Newsletter: Fall 2023 by Roxbury Latin

T HE N EWS LET TER

FALL 2023

headmaster

Kerry P. Brennan assistant headmaster for advancement

Thomas R. Guden ’96 director of external relations

Erin E. Berg photography

Marcus Miller, Gretchen Ertl, Mike Pojman, Adam Richins, Evan Scales editorial & design

Erin E. Berg, Marcus C. Miller the newsletter

The Roxbury Latin School publishes The Newsletter three times a year for alumni, current and former parents, and friends of the school. contact information

The Roxbury Latin School 101 St. Theresa Avenue West Roxbury, MA 02132 Phone: 617-325-4920 change of address?

Send updated information to julie.garvey@roxburylatin.org. alumni news

Send notes and correspondence to alumni@roxburylatin.org. cover

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The Newsletter FALL 2023 | VOLUME 97 | NUMBER 1

On November 2, Roxbury Latin celebrated Founder’s Day on O’Keeffe Field with an allschool build-a-bed project through A Bed for Every Child, assembling 89 beds for children

Features

in need throughout Massachusetts. Photo by Marcus Miller

Sixty Years of Beaver Brook for RL’s Sixies

Welcome, New Faculty and Trustees

Better to Be Good Than Great Headmaster Brennan Opens the Fall Term

The Future of China Dr. Michael Beckley Delivers the 20th Jarvis International Lecture

A Happy Homecoming and Reunion Weekend Luncheon Honoring Mike Pojman’s 43 Years at RL

Departments 4

RL News & Hall Highlights

Fall Varsity Teams

Arts Calendar

Class Notes

In Memoriam

Ramblings From the Archives A Winter Frost, and Some Book-ish Chemistry by Christopher Heaton

Opening of Roxbury Latin’s 379th Year “Teachers and scholars of the oldest school in continuous existence in North America, good morning and welcome back,” said Headmaster Kerry Brennan from the Rousmaniere Hall stage on Monday, August 28. That morning, the traditional Opening of Fall Term Hall began The Roxbury Latin School’s 379th academic year, as Mr. Brennan welcomed the 308 students, along with new and returning faculty and staff, to the start of the school year. Prior to the Headmaster’s opening address, Class I president Nick Consigli read Mary Oliver’s “The Summer Day” which asks, in its conclusion, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” The entire school then sang together lively renditions of America the Beautiful, For the Splendor of Creation, Commemoration Hymn, and The Founder’s Song, with junior Eliot Park making his debut as the school’s newest in-house organist. Mr. Brennan honored those in our community who are new, or long-serving, or taking on new roles in the school. He honored the members of Class I seated in the front rows, and he welcomed the sixies perched in the balcony. Mr. Brennan’s address focused on what it means to be a good school, a good teacher, a good student. Among other important distinctions he urged that a good school is prepared to evolve, and offers a dynamic example of community; that a good teacher love his students more than his subject; that a good student looks beyond that for which he will receive class credit to that which inspires him—that a student be open to learning that which is not on the syllabus. // Read Headmaster Brennan’s full remarks on page 16. >>> 4

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Sidik Fofana ’01 Discusses His Book and His RL Experiences in Hall and Classes It was a day filled with nostalgia and inspiration as Roxbury Latin welcomed back one of its own, author and educator Sidik Fofana ’01, on September 25. Sidik shared his journey from being a student at RL to becoming an award-winning writer and a public school teacher in Brooklyn. As he spoke to students and faculty, (from the same stage he had delivered the valedictory address during his own graduation ceremony), Sidik shared stories from his time as a student— including another speech during his senior year, during which he delivered a Hall talk about the significance of Ramadan and his personal experiences as a practicing Muslim. Sidik’s academic journey took him from RL to Columbia University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree, and later

to NYU’s MFA program. Today, he teaches in a public school in Brooklyn and is an award-winning fiction writer. His debut short story collection, Stories From the Tenants Downstairs, was awarded the prestigious Whiting Award, a testament to his exceptional talent as a new literary voice. Stories From the Tenants Downstairs is a collection of interconnected stories set in a Harlem high-rise apartment building. It explores the lives of a tight-knit group of residents facing personal challenges while grappling with the forces of gentrification. Sidik’s storytelling provides a powerful portrayal of strength, struggle, and hope within a residential community. “I wanted to portray an apartment building full of characters,” said Sidik. “Much like people I grew up with in Roxbury and Harlem—which is just a noisier version of Roxbury. I wanted to portray dialect and tell stories with a distinct sense of voice.” In Hall, Sidik read excerpts from the story “Lite Feet” and shared reflecions on his evolution from Roxbury Latin student to teacher and writer—reminiscing about everything from the public transportation he took to and from school (“I took the Orange Line from Jackson Square to Forest Hills,” he said, “then the 36, the 35—and I'm starting to forget what other bus—to St. Theresa Avenue.”) to the supportive community that surrounded him during his time here. Sidik also emphasized the positive impact of his teachers, highlighting the inspiration he drew from his educators at Roxbury Latin. He recounted the influence of Mr. Randall and Mr. Kerner, describing how their teaching styles and guidance shaped his own approach to education. His commitment to teaching and mentoring others was evident in his dedication to his students, sharing stories from his classroom and the challenges and joys of being an educator in a Brooklyn public school. Throughout the day, Sidik visited English classes, sharing insights into the writing process, the life of a writer, and his experiences in general. His visit left a profound impression on the students and faculty, serving as a reminder of the enduring impact of an RL education and the limitless potential of its alumni. //

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Beaver Brook:

SixtyYears for RL’s Sixies

On September 8, 42 new sixies—along with nine intrepid Class I leaders and faculty chaperones—trekked to Beaver Brook in Hollis, New Hampshire, for a tradition that dates back sixty years. Upon arriving, Class VI boys were immediately met with their first challenge: a test of their knowledge of “the oldest school in continuous existence in North America.” Charged with successfully separating Roxbury Latin fact from fiction and producing the most correct answers in the questionnaire, sixies faced an uphill battle: Those well-versed seniors and teachers may purposefully throw them off track with bogus answers, allowing for the single time all year when our watchwords “honesty is expected in all dealings” go out the window. >>>

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The day, organized by Class VI Dean Elizabeth Carroll, continued with team building activities (including a low ropes course, communication and leadership games, and an orienteering challenge that required a crash course in terrain maps and compasses). After dinner, sixies gathered in the barn for the annual viewing of the 1957 film Twelve Angry Men, with small group discussions to follow; these were animated but decidedly more civil than the ones depicted on screen. The evening ended around the “campfire” (a creatively concocted non-incendiary version, given the group’s move indoors due to the rain) where Mr. Opdycke taught new boys The Founder’s Song before it was time for s’mores. The boys then retreated to their sleeping quarters in the barn—having bravely survived both thunderstorms and bee stings!—for a short night’s sleep after a full and exciting day. >>>

The following morning, after breakfast, each sixie was given a hand-written letter from his big brother offering words of wisdom for the years ahead. Each boy then addressed a letter to himself, to be opened at his senior retreat five years from now. As they closed their notebooks, packed up their gear, and boarded the bus home, the Class of 2029 joined a brotherhood of RL men and boys who have, for sixty years now, sat around the campfire at Beaver Brook, singing about Roundheads and eating s’mores. It is a brotherhood that spans generations. //

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symbolize a sweet year; eating pomegranates, signifying fertility; and enjoying round challah bread to represent the full year ahead. Ezra explained that Yom Kippur, meaning “Day of Atonement” in Hebrew, is—unlike the joyful celebration of Rosh Hashanah—a solemn day for personal reflection, fasting, and self-examination. Jews refrain from work, driving, and most activities, dedicating themselves to deep spiritual contemplation.

Ezra Liebowitz (I) Shares Significance of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur On September 14, senior Ezra Liebowitz (I) delivered a heartfelt and informative Hall presentation in the Smith Theater about the significance and traditions of the Jewish High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Headmaster Brennan began the Hall by acknowledging the importance of sharing personal experiences, traditions, and stories of faith within the RL community. He emphasized that Roxbury Latin encourages the pursuit of truth and the exploration of various religions, recognizing that understanding and celebrating differences, including differences of faith, contribute to the school’s richness. Ezra then shared the significance of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the Jewish calendar—the holidays’ meanings and traditions. Rosh Hashanah, meaning “head of the year” in Hebrew, marks the beginning of the Hebrew calendar and celebrates the creation of humanity. It is a time for joyous celebration, togetherness with family and community, and reflection. One aspect of Rosh Hashanah, he explained, is the concept of teshuvah, which means “to return.” “Although Rosh Hashanah is a very joyous occasion,” said Ezra, “it’s a time when you also want to reflect about yourself. You want to think about the past year, and about what you want to accomplish in the year ahead.” Some of the common customs associated with Rosh Hashanah, Ezra continued, include eating apples and honey, which

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“Yom Kippur takes place ten days after Rosh Hashanah,” said Ezra. “It is the holiest day in Judaism—a somber and personal day during which you focus solely on reflection and on your relationship with God.” Yom Kippur culminates with the sounding of the shofar, an instrument made from a ram’s horn, symbolizing the unity, the “calling together,” of the Jewish community. Ezra emphasized that Yom Kippur serves as a moment for Jews to seek forgiveness, make amends, and strive to be their better selves. “After a very somber day of fasting,” Ezra said, “you’re tired, you’re hungry, you probably have a headache—so you finish the day with a break fast meal. It’s probably the best meal of the whole year! Every Jewish community has a different way of breaking the fast, different types of food—my family and I usually have bagels and lox. Once Yom Kippur concludes, it’s a happy celebration. We’ve broken the fast, and we’re finally into the next year and all that it brings.” In addition to sharing the history and traditions of these holidays, Ezra also spoke at length about his own personal experience of Judaism and his relationship with God, underscoring that these relationships can be challenging, or complicated, and are deeply personal. He was open about portions of his faith that are more challenging for him, and that it’s the community of Judaism—the collective Jewish people of which he’s part—that holds so much meaning and importance for him. In closing, Headmaster Brennan thanked Ezra for his insightful and personal remarks, and he urged all students to consider the importance of these questions about faith, identity, and purpose in their daily lives, emphasizing that such introspection is vital for personal growth and understanding. //

