Fall 2011 PALLIUM

PALLIUM Meg Caswell ’95

THE MAGAZINE OF

CANTERBURY SCHOOL VOL. 28, NO. 1

HGTV’s New Design Star

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: College Counseling at Canterbury Meet Mandarin Teacher Jian Guo Fr. Sebastian at 80 and much more…

PALLIUM Vol. 28, No. 1

2011

Mark Your Calendar Grandparents’ Day May 2

1

Letter from the Headmaster Tom Sheehy reports on the fall semester.

2

School Honors John A. Donovan ’59 & John Martiska with the Canterbury Medal Photos of the event.

6

Two Parents Join Board of Trustees Nancy B. Mulheren and James McCann serve Canterbury.

8

College Counseling at Canterbury By Sarah Ferland The School’s four-year comprehensive college counseling program assures that students receive every advantage every step of the way.

12

Victory by Design By Noah Blake How Meg Caswell ’95 followed her passions and landed her own television show.

16

Jian Guo Leads Canterbury’s Mandarin Program A profile by Marc Vanasse ’73

18

Journey to China By Nancy Florio Canterbury’s librarian checks out the challenges facing both Chinese and American libraries in the digital age.

22

Campus Life News and photos.

32

Thomas Hardy’s Dorset By JP Mandler The author’s words and world come to life for veteran English teacher JP Mandler.

36 40

Rockin’ the Landscape By Martha Buck Science teacher Martha Buck spends eight days and drives through 13 states exploring the Holy Grail of U.S. geological formations.

A Montana State of Mind For a week in August, Glacier National Park becomes a classroom for 12 Canterbury Sixth Formers.

44

Love at Work With extraordinary kindness and boundless energy, a record number of students, 19, take Lourdes by storm.

48

Riding the Rails By Julio Omaña Intrepid travelers Julio Omaña and Jack McCabe take on France and Italy by train.

50

Getting to be a Habit By Bryan Kiefer Fr. Sebastian Leonard, O.S.B., celebrates 80 years of life, 54 years in the priesthood, and 17 years as Canterbury’s chaplain.

52

Stained Glass at Canterbury Canterbury’s Chapel of Our Lady contains some of the finest stained glass windows in America and myriad hidden stories. Part three of three.

54

Class Notes News, photos, and more …

Parents’ Weekend May 11-12 Graduation Day May 29 Reunion 2012 June 8-10 Canterbury School, founded in 1915 by Roman Catholic laymen, is a coeducational, boarding and day school of approximately 355 students, grades 9-12. The Roman Catholic commitment of the School remains central.

Canterbury School is a non-profit institution that seeks and admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, and does not discriminate in the administration of its programs and policies.

The Canterbury Observer is a regular feature of the Pallium. It is a forum for any and all alumni, faculty, and friends of Canterbury to share their thoughts and interests. Views do not necessarily express the philosophy of Canterbury School.

Editor, Photographer, Designer: Marc Vanasse ’73 On the cover: Meg Caswell ’95, winner of HGTV’s Design Star.

Cover photo: Courtesy HGTV

How to Reach Us

The Pallium encourages its readers to communicate with the School.

Mail: Pallium Editor, Canterbury School, 101 Aspetuck Avenue, New Milford, CT 06776 E-Mail: pallium@cbury.org • Fax: (available 24 hours a day): 860-350-4425 Call: 860-210-3800 (Switchboard), 1-800-526-1710 www.cbury.org

PALLIUM A circular band about two inches wide, a pallium is made of white wool and worn over the chasuble around the neck, breast, and shoulders. With its two pendants draping down in the back and front, respectively, a pallium is also marked by six black crosses of silk. The wearing of the pallium dates to the Fourth Century. It was first given to St. Augustine by Pope Gregory the Great, and each successive archbishop has worn one. A representation of the pallium appears in the center of the School seal, as well as in the School’s logotype.

JOHN MCKEITH

LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER

Dear Members of the Canterbury Family, Our largest issue ever, this PALLIUM highlights our productive fall semester.

An unprecedented late October snowstorm paralyzed our campus and brought Canterbury together as never before. Without electricity for four full days, students, faculty, parents, and dining and maintenance staffs worked together to clear fallen trees, serve meals, and care for each other. Myriad acts of kindnesses affirmed the compassion, strength, and resilience of our school community.

The Duffy Family Travel Grant and Canterbury’s professional development fund provide our skilled and dedicated faculty opportunities to explore our planet and enrich their lives, and to “pay it forward” in the lives of their students. In this issue, we highlight the recent trips of Nancy Florio, Julio Omaña, Jack McCabe, Martha Buck, and JP and Lou Mandler. Also in this issue, Director of College Counseling Sarah Ferland discusses Canterbury’s program of placing its students in the nation’s finest colleges and universities, and Bryan Kiefer honors Fr. Sebastian Leonard’s 80th birthday and his 17 years of service as Canterbury’s chaplain.

This fall, we introduced Mandarin, taught by Jian Guo from Xieqiao, China. A graduate (Ed.M.) of Harvard, Jian also teaches ESL American History and coaches cross country, basketball, and baseball. To the delight of the Science Department, we completely overhauled our Physics Lab, making it the last of our science labs to be renovated to 21st Century standards.

In athletics, Varsity Field Hockey finished its best season ever with a record of 9-1-1. For the 39th consecutive year, we hosted 40 schools at the Canterbury Cross Country Invitational, and hundreds of runners at the New England Division III Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country Championships.

I hope this issue of PALLIUM will confirm for you my firmly held conviction that Canterbury has never been in better shape!

Warm best wishes and many thanks,

Thomas J. Sheehy III

1

JOHN A. DONOVAN ’59

JOHN MARTISKA

Canterbury School Board of Trustees

Canterbury School Faculty

Trustee 2002-present

1954-1999

“John Martiska served Canterbury as teacher of theology, English, and Russian; coach of Rock’s Rockets; advisor to the Canterbury Mission Society; school projectionist; housemaster of Carter and Havemeyer Houses; Business Manager; and Director of School Services.

We recall John not for his titles and job descriptions, but for his sartorial panache as he dressed for sit-down dinners in tux, bow tie, cummerbund, and single sequined glove.

Among his many roles, John is best remembered by graduates as the housemaster who with his loving wife Virginia opened their doors and provided warmth and humor, helping students feel at home.

John Martiska, a good school man, served Canterbury inimitably.”

–JP Mandler, Dean of the School

“Vice President of the Board of Trustees, alumnus, trustee and benefactor, John Donovan stands out among his peers as one who cares deeply about Canterbury’s students and faculty. Though he lives in California and Montana, he attends every Board meeting, and while on campus always finds time to visit classes, connect with students, and collaborate with faculty.

In 2005, John and his wife Dana founded Canterbury’s Montana Wilderness Leadership Program, which each summer leads twelve Sixth Formers in a rigorous ten-day program of experiential learning.

Based at their home on the edge of Glacier National Park, the Program challenges our students to bring their leadership lessons back to campus.

Transformative for the students involved, the Program has also enriched our entire school community.

Recognized attorney, generous supporter, and great friend of our School, John is a moral and thoughtful leader in the best Canterbury tradition. His strong commitment to our ideals, and his devotion to our students and faculty, make him a very worthy recipient of the Canterbury Medal. ” –Robert H. Steers ’71, Trustee, 2002-present Board President, 2007-present

John A. Donovan ’59 was awarded the Canterbury Medal Friday, September 30, 2011.

“Throughout his long career at Canterbury, John Martiska became the nickname he acquired – ‘Rock,’ a sure and solid foundation, an impregnable fortress of the life of the School he loved. Stern of face but soft of heart, John became a wonderful friend and mentor for me and many others.

He remained an enthusiastic and faithful Minister of the Eucharist and the Word in the Chapel of Our Lady until the very last night of his life.”

–Rev. Sebastian Leonard, O.S.B., Chaplain

John Martiska was posthumously awarded the Canterbury Medal Friday, September 30, 2011.

SCHOOL HONORS

John A. Donovan ’59 & John Martiska with the

Canterbury Medal

The Canterbury Medal recognizes special friends who have demonstrated unparalleled devotion to the School. In awarding this medal, the School honors individuals for their extraordinary efforts to advance Canterbury’s mission.

2

Tom Martiska ’76, Greg Martiska ’81, Monica Sheehan ’73, Laura Martiska ’79, Joanna Martiska Woodworth ’77.

Trustee emeritus John Duffy ’59, trustee John O’Neill ’57, Peter Sinnott ’59, trustee John Donovan ’59, trustee Tom Lyons ’59.

MARC VANASSE ’73 (6)

Nicole Duff DeSantis ’91 and sister Kim Duff Hassiak ’88.

Chris O’Brien ’77 and Bob Fullan ’39.

Chris’ dad, Ed, and Bob were classmates at Canterbury.

Bob Steers ’71, President of the Board of Trustees, delivers his State of the School remarks.

Katherine Morris and husband Tom ’85 with Nicole D’Amour Schneider ’93 and husband Todd. Tom and Nicole are Canterbury trustees.

3

MARC VANASSE ’73 HEIDI JOHNSON (2)

John and Dana Donovan and Sandy and Dick Behan surrounded by Montana Leadership participants. Seated, l-r: Cam Roffe ’12, Brooks Dwyer ’12, Chris Frayne ’11, Kayla Lynch ’12, Clara Barnett ’12, Emma Sylvester ’12, Allyson Good ’12, Will Finn ’07, Jonathan Zheng ’07. Standing, l-r: Mason Page ’12, Felipe Siebrecht ’12, Raheem Logan ’12, Jack Mahoney ’07, Joe Najm ’12, Sarah D’Andrea ’09, Steve Frayne ’08, Dana Donovan, John Donovan ’59, Sandy Behan, Dick Behan, Kasey Nagle ’06, Tom Harrison ’12, Matt Chisick ’07, Lindsey Marra ’12, George Kershaw ’06, Hyeon Min Kim ’12, Ryan Dunn ’07, Brianna Carusillo ’08, James Holton ’08.

The Donovan Family. L-r: Alex Wheeler, Amanda Dayton, John Donovan ’59, Dana Donovan, Marie Davis.

1959 classmates Peter Sinnott and John Donovan.

Members of the Cantebury Octet perform at the dinner.

MARC VANASSE ’73 (2)

The Martiska Family. Seated, l-r: Greg ’81, Laura ’79, Joanna ’77, Tom ’76. Standing, l-r: Abby Woodworth ’13, Paula Martiska (Greg’s wife), Virginia, Alec Woodworth ’11, Lorie Martiska (Tom’s wife).

4

Tom Sheehy presents John Donovan ’59 with his Canterbury Medal plaque.

1957 classmates Bill Wallace, trustee Bill O’Connor, trustee John O’Neill, Phil Riley, and Kit Carmody.

Greg Martiska ’81 speaks on behalf of his family.

Laurie Hollander and husband Ted ’82, a Canterbury trustee.

HEIDI JOHNSON

Trustee and current parent Jim McCann.

MARC VANASSE ’73 (6)

Headmaster Tom Sheehy presents Virginia Martiska, John’s widow, with John’s Canterbury Medal plaque.

