stayman, November 2, 2006. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Jefferson Medical College, Joseph was a certified thoracic surgeon and director of surgery at Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill Hospital from 1960 to 1980. He was predeceased by his wife of 52 years, Barbara Brehm Stayman, and is survived by four children, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Philip M. Jones, October 27, 2011. (Marshall, Senate, Class Day Committee, News Board, head cheerleader, track) Phil attended Franklin & Marshall College and graduated from Peirce College in Philadelphia. He served in the Pacific theater in World War II and was an original member of the “Scouts and Raiders,” an early version of the Navy SEALs. Philip was publisher of the Gettysburg Times and CEO of the Times and News Publishing Company. From 1950 to 1973, he was president of Hanover Made Furniture. His community services to Adams County and to Gettysburg specifically were numerous. He was predeceased by his son, Philip ’68. Survivors include his wife of 70 years, Jane Rice Jones, three daughters, six grandchildren (including Jennifer Barr Weiss ’99), and a great-granddaughter.

Charles Marschner, May 3, 2011. (Marshall, wrestling, baseball) A graduate of the University of Michigan, Charlie was one of the founding members of the team that created McDonnell Aircraft in 1939. His career was in international sales and consulting for various aerospace companies with classmates Henry Jones and Tom Parsons; he was a Mercersburg class agent for a number of years. Survivors include his wife, Dorothy.

’34

Arch H. Copeland, April 21, 2010. (Main, Irving, News Board, tennis, track, Marshal of the Field, Memorial Committee) Arch graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and spent more than 30 years in sales with the Revere Copper and Brass Company.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Jim ’37.

John J. Macionis, February 16, 2012. (Marshall, swimming) John established himself as one of the world’s best swimmers at Yale University in the 1930s. He was the first person to break one of Johnny Weissmuller’s world records, and won a silver medal for the U.S. at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. He also made the Olympic team four years later, though the 1940 Summer Games were canceled due to World War II. He served as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Coast Guard. For more than 50 years, John was a top swimming official in the Northeast, officiating at high school, prep school, and college meets and championships.

In his 60s, he competed in masters swimming competitions and established five masters world records. He continued to swim a mile a day until age 91. John spent most of his business career as a salesperson and was vice president of sales for Shearer’s Dairies and, later, Chestnut Hill Dairy. His community service included a directorship of Philadelphia’s Metropolitan Hospital. John is survived by his wife of 69 years, May Johnston Macionis, two sons, four grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter.

’36

Leonard P. Carlson, August 6, 2010. (Marshall, News, Camera Club) Leonard graduated from Syracuse University and served with the U.S. Army in the Pacific theater during World War II. Leonard was considered to be an entrepreneurial trailblazer in the mail-order catalogue industry; he founded Sunset House, a successful mailorder company, and served as its president and CEO until 1970.

Edwin J. Pearson Sr., September 19, 2011. (Main Annex, Irving, Les Copains) A graduate of Princeton University, Edwin served in the Army in World War II. He was an investment banker with Smith Barney in Philadelphia for 27 years. He was predeceased by his wife, Ruth Loud Pearson, and is survived by a son (Edwin Jr. ’67), a daughter, four grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

’37

Jerome A. Eaton, July 12, 2011. (Irving, football manager) Jerome graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. During World War II, he served in the Army Air Force, for which service he was awarded the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, and a Presidential Citation. Jerome changed his last name from Epstein in 1945.

John O. Power Jr., June 7, 2011. (Marshall, Choir, Glee Club, football) A graduate of West Point, John was right halfback for the 1940 Army football team. He was a combat veteran of World War II, serving as commander of “A” Company, 35th Tank Battalion, 7th Armed Division of Patton’s Third Army. He was awarded a number of medals including the Silver Star, Purple Heart, French Croix de Guerre, and a Presidential Citation. In peacetime, John worked for 29 years for National Cash Register as a sales manager. Survivors include a son, two daughters, five grandchildren, and a greatgrandson. He was preceded in death by his son, John C. Power III, and his wife of 68 years, Elzada.

John Schneider III, October 8, 2009. (Marshall, Camera Club) John was commissioned in the Army Air Corps. He was stationed in England during World War II as an operations and air control officer liaisoned to the Royal Air Force Bomber Command.

