Nobles: The Magazine of Noble and Greenough School

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N O B L E S • FA L L 2 0 1 2

Noble and Greenough School 10 Campus Drive Dedham, MA 02026-4099

Nobles THE MAGAZINE OF NOBLE AND GREENOUGH SCHOOL

On July 27, Governor Deval Patrick visited with Achieve students as part of a speaker series. Achieve is an academic enrichment program for urban youth.

THE MAGAZINE OF NOBLE AND GREENOUGH SCHOOL

Achieve

FALL 2012

Elise Kornack ’05 has worked in some of New York’s finest kitchens and won a culinary competition. Now she hosts unforgettable, intimate dinners in Brooklyn.

EMILY RAFFERTY ’04

PHOTO OF THE DAY July 25, 2012 Pictured is the dining hall addition in the Castle. The new energy-efficient kitchen, also part of the addition, is home to 22 pieces of equipment and six walk-in cooling units.

1. WHAT WORD DO YOU ASSOCIATE WITH NOBLES? Community. 2. HOW HAS YOUR NOBLES EDUCATION SHAPED WHO YOU ARE TODAY? I appreciate how descriptive vocabulary often will come to mind, thanks to rigorous exercises in Dick Baker’s English classes; how I am comfortable speaking in front of a group of people thanks to Nick Marinaro’s Public Speaking course; how Louis Barassi’s AP Euro classes made me realize that I was passionate about art history and decide to pursue it as my concentration in college and later work at an art museum; how Bob Freeman’s painting classes fostered my creativity and love of the arts; and how I enjoy working on a team and pursuing competitive projects thanks to my time spent with Julia Russell on the lacrosse field. 3. WHAT LESSON DID YOU LEARN? At Nobles I was encouraged to be open-minded, to try new experiences, and to not give up despite challenges along the way. 4. WHY DO YOU GIVE BACK TO NOBLES BY SUPPORTING THE ANF? I enjoy contributing to the vitality of a place that is important to me. I work in fundraising and realize how big of an impact the little gifts can make. My gifts to the ANF are validated when I learn how tuition doesn’t cover all the costs of running a place like Nobles.

PLEASE GIVE TO THE ANNUAL NOBLES FUND THIS YEAR. Visit www.nobles.edu/giveonline or contact Director of Annual Giving Casey Hassenstein at Casey_Hassenstein@nobles.edu or 781-320-7011.

contents FALL 2012

SPECIAL INSERT: THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2012 107 students became graduates on June 1.

FEATURES 24

Cover Story: Taking Root Elise Kornack ’05 finds balance and meaning in food and love.

28

All in the Plan Pioneering urban planner Jonathan Barnett ’54 helped found the field that’s changing the world.

32

The Talk of the Town English teacher Vicky Seelen shares substance and style.

Cover Photograph by Brad DeCecco

IN EVERY ISSUE 2

Letter from the Head

3

Reflections What Nobles folks are saying on campus and online

4

The Bulletin News and notes from campus and beyond

18

Off the Shelf All about the books we read and write

20

Perspectives Nobles faculty and grads share expertise and stories

36

Graduate News Nobles graduate updates: what, when, where, why and how Nobles’ grads are doing

56

Archive A moment of Nobles history captured on film

Nobles

letter from the head

FALL 2012

Editor Heather Sullivan

Something Timeless

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Assistant Editors Julie Guptill ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

GRADUATION IS THE GRANDEST of Nobles

traditions. While the location may change, and the order of events has shifted, much of graduation would be familiar to students from every Nobles era. Each May, I speak with Class I students about the imminence of their graduation. I ask them to walk through the Schoolhouse with different eyes, to look anew at the archival pictures of classes that came before them, recognizing that they will soon join those graduates, also dressed in white pants and blue blazers, and in white dresses. They will become part of something timeless, and they will go into the world as part of a small, unique cadre, charged with giving our mission meaning through their actions in life outside our walls. The truth is that I do not remember any of the details of my own graduation from Nobles. I can’t recall a single word from a speech, although I have a distinct image of Mr. Gleason clapping sail upon sail as his remarks gained momentum and moved my spirit. I treasure a couple of moments from the receiving line with faculty, as I said goodbye to teachers who had changed the way I saw the world. The general power of this rite of passage, however, is still palpable for me. At this year’s graduation, I spoke about the Castle, acknowledging that we were gathered right below that magnificent edifice as it approaches the conclusion of the construction process. While I know that the students gathered there will remember little from my remarks, I hope I impressed powerfully upon them the importance of the Castle as a symbol for their Nobles experience. Below is a related excerpt from my address: “The challenge was to bolster treasured traditions and the most important inheritances from our past with dynamic and transformative thinking about our progress and future. The goal was to ensure that the Castle would continue to serve as the most important metaphor for the strength and purpose of this community. In the end, a building designed as the idiosyncratic expression of one man’s lifestyle would be transformed to become the proudest architectural expression of this community’s mission to inspire leadership for the public good. I believe that when the space opens at the end of this summer, that will have been accomplished, and when the Class of 2012 returns to visit and for reunions, members of the class will recognize and feel immediately at home in the new Castle, owning it equally with generations of Nobles students to come.” I hope that everyone in the extended Nobles community will be able to visit here in the year ahead to experience the work we have done in the Castle. This autumn will mark an exciting period in our history, as we re-inaugurate the centrality of the Castle to the Nobles experience, both for our graduates and for the next century. —ROBERT P. HENDERSON, JR. ’76 HEAD OF SCHOOL ERRATA: Page 63 of the Spring 2012 issue of this publication incorrectly identified the young man at the far right in the back row as James Martinez ’39. Several readers identified the student as Arthur Snyder ‘44.

2 Nobles FALL 2012

Tiffany Tran ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Design 2COMMUNIQUÉ WWW.2COMMUNIQUE.COM

Photography Dave Arnold Brad DeCecco Kathleen Dooher Michael Dwyer Julie Guptill Joel Haskell John Hirsch Leah LaRiccia John Soares Tony Rinaldo Tiffany Tran The Editorial Committee Brooke Asnis ’90 John Gifford ’86 Tilesy Harrington Bill Kehlenbeck Sarah Snyder Nobles is published three times a year for graduates, past and current parents and grandparents, students and supporters of Noble and Greenough School. Nobles is a co-educational, non-sectarian day and partial boarding school for students in grades seven (Class VI) through 12 (Class I). Noble and Greenough is a rigorous academic community that strives for excellence in its classroom teaching, intellectual growth in its students and commitment to the arts, athletics and service to others. For further information and up-to-the-minute graduate news, visit www.nobles.edu Letters and comments may be emailed to Heather_Sullivan@nobles.edu. We also welcome old-fashioned mail sent c/o Noble and Greenough School, 10 Campus Drive, Dedham, MA 02026. The office may be reached at 781-320-7268. © Noble and Greenough School 2012

“

Want to read more community musings? Go to www.nobles.edu/blogs

The pursuit of your passions with full commitment will bring you joy for a lifetime. —AS TOLD TO SUE CULLINANE JEPPSON ’87 BY PETER MANSFIELD POSTED TO REFLECTIONS BLOG

Nobles is in a fortunate position to be able to offer,

What I love most about my job is coming

and financially support, international service travel,

across intriguing ‘finds’ that excite my

in addition to a rich and established local community

curiosity and usually send me searching

service program.

through books, magazines, journals and

—JOHN GIFFORD ’86, HEAD OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL, POSTED TO EXPERTS ON ADOLESCENCE BLOG

The miles I log are nothing, absolutely nothing, in comparison to the daily and uncertain rhythms of the challenges faced by the Congolese women. I will continue to run, and each step I take will be one for them. —FACULTY MEMBER MARK SHEERAN, POSTED TO REFLECTIONS BLOG

websites. — ARCHIVIST ISA SCHAFF POSTED TO ARCHIVES BLOG

For our community service day in the Middle School, we were privileged to help many different families through the Quincy Crisis Center. . . . The experience really made me appreciate the small things in life and how gifted I am to get the chance to go to Nobles. —RACHEL JANFAZA ’17 POSTED TO REFLECTIONS BLOG

I think the advice we got 22 years ago was pretty spot on: Don’t think there is a manual for parenting; trust your instincts and go for it.

”

—HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL BEN SNYDER, POSTED TO EXPERTS ON ADOLESCENCE BLOG

FALL 2012 Nobles 3

the bulletin NEWS FROM OUR CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

“I learned that the war was the deadliest since WWII, and there was no movement, and that the worst sexual violence on the planet [was being perpetrated every day].” She ran a solo 30-mile run to sponsor Congolese women through Women for Women International. She decided that once she had raised $1 million, she would

have started a real movement. At last count, she had raised $11 million to sponsor Congolese women, who are using the funds to buy land, pay for their children’s education, start microbusinesses and care for their war-ravaged families. Shannon encourages Nobles students and faculty to “not flip off the empathy switch.” She believes that relating to people as though they are members of your own family allows for compassion and humanity. She says that despite being labeled a hero for her efforts in the Congo, her journey has not been a glamorous or easy one. But what she’s learned is that the most important thing is to just show up. “All you can do in those moments [when you are not feeling powerful or effective] is show up and hope that the reverberations will be bigger than that moment,” she says. Shannon has visited Congo three times, talking to the women she helps as well as to child soldiers, members of the militia, environmentalists and others. She also tackled an economic driver of the conflict when she brought media attention to the use of conflict minerals from the Congo in everyday electronics. Shannon chronicled her experience in her first book, A Thousand Sisters. The work details her journey into waraffected eastern Congo in January and

assembly highlights

Lisa Shannon Visit

Republic of the Congo

Piano Masterpiece

MSA Assembly

National Grassroots

and her efforts to raise

Braden Tierney ’12

The Multicultural

Middle School

a good way) in April

activist Lisa Shannon

awareness for the

played a piano piece

Students Association

Singer/Guitarist

after he sang and

shared her story about

humanitarian crisis;

by Sergei Vasilievich

hosted its annual As-

Mac Porter ’17 was the

strummed a love

the atrocities of war

read more about her

Rachmaninoff.

sembly with singing,

talk of the school (in

song he wrote.

in the Democratic

visit above.

Activist Lisa Shannon spoke to the Nobles community on April 4. Her organization, A Thousand Sisters, has raised more than $11 million to help Congolese women affected by rape and torture.

Activist Speaks Lisa Shannon shares her story with the Nobles community. INSPIRED BY A 2005 REPORT on Oprah about

the atrocities of war in the Congo—particularly violence against women—Lisa Shannon decided to make a difference. “I could not pick Congo out on a map [then],” she says. The reports of rape and disempowerment, however, captured her attention, and she wanted to understand more.

4 Nobles FALL 2012

rapping, skits, video

castle stories

The Castle has come to symbolize the strength of community and the storied history of our great school. In celebration of the imminent reopening of the Castle, we invite you to tell us your Castle story. Please contribute your Castle anecdote to the “Our Castle Story” blog at noblescastlestory.wordpress.com or email it to castlestory@nobles.edu.

February of 2007 and May of 2008. Pulitzer Prize–winning author Alice Walker wrote about A Thousand Sisters, “I can’t imagine a more perfect book for arousing the power of American women (or women and men everywhere) to rush to the defense of our Congolese sisters.” Shannon is founder of Run for Congo Women and is the first national grassroots activist in the United States working to raise awareness of the forgotten humanitarian crisis in the region. Since Lisa’s lone 30-mile trail run in 2005, thousands have joined Run for Congo Women, now an international movement that has sponsored more than 1,400 war-affected Congolese women through Women for Women International. Shannon’s appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show in October 2009, along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Nicholas Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn and Ben Affleck, resulted in a record-breaking fundraising surge, with more than $6 million and 16,000 new annual sponsorships raised for Women for Women International, doubling its Congo program capacity. Shannon appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine’s 2010 Power List (“some of the world’s most powerful women in politics, business, the arts and academia”), Shape Magazine’s “2010 Women Who Shape the World”

and Kristof’s piece on women social entrepreneurs for The New York Times Magazine, “DIY Foreign Aid.” Shannon spent the day at Nobles and visited classes including “America and Genocide in the 20th Century.”