John Donovan ’59 poses with previous Canterbury Medal recipients. Seated, l-r: trustee Jim Briggs ’56, former President of the Board Hope Carter, retired faculty member Jules Viau. Standing, l-r: trustee Bill O’Connor ’57, trustee emeritus John Duffy ’59, trustee John Donovan ’59, trustee John O’Neill ’57.

5

Two Parents Join Board of Trustees Nancy B. Mulheren Nancy B. Mulheren is President and CEO of Rumson Management, a real estate management company that oversees the Mulheren family’s businesses, including residential, commercial, and retail properties in New Jersey and Virginia.

Mrs. Mulheren serves as Director of the J.A.M. Anonymous Foundation, a family foundation established in tribute to her late husband, whose generous donations were always given anonymously to the organizations he supported. Among the many efforts the Foundation supports is a four-year college scholarship given to a student attending Rumson-Fair Haven High School.

“Being elected to the Canterbury School Board allows me to give back to a school and educational system in which I believe wholeheartedly,” says Nancy.

“As the parent of a Canterbury graduate and a current student, I know firsthand that the Canterbury experience builds character, emphasizes the positive, and encourages the expectations of success within the student. This positive outlook stays with the student for life. I feel very proud to be invited to be part of the Canterbury family.”

6

Mrs. Mulheren is a member of the Roanoke College Board of Trustees and serves on the Executive Board. She also serves as Chairman of the Building & Grounds Committee, and is a member of the Capital Campaign Committee.

Mrs. Mulheren holds a seat on the Count Basie Theatre Foundation Board, which promotes the preservation and restoration of this local historic theatre.

In recent years, Mrs. Mulheren has been instrumental in the Stately Homes By-the-Sea Designer show house fundraisers for the Visiting Nurse Association of Central New Jersey. In addition, she serves on the Foundation board at the VNA. She served as co-chair for the most recent Show House in May 2011, which was the largest fundraising event that Stately Homes By-the-Sea has held to date.

Mrs. Mulheren was recently elected to the Board of the Riverview Medical Center Foundation, which is part of the Meridian Health system. She serves on both the Cultivation/Special Events Committee and the Grants Committee.

Mrs. Mulheren lives in Rumson, NJ. She has seven children: Sandy, Nora, Clark, Timothy, Dakota ’03, Harley and Wyatt ’13, and five grandchildren, with one on the way.

James McCann After graduating from Manhattan College in 1981 with a B.A. in Business Administration, Jim joined the New York office of PaineWebber in the same year and stayed with the firm until 1999. While there, he was a vice president of investments. For the next three years, he worked at Prudential Financial, serving the firm as first vice president of investments.

In 2002, Jim joined UBS Financial Services in New York, where as first vice president of investments he and a team of four investment professionals manage $600 million in individual and institutional portfolios. They focus on individual fixed income securities and common stocks.

“Many educators speak about ‘teaching the whole child,’” says Jim. “Canterbury actually delivers a transformative experience for students through a rigorous program of academics, spirituality, athletics, and community service.

Today’s students must be prepared for success in a global society.

Canterbury has the vision and the caring staff of educators to prepare

our children for life’s challenges. I am honored to be on the Board of this prestigious institution.”

Currently, Jim serves on the Board of Education of Irvington, NY, and is a trustee of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church. He has served on the Budget Task Force for the Village of Irvington, been a Boy Scout leader, and a trustee for the Village of Saltaire, NY. He is married to Tara Griffin, an executive with Apple, Inc. Their son James is a Sixth Former.

7

College Counseling at Canterbury The School’s four-year comprehensive college counseling program assures that students receive every advantage every step of the way.

A

By Sarah Ferland, Director of College Counseling

s I greeted college representatives on October 13, 2011, for Canterbury’s annual College Night, I thanked them for coming and invited them to meet their student hosts. Fifty Sixth Formers waited in the Copley Library to meet the college representatives they had volunteered to host during their visit. Some students were visibly nervous, but their anxiety was mixed with excitement and anticipation. Our students are proud of Canterbury, and they were eager to tell colleges what being a Canterbury student is all about.

At the opening reception, I overheard one student ask a rep about engineering programs, another ask about freshman housing options, and another laugh as he told the college representative about his recent mishap on the soccer field.

The reception concluded, and college representatives filed out for their tour of campus, already raving about the College Night program and our students.

The tours ended at the dining hall, where students, faculty, and college representatives shared the Thursday night tradition of sit-down dinner. The evening ended with a college fair in the Copley Library.

As College Night came to a close, I could not help but think how this evening truly encompasses the major factors that make the Canterbury College Counseling Program so special: individual attention and strong institutional relationships.

Individual Attention College Night is but one of several opportunities our students have to spend time with college representatives. We provide as many options as possible for this type of close interaction; each year more than 150 college representatives

8

renovated Steele Hall brought with it a brand new College Resource Room.

The small, intimate space with two large seminar-style tables epitomizes what makes our College Counseling program unique. In the fall, the room is filled with groups of 8 to 15 Sixth Formers for their weekly College Workgroup. These small group sessions allow Assistant Director of College Counseling Meredith Potter and me to meet with every student once each week to monitor their progress with the application process.

During these sessions, Sixth Formers work on their applications with their counselors close by for support and to answer any questions they may have. College Workgroups begin in

JOHN MCKEITH

step foot on Canterbury’s campus.

Throughout the fall, college representatives visit campus during the school day, and our students have the opportunity to meet with them in small groups or sometimes even one on one. On College Day in May, each Fifth Former is paired individually with a college representative for a mock interview. For many Fifth Formers, this is their first interview experience since applying to Canterbury, and this opportunity provides the perfect setting for practice. They also participate in workshops on writing the college essay and mock admission committees, all followed by a 120school college fair in Pigott Arena.

In the fall of 2009, the enlarged and

Director of College Counseling Sarah Ferland meets with Tom Harrison ’12.

the spring semester of Fifth Form year, and we introduce students to many topics, including college visits, writing résumés, and building college lists.

Individual attention is a trademark of Canterbury’s College Counseling Program. Throughout the entire college process, individual attention is always available. Every Sixth Former meets with his or her college counselor individually throughout the fall. Many students work closely with Meredith or me, but Tom Sheehy and JP Mandler also take on Sixth Form college advisees each fall. Both feel strongly about being involved in the college process of our students because it is such an integral part of Canterbury’s mission. Aside from writing the counselor letter of recommendation, Tom and JP meet with students regularly and help advise them throughout the process.

In a recent conversation, JP said, “I love the challenge of learning an essential quality of each student that I will include in my recommendation.

Nothing represents a person so well as catching that unique trait.”

Fifth Formers begin building their college lists with me or Meredith in the spring semester, and individual meetings continue throughout the spring. During these meetings, we also discuss the student’s course selection, interests (academic and otherwise), and begin the close relationship that will continue throughout the student’s Sixth Form year. Regardless of who the student’s primary College Counselor is, each student receives close, personal attention from the College Office throughout the process.

“I had an extremely positive college counseling experience at Canterbury,” says Vincent Vartabedian ’11. “My college counselor, Mr. Mandler, helped me write and edit every single essay I wrote, even though I was applying to 15 colleges and had more than 20 essays to write.

Nearly every day in December 2010, I would send him a few new versions of essays, and he replied to me by day’s end with fresh, new suggestions every time. Canterbury’s College Counseling program is a real gem.

Not only are the counselors friendly and knowledgeable, but they offer invaluable help with the college 9

process. I don’t know what I would have done or if I would have even made it to Emory University without them.”

Vincent’s parents, Armand and Diana, concur with their son.

“Researching and visiting more than 20 colleges with Vincent was grueling and exhausting,” says Diana. “The only bright side to the experience was the college counselors at Canterbury.

They helped him develop from the very beginning a list of colleges from the ‘safeties’ to the ‘reaches’. It was a team effort to help Vincent succeed.

We could not have gone through this process, with our sanity intact, without the help of the outstanding and extremely supportive Canterbury college counselors.”

Building Relationships At dinner on College Night, all college representatives sit with Sixth Formers, Fifth Formers, and a faculty member. To me, this sharing of a meal and conversation allows the college representatives to glimpse into the Canterbury community and to see what sets our students apart.

It also reminds me that faculty, as coaches, teachers, dorm parents, and advisors, are all an essential part of the support system for students navigating the college process. All Canterbury students are in some stage of the college process, and all faculty members are aware of the importance of the college process and actively support our students. Teachers give extra help, encourage students in their 10

academic interests, and write effective letters of recommendation. Coaches help student-athletes decide if playing a college sport is right for them, and teach important life skills our students will carry with them to college.

Involvement in our athletic program allows students to hone their skills, try a new sport, and learn lessons like overcoming adversity and the value of determination. Dorm parents and advisors read college essays, help with course selection, and provide support as students move through the college process. It is the relationships our students build at Canterbury that are so important as they rely on that help and support during the college process.

Relationships are not only built within our own community, but outside of it as well. During the summer and other school breaks, Meredith and I visit college campuses.

We visit schools to which many of our students apply, and we visit colleges that may be new to many of our students. We feel strongly that students should consider schools that they may not be familiar with, and the best way for us to learn about those schools is to hit the road and experience those campuses firsthand.

When visiting campuses, we also connect with people in Admission Offices to build new relationships and cultivate existing ones. These visits

“Canterbury’s College Counseling program is a real gem. Not only are the counselors friendly and knowledgeable, but they offer invaluable help with the college process. I don’t know what I would have done or if I would have even made it to Emory University without them.”

– Vincent Vartabedian ’11

also give us a great chance to update college representatives on Canterbury School and our students. Meredith and I foster and build the relationships with college representatives throughout the year. We call to ask the advice of admissions representatives, invite them to our programs, and we always advocate for our students.

In addition, Meredith and I make sure parents are always informed and kept “in the loop.” We send a monthly newsletter to Fifth Form parents beginning in February and Sixth Form parents from September through January. We mail these and post them on our website. We also hold three meetings for parents of

MARC VANASSE ’73

Canterbury students succeed in a rigorous academic environment, and college representatives recognize that first and foremost, but they also are amazed at how many different interests our students have and the abundance of opportunities we have at Canterbury for our students to explore those interests.

Cathy Halkett and son Alex ’12 chat with a college rep and gather information at this year’s fall College Night.

MARC VANASSE ’73 (2)

Fifth Former Kelly Tanner takes advantage of the fall College Night to make contact with admission reps.

Sixth Formers Joe Hochrein and Stacie DeGrazia review college materials.

Fifth Formers and one in the fall for parents of Sixth Formers. As a part of spring Parents’ Weekend, we invite Third and Fourth Form parents to a meeting held by both the Academic Office and College Office.

October, and we meet with them in January to discuss the results and show them their transcripts so they become familiar with what colleges receive when they apply to college as Sixth Formers. As Fifth Formers, our students begin the college process in earnest and work very closely with Meredith and me on a regular basis.

JungMin Lee ’11 recently called from NYU to ask a favor, and we started to chat. When I asked about her Canterbury college application experience, she said, “I was worried that the college process would be overwhelming; however, as I continued with the program, it was nothing but just another step toward my future. The step-by-step approach made it so I was prepared to apply to colleges and not rushing to complete my applications. My relationships with you and other faculty were amazing; everybody was always there for me when I needed them. It was a privilege to receive their expertise and advice.”