His professional career was largely spent in advertising and promotions with the National Brewing Company in Baltimore.

He is survived by his wife, Martha, two sons, two daughters, five grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

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’38

Barnet P. Bowser, March 8, 2009. (Irving vice president, Glee Club, wrestling, football, Class Day Committee) Barnet attended Lehigh University. He was an Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War and a retired vice president of the U.S. National Bank of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. His wife, Janet, passed away March 12, 2009.

Robert A. Barraclough, November 15, 2011. (Irving, Chemistry Club, Gun Club) Bob earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology at WrightPatterson Air Force Base in Ohio; he later completed the Air Command Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.

During his 27 years of military service, he was decorated for heroic airmanship in Vietnam and World War II, and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He received the Bronze Star Medal, three Air Medals for heroic airmanship, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Force Commendation Medal for meritorious accomplishment. He later served as vice president of an investment firm in Washington, D.C. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois; survivors include numerous nieces and nephews.

’39

Elliott H. Miller, October 19, 2010. (Keil, Irving debater, News Board, Chemistry Club, Les Copains) A graduate of Yale University and an Army veteran of World War II, Elliott served in the U.S. Foreign Service with the State Department in Germany, Cuba, and Guatemala. Survivors include three brothers, two sons, two grandchildren, and a great-grandson.

’40

Harry C. Custer Jr., May 18, 2010. (Marshall, Glee Club, track) Harry served in the Army during World War II in Europe and Japan. In 1984, he sold his insurance business; in retirement, he and his wife, Virginia, spent winters in Florida and summers at the New Jersey shore. Survivors include his wife, a daughter, and his sister.

James H. Martindale, April 12, 2011. (Keil, Irving, Stony Batter, swimming, Camera Club) James began his career as chief engineer and plant engineer with Black Clawson Shartle in Ohio. He owned Martco Inc. from 1967 until his retirement in 1984. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah, and his brother, Robert ’32.

Survivors include a daughter, two sons, five grandchildren (including John ’04), and a great-grandson.

Courter D. Mills, July 22, 2011. (Main, Irving, football, Band, Glee Club, Chemistry Club) Courter graduated from Lehigh University.

He served in the Army during World War II and was a longtime employee of U.S. Steel. He was predeceased by his wife, Marty Mills, and is survived by two sons, two daughters, 10 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

’41

Charles W. Barton, August 4, 2011. (Marshall) Charles graduated from Ohio State University and served in the Coast Guard during World War II. He retired as an account executive from Top

Value Enterprises. Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Marcia Heiser Barton, a daughter, two sons, four grandchildren, and a great-grandson.

Earl K. Berkey, June 23, 2011. (Main, Irving, Glee Club, Choir, Concert Band, football) After a year at the University of Iowa, Earl enlisted in the Army Air Corps, serving in military intelligence in the South Pacific. He returned to Iowa, graduating in 1948. He was preceded in death by two sons (including Daniel ’76) and a sister.

Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Jeanne Claycomb Berkey; his brother, Donald ’38; five step-grandchildren; three step-greatgrandchildren; and a cousin, Chet ’60.

Frank E. Brumback, November 20, 2011. (South Cottage, Irving, News Board, Gun Club, Class Memorial Committee) Frank graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Medical School. He served in the Army as a surgeon during the Korean War. He practiced medicine in Hagerstown, Maryland, and at the VA Hospital in nearby Martinsburg, West Virginia. Frank was preceded in death by his first wife of 44 years, Mary Yeager Brumback. He is survived by his second wife, Elisabeth, as well as a son, three daughters, a granddaughter, and two great-grandchildren.

George MacBain III, November 13, 2011. (Laucks, Marshall, Les Copains, soccer, tennis, Class Historian) George enlisted in the Army Air Corps and piloted B-17 bombers in the European theater, flying 30 successful missions over Germany. Following the war, he attended the University of Virginia, graduating from the McIntyre School of Commerce. In 1988, after a 39-year career, he retired as regional sales manager for United States Gypsum Company.

Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Beverley Lang MacBain, two sons, and four grandsons.

