8 minute read
Voices
Women’s Leadership
The Brace Center for Gender Studies and Andover’s need-blind admission policy are two of many important and integral initiatives brought forward by women leaders. Below are responses from alumni about their favorite women leaders at Phillips and Abbot academies.
Dorothy Judd was a long-tenured and much beloved Spanish teacher at Abbot who joined the faculty of Andover at the time of the merger. For my four years at Abbot I participated in her class with unwavering excitement. She captured my imagination, challenged my intellect, and truly taught me how to learn. How do I know? Remnants of the Spanish language remain with me to this day, words I learned over 50 years ago. Impact? I have conversed with Spanish-speaking people as I travel, and Miss Judd is with me as I speak those words. She is vivid in my very being as I think of the stories she shared of Coca-Cola vending machines in Mexico at the turn of the century, our class reading El Frijolito Saltón as an introduction to Spanish, and of being challenged to report our first dream in Spanish. Other classes and other stories I cannot recall in such detail. Hers I can. That is great teaching and, knowing that, I have encouraged my grandchildren to know the difference.
—MELANIE FALES DAVIS ’65
Dorothy Judd’s faculty photo from the 1971 Abbot Circle.
ANGELA HEESEN
via Facebook “Sheena Hilton! She made such a huge impact during her first year as FLG cluster dean. It was truly an honor to work with her and I wish I could’ve taken Chem 580 with her.”
_MAXVALE
via Instagram “Barbara Chase and Becky Sykes both greatly influenced my academic pursuits, career path, and decision to spend my life in education.”
ICHOLASCWILSON
via Instagram
When I was a student, Phillips Academy was an entirely different school from the current. It was all-male with almost no contact with neighboring Abbot Academy, except for those in drama/music productions. We had no female faculty and no minority faculty. Female presence was limited to faculty wives, librarians, and Commons personnel. Period.
Except for that beacon of brightness in the George Washington Hall lobby—Meredith “Dickie” Thiras. She was the actual “face” of Phillips Academy, and the school could not have cast a better choice. Dickie was always upbeat, personable, and bubbly, with a kind word for all.
Andover students were required to be in all- school meetings in George Washington Hall at least twice a week—assemblies, etc. So everyone saw her on those occasions and every time you went to GW for discipline, college counseling, off-campus excuses, etc. Dickie seemingly knew everyone’s name, though it must have appeared to her as a “sea” of coats and ties in that era.
Dickie was a beacon to generations at Andover. It’s difficult to think of anyone else in either the administration or faculty who had such a positive impact on so many lives.
—RODERICK M. MCNEALY ’68
@DANADELANY
via Twitter
The woman I nominate who has had the most impact on Phillips Academy and Abbot Academy is Amy Falls ’82, classmate and friend. I would have nominated her back in 2005 when she became not just the first female chief investment officer, but the first CIO ever appointed by the school. She has contributed so much to the financial health of PA, both practically and philosophically.
I appreciate how she links investing to the pruning in farming, how one can almost never prune enough. In the world of growing assets, just like plants, one has to examine the health of investments and prune regularly. She brings a great combination of boldness, thoroughness, and pragmatism to the school.
—CELIA IMREY ’82
the BIG question
Send us your responses to this query and we will consider them for publication in an upcoming issue. Please email magazine@andover.edu or airish@andover.edu.
How have the events of 9/11 changed your life?
Ijust had an opportunity to sit down and read the fall/winter 2020 issue and was truly blown away by the quality of the writing and editing of your articles. You are to be congratulated.
I do hope Head of School Kington has morphed into the unenviable position of managing this institution successfully and without any more stress than the rest of us are experiencing at this absurd time in our lives. His CV being so extraordinary, the institution is blessed to have Dr. Kington lead it through this period.
—RICHARD MYERS GP’22
It is clear from the content of the issue I just received that the magazine and the Academy have committed themselves to a political philosophy rejected by at least half the country (including me).
However, in taking that step, and in keeping with the classical liberalism that has served Andover so well over the centuries, I think you have a duty and would encourage the development of a forum where these political choices can be challenged. As constituted, I see no such opportunity.
—PETER FLEMING ’76
I want you to know how much I am enjoying the redesigned alumni magazine. I found it in my mail today after returning from a month-long respite down south.
Every page is interesting, and it will keep me occupied and entertained, and enlightened, for quite some time. Aside from the well-written text, the layout (graphics and photos) are worthy of an award. You and your team deserve a mountain of credit!
—MARTY GEIGER ’66
I was quite close with former Addison Gallery director Chris Cook [see photo below, fall/winter 2020 “End Note”] and his family—his wife, Trigger, and his daughter, Esther. I was very active in the visual arts and started up a new seminar series with the Addison Gallery where we brought in local artists, held special events for students, and spent a huge amount of time engaging with Chris and the gallery staff.
Trigger was one of the co-conspirators who helped me with two of the most famous pranks in all of Andover’s history: the Mother Phillips event and photograph, and the Hand of Man project, both of which made it into the 1974 yearbook. Trigger and I have a lifelong bond of special memories.
—STEVE MILLER ’74
@CASEY_SUNSHINE_BAND
via Instagram
When NASA’s Perseverance rover made its landing on Mars February 18 sending back historic first-ever video of the red planet’s atmosphere, Sarah Sherman ’04 had a lot to be proud of. A mechanical engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Sherman helped design sample tubes that will be used to collect rocks and soil from the planet.
Tom Lawrence, 1955 Pot Pourri
When my father died 55 years ago, my mother said it was as if the lights had gone out all over her world.
I’m reminded of this because losing PA 55’s class secretary, Tom Lawrence, affectionately known as “Yogi,” had a similar effect on the memory of my world at Andover.
Wondering why, I realized that Yogi checked off all the attributes one would want in a mother hen. Three in particular that mattered to me were kindness, thoughtfulness, and inclusiveness.
These and other qualities of character and service should draw tributes from across our class.
If so, I only want to add that they are deserved. Whether or not we see the likes of him again, he is truly missed.
—DAVID C. HARRISON ’55
Andover magazine welcomes letters to the editor related to Phillips Academy and Abbot Academy. Please email magazine@andover.edu for further information. Regarding “Reality Check” fall/winter 2020
“Somebody has to exercise some degree of control and responsibility” or it’s a Hobbesian nightmare of information, is the conclusion of this story. However, one person’s Hobbesian nightmare is another’s free market. Free markets have easily proven better over time than centralized control systems, if human thriving is the measure.”
JED GORE ’88
via Facebook
Regarding magazine redesign
@JESSESEEGERS
via Twitter
Regarding Childe Hassam image fall/winter 2020
@KD_WEATHERS
via Instagram
All School
SEAS THE DAY
For 34 years, Gordon Baird ’68 (right) has set sail nearly every day, weather permitting. On a blustery November morning, the salty New Englander hoisted his sails for the 10,000th time. Witnessing the epic milestone was longtime friend Joseph Kahn ’67 (left), an award-winning journalist who worked at the Boston Globe for 26 years, and Kahn’s son, Jaime, a professional photographer.
“It was quite poignant for me personally to be onboard for his 10,000th sail,” says
Kahn, adding that he occasionally handled the jib while taking notes. In addition to living in Massachusetts, both alums also share long tenures as class secretaries and serve on the Class Secretaries Committee.
“I think Jaime’s photos reflect a sense of how exhilarating, and historic, this outing felt for all three of us.”
See story on p. 32 and visit andover.edu/magazine to view more photos.