The fall provides a new beginning for students and faculty, and the college process begins anew as well. Students spend countless hours completing their applications and essays, in meetings, and in College Workgroups. But, in the end, our students know they can always rely on the College Office for support and guidance. We will be there every step of the way.

Canterbury is College Prep One after the other, as the college representatives returned from their tour of campus on College Night, they raved about our facilities and our students. As the college representatives walked and talked with our students, they were learning more about our academic programs, and our programs in the arts, athletics, and community service. They were getting to know our students personally, and I feel strongly that these connections highlight just how involved and passionate our students can be.

Canterbury students succeed in a rigorous academic environment, and college representatives recognize that first and foremost. But they also are amazed at how many different interests our students have and the abundance of opportunities we have at Canterbury for our students to explore those interests. Every time I run into our graduates, I ask them how well prepared they were for college, and, in every case, students report that Canterbury gave them all of the tools to succeed.

“It was a team effort to help our son Vincent succeed. We could not have gone through this process, and saved our sanity, without the help of the outstanding and extremely supportive Canterbury college counselors.”

– Diana Vartabedian

From academic development and time management to adjusting to the social and personal challenges of college life, our students are prepared when they graduate.

As the last major program for Sixth Formers, College Night serves as an intimate evening where some students greet the college representative at their top-choice school, while others learn more about other schools and add to their college lists. As I glance around the library at our Sixth Formers, I am reminded of the path they have taken since their Third Form year. It is important that they know me and Meredith, and so we plan a “field trip” to the College Resource Room to introduce ourselves. As Fourth Formers, students take the PSAT in

11

How Meg Caswell ’95 followed her passions and landed her own television show.

VICTORY

By Noah Blake

12

by Design

W

hen she was a Fifth Former at Canterbury, Meg Caswell ’95 didn’t know that someday she would win her own show on the Home & Garden Television Network (HGTV). However, she did know that she and roommate Kiley Garraghan ’95 hated the floral wallpaper and bedding in their room in Hickory Hearth.

“Laura Ashley was all over that dorm room,” Meg said. “I wish we could have painted the rooms ourselves when we were students. I was always decorating and covering up the walls. I had tapestries, artwork, and pictures everywhere. I would rearrange the furniture, too.

I’d move my bed from one side to the other, and put my desk in another area.” Eighteen years later, Meg is still redesigning rooms, this time for a much larger audience.

Meg built a successful interior design business in her native Chicago, and then one night last spring she found herself hanging drapes at the home of a client.

“The client asked me, ‘What’s next for you?’ And I said, ‘Well, I’ve always wanted my own television show.’ Then she said, ‘Why don’t you try out for HGTV’s Design Star?

You could win your own show.’

I really didn’t understand what it was all about, and then the next day, coincidently, I checked my e-mail and there was a message

from HGTV saying that they were coming to Chicago and they wanted me to try out.”

Design Star is a top-rated reality competition broadcast as a weekly one-hour series on HGTV, in which 12 finalists tackle design challenges and battle to impress the show’s judges until one contestant wins his or her own show on HGTV. Meg won the show’s sixth season, which aired this past summer, and she showed the producers her confidence and drive from her very first audition.

“I have a whole life plan that I created for myself three years ago,” said Meg. “I wanted to have my own design television show, in addition to having my own publication and branding my own product lines. I want to be the Rachael Ray of interior design.

Actually, I did tell the Design Star producers in my audition, ‘Listen guys, Oprah’s retiring, Martha is going to be retiring, and Rachael Ray has been around for a while; it’s time for Meg!’” Unlike so many people that appear on television, Meg exudes a boundless enthusiasm, positive energy, and aplomb on camera that are 100% genuine, as anyone who knows her can attest. One might even say she has a Meg-awatt personality. Meg attributes

“The client asked me, ‘What’s next for you?’

And I said, ‘Well, I’ve always wanted my own television show.’ Then she said. ‘Why don’t you try out for HGTV’s Design Star. You could win your own show.’” much of who she is today to her development while at Canterbury.

“In high school, when we get shaped into young adults, having the right leadership in front of you is really important,” she said. “Mrs. [Sandy] Behan was instrumental in helping me understand that being a Woman of Canterbury was something to be proud of and something to embrace. When you’re a teenage girl, you go through a lot of maturing, and embracing being a strong woman while being encouraged by other strong women gave me confidence in myself. Mrs. Behan would tell us, ‘Love yourself, believe in yourself, and you’ll succeed.’ Those words have stayed with me.”

Meg is named the winner of the competition as runner-up Karl Sponholtz congratulates her.

13

In addition, Meg credits Guy Simonelli as someone she felt comfortable seeking out for advice, and Betsy Sheehy, who served as a mother figure for her at Canterbury.

The opportunity to freely explore her passions while she was a student also helped to make the difference for Meg. “Because the Fine Arts Department was willing to allow me to work at night on projects when I’d done all my other homework (a privilege that Canterbury art students still enjoy to this day), I was able to do more than I could accomplish in the classroom. This allowed me to explore my own design aesthetic and creativity. Seeing Mrs. (Sylvia) Hierro and Mr. (Michael) Hennessey, adults who had done well for themselves in art, and learning that you could have a career in design, was also very inspiring.”

Like many graduates, however, Meg’s career path was hardly

a straight line, as she actually earned an undergraduate degree in criminology and was headed to law school before a conversation with her grandfather encouraged her to listen to her creative heart and change course. Interestingly enough, Meg’s training in criminology is still part of her skill set and helps make her a great designer.

“The profiling aspect of criminology is really useful for designing because I often find myself talking to individuals who may not know what their own taste or style is, but I can ask them what their favorite flower is,” Meg said. “If they like daisies and wildflowers, chances are they’re a little more carefree and loose with their fabric and patterns than someone who likes calla lilies and orchids. There’s a different personality that would pick each kind of flower, and that’s a profiling technique.”

Meg interviews clients on her show “HGTV’s Great Rooms with Meg.”

14

Embracing being a strong woman while being encouraged by other strong women gave me confidence in myself.

Mrs. Behan would tell us, ‘Love yourself, believe in yourself, and you’ll succeed.’ Those words have stayed with me.”

Thrilled to have been selected to appear on Design Star, Meg looks back on the experience and realizes that she didn’t fully understand what she was signing up for. “I had no idea about the demands of being on a reality show,” Meg said. “It’s like being at summer camp again, but with so many more rules. We had chaperones that were with us 24 hours a day, we had no television, no newspapers, no Internet, and no access to the outside world. A single hour-long episode took three full days to film, and the contestant evaluations that take five minutes for the viewer to watch took four hours to film. We were always moving in a group and always being told what to do.

It makes me appreciate Canterbury, because we had a lot more freedom at Canterbury than I did on a reality show!”

When asked why she thinks she was selected as the next Design Star, Meg summed it up like this: “The way that I got to the end was by staying in the moment and not thinking too far ahead. I never once thought about that winning moment, because you just can’t.

The minute that you let your mind drift away from the immediate design decisions that you have to make, you start to slip. There were thousands of people that applied, and only 12 made it. The 12 that made it are great designers. It’s not really about who’s a great designer,

it’s about who has all the many layers needed to be the next Design Star. It takes character, personality, and how well you project in front of a camera. When I realized that I had all of those layers, that’s when I realized I was probably going to win.”

Since the Design Star finale aired on September 12, Meg’s life has understandably changed dramatically. “I’ve had groups of women come up to the window of Meg’s Design Shop and plaster their faces against the window.

Strangers have dropped off gifts. I definitely cannot go anywhere in Chicago without people coming up to me. I love it and know that I signed up for all of it. Recently, a woman stopped me on the street and started talking to me about her lamps. Now I know how doctors have felt all of these years when I’ve asked them about different ailments I’ve had.”

Meg’s prize for winning Design Star was HGTV’s Great Rooms with Meg, her own show in which she meets a homeowner client and redesigns a room that needs a much needed makeover. “Great Rooms is about working with multi-functional rooms while incorporating my clients’ passions and design preferences and taking it one step bolder and bigger than they could ever imagine,” she said.

When asked what advice she would have for current Canterbury

students, Meg offered these suggestions: “When I was at Canterbury, I had no idea where my life was going to go. I just sort of lived my life from school year to school year. I believe that if you embrace the friendships around you, and the things that make you feel good in your gut, like I did spending extra time in the art department while not knowing that that was exactly where I would end up, that’s going to help you develop your passions. Like my grandfather told me, and this is actually the Canterbury way, if you can affect other people’s lives for the good, you will succeed in your own life, because you’re going to experience that happiness and the gift of giving back. As a student, I had the opportunities to participate in clothing drives, serve as a sacristan, and do charity work. You’re always giving back at Canterbury.”

“Now I’m doing that with design,” Meg continued. “I’m creating environments that people

live in day to day. To give people who work hard and long hours, who may be sick or who may be dealing with many other things in their lives a beautiful home to come home to is positively affecting people’s lives. I love that.”

As for what challenges she wants to tackle next, Meg plans to continue following her passions and dreaming big. “I can’t believe that I actually accomplished the most difficult part of my life plan.

But it’s true, if you put your mind to it, believe in yourself, and start making decisions to lead you in a chosen direction, you can accomplish your goals. So for now, I’m focused on the show.

Eventually I’d like to do some product representation, develop my own branding. I also want to launch my own magazine, or should I say Meg-azine.”

Having already snagged her own television show and a cover story in PALLIUM, can a “Meg-azine” really be far behind for Meg Caswell?

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY HDTV

Like my grandfather told me, and this is actually the Canterbury way, if you can affect other people’s lives for the good, you will succeed in your own life, because you’re going to experience that happiness and the gift of giving back.

Meg uses her keen design eye to select fabrics for a client on her show.

15

Thomas Hardy’s birthplace in Dorset, England.

32

Text and photos by JP Mandler

Thomas Hardy’s Dorset The author’s words and world come to life for veteran English teacher JP Mandler.

I

began teaching Thomas Hardy at Canterbury in

the late ’70s and ’80s in British Literature, then a required course for Fifth Formers. Since the students responded so positively to Tess of the d’Urbervilles, I designed a course for second-semester Sixth Formers on Hardy’s five major novels: Far From the Madding Crowd (1874), The Return of the Native (1878), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the d’Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1895).

When I began teaching AP Literature and Composition, I judged that including Hardy would provide challenges worthy of our top students, challenges that include complex characters, rich language, masterful narration and description, and provocative themes. This summer, the Duffy Grant provided me the opportunity to visit places in the southwest of England that Hardy used as the foundation of the fictional world he created, his “Wessex.” The visit helped me see Hardy’s world firsthand and helped me appreciate the relationships between that world, his life, and the novels and poems. I was fortunate to have my wife Lou as companion and firstrate map reader.

We spent most of our time in Dorset, a favorite setting for Hardy’s narratives. As we visited Hardy country, we tried not to confuse the “realities” of the novels with actual locations; nonetheless, it was strange in a Twilight Zone sort of way to stand in some of the locations that Hardy painted with words–strange and fascinating.