Shannon’s visit inspired action on campus, including a week dedicated to fundraising for war-affected women in the Congo. Faculty member Mark Sheeran also ran an ultramarathon in April to raise money for Shannon’s organization.

REASONS TO RUN BY MARK SHEERAN When activist Lisa Shannon came to Nobles, I was very moved by her message and her mission. Speaking on behalf of the Women of the Congo organization, she made very clear to our community the number of victims of rape, torture and mutilation as a result of the horrible civil wars in the region. She stated that helping these women financially can help them rebuild their lives, create self-esteem, raise literacy rates and allow them an access to capital, which would permit them to start local businesses. Perhaps the most important message of all was how this could also impact children, many of whom witness the horrible violations against their mothers, in terms of how to move on from a horrible situation and to be a positive role model in exceedingly difficult circumstances. Lisa spoke about an offshoot organization she started called Run for Women of the Congo. As an ultrarunner, I have always tried to figure a way to link my passion for running to the greater good. When Lisa mentioned her run, it became my cause. Competing in an ultra in mid-April on behalf of Nobles and, more importantly, for the women of the Congo, the faculty and staff raised more than $3,500 for the women of the Congo. When I wrote to Lisa she responded, “All I can say is WOW!!!! $3,500 is more than many whole group runs raise. Such a powerful contribution; it means 10 Congolese women, with about five children each, will have different lives…that’s 60 people!” The miles I log are nothing, absolutely nothing, in comparison to the daily and uncertain rhythms of the challenges faced by the Congolese women. I will continue to run, and each step I take will be one for them. French teacher Mark Sheeran has been at Nobles since 1997. In addition to his role in the classroom, he serves on several faculty committees, coaches and advises students. As excerpted from the Reflections blog at http://noblesreflections.wordpress.com

laboration with several

Yearbook Dedication

you for his work in

sented Denning with a

Jay Son, both ’12, sang

Nobles students and

The Class of 2012

assisting students

yearbook.

“Tegami,” a Japanese

Ova Flo CD Debut

faculty, performed a

dedicated its yearbook

through the col-

Justin Jimenez, aka

preview of their second

to Director of College

lege process; editors

Singing in Japanese

about optimism and

Ova Flo, and Andrew

music album, “Untradi-

Counseling Michael

Zoey Carey and Jeff

AP Japanese students

inspiration.

Fai, both ’14, in col-

tional Weapon.”

Denning as a thank

Romano, both ’12, pre-

Gigi Anderson and

and step dancing.

song by Angela Aki

FALL 2012 Nobles 5

the bulletin

SETH GOLDMAN ’83, cofounder, president and TeaEO of Honest Tea, shared his story with 164 guests at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston on April 19, 2012. Goldman’s

talk was part of the 37th Annual Head of School Dinner, hosted by Head of School Robert P. Henderson Jr. ’76. Goldman co-founded Honest Tea in 1998. The company has thrived with a

new consumer emphasis on sustainable diets. When the Coca-Cola Company acquired Honest Tea in 2011, it became the first organic and fair-trade brand to become part of the world’s largest beverage-distribution system. Honest Tea produces 40,000 cases of its real brewed tea every day. Goldman says that the company is focused on health and wellness, environmental responsibility and social responsibility. “We want to democratize organics,” Goldman says. He told the story of the evolution of a brand that now also includes healthful, responsibly produced beverages for children. “We innovate because we want to push our mission to a new level,” says Goldman, who is also a father. The beverage business is one of the toughest in the industry, Goldman says, with brands battling for shelf space and viability. “You have to be resilient,” he says, noting that resilience is one of the skills he learned at Nobles. He also says that Nobles taught him confidence, how to express himself creatively, how to participate in and build community and a shared sense of responsibility, and how to deal with adversity. He applies these skills and principles to his business. “Change comes from where the money is,” he says. He cites a Chinese proverb that he paraphrased: “If we don’t change the direction we are headed, we will end up where we are going.” His own version of the same idea? “Those who say it cannot be done should not interfere with the people who are doing it.”

Faculty Talk

in his life; the

Reunion Weekend

Veyssi, all ’13,

president, and Alex

Dean of Diversity

signature of Tejada’s

Head of School Bob

competed for the

Katz, vice president.

Initiatives Steven

talks is an equal mix

Henderson welcomed

Presidential Election

2012–13 position for

Tejada shared a story

of seriousness,

the 50th Reunion

Matt DeAngelis,

School Life Council

Latin Dance

about roles of religion,

emotion and humor—

Class of 1962 to

James Geary, Alex

president. The vote

Adriana Ureña ’12

spirituality and family

he did it again.

Assembly during

Katz and Cyrus

went to Cyrus Veyssi,

presented her first-

Resilience and innovation contributed to the success of Honest Tea, says Seth Goldman '83.

Head of School Dinner

6 Nobles FALL 2012

Graduates Weekend.

THE RESULTS ARE IN

In the days before cell phones and texting, parents checked in with their children via letter or—when matters were of great import or timeliness—the telegram. President John F. Kennedy’s father sent his young son, then a student at the Noble and Greenough lower school in Brookline, Mass., wishes of athletic success. Nobles staff members were given a copy of the telegram on April 19, when members of the extended Nobles community gathered at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston for the annual Head of School dinner.

Thirty-two Middle School students, including every member of Class V and three Class VI students, took this year’s Latin I National Latin Exam (NLE). Fifteen students earned gold medals and were awarded summa cum laude certificates; eight earned silver medals and were awarded maxima cum laude certificates; and five students were awarded magna cum laude certificates. Two Nobles students, Kevin Lin ’16 and Thomas Bono ’17, earned perfect scores. More than 12,000 Massachusetts students took the 2012 exam; only 153 earned perfect scores. According to the NLE website, “More than 149,000 Latin students from all 50 states participated this year, as did students from 13 foreign countries.”

To learn more about this year’s Latin I National Latin Exam, visit www.nle.org

Chess Team Makes a Move to First Place In 2011–2012, Nobles competed in eight interscholastic matches against other members of the South Shore Interscholastic Chess League (SSICL): Roxbury Latin, Sharon High, Dexter, DoverSherborn, BC High, Xaverian Brothers, St. Sebastian’s and Catholic Memorial. Nobles was the only team in the league to have an undefeated season. Nobles has been a member of the SSICL for three years, winning the league trophy in 2010 and reclaiming it in 2012. Top players on the ladder include Grant Rheingold, Jett Oristaglio, Dan Vogel, Tom Bishop, Sam Davitt, Iain Sheerin and Max Sheerin, who had an undefeated season.

Front row (left to right): Will Clark ’15, Liam McClintock ’13, Dan Vogel ’12, Ryan Simshauser ’13, Chris Pasterczyk (advisor) and Chris Sun ’15. Second row: Max Sheerin ’17, Grant Rheingold ’13, Sam Davitt ’15, Parker Tonissi ’15, Bob Henderson (head of school and guardian of the trophy), Tom Bishop ’13, Max Montgomery ’15, Jett Oristaglio ’13 and Iain Sheerin ’17.

FALL 2012 Nobles 7

the bulletin

Imani Makes Solo Debut Under the direction of faculty member Alexi Paraschos, the gospel group Imani performed its first full-length concert on April 13 in Lawrence Auditorium. The 25-member choir with a four-member student band presented a set list that included “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round” and “Carry Me Home.” Readings included “Equality,” by Maya Angelou.

ever choreographed

taught her to dance

Graduation Assembly

a slideshow assembled

book giveaway during

Scott Card, On Beauty,

Latin dance with

and helped her build

To conclude the Class

by Eliza Loring and

the last Assembly

by Zadie Smith and

partner Julian Huertas

the self-confidence to

of 2012’s last

Coco Woeltz, both ’12.

included summer reads

Interpreter of Maladies,

’12. She dedicated the

perform in front of an

Assembly, students

such as City of Thieves,

by Jhumpa Lahiri.

dance to instructor

audience.

Irina Troconis, who

8 Nobles FALL 2012

went down memory

Summer Reading

by David Benioff,

Learn more about sum-

lane as they watched

Bill Bussey’s annual

Ender’s Game, by Orson

mer reading on page 18.

How Does Our Garden Grow? DEAN OF STUDENTS ERIKA GUY started the Nobles organic

gardening program in fall 2011 because she wanted to “get students interested in and educated about organic gardening and local food.” Students learned to grow an organic garden on two small raised beds. They learned about the components of a garden— soils, seeds, fertilizers—and they experienced hands-on food preparation in collaboration with the dining service FLIK, attended field trips to local farms, and watched films about the food industry. “The bottom line is to get kids interested in food and food production, and to ask, ‘Where does the food that I am eating come from, and how does it grow?’” Guy says. “It’s also a way to introduce sustainability to kids that doesn’t feel like cod liver oil.” This spring, the program earned a grant from the Whole Kids Foundation and FoodCorps, which will allow it to grow into a bigger project in fall 2012. The grant will be used to expand the garden and to purchase a shed, supplies, tools and, eventually, a greenhouse. Guy also hopes to increase awareness of and interest in sustainable farming and food production, and plans to collaborate with groups on campus, such as Upward Bound and the boarding program, as well as with students from Dedham public schools.

READY, SET, GO The Nobles community came out for a day at the races on May 17, cheering for Class V students during the annual Solar Car race. Each year, eighth-grade students work in teams of two or three to construct solar electric race cars; the model cars are judged in several categories, including technical merit, overall performance, creativity and craftsmanship. The following weekend, several students brought their vehicles to MIT’s Junior Solar Sprint, where Nobles trio Christian Yeh, Ishaan Bhojwani and Amer Mansour (along with help from Kevin Lin) earned first place for performance. It is the first time in 14 years of competition that Nobles took the top prize at MIT, beating more than 100 cars from other participating Massachusetts schools. Other Nobles teams placed in the judging, earning first and third prizes in craftsmanship as well as other accolades.

ILLUSTRATION BY MERLE NACHT

FALL 2012 Nobles 9

the bulletin

Good Morning, Baltimore The musical Hairspray roused audiences in Vinik Theatre in late May. The production, set in Baltimore in 1962, was directed by Dan Halperin, performing arts department chair, and choreographed by Jillian Grunnah, director of dance, with musical direction by Timothy Evans. More than 50 student-actors participated in the performance. Liz Neylan ’12 (pictured) played the sunny, unstoppable—and pleasing plump— Tracy Turnblad. Her sassy mother, Edna, was played by Sam Hoban ’15.

10 Nobles FALL 2012

theatre

by the numbers THE CASTLE

5

1,000

The building has five spiral staircases and two secret passages in the study.

Meals that will be served each day when the Castle reopens.

375 vs.170

The number of seats in the dining hall now, compared with the number of seats before the renovation.

2

Estimate of trash bags that will be taken out each day as a result of dining services’ green initiative after recycling and composting.

The year Nobles moved to Dedham and conducted all school functions in the Castle.

5

1922

The estimated length of a home run hit from the baseball field to the new Castle terrace.

60 feet

0

17

The number of residential units in the renovated Castle space.

%

The amount of energy use that the 13,000-square-foot addition will add to the existing energy use.

