The Newsletter - January 2018

Roxbury Latin THE NEWSLETTER

JANUARY 2 0 1 8

Learning Together Our 90th year in West Roxbury

The Roxbury Latin School

Headmaster Kerry P. Brennan

The Newsletter is published quarterly by The Roxbury Latin School in October, January, April, and July for alumni, current and former parents, and friends of the school.

Editorial & Design Joyce Hempstead joyce.hempstead@roxburylatin.org 617.477.6324

www.roxburylatin.org facebook.com/roxburylatin/ instagram: @roxburylatin twitter: @roxburylatin

Erin Berg erin.berg@roxburylatin.org 617.477.6326

Photography Mike Pojman, Adam Richins, John Gillooly, Gretchen Ertl, Evan Scales, John Werner. © 2018 The Trustees of The Roxbury Latin School 101 St. Theresa Avenue West Roxbury, MA 02132 t: 617.325.4920

The Newsletter January 2018 | Volume 91 | Number 2

INSIDE

4

8

Masters and Mastery

DEPARTMENTS

The Remarks of Dr. Phil Kokotailo at the Opening of Winter Term

14 Student News

Foreign Service and 21st-Century Challenges

20 The Arts

Amb. Mark C. Storella ’77 delivers Jarvis Lecture

12 It’s not about polar bears Former EPA Head Gina McCarthy on U.S. Climate Policy > Economic, Social, and Political Impacts of Climate Change 13

16 R.L. “gamesmiths” share craft with Altenheim neighbors

26 Engagement and

18 Hall Highlights > Sr. Play: Dogg’s Hamlet / Cahoot’s Macbeth 20 > Fall Recitalists 22 > The holidays need music, and R.L. delivers at annual Messiah Sing 23

25 Faculty Spotlight Darian Reid ’05, Classics

32 Ramblings from the Archives by Christopher Heaton

Collaboration

34 Athletics

> R.L. hosts DACA Seminar 26 > Boys’ school heads join for panel discussion 26 > R.L. hosts IBSC Teachers New to Boys’ Schools Conference 27

42 Alumni Gatherings

28 Founder’s Day: 90 Years in West Roxbury > Part of Something Great | by Mike Pojman 28 > Gov. Charlie Baker delivers keynote address 30

What leads a team to success? > Homecoming and Fall Family Day 40

44 Class Notes 48 In Memoriam 55 Varsity Athletics Calendar

31 Joys, Simple and Profound Nancy Anthony, Life Trustee, shares her Thanksgiving reflections > Anthony Portrait Unveiled 31

50 At School, At Play Above: Going about their busyness: Bird’s eye view of Bauer Science Center atrium. (Photo by Mike Pojman)

The Remarks of Kate Stearns at the Annual Fund Kick-Off

Send address changes to julie.garvey@roxburylatin.org. Send alumni news and other correspondence to alumni@roxburylatin.org.

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

3

Masters and Mastery The Remarks of Dr. Phil Kokotailo at the Opening of Winter Term The Installation of Philip R. Kokotailo as the first Deane Family Dean of Faculty marked the Opening of Winter Term in Hall on 3 January. In his opening remarks, Headmaster Kerry Brennan expressed gratitude for Carol and Disque Deane—parents of Carl Deane ’10—who endowed a permanent fund to support R.L.’s Dean of Faculty in his charge to help create a coherent and comprehensive trajectory of educational experiences, with and for our faculty, that will both inform their work with students and contribute to their growth as educators. The Headmaster then presented Dr. Kokotailo with a framed citation, which commended his passion for literature and commitment to the English Department; his stewardship of faculty; his service as admission officer, debate team supporter, public speaking coach, and advisor; and his fidelity to the school. Dr. Kokotailo’s remarks follow below.