From Heathrow, we made our way west, and after a night near Bath, we drove out to Cornwall on the west coast, where in 1870, the young architect Thomas Hardy visited the parish of St. Juliot to plan the restoration of the church at the request of the rector, Rev. Cadell Holder. Visiting the Holders at the time was Mrs. Holder’s sister, Emmeline Gifford, who met Hardy 33

At Max Gate we had a window to Hardy’s life and stood in rooms where he wrote Tess and Jude and much of his later poetry. It was a pilgrimage of sorts, where we saw where the Hardys entertained the important persons of the English world, Emma’s room and the garden, and Max Gate, the house Hardy designed for himself and his wife Emma, and where he wrote many of his best -known novels and much of his poetry.

at the door when he arrived and showed him to his room. During his time in St. Juliot, Emmeline, called Emma, and Hardy walked the trails of the Vallency Valley.

They fell in love, and eventually married–against the wishes of both families–in 1874.

We booked two nights in Mr. Hardy’s Room at The Old Rectory, now a B&B, and surveyed many of the same locales that Hardy and Emma did: the church and churchyard of St. Juliot, Beeny Cliff, the Vallency Valley, and Boscastle, a seacoast village, all of which figure in the novel A Pair of Blue Eyes, loosely based upon the Hardys’ courtship and marriage. Much later, after Emma’s death, Hardy revisited St. Juliot to renew his memories of the couple’s early days together.

Though Hardy and Emma worked closely on his early novels, he writing and she providing editorial suggestions, in later years, their interests diverged. As Thomas grew more serious and saturnine, Emma grew narrower in her views; as Thomas drew away from the Church and organized religion, 34

Emma became pious. After a time, Hardy no longer sought her help, and later, he refused her any access to his work, likely thinking her perspective too provincial. Though they lived together at Max Gate, the house Hardy designed and had built near Dorchester in 1885, they lived increasingly separate lives in the house until Emma moved to an empty room on the third floor. When Emma died in 1912, somewhat unexpectedly, Hardy was bowled over. Initially overwhelmed with grief for the loss of the person with whom he had spent much of his life, he then came to blame himself for his shoddy treatment of Emma in the final years of her life. He thought about Emma often and wrote a rush of poems that capture both the intensity of his initial fascination with her and the depth of his remorse for his later behavior.

It was at Max Gate that Hardy wrote the poem “The Shadow on the Stone,” published in 1913. In the poem, the speaker walks into the garden, where the trees throw their shade onto a “Druid stone” on

the Druid stone. which his wife’s shadow fell when she gardened there. It’s a haunting poem in that the speaker senses that his dead wife has returned to her garden and that her shadow lurks behind him. He wants to turn to see her but knows she is not there. To avoid feeling the pain of her loss, he says, “Nay, I’ll not unvision / A shape which, somehow, there may be,” and so he leaves the garden, his head “unturned lest my dream should fade.”

The poem has fascinated me through the years, as has “the Druid Stone,” which I learned was uncovered while Max Gate was being built. Scholars believe that it was brought to Dorchester at the same time the great stones were moved to Stonehenge, perhaps for ritual purposes. Hardy was so taken with the stone that he had it placed upright in the garden of Max Gate.

As Emma became increasingly embittered toward Hardy, she spent time in the garden as a refuge from what she felt was Hardy’s growing antipathy toward her. She destroyed his early love letters to her, some

say in a fire behind that very stone.

The “Druid stone” thus bears associations with Celtic antiquity, human sacrifice, the difficulty of his later relationship with Emma, the renewal of love after her death, and his remorse over his failure to respond to her. I eagerly anticipated our visit to Max Gate to see the garden and the Druid stone.

Max Gate is, at first look, an uninviting place: a large brick house, a cold place. The interior rooms are spacious and, in contrast to the dark and forbidding cast of the building on the outside, they are light, with large windows looking to the south. Most interesting in the foyer is the staircase to the second and third floors; Hardy made the staircase just as inviting as the front rooms by including sets of small windows to illuminate it from above. At Max Gate we had a view into Hardy’s life and stood in rooms where he wrote Tess and Jude and much of his later poetry. It was a pilgrimage of sorts, where we saw where the Hardys entertained the important persons of the English world, Emma’s room and the garden, and the Druid stone.

On our first afternoon in Dorchester, as we walked around town to get a sense of the place, we had not gone more than a block from our hotel when we saw a building with a plaque that reads, “This house is reputed to have been lived in by the Mayor of Casterbridge in Thomas Hardy’s story of that name written in 1885.”

We stayed at The King’s Arms, where Susan Henchard, returning from an eighteen-year absence, sees her husband Michael as the Mayor of Casterbridge; just across the way from the hotel is the town pump, a gathering spot for the people of Casterbridge as it is for the people of Dorchester.

We visited the Dorset County Museum, just a few doors from The King’s Arms, the next day.

Along with a 185-million year old icthyosaur and collections of archeological and geological finds, the curators have reconstructed Thomas Hardy’s study, including

the author’s original furnishings: desk, tables, chairs, and fireplace, Hardy’s personal library, and even the pens he used to write Tess and Jude. The museum also exhibits manuscripts in Hardy’s own hand: a replacement title page for Tess of the d’Urbervilles, with a note to the publisher: “Title page, to supersede copy originally sent”; a spread of “The Graphic” magazine, showing an installment of the serialized Tess, and a manuscript copy of an omitted passage from chapter X. Standing before the documents was very moving.

Later, we visited Shaftesbury, a town on a hill with a commanding view of the Valley of the Little Dairies of Tess of the d’Urbervilles.

We also drove to Marnhull, basis for the fictional Marlott, Tess’s home town. In Marnhull, we stopped for lunch at The Crown, a pub previously called The Pure Drop Inn, which figures as a location in Tess. In a strange time-warp, The Pure Drop, a public house since the time of Henry VIII, was one of the few places with wi-fi, where we could check email.

We visited other locations in the area, notably Emminster, Salisbury, Bere Regis, Woodbury Hill, the Jurassic coast, and the Iron Age hillforts of Pilsdon Pen and Maiden Castle, which appear in Hardy’s novels or poetry.

Salisbury figures into Jude the Obscure as Melchester, but we visited it mostly to see the cathedral. Viewed from a distance, the tallest tower and spire in England dominates, but once within the warren of streets, walls and medieval gates hide the cathedral from view. We followed signs, parked, followed more signs, and caught sight of the building bit by bit, but not in its entirety until we emerged from under the trees that surround the cathedral grounds.

And there it was, an awesome sight: huge, light, magnificent.

It takes your breath away. No photograph or painting captures the emotional effect of that first view.

And so, our two weeks’ visit had to end. Visiting Dorset and Cornwall has afforded me a short time to experience the land Hardy loved and so well depicted.

The churchyard of St. Juliot. Hardy was sent here to work on the restoration. It was here that he met his future wife, Emma Gifford, sister-in-law of the vicar of St. Juliot. Hardy returned here after she died.

35

Rockin’ the Land Science teacher Martha Buck spends eight days and drives through 13 states exploring the Holy Grail of U.S. geological formations.

By Martha Buck

T

he road stretched out before us like a black ribbon cutting across the expanse of scrub brush, the occasional tumbleweed traversing the vast Arizona plain.

It was early afternoon, but already we could see our destination on the horizon. This is the beauty of the Southwest: without the

36

encumbrance of hills or trees, one can easily see a hundred miles in any direction. Indeed, this lack of vegetation was the primary reason we had driven nearly 3,000 miles in eight days, across the Mississippi and through 13 states, for without flora, it is rock that dominates the landscape, millions of years of

tectonic and erosive forces exposed and in plain sight. We were here to see the rocks.

As a geology teacher for the last five years, for me this journey was a pilgrimage of sorts, an opportunity to experience the wonders of geology that I had expounded upon in class for years.

SARA DREXLER

dscape

At sunset, geology teacher Martha Buck in Arches National Park, UT.

Thanks to the generous gift from the Duffy family, a trip ten years in the making was finally underway.

My traveling companion was Assistant Director of Admission Sara Drexler, an avid outdoorswoman and until last July, a geology neophyte. Together, we spent six weeks of the summer driving,

hiking, and camping our way through the six National Parks that lie on the Colorado Plateau and collectively record the continual transgression and regression of a prehistoric coastline. The layers of sandstone, limestone, and shale document the existence of ancient deserts, lakes, and shallow seas,

each neatly lithified in perfect succession. The focal point of our trip was to be the Grand Canyon, a Mecca for geologists and the most studied sequence of rock in the country. On the morning of July 1, I was mere seconds from what I knew would be a life-changing experience. I 37

COURTESY MARTHA BUCK

Sara and Martha after an upstream hike through the Virgin River in Zion National Park, UT.

38

stepped to the cusp of the South Rim and opened my eyes. A flood of adrenaline coursed through my body, and I was immediately overcome with absolute reverence for the mile-deep crevasse that sprawled out before me. Although I’d seen countless pictures, a photograph will never do justice to the overwhelming grandeur of the landscape. The vastness of the abyss is virtually incomprehensible.

To adequately experience the Grand Canyon, one must leave the relative safety of the rim and venture down through layer upon horizontal layer of exposed rock, a geologic journey of nearly a billion years. Our hike down the South Kaibab trail allowed us to do just that. The dusty trail is carved into the terraced rock, the stronger units forming steep cliffs while the weaker ones, more susceptible to the erosive forces of wind and water, have been filed back into gentle slopes. Destined for the ominously named Skeleton Point, we had our first introduction to the treacherous and unpredictable weather conditions that prevail in this harsh climate. One minute we were clinging to the canyon walls seeking shady respite from the unrelenting sun, and the next we clung to them for protection from the lightning storm that materialized out of nowhere, threatening to end more than just our hike. When the pea-sized hail began to pelt down, we knew this was no mild Connecticut shower; these desert storms were nothing to be trifled with.

The next day, we drove to the less frequented North Rim. The extra 1,000 feet of elevation is enough to allow forests of ponderosa pines to dominate the terrain, and the cool temperatures were a welcomed relief from the heat of the day before. Our campsite, the only one on the point known as Cape Final, was so near to the rim that one midnight misstep would mean certain disaster. As we watched the sun set over the canyon, our legs draped over the edge, the serenity of our surroundings began to sink in. As

for the last five years, for me this journey was a pilgrimage of sorts, an opportunity to experience the wonders of geology that I had expounded upon in class for years. darkness obscured the chasm and the faint glimmer of stars began to pierce the night sky, we felt, for the first time, truly alone in nature.

The next leg of our journey took us to Zion National Park in Utah.

Here we were introduced to the rocks that would guide, shelter, and comfort us for the next two weeks. Our hike along the West Rim trail provided views of the sweeping cross-beds of the Navajo Sandstone, their pink and white dunes evidence that southwest Utah was once a vast, Saharalike desert. The next day, despite ever-present risk of a midsummer flash flood, we ventured up The Narrows “trail” that follows the Virgin River, battling its chilly and sometimes chest-deep current to reach the narrow slot canyons of its upper tributaries. The strong sandstone here refuses to relent to the periodic torrents that seek to erode it. As such, these waters can only cut deeper, not wider into the rock. At times, the chasm narrowed to only a few feet, deepening the channel and providing an interesting obstacle.