130 The peak number of workers on the project.

FALL 2012 Nobles 11

the bulletin

The Nobles Marathon Fund MORE THAN 100 MEMBERS of the Nobles

community ran, biked or rowed more than 1,000 miles on Patriots’ Day in support of the Nobles Marathon Scholarship Fund, the school’s thirdlargest fund for financial assistance. The Nobles team raised $89,260, thanks in large part to 11 leadership donors, the newly formed “Front Runners,” as well as an outpouring of support from graduates, parents, parents of graduates, friends and current students. Ted Stimpson ’85, who has chaired the Marathon Fund since 2005, describes the significance of this year’s incredible fundraising success: “By any measure, this year was one of our best. We

Thirty-seven Nobles students participated in this year’s marathon.

12 Nobles FALL 2012

doubled our fundraising goal and had terrific participation from the Nobles community. Despite record heat in Boston that day, the enthusiasm for this communitywide effort was obvious. The student involvement was also at a peak this year, with 37 students running a quarter or half marathon and dozens more offering enthusiastic support along the race course. Another highlight of the 2012 Marathon Fund was the involvement of the Nobles varsity crew teams in an erg marathon at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Forty Nobles rowers participated and raised $3,100 for the Auerbach Breast Center. An anonymous donor

matched these dollars to the Marathon Fund. “To us, the student-athletes who participated typify the Nobles mission of inspiring leadership for the public good,” Stimpson explains. “Nobles students spent a school holiday working to benefit the critical work of the Auerbach Center and the school’s financial aid program.” The Marathon Fund currently supports seven Nobles students annually, (which explains the logo: 26.2=7). “Of course, our goal each year is to increase the amount of money that the school has to offer to promising kids,” Stimpson says. “So we are now shooting for 26.2=8!” —BROOKE ASNIS ’90

sports

Rob Schlesinger Directly following commencement ceremonies this spring, Rob Schlesinger, Nobles ’08, Brown ’12, took part in a second ceremony on campus, one that officially commissioned him as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. “I’ve always wanted to serve my country since I was a little kid,” says Schlesinger. “I was accepted in West Point, but then I visited Brown and fell in love with the campus and everything it had to offer.” As a freshman at Brown, Schlesinger enrolled in the ROTC program at Providence College because Brown lacked a program. However, his busy schedule—his studies and lacrosse—did not mesh with the commute to PC. During his sophomore year, he learned about the Marine Corps’ Officer Candidates School from his teammate Charlie Kenney ’10 and enrolled. Following his junior season, Schlesinger spent 10 weeks at Base Quantico in Virginia and was evaluated on his ability to handle stress, lead others and perform basic military maneuvers. “I learned a lot about myself that summer,” he says. “It helped me understand what other people are going through while you are trying to lead them, so it’s really helped me this year as a captain.” Schlesinger, whose grandfather and uncle both served in the Marines, will attend a basic six-month program following graduation, where he will be instructed on how to be a general officer in the Marine Corps. His performance in the class will determine his Marine Occupation Specialty (MOS) choices and in which capacity he will serve. “When I do finish my service, the lessons I’ll learn while being an officer in the Marine Corps will definitely help me later on in life in anything that I do.” This story is reprinted with permission from Brown Bear, a publication of Brown University’s athletic foundation. 13 Nobles FALL 2012

the bulletin

On the Playing Fields VARSITY BASEBALL Overall Record: 7–9–1 ISL Record: 6–8–1 All-ISL: Phil Sciretta ’12 Honorable Mention:

Woody Bryson ’12, Mark Poli ’13 and Oliver White ’12 Awards: John Eliot Cooke Award (for significant improvement, devotion to the team and a genuine love of the game): Oliver White ’12. The Lovett Medal (for excellence in baseball): Phil Sciretta ’12 2013 Captains: Jake Bennett, Connor Maher and Mark Poli, all ’13 VARSITY BOYS CREW New England Championship Results:

1st Crew: 6th in Petite Final 2nd Crew: 3rd in Heats

3rd Crew: 5th in Heats 4th Crew: 5th in Heats Awards: The Taylor Shield Award (for sportsmanship in rowing): Tucker Hopkins and Ben Kent, both ’12. The Watson Medal (for overall contribution to rowing): Marcelo Domeniconi and Victor Ordóñez, both ’12 2013 Captains: Alex Balsbaugh ’13, Finn Putnam ’14 and John Keally ’14

Nobles rowing): Ashley Wang ’12. AC “Clint” Allen Bowl (for competitive, tough spirit in rowing): Tory MacDonald and Kelly Emery, both ’12 2013 Captains: Diana Kenealy and Mackenzie Turner, both ’13 GOLF

VARSITY GIRLS CREW New England Championship Results:

1st Crew: 4th Place Overall 2nd Crew: 3rd in Heats 3rd Crew: 6th in Heats 4th Crew: 5th Place Overall Awards: The Janice L. Mabley Award (to the oarswoman whose spirit and dedication exemplify the ideals of

END-OF-YEAR AWARDS

Overall Record: 11–5–6 ISL Record: 10–5–6 (ISL Champions) Kingman Championship Tournament:

1st Place Kingman Tournament Champion:

John Beadle ’14 All-ISL and ISL Individual Champion:

Tim Boyle ’12 and John Beadle ’14 Award: Dewey Golf Award (for overall contribution to golf ): Lucas Hicks ’14 and Alex Katz ’13 2013 Captain: John Beadle ’14 BOYS LACROSSE

The Greg Monack Passing of the Shield Tradition (recognizes the long-standing importance of athletic camaraderie, competition and sportsmanship in the overall life of the school): Robyn White and Tyler Wood, both ’13 The George Washington Copp Noble Cup (to athlete in Classes V and VI, for sportsmanship in athletics): Tess Dupre ’16, Addy Mitchell ’17, Geoff Skelly ’17 and Martin Williams ’16 The John Paine Award (to a junior varsity or third-level participant for sportsmanship and consistent work in athletics): John Cabrera ’14 and Morgen Montgomery ’15

14 Nobles FALL 2012

The Robert J. Agostini Award (presented with the support of coaches and captains of Nobles teams for greatest contribution to the school’s athletic program other than as a competitor): Michael Reiner ’12 The Davis Cup (to a member of Class I for sportsmanship and consistent work in athletics): Andrew Doane and Allison Parent, both ’12 The Nobles Shield (to the most respected athlete whose skill, sportsmanship and competitive spirit have personified excellence and the ideals of Nobles Athletics): Mary Parker and Brad Rigoli, both ’12

Overall Record: 11–7 ISL Record: 9–6 All-ISL: Chris Calnan ’13, Morgan Cheek

’14 and Brad Rigoli ’12 Honorable Mention: Jackson Cabot ’13, Parker McKee ’14 and Tyler Wood ’13 Awards: Arnold Lacrosse Prize (to the player whose skill, dedication and enthusiasm most reflect a love of the sport): Max Franklin and Andrew Inches, both ’12. Samuel P. Dawson Award (for significant improvement, sportsmanship and a genuine love for the game): Brad Rigoli and Andrew Doane, both ’12 2013 Captains: TBA

VARSITY GIRLS LACROSSE

ISL Record: 9–2 (ISL Champions) All-ISL: Amanda Gonzalez ’14, Ann

Overall Record: 10–5 ISL Record: 7–5 U.S. Lacrosse All-American:

Marie Ott ’12, Casey Nunnelly ’14 and Mallory Souliotis ’14 Honorable Mention: Emily Ott ’14 and Alix Santos ’15 Award: The Bird Bowl (for the greatest contribution to the softball team): Amanda Gonzalez ’14 and Ann Marie Ott ’12 2013 Captains: Amanda Gonzalez and Casey Nunnelly, both ’14

Hope Hanley ’12 U.S. Lacrosse Academic All-American:

Claire Greene ’13, Julia Diaz ’12, Sophie Mussafer ’13, Alli Parent ’12 and Robyn White ’13 All-ISL: Hope Hanley ’12 Honorable Mention: Lauren Dillon ’14, Colby Chanenchuk ’14, Sophie Mussafer ’13 and Robyn White ’13 Award: Girls Lacrosse Bowl (for significant contribution in spirit and performance): Alli Parent ’12 2013 Captains: Sophie Mussafer and Robyn White, both ’13 SAILING

BOYS TENNIS Overall Record: 12–3 ISL Record: 12–3 All-ISL: Cam Chapman ’13 and Cam

Smith ’12 Award: The Rice Cup (for enthusiasm, skill and sportsmanship): Cam Smith ’12 2013 Captains: Cam Chapman ’13 and Will Samuels ’14

MBL C Division 420 Fleet Racing:

2nd Place Award: The Sailing Award (for overall contribution to sailing): Jonathan Washburn ’12 and James Geary ’13 2013 Captains: James Geary and Spencer Thompson, both ’13

VARSITY GIRLS TENNIS Overall Record: 5–7 ISL Record: 6–8 All-ISL Honorable Mention: Rachel

Janfaza ’16 Award: C.F. Olney Prize (for enthusi-

VARSITY SOFTBALL Overall Record: 12–7

asm, skill and sportsmanship): Gigi Anderson ’12 2013 Captains: TBA

First-Time Varsity Letter Winners BASEBALL Robbie Abookire ’14 Thomas Bishop ’13

Cole Maher ’14 Thomas Soule ’14 Teddy Strzetelski ’15

CREW Abbey Anderson ’14 Kate Bussey ’15 Audra Fitzgerald ’14 Maya Getter ’13 Katie Gioioso ’15 Kirk Gulezian ’14 Caroline Putnam ’15 Katherine Putnam ’15 Jack Radley ’14 Jordan Sandford ’15 Joelle Sherman ’15

SAILING Victoria Collins ’14 Katherine Graham ’15 Christine Hong ’15 Chris Norment ’14 Ally Smith ’15 Sonia Lingos-Utley ’17 Jairo Vanegas ’14 Lauren Walter ’17

GOLF Jessica Le ’16 Jack Roberts ’17 Grady Zink ’15 LACROSSE Harrison Alpaugh ’14 Dylan Blatt ’14 Jack Bliss ’14 Jonathan Bloch ’14 Perry Lawson ’15 Alexander Notman ’15

SOFTBALL Alix Santos ’15 Maggie Seitter ’15 TENNIS Margaret Deluca ’13 Kunal Gupta ’14 Rachel Janfaza ’16 Lucy Lyons ’15 Jack Maroni ’17

athletic roundup 19 out of 26 varsity programs had winning seasons this year; 16 out of 26 varsity programs finished in the top five of the Independent School League (ISL); 8 ISL titles; 3 New England titles; 51 out of 64 teams—of all levels—had winning records; 23 out of 26 varsity head coaches are faculty. FALL 2012 Nobles 15

the bulletin

Getting Off ‘the Rez’ The Class of 2012 Leaves Home NOBLE AND GREENOUGH SCHOOL graduated 107 members of the Class of 2012 on June 1. Honors were announced, teachers were celebrated, and diplomas were awarded to a class characterized by its spirit, talent, service and scholarship. Speakers shared words of wisdom learned from myriad cultures and sources, including the Iroquois Nation, Head of School Bob Henderson, Jr. ’76, and the father of Ted Steinberg, president of the School Life Council. Steinberg said that his father’s sage advice—“never say no to a free des-

16 Nobles FALL 2012

sert”—was gastronomically useful but did not result in success in Bill Kehlenbeck’s math class. “Mr. Kehlenbeck had a different approach,” Steinberg said. “He pushed me along and told me that as long as I was putting in effort, things would work out.” Henderson says that he never expected to return to his alma mater. “It has been both the greatest honor and responsibility of my life,” he said. “Nobles was a quite different place in the early 1970s. As I have heard [English faculty and former head of

school] Mr. Baker say, Nobles in that era was much more of the 19th century than the 20th.” Henderson nodded to the Castle, the 19th-century architectural gem behind him. As the building nears the completion of its renovation and expansion, Henderson said he expects the Class of 2012 to own the Castle equally with the generations of Nobles students to come. Faculty speaker Michael Herring, who was chosen to deliver the graduation speech, connected his Native American heritage to the Nobles “tribe.”

graduation

He told of his mother’s determination to “get off the rez,” which she coupled with a deep respect for Iroquois tradition, religion and language. “We have our own tribal culture here,” Herring said, referring to the school’s emphasis on honor, respect, service and experiential learning, Assembly and leading for the public good. Citing the magic of the Nobles campus, Herring said that it might be hard for students to “leave the idyllic confines of 10 Campus Drive. Relational pedagogy is at the very heart of our rez. . . . Just remember: This rez will always be here awaiting your return.” Class I members Chris Collins-Pisano and Madeleine Smith also spoke to the Class of 2012. Collins-Pisano referenced a college 17 Nobles FALL 2012

application essay that required him to title the story of his life and explain the meaning behind it. “[The question made me] want to bang my head against my abused MacBook. . . . I can’t stand titling things,” he said. Collins-Pisano finally settled on “Title Pending,” which he echoed from his longtime practice of leaving the naming of essays and other assignments until the very last moment. He suggested that, likewise, he and his classmates should not rush to label their lives. “There’s no hurry to tie everything up before you get out of here,” he said. “As Mr. Henderson says, ‘There’s no there there.’” Smith, the other class-selected speaker, told classmates that the Nobles experience binds them no matter what.