Seventeen RL Boys Recognized in National Merit Scholar Competition This fall the National Merit Scholarship Program announced the names of students in the Class of 2024, across the country, earning recognition for their academic achievement. This year, 17 Roxbury Latin boys have been recognized—nine named National Merit Scholar semifinalists, and eight others earning commendations from program officials. In this 69th annual National Merit Scholarship competition, semifinalists have the opportunity to become finalists and compete for some 7,250 National Merit Scholarships, nationwide. The awards are supported by the organization and approximately 340 businesses and educational institutions, to “honor the nation’s scholastic champions and encourage the pursuit of academic excellence.” Juniors from across the United States entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship program by taking the 2022 PSAT, which serves as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. From the approximately 16,000 semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to become finalists. Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for academic success at the college level. Roxbury Latin boys earning recognition this year include semifinalists Theo Coben, Leo Bene, Joseph Wang, Lucas Vander Elst, Aidan D’Alessandro, Akhilsai Damera, Eric Zhu, Dennis Jin, and Jack Tompros; and commendation recipients Ian Fuller, Hunter Lane, Ryan Lin, Ryan Peterson, Ayan Shekhar, Reid Spence, Justin Yamaguchi, and Evan Zhang. //

Dr. Jared Horvath captivates RL community with new insights into the human brain Starting on October 3, educator, neuroscientist and author Dr. Jared Horvath spent several days on campus speaking with students, faculty, and parents about the ways in which our brains grow, learn, and adapt, and how we can make the most of our brain power in learning, connecting, and caring for ourselves and others. His trifecta of presentations had boys, parents, and teachers each equally captivated. //

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Wyner Lecturer Dr. Joia Mukherjee on Equity in Medical Care and Research On October 24, Roxbury Latin welcomed Dr. Joia Mukherjee, Chief Medical Officer for Partners in Health, as this year’s Wyner lecturer. In a compelling presentation, Dr. Mukherjee shared insights into the pressing issues of global health inequality. Since 2000, she has devoted her career to providing quality heathcare to those in poverty—Dr. Mukherjee and her colleagues offer preventative and curative care, as well as social programs, around the world, from Haiti and Sierra Leone to Russia, Kazakhstan, and the Navajo Nation—but her desire to help started decades earlier, visiting her father's home city of Calcutta.

Producers of WGBH’s NOVA discuss science and storytelling On October 18, we were fortunate to have in Hall Julia Cort and Chris Schmidt, co-executive producers of WGBH’s NOVA. It was a fascinating look at NOVA’s unique combination of science and storytelling. Ms. Cort and Mr. Schmidt shared behindthe-scenes looks at their production and writing processes, their favorite projects, and reflections on why NOVA continues to be one of the network’s most popular programs. //

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“As a young kid, I went to India with my parents to visit family,” said Dr. Mukherjee. “It was 1972, the year that Pakistan and Bangladesh were ending their war, and in the city of Calcutta there were more than 10 million refugees... There were people everywhere in the street. A lot of kids my own were begging. It was horrifying. “There was a woman who was begging... I looked up, and her nose was completely disfigured as if it had been erased by a pencil eraser. And I screamed. I said, ‘What is wrong with that lady?’ My parents said, ‘She has a disease called leprosy.’ I said, ‘Can I catch it?’ They said, ‘No, honey, leprosy is only a disease that affects poor people.’ “And that's when my sense of injustice started.” Dr. Mukherjee explained the importance of preventative care through the lens of past pandemics—Cholera in 19th century London, the AIDS pandemic of the 1980s, and even Covid-19 in the United States—and why the poor are particularly vulnerable to outbreaks, as well as malnutrition.

“The limits of prevention are poverty, are inequality, are gender inequality, are racism,” said Dr. Mukherjee. “Because if a person doesn’t have access to food, to shelter, to paying jobs, to school, it becomes very hard to prevent illness.” “All of this led me to practice what is known as social medicine,” continued Dr. Mukherjee. “The practice of social medicine asks, ‘How do we not only treat this sick person, but also address the social forces making them sick?’ As a doctor, I was interested in both. At Partners in Health we talk about making a preferential option for poor people in healthcare, which means asking why people are vulnerable to being sick.” Dr. Mukherjee explored the common idea that “prevention is better than cure” by sharing poignant stories from her work in Africa, explaining how lack of access to basic needs makes prevention strategies ineffective. Her experiences with HIV and tuberculosis patients underscored the importance of not only preventing diseases but also treating those who are already sick. “For me personally, I found this focus on prevention only very frustrating,” said Dr. Mukherjee. “Because what if you’re already sick? And what if you need better systems to prevent it, but also to keep you healthy?” Her lecture culminated in a powerful call to students to lean into the senses of injustice they may feel—as Dr. Mukherjee did in Calcutta in 1972—encouraging them to seek understanding, ask questions, and actively contribute to addressing social issues, whether in the medical field or elsewhere. The Wyner lecturer was established in 1985 by Jerry Wyner ’43, who was present for the Hall, and his sister Elizabeth Wyner Mark, as a living memorial to their father, Rudolph Wyner, Class of 1912. Each year Wyner lecturers shed light on important social issues: past speakers include Schindler's List Holocaust survivor, Rena Finder; Mark Edwards, founder of Opportunity Nation; Dr. Iqbal Dhaliwal of MIT’s Jameel Poverty Action Lab; ethicist and technologist, Juan Enriquez; John Gabrieli ’12 of the Every Voice Coalition; and last year, landscape architect and climate change activist, Kate Orff. //

Health and Wellness Hall with Dr. Chris Thurber On September 28, Dr. Chris Thurber—a clinical psychologist, educator, and author—delivered a Hall and met with various groups of students throughout the morning, to discuss decision-making, stress, and the adolescent brain, as part of this year’s Health and Wellness series. Dr. Thurber’s research and musings on youth development and parenting have appeared in countless news and media outlets, from the Today show to NPR to The New York Times. His book The Unlikely Art of Parental Pressure: A Positive Approach to Pushing Your Child to Be Their Best Self was described by The Atlantic Monthly as “the rare parenting book that respects both parents and children.” Dr. Thurber also presented to Roxbury Latin’s Parents’ Auxiliary the evening of November 6 on positive parental pressure, and what that looks like. Dr. Thurber has served as a psychologist and instructor at Phillips Exeter since 1999. //

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New Faces at

Roxbury Latin This year, four new members of the faculty joined RL as teachers, coaches and advisors; we also welcomed two new Trustees.

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Matt Phillips joins us as a Penn Fellow, teaching a section of English 12, as well as two levels of dramatics, and directing all three of our theater productions as Director of Dramatics. Most recently, Mr. Phillips served as a Teaching Fellow at Groton School, at which he taught two sections of sophomore English, helped support students through a program of writing tutorials, and aided in the direction and production of several dramatic productions. Mr. Phillips graduated from a famous boys’ school, Saint Joseph’s in Philadelphia. His theater bug began there and blossomed during his four years at Georgetown. Mr. Phillips earned his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in English and Classics. A rare junior Phi Beta Kappa inductee, he received several prizes, among these the Regent’s Medal for outstanding achievement in the study of Classics and distinction for the best essay on any subject in the discipline of English. While Mr. Phillips was proficient in Latin, his passion and forte is Ancient Greek. As an undergraduate, Mr. Phillips acted in and directed a host of shows including Cabaret, The Rover, and J.B. At RL, in addition to directing the Senior Play, the Junior Play, and the musical, Mr. Phillips will teach and coach public speaking. Jeff Ott comes to us from an array of education-related enterprises. Most recently, he served as a longterm substitute teacher at St. Mark’s School in Southborough. Before that, he was a senior behavioral designer for ideas42, a company intent on improving educational outcomes in various settings. Prior to that, Mr. Ott taught public speaking to students in Japan and developed an environmental science curriculum in Vietnam; that curriculum ended up being used by over 5,000 students. Mr. Ott also served for a year as a substitute teacher at Bromfield School in Harvard, MA, at which he taught environmental science and AP Psychology. An avid naturalist, Mr. Ott has worked for the National Museum of History in Washington, D.C., and has led numerous birding expeditions. Perhaps his most enduring project as a birder is on behalf of the Appledore

Island enterprise in Maine, charged with recording migration patterns of 10,000 birds representative of seventy different species. A native of Chelmsford, MA, Mr. Ott enrolled in Belmont Hill School in ninth grade. He took the place by storm as a scholar and athlete. While a competitor in three seasons, he earned his most distinctive laurels in wrestling. Elected captain of that traditionally powerful team, he became one of the most decorated performers in that storied program’s history by earning four New England championships, as well as becoming the first national champion in Belmont Hill’s history. He was also named an All-American four times. Mr. Ott went on to Harvard College from which he graduated cum laude with concentrations in psychology and economics. At Harvard, he captained the wrestling team and was a four-time conference place winner, two-time academic All-American, and an NCAA qualifier. At RL, Mr. Ott is teaching Introduction to Physical Science (IPS) to Class V boys, as well as AP Economics to seniors. He is also coaching junior football and wrestling. Karen Buitrago joins us this year as a Penn Fellow and as a member of the Modern Language Department. A Colombia native, Ms. Buitrago grew up in Maryland and attended Connecticut’s famous boarding school, Choate Rosemary Hall, for high school, after which she matriculated at the language beacon, Middlebury College. There she majored in French and Francophone Studies; she also studied art history on an immersion experience in Paris. Currently she is enrolled in Middlebury’s Master’s in Translation program. This time, Ms. Buitrago is concentrating on her native language, Spanish. Last year, Ms. Buitrago taught two levels of Spanish, supervised a dorm, and created several YouTube grammar videos to complement her 50page grammar workbook—all at Worcester Academy. Now Ms. Buitrago joins us to pursue her graduate studies at Penn as well as to teach a section of French 1 and a section of Spanish 2, assist with debate, help coach junior tennis, and support RL’s social media presence.