William F. Potts, November 26, 2011. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, The Fifteen, Senate, Rauchrunde, Stony Batter, Chemistry Club, News Board, Nevin Orator, Cum Laude) William graduated with honors from Princeton University. In World War II, he served with the 391st Bomb Group in the 9th Air Force in England and France as a bomber pilot. His entire business career was with DuPont in sales and management. William is survived by his wife of 66 years, Florence Rush Potts, two daughters, a son, and eight grandchildren.

’43

Gordon K. Banzhoff, March 2, 2011. (Main, Irving, tennis) Gordon, the son of the late Harry Banzhoff ’22, graduated from Franklin & Marshall College and the Temple University School of Medicine.

He practiced obstetrics and gynecology for 41 years in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Mary, two sons, a daughter, 10 grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.

Robert E. Best Jr., March 29, 2011. (Irving) Robert graduated from the University of Pittsburgh after serving in the Navy in World War II. He was employed for several years by Pittsburgh Glass; in 1966, he founded Best Glass Inc., and later, Lincoln Aluminum Distributing. He was predeceased by his wife of 53 years, Betty, as well as his father, Robert Sr. (1906), and brother, John ’33.

Survivors include a son, a daughter, and four grandsons (including Bobby ’05).

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Hunter F. Bingaman, June 15, 2010. Hunter served in the Pacific theater in World War II and attended Gettysburg College. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Joy Willman Bingaman, a daughter, a son, three grandchildren, and a great-grandson.

William Wertz, March 28, 2011. William left Mercersburg after four months to enlist in the Navy, and served in the Pacific theater.

He graduated from Lebanon Valley College and for 36 years was proprietor of the Karmelkorn Shop in downtown Lebanon, Pennsylvania. He later changed the store’s name to Wertz Candies.

William retired in 1986. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Josephine Seiger Wertz, and his second wife, Lucille Steff Wertz. Survivors include three sons, a daughter, a stepson, and a stepdaughter.

’44

Jerold G. Gallagher, November 23, 2011. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Chapel Choir, Glee Club, track, wrestling, Class Day Committee) A Navy cryptograph analyst in World War II, Jerry was educated at the University of Neufchatel (Switzerland), University of Edinburgh, and Duke University, studying finance and business. He was a banker for 30 years in New York City, New Jersey, and Vermont, culminating his career as president of First Vermont Bank in Rutland. Survivors include his wife, Donna, two daughters, a son, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Richard L. Gipe, April 15, 2011. (Irving) A graduate of American University, Richard accepted an appointment to the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. He was a research chemist there throughout his career in science. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Kathryn, and a son and daughter.

W. Thomas Morris, October 13, 2011. (South Cottage, Irving vice president, Senate, News Board, KARUX Board, Rauchrunde, Laticlavii, Glee Club, Stony Batter, Gun Club, Chapel Usher, Class President) After graduating from Dartmouth College, Thomas began his longtime career with Troy Dairy Farms, a wholesale company founded by his father, which for many years supplied milk to the markets of Philadelphia and New York City. Thomas was chairman and chief executive officer of the First Bank of Troy for 20 years. He is survived by his wife, Edith Dixon Morris, three daughters, a brother (Richard ’48), eight grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.

D. William Stockham Jr., April 10, 2011. (Main, Marshall, football) A graduate of Mercersburg’s February 1944 class, Bill served in the Air Force during World War II. Survivors include his wife, Vonneta Elkins Stockham, three sons, a daughter, 12 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.

’45

Robert S. Foster, January 8, 2012. (Irving, cross country) Robert earned a bachelor’s from Pennsylvania State University and a graduate degree in auxiliary medical services from the University of Pennsylvania. After 40 years of service, he retired as the chief physical therapist at Harrisburg Hospital. He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Jane Gately Foster, a son and daughter, and four grandchildren.

John R. Friedman, September 4, 2010. (South Cottage, Marshall, Senate, News Board, Lit Board, Stony Batter, Chemistry Club, baseball, football, wrestling) John’s primary career involved educational productions for which he received a number of commendations and considerable recognition. He is survived by four children and several grandchildren.

Richard F. McClure, August 19, 2010. (South Cottage, Irving, El Circulo Español, Chemistry Club, Stony Batter, Glee Club, football, track, Higbee Orator, Cum Laude) Richard earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. During the Korean War, he served in the Strategic Air Command of the Air Force. He was a former president of General Interiors Corporation, which included Pennsylvania House and Kittinger of Buffalo, New York. At one point in his business career, he was president of the National Association of Furniture Manufacturers. Richard was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Laity McClure; survivors include his sons, Dick ’76 and Tom ’82, and two daughters.