As we continued northeast through Utah, our hike through Bryce Canyon afforded spectacular views around every corner.

Alternating freezing and thawing cycles carved the rocks of the Claron Formation into statuesque hoodoos, their orange hue

contrasting brilliantly against the deep blue sky. The most ambitious day hike we attempted took place in Canyonlands National Park, a ten-mile round-trip excursion down the steep, dark walls of the Wingate Formation out on to a flat plain with views into the deeper canyon within a canyon. In Arches National Park, we viewed the narrow fins of the Entrada Sandstone that over time eroded into iconic arches before eventually succumbing to gravity.

A day trip to the southeastern region of Utah provided the opportunity to visit the four corners and stand with a limb in each state. It also allowed us to view Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation. The mesas, buttes, and spires of this region were made famous in John Ford films, their picturesque beauty a symbol of the western frontier.

Only by visiting all the parks of Utah does one begin to realize

their collective magnificence. Each park contains many of the same rock units, yet minute variations in tectonic forces couple with subtle differences in temperature and precipitation to create an array of features that spans from the central canyon that dominates Zion, to the eerie hoodoos of Bryce, to the soaring vaults of Arches. For me, hiking through each of these regions, laying a hand on the very rocks that comprise them, their history became no longer merely words on a page; I was, for the first time, living it. This enhanced passion for geology has galvanized my teaching and influenced how I approach my classes.

This journey would not have been possible were it not for the generosity and forward thinking of the Duffy family. Their commitment to inspire Canterbury faculty through their travel grant is as novel as it is admirable. I am forever grateful.

SARA DREXLER

As a geology teacher

Martha spends a whimsical moment in Capitol Reef Nation Park, UT.

Martha Buck graduated from Amherst College with a B.A. in Geology.

She is the daughter of Lou Buck ’66 and Nora Hegarty Buck ’77. Sara Drexler graduated from Colgate University. She is an Assistant Director of Admission.

39

A Montana State of Mind For a week in August, Glacier National Park becomes a classroom for 12 Canterbury Sixth Formers.

Front row, l-r: Clara Barnett, Emma Sylvester, Kayla Lynch, Allyson Good. Back row, l-r: Joe Najm, Lindsey Marra, Tom Harrison, Brooks Dwyer, Mason Page, Felipe Siebrecht, Cam Roffe, Hyeon Min Kim. Hidden Lake in the background.

40

Felipe Siebrecht looks for bears.

John Donovan ’59 leads the students along Apgar Trail in Glacier National Park.

Felipe Siebrecht and Tom Harrison enjoy the Flathead River.

Kayla Lynch enthusiastically displays the invasive plant species she pulled.

Top to bottom, Kayla Lynch, Emma Sylvester, Clara Barnett, Hyeon Min Kim, Allyson Good, Lindsey Marra.

41

In 2006, John ’59 and Dana Donovan created the Canterbury Montana Leadership Program. For a week in August, they host 12 Sixth Formers and two chaperones at their home in Essex, Montana. Using Glacier National Park as their classroom, the Donovans teach students about trail maintenance, fire prevention, invasive plant species, and compass reading.

Students are selected based on an essay explaining why they want to participate, their demonstrated leadership at the School, and record of good citizenship. The first group of students to participate developed True Blue, a year-long competition that promotes school morale. Many Montana Program “alums” attended this year’s Canterbury Medal dinner to honor John.

Allyson Good and Tom Harrison use a compass to aid them in a GeoQuest scavenger hunt.

Students enjoy lunch along the Flathead River.

Joe Najm and Cam Roffe.

42

John and Dana Donovan and Dick and Sandy Behan participate in karaoke night.

Hyeon Min Kim, Brooks Dwyer, Cam Roffe, Joe Najm, Felipe Siebrecht, Emma Sylvester, Mason Page on Apgar Trail in Glacier National Park.

Joe Najm shows off a deer skull found in the ground.

Allyson Good and Hyeon Min Kim use a compass to orient themselves.

PHOTOS BY JOHN AND DANA DONOVAN

Hyeon Min Kim filters river water for drinking.

Emma Sylvester looks for bears.

43

44

LOVE

AT WORK

With extraordinary kindness and boundless energy, a record number of students, 19, take Lourdes by storm.

45

Holly Heffernan ’12 entertains children during a candlelight procession.

Sean Owens ’12 and classmate Mike Balcom pose with a malade after they helped put her into a voiture.

“Lourdes was the most enlightening experience I have ever had. I never felt so connected and loved by such a diverse group of people.” – Holly Heffernan ’12

Michael Woods ’12 pulls a woman to the Pius X underground basilica.

46

Nineteen students, several of whom made their second trip to Lourdes in as many years, volunteered for a week in August (8-17) to serve the malades who travel to the Marian shrine seeking spiritual comfort. It was the biggest student group (by a factor of two) to attend the pilgrimage, the 18th consecutive sponsored by Canterbury in association with the Order of Malta. Front row, l-r: E. Michael Woods ’12, Sarah Dyott ’14, DooA Kim ’12, Lisa Parino ’13, Claire O’Keeffe ’13, Siobhan Manrique ’11. Middle row, l-r: Julio Omaña, DooYoung Kim ’11, Meagan Kendrick ’12, Olivia Watkins ’12, Feng “Blake ” Ye ’12, Claire Moisan ’13, Holly Heffernan ’12, Alice Bouchard ’14, Leslie Carter. Back row, l-r: Hope Carter, Mikaela Puth ’13, Doug Bergner ’10, Sean Owens ’12, Michael Balcom ’12, Joe Hochrein ’12, Blake Buna ’11, Chidimma Onwuegbule ’11, Jack McCabe, Bernadette Abaya, Marc Vanasse ’73.

ALL PHOTOS BY MARC VANASSE ’73

“Lourdes was an unusual yet really fun experience. I met many interesting people and had a lot of laughs. It was an honor to do our work, and I loved it.” – Sean Owens ’12

DooYoung ’11 and DooA Kim ’12 both made their second pilgrimage to Lourdes. Here they place candles for special intentions.

47

Riding the Rails Intrepid travelers Julio Omaña and Jack McCabe take on France and Italy by train.

COURTESY JULIO OMANA

By Julio Omaña

Julio Omaña and Jack McCabe dine at a bistro in Lyon, France.

A

fter eight days in Lourdes, France, working with the infirmed on pilgrimage to where the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette, Jack McCabe, a Canterbury math teacher who had also joined the Lourdes trip, invited me to travel with him on a European adventure two days before the students and I were to return home. He had already planned to travel around France 48

on his own after the Lourdes trip, but I was not quite so prepared.

I did not have suitable clothing nor my family’s permission, which they readily granted because they know of my fondness for adventure and recognized the rareness of this opportunity. So I said “yes” to Jack’s invitation and prepared for what was to become a whirlwind trip through France and Italy.

Train travel became a central theme of our tour, and the French really know how to do trains.

After the Lourdes experience, I flew to Paris with the students while Jack rode the rails to Gare Montparnasse, the Paris station that receives trains from the southwest of the country. Before Jack’s arrival, and before meeting his train, I replenished my wardrobe.

We had yet to plan our itinerary but determined Lyon would be a desirable destination. So upon Jack’s arrival, we bought tickets for our next day’s trip to Lyon, situated in east-central France.

Unplanned travel comes with both excitement and trepidation, but we were feeling mostly excited. We planned where we would stay each night only a day or two in advance. Jack likes to be on the move, so each night we found ourselves in a different city and near a train station for the next day’s travel. Each morning we rose early, and each night we went to bed late, thus maximizing our time to explore. We had a vague idea that we wanted to go south and east into the French Alps then perhaps into Italy. It took another full day to complete our plans.

After a delectable dinner at a Parisian bistro, the next morning we took the Metro to Gare de Lyon for our trip to the Alps and beyond. As we approached our TVG train, similar to the Acela, our blood started pumping. The train moved slowly through the city and the outskirts of Paris, but once we hit the countryside, the scenes through the window blurred past.

This first trip by train in France and those that followed left us with the impression that trains course through the French people’s blood.

The Gare de Lyon and the Gare de Montparnasse, two Parisian stations, seemed chaotic and disorganized, but they are actually bastions of efficiency. One simply has to slow down and take it all in. They contain self-service ticket booths, brightly clad information workers (accueil), helpful ticket sellers, cafés, and shops.

During our travels by rail, Jack

and I discovered that we are both enamored of trains. Jack has traveled extensively by Amtrak throughout the U.S.A. He has even taken the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Beijing. I suppose all kids, boys at least, love trains.

When I was a kid, my parents used to take me to visit my cousins in Vermont. Near their house were rail tracks, mostly for freight trains.

When we heard the train whistle, we would jump on our bikes and pedal as fast as we could to catch a glimpse of the approaching train.

We would wave at the conductor and count the number of freight cars. We hoped he would blow the whistle. I remember it like it was yesterday.

During our trip to Lyon, we continually commented on the smoothness and speed of the ride.

“Where did the U.S. go wrong regarding rail travel?,” we asked each other. Maybe there are too many folks living in American suburbs and rural areas. According to our Lonely Planet guidebook, 77% of France’s population lives in cities. Rail stations as travel hubs make sense in countries like France, while we in America have our interstate highway system.

Throughout our trip, we frequently lamented the lack of commuter trains back home.

Upon arriving in Lyon, we headed directly to the Tourist Information Office, the first of many planning stages that day.

How could we see the Alps and then travel into Italy? Which Italian cities did we want to visit? By what route would we cross back into France? When should we return to Paris for our trip home? Organizing our itinerary took all morning, but, fortunately, we had a bit of time to experience Lyon, my favorite of the many cities we visited. The Vielle Ville section (Old Town) vibrates with life. Cafés, pubs, local shops, street performers, and artisanal bakeries all teem with life. On a hillside in the Croix Rousse section, where silk weavers lived in the 17th Century, I looked across the river Saone to a spectacular view of Lyon, a scene I will never forget.

Unplanned travel comes with both excitement and trepidation, but we were feeling mostly excited. We planned where we would stay each night only a day or two in advance.

Deciding which city to visit next challenged us. We desired to maximize the experience in the Alps before proceeding into Italy.

Was it to be Modane or Chambery?

(Both on the same train line to Turin, Italy.) We decided a visit to the latter would satisfy our needs, a sojourn in the mountains that also provided a day in Albertville, host city of the 1992 Winter Olympics.

As our train pulled out of Gare Part Dieu in Lyon, our conversation again turned to trains.

Riding the rails and touring cities were not our only sources of joy. Each train trip provided an opportunity for a picnic. Shopping for and then spreading bread, cheese, and meats on small trays at our train seats became a much cherished experience. We picnicked our way across areas of France and Italy, visiting Turin, Genoa, and Pisa in Italy, then headed back to France along the Mediterranean to Nice, where we spent two nights.

During our stay in Nice, I was determined to venture outside the city and visit Antibes, a 30-minute train ride to the east of Nice. Nice’s Gare de Ville was crowded and buzzing with activity when I tried to buy my ticket. Some might have called it chaotic. Long lines snaked away from the ticket counters.