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Blake Sundel is a native of Northern Virginia, having attended Fork Union Military Academy in central Virginia. A well-established boys’ school, Fork Union offered Mr. Sundel countless opportunities to lead and achieve. Elected president of the student body, he excelled academically and as an athlete. Just last year, he was welcomed back as their commencement speaker. Mr. Sundel went on to Harvard College from which he graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in history of art and architecture as well as history. All four years, he was a standout on Harvard’s Swimming and Diving Team earning team champion distinction in 2014. Mr. Sundel also served as executive editor of The Harvard Crimson’s sports board, served as a teaching assistant in the Crimson Summer Academy, and as a Summer School proctor. For three years, Mr. Sundel taught English, government, world history, and African American studies to a range of boys at Belmont Hill. He also coached eighth grade soccer and the middle school track and field team. Additionally, Mr. Sundel was active in admission work and spearheaded the creation of the Summit Scholars Program. This complemented his efforts on behalf of the Belmont Hill Diversity Committee. After a one-year hiatus in the consulting world, Mr. Sundel earned his MBA at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, at which he served as president of the honor committee. He heard the siren call of teaching, however, and headed back to the East Coast to teach at Washington, D.C.’s prestigious St. Albans School, again teaching English and history, as well as coaching the middle school swimming and diving team to its most successful record in school history. He also led the essential Skip Grant Program, which provides support to traditionally underrepresented students at the school. Returning to Boston and working for the first time at RL, Mr. Sundel is teaching sections of English 8, English 9, and English 10, and coaching soccer and track and field. He will also be active as a member of our admission efforts. //

New Trustees Katherine Craven is the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer of Babson College. The former Executive Director of the UMass Building Authority, she also served as Massachusetts’ First Deputy State Treasurer, was the founding Executive Director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority, and assisted in the writing of ten State budgets for the Massachusetts House of Representatives, with particular focus on hospital and education funding. Ms. Craven was named the 2020 Chief Financial Officer of the Year in the education sector by the Boston Business Journal. Committed to community and public service, Ms. Craven serves on a great number of boards and committees, including as Chair of Massachusetts’ Board of Education, Chair of the Boston Public Facilities Commission, and Chair of the Quincy City Building Committee. Ms. Craven also serves on the boards of directors of Massachusetts’ public defense agency, the Committee for Public Counsel Services, the Dorchester Boys’ and Girls’ Club, the Honorary Board for the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, and is an associate member of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents. She has lectured on topics such as executive leadership and the state budget process at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Northeastern University, and the Donahue Institute at the University of Massachusetts. Ms. Craven has been appointed to various government transition teams by both Democrats and Republicans, serving as a co-chair for Boston Mayor Marty Walsh’s transition team in 2013, as well as a member of the transition teams for former governors Deval Patrick and Charlie Baker. A graduate of Harvard College and Boston Latin School, Ms. Craven lives in Brookline with her husband, Dr. Jim Kryzanski, and five children. Her father, John, is an RL graduate, and she is an honorary member of his class, the Class of 1952. Ian Lane joined HarbourVest Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm, in 2003 and focuses on direct investments

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in venture, growth, and buyout transactions, as well as serving as Chair of the Firm’s Direct Investment Committee. He has led several of the firm’s investments, including Acclaris, Advanced Health, Datatel, Digital Insight, eTapestry, Lightower, M-Qube, National Cardiovascular Partners, Nexidia, Planview, Secure-24, Wayfair, and Zayo. He also served on the boards of directors for several portfolio companies, as well as the firm’s investment allocation and partner review committees. Additionally, Mr. Lane serves on the Leadership Board at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching and research

affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and on Roxbury Latin’s Investment Committee. Mr. Lane’s previous experience includes working at J.P. Morgan as an investment banking analyst, and serving on the Board of Directors for Veritas Christian Academy. While earning his undergraduate degree, Mr. Lane founded and managed a chain of martial arts schools in Florida. He earned dual bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from the University of Florida and an MBA from Harvard Business School, from which he graduated with distinction. Mr. Lane lives in West Roxbury with his wife, Krista, and their three sons, Hunter (I), Gavin (III), and Dylan (VI). //

Faculty

First Row: Josh Cervas, Peter Hyde, Stewart Thomsen, John Lieb, Mo Randall, Kerry Brennan, Paul Sugg, Ousmane Diop, Hunter White, Tony Teixeira, Rob Opdycke. Second Row: Jackie Salas, Elizabeth Carroll, Jim Ryan, Billy Quirk, Rary Delaney, Tom Guden, Tom Walsh, Ken Hiatt, Erin Dromgoole, Ernesto Guerra, Nate Piper, Daniel Bettendorf, Jamie Morris-Kliment, Chris Heaton. Third Row: Darian Reid, Michael Beam, Arthur Beauregard, Sarah Demers, Arturo Solís, Greg Sokol, Tim Kelly, Sean Spellman, Chris Brown, Andrés Amitai Wilson, Bryan Dunn, Matt McDonald. Fourth Row: Karen Buitrago, Matt Phillips, Rachel Korotkin, Alec Bleday, Jack Colavita, Geoff Theobald, Alex Pellegrini, David Smith, Matt Golden, Blake Sundel, Jeff Ott (missing: George Matthews, Eric Tran). //

Good Better to Be

Than Gr Kerry Brennan Delivers the Opening of Fall Term Address

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reat

t the start of each new year, I try to offer some thoughts on what it is we’re about to do and why. Ours is a distinctive, some would say “quirky,” enterprise given to hieroglyphics that attempt to describe a small, secret society in which its history and its ways are passed down—sometimes directly, other times obliquely. For those of you brand new to Roxbury Latin, our gathering here and now has to seem strange, and perhaps even intimidating. Where else are a gaggle of adolescent boys crammed into century-old seats that creak and moan and offer uncomfortable stiffness to those seated in them. And where there are incantations in various languages on subjects elusive. Where there is singing, mainly tuneful and with gusto, and similarly clad lads in mullets and polos and khakis and cryptic smiles. How do they stand this? How do they will themselves to pay attention, to take it in, to give it out, to participate, to engage, maybe even to delight in this distinctive ritual? Alas this is but one of the ways in which our school seeks to be itself, but from the world’s eyes, a way our school is distinctive, maybe even a throwback, surely a product of accumulated boys and teachers and ideas about gathering, and ideas about community and rituals that bind us one to another—together in our illustrious caper. Our illustrious, bizarre caper. Would all this be impressive to a visitor from another school, or from another realm—the greater neighborhood, the greater City, a different business, or way of life? Would all this be impressive, or simply strange? I frankly don’t care what a Martian who landed here thinks. I do, however, care what we all think, and feel, and choose to contribute to. Here we are at our most natural, our most RL, our best selves—collected and compressed. I intend today to discuss further what makes RL, RL. But I also am going to dare to describe what I believe to be a good school, a good teacher, and a good student. Unsurprisingly, much of what I say will sound familiar, will remind us of who we are, and who we ought to be.

The Good School I was reminded this summer of a remarkable phenomenon. It occurs both with literature and with art. Given the sophisticated technology of our times, it is not surprising that scholars are

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often hard at work re-examining ancient texts that were already thought to be adequately perceived, interpreted, and understood. Sometimes scholars (and scientists) discover that there is more to a document than what was previously thought. More than what initially meets the eye. In fact, given the scarcity of materials—papyrus, vellum, stone, plaster, paper—writers routinely re-used existing surfaces for new texts, new ideas, ones that were thought in some way to supersede that which was written before. Often, especially with Biblical documents, and the scrolls on which they were inscribed, there was certainly evidence of something that had been written before. In a famous scientific discovery, various theories and theorems of Archimedes were disclosed and helped scientists to understand his sense of the world. Often these documents written in Latin and Greek illuminate previously incomplete scholarship like determining the way different solids float in fluid, one of the revelations that came from reading the text a layer below. The principle of writing over an existing document is called palimpsest. The word comes from the Latin palimpsestus meaning “again” and “scrape.” The term, however, dates back to Ancient Greece, in which they used wax tablets like scratch pads. With a stylus, writers would write and then smooth the wax over and start again. There have been similar revelations concerning works of art. Regularly in restorations of ancient spaces, including and especially religious spaces, there have been important