She shared with younger students a little of what the Class of 2012 has learned: “We learned to stop worrying so much about what other people think of us. If you want to sing, sing. If you want to go to Debate Club, go. We learned to reach across the social barriers that we so guarded freshman year. We learned that being kind is easier and much more valuable than not being kind.” The ceremony also included awards, including the Vernon L. Greene Award for Faculty Excellence, to Nahyon Lee, as well as the Head of School Award and Miller Medal, which went to new graduates Julie Brosseau and M.K. Cruise, respectively. After accepting their diplomas, the graduates greeted and thanked faculty and family members.

off the shelf

NOBLES SUMMER READING AMID END-OF-YEAR SPEECHES, awards and last performances, a new tradition has emerged during the year’s final Assembly. Provost and English teacher Bill Bussey, toting a bag of giveaways, walks the aisles of Lawrence Auditorium, eyeing outstretched hands eager for a prize tossed their way. The treasures he holds? Books. Armed with a pile of faculty-recommended summer reading books, Bussey provides a quick synopsis of each title and scans the audience for recipients. There are some caveats to Nobles’ summer reading list. For example, students are required to read three books, including an all-school community read, a book tied to a history and/or English elective, and a pick from a list of faculty-recommended titles.

Here are several highlights from the list of facultyrecommended summer reading books.

ALL THE KING’S MEN BY ROBERT PENN WARREN

(Harcourt, Inc., reprint edition, 1996) Recommended by Tim Carey:

I AM THE CHEESE BY ROBERT CORMIER

(Knopf Books for Young Readers, September 2007) Recommended by Sandi MacQuinn: “This chilling

tale about a teenager named Adam has three narrative threads that take us on a bike ride to Vermont, to a visit with a psychiatrist and through a nightmare of being a victim of a witness protection program. Suspense and mystery keep the reader pedaling through the story of Adam’s past and uncertain future.”

18 Nobles FALL 2012

“A political novel focusing on the rise to power of Willy Stark, the central character modeled after Huey Long, the governor of Louisiana, who was assassinated in 1935. It’s a powerful character study of both Stark and the narrator, Jack Burden, whose life is similar to that of Stark. My favorite book in high school.” THE HISTORY OF TOM JONES: A FOUNDLING BY HENRY FIELDING

(Random House, 1964) Recommended by Kate Ramsdell:

“Young Tom takes readers on

Several years ago, Nobles added a community book to the summer reading list. The experience of reading the same book unites everyone—from Sixies to seniors to faculty and staff—while many are away from campus. This year’s community selection, The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates, by Wes Moore (Spiegel & Grau, reprint edition, January 2011), is a true story of two men who share not only a name but also many commonalities. But their paths diverge, leading to two lives very differently led. “Although the experience of reading this book will affect each person differently,” Bussey explains, “we share the experience, along with the dialogue it will bring next fall.”

a roller coaster ride through 18th-century British life after his exploits get him into trouble with his adoptive family and force him to seek his fortune in the world, as he pursues the love of beautiful Sophia and his sense of self-worth.” BLESS ME, ULTIMA RUDOLFO ANAYA

(Warner Books, April 1999) Recommended by Alden Mauck:

“A boy in rural New Mexico discovers the supernatural powers of his grandmother as he works through the complications of family and school friends, curses, the threat of war and the magic of the Golden Carp. It is the essential novel of Rudolfo Anaya, a founder of the Chicano literary movement.”

LOVE MEDICINE BY LOUISE ERDRICH

(Harper Perennial, revised edition, May 2009) Recommended by Kate Blake:

“Erdrich can do no wrong. Her prose is lyrical; her tales are magical. In this set of interrelated stories that together form a novel, Erdrich returns to the Chippewa tribe in North Dakota. Her scope is epic, spanning nearly a half-century and covering generations of relationships.” BOYS OF SUMMER ROGER KAHN

(Harper Perennial Modern Classics, May 2006) Recommended by Dick Baker:

“The best baseball book I’ve read. It evokes the historical

period of the 1930s and ’40s, the marvels of the old Brooklyn Dodgers and their World Series battles in ’52 and ’53 with the Evil Empire.”

5

my books... FROM BLOG TO BOOK

BY ERIN TWOHIG, DIRECTOR OF PUTNAM LIBRARY

JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN DALTON TRUMBO

(Citadel, June 2007) Recommended by Bill Bussey:

“Still one of the greatest anti-war novels ever written. To describe it would mean giving away a riveting and shocking moment regarding a wounded soldier’s return to American soil.” PASSING NELLA LARSEN

(CreateSpace, October 2011) Recommended by Julia Russell: “Reconnecting after

many years, two childhood friends forge a tragic path as they confront each others’ choices rooted in their racial identity. Clare, who is part black, passes as a white woman, keeping her blackness a secret from her white racist husband; Irene, who is black, purposefully seeks to rise above her lowly social beginnings and marries a black doctor. Universal themes about identity, class and gender are strong undercurrents sweeping the plot’s elements of friendship, secrecy, an alleged affair and a mysterious death.” For the full list, visit www.nobles. edu/summerreading.

THE ART OF EATING IN: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP SPENDING AND LOVE THE STOVE I’m a sucker for food memoirs. One of these days, I’m going to join Cathy Erway’s challenge and eat in for a week (takeout does not count!). That’s right, seven days of preparing my own fresh dishes like Grilled Peaches with Spiced Goat Cheese and Caramelized Shallots, Hearts of Palm Crostini, and Kale, Radicchio and Sausage Pizza. That’s what Brooklynite Erway (www.noteatingoutinny.com) did for two years in her memoir with recipes, The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove. Bonus: Supper clubs count! I just need to get the secret invite. THE HOMEMADE PANTRY: 101 FOODS YOU CAN STOP BUYING AND START MAKING I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes I peruse cookbooks just for the pictures. I came across weblogger Alana Chernila’s (www.eatingfromthegroundup.com) book, The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making, mostly because it features homemade toaster pastries on the front cover. I probably won’t be churning butter or stretching mozzarella anytime soon, but I like her philosophy of slowing down and being curious about where our food comes from. THE SMITTEN KITCHEN COOKBOOK My colleague, learning specialist Gia Batty, introduced me to this blog a few years ago. Whenever I have a bit of free time, I see what Smitten Kitchen’s (www.smittenkitchen.com) Deb Perelman is up to in her small galley kitchen in NYC. And when I really have the time, I click on “Surprise Me” for a random recipe. Deb has such yummy dishes (her French onion soup has become a tradition in my family) and step-by-step photos for easy-to-follow directions. I have not been very patient as I wait for The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook to be published (forthcoming, October 2012). SUPER NATURAL EVERY DAY: WELL-LOVED RECIPES FROM MY NATURAL FOODS KITCHEN Besides my dog, Keiko (who eats them frozen by the handful), sometimes I think I’m the only one who truly gets excited about peas. Well, along came Heidi Swanson, author of the online recipe journal 101 Cookbooks (www.101cookbooks.com). She loves peas and pretty much anything green, rustic and grainy. I gave a copy of her book, Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen, to a vegetarian friend as a housewarming gift. ON A STICK!: 80 PARTY-PERFECT RECIPES I probably don’t need my pizza on a skewer, but there is something whimsical about a party on a stick, which is why blogger and professional photographer Matt Armendariz’s On a Stick!: 80 Party-Perfect Recipes is such a hit. Armendariz raises the fun factor by including candy bars, and even spaghetti and meatballs, that are not only on pop sticks but also deep-fried. FALL 2012 Nobles 19

perspectives

Chasing Butterflies Dabbling Leads to Discovery

T

HE FOUNDATION FOR my

significant male relationships is mockery. My wife says that it is a “guy thing” and doesn’t understand the hard time that we give one another. My friends have never needed extra ammunition when they ridicule me, and yet, because of my unusual hobby chasing butterflies, I feel confident that additional ammunition is exactly what I’m serving up here. After a great deal of arm-twisting, Heather Sullivan, who edits this magazine, assured me that I would not come across as a colossal dork. The fact that I’m writing about this now serves to confirm that I’m both a dork and a fool. But I feel the need to explain this pastime, perhaps even to defend it. Here it goes:

NOSTALGIA “Unhappy is he to whom the memories of childhood bring only fear and sadness.” —H.P. LOVECRAFT

I spent a great deal of my fairly idyllic childhood outside. Most of my memories from between the ages of 5 and 12 are of summertime—my bare feet plunged deep into the muck at the edge of a pond, birch saplings a low ceiling overhead as they reached out for sunlight. These were days when I owned my time. In retrospect, that is what made this time so powerful: the freedom from an agenda or responsibility. I could hatch a plan in the morning (say, repairing an old, leaky rowboat and finding a body of water to test it out in), and little, 20 Nobles FALL 2012

BY JOHN T. GIFFORD ’86 ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL AND HEAD OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

outside of a rumbling stomach, would interfere with its completion. It was not just that I had fewer responsibilities. It was also a different era. My parents didn’t worry that a summer largely consisting of self-directed exploration would be a waste of time. Nor did they seem to fear (as much as I do about my own children) for my safety. Cultures have shifted, all with the child’s best interests in mind: protect the child more, develop the child more intentionally. Some of the shift is for the better, I’m sure. Some changes, I fear, are more detrimental than beneficial. Now, as an adult, when I’m hunting for butterflies, time is once again my own. The act itself (scanning the field, net in hand) is an activity that consumed a summer or two of my childhood, and reenacting it transports me back to that youthful frame of mind. For a short time I feel free. THE CONSIDERED LIFE “I’m ALIVE. Thinking about it, noticing it, is new. You do things and don’t watch. Then all of a sudden you look and see what you’re doing, and it’s the first time, really.” —RAY BRADBURY , Dandelion Wine

My Civics students often observe that after they have been introduced to a new vocabulary word, they start to see it cropping up all over. One of my students said to me, “Last week I thought a filibuster was a Nintendo Wii battle maneuver, and now I hear it on the radio all the time!” It feels to them like only after learning it did this new word exist. The reality is, of course, that the word was always there,

unknown, and therefore unnoticed. What we don’t know we don’t notice. When a conversation meanders to the point where I reveal that I occasionally chase butterflies, the response is often “What has happened to the butterflies? When I was a kid I saw them all the time. Now I never see them.” Oh, they are there. Right under your nose—you just don’t see them. They are drinking water at the edge of a puddle on your driveway while you walk to pick up the mail. They are narrowly avoiding your windshield, wind currents turning the curve of your car into a giant slide for the insect to ride while you rush to drop the kids off at camp. They are up, above and around, while you look down and ahead. Once you see one and decide to acknowledge it, you see that its kin are everywhere. You train your eyes to detect the little movements. You scan a scene— not really looking at any one thing but opening your vision to take it all in. You develop the discipline to (counterintuitively) look up and behind when you see a shadow flitting across the ground in front of you. And by welcoming the often-ignored to your considered life, other things also come into focus. You start to notice what the wind is like when butterflies take wing. You see different species in the morning as opposed to the afternoon. You see other forms of life that you were previously blind to. Birds, certainly, that are often predators to the butterflies, but also the flowering plants that serve as their food source. You notice this and make note of that . . . and the acts of observation start to build themselves. You travel to a new

Monarch that was hatched on a milkweed plant in Montreal the year before. In other words, the migration actually happens over generations of butterflies—each one continuing the journey of its parent, never having been where it is headed but somehow genetically programmed to take the right path. Vonnegut was correct.