Confused tourists crowded around

ticket-selling machines. I found the scene overwhelming and went to plan B, a one-Euro bus ride to Villefranche-Sur Mer, a small town five minutes to the east.

On our trip back to Paris, Jack and I found ourselves on the upper level of a double-decker train where the views were spectacular and less obstructed than those from below. The six-hour train from Nice to Paris included time along the Cote D’Azur, with beautiful views of seaside towns, cities, villages, and beaches. We arrived at the Gare de Lyon and took a short taxi ride to the Hotel Abbatial Saint-Germain, Jack’s favorite place to stay in Paris.

We had one last night in the Latin Quarter and stayed out late, again eating bread, cheese, and meat, but this time with a cold beer or two.

The next morning, we awoke very early even though our flight was not until early in the afternoon. We both wanted to take in all we could out of our last 24 hours in Paris.

Jack was a great traveling companion. We are far apart in age, and we sought somewhat different experiences in the cities we visited. We often went our separate ways for a while, then drifted back together and shared our experiences. I typically sought out the old sections where one can almost feel part of centuries-ago human life. Jack would walk miles throughout the more level sections, stop and read a few chapters of a book, and get going again. These times away from each other made the trip richer for us both. Rejoining after the day’s adventures allowed us to re\live and share that which we had seen.

On the long plane trip back to New York, I happened to browse through the available movies and stumbled upon Midnight In Paris, a recent Woody Allen film set in the City of Lights. The opening montage of the film took me back to the places I had just seen a few hours prior: the Latin Quarter, the Shakespeare store, Notre Dame and its beautiful flowering gardens, and the Metro Café. What a great way to end this impromptu travel adventure.

49

PROFILE

Getting to be a Habit Fr. Sebastian Leonard, O.S.B., celebrates 80 years of life, 54 years in the priesthood, and 17 years as Canterbury’s chaplain.

MARC VANASSE ’73

By Bryan Kiefer

50

he youngest of six children of Irish immigrants Margaret (Tully) and William Leonard, Thomas Leo Leonard was born on September 4, 1931, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

After Sunday Mass on September 4, 2011, communicants in the Chapel of Our Lady treated Fr. Sebastian to a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday To You on the occasion of his eightieth birthday.

Natives of Galway, Tom Leonard’s parents raised their family in Indianapolis’s Irish East End, where the Sisters of Providence at Holy Cross Parish School taught Tom. After finishing eighth grade, he enrolled in high school at St. Meinrad Archabbey in Spencer County, IN. It was the beginning of a lifelong relationship.

Founded in 1854 by monks from Einsiedein Abbey in Switzerland to serve the local German-speaking population, St. Meinrad’s mission is to prepare men for service in the Church as priests. Though today St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology offers only graduate level degrees, when Tom Leonard arrived in 1945, the monks offered high school and undergraduate college educations. Tom received a rigorous high school and college education at St. Meinrad under spartan conditions that bear no resemblance to the experiences of Canterbury students today.

After two years of college, Tom entered St. Meinrad Archabbey in 1951 and took “first vows” in 1952 and became Sebastian, a Benedictine monk. He was ordained as Fr. Sebastian on May 3, 1957. He taught at St. Meinrad for the next two years. In 1959,

COURTESY FR. SEBASTIAN LEONARD

T

his abbot sent him to Georgetown University, where he studied for two years, earning his M.A. in European History in 1961. He then returned to teach at St. Meinrad for two more years.

His life took a dramatic turn in the summer of 1963. Just weeks before the beginning of the new school year, his abbot sent him to Oxford University for further study.

After a transatlantic voyage on the SS America, he arrived at Merton College, the first monk to study at Merton since the Reformation.

These were to be the most formative years of his life.

Founded in 1264, Merton College has a storied history. The first fully self-governing college of Oxford University, it was home to famous cultural and scientific leaders like T.S. Eliot, J.R.R. Tolkien, Andrew Wiles (solver of Fermat’s Last Theorem), and four Nobel prize winners. Fr. Sebastian spent five glorious years at Oxford, including six months in the Papal Archives in Rome and two years in the British Library researching his doctoral dissertation, The Secret Relations Between Great Britain and the Papal States between 1789-1816. In 1968, Oxford awarded him a D.Phil. in European History.

Returning to the monk’s life, Father taught at St. Meinrad from 1968-1983, at which time his life took another unusual turn when his abbot assigned him to serve as Assistant Pastor at St. David’s Catholic Church in Davie, FL. After ten years at St. David’s, he returned to St. Meinrad in 1993 for two more years of teaching duties.

In late summer of 1995, Canterbury’s then-chaplain Fr. Ron Gliatta, O.F.M., resigned suddenly, leaving Canterbury without a chaplain just weeks before students were to arrive. Fr. Sebastian rode to the rescue at the wish of his abbot, filling the breach in the nick of time, but making just a one-year commitment to teach theology and European History, serve as chaplain, and live in Sheehan House. Accustomed to teaching seminarians, his new duties were a challenging transition. “I did

Fr. Sebastian as a seminarian at St. Meinrad Seminary in 1950.

not unpack for the first semester,” recalls Father.

Seventeen years later, Fr. Sebastian is now Canterbury’s longest-serving chaplain and a revered fixture on campus. He lives in the beautiful Chaplain’s Residence, renovated by the Class of 1956 from the Old Chapel, the only building on campus to predate the founding of Canterbury in 1915. “I have come to love our students,” says Fr. Sebastian, “and I am impressed with their grasp of theology, their dedication to community service, and their participation in spiritual retreats.”

Despite a quintuple bypass in 1997, Fr. Sebastian is going strong.

“Canterbury is a very welcoming community, the campus and the Chapel of Our Lady are beautiful, and colleagues like Guy and Viv Simonelli (my guardian angels), John Martiska, Rod Clarke ’46, and school nurse Mary Ryder (a saint!) have made my years here very pleasant.”

Eighty years young, Fr. Sebastian is now at the top of his game, offering daily Mass, baptizing and confirming students, and generally bringing warmth and goodness to the Canterbury community. To Fr. Sebastian, we repeat the words of Canterbury’s school song: ad multos annos felices!

51

Stained Glass at Canterbury School

Canterbury’s Chapel of Our Lady contains some of the finest stained glass windows in America and myriad hidden stories. In this final installment, PALLIUM features the history of the Nicholas Devereux and Saint Isaac Jogues and Saint Jean de Bréboeuf windows.

Saint Isaac Jogues and Saint Jean de Bréboeuf, of the Society of Jesus, two of the eight 17th Century French North American martyrs, are the subjects of the middle of the three windows on the south side of the Chapel.

Its upper two thirds is filled with the enormous cross “large enough to crucify us all,” of which Saint Jean had a vision in the course of his work among the Huron Indians, its radiance suggesting one of the great rose windows of the mediaeval cathedrals. Saint Jean’s figure, at the moment of his vision, kneels at the observer’s right, and Saint Isaac, shown as in his statue at Auriesville with his hand aloft holding a crucifix in a blessing gesture, stands at the left. Above is God’s hand.

Around the great cross are several small medallions. One depicts Saint Isaac hearing the confession of a Portuguese woman in New Amsterdam during his long stay there after rescue from slavery among the Mohawks in 1843. The city is indicated by the cock weathervane which crowed from the roof of one of its early buildings and is now in the possession and is a symbol of the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York. Others show one of the Blackrobes, as they were known among the Indians, travelling in a canoe and in the act of baptizing an Indian.

In the upper borders are oak leaves, standing for the strength these men had in such measure, and maple leaves for Canada, the scene of Saint Jean’s mission, as well as Indian drawings–taken from a 17th Century French document–of the emblems of the Wolf and Turtle clans of the Mohawks who tried to save Saint Isaac from death, and of the Bear clan, one of whose members was his murderer. There are also the Indian symbols for clouds and a campfire, and for peace, which the martyrs hoped in vain to bring to the Indians.

In the lowest section are two panels representing Saint Isaac being tomahawked and Saint Jean being tortured with fire at the hands of the Hurons.

This window commemorates Joseph Bradley Murray (1888-1961) and was given by Mrs. Murray and her five daughters, Mrs. Walter J. Cummings, Mrs. Buckley M. Byers, Mrs. Jerome Boucher, Mrs. Frank B. Cavanagh, and Mrs. Edward Donavon Jr. This window was restored by the Trustees, in loving memory of the late Elizabeth Ann Burke, a longtime school nurse.

52

ROBERT FERTITTA

SAINT ISAAC JOGUES AND SAINT JEAN DE BRÉBOEUF

ROBERT FERTITTA (2)

NICHOLAS DEVEREUX The westernmost window on the north side is in memory of Nicholas Devereux, 1791-1855, who has been called “A Model of Catholic Action.” In a panel under his coat of arms are listed five of his many benefactions: 1829 – The Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, Hartford, CT, the first Catholic church in the State, the founding of which the promise of his credit, his standing with the Episcopalians of the city, and his loan of money made possible; 1829 – The Devereux Testament, a Douai version of the New Testament, the plates for which he furnished at a time when no other Catholic bible was being printed in the country, so that it might be available to the poorer segment of the Catholic population; 1834 – The Utica Catholic Academy, which he and his brother, John, founded and supported for many years with Mother Seton’s Sisters of Charity from Emmitsburg as teachers; 1854 – The North American College, Rome, Italy, which he was one of the first to propose to Pius IX and for which he was the first, in a letter to the New York Freeman’s Journal of December 15, 1854, to pledge a donation, which was made after his death by his family; 1854 – Saint Bonaventure University, Allegany, NY, the founding of which he also proposed and for which he gave large tracts of land and considerable sums of money.

Beneath are the names of eight Devereux descendants who have graduated from Canterbury. An 18th Century English coin is inserted in the lower panel to recall that Nicholas Devereux, to the consternation of the sexton, dropped one of his two gold sovereigns into the collection at Saint Peter’s, Barclay Street, New York, in thanksgiving for his safe arrival in this country in 1806 at the age of 15. In the border, to supply the Chapel with its church mouse, is a woodmouse, which also recalls the mouse races which one of the descendants confessed to his father that he and his friends used to have in the corridors of Middle House (now Sheehan House). There is a small section, surmounted by the Stubbs crest, showing Mrs. Seton meeting with the Stubbs family, which was connected my marriage with the Devereux.

53

GEOFF HOYT

COURTESY CHRIS COLVIN ’72

CLASSNOTES

54

The Class of 1972 Reunion Committee met in New York City in the fall. L-r: Emmett Hume, John Sheehan, Chip Berman, Mike Seaman, Dave Henderson, Paul Gelinas, Peter McGowan.

Chris Colvin ’72 and his wife Behice.

1936 William Schusser reports that his wife June passed away in September 2011. He is grateful, however, that he has five great children and that his eldest daughter lives close by to him.

1957 Howard Junker has had published An Old Junker: a senior represents. According to Amazon, where the book is available, An Old Junker is a “rambling multi-genre first book–a blog novel, a protomemoir, a novel of ideas, a coming-of-age narrative, a meta-parody whose rambling plot savages Dave Eggers and Jonathan Franzen and Richard Serra, denounces foodieism, and insists that Kierkegaard is Post-Avant.