S

ince there will be no questions at the end of this Hall (to me, from any of you), let’s begin with a question instead (from me, to all of you). Ready? Here it is: “How do you personally define success?” I’ve thought about that question a lot recently, thanks to Southwest Airlines. You see, I wanted to check the route of my flight from Boston to Milwaukee. So I pulled Southwest’s magazine from the pocket in front of my seat, and I searched for the map at the back. Before I could find it, I saw a bold headline on the last inside page: “How do you personally define success?” That page was part of a series that Southwest calls “One Question.” With each new edition of their magazine, a different celebrity responds to one question with a one-page answer. “How do you personally define success?” is definitely a question worth considering, but I don’t like the way it’s asked. So I am going to rephrase it. Those of you who 4

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

have been in my classes know that I’m fond of one-word exercises—exercises to which you respond with just one word. Here’s what I mean. I would like each of you, right now, to complete the following sentence with one word only, and to keep that word to yourself. Ready? It’s the last word in the following sentence. “For me, success is defined by ___.” If this were a class, each of you would soon have an opportunity to share your word and to explain it. Unfortunately, there are too many people here to do that. So let me speculate instead about some of the words I suspect are now resonating in your heads, because there are any number of ways to complete my statement. In fact, that’s the first way, with the word numbers. Let’s take the number 90 as an example. At R.L. it represents academic high honors, right? It will get you an A-, right? You can claim, “I aced that test.” The number 500 is an equally popular example. It represents athletic success for you or for your team. It means you achieved a winning record, not a losing one. There could be another word resonating in many of your heads right now. It’s the word names. You could say, “For me, success is defined by names.” Here are some names that represent success for many of our seniors: Amherst, Babson, Bowdoin, Brown, Colby, Columbia, Dartmouth, Fordham, Georgetown, George Washington, Harvard, Northwestern, Princeton, and Tufts. Those are the names of universities that, back in October, our seniors declared to be their first choices for next year, to which they then applied early, and to which they have now been accepted. Surely those seniors feel successful. For Roxbury Latin alumni who have recently graduated from college, the names of particular places often represent success, because they are influential places to work

(Wall Street, for instance, or Washington, D.C.) or attractive places to play (Colorado, for instance, or Nantucket Island). Clearly, there are lots of other words still out there. I’m willing to bet, for instance, that the word silently resonating in Dr. Stevens’ head right now is relationships. For her, success is defined by relationships. Am I right, dear? Yes? Now there’s success for you. In our own relationship, 30 years of marriage has finally enabled me to predict what she is thinking. At least this once. Some day, maybe Dr. Stevens will give her own Hall about relationships, but this Hall is still mine, and right now I would complete my own sentence with the word names. For me, success is defined by names. But they are the names of people, not universities, not places to work, not places to live. The people have these particular names: Dr. Guerra, Mr. Quirk, Mr. Piper, Señor Ryan, Mr. Reid, Mr. Bettendorf, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Wildes, Mrs. Carroll, Mr. Heaton, Mr. Matthews, Mrs. Morris-Kliment, Mr. Kelly, Dr. McCrory, Mr. Poles, Dr. Stearns, Mr. Layne-Allen, Mr. Moore, Mr. Sokol, Señor Solis, Mr. Kingsley, and Mr. Snider. Those are the names of all the current teachers who have been appointed to the Roxbury Latin faculty since Mr. Brennan asked me to assume the responsibilities of Dean of Faculty. It’s quite a list, isn’t it? I wish I could say that I appointed them all, but I can’t. Only the Headmaster appoints teachers to the faculty, but I did my part. One of the Dean’s responsibilities is recruitment, and for most of the teachers I’ve just named, I was the point person, the one who made the initial contact, and the one who represented Roxbury Latin throughout the hiring process. And if you think it’s difficult to be accepted as a student here, you should see how difficult it is to be hired as a teacher. It’s not unusual for us to have over 100 appli-

Headmaster Kerry Brennan reads the citation for the installation of Dr. Phil Kokotailo as the Deane Family Dean of Faculty.

cants for one open position. Working with the relevant department head, Mr. Brennan, Mr. Pojman, and I gradually winnow that number down. It takes a lot of time. Typically, we then invite three candidates to interview for the job, the three we think are the best fit for R.L., though we have gone as high as seven in order to find the right person. These finalists have to teach a class observed by Mr. Brennan and by the relevant department head. They have to submit transcripts with all the courses they took and all the grades they earned in college and university, and they have to submit letters of recommendation from previous employment supervisors. Once on campus, they have to meet with students on a tour and over lunch, and they have to answer hours of questions from Mr. Chappell, Mr. Guden, Mr. Pojman, Mr. Sugg, and Mr. Teixeira. The process lasts for more than a day. I’d like to pause now and ask you to think about the group of teachers I named earlier, the ones who have been hired over the last ten years. Not only do they uphold the distinctive and long-established values of Roxbury Latin, but they also bring farreaching interests and a spirit of innovation.