’46

Douglas M. Dyne, June 7, 2010. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Chemistry Club, El Circulo Español, tennis, Stony Batter) A graduate of Princeton University, Doug was the former president and CEO of Dyne & Lenihan Engineering, from which he retired in 1996. Survivors include four sons and seven grandchildren.

Frederick M. Porter, October 16, 2011. (South Cottage, Irving, Concert Band, Blue and White Melodians, Orchestra, El Circulo Español, Choir, tennis) Upon graduation, Fred enlisted in the Navy.

He graduated from Lehigh University. For nearly 50 years, Fred served as vice president of Tachometer Corporation, the family business in West Philadelphia. Survivors include his wife, Patricia, two sons, two daughters, nine grandchildren, and two step-grandchildren.

Conrad Jusick, October 8, 2009. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Chemistry Club) Connie graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. He retired as assistant vice president at Marine Midland Bank in Elmira, New York, where he worked for 33 years. His wife of 56 years, Betty M. Jusick, died July 22, 2010. Survivors include a son and daughter, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

P. Richard Seeman Jr., March 3, 2011. (Main, Irving, El Circulo Español, football, basketball) Dick attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before enlisting in the Army Air Corps; he served in Guam and the South Pacific. Following World War II, he joined his father in a Packard automobile agency connected with Seeman Tire Company. When Packard failed, Paul developed the United Leasing Company. He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Patricia Everhart Seeman, two sons, two daughters, and six grandchildren.

W. Walter Braham Jr., October 9, 2011. (South Cottage, Marshall, Class Historian, Senate, the Fifteen, Rauchrunde, Laticlavii, News Board, Chemistry Club, Varsity Club, Marshal of the Field, swimming, baseball) Walter graduated from Princeton University. He was a Marine Corps officer during the Korean War and a retired partner with the law firm of Kirkpatrick, Lockhart, Johnson, and Hutchinson.

Walter was preceded in death by his wife, Ann Haines Braham; survivors include a son, two daughters, seven grandchildren, and

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a brother, Jim ’50. Walter was also the brother-in-law of former Mercersburg faculty member Jim Haines ’58.

William A. Grant, June 6, 2011. (South Cottage, Marshall, Camera Club, Gun Club) Bill graduated from Gettysburg College and served two years in the Army doing ballistic research at Aberdeen Proving Ground. He earned a master’s in architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. In 1965, he moved to Hawaii where, until his retirement, he was executive director of the Oahu Development Conference. Bill avidly supported the maintenance of Hawaii’s prestatehood architecture. He is survived by his wife, Jane, a son, and a daughter. His brother, John ’50, preceded him in death.

Hilton N. Rahn Jr., December 7, 2011. (Irving, KARUX, football) “Dutch” earned a bachelor’s from Lafayette College and a master’s from Purdue University; both his degrees were in metallurgical engineering. He spent 32 years with Bethlehem Steel, and was a co-holder of five patents. In addition to his wife of 52 years, Anastasia Dalaklis Rahn, he is survived by a niece and several nephews.

James C. Ruder, November 30, 2011. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Senate, The Fifteen, Chemistry Club, El Circulo Español, basketball, wrestling, Class Day Committee) Jim earned an MBA from Stanford University. During his early career, he was employed at separate times by both Lockheed and Martin Aircraft companies; at one time he owned and operated Hermosa Orchards, followed by Fruitland Trading Company. From 1970 to 1975, he was a partner in Mountain Drilling Company. Later, he was a private security analyst in gold mining equities. Survivors include two sisters and a brother.

’48

Robert A. Fike, April 23, 2011. (South Cottage, Marshall, Dance Committee Chairman, soccer, wrestling) Bob graduated from Franklin & Marshall College and was a retired claims representative for the Ohio Casualty Insurance Company. He is survived by his wife, Betty, three daughters, six grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

’49

Victor T. Alezones, August 23, 2010. (Colonial Cottage, Marshall, Dance Committee, Yacht Club, soccer, wrestling, baseball) A graduate of Georgia Tech, Victor moved his family to Miami from Caracas, Venezuela, in 1981.