Along the way Junker details his day-to-day principles as an editor...and the agony of searching for a successor.

Plus: candid snaps from his iPhone!”

1965 Lee Beaulac and wife Margaret became grandparents for the first time in September 2011.

In addition, Lee has been

invited to participate in two Congressional briefings and give a presentation at the White House Conference Center on Disaster Resilience in 2010. She spoke about architectural resilience for the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the 2008 Hurricane Ike, and the 2004 Sri Lanka tsunami.

1984 Debbie Smith Arthur and husband Dylan live in Portland, OR, with their two children, Kellen, 6, and Norah, 3. Debbie is an Assistant Professor at Portland State University, teaching community-based learning courses with a focus on juvenile justice and educational equity.

Moreover, she reports that her brother Scott Smith ’81 is well. He and his wife Joan live in Dallas, TX, and have three children, Christine, Nick, and Madison. He is a captain with American Airlines. He has served as MD80 Check Airman, Aircrew Program Designee, and Standardization Coordinator. Scott has flown the A300, F100, DC10, B727, and M80.

appointed by NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to be a member of the new Agriculture and Rural Development Board. He visited Argentina with his family–the first time he had been back since 1960.

1967 John Birdsall runs the Emerging Market sales team at Hapoalim Securities, USA, in New York City. He spent two weeks in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in December 2010.

In addition, he traveled with his wife, Margaret, and their two children, Emilia and Jesse, to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Emilia works for Americorps in Washington, D.C., and Jesse is a sophomore at Middlebury College.

1972 Chris Colvin was recently in Turkey, where he taught for a semester. Then it was back to Austin, TX, to resume his teaching duties there. About Turkey he said, “I was very impressed with the energy and confidence in the air–the Turks are on the move.”

1973 Janice Olshesky was

1987 Ann Forrest Allwarden is currently enrolled in Boston College’s doctoral program in educational leadership.

1988 Elizabeth Walker Joshi lives in Indiana with husband Nirmal and their two children, Shefali, 8, and Shaan, 6. She worked for ten years as an attorney in Chicago before deciding to stay home with her children.

Son Shaan was born with a rare genetic disorder called Joubert Syndrome, which affects the cerebellum. Since his birth, Elizabeth has served on the boards of not-for-profit organizations that focus on the blind and visually impaired and children with rare diseases and disorders. One of her biggest goals is to raise more awareness and research funding for conditions like Joubert Syndrome, which in Shaan’s case has inhibited his ability to speak, see, stand, and walk. He has entered first grade in a therapeutic school program, and Shefali is in third grade. She is an avid skater and loves to perform.

COURTESY MARK PIGOTT ’72

COURTESY TOM MARTISKA ’76

CLASSNOTES

Mark Pigott ’72 recently sponsored the Royals exhibition at the British Library, which was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

Tom Martiska ’76, right, and his family spent a week in Paris, France, visiting Sean Burke ’78.

1989 Chris Taylor has started IntroDurance, a program that introduces high school and college students to triathlon competition. IntroDurance’s goal is to draw athletes in their teens and early 20s into the sport by drawing on the interest and experience of faculty and alumni.

“Colleges are just starting to add triathlon as a club or varsity sport,” says Chris.

“It’s only a matter of time before it reaches the high school level.” Canterbury students participated in one of IntroDurance’s events in early November.

1996 Joyce Myung-Won Baek reports to the PALLIUM that she is a dentist and has recently relocated to western Massachusetts to begin a practice in the Springfield area.

1997 Borahm Lee, who was very active in music while a Canterbury student, is currently touring Europe and playing keyboards with rap superstar Kanye West to crowds of 50,000+. “He’s

an MBA student at Harvard Business School. She tells the PALLIUM that she recently received news that she was awarded First Year Honors.

Students in the top 15-20% of the first year class are eligible to be considered for First Year Honors.

The faculty then vote on eligible candidates before the honor is conferred. As a co-president, she is looking forward to leading the HBS Healthcare Club, one of the largest and most active student-run organizations on campus. She plans to graduate in May 2012.

2001 Chris McLaughlin is an MBA candidate at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, where he was elected president of the Class of 2013.

2002 Mark Mester was recently featured in Rumsey Hall’s alumni magazine, Rarebits.

According to the piece, Mark’s career in television started with an internship at NBC’s news magazine Dateline and working for several news executives. He

really making a name for himself in the music world,” says Canterbury’s Director of Music Dave Overthrow.

He has also worked with Wyclef Jean, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Wu-Tang Clan, Lauryn Hill, Matisyahu, Nicole Atkins and the Sea, Ladybug Mecca, and other notables. His own projects include a dub-step duo (Break Silence), a deep soul band (The Revelations), and a classical Indian vocalist (Falu).

1999 Matthew Kiefer graduated from UPenn Medical School in May 2011 and is a firstyear resident in emergency medicine at Highland General Hospital in Oakland, CA. 2000 In April 2011, Alice McGrail began a new position as an account supervisor at Cooney/Waters Group, a public relations agency in New York City. She resides in Hoboken, NJ. Dan Knup and wife Emily are the proud parents of Luke, born on May 27, 2011. Emily Kloeblen is happy to announce that she loved her first year as

now lives in Redding, CA, where, he says, it’s hard to find a beach. He recently joined the ABC affiliate KRCR-TV as a news anchor and reporter.

2003 Kevin Doonan and his girlfriend Mary ran the Boston Marathon in April 2011 on behalf of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. Together they raised more than $12,000.

Ally Mavelli married Josh Doyon on July 23, 2011.

She recently completed her Masters degree in history and now works at Fountain Valley School, where she is the head girls’ lacrosse coach, assistant director of the riding program, an admissions assistant, and history teacher. Josh also works at Fountain Valley School.

2004 Chris Bolster taught English in South Korea from 2010-2011. Currently, he is continuing his graduate studies in English Literature at Western Connecticut State University and teaches as a grad assistant.

55

56

sophomore at Franklin and Marshall College, where he plays squash for the school.

The article also states that Freddy is one of the elite players that returns to coach CitySquash players on Fordham University’s courts. Greg Kelly, who was diagnosed with idiopathic cardiomyopathy, a rare and often fatal heart condition, was featured in a Yale-New Haven Hospital video about his recovery and in a print ad in Southwest Airlines magazine that touted Greg’s story and the hospital’s groundbreaking procedure that saved his life. Greg attends a community college, and, as of this writing, is awaiting a heart transplant.

2011 Caitlin Shetterley has been awarded a Gates Leadership Scholarship to attend Lake Forest College.

Forester Scholarships are awarded to students who have demonstrated special ability in and dedication to art, foreign language, leadership, music, theater, writing, or science. n

GEOFF HOYT

COURTESY GUY VANASSE ’84

2008 Kate Briscoe tells the PALLIUM that she has been accepted to Teach for America. For two years after she graduates from Colgate University this spring, she will begin teaching at a high-need elementary school in New York City. “Upon reflecting on this opportunity, all signs point back to my amazing Nicaragua service trip while I was at Canterbury,” says Kate. “Even while at Colgate I have been involved in community service leadership and have worked at non-profit organizations with Colgate-sponsored fellowships during the past two summers. I am ready to take on a field that fuels social change.” Briana Berg was part of CBS News Sunday Morning story about college student internships. She did an internship at the show.

2010 Freddy Hernandez was mentioned several times in an article about CitySquash that was posted on The Responsibility Project website. Freddy is a

Class of 1987 Reunion Committee met at Patroon’s rooftop bar in Manhattan on October 5, 2011. L-r: Susan Allingham Tanamli, trustee Chad Burhance, Marc Heissan, Neal Griffin, Hilary Duffy, Susan Burke O’Neal, Landis Becker, Patrick Hardy, Garvin Hammer ’85, Steve Jayne.

COURTESY SHAUN NETTLETON ’96

1984 classmates Bill Dillon and Guy Vanasse met for dinner in Florence, Italy, last summer.

Kristen and Shaun Nettleton ’96 welcomed a second son, Finn William, on May 15, 2011.

COURTESY MARK MESTER ’02

Retired faculty member Walter Burke ran into David Scholze ’83 at a wedding on September 10, 2011.

On-air anchor and reporter Mark Mester ’02 in front of the camera.

He joined the KRCR News Channel Seven News Team in May 2011.

COURTESY ALLY MAVELLI DOYON ’03

COURTESY DAVID SCHOLZE ’83

CLASSNOTES

Ally Mavelli ’03 married Josh Doyon in the Chapel of Our Lady on July 23, 2011. The couple met while working at Canterbury.

Taylor Kennedy ’92 and wife Anna live in British Columbia.

They are the parents of twins Isabella and Josephine.

COURTESY LAURA GREGORY CLARK ’96

Laura Gregory Clark ’96 and husband Bill welcomed their second child, Andrew William, on June 6, 2011.

JULIO OMANA

Canterbury faculty members Criste Linkletter ’05 and Conor O’Rourke ’06 have fun with a celebrity figure at NYC’s Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum.

Cindy Weill ’78 visited former faculty member Sylvia Lahvis and her husband Fritz in Delaware last summer.

COURTESY NOLLY PORTILLO PASTORE ’96

Last summer, faculty members Julio and Amy McKenna Omaña ’86 and their children, Brendan and Abby, visited Meg Sine ’99, who works at the Freeport McMoRan Audubon Center in New Orleans.

COURTESY CHRISTE LINKLETTER ’05

Maria and Tom Hedus ’03 were married in Stamford, CT, last July. In attendance were classmates Chris Coulter, Branden Bohan, Vaughn Ho-Shue, and Alex Larsson.

COURTESY CINDY WEILL ’78

COURTESY TOM HEDUS ’03

Elizabeth Walker Joshi ’88 and husband Nirmal and children Shefali, 8, and Shaan, 6.

COURTESY TAYLOR KENNEDY ’92

COURTESY ELIZABETH WALKER JOSHI ’88

CLASSNOTES

Frankie and Gianna, children of Nolly Portillo Pastore ’96, are excited to be wearing their new Saints tee shirts.

Send news and photos to pallium@cbury.org 57

CLASSNOTES

You’re invited to return to campus for good times and good friends!

REUNION 2012 Canterbury School

REUNION 2012

JUNE

8 9 10

Reunite with classmates and faculty.

Bring the whole family.

58

CANTERBURY PROUD

Rick Gambella ’06

“Canterbury gave me courage to try new things, to pursue my dreams, and to fight for the issues about which I am truly passionate.”

COURTESY SUHALY BAUTISTA ’04

Suhaly Bautista ’04 has always been proud of

having taken the road less traveled. Even as a young girl, she knew she wanted more than what was available to her in the environs of her native New York. Her strong desire to “go against the grain” and a visit from then Assistant Director of Admission Ebony Grisom ’93 to her eighth grade classroom made all the difference and changed the course of her life forever. “Ms. Grisom’s visit could not have come at a better time in my life,” says Suhaly. “I was growing tired of following the same trajectory as my peers.” Soon after she visited Canterbury, Suhaly fell in love with her hosts, teachers, and the spirit of the School.