In his quests John Gifford '86 has collected more than 200 butterflies representing 180 species.

world that had been hidden in your backyard. This act of noticing—this engagement with life that is right there before you—this is living. A GENTLEMAN SCIENTIST? “Science is magic that works.” —KURT VONNEGUT , Cat’s Cradle

When I catch a butterfly, I take note of the date, time of day, location (when I can, down to the coordinates) and the temperature. I will occasionally raise them from caterpillars, experimenting to find the right food source (most species will eat only one or two types of plants). I have attracted night-flying Lepidoptera with a mercury vapor lamp. Am I a scientist? Heck no. Not even close. Like “gentleman farmers” who dabble in aniPHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN SOARES

mal husbandry while growing a nice crop of tomatoes, I only dabble in science. The dabbling leads to some amazing discoveries. Humans have three receptors in their eyes to see colors. Butterflies have five or six, depending on the species. The difference is the vast unlocking of thousands of colors that are completely invisible to the human eye. Morgan’s Sphinx Moth has the longest tongue in the Lepidoptera world—some species’ reach the length of 14 inches. A butterfly’s taste receptors are located on its feet. Many have heard of the great migration of the Monarch butterfly, millions of which travel from Canada to Mexico. But consider this: The Monarch, which finds its way “back” to the North in the summer, is actually the grandchild (or perhaps even great-grandchild) of the

A HEALTHY DIVERSION Tim Vaill, a good friend who had a full career in finance that culminated with a long tenure as CEO of Boston Private Bank and Trust, gave me the following advice: Always have a diversion. Invest yourself in your work and your family without a doubt, but have something else going on in your life as well—something worthwhile that you purely enjoy. In the end, that is much of what this interest in Lepidoptera has been for me: a diversion that is utterly and completely different from my work at Nobles and from my time with my family—the two loves that consume 99 percent of my time. The truth is that I haven’t done quite as much butterfly hunting since my children were born. I will still bring a net when we go someplace new, but new diversions have begun to replace long walks in the woods—net in hand. I built a chicken coop two summers ago (write me if you want eggs). I’m trying to get back to reading a biography about each U.S. President, working from Washington to the present. (I can’t yet seem to get excited about Van Buren. At least William Henry Harrison should be quick.) My wife’s uncle has let me test out some of his nice camera equipment. Perhaps messing around with those toys will provide this season’s passion. And perhaps photography will prove harder for my buddies to mock. N FALL 2012 Nobles 21

perspectives

U.S. Intelligence Searching for a Workable Approach to the War on Terror BY FREDERICK P. HITZ ’57

Hitz is former inspector general, CIA, 1990–98, and is currently an adjunct professor, University of Virginia School of Law and Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. This piece is based on Hitz’s article “U.S. Intelligence in the Wake of September 11: The Rise of the Spy Commando and Reorganized Operational Capabilities,” which was originally published in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy in 2011.

W

hile the events of Sept. 11, 2001, were a shock to the American public, the CIA and 15 other members of the U.S. intelligence community were increasingly preoccupied with the terrorist threat emanating from the Middle East. Al Qaeda’s brutal attacks on the U.S. embassies in Dar-es Salaam and Nairobi in 1998, and the attack on the USS Cole in 2000 were the first shots across the bow. It had been a long and difficult transition for U.S. intelligence from the requirements of Cold War espionage to the more savage routines of helping the Afghan Mujahadeen chase the Soviets from Afghanistan, only to see the Taliban and Al Qaeda vault to a position of terrorist prominence in our absence. The United States still had friends on the ground in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but we had diminished our influence by almost completely withdrawing our presence in the mid- to late ’90s. The CIA was downsizing radically after the Cold War ended in 1991, and our understanding of the new Islamist terrorist threat 22 Nobles FALL 2012

was slow to build. U.S. intelligence was further hampered by poor capability in the languages of the region—Arabic, Pashto, Urdu, Farsi—and sources against the Al Qaeda threat could not be found operating from traditional locations. Then 9/11 happened, and we came alive again in the region. Miraculously, Gary Schroen led a team of eight CIA operations officers into the Panjshir Valley in Northern Afghanistan 17 days after 9/11. There they linked up with Tajik and Uzbek members of the Northern Alliance to fight the Taliban and drive them south through Kabul to Tora Bora, with Osama bin Laden and his entourage fleeing before U.S. and Northern Alliance forces. It was a remarkable success. The intelligence fight was carried on by paramilitary officers on the ground, mostly CIA, and many with experience gained from the Afghan covert action of the 1980s. Then the United States shifted gears and mounted an invasion of Iraq, thereby taking some pressure off Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the Af-Pak region, and allowing the Taliban to get back into the struggle. U.S. intelligence continued to pursue the enemy but began to adopt a strategy keyed to the use of predator drone aircraft—collecting sightings of Al Qaeda and Taliban insurgents by hovering over enemy territory for long periods until identification of hostiles permitted attacking them with the Hellfire missiles mounted on the predators. In short, during the period from 2003 to the present, much of the work of the CIA and military intelligence has been predator-centric and paramilitary focused.

Because “spy commandos” have enjoyed such success in the pursuit of Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the AF-Pak theater of late, the question has again arisen: Is this an appropriate role for U.S. intelligence? Shouldn’t the Hellfire-armed predator be manned by the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), as former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Admiral Dennis Blair has argued, since it is essentially a military weapon? And what about the intelligence community’s global responsibilities to track what is happening in China, North Korea, Russia, India and other regions of interest to the president and his top policymakers? Can the CIA keep an eye on Af-Pak and the rest of the world as well? Where does that leave us with respect to the present prospects for clandestine human intelligence, the principal responsibility of the CIA? This much is clear: Although the Defense Department continues to spend 80 cents of every federal intelligence dollar, the $80 billion per year that the United States has been spending on intelligence, largely devoted to counterterrorism, is unlikely to continue. Dana Priest and William Arkin, in their excellent book, Top Secret America, point out that the spending on counterterrorism and intelligence in the past few years has been mammoth, and in many cases, mindless. There are now nearly a million top-secret clearances in the U.S. government, and Priest and Arkin continually make the point that nobody knows what all the holders of these clearances do, and how all this intelligence money is being spent. Our current financial condition as a nation

Hitz suggests that it’s time to rebalance intelligence efforts abroad.

“...we ought to be developing a sense of resilience that we can work through this traumatic period without abandoning our core values.” —FREDERICK HITZ ’57

will no doubt bring a stop to this excessive spending. Finally, the position of the United States in the world has changed radically since the last days of the Cold War. We may remain the only “indispensable nation” to move the world forward to confront its problems, in the parlance of our diplomats, but we are not admired and relied upon to the extent we were during the Cold War. In the 1950s and 1960s, if a country did not wish to fall under the banner of the USSR or Red China or North Korea, the United States and its allies in NATO or SEATO were the only prospects for help. In the globalized world of today, especially in the Middle East, it is the United States that appears to be the driving force for dominance culturally, economically and militarily, and we are facing strong resistance to that notion. Our push for democratic institutions is not always well received or understood, and our own deficiencies as a nation are publicized and thrown back at us in criticism. Consequently, in some Islamist quarters, the United States is

perceived as the “far enemy.” How do we combat this perception and at the same time continue to defend our interests around the world and remain fully knowledgeable about where the new threats to U.S. hegemony are coming from? As we step back from the idea of a Global War on Terror that will last for many years and note that positive change is happening in all the Arab Spring countries—with varying degrees of terrorist struggles—we ought to be developing a sense of resilience that we can work through this traumatic period without abandoning our core values. As Michael Leiter, the former chief of the National Counterterrorist Center, said in 2011, upon the occasion of his stepping down from his job: “We’ll do more to defeat the enemy by not overreacting to the inevitable act of terrorism.” The United States needs to go back to the regular order in intelligence collection and analysis. It needs to pay attention to those foreign policy and intelligence questions that have traditionally

concerned us regarding both our closest allies and our fiercest rivals—future prospects for the euro and European unity; the relationship with Russia, China and North Korea; and America’s role in the Pacific. And it has to do this with professional observers abroad in the U.S. Foreign Service, the military and the intelligence community who understand the cultures and languages of our rivals, allies and neighbors, and are in it for the long haul. One of the most distressing aspects of this growing dependence on contractors in the intelligence community and the decline in appeal of a career in the foreign service or military, is that we risk losing the ability to influence and work with countries and people whom we depend upon for trade and support in dealing with the world’s problems, like terrorism. Fortunately, the United States has not been attacked domestically since 9/11, but there have been some close calls. Regardless, we are not the same country we were before 9/11. It is astonishing to read in the 9/11 Commission report how unprepared we were for the suicide hijackings that occurred that day. That is not the situation we find ourselves in today. There is much greater alertness to the threat of an attack among the American people. “If you see something, say something” is much more the operating principle. Nevertheless, there is bound to be a terrorist incident in the future that gets through the barrier that the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and local police forces have erected around us to roil the American psyche once again. But it will not pose an existential threat. As a nation, we have to toughen up to this possibility and be prepared to move on. The same is true with U.S. intelligence. Without neglecting the terrorist target, we have to strengthen our relationships with allied services and our own ability to follow developments in countries that might wish to challenge us. N FALL 2012 Nobles 23

Taking

24 Nobles FALL 2012

Root Elise Kornack ’05 was just beginning to know herself during her days at Nobles, she says. Her search for fiancée, identity led to the love of her life—her fiancée, Anna Hieronimus—and to her vocation: making inspired artisanal cuisine. She combines her two passions in her business, Take Root, which she shares with Hieronimus.