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discoveries. Restorers were working on the Sforza Castle in Milan, Italy, when they discovered a lost daVinci mural under almost 20 layers of whitewash. Below all that paint was a massive mural depicting trees that grew from the walls up into the ceiling, where they formed a pergola of branches. Now the painting is being carefully restored to its former glory. In this case, new occupants of that space had little regard for daVinci’s work. Sometimes the artist himself, desperate for a canvas on which to work, paints over his own previous work. Picasso was famous for this, and in the well-known painting Old Guitarist one can see a ghost image of a woman. Whether Picasso was dissatisfied with his effort on the previous painting, or simply that in his early poverty he was desperate for a fresh canvas on which to express his current ideas, one does not know. Doubtless frescos, painting directly on walls, are lurking beneath more contemporary art all over Europe. Terahertz spectroscopy—the same type of radiation used to take one’s full body scan in airports—is revolutionizing this search and discovery adventure. In art this layering is called pentimento. Apoorva Yadav, a contemporary critic wrote this: “I’ve been quite taken with the idea of a work of art not being able to escape its past. I’ve seen literature, all literature, as palimpsest and visual art as pentimenti. Pride and Prejudice, for example, forms a palimpsest with any work of romance fiction written in English since, whether or not the writer has read Austen. When I read, I look for echoes of what went before. I fall in love with entire genres hoping to find traces

that the authors have hurriedly rubbed out in the pursuit of some romantic originality but that form the backdrop of everything they create regardless. Palimpsests and pentimenti give me the reassurance that nothing comes out of nothing, that everything has an origin story. It also gives me hope that everything matters, and if studied carefully enough, it is possible to see how they contribute to the final picture. I see myself as a palimpsest of the readings, experiences, people, relationships, and places that I’ve lived through. I’m working toward a masterpiece of courage, resilience, and emotional security, but it seems essential to first draw the pentimento of fear, breakdown, and insecurity, because without getting it wrong first, how will I ever get it right?” Surely our school, Roxbury Latin, is the result of such a phenomenon—the relevant presence of that which has gone before juxtaposed with what exists in the present, or even what is introduced in anticipation of what is yet to come. A recent book I read about Mozart suggested that he was a socially observant musician “constantly in dialogue with his culture and his times.” I feel the same way about our school, our good school. In my about-to-be-20 years in this role, I have seen RL build upon its past by acknowledging eternal values—character, academic striving, inclusivity, quirkiness—and wrapping these in new packaging that suggests greater appreciation for being known and loved, celebrating the generalist, preparing boys to lead and serve. My first point then I guess is that a good school knows its past and consciously preserves that of the past which is worth preserving, and evolves in order to equip its students with skills and exposures to certain subjects and knowledge and, especially, an ethical foundation that will serve them and their communities well. In doing so, the school affirms its reality as a dynamic organism, always recreating itself, acknowledging the needs and ambitions of its students and the culture they will inherit and shape. In conversation with our times. Second, while a school necessarily has as its gathering priority the offering of an education, part of that education has to be the result of advancing a microcosm of how life should be, how ideas should be formulated, how premises and pretenses should be challenged, how one realizes self-improvement. But equally as important is the school offering a dynamic example of community. This facet, understandably for some,

is the most consequential of all. Certainly for us at this good school, our commitment to community sets us apart. We thrive because we find satisfaction not just in the selfishness and narcissism that would be our companions in our natural state (and even especially in today’s greater culture), but rather because we care about and for each other. In the way we are structured, in what is required of all of us, in the guard rails having to do with honesty and kindness and generosity that we provide, we are signaling and nearly always guaranteeing a community, an intimate neighborhood that mimics the best of family life and offers our graduates a touchstone for the way to be in the world. A good school honors a responsibility and an opportunity to shape individuals into empathic citizens, neighbors, colleagues, partners, fathers. A good school provides consistent, clear reminders in the microcosm it is of ideal life beyond the experience and the walls of the school and one’s time in its midst. A good school is clear in its mission. It understands the ways in which students should be both challenged and affirmed. A good school should always be asking itself “why.” I’m not sure that this good school is as responsible as it should be in this regard. Too often the trains move so fast around here that it’s difficult to pause and consider and discern what best we should do to optimally honor the ambition of our mission. There is plenty of momentum. Don’t get me wrong, I am not a fan of inertia. Nor am I a fan of doing things a certain way simply because we have always done them that way. I hope that our rituals and recognition of our history and embrace of traditions make sense. That these result in the affirmation of our mission. I hope that our program—and by that I do not just mean the curriculum of our various courses and our requirements, but the whole of our program including extracurriculars, Halls, special events, and everything we do to and for students—is reflective of what we believe to be in the best interests of our students. And that makes sense given the ongoing “conversation with the culture and our times.” Sometimes we can be awfully insular, victims of the “we’ve always done it that way” school, or of the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” school. Ideally, we should always be alert to what is happening in other schools, to borrow shamelessly those things that would make us even better, and to dare to get rid of parts of our program and of our ways that do not optimally

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honor our mission. Why do we teach all the things we do, and why do we teach what we do in the way that we do? These are questions that we gently ask year after year. They are essential not just to a school’s being relevant, but to a school’s being distinctive in its putting the best interests of its students and the world they will lead and serve first. A good school should be a lifelong resource for its students. Surely in the way that lessons learned about life and living, not to mention problem solving, and scholarly esoteria enrich students’ lives into adulthood. Alumni should also depend on the ethical lessons of a good school to nurture and to bolster in the buffeting challenges of our times. Personally, however, as is true in our good school, alumni are enriched by and even depend on the relationships forged here—relationships first and foremost with fellow schoolmates, but with faculty and staff, as well. A good school does not lose its influence once a student crosses the stage at graduation. A good school is an eternal wellspring of life giving relationships. A good school aspires to academic excellence—but not the kind of excellence measured by grades, scores, National Merit laurels, or college acceptances. A good school can translate scholarly striving for its students. While often the academic ambition of the school might seem only that which is right before students—memorizing the Latin declensions, applying the mathematical formula, putting in chronological order the events leading to the Revolutionary War—the greatest gift of a good school is modeling and inspiring a lifelong interest in ideas, a willingness to challenge preconceived notions, a thirst for knowing more, and an ability to marshal facts and experiences on behalf of an understanding of and appreciation for the world in which we live. A good school is constituted of all kinds of kids. It realizes that it is the door through which those who step forward will enjoy a different kind of life. A good school teaches its students to leverage the opportunity they have been given. It ensures that kids from all parts of town, from all kinds of backgrounds, and traditions, and circumstances are incessantly side by side in the classroom, on the playing field, and on the stage. A good school reminds its students that they are all in it together and that their job is not to emphasize what makes them different and to seek protected siloes for others like them, but to join in

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the greater enterprise of creating a common, united organism of fellow travelers. A good school finds its energy and validation and dynamism in the students—all kinds of them— whom it coalesces into a thriving, regardful community. A good school celebrates the quirky, the idiosyncratic, the odd even, but never sacrifices the greater potential that results from a unified effort for the aggrandizement of the individual. A good school is structured and committed to know and love every student. In doing so, it will recognize what makes people distinctive. And it will care enough to hold people accountable—especially if they seem not to be realizing their potential in one area or another, or they’re unkind or dishonest or cynical—in order that they can be both productive members of this community or go on to make a difference in their later lives. A good school recognizes effort and improvement and is eager to celebrate souls who are trying hard and improving. A good school always feels more like a family than a business. Finally, in thinking of a school like the pentimento—layer upon layer of experience and contribution and personality—a good school is both affirmational and aspirational. It affirms that which has been and is worthy to be preserved, deepened, enhanced, and it aspires to something different, better, and relevant—eager to arm its students with a perspective on life that mirrors their school experience—regardful of the past and hopeful for the future.

The Good Teacher School is a word with many meanings. In most instances when people use “school” they are talking about the schoolhouse, as in “I’ve got to go to the school tomorrow,” or “There’s a school on the top of the hill.” They mean the building. Several years ago, I made the comparison between this confusing phenomenon and what is meant when someone talks about “church.” Again the temptation is to think of the church as a building, like St. Theresa’s down the hill. “There’s a church at the bottom of our street.” People who make their lives in churches—in the leadership of churches—are persistent in reminding the faithful that as members they are the Church. The simple inference is that in gathering together like-minded followers of a particular brand of faith or religion, the individuals inevitably constitute the church. In

that understanding such a commitment doesn’t even need a building in which to assemble; it makes it easier, however, for like minded people to gather comfortably and reliably and benefit from the common rituals and reminders that unite them. And so it is true about a school, a good school, our school even, that the school is the people who make it up. Those people are influenced by a mission, and a history, and a culture, but it is they who breathe life into the very notion year after year after year. And so we do today. So, given that essential understanding, let me comment on the good teacher and the good student, the two categories of people essential to any good school. Good teachers love their students. It starts there. They love their work. And they appreciate both the opportunity and the responsibility that their work suggests. Good teachers see their work as a calling, as a vocation. They have an existential sense that what they do to and for the students in their charge will make a difference, that it can change the world even. Good teachers love their disciplines, but they love their students more. Good teachers see themselves as partners in the learning process. In education circles there is the disparaged image of the “sage on the stage,” a kind of teacher who simply professes and fails to engage. Mark Hopkins, one of the founders of Williams College, a sleepy little aspiring college in the distant extremes of the state, described beautifully the simple act of teaching. In his day, he talked about the effective elegance of “a student on one end of a log and a teacher on the other.” My favorite good

teachers are good listeners. They see their jobs as experts but are more concerned with sustaining and enlivening a conversation. Their big goal is to cause students to think, to consider, to discern. They are responsive and provocative. They are willing to have their minds changed thanks to the good ideas of their students. Good teachers benefit from their experience, but they are most delighted by the newness, the freshness, the novelty of a given class, a given student, the chemistry of a section in a given year. Good teachers create excitement in their students, by not just imparting knowledge but affirming that education is a set of endless possibilities, of encountering ideas, of discerning truth, of falling in love. Good teachers are empathic, and because they, too, were once students, I hope that they always will communicate the idea that regardless of whether one is called a student or a teacher, that we are all in it together, playing for the same team, eager for our shared transformations.