William B. Blackburn, February 18, 2012. (Irvine, Yacht Club, News, soccer) Bill earned a bachelor’s degree from Allegheny College and received a master’s degree and doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh. After a long teaching career, he retired from the Bethel Park School District. William was preceded in death by his father, James (1910), and two brothers, including James Jr. ’38.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Joann Dilley Blackburn, two daughters, a grandson, great-nephews, and great-nieces including Elizabeth Blackburn Olson ’75 (who is married to Bill Olson ’75), Sarah Blackburn Brincefield ’99, Natalie Blackburn ’05, and Jamie Blackburn ’03 (who is married to Victoria Leontieva Blackburn ’03).

J. Morgan Ogilvie, September 11, 2011. (Marshall, Chemistry Club) Morgan graduated from the California Institute of Technology and

received a commission in the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. He worked for DuPont before beginning a 28-year career with Diebold, a bank security equipment-manufacturing company. Survivors include his wife, Sara, a sister, a nephew, and several nieces.

’50

Walter A. Wellinger, December 22, 2011. (South Cottage, Irving) A graduate of Lehigh University, Walt served as a pilot in the Navy’s Early Warning Squadron. He became a commercial-airline pilot for Pacific Airlines in 1959, and also flew for Air West and Northwest Airlines before retiring from Republic Airlines in 1986. He and his wife, Jeanne, moved to Maui in 1987. Survivors include his wife, a son, a sister, and many nieces and nephews.

’51

Robert J. Grine, August 23, 2011. (South Cottage, Marshall president, football) Bob lived in Palm Desert, California. Survivors include a brother, Charles ’44, and nephew, Frederick ’70. He was preceded in death by a brother, Ed ’42.

Donald J. McKissock, July 14, 2007. (Marshall, track) Don graduated from Rutgers University. In 1956, he began a 22-year naval career, during which his assignments carried him to bases in Virginia, Maryland, Nova Scotia, and Florida. He retired in 1977 and was an active member of his community of Topsham, Maine. Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Lee Severance, a son, two daughters, and eight grandchildren.

Robert K. Weir, April 14, 2008. (Marshall, The Fifteen) Robert lived in Boerne, Texas.

’52

Frederick C. Heinz Jr., October 20, 2010. Fred, whose father (the late Frederick C. Heinz ’17) also attended Mercersburg, was preceded in death by his wife, Marlene. He is survived by a son, three daughters, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

James F. Kirk Jr., September 25, 2011. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Chapel Usher, Chemistry Club, Varsity Club, football, baseball, track) Jim was an Army veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division and attended Thiel College. He retired from the Sears Company after 25 years of service. Jim was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Patricia Carr Kirk, and his father, James Sr. ’17. He is survived by three sons, a daughter, and nine grandchildren.

Robert F. Larkin, November 5, 2009. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Glee Club, Concert Band, Blue and White Melodians, Caducean Club) Robert lived in Troy, Michigan.

’53

Frederick R. Dietz, October 3, 2010. (South Cottage, Marshall, Gun Club) He retired from the H.J. Williams Company when he became owner of Emigsville Beverage Company. Survivors include his wife, Jeanette Wecker Dietz, a son, and three grandchildren.

William H. Mowry Jr., November 15, 2010. (Keil, Irving, Schaff Orator, Cum Laude, baseball) Bill graduated from the School of Printing Management at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now

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Carnegie Mellon). For more than 45 years, he was an engineer and inventor with the Burroughs Corporation and Standard Register.

A number of patents hold his name. Survivors include his wife of more than 40 years, Carolyn Mowry, their son and daughter, and three granddaughters.

’54

Rondel K. LeGore, December 17, 2010. (Marshall, Student Council, baseball) A graduate of Western Maryland College, Ron was an Army veteran and a certified general real-estate appraiser for more than 20 years. He was preceded in death by his father, Marlin ’29, and uncle, Wilbur ’26. Survivors include two sons, a daughter, and three grandchildren.

Henry E. Rohland, February 11, 2011. (Irving, Glee Club, Football Band, Projection Crew) After graduating from Franklin & Marshall College, Hank was commissioned into the Air Force. He flew as a navigator with the Strategic Air Command, which launched a more than 20-year career in which he served in Europe and Vietnam, as well as renaissance missions over the Sino-Soviet Bloc. He was decorated with the Meritorious Service Medal and the Bronze Star for his actions in Vietnam. Upon retirement from the service, Henry began a 25-year career with Lebanon Seaboard, where his responsibilities included risk management. He is survived by his wife, Gretchen, three daughters, and nine grandchildren.

