Faculty Flashback: Ken Conn

faculty member from 1973 to 2009

interview by tom guden ’96

“The contact we have with the boys is the most important role we have as faculty.”

Hired in 1973 by interim Headmaster Bill Chauncey, Ken is known by most alumni as a teacher of French, but he also taught history and English in his early years at RL. In 2004, he was named the inaugural Stanley Bernstein Professor of French. In addition to his brilliant work in the classroom, Ken effectively guided hundreds of boys as the Classmaster of Class II. He showed a special devotion to those boys who were experiencing tough times or who might not be noticed as easily. Ken also loved encouraging and molding students out on the athletic fields, acting as a junior lacrosse coach for most of his career and honing the skills of generations of RL linemen on the gridiron. Ken retired in 2009. You really understood RL boys. What would you say were their most appealing qualities? Comparing the typical RL boy at the start versus the end of your career, how were they different? What did they have in common? RL boys have always been our treasure and the abiding strength of our school. Those who work at RL know that their efforts as teachers, coaches, and advisors are rewarded by the chance to watch the kids grow and develop. For me, the one constant throughout the years was always the boys. Times have changed since the first year I spent at the school, but I believe that the changes are mostly superficial. Hair-dos, fashion, music, even slang are mutable aspects of our world. Our fluid, dangerous, and demanding time has forced us to redefine who we are and what we do. It has always been the challenge of the school to help the boys develop skills to cope with what they will meet beyond those brick walls.

The boys are not homogenous. They come from many different backgrounds and cultures, which I feel is a great strength of the school, yet they are thrown together, and over the time they spend together become the unifying

element that defines Roxbury Latin. Their shared experience becomes the strength of their friendships and love of their classmates. The common experience, so different from many other educational experiences, becomes a bridge from the past to the current day. When they—their former, youthful selves—are rekindled, they talk a jargon incomprehensible to others. Who else knows the “Founder’s Song” or Latin phrases that are the currency of their past? They have long felt the sense of accomplishment that they survived the crucible of their teenage years and the demands of the school. They have memories of certain situations, teachers, experiences that provide a commonality for the diverse nature of their lives. Roxbury Latin has always stated that it stands for helping kids reach their potential. We care, most of all, what kind of person a boy is. Looking back at it all, I believe that we have succeeded in reaching our goal. The boys that we teachers worked so hard to teach and to help grow are the products of a school that cares about them as people.

What are your fondest memories of RL? Some of my fondest moments were the times I spent with my advisees and with all the other boys I met along the way. I hope I brought value and meaning for them. I loved speaking with groups of kids gathered around my desk. The contact we have with the boys is the most important role we have as faculty. I would like to think that I had memorable classes and opened the boys to the wonders of learning as a life-long pursuit. Teachers try to touch their students, to open their minds, to foster confidence, and to help them believe in themselves. But the impact we have can be invisible; after spending half my life at RL, I cannot state with any certainty what impact I had on the kids I worked with. A seed was planted that might have bloomed later on. An idea that comes to mind cannot be imputed to a specific event or experience. A teacher’s reward is not seeing the result of his student’s growth but rather knowing that the impact is in there, invisible but real.

Your enthusiasm rubbed off on your students. What was your approach with them in the classroom? I was originally hired to teach history and French. I taught Western Civ and European and American History. Along the way I spent years teaching English. I always enjoyed my time in the classroom. I tried to involve the kids in their education, to get them to certify that learning is a two-way street. I had, over the years, terrific colleagues—people who were dedicated, disciplined, and fun to work with. RL has blossomed, and much of its success can be attributed to those wonderful people. It’s certainly a tough and demanding job, requiring the individual to wear many hats, to go full-tilt from class to field for the entire day.

You coached football and lacrosse during your RL years. What did you enjoy about coaching at RL? I always felt that sports were an integral part of the RL experience. Practices were usually the highlight of the day. It was a chance to blow off steam and get together with friends. I cherished working with the line. Linemen are a special breed of athlete. I have nothing against the backs (better known as “the glitter boys”—the guys who get all the limelight), however my heart is with the guys in the trenches. They may never get the glory, but they are the soul of the team. They make the team work. I also enjoyed coaching “little guy lax.” Many of them were first-year players who had to learn skills from scratch. We had many years of success getting the youngsters to learn and enjoy the fastest game on grass. I was blessed to have worked with many fine coaches whose dedication and enthusiasm was inspiring. Coaching was one of the highlights of my time at RL. These memories are enough to fill a lifetime.

What are your reflections on your teaching career at RL? I couldn’t possibly pinpoint one memory, one event, or one person that stands out for me. There is rather a flood of people I have known, of experiences we have shared, that made the time I spent at RL so telling, so deep. I never lost my desire to help the boys. Roxbury Latin always demanded much from all of us, and success was based on how well we responded to the many challenges we faced. It was never easy, but it was always worth the effort to stay the course. I felt that the boys who came through to arrive that Saturday in June will always find the strength to face their challenges. These days there are more challenges to face than ever before, and so our efforts to build confidence in the boys are more critical than ever.

Apart from the regret of growing older and farther away from my years at RL, I feel lucky to have been with all of you. I am reassured with the school’s current administration and the ways they are continuing despite the difficulties and tragedies we all deal with. There are surely better days to come. //