The Good Student And finally, the good student. Were I a different kind of Hall speaker, I would now turn it to you in the way I would hope to run an enlivening classroom. But today, we shall proceed more traditionally. What makes for a good student? Are you a good student? How will you measure that? How will you know it? Let me share some thoughts on that. You would imagine, I would hope, that I would affirm some things you already know and feel and believe. A good student is responsible. A good student does his

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job—he is open to the learning process; he prepares for class, for discussions, for assessments. I have a feeling, for example, that our good students don’t always prepare for the discussion, for contemplating ahead of time how that class might go, and more urgently, how the good student might help to shape that experience for his classmates and his teacher. A good student engages with the material. A good student suspends his wariness that certain material is important or helpful and nonetheless engages, tries to understand, tries even to appreciate. A good student puts himself in the place of the teacher and imagines why the teacher should be so enthusiastic about an aspect of the curriculum. A good student appreciates what makes his or her teachers tick. A good student imagines a future in which scholarship—the exposure to or study of disciplines like English, history, math, science, languages, the arts, technology—can sustain us, inform us, inspire us, offer answers when we are puzzled, and lead us to work and play and relationships that prove meaningful. They can help inform a good life. In contemplating a different incarnation in our adult lives of the subjects we are studying now, we should step back and see the big picture, and imagine all of this in the context of big questions: Why am I here? What are my goals? What inspires me? What do I want to do? Most important, who do I want to be? While I was preparing this talk, I came across an article in The Wall Street Journal by an author named Lewis Hyde— maybe Dr. Hyde’s long lost cousin. In this case, I was happy to play the game of hyde and seek in pursuit of a different understanding. I don’t know how you feel about butterflies. I expect I’m not alone in saying that I appreciate butterflies. I like them when I see them. I understand a bit about the biological process that yields butterflies. I like the metaphorical potential of the bland, unimpressive cocoon that eventually yields a startlingly beautiful creature—soaring and free. I know that butterflies symbolize life in many cultures. I don’t think I saw a single butterfly all summer. But neither was I out looking for them— wading through bogs or wheat fields in the hope of spying one. Mr. Hyde, however, was in pursuit of butterflies—not just this summer, but always. I like the way Mr. Hyde thinks and I like the way he writes. He wrote:

“If you have ever gone bird watching or looked for wildflowers or mushrooms or hunted for deer or rabbits, you will know the strange enchantment of searching for nature’s hidden treasures. I first knew it in childhood, hunting for butterflies in the farm fields of Connecticut, a pursuit that sadly ended when my family moved to Pittsburgh and the dense fogs of puberty and higher education descended on me, obscuring the swallowtails and skippers. “Only decades later did the air clear. Fully quit of school and finally in love, I had been offered a cabin in West Virginia for the summer. One day after a swim, my sweetheart spread our beach towels on the open porch, and soon we found them shingled with fritillaries, dozens happily feasting on the salt of our sweat and batting their orange and silvered wings in the sun. Within the month, I had restocked my childhood armory—net, killing jar, spreading board, pins, display cases— and was again out roaming the fields. “Early on, I was out to learn the names of the local fauna, to make a collection, to know the science—what the caterpillars eat, for example, or how they survive the winter. Over the years, however, those purposes have come to seem more and more beside the point. “Over the years, I have given up the killing jar and the pins. My collection I gave away. The one thing I have not yet discarded is the butterfly net. Walking with the butterfly net alters my perceptions. It produces a state of mind, a kind of undifferentiated awareness otherwise difficult to attain. It is a puzzle to me why this is the case—why, that is, I can’t simply learn from walking with the net and then put it away and transfer what I know to walking without it. “Perhaps it has to do with the way the net declares my intention, which is to apprehend what is in front of me. Walking with the net is like reading with a pencil in hand. The pencil means you want to catch the sense of what you are reading. You intend to understand, put check marks and exclamation points in the margin and make the book your own. You may think you can read with the same quality of attention while lying in bed at night without a pencil, but you can’t. The mind notices your posture and models itself accordingly.

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“As with the pencil, so with the net. Both declare the possibility of action, and that possibility changes the person holding the tool. In hunting, the declaration sends awareness out toward the object of the hunt. Jose Ortega y Gasset once suggested that game hunters borrow alertness from their prey. A hunted animal is perpetually on guard, even when nothing is stalking it. The hunter’s acuity and stealth are responsive: As much as the animal is alert, just that much, and a little more, must I be. The ears of the deer are great cupped sound scoops, and if I hunt the deer, I would do well to walk as if those ears were always seeking me. To borrow on the prey’s alertness requires a kind of self-absenting. Hunting stills the hunter’s self-regard. “When I walk with the net, my footsteps and my breathing fall into a slow and coordinated rhythm. I place my feet, each step slightly more deliberate and cautious than otherwise. When I walk without the net, my footsteps speed up, and my mind leaps ahead like a witless hound. Without the net, I am above it all, interested only in some future time and place to which I am headed with quickening breath. With the net, I pause and conduct a full search of each milkweed head; without the net, my gaze glides over the surface, absorbing nothing. “Without the net, I have few links between my imagination and the outer world. With the net, I form an image inside me, and even if nothing appears to match it, I have a point of contact. Hunters—of fossils, seashells, birds, crickets, ginseng, mistletoe—know what it is to carry a mental picture of the desired object and how magically the image helps you find the thing in fact. The seasoned mushroom hunter sees morels invisible to her companions. “But the pleasure of hunting derives from something more subtle than the congruence of image and fact. By virtue of looking for butterflies, you are differently aware of everything that is not a butterfly. Once the eyes adjust, many wonders are illuminated by the halo of your search image. “To see that there are no butterflies on the bark of a tree, you must see the bark of the tree and, by a curious inversion, the thing not hunted suddenly is freshly revealed. The search image is wholly mental, after all, and all that fails to match it is strikingly not. There it is, the bark of a tree! Vividly it is not

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in the mind. Often I find myself staring in a seizure of wonder at some simple thing—a disc of moss on the path, a column of ants in a crack of dried mud, deer scat in sunlight—that I would never have seen so clearly or with such surprise if I were not hunting for something that is not those things and is not there. “Capture is a very tiny part of hunting, but its possibility activates the field, so that for the rest of the time there is the rest of the world, spread evenly around the hovering, delighted mind.” Finally, I would suggest that a good student prone to “stare in a seizure of wonder at some simple thing”—in the good student’s case, comprehension of a mathematical principle, an ability to manipulate Latin syntax, or memorization of English vocabulary—not forget that his job, and much of the pleasure of learning, resides in all that complements those important, but not exclusively important, priorities. Hyde writes beautifully of that which surrounds the focus of one’s search. “If one did not discover the absence of the butterfly on the bark of a tree, he would not appreciate the bark of the tree.” If learning has to do with determining what it is that one is supposed to learn, to apprehend, to master, let it also, and perhaps more important, be about the broader context of the focus. Let learning for the good student be about being wide awake to all possibilities, to the surprises that lurk next door to the thing you thought you were learning. I have students confess that they have fallen in love with a poem of Emily Dickinson and gone on to devour all that she has ever written—far beyond what any teacher would prescribe for his curriculum; I have had students who were mesmerized by coding in MSI go on to imagine new ways of capturing knowledge and imagine companies they could found that would expand upon all that was originally known about coding and programming. I have had modern language students catch a glimpse of Charles DeGaulle in some passing reference to a vocabulary infused passage in French go on to be an expert on the resistance in World War II. Mr. Hyde was looking for butterflies, but in doing so, he found so much more. He discovered nature in its fullness and generosity; he also found himself—curious, appreciative, aspiring. The good student, and I hope each of us is that good student, approaches every instance of teaching and learning with that same sense

of possibility, of an eye and an ear and a heart that digs deeper but also imagines more broadly, sensing the interdependence of things. And willing to be delighted by the unexpected, the richly configured surprise. Look for surprises this year, good students. Don’t be satisfied with what the teacher suggests is all that you should learn and know. Be your own teacher questing to apprehend the world and all its wonder every single day. Having thought of the good school, the good teacher, and the good student in these ways, I realize what I have offered is just a start, that there are other qualities and priorities reflective of each of these categories. You can fill in the blanks that you perceive. But I should say that my choosing the adjective “good” to describe school, teacher, and student was intentional. Twenty or so years ago, many of the selfhelp books having to do with business and financial success claimed to know how to go from “good to great.” In effect, these books were intent on explaining how someone could expand a modest business into one that was wildly profitable. Occasionally, they touched on how one would feel great as opposed to good if he or she followed some formulas related to success. I care more that each of us is good than that each

of us is great. There is understandable confusion in my making this distinction because one interpretation of great and good suggests that great is better than good. “Guys, I don’t want you to just be good players today; I want you to be great players.” That is a fair, rhetorical differentiation between the two. What I’m talking about when I talk about good is not some second tier gradient on a scale. In seeking to be good, for the school, the teacher, and the student, I am signaling we should put character, good will, generosity, honesty, teamwork, empathy, love even, first. In pursuing whatever goal a school or a teacher or a student may have for achieving and measuring success, it should never be the result of sacrificing that which makes us fully and appealingly human. At least in the way I have heard “great” trumpeted and abused in society and in common boasts—often bragging of winners over losers—I will take “good” over “great” any day. When all is said and done in our personal and professional relationships, we will always be more impressively admired for our goodness than for our greatness. This year and always, let our essential goodness be among the things that surprise and arrest us and be part of our plan for our wild and precious life. //

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Future of China The

Tufts University Professor Dr. Michael Beckley delivers

the 20th Annual F. Washington Jarvis International Fund Lecture

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n 2004, we began what has become one of Roxbury Latin’s proudest traditions, the F. Washington Jarvis International Fund Lecture. Named for the man who for thirty years served as Roxbury Latin’s tenth Headmaster, the annual Lecture has given us occasion to hear from distinguished public servants and thinkers on foreign affairs, including former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; homeland security advisor to President Obama Lisa Monaco; former Director of the CIA John Brennan; and, last year, David Diaz, who provided a stellar example of a career committed to national security, foreign policy, and public service. On October 12, we welcomed to Rousmaniere Hall our twentieth such distinguished speaker, Dr. Michael Beckley. Dr. Beckley is an expert on the power dynamics between two of the world’s largest economic players—the United States and China. He currently serves as an Associate Professor of Political Science at Tufts University, a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and Director of the Asia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. His research on great power competition has earned him multiple awards and has inspired appearances in numerous media from The Atlantic to The New York Times, from NPR to the Wall Street Journal. Dr. Beckley has previously served as an International Security Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School

of Government; he also worked for the U.S. Department of Defense, the RAND Corporation, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He continues to advise offices within the U.S. Intelligence Community and U.S. Department of Defense. Dr. Beckley spoke to the RL community about the realities of economic decline in China after more than 40 years of stunning growth, and the inevitable consequence of that trajectory, which is at best, by his estimation, a cold war. Dr. Beckley explained the history of China’s rise to a global economic power, as well as the factors that will undoubtedly lead to its decline in the coming years. He walked students and faculty from the early 1970s through to present day, during which time China benefited from a perfect storm of good fortune: a favorable demographic ratio of working-aged citizens to elderly folks; political progress after the death of Mao Zedong; a wealth of natural resources; and a rising trend of hyper-globalization that expanded trade dramatically. Now, however, China’s natural resources are—quite literally, in the case of groundwater—running dry, and its population is dwindling. (In fact, sales of adult diapers in China are about to surpass those of infant diapers.) The country is in the midst of a productivity plunge and a surge in national debt, is suffering the economic aftershock of “zero COVID”

