A LOOK BACK
Farewell to a Special Place by Mark Macrides,Archivist ur campus always looks and feels different in the summer months. This
they exchanged stories about Country
summer the view changed almost daily. As the cafeteria building was
School people, places and events. It
removed, vistas that had not been seen for over 100 years became visible.
was nothing I knew anything about, but
The view up the main drive changed overnight to include a glimpse of the red
everything I wanted to know.
barn. The Watson Gym, which previously appeared to be so close to Grace House,
I remember being asked to paint the
suddenly looked far away across the empty expanse. The visible connection between
mission statement on the walls and
the north and south ends of campus became a compelling metaphor for unity.
feeling something very special about being alone and up close and personal
It reminded me how important it is
table and Rita, Wanda and Isabelle, and
with those words and sentences. I admit
periodically to change one’s view —
later Carlos Mendoza and Jack’s daughter
up to that point I had not memorized the
whether literally or figuratively. As our
Cindi, would be at another table. Let me
mission, but after that, much like after
faculty and staff community gathered for
tell you, that was the place to be! I would
you attend a Broadway show and can’t get
our last Wednesday lunch this spring and
plan my morning around it. The conversa-
those show tunes out of your head, the
prepared to bid farewell the cafeteria, we
tion back and forth between the tables
words and phrases echoed in my mind.
reflected on 72 years and 2,450 faculty-
was great, real-life stuff — whose team
It was around that time that I began
staff lunches. Over that time, it had
was in first place, the latest recipe tried
to deeply understand the connection
become a familiar space of comfort and
and what dirty deeds Donna Mills had
between this mission statement and the
routine, where we could mark time by the
been up to on Knots Landing the night
importance of the work that the faculty
variety of discontinued floor tile colors, or
before. It was one of the few places
and staff have accomplished at NCCS,
by how much squishier the soft spot in the
I could share stories about my grand-
much of which was inspired and culti-
floor in front of the yogurt bar was, or by
mother’s latest senior trip to Atlantic City
vated in the old cafeteria. It was in that
how many days you had been greeted by
with people who really cared, and when
space that the culture of the faculty
Yahaira’s smile in the lunch line.
she got sick with cancer, it was with that
and staff evolved. It was in that space
I remember my first faculty-staff lunch,
group that I found comfort and concern.
that stories were shared and work was
back in 1985. I had just graduated college
It was in the cafeteria that I acquired
done together — the work of forming
and it was my first job. I remember who I
my interest in school history, one day
a community of educators, the work of
sat with: Judy VanderVeer, Eric Garrison,
sitting between Emma Thurton and
professional development, the work of
Loretta Gilson, John Aime, Marion Troy,
Evelyn Liotard. Both had started in the
caring for each other and the work of
Bill Martin and Eddie Mercer. It was rather
’40s, and I remember listening intently as
honoring our time together.
intimidating breaking into that conversation. What did I know about schools and teaching? I need not have worried, immediately the conversation was about me. Who was I? Where was I from? By the time I had finished a second slice of Rita’s meatloaf, I had seven new friends, and after that wherever I went on campus, I knew someone. I remember that the kitchen staff and maintenance staff used to take their morning break together. Carmine, Jack, Richie, Charlie and Leroy would be at one
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NEW CANAAN COUNTRY SCHOOL BULLETIN • Fall 2017
A History of Dining
The Country School Archives is pleased to announce an archival exhibit in the Grace House Lobby titled “A History of Dining at New Canaan Country School.” Timed to coincide with the start of construction on the new Susan Haigh Carver ’51 Dining Hall & Commons, the exhibit, through photographs, architectural drawings, artifacts and other interesting objects, gives historical perspective to the development of the lunch program at NCCS as well as the various dining facilities. The exhibit, which opened Aug. 28, is curated by Archivist Mark Macrides and will run through Dec. 22.