’55

J. David Miller, July 27, 2011. (Irving) A graduate of Haverford College, David was an account executive for Kalish & Rice Advertising Agency in Philadelphia. He is survived by two sisters and several nieces and nephews.

’56

Gerald L. Singer, April 5, 2009. (Keil, Marshall, Press Club, Band, Rauchrunde, Chemistry Club, Octet, Christian Service Group, Class President) Gerry graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and was an Army veteran. He was a financial planner on Wall Street and later for 25 years in Erie, Pennsylvania. Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Barbara Small Singer, a son and daughter, his mother, and several nieces and nephews.

’57

Lynn A. Heinbaugh, August 23, 2010. Lynn attended Gettysburg College and began his career with Potomac Edison. He retired in 1996 with Allegheny Power. Survivors include his wife, Siri Brown Heinbaugh, a son and daughter, and a sister, Janice, who is the wife of Henry Steiger ’42.

’58

Harold W. “Bill” Brake Jr., December 3, 2009. (Irving) Harold owned and operated Brake Pontiac/Cadillac and the Breakaway Lounge, both in Waynesboro. Survivors include his former wife, Carole Stover Brake, a daughter, and a granddaughter.

Christian R. Herr Jr., December 18, 2011. (Irving, Varsity Club, swimming) A graduate of the College of William & Mary, Chris served in the Army’s Medical Service Corps. He was a vice president for Herr & Company before forming C.R. Herr Jr. Employment

Agency. Survivors include his wife, Beth Clayton Herr, two sons and a daughter, his mother, numerous nieces and nephews, and five grandchildren.

Allen F. Jones, March 7, 2011. (South Cottage, Marshall, Student Council, News Board, Les Copains, Electronics Club, Stony Batter, Caducean Club, Varsity Club, football, soccer, swimming) A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Al received an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. His many military assignments included Airborne and Ranger training, the Jungle Warfare Training Center in Panama, military intelligence at Fort Holabird’s Defense Language School, and work as Counterintelligence Section Chief and Executive Officer of the 101st Military Intelligence Detachment. Al later became a partner at Booz Allen, from which he joined Hewitt Associates. Survivors include his wife, Diane Jean Atkins, a son, and a daughter.

’60

J. Adam Shartle Jr., July 17, 2011. (Keil, Marshall, Senate, Student Council, Orientation Committee, El Circulo Español, News, Marshal of the Field) Adam graduated from Duke University. Survivors include his wife, Sheila, a daughter (Jessica Shartle Duvall ’00) and son (John ’05), and a granddaughter. He was preceded in death by his father, John ’22, as well as three alumni uncles—Charles (1912), Thomas ’26, and Donald ’32—and a cousin, Thomas Jr. ’47.

’62

Brian C. Hesse, April 2, 2011. (Tippetts, Marshall, The Fifteen, Chemistry Club, Electronics Club, Glee Club, soccer, cross country, Cum Laude) Brian served in the Army in Vietnam as a communications specialist. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as a doctorate in philosophy from Columbia University. He spent 24 years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham before becoming director of the Jewish Studies program at Penn State University’s College of Liberal Arts. Brian was a professor of classics and ancient Mediterranean studies and anthropology. For more than 35 years, he participated in extensive field work in the Middle East and South America, excavating and analyzing material from many sites, in Ganj Dareh in western Iran and at Ashkelon and Tel Miqne-Ekron in Israel. He also developed an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution of Natural History. Brian is survived by his wife, Paula, and daughter, Arielle.

’63

Michael T. Gocke, December 16, 2011. (Main, Irving, Blue Key, Les Copains, Caducean Club, Varsity Club, basketball, golf) Michael attended Washington and Lee University and received bachelor’s and dentistry degrees from West Virginia University. In 1973, he opened his dental practice in Morgantown, West Virginia. Throughout his life, Michael was an enthusiastic and competitive amateur golfer.