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“There is no question that China has arrived, but the question I’m raising today is over its future trajectory. Are things going to get better for China in the future? I think the fundamental problem is this: All of those tailwinds I just mentioned that propelled China’s rise are rapidly turning into headwinds.” lockdowns, and is more politically isolated than ever. Dr. Beckley explained that, in his estimation, this portends a large-scale global conflict. Historically, he explained, countries in similar positions—that is, those with significant means from an economic boom and the motivation of an impending fall—have lashed out in considerable ways. As he described, we need only look at Germany in the buildup to World War I, Imperial Japan in WWII, or the Soviet Union before the Korean War to “predict the future” of Chinese conflict. Dr. Beckley worries specifically about Taiwan and the many countries that lay claim to parts of the South China Sea. Dr. Beckley’s insightful and comprehensive—if sobering— presentation was an important reminder that amidst so much global turmoil, world leaders cannot take their eyes off East Asia. Dr. Beckley is an inspiring example of an expert in

his field who uses his intellectual passion to work toward a better, more peaceful world. After Hall, Dr. Beckley spent the morning with two sections of Mr. Kelly’s European History class, continuing the conversation and digging more deeply into the topic and its relevance to other global events today. Roxbury Latin offers its thanks—as always—to Jack and Margarita Hennessy for funding the annual opportunity for our boys to hear from such distinguished thinkers on world affairs over the years. Mr. Hennessy is a member of the Class of 1954 and a former member of Roxbury Latin’s Board of Trustees. Both he and Mrs. Hennessy have throughout their lives represented an unusual engagement with other nations and cultures. Throughout their lives, too, they have generously provided the philanthropic wherewithal in order that others might come to know and appreciate various corners of our increasingly interconnected world. //

RL Public Speakers Impress on Global Stage A trio of Roxbury Latin’s best and brightest public speakers—Omar Rahman (II), Lucas Connors (II), and Tom Pogorelec (III)—traveled to the Croton House School in Vancouver from October 19 to 22 for the 2023 International Independent Schools’ Public Speaking Competition. All three boys delivered impressive performances, and Lucas won third place in Persuasive Speaking, 14th place overall. //

Parents of Roxbury Latin Alumni Gather for “Homecoming” Though their sons are away at college, we were happy to host more than 50 parents of college-age RL alumni this fall, at Headmaster Brennan's house, for a "homecoming" of their own. //

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A Happy

Homecoming

and Reunion Weekend

On Saturday, September 23, hundreds of Roxbury Latin fans—students, alumni, faculty, families, and friends—gathered on campus for this season’s >> Homecoming and Fall Family Day.

The day brought athletic competitions across campus, including varsity matches in cross country, soccer, and football. A special luncheon was held in honor of Mike Pojman, who retired this summer after 43 years of teaching at Roxbury Latin. Several hundred Mike Pojman fans—across several generations—turned out in the Jarvis Refectory to honor Mike, thank him for his long service and deep care, and to hear from three of his former students who delivered heartfelt, funny, inspired, and poignant remarks about one of their friends and mentors. Alex Pascal ’97, a long-time advisee, turned the tables by drafting and delivering his own advisor letter to Mike.

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" Fernando Rodriguez-Villa ’06 elicited lots of laughter as he chronicled some of the antics and lighter moments that were hallmarks of Mike’s teaching, advising, and friendship. Finally, Billy Quirk ’04 masterfully honored Mike’s 43 years of dedication to RL and its people through the theme of time— the impossible reality that Mike was seemingly everywhere at once, and yet always had time for anyone who needed it. Following the three alumni, Headmaster Brennan closed the event by unveiling a portrait of Mike, commissioned by the school, that is now hanging outside the Chemistry Lab—Mike’s home for so many years.

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" Following the luncheon, it was on to the games and BBQ— and the rain did nothing to dampen spirits. Prior to the football game, the Latonics performed the National Anthem, and at halftime, on the football field, Sixies and Fifthies battled it out in the annual tug-of-war. (Class V emerged victorious, continuing a years-long championship run.) Finally, the celebrations concluded that evening in the McNay Palaistra, where several hundred alumni—from the Class of 1964 to the Class of 2019—and their guests gathered for cocktails, dinner, and happy conversation, marking special reunion years.

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Junior Cross Country Places First Out of 17 in Larz Anderson Invitational The intrepid runners of Classes V and VI took to the hills of Larz Anderson Park on October 19, in the hopes of defending their team title at the Larz Anderson Invitational. Without any ninth graders in the mix, the Junior Cross Country team’s younger team members seized the day, placing first out of 17 teams and earning the title of Larz Anderson Invitational team champions for the second year in a row. After bolting out of the gates at the start, the team settled into their paces. Ethan Budreau (VI) led the team through the halfway mark, with Bruce Ghostlaw (VI) close behind. Ben Romano (V), Julian Vidal (V), and Everett Bluman (VI) followed shortly thereafter in a tight group, demonstrating perfect “pack running” strategy. No other team had such a dense pack of runners at the mile—an intimidating show of dominance by RLXC. Everett epitomized a perfectly-paced race. After coming through the mile around 20th place, he made a big push on the second lap to move up, ultimately finishing in eleventh place, RL’s first runner across the line! In the second half of the race, many other RL runners— including Nayan Patel (V), Kolby Sahin (V), and Jasper

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Hyatt (V)—also showed the value of patient early running. Putting their “pedal to the metal” on lap two, they passed a number of runners in the second mile. John Cirasuolo (V) and Alex Archerman (VI) both showed the advantage that RL’s own Malley Hill gives RLXC athletes wherever they run; on lap two, both John and Alex pushed over the top of the major hill to catch and pass runners on other teams. As the finish line drew near, Guled Rashid (VI) and Charley Malley (VI) unleashed fierce finishing kicks. At an Invitational meet, points can add up quickly. Runners are scored based on their finishing places (11th place = 11 points), and so any score below 100 points is a score to be proud of. RL scored 70 points in the race. An additional measure of a team’s quality is its “spread”—the amount of time between a team’s first and fifth finisher. RL did not have any runners in the top 10, but the team had an astounding spread of 33 seconds, between 11th and 18th places. That teamwork is what helped RL seal its victory. Recap by Junior Cross Country Head Coach, Erin Dromgoole.

Fall Varsity Teams

Varsity Football — First Row: Logan McLaughlin, Tim Ryan, Liam Russell, Ben O’Keeffe, Justin Loo, Reid Spence, Angus Leary (Captain), John Thomas (Captain), Ryan Lin (Captain), Matt Golden, Nick Consigli, Peter DeVito, Hunter Lane, Tucker Rose, Michael Strojny, Ben McVane, JP Ward; Second Row: Danny Tobin, Tommy Weber, Khiomany Ortiz, Michael Rimas, Finn Leary, Sam DiFiore, Ryan Conneely, Lucas Numa, Johnny Price, Shane Bernazanni, Noah Abdur Rahim, Taylor Cotton, Nitin Muniappan, Habo Baaj, Jacob Strojny, Chris Vlahos, Jon Loo, Michael DiLallo, Auden Duda, Braden Place (Manager); Third Row: Dante LaMonica, Andre DaSilva, Marcus Rios, Mark Mattaliano, Brendan Lovett (Coach), John Lieb (Coach), Mo Randall (Coach), Matt Golden (Head Coach), Nico Papas (Coach), James Hendren (Coach), Tony Teixeira (Coach), Colin Roache, Chris Eaton, Aidan Cleary, Will Erhard, Declan Bligh, Brayden Gillespie (Manager); Missing: Jon Doerer (Coach), Cam Carr (Manager), Mark McGuire (Manager).

Varsity Soccer — Front Row: Caleb Ganthier (Manager), Dillan Akinc, Hunter Stevens, Aydin Hodjat, Alejandro Rincon, Dovany Estimphile (Captain), Jed Dougherty (Captain), Ian Herrera (Captain), Matteo Santagata, Dominic Landry, Nishant Rajagopalan, Ezra Liebowitz (Manager); Second Row: Matt McDonald (Head Coach), Paul Sugg (Coach), Drew Anderson, Navid Hodjat, Luca Bene, Alex Giordano, Kenneth Foster, Devan Rajagopalan, Oliver van den Bosch, Christo Velikin, Jaden Barrack-Anidi, Andrew Giordano, Arturo Solís (Coach), Erald Hysi (Coach), Mark Anderson (Manager).

Varsity Cross Country — First Row: Fin Reichard, Richie Federico, Akhilsai Damera, Jake Popeo (Captain), Eric Diop (Captain), Eric Zhu (Captain), Jack Tompros, Ezra Klauber, Zach Heaton; Second Row: Bryan Dunn (Head Coach), Avish Kumar, Brendan Reichard, Levi Harrison, Max Kesselheim, Liam Walsh, Lincoln Hyatt, James Kerr, Darian Estrada, Tom Pogorelec, Chris Heaton (Coach); Third Row: Calvin Reid, Colin Bradley, Oliver Colbert, Nick Glaeser, Denmark Chirunga, Raj Saha, Grayson Lee, Austin Reid; Missing: Eric Archerman.