BY HEATHER S SULLIVAN ULLIVAN PHOTOGRAPH BY BRAD DECECCO

FALL 2012 Nobles 25

HOW THE CULINARY JOURNEY BEGAN As a child, Kornack accompanied her mother on food tours of the North End, Boston’s Italian section. In the summers, the Kornack family foraged for mushrooms and collected crabs, berries and seaweed on Nantucket. At home, Kornack and her mom draped homemade pasta on drying racks that covered the kitchen. “My father would walk in, and there would be pasta everywhere—over the backs of chairs. It was a jungle of pasta. “My mother is a quarter Sicilian. She taught me to peel garlic. She taught me to respect food,” Kornack says. “She showed me how to be intimate with ingredients and food. The greatest lesson I learned was that nothing should be wasted. When you roast a chicken, you use every part. You make stock.” But Kornack, a rising chef and winner of the Food Network’s “Chopped,” planned to be a visual artist rather than a culinary one. It was while studying art at Bates College in Maine that Kornack began to emerge as Chef Elise. When a local lobster bake was canceled, she asked the fishermen for shells; they were happy to share what they planned to discard. Kornack found an enormous stockpot and used the shells to make the base of her sauce. She made homemade pasta and served up lobster fettuccine to a crowd of friends. Soon after, she talked with her father, a physician, about how to earn a living after college. He told her to do the thing that would make her happy every day. She loved making art, but she loved making food even more—even on her most challenging days. OPPORTUNITY AND TRAINING At Nobles, Kornack had good friends but says she didn’t have the right mind-set to fully embrace the opportunities before her. She was also struggling, she says, because she had not come out as gay. She credits soccer coach Steve Ginsberg, now business manager at Nobles, with making a difference during those years. “He really helped me understand how to channel my physical energy,” she says. After Nobles and Bates, Kornack considered culinary school but realized she wanted to learn more directly, in restau26 Nobles FALL 2012

rant kitchens and from chefs. She worked at Oran Mor and Straight Wharf Restaurant on Nantucket. At Straight Wharf, she met friend and inspiration April Robinson, a well-known pastry chef taking a break from New York City kitchens. She also honed her technical skills at the Spotted Pig and, most recently, at Aquavit as sous chef. She first took the Spotted Pig position because she knew it was an intense kitchen and, she says, “I wanted to be pummeled.” Her Aquavit mentor, Marcus Jernmarc, encouraged her to compete on “Chopped.” Kornack’s confidence and creativity during the dessert course won her the big prize. Who knew that cinnamon toast cereal, Asian pears, chocolate covered raisins and Camembert could be transformed into prize-winning Camembert sorbet with a tuile cookie and Asian pear salad in 30 minutes? She says the flavor profile of the dish—sweet, savory, bitter and sour—aligned with her philosophy that desserts shouldn’t simply be sweet. PEOPLE JUST WANT SOMETHING YUMMY What else guides Kornack’s cooking? “Ultimately, people just want something yummy,” she says. After leaving Aquavit, Kornack and Hieronimus began hosting small dinners in their Brooklyn garden. (Through their business, Take Root, Hieronimus also offers yoga instruction.) Friends of the couple had started a business, Sidetour, aimed at matching up travelers seeking an intimate, local experience with those who know and love the city and want to share it. Take Root began hosting five-course dinners for eight via the Sidetour website. Ingredients for the meals come from the couple’s terrace garden and from the Greenmarket, which draws farmers from Upstate New York. The dinners debuted last fall to superlative reviews. Diner Stella Choe wrote on Facebook, “Arrived from Hong Kong to celebrate my birthday in NYC for the weekend and chose Elise’s artisanal dinner for the party with my friends, and it was the absolute highlight of my birthday weekend! Incredible food from start to finish—the Lobster Navarin was the best dish I’ve

had in a long time! Elise was so generous in sharing her experiences and perspectives—incredibly warm hospitality from both Elise and Anna. It was a sensational evening, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys good food and wine in an intimate atmosphere.” In summer 2012, Take Root also hosted Sips and Snacks, which is light afternoon fare. Kornack says that sometimes the “yummy” comes in unexpected forms. They serve two popular dishes that might make most cooks skeptical: beet pesto, made from thinly sliced dried beets, hazelnuts and pecorino, and a dessert, parsnip custard, in which the parsnips are caramelized. When Kornack is off duty, she eats at her favorite New York City restaurant, the Fatty Crab in the West Village, or sometimes at the more formal Riverpark, where her friend Sisha Ortuzaris is chef. ON SIMPLICITY AND BAKING BREAD “My absolute favorite thing in the world to cook: bread,” she says. “I thought for a long time I would actually just bake bread. Something we pride ourselves on [at Take Root] is making everything in house—from the bread to the dessert. “The idea that one person cooks everything, including the bread, is intensely spiritual. Bread is so deeply rooted in human history—ever-evolving and changing with cultural and regional shifts. “There shouldn’t be anything in bread besides flour, water, salt and yeast,” she says. “Baking bread transports me to a different place than any other ingredient or technique. I find nothing more satisfying.” PERSPECTIVE AND PHILOSOPHY What does it take to be a great chef? Kornack believes it takes passion, talent and time. She connects her relationship with food to her background in art. Her food does not have a Japanese influence, she says, but her approach to food does: “I look at the plate the same way I look at paper. I consider the utensils, the plate and the visual focus of the dish. I look at the negative space and the positive space.” Kornack and Hieronimus just moved to a new space in Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill. “I’m loving the journey,” she says of her evolution as a chef and businessperson. N

“Baking bread transports me to a different place than any other ingredient or technique. I find nothing more satisfying.” —ELISE KORNACK ’05

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ELISE KORNACK

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Pioneering urban planner Jonathan Barnett ’54 helped found the field that’s changing the world

ALL IN THE

28 Nobles FALL 2012

BY M AU R A K I N G S C U L LY

PLAN

FALL 2012 Nobles 29

I

t’s not often that you have the chance to get in on the ground floor of an entirely new field. But that’s exactly what happened to Jonathan Barnett, director of the graduate urban design program at the University of Pennsylvania. As a child, Barnett wanted to be an architect. “I thought they were the ones who planned cities,” he recalls. So he went off to Yale to earn a master’s in architecture, only to discover that “architects just designed buildings and weren’t expected to look around them much.” While getting his master’s, Barnett took a course in city planning and had an “a-ha” moment. “I thought that was much more important—that’s what I wanted to do,” he says. The only problem was that it was the late ’60s and urban planning was more of an idea than a fully realized field. A fellowship at the University of Cambridge in England allowed Barnett to travel Europe’s great urban centers, which cemented his passion for city design. Back in the States, he began working as an architect in New York City, where serendipity brought him to work for reformist mayor John Lindsay in the early 1970s. Lindsay’s was the first administration to make an institutional commitment to city design, and Barnett was there on the front lines. He tells the story of developers lobbying Lindsay to rezone the Upper East Side to allow tall buildings throughout, not just on the major north-south streets. “We sent a photographer up in a police

helicopter to take photos of the Upper East Side,” he recalls. “Once they were developed, we laid them out on the coffee table in the mayor’s office to show him what would be lost—the smaller buildings of character on the side streets—if re-zoning went through. He took one look and said, ‘You’re right. We won’t do it.’” Barnett recorded his experiences with New York’s first city design team in Urban Design as Public Policy. Published in 1974, the book was a strong influence in establishing urban design as a necessary part of local government. IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST The ’70s were boom years for urban design, explains Barnett, who previously directed the graduate urban planning program at the City College of New York; he has also served as a visiting professor, critic and lecturer at many other universities worldwide. It was during that decade, he says, that cities like New York, Boston and San Francisco began to realize that their “look” was part of their attraction, and that they had to pay attention to it. They discovered what could be accomplished through judicious urban planning. “Good urban design isn’t about personal taste. It’s about the public interest,” he says. “And it’s everyday life decisions, not esoteric issues.” For example, if a city has an established shopping district—a street with ground-level shops—“you want to maintain what’s called ‘retail continuity,’” he says. “You don’t want to break it up by having a developer come

READ ALL ABOUT IT A pioneer of the modern practice of city design, Jonathan Barnett’s ideas have helped train a generation of urban planners. His books include the following: Urban Design as Public Policy (McGraw-Hill, 1974) Introduction to Urban Design (Icon, 1982) The Elusive City (Icon, 1987) The Fractured Metropolis (Westview Press, 1996) Planning for a New Century: A Regional Agenda (Island Press, 2000) Smart Growth in a Changing World (American Planning Association, 2007) Redesigning Cities (American Planning Association, 2008) City Design. Modernist, Traditional, Green, and Systems Perspectives (Routledge, 2011)

30 Nobles FALL 2012

in and create a plaza set back from the street. We know from experience that that destroys the existing retail environment.” Thoughtful city planning can require all buildings to keep shops at street level in such a district. Certainly cities were passing such regulations before modern urban planning. “But the people making those decisions were not designers,” he says. “They were regulators. They were good about avoiding problems—like constructing something too tall that blocks sunlight from surrounding buildings—but they weren’t good about incentivizing the best design practices.” For instance, when the typical developer is confronted with an odd piece of land that’s not level, the most common response is to flatten it, making it a blank slate. Contemporary urban design is much more landscape conscious, wanting a building to fit in with its surroundings and using the land’s natural contours to add interest. “Good design has become much more of a sales tool,” he notes. “People like interesting buildings.” GROWTH INDUSTRY As Barnett sees it, urban design is only going to become more important. “The developing world is building at a mindboggling rate,” explains Barnett, who has served as an advisor on major projects in China, Cambodia and Korea. “At the beginning of the 20th century, cities housed only 15 percent of the global population. Today, more than half of the people in the world live in urban areas, some in traditional cities, some in the kind of decentralized development PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF UPENN

“GOOD URBAN DESIGN ISN’T ABOUT PERSONAL TASTE. IT’S ABOUT THE PUBLIC INTEREST, AND IT’S EVERYDAY LIFE DECISIONS, NOT ESOTERIC ISSUES.” often criticized as ‘urban sprawl’ and some in unplanned squatter settlements. Rapid urbanization has been accompanied by exponential population growth. The number of urban dwellers today exceeds the number of people living in the entire world in 1960.” Barnett considers these issues in his newest book, City Design: Modernist, Traditional, Green, and Systems Perspectives. In it, he explores four established ways of looking at city design and suggests a novel fifth way, which draws on the best points of all four approaches.

And while much of the new urbanization is taking place in Asia, Africa, South America and Central America, he points out that the United States is expected to add more than 100 million more people during the first half of the 21st century. That kind of population growth presents critical issues for both fledgling and established regions. “In the Boston area, for example, 100-year floods are coming much more often because of water runoff issues caused by overdevelopment.” And according to Barnett, Boston is not

alone. “With global warming and rising water tables, there’s huge need to make cities flood resilient—not only Boston, but Providence, New York and Miami.” All of this will require skilled urban planners who can see the big picture: balancing the needs of roads, housing, water and the natural environment. In this, Barnett sees himself as something of an evangelist. “I consider myself an educator as well as a practitioner. These issues—how to better design cities—are critical to communities, investors and governments alike.” N

Urban Planning and Chaos in East Africa Jonathan Barnett isn’t the only graduate with an interest in urban design. A new book by William Cunningham Bissell ’80, associate professor of anthropology and sociology at Lafayette College, delves into the topic in the island nation of Zanzibar. In Urban Design, Chaos and Colonial Power in Zanzibar (Indiana University Press, 2011), Bissell explores the broken promises of colonialism, a period from the 1500s to early 1900s when European powers took control of less-developed countries. Practiced by the British, Portuguese, French and Spanish, colonialism promised to deliver progress and development in Africa, Asia, Latin America and elsewhere.

“In urban Zanzibar, the British vowed to import scientific techniques and practices, ranging from sanitation to urban planning, to create a perfect city,” Bissell says. “These plans, however, had to be remade over and over again.” According to one reviewer, “Bissell’s study offers a different view of colonialism, urban space and power—one deeply marked by contradiction, confusion and even chaos—by exploring Britain’s flawed attempts to impose order on a complex Islamic city. He creates an engaging portrait of a vibrant and cosmopolitan African city while exposing colonial irrationality and bureaucratic folly.” —MKS Zanzibar is a semiautonomous part of the United Republic of Tanzania, in East Africa.