He is survived by his wife, Terry Hill Gocke; four sons (including Tim ’94, Ryan ’95, and Christian ’97); two brothers and a sister; and eight grandchildren.

’64

David C. Blair, April 15, 2011. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Caducean Club, Stony Batter, Varsity Club, football, cross country, track, Williams Cup) David was a graduate of Whitman College in Washington state and earned a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.

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He was a professor of computer information systems at the University of Michigan and spent many years as a researcher developing information-retrieval theory in the light of philosophy of language. Survivors include his wife, Barbara, and two sons.

Lee M. Weiser, May 1, 2011. (Keil, Marshall, Paideia, French Club, Chemistry Club, Caducean Club, Blue & White Melodians, Concert Band, football, track) A graduate of Colby College and Harvard Business School, Lee was a naval aviator during the Vietnam War. He was a certified picture framer; for more than 30 years, he was owner/operator of Frame of Mind in Albany, New York.

’65

Timothy A. Herr, May 21, 2011. (Main, Irving, Student Council, football, lacrosse) Timothy graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder and received a master’s in finance from Northwestern University. He was an accountant with Omnova Solutions. He was preceded in death by his brother and is survived by his wife and a sister.

C. Donn Schenkemeyer Jr., October 28, 2011. (Irving, Paideia, Stony Batter, Boys Club, Chess Club, tennis, Engineering Club) Donn earned a bachelor’s degree from Denison College and a law degree from the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and is survived by his life partner, Joanne Garrett.

’67

Keith A. Ross, September 3, 2010. (Marshall, Music Appreciation Group, swimming) Keith, who attended Ohio University and Jacksonville University, taught and coached swimming and diving at schools in Jacksonville, Florida. Survivors include his brother, Phil ’61.

’68

Thomas M. Fleming, February 13, 2011. (Irving declaimer, Blue Key, Jurisprudence Society, Stony Batter, Chapel Usher, Paideia vice president, Chapel Choir, Glee Club, football, basketball, baseball) A graduate of Syracuse University, Tom had served as dean of students and head basketball coach at James Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Connecticut, where he was also a member of the school’s Hall of Fame committee. He was the founder of the New Haven Academic Athletics Foundation and a commissioner of the Five Star Basketball Camp. Survivors include his wife, Alba, two daughters (including Valerie ’98) and a son, his mother, six grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter.

’78

Maria E. Pease, October 8, 2011. (swimming) Maria graduated from Stanford University, where she won the 1980 AIAW Collegiate Championship as a member of the Cardinal swim team; she also qualified to swim at the 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials.

She earned a bachelor’s in psychology from Stanford and a medical degree from Boston University. Maria was an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco. In addition to her father, a sister, and two brothers, survivors include her spouse, Cathy Koger, and two children, Walker and Caroline.

Joseph E. Miles, September 2, 2010. (soccer)

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Kirk L. Dwyer, October 29, 2011. (Keil, Stony Batter) Kirk earned a bachelor’s degree in film and video from Savannah College of Art and Design. He lived in Los Angeles and worked in the film industry in sound production. He is survived by his partner, Jodi, a son and daughter, and his parents and siblings.

’86

J. Patrick Ridenour, February 11, 2012. (Marshall, Jazz Band, the Blob, Concert Band, Investment Club, trap & skeet shooting, swimming, baseball) Patrick studied economics and music at the University of Maryland. He played with several musical groups in the Baltimore area. Survivors include his mother, a brother, two sisters, and a number of nieces and nephews.

’89

Robert A. Giffin, October 23, 2011. (Octet, Stony Batter, Class Council, Chapel Choir, Chorale, Blue Key, Ski Club, soccer, tennis, baseball) Robert graduated from Elon University and excelled at music and athletics throughout his life. He is survived by his partner, Todd Cain, his parents, seven siblings, and 12 nieces and nephews.

’92

Kirk A. Cummings, March 25, 2011. (Marshall declaimer, soccer) Kirk graduated from the University of Florida and worked for the Florida State Department of Corrections.

’11 Julian A. Eisner, April 27, 2012. (Tippetts, basketball, tennis, track & field, MOE, Jewish Club) Julian, who was from the Philadelphia suburb of Penn Valley, Pennsylvania, died during his freshman year at Indiana University, where he was studying journalism. He covered the local Bloomington music scene for LiveBuzz, a blog affiliated with the Indiana Daily Student newspaper. Survivors include his parents, Evan and Lyn Eisner.