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Arts Calendar Winter Musical: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Friday, February 23, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, February 24, at 7:30 p.m. Smith Theater

Joint Concert with Winsor School Sunday, March 3, at 6 p.m. The Winsor School

A Cappella Fest 2024 Friday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. Smith Theater

Senior Concert Friday, April 19, at 7:30 p.m. Rousmaniere Hall

Junior Play: The Phantom Tollbooth Friday, May 3, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. Smith Theater

Spring Instrumental Concert Friday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m. Smith Theater and Rousmaniere Hall

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Class Notes 1961

1 Phil Ferrara reports, “On a long trip

to New England in August, Linda and I visited for a couple of days with Bob Mulligan and his wife, Tina, at their home off Pleasant Bay in South Orleans, Massachusetts. Sort of a mini-reunion of Class of ’61 alumni! We had dinner one evening at their favorite place, Van Rensselaer’s Restaurant and Raw Bar in South Wellfleet. The proprietors know them well! Lots of time was spent chatting and reminiscing. Beautiful weather on the Cape brought back many memories.”

1963

George Gopen completed a 45-year career as an English professor—30 of which were spent at Duke University— and continues working as a writing consultant for scientists and lawyers, worldwide. George’s current book projects include the translation of many of his writings about the written English language into Chinese, and a book on the musical rhetoric of Abraham Lincoln’s prose. George has recently been narrating the audiobook version of neuroscientist Peter Sterling’s book What Is Health: Allostasis and the Evolution of Human Design. He has also begun writing classical music and has composed a 130-page score for string quartet to accompany his public readings of T.S. Eliot’s masterpiece, “Four Quartets.” After several marriages, he lives happily as a confirmed bachelor in Durham, North Carolina. David Scheff writes, “It was wonderful to see classmates at our 60th Reunion. RL did a fabulous job! I retired from Roslindale Pediatrics in December 2021. I

now see newborns at Beth Israel parttime. I am enjoying non-medical reading.”

1971

2 Members of the Class of 1971 got

together for an informal 52nd reunion on July 26, at a cookout graciously hosted by Bill McCarthy at his summer home in Brewster on Cape Cod. Pictured (from left to right) are Brian Crowley, Bob Principato, Bill McCarthy, John Rodman, Joe Toplyn (kneeling), Brooks Rogers, and Steve Simoni. “All alive and well!” reports Brian.

1973

3 Bob McTighe reports that this

fall Stephen Linsky, Ted Armen, and he took a 20-mile foliage bike ride in Westminster, Hubbardston, and Gardner, Massachusetts, to celebrate their 50th reunion this past spring. “It was a beautiful and fun day! We finished at the Wachusett Brewing Company to rehydrate after the strenuous ride! Hope to get some more classmates for the next bike ride—let me know if you are interested!” Bob McTighe also writes with sadness of the passing of his mother, Dorothy “Dot” McTighe. Dot passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on June 9, at the age of 99, in Charleston, South Carolina. Dot was an active RL parent for both Bob and Tom McTighe ’79. Dot will be remembered at RL for her warmth, positivity, and love of the RL community. She volunteered at all the athletic teas, hosted numerous pool parties for classes and sporting teams, was one of the founders of the Annual Roxbury Latin Giant Yard Sale, and was one of the “Mellow Mothers”—a boisterous and vigorous group of wrestling mothers that would frequently be heard chanting “Pin,

Pin, Pin!” at all the matches whenever the occasion arose. Along with her husband, Bill McTighe, Dot was a perennial Class Agent and Chair of the Annual Fund.

1977

Michael Price reports that the Class of 1977 continued its annual get together on Thanksgiving Eve, for the 46th consecutive year. (They met via Zoom during COVID!) Nine present included Craig Newfield, Lou Derry, Jon Slater, Bruce Rosengard, Jack O’Loughlin, Brad Miller, Bill Kennedy, Mark Storella, and Michael. “Great conversations focused on travel, grandchildren, climate change, JFK, and a few retold stories from the old days…” says Michael.

1997

Jeffrey Adams recently retired from the U.S. Navy after a distinguished 22-year career in the service. After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2001 and completing Naval Flight school, Jeff enjoyed a successful 10-year career as a naval helicopter pilot with several deployments to active combat zones. He later became a Director of Operations for his strike group and a flight training instructor while reaching the rank of Commander. While active in senior roles in the deployment of Defense communication systems and C4I intelligence platforms, Jeff also found time to earn his MBA from the Naval Postgraduate School. He is now applying his Naval experience to his new role in Business Development for Shield A.I., a private company focused on unmanned aerial systems and defense intelligence platforms. After being stationed in the area for 20 years, Jeff continues to reside in San Diego with his wife, Michele, and their three children Jack, Maddie, and

N e w s l e t t e r o f Th e R o x b u r y L at i n S c h o o l

Terry Iandiorio ’89 Memorial Alumni Soccer Game On October 15, Roxbury Latin and Belmont Hill alumni laced up their cleats in memory of friend and classmate Terry Iandiorio ’89, a former faculty member at Belmont Hill. Twentyseven RL alumni—from classes 1987 through 2023—turned out to secure a victory. //

Front row: George Matthews '08, Reid Bryant '94, George Jean-Claude '17, Patrick Barry '13, Erik Gomes '18, Derek DaSilva '15, Kevin O'Connell '99, Kevin Zhu '16, Simon Fisher '17. Back row: Joey Russo '10, Aaron Maund '08, Tyler Duarte '23, Carter Crowley '23, Peter Frates '21, Sam Heilbron '11, Henry Booth '14, Matt Langione '01, Paul Sugg, Matt Franzosa '96, Matt Thompson '98, Patrick McCabe '87, Tim Pingree '02, Dan O'Connell '88, Matt Engler '94, John Thompson '91. (Missing from photo: Nils Hegstad '96, Caley Iandiorio '96, Charlie Young '03)

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James. (Submitted by Jeff’s brother Matt Adams ’90)

2004

4 Mike O’Brien cheered on Roxbury

Latin this fall with his children, Brooke (4) and Charlie (2).

2006

5 Jeff Kirchick and his wife, Julianne,

welcomed their first child, Josephine (Josie) May Kirchick, to the world on November 26, at 11:07 p.m. “Both mom and baby are happy and healthy, and we are filled with joy,” says Jeff.

2008

6 Sean Spellman and his wife, Anna,

welcomed their second child, Sean Patrick Spellman Jr., on September 18. This “lovely and serious little gentleman,” says Sean, joins big sister Maeve (2).

2014

7 Tenzin Thargay, posted in Embassy

Hanoi until May 2024, will be returning to Washington, D.C. in June 2024 to begin his assignment at the State Department’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. There he will be working in the Assistant Secretary’s front office as a staff assistant. Embassy Hanoi hosted President Biden in September for a historic visit, which saw the double upgrade of the nations’ relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partners. “Our countries have truly come a long way, and the future is even brighter,” says Tenzin. Tenzin was also awarded the Matilda W. Sinclaire Language Award by the American Foreign Service Association for Vietnamese language studies. Proficiency in foreign languages is a vital skill in the work of the Foreign Service, not only

for professional development but also for personal security and success at post. “My love for studying foreign languages and intercultural exchange took shape with Mr. Ryan and Dr. Guerra's Spanish classes and the Class III immersion trip to Cadiz. (Serving in U.S. Embassy Madrid is a dream post!) Mr. Ryan and Dr. Guerra will be happy to know that I haven't forgotten all of my Spanish and have even used it a couple times for visa interviews here with Vietnamese Spanish speakers or third-country nationals from Spanish speaking countries!”

2020

Hari Narayanan was one of 48 seniors recently elected to Phi Beta Kappa at Harvard. The Harvard Crimson reported that Hari joins RL peers and fellow Harvard 2024 classmates Erik Zou ’19 and Trey Sullivan ’19, who were inducted last spring among a competitive group of 24 juniors. 8 Mike Pojman took to the

greens with James Skeffington (IV) on September 1, followed by lunch on the porch of The Country Club of Brookline with James and his dad, Jim Skeffington. After lunch they ran into three RL alumni (“who were wandering around when they should have been working so that they could increase their contributions to the annual fund,” says Mike.) Pictured with Mike and young James are Charlie Young ’03, Jon Page ’98, and Michael Early ’00. //

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In Memoriam Russell T. Weil ’45 of Chevy Chase, Maryland, passed away on June 17, 2023, at the age of 96. Born in Fall River and raised in Hyde Park, he attended Roxbury Latin before being drafted his senior year to serve in the U.S. Navy during WWII, deferring his entrance into Harvard. On his return, he graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, after which he joined the maritime law firm Kirlin, Campbell and Keating, representing major shipping lines and international trade and finance from their Washington, D.C. office. During his career Russell served as chairman of the Jurisdiction Committee, chairman of the Maritime Law Association, president of the Maritime Administrative Bar Association, and lectured frequently at Catholic University’s School of Law. He also served a stint as president of the Harvard Club of Washington. One of Russell’s most beloved community service commitments was as president and member of the Fire Board for Station 7, Section 3, of Chevy Chase. During his years at RL, Russell was an impressive student, boasting exceptional grades. In his college recommendation letter, Headmaster Northrup offered, “Russell is a young man of unusual intelligence. He learns easily, he is wellbalanced in his judgment, pleasant in his manner, and well-informed as to what is going on in the world. He is much more mature in many ways than the average preparatory school boy.” Russell was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Barbara Snelling; and

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his wife of 50 years, Virginia Freeman Weil. He leaves three children Hannah (Ehrli), Nick, and Ella (Garrison); seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Edward A. Sax ’46 of Bloomfield, Connecticut, passed away on July 16, 2023, at the age of 94. Growing up in Boston, Ed enjoyed repairing radios at an early age and soldered one of the first large scale computers—the Mark II—at Harvard University. He spent much of his childhood exploring the Arnold Arboretum, which was essentially his backyard, inspiring a lifelong interest in ecology and sustainability. Ed graduated from Harvard with a degree in sociology, became a Winant Volunteer in London, and worked at Sikorsky Aircraft as well as Superior Electric, eventually forming his own company, Industrial Systems Associates. Ed was former head of the Connecticut chapter of the Numerical Controls Society. He was an active member of the Hartford Unitarian Meeting House where he served on their Buildings and Grounds Committee. In his retirement, Ed was a devoted volunteer docent at the local Vintage Radio Museum. Ed was predeceased by his wife, Margaret Sax, and is survived by his three children: Laura Figlewski and husband Fred (Phoenix, Maryland); Stephen Sax and wife Colleen (Seattle, Washington); and Vicky Sax and husband Andy Pastore (Watertown, Massachusetts); five grandchildren; and two greatgrandchildren. Ed was also predeceased by his older brothers, Dr. Karl Sax and Dr. Peter Sax.