After a distinguished Canterbury career in which she was inducted into the Canterbury Honor Society, served as president and co-founder of the Diversity Committee, served as co-president of Women of Canterbury, captained the basketball team in her Fifth and Sixth Form years, and played lacrosse for three years and soccer for two, Suhaly was accepted to New York University. While there she studied abroad in Florence, Italy, and Accra, Ghana, was a graduate resident assistant, a teacher’s assistant in NYU’s Comparative Literature Department, vice president for Wagner Environmental Policy and Action, and co-chair of Outreach and Engagement of the NYU Sustainability Task Force, to name just a few of her responsibilities. In 2011, she completed a Master of Public Administration in International Public Policy and Management (with a specialization in the environment) at The Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service at NYU. Continuing her interest in women’s issues she had begun at Canterbury, she served as a program associate for Women of Color Policy Network and was a staff writer for 100 Hispanic Women, Inc. Suhaly’s accomplishments did not go unnoticed. In 2010, Washington Square News named her one of the “15 Most Influential Students at NYU.” Currently, Suhaly lives in Asuncion, Paraguay, where she serves as Associate Project Director for Amigos de las Americas, an environmental and community health project that brings more than 50 young U.S. volunteers to Paraguay to conduct community-based initiatives in 25 rural communities. In addition, she recently launched her photography website, The Earth Warrior, a space designed to inspire sincere, passionate, and creative partnerships between mankind and our planet, and became a member of F.O.K.U.S., an organization led by young adults that highlights the importance of and need for the arts and creativity in life. “Today, my work and art focus on issues of environmental justice as well as promoting the value of natural spaces and their powerful effects on human development,” says Suhaly.

Suhaly recalls her days at Canterbury with fondness and is grateful for the “unforgettable teachers that were her role models in and out of the classroom.” “I learned so much from people like the LaVignes, Mr. Mandler, Mr. Richardson, Mrs. Behan, and Mrs. Roberts. They embody Canterbury’s values and they always encouraged me to exceed the expectations I set for myself.”

So what’s in the future for Suhaly? She plans to merge her art and photography with her work in international development and environmental activism. She would love to work at National Geographic, The World Wildlife Federation, or the Rainforest Alliance.

“Canterbury gave me courage to try new things, to pursue my dreams, and to fight for the issues about which I am truly passionate,” says Suhaly.

“I realized my limitless potential during my four years at the School and am grateful that my brother, Khiray ’06, and I had powerful, unique, and life-changing experiences at Canterbury.”

59

HOMECOMING • OCTOBER 1 CLASSNOTES

60

Elaine Mullen Peer ’77 and husband Thomas with their children Griffin, Dylan, and Ryan.

Ron Morgan ’83 with sons Cullen and Dillon.

Peter Powers ’87 with wife Kathleen, Paul Coudert ’86, Amy McKenna Omaña ’86.

Frank Bice ’77, seated, with classmate Chris O’Brien and wife Michele.

Winner of the iPad2 raffle, Josh Belfiore ’06 poses with Headmaster Tom Sheehy.

Jason Elsas ’11 with brother Jack ’14.

Christine Meara, Simon Smith ’97, Bill Meara ’97, Doug Wicklund ’97.

Nicolette Chiaia ’83 and Dom Possemato ’74.

Will Finn ’07 and faculty member Alec Braley.

Caroline Foley Rice ’99 with Charlie, Maggie Reilly Hauser ’95 with Eleanor, and Kara Schiebel Kacmarcik ’95 with Lauren.

Andrea and T.J. Costello ’79, Vicky Omeltchenko ’79.

MARC VANASSE ’73 (12)

Kevin Doonan ’03, Headmaster Tom Sheehy, Eamon Doonan ’07.

61

NEW YORK CITY ALUMNI CHRISTMAS PARTY • DECEMBER 14 • UNION LEAGUE CLUB CLASSNOTES

62

TJ Sheehy ’92 and Jed Dolce ’01.

Steve Ryan ’69, John O’Grady ’70, Mike Carretta ’71, Bill Steers ’75.

Doug Famigletti ’90, Kimberly Locke, Matt Heissan ’89.

Chad Glennon ’90, Mary Coleman Lynn ’90, Eileen Guerin Zimmerman ’88, Michelle Leonard Cuddeback ’90, Chris Morgan ’88.

Jessica Richards, Christian Goyzueta ’02, faculty member Jen Lee Chandler ’84.

John Duffy ’59 and son Kevin ’91.

Sarah Pollock ’01, Alice McGrail ’00, Renata Gagnon ’00.

Nikki Smith ’99 and Livia Weinstein ’00.

From the Class of 2007: Bridget Heaton, Kyle Ekstrom, JC Routh, Alessia Gagnon, Giovanna DiGennaro, Sam Storch, Jonathan Zheng, Will Finn.

Sarah Knup ’98 and classmate Karyn Mitchell Ridder.

Tom Sheehy, Karen Becker Casey ’91, Sam Connelly ’91.

MARC VANASSE ’73 (12)

Donn Dolce ’63 and classmate Des Barry.

63

CLASSNOTES OBITUARIES In Memoriam

Rev. George P. Carlin ’42 Thomas G. Cronin ’58 Charles H. Torpey III ’72 Kristen Konz Johnston ’88 Stephanie E. Lyon Raymond ’91 Kathleen B. Breene, faculty spouse Rev. George P. Carlin ’42 George P. Carlin ’42 was born on May 17, 1925, in New York, the son of George A. Carlin and Mary CarrCarlin. After graduating from Canterbury, he attended Amherst College, where he majored in American Studies. He served in World War II and the Korean War as a naval officer.

After many years as a journalist on major American dailies, he entered a late vocation theologate conducted by the Benedictines and earned his M.Div. George traveled to the Philippines with the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) and spent five years at a mission on a Bicol island. He received his deaconate and was later ordained by his Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, the Manila Cathedral.

As a SOLT priest, he served in the Philippines, contributed articles to newspapers and periodicals in several countries, served at St. Anthony’s Parish in Harper, TX, and as the priest-in-residence for the lay families in Covington, GA. Thomas G. Cronin ’58 Thomas G. Cronin, 73, of Marston Mills, MA, formerly of Newtown, MA and MN, died at home on July 26, 2011, with his family at his side. He was the oldest son of the late Hall of Fame baseball great Joe Cronin and Mildred (Robertson) Cronin.

Born in Washington, D.C., he spent his career involved with Major League Baseball as a sales and marketing executive for the Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins. After his baseball career, he retired to Cape Cod, MA, where he spent his remaining years.

He enjoyed fishing, gardening, U.S. History, and spending time with his family.

He is survived by two children, three siblings, and his former wife and friend Susan Gardner.

64

Charles H. Torpey III ’72 Charles H. “Charlie” Torpey ’72 died suddenly on July 1, 2011. He was the husband of Janice (Farr) Torpey for 24 years and father of Christopher, Jenna, and Brian.

Born on May 3, 1953, in Norwalk, CT, Charlie was the son of the late Charles H. Jr. and Jennie DeLeo. A graduate of Keene State University, Charlie went on to enjoy a remarkably successful career as a track and cross country coach. He spent the past 17 years at the helm of the program at LaSalle University.

“I had the pleasure of coaching Charlie (years later he preferred ‘Charles’) in 1971-72,” said retired faculty member and cross country coach Walter Burke. “He was one unique guy–intense, opinionated, confident bordering on cocky, headstrong, kind, caring, passionate, honest, and down to earth. He had a knack for making the athletes he coached believe in themselves, and that’s the best thing a coach can do. Charlie died doing what he loved to do, coaching, until his last breath.”

Kristen Konz Johnston ’88 Canterbury received news that Kristen Konz Johnston ’88, of Angola, NY, died on November 4, 2011, from a heart attack. She is survived by her husband, Robert B. Johnston, two children, and her parents.

Stephanie E. Lyon Raymond ’91 Stephanie E. Lyon Raymond ’91, died on November 13, 2011, at Agape Hospice of Conway, SC, after a valiant battle with cancer. She was born in New Milford, CT, attended Washington Montessori School, and, after graduating from Canterbury, attended Concordia College. Blessed with a beautiful voice, she studied at the School of Performing Arts in New Milford.

She is survived by her parents, five siblings, nine nieces and nephews, four aunts, and five cousins.

Kathleen B. Breene Kathleen Britt Breene, 80, wife of deceased faculty member James “Jim” K. Breene, died on September 4, 2011, surrounded by her loving children at New Milford Hospital.

Kathleen was the only child of Helen and Michael Britt of Bronx, NY. Michael (Max) was a NYC firefighter and Helen was an AT&T telephone operator.

Kathleen graduated from Academy of Mount St. Ursula High School, Bronx, NY, and Columbia-Presbyterian School of Nursing, Class of 1952, and later studied at Georgetown University. She practiced nursing at the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

In 1954 Kathleen married Jim, and they lived and worked at Canterbury until 1973, when Jim continued his career at day schools in Philadelphia, PA, and Loudonville, NY. After his retirement, they lived in Warren, CT. The Breenes leave four children, Jane Kenney, Bailey Gendron ’77, James “Jamer” K. Breene III ’74, and Julie Ziebold, and eleven grandchildren.

The PALLIUM invites members of the Canterbury family to submit copies of obituaries, which we will edit for publication. If you wish to share memories of a deceased classmate for possible inclusion in this publication, please send them to the editor.

Bob Fullan ’39 Donates Sixth Charitable Gift Annuity Bob and Ann Fullan

“In 1939, I graduated with 17 classmates.

Three were killed in World War II.”

recently donated their SIXTH Charitable Gift Annuity, supporting the Class of 1939 Scholarship permanent endowment.

MARC VANASSE ’73

Fund in Canterbury’s

Ann and Bob Fullan ’39.

“I arrived at Canterbury in September 1935,” recalls Bob Fullan ’39.

“Though I weighed only 115 pounds I played Varsity Hockey my Third

Bob and Ann receive an income for the rest of their lives, plus an immediate tax deduction. Most importantly, they provide

Form year. We wore blue suits and white shirts for afternoon tea and dinner in the North House dining room (now the Duffy House art center.)

In 1939, I graduated with 17 classmates, of whom three went to Princeton and two to Yale. Three were killed in World War II. The Tabard, which we published weekly and distributed every Tuesday after dinner, placed in the top five of eastern prep schools in the Daily Princetonian contest.

“a priceless experience”

I recently donated to Canterbury my SIXTH Charitable Gift Annuity,

to Canterbury students

directed to the Class of 1939 Scholarship Fund. This is a triple win: my

requiring financial aid.

gift benefits the School, provides a priceless experience for scholarship students, and gives Ann and me an immediate tax deduction and a lifelong income.

God Bless Our School!”

To learn how you can benefit from including Canterbury in your estate plans, please contact: Jim Sweeney Director of Gift Planning 800-526-1710 • JSweeney@cbury.org

CANTERBURY SCHOOL 101 Aspetuck Avenue New Milford, Connecticut 06776-2825

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Canterbury School

Address Service Requested

PARENTS OF GRADUATES: If this publication is addressed to your son or daughter and he or she no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the alumni office of his or her new mailing address (800-526-1710 or bjohnsto@ cbury.org). Thank you.

MARC VANASSE ’73

www.cbury.org

A snowy owl makes a rare appearance on a gable of Duffy House in November.