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY MICHAEL DWYER

THE

TALK OF THE TOV N ENGLISH TEACHER VICKY SEELEN SHARES SUBSTANCE AND STYLE

BY HEATHER SULLIVAN

Vicky Seelen says content in The New Yorker can be life-changing—but she concentrates on the writing. FALL 2012 Nobles 33

The New Yorker, published by Condé Nast, features essays, criticism, fiction, poetry and cartoons, many of which have become national touchstones. Veteran English faculty member Vicky Seelen uses the magazine to help Class I students in her creative nonfiction class consider style, voice, syntax and subject. The publication’s culturally relevant content and crisp, descriptive prose offer opportunities to contemplate how and why writers make the choices they do. Students read the latest issue every week, but not in a casual way: They highlight passages, make notes in the margins, and prepare to discuss cinema, politics and book reviews. One recent class focused almost entirely on deconstructing the article “The God of Gamblers: Why Las Vegas Is Moving to Macau.” Besides being elegantly written by Evan Osnos, the piece referenced games of chance being central to Chinese culture as early as 2000 B.C. It discussed American casino mogul Steve Wynn, who has capitalized on Macau, the only Chinese territory with legalized gambling. The piece framed facts in a powerful way, for example: “In 2012, high rollers in Macau wagered about $600 billion, roughly the amount of cash withdrawn from all the ATMs in America in a year.” THE BENEFITS OF STUDYING NONFICTION While New Yorker fiction is of high quality, the nonfiction texts also teach critical thinking and creative problem solving. At a National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) conference in March 2012, in Seattle, Microsoft founder Bill Gates said what educators instinctively 34 Nobles FALL 2012

know: “Make learning relevant,” he told more than 4,000 educators, including several from Nobles. In her New Yorker class, Seelen follows that advice. Her students say that, through their study of The New Yorker, they have become better at using humor in their writing and have a clearer understanding of how to begin and end a piece. They are also able to recognize emotion and motivation in creative nonfiction—and they have become better writers themselves. “Ms. Seelen pulls out the really important quotes,” says Tyler Zon ’12. “She helps us see the writers’ [political] jabs. She always asks us, ‘What is the center of the piece?’” “The reason we read The New Yorker is aesthetic,” Seelen says. “If you are a writer for The New Yorker, you’ve made it to the top of the hill.” The class aims high as well. Seelen and 15 Class I students meet in the Memorial Room in Shattuck Schoolhouse. There, the polished wood, archival photos in glass cases and dappled sunshine under-

score the refined intellectual excitement in the room. Seelen, known for wearing colorful scarves and reading glasses balanced on the tip of her nose, talks with students about “The Talk of the Town” and other features of the magazine. “I ask students, ‘How do you take this apart in an artful way? What is the point, or the center, of each piece? How does each word choice do a specific job?’” Zon says he likes that The New Yorker keeps him informed. He also appreciates the uniqueness of the subject matter: a profile of a Mississippian or a story about a fight ring. “The magazine uses insane syntax and diction,” he says. “It blows my mind. And the writers always do what they do for a reason. There is nuance, like in a good song.” THE IMPACT ON STUDENTS Seelen also asks students to write. They practice creating profiles. They can choose to write a screenplay, poetry or a collection of fables (see sidebar, p. 35), or even a nonfiction piece about the NBA draft. One assignment requires each student to interview and write about a classmate who is not already a close friend. Hannah Matlack ’12 says that the class affected the way she reads nonfiction—and the way she approaches her craft. “More than anything, [this class] has affected my writing,” she says. Katherine Doherty ’12 says that reading The New Yorker made her more sophisticated with respect to current

events, especially as the demands of other academic responsibilities left her little time for the news. Zon agrees, adding that he enjoyed when the class dissected “The Talk of the Town” and he happened to know three subjects mentioned: the New York Jets’ Tim Tebow, musician Glen Hansard and entrepreneur Richard Branson, who is pioneering the field of space tourism. Doherty, who has a strong interest in theatre and playwriting, says the class made her a more persuasive writer. “This has been a great combination of analytical and creative writing,” she says. For one assignment, she wrote a play about two teenagers, each dealing with the death of someone close. Doherty also points to the magazine’s cover illustrations and other art as fodder for contemplation. “The rainbow on the cover [acknowledging President Obama’s support of gay marriage] was a big moment in history. It led to a discussion of generational divide,” she says. “I also really appreciate Ms. Seelen’s enthusiasm and her belief in us. She does not hold our hands. She lets us facilitate conversation, and that kind of freedom allows us to grow as readers.” Each spring, Seelen adds writing prompts to the mix of assignments that allow students to reflect on their personal experiences at Nobles. Seelen says that the prompts—about favorite places on campus, for example—inspire strong writing and that the assignments are appropriate for young adults on the verge of saying goodbye to a school they love. The culminating class assignment is a collaborative production of a mock issue of The New Yorker, complete with an approximation of the publication’s signature typeface, Irvin. The final product features student work from throughout the year and uses AP student art on the cover. “I see this class as introducing students to choices,” Seelen says. “The language students use changes over the course of the year. They become keenly aware of style. This year, the class has read about a trip to Mecca, gamblers in China, and presidential politics. The content itself is life-altering, but I try to focus on the writing.” N

THE GIRAFFE BY FELIX LIANG ‘12, AS EXCERPTED FROM A CLASS ASSIGNMENT

The giraffe was often made fun of by his neighbors for his enormous height, his long and lanky legs, and his neck that seemed to stretch all the way to the clouds. As a result, the giraffe often kept to himself, isolating himself from others in order to avoid their mean words. When he had to interact with them, he would shrink down and bend his neck as close to the other animals’ heads as possible, by spreading out his legs or sometimes even getting down on his knees and crawling around to get where he needed to go—all to try to seem more “normal.” At night, he fell asleep wondering why he had to be so tall. One late afternoon, as the sun began to set, dark clouds rolled in from the west, covering the bright orange sun almost immediately. As the sky darkened, the trees began to shake as a strong wind began to blow. All the animals looked nervously above them, and families gathered and ran to hide in their homes. Alone under a tree on top of a hill overlooking the plains, the giraffe was watching everything unfold around him. He saw a flash of lightning strike the ground from what seemed like a far distance. But after a few moments, he saw sparks, which grew into flames that quickly engulfed the dry grass and spread to surround the animals’ homes. As the shouts and cries rose above the chaos and black smoke, the giraffe knew he had to do something. He galloped as rapidly as he could down the hill and leapt easily over the flames. He motioned for the small animals—monkeys, toucans and meerkats—to climb on his back as he bent down. Once his head, neck and back were filled to capacity, he rose up to see over the smoke, locating a nearby drinking hole. He strode through the flames, with a couple of larger beasts, like the rhinoceros, wildebeest and antelope, taking protection between the giraffe’s legs and under the cover of his stomach. Once they arrived to safety, the giraffe went back time and time again, making nearly 20 rounds until all the animals were safely wading through the water or already across it. After a heavy rain put the fire out, the animals settled in new plains, hailing the giraffe as a hero and pleading for him to join them. Never again did the giraffe have to worry gifts. about others making fun of him, and never again did he complain about his natural g

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memoriam Donald S. Pitkin ’40 died on May 11, 2012, at the age of 90. He passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by family. At Nobles, he was a devoted participant in football, track and crew. Pitkin was a role model for others in his class as he achieved his aspirations “solely though hard and sincere effort, winning thereby the admiration and respect of his classmates,” as stated in the yearbook. He was also a member of the Nobleman board in Classes I, II and III. In Class I, Pitkin applied his intellect and diligence as a member of the Student Council. He attended Harvard College, where he studied anthropology and graduated in 1944. From 1951 to 1953 he worked in Sermoneta, Italy, on a seminal fieldwork project in cultural anthropology. Following the death of his wife, Emily Perkins Snapp, Pitkin moved to Amherst with his son and daughter, where he introduced anthropology to the Amherst College curriculum. Among his many accomplishments as a professor, he authored several books. At the time of his death, he was finishing his book The Schorchts of Goettern: History of a German Family 1922-1998. His niece, Katherine Donahue, and former students will help publish his book. Pitkin’s kindness, independence and curiosity for those around him will be greatly missed. He is survived by his sister, Jane Pitkin Curtis; his son, Donald Stevenson; his daughter, Roxanna Pitkin McKeever ’83; two granddaughters; one niece; and three grand-nephews.

John Randolph Sides ’41 died of natural causes at the age of 90 on March 5, 2012. He came to Nobles in Class II and was a member of the hockey and baseball teams. Though Sides was only at Nobles for two years, his participation in the community did not go unnoticed. After Nobles, Sides spent two years at Bowdoin College before departing to serve in the war. He married his wife, Mary Alice Pomeroy, in 1949 and moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., shortly after. Sides began work in the food business but spent most of his career working in the fish tackle division of the Shakespeare Company in Kalamazoo. He eventually became the vice president of marketing. Sides’ passions included playing golf, singing and telling jokes, and he placed a strong value on education. An avid golfer, he won his first tournament in Boston at the age of 15. Sides is survived by his three daughters, Cynthia Sides, Deborah Pontifex and Stephanie Sides; three nephews; three nieces; and one grandson. Robert Arnold Pihlcrantz ’46 passed away on March 6, 2012. Pihlcrantz spent three years at Nobles and was known for his spirit and his fine vocal cords as the class musician. He played all the popular music at the time for his classmates with his own twists and interpretations on them. His musical talents made him a staple of the Glee Club and the Dramatic Club,

where he played a smuggler in the legendary performance of Arnold Ridley’s The Ghost Train, the first major play at Nobles since the war started. Standing over six feet tall, Pihlcrantz was a dominating presence on the football team. He was particularly successful on the basketball team, where he established a strong inside presence and served as one of the team’s top scorers. Sadly, Pihlcrantz’s wife, Grace, predeceased him by three weeks. He is survived by his son, Reverend Robert M. Pihlcrantz. John H. Carney ’49 died April 3, 2012, at his home after a long illness. He spent five years at Nobles and was unanimously elected class athlete. The entire school looked up to him when he competed on the field, river and mat. Aside from being a spectacular athlete, Carney displayed a suave manner on the debate stand. In his senior year, he was the vice president of Student Council. He continued on to Middlebury College and graduated in 1954. After college, Carney served in the National Guard in Guam during the Korean War. He made a career for himself in Cleveland, working in the wholesale lumber business for more than 42 years, retiring in 1996. He was a man with charisma, intellect and charm. He is survived by his wife, Norma Carney; son, John Hatchett Carney; daughter, Jeanne Gregory; and two grandchildren.