John A. Tedeschi ’50, eminent scholar in the field of Renaissance and Reformation Studies and Italian History, died at the age of 92 at home on his farm near Ferryville, Wisconsin, on October 5, 2023. Born Guido Alfredo Tedeschi in Modena, Italy, in 1931, he emigrated as an eight-year-old to the United States with his Jewish parents and younger brother in 1939. Landing in New York, they eventually settled in the Boston area, where he attended Roxbury Latin and then Harvard College. John also earned his Ph.D. in history and philosophy of religion at Harvard University. A hiatus in his studies came when he served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956, as an interpreter stationed in Italy. For most of his career, John’s scholarship focused on Italian religious history of the 16th century. Following his retirement, his long-standing interest in histories of religious persecution (of Jews, heretics, intellectuals, and exiles) became a compelling focus of his research. In 2015, he published his sweeping personal and political account of the Jewish experience under Mussolini’s regime (written with his wife, Anne Tedeschi), titled Italian Jews Under Fascism, 1938-1945: A Personal and Historical Narrative. Throughout his life it meant a great deal to him to maintain contact with members of his extended Italian family. John took up the position of Bibliographer and Research Fellow in European History and Literature at the Newberry Library, Chicago, in 1965. New opportunities at the Newberry followed; he became Curator of Rare

Books and Manuscripts and Head of the Department of Special Collections in 1970 and inaugural director of the Newberry’s Center for Renaissance Studies in 1979. In 1984, he was appointed Curator of Rare Books and Special Collections at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he was named Distinguished Academic Librarian in 1995. He retired and became Emeritus in 1996. In 1969, John and Anne bought a small farm in southwestern Wisconsin. Over the decades, the care and improvement of this land became a shared passion for them and for their children. Upon retirement in 1996, the couple established the farm as their permanent residence, dividing their time between gardening and farming, watercolor painting (Anne), scholarly projects (John) and continuing their work together on translations of scholarly books from the Italian. Above all, John was a warm and loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years, Anne Christian Tedeschi, and their three children Martha, Philip, and Sara. His seven grandchildren, Sam, Dylan, Jake, Gemma, Julia Rose, Ruby and Micah, as well as their spouses and partners, were a source of immeasurable joy, as were his great-grandchildren, Brody, Samara, and Leon. He was preceded in death by his loving parents Dr. Cesare and Piera (Forti) Tedeschi and his younger brother, Dr. Luke Tedeschi; he dedicated his last book to the three of them. Clifford J. Ronan ’53—beloved father and grandfather, Shakespeare scholar,

educator, master gardener, and lover of a good party—died on July 10, 2023. Cliff was born in Boston to the late John Clifford Ronan and Frances (Goodwin) Ronan. He graduated from Roxbury Latin and then from Amherst College in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree in English. Cliff served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1958 and attended the University of California, Berkeley, earning his doctorate of philosophy in English language and literature. While at Berkeley, Cliff met Denise— who became his wife of almost 50 years. The couple married in Paris in December 1960. While still finishing school in Berkeley, Cliff and Denise welcomed their children David and Michelle, and in 1965 the family moved to Austin, Texas. Cliff taught English at the University of Texas for seven years and then joined the faculty at Southwest Texas State University (later Texas State) in San Marcos. For 38 years, Cliff was a professor of English at SWT/ TX State, and the couple lived a full life in the San Marcos area. Both were active in university activities, hosted dinner parties for friends and students, and enjoyed regular travels to Europe, Maine, California, and Mexico. After Denise died in 2010, Cliff remained in San Marcos, moving to Austin in 2019 to be closer to his daughter. Cliff had many passions. He loved spending time with his immediate and extended family, and especially cherished any opportunity to be with his three grandchildren. Always a gracious host, he loved having friends, family, and students to the house for a good meal and great conversation. He was an expert

gardener and curated beautiful and bountiful gardens at his homes in Texas and in Maine. He was knowledgeable on many subjects, especially Shakespeare and the Renaissance era, and loved sharing his expertise with any who were curious. Cliff was also a fan of the arts, including the theater, classical music, and art museums. In 1997, Cliff was awarded the Presidential Seminar award from Southwest Texas State University. In 1995 and 1996, Cliff served as a senior Fulbright lecturer in American Literature at the University Silesia, Poland, where Cliff and Denise lived for a year and a half. He was active in the South-Central Renaissance Conference for many years and spent time on the core faculty for the National Endowment for Humanities. He also volunteered his time as a member of the Voluntary Action Center in Caldwell County and as an advisory board member for the Catholic Student Center/Our Lady of Wisdom University Parish at Texas State. He leaves behind his son David Ronan, daughter Michelle Ronan Noteboom, grandson Michael, and granddaughters Maddie and Hope, as well as a cherished extended family that include sister Dorothy Meneghin and her husband, Peter; sister-in-law Anne; two nieces, and five nephews. Cliff is predeceased by his wife, Denise Shual Ronan, and his brother, Frank Ronan. //

N e w s l e t t e r o f Th e R o x b u r y L at i n S c h o o l

from the archives

A Winter Frost, and Some Book-ish Chemistry by CHRIS HEATON, Archivist

One of the joys of being a pessimist is that planning for catastrophe is second nature. My need to plan and rely on my endurance was reinforced when I was the age of the juniors in my U.S. History course; my high school car, a ten-year-old 1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme with 168,000 miles on it, didn’t have reverse (or an ignition key!), so I had to scout out how I would go about my day knowing that I couldn’t back up. It fits a boy’s will. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania with an unreliable car, I have been acquainted with the night, stopping by the woods on a snowy evening, and the road not taken. Going forward forty years, I was not all that surprised to learn of a flood caused by frozen pipes— prompted by record-cold temps—in the Mary Rousmaniere Gordon Library this past February. Naturally, it happened on a frosty Sunday morning, a pre-dawn attack like Pearl Harbor, designed to catch us at our worst. Fortunately, Sean Spellman ’08, Associate Athletic Director and a guy I’d want in my foxhole, sprung into action. He called the fire department, which fortunately didn’t find fire and ice. I got the call while I was skating at Larz Anderson (where, incidentally, the Class of 1951 held a square dance after their Closing Exercises). I knew from my library science classes that waterlogged books and papers could be saved via sublimation, the process of transition of a substance from a solid state to a gas state. Those of you who learned chemistry during the 43-year-long careers of either Mike Pojman or Dick Whitney better remember that. For the rest of us, it means boxing the books and putting them in a deep freeze for days.

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This process removes the moisture and prevents mold, two pernicious enemies of any librarian or archivist. My partner in this endeavor was Polygon Group, a disaster relief and recovery company from Andover, north of Boston. Three days after the flood, the school’s 20,000 volumes were sent to Allentown, Pennsylvania, where, despite what Billy Joel sings, they aren’t closing all of the factories down. After 12 days in a deep freeze, our books were put in climatecontrolled storage for a few months while the Gordon Wing was returned to its previous splendor. After the frost cleared and the wall was mended, we were ready for the return home of Roxbury Latin’s 20,000 books, including seven volumes of Robert Frost’s poetry. He wrote “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” The books returned dry, and I had to take them in. My mother, who had to take me in after my youthful jaunts, saw Frost read at Bread Loaf, where she studied in 1961, two years before the poet’s death in Boston. He had spent part of the previous five decades at Amherst, where the library is named for him. By my count, 28 RL grads were at Amherst during the Frost years (1916-1962)1 , including William Wallace Crook, from the aforementioned Class of 1951. Though they took English classes at Amherst, both Kerry Brennan and Josh Cervas are too young to have met Frost. Former Headmasters Augustus Buck, William Coe Collar, Daniel V. Thompson, and Richmond MayoSmith also studied at Amherst. With old man strength and a cantankerous attitude like Frost, this past summer I set about reshelving the 1,600 boxes filled with books. For some of it, I had the help of my son who is neither a pessimist like me nor frosty like the poet. While I’m pleased with the aesthetics of my home away from home, I’m understandably preparing for the next disaster. // 1

Robert Frost at Amherst: A Timeline. https://www.amherst.edu/

library/archives/holdings/frost/frosttimeline

N e w s l e t t e r o f Th e R o x b u r y L at i n S c h o o l

The Roxbury Latin School 101 St. Theresa Avenue West Roxbury, MA 02132-3496 www.roxburylatin.org Change Service Requested

Return to Beaver Brook: In a first for Class I boys, this year’s seniors went back to Beaver Brook on August 24 to retrace their sixie steps. The weather was miserable, but the mood was joyful. Photo by Peter Hyde

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