Faculty/former faculty/ staff/friends Henry A. Kittredge, former faculty and staff member, March 27, 2012. Henry was an Army veteran of World War II and graduated from Kenyon College; he also held degrees from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and the University of Delaware.

He taught history at Mercersburg from 1959 to 1973 and later returned to the school as a staff member working in the library (1985 to 2009). Henry was active in the Sons of the American Revolution and was past president of Mercersburg’s Fendrick Library Board. Survivors include three sons.

My Say

M e r c e r s b u r g m a g a z i n e s u mm e r 2 0 1 2

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I would like to thank all of you seniors. I remember the day your

tiny class council walked up to me between morning classes and proposed to me. I had enjoyed a magnificent year’s hiatus after the Class of 2007 pushed me to the limits. I remember the first meeting in the Lecture Room; I recall being scared.

Excerpt from Baccalaureate address by Jeffrey Cohen

We made it through a lot together. You elected strong leadership each year, and [Class President] Burke [Helzel] did a fantastic job. You helped young students feel comfortable. You exhibited unity beyond the usual amount we see in a senior class. You adjusted some traditions and introduced others. Most impressively, you ended the year with dignity. You showed future seniors that a prank can be fun and harmless, and you represented our school well on the senior trip. You worked well with me and enabled me to enjoy serving as class adviser.

For me, the connection feels even stronger. I taught 46 of you, including eight of you twice and the honorable David Bowes three consecutive times. I lived with or coached 31 others. I share a birthday with four of you. I thought about calculating the probability, but I’m not really into that sort of thing. It’s low.

If you know me well, you know that the highlights of my Mercersburg career have revolved around advising. I enjoy the art of giving advice so much that I have served as a class adviser for seven of my eight years here. While my colleagues collectively sigh, I will disclose to you the number one focus of most of my deep conversations with advisees over the years—perspective.

Perspective helps to make life somewhat understandable.

It provides us with reasons to accept a tough situation or appreciate a good one. Perspective does not serve as a substitute for problem solving. Instead, it offers some basic level of reassurance that the events that occur in our lives possess characteristics that are not unique to each of us.

When a student comes to me with a problem, I try to do what he or she cannot; I supplement my thoughts with events from my life that make my assertions easier to digest.

But this type of assistance works more than one way. I seek advice from many people—people who have endured different challenges than I have. Many of them live and work right here on campus.

Adults are not the only ones capable of solid advice and perspective. I would like to sincerely thank those seniors who

have helped me through my own tough situations. Everyone endures rough times, and living in this community we sometimes forget how lucky we are to have each other.

Seniors, you are a good-looking, intelligent group of people. You have dynamic personalities. You have prowess on the field and on stage. So what don’t you have? A thousand “friends.” You just don’t. You may think you do, but you don’t. As of right now, I have 998 friends on Facebook. And even though I am bound to eclipse 1,000 after this address, I still will not take credit for having 1,000 friends.

I am a Facebook member so I can keep in touch with the maximum number of people on a basic level.

But I do not use it to maintain my friendships. As you head to college, think about how you define the word “friend.” Do not fall into the trap of allowing a website to define how you communicate with your friends. Call your friends. Skype with them.

Write a letter. Go for a visit. Work religiously to prove to your real friends that Facebook and incessant texting cannot serve as substitutes for true interaction. Your phones do not just text, you know—they make calls, too.

I want you to leave this place remembering the good times you had here. Ponder its beauty. Consider the information you learned while you were here. Foremost, though, value the relationships you forged, but value how our boarding-school experience helped you understand what makes a good relationship.

Many alumni made the trip to be here this weekend. They still feel the strength of this community and take pride in being here. Do not fail to realize the gravity of their attendance. Help us make this community even stronger by maintaining these relationships and by showing future students how much you care about Mercersburg. We will welcome you back every time.

Jeff Cohen, a graduate of Bucknell University and the University of New Hampshire, has taught at Mercersburg since 2004 and lives in Main Hall on campus. He has served as adviser to the classes of 2007 and 2012; this summer, he was appointed adviser to the Class of 2014. To read the text of Cohen’s speech in its entirety, visit www.mercersburg.edu/cohen2012.

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