James Jackson Doty ’55 died on April 17, 2012, at the age of 75. He spent three years at Nobles, where he was a member of the football, hockey and track teams. Outside of athletics, he was a member of Student Council and Glee Club, and he was on the Nobleman board. Doty was also class president in Classes I and II. After graduating from Nobles, he attended Harvard University, graduating in 1959. He received his master’s in communications from Boston University. Doty was a passionate runner and swimmer. He ran the Boston Marathon in 1956, finishing in 78th place. As a swimmer, he braved Boston Harbor’s tides in the 1970s. He swam 23 miles around Cape Ann, and most notably he was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2002. Doty never retired from the insurance business, and he also never used computers. As a dedicated class correspondent and friend to all, he will be deeply missed by all the members of the Class of 1955. He is survived by his wife, Paula Newell Doty; two daughters, Paula Doty Attridge and Elinor Doty Juviler ’84; his son, James M.J. Doty ’88; and 10 grandchildren. Robert G. Wiese Jr. ’51 died on Dec. 17, 2011, at the age of 78 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. After graduating from Nobles, he received his bachelor’s degree in geology from Yale University. Wiese at-

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graduate news

tended graduate school at Harvard, where he earned a master’s and a Ph.D. He began his career working as an exploration geologist for mining companies in Utah, Colorado and Nevada. In 1964, Wiese moved to Alliance, Ohio, where he was a professor and the department head of geology at Mount Union College. He worked at the college for 34 years and deservingly received the Great Teacher Award. Wiese showed a strong passion for engaging the local community in conversations about the environment because he knew that today’s youth would face many environmental problems. He devoted his time especially to speaking with fourth- and fifth-grade science students about current environmental issues. Along with spending time with his family, Wiese also enjoyed reading, traveling, playing golf and keeping fit. His captivating presence at home and in the community will be missed. Wiese is survived by his wife, Karen Temple Wiese; four children, Edward Wiese, Marianne Wiese Stern, John Wiese and Philip Wiese; his brother, Dr. William Wiese ’56; and 13 grandchildren. E. Graham Ward ’52 died at home on May 23, 2012, at the age of 77. He attended Nobles for six years and was described as one of the quietest members of the class by his peers. Ward was a modest man with a reserved personality. At Nobles, he won two scholarship prizes and was a letter winner as manager

52 Nobles FALL 2012

of the wrestling team. In addition to being a strong student, Ward excelled on the football field and in crew. He graduated from Harvard College with a bachelor’s in 1956 and a master’s in 1958. Ward was a teacher at the Brooks Schools from 1964–1997, where he was the head of the English department, a devoted wrestling coach and retired faculty emeritus. He pursued his love for fishing and boating when he retired in 1997. Ward is survived by his daughters, Cordelia Russell and Grace Slosberg; two stepchildren, Catherine Schilling and John Friedlander; and four grandchildren. Martin A. Lerman ’53 passed away at his home in Watertown, Mass., on May 6, 2012. Lerman spent four years at Nobles and was a member of the soccer and basketball teams. He was best known for his love of cooking, eating and mountain climbing. His incredible passion for climbing sparked classmates to hope that by the time he graduated he would “be the first to set foot on Everest’s peak.” He was also a member of the Dramatic Club and Deutsche Verein. Classmate Hooley Perry ’52 & ’53 says, “Marty’s love of working with children was so great that in addition to his own children, he adopted a number of children and spent the rest of his life devoting all of his efforts to teaching in the local school system.” He will be remembered as a devoted social activist and

one of the finest examples of a graduate’s commitment to a life of serving the public good. Marty is survived by his wife, Dian, and his children, James, John, Deborah Maynes, Rachel, Katrina and Carlos. Davis Thayer Gallison III ’69 died on Jan. 30, 2012, at the age of 60, after a prolonged illness. He was involved in a variety of activities at Nobles and was a member of the Glee Club, Debating Society, Chess Club, and crew, basketball and football teams. After graduating from Nobles, Gallison attended Boston University, Syracuse University and Northeastern University. Gallison worked at Humana in the executive compensation area of human resources. He was known as a man with great compassion and an affectionate nature. His passions included watching the Red Sox and the Patriots, sailing, and spending time with his grandchildren. He is remembered fondly for his sense of humor and strong intellect. He is survived by his wife, Leslie Gallison; brother, Andrew Gallison; three sisters, Sherri Drinkwater, Melissa Gallison

and Robin Lake; two sons, Davis Gallison and Colin Gallison; stepdaughter, Ashleigh Hawk; two grandchildren; one niece; and one nephew. James D. Wolfe ’75 died on April 15, 2012, after a long and brave battle with cancer. Wolfe was a boarder at Nobles and may be remembered by his classmates for his engaging presence in the Wiggins House snowball fights. He was the crew team manager for four years at Nobles, and in Class I, he was the manager of the soccer team. After graduating from Nobles, Wolfe attended Carnegie Mellon University. He made a career in banking, financial analysis and gemology for more than 30 years and was especially known for making friends wherever he went. He will always be remembered for his caring nature, interest in learning and well-developed sense of humor. He is survived by his mother, Phyllis Wolfe; sister, Jessica Wolfe; brother, Andy Wolfe; and two nieces.

Compiled by Zoe Huschle ’11

George and Henry Ruch giggle for mom Ali Epker Ruch ’92.

Peter Lacaillade ’00 and wife Marjorie welcome their first child, Rose.

Nobles graduates at Meaghan Tanguay and Thomas White’s wedding in October 2011. From left: Nina Resor, Laura Gellis, Dan O’Brien, Amy Joyce, Ashwin Advani, Meaghan Tanguay White, Tom White, Thomas Resor, Christina Koningisor, Kathryn Bailis (former Nobles faculty), Amanda Lassell, Ali Hendren, Todd Levin, all ’03 unless otherwise noted.

Henry Singer ’76 holding daughter Mila Elena Singer.

Karen Abraham Silver ’00 and husband Elliot pose for a family photo with daughter Hailey.

Charlotte Eccles Hamill ’03 married Brian in December 2011. She is pictured with sisters Isabelle and Philippa (left), husband Brian, brother-in-law Scott and brother Brian Gordon ’09.

announcements ENGAGEMENTS Lisa Griswold ’01 to Joshua Robbins Heather Summe ’02 to Matthew Aleksinas Laura Gellis ’03 to Jason Matos Amy Joyce ’03 to Shaun McBrien

MARRIAGES Jon Berkowitz ’01 to Kacie Sasaki, on Oct. 2, 2010 Meaghan Tanguay to Thomas White, both ’03, on Oct. 2, 2011

Charlotte Eccles Hamill ’03 to Brian Hamill, on Dec. 23, 2011 Sasha Kukunova ’04 to André Pang, on May 6, 2012

NEW ARRIVALS Henry Singer ’76 and wife Alicja had a girl, Mila Elena Singer, on May 1, 2012. Ali Epker Ruch ’92 and husband Baird had twin boys, George Campbell Ruch and Henry Carpenter Ruch, on Jan. 21, 2012.

Peter Lacaillade ’00 and wife Marjorie had a girl, Rosemary Elizabeth (Rose), in April 2012. Karen Abraham Silver ’00 and husband Elliot had a girl, Hailey Sloane Silver, in March 2012. Meaghan Kelly Lindstrom ’01 and husband John had a girl, Madeline Rose Lindstrom, on Feb. 17, 2012. Kevin Darcy ’01 and wife Erika had a boy, Jake Nikolas Darcy, on May 29, 2012. Sasha Kukunova ’04 married André Pang in Sonoma, Calif.

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reunions

Where Memories Meet Grads Return for Reunion 2012 MORE THAN 500 GRADUATES and their families returned to

10 Campus Drive on Reunion Saturday, May 12, to reconnect with friends, faculty and the campus where so many memories have been made. Daytime activities kept everyone busy—from Castle construction tours to the kid-friendly carnival, morning Assembly to the Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony. Although much has changed since many graduates walked the Schoolhouse halls as students, everyone reveled in the familiar pace of campus life. A day at Nobles just wouldn’t be if it didn’t begin with morning Assembly. Graduates gathered in the Morrison Athletic Center (MAC) for a full presentation, including musical performances from current students, school updates and announcements, words of gratitude, and several awards and honors. The Graduates Council presented Paul Ayoub ’74 P’12 with the 2012 Lawson Service Award for his unending dedication, service and contributions to the school. Later in the program, the Class of 1987 gathered to celebrate its 25th Reunion, and honored the late Peter Mansfield with the Coggeshall Award. His family was on hand to receive the award on his behalf. After Assembly, families enjoyed a barbecue lunch from b.good, the “real food fast” restaurant started by Jon Olinto and Anthony Ackil, both ’94. Nobles also hosted a kids’ carnival, which included rides, games and balloon art. Some stayed close by either to play or watch the graduates’ lacrosse games or cheer on the Bulldogs as they played St. Paul’s. Others walked around campus, stopping to lend a hand at the Stamp Out Hunger Drive or take in a preview performance of the spring musical, Hairspray. Many graduates also enjoyed hard-hat tours of the Castle. Graduates reconvened at the MAC later that afternoon for the Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where Nobles celebrated the great tradition of athletic competition, sportsmanship and team camaraderie. As the day concluded, those graduates who were on hand to celebrate a reunion—from the fifth to the 50th—spread across campus for class dinners, many of which included slideshows, videos and old yearbooks; plus included shared stories, memories and life long connections.

Top: Patty Mansfield P’72 ’74 ’79 ’84 GP’10, flanked by members of the 25th Reunion class, accepts the Coggeshall Award on behalf of her late husband, former faculty member Peter Mansfield. Sue Cullinane Jeppson and Kyle Hublitz, both members of the Class of 1987, spoke at the Graduate Assembly, where they honored Peter Mansfield for the impact he made as both a teacher and coach. Bottom: Eliot Putnam ‘57 (left), Wally Stimpson ‘55 (center) and Charlie Long ‘58 at the Noblest Reunion Dinner in May.

54 Nobles FALL 2012

Clockwise from top left: Liza Potter ’15 was one of several Nobles students who worked at the campus carnival, which included rides, games, a balloon artist and more family fun. Future Bulldogs just enjoying the ride. Friends from the Class of 2002 jumped into one of several photo booths stationed on campus during Reunion weekend. Back (from left): Kellen Benjamin, Scott Johnson, Zach Foster. Front (from left): Cam Marchant, Senam Kumahia. Bob Morrison ’49 (left) catches up with Seth Briggs ’37, the only surviving member of his class and the oldest graduate to attend Reunion. Kelly Laferriere ‘91 (left) and Martha Schneider ‘90. Peter Ross ’87 and his daughter, Molly.

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archive

WEDDING BELLS In 1938, French and Latin teacher Eliot T. Putnam wed Laura Wiggins, daughter of then-headmaster Charles Wiggins. Five years later, Putnam would assume the role of his father-in-law, serving as headmaster until his retirement in 1971. For more on the campus wedding bells, or to read musings by Archivist Isa Schaff, go to noblesarchives.wordpress.com.

56 Nobles FALL 2012

EMILY RAFFERTY ’04

PHOTO OF THE DAY July 25, 2012 Pictured is the dining hall addition in the Castle. The new energy-efficient kitchen, also part of the addition, is home to 22 pieces of equipment and six walk-in cooling units.

1. WHAT WORD DO YOU ASSOCIATE WITH NOBLES? Community. 2. HOW HAS YOUR NOBLES EDUCATION SHAPED WHO YOU ARE TODAY? I appreciate how descriptive vocabulary often will come to mind, thanks to rigorous exercises in Dick Baker’s English classes; how I am comfortable speaking in front of a group of people thanks to Nick Marinaro’s Public Speaking course; how Louis Barassi’s AP Euro classes made me realize that I was passionate about art history and decide to pursue it as my concentration in college and later work at an art museum; how Bob Freeman’s painting classes fostered my creativity and love of the arts; and how I enjoy working on a team and pursuing competitive projects thanks to my time spent with Julia Russell on the lacrosse field. 3. WHAT LESSON DID YOU LEARN? At Nobles I was encouraged to be open-minded, to try new experiences, and to not give up despite challenges along the way. 4. WHY DO YOU GIVE BACK TO NOBLES BY SUPPORTING THE ANF? I enjoy contributing to the vitality of a place that is important to me. I work in fundraising and realize how big of an impact the little gifts can make. My gifts to the ANF are validated when I learn how tuition doesn’t cover all the costs of running a place like Nobles.

PLEASE GIVE TO THE ANNUAL NOBLES FUND THIS YEAR. Visit www.nobles.edu/giveonline or contact Director of Annual Giving Casey Hassenstein at Casey_Hassenstein@nobles.edu or 781-320-7011.

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Noble and Greenough School 10 Campus Drive Dedham, MA 02026-4099

Nobles THE MAGAZINE OF NOBLE AND GREENOUGH SCHOOL

On July 27, Governor Deval Patrick visited with Achieve students as part of a speaker series. Achieve is an academic enrichment program for urban youth.

THE MAGAZINE OF NOBLE AND GREENOUGH SCHOOL

Achieve

FALL 2012

Elise Kornack ’05 has worked in some of New York’s finest kitchens and won a culinary competition. Now she hosts unforgettable, intimate dinners in Brooklyn.