They have truly enriched us. Think, for a moment, what the school would be like without them. No one would learn Spanish here. There would be no Environmental Science or Art History or Engineering classes taught here. There would be no one on our faculty who could dunk. It’s a diverse group, too, including male and female teachers; graduates of public schools and independent schools (including Roxbury Latin); teachers who have lived and worked abroad, in Europe, Africa, and Asia, as well as the United States; teachers of African-American, Hispanic-American, and Caucasian-American descent. And yet, they all have one thing in common. In order for me to identify and explain it properly, however, I need to pause and tell you something about myself. I did not go to a school like Roxbury Latin. I went to the public high school in my hometown of Woodbury, New Jersey. It was one of the smallest high schools in the state, with only 100 students in the graduating class. Senior year, for me, wasn’t much different from previous years. It was just the next step in the school system I had grown up in, completing one

grade after another. I never had to adjust to anything really new, really different. And because I was smart, school came easily to me. I got excellent grades, and I never had to work very hard. Most of you, I suspect, can empathize with what I’m saying. Think back to what school was like for you before you came to Roxbury Latin. Am I right? Everything changed for me when I went to college, to the big school across the river, the University of Pennsylvania. There, among more than 20,000 students, it didn’t take me long to realize that, back at Woodbury High, I had been a big fish in a small pond. At Penn, I became a minnow in a great lake of students who, for the most part, seemed smarter than I was, better educated than I was, more accomplished athletes, musicians, and actors than I was. Worst of all, what had been easy for me at Woodbury became difficult for me at Penn—my studies. I couldn’t read assigned material quickly enough, couldn’t grasp mathematical principles firmly enough, and couldn’t develop my analytical writing fully enough. Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t failing, but I wasn’t getting A’s anymore, either, and I was frustrated with all those B’s

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

5

on my report card. I’ll even admit to a few C’s. Again, I suspect that many of you can empathize. Right? I was putting more time into my studies than I ever had before, and achieving less satisfying results than I ever had before. Then, in one course, I made a breakthrough. In the second semester of my freshman year, I took a course in Logic, which was taught in the philosophy department, though the material had more to do with mathematics and method than it did with the meaning of life. The breakthrough came shortly after I took the mid-term exam. Before the professor returned our blue books, he read aloud to the approximately 30 of us who were taking the course what he considered to be model answers to each question. One of them was mine. When I realized this, I wasn’t so much flattered as I was struck. I could see that my answer to that question was every bit as good as the model answers to the other questions. In fact, my answers to those questions had come pretty close to his other models. I couldn’t explain this phenomenon. I hadn’t done anything different to prepare for that mid-term exam. I hadn’t put more time into this course than I had put into my others. The material wasn’t any easier. I just, somehow, got it. It made sense to me, and I could explain it both clearly and fully. In my sophomore year, I experienced more of these breakthrough moments: on an essay about the myth of Satan’s heroism in John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost, for instance, or on the final exam in a microeconomics course taught by a professor who literally wrote the book about that subject. For me, these were experiences of great clarity and comprehension, in which I felt lifted up to what we now call “the next level.” For my friends and family, but mostly for myself, I felt a need to explain what I was experiencing. So I compared it to shopping in a department store. Today, Macy’s or Nordstrom or Lord & Taylor are called anchor stores in malls scattered throughout the suburbs. Back then, in urban environments like Philadelphia, department stores 6

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

stood by themselves, and stand they did, reaching upward for many floors. To get from one to the next, you took the escalator, as you do today, but unlike now, you didn’t always find the next escalator immediately on your right or on your left. Often, you had to go searching for it. And it wasn’t always easy to find. Sometimes you got distracted, or lost, or confused, and it seemed to take forever to find the escalator. That’s what education felt like to me. For a long time I would have to wander on a level floor of courses, observing the subject matter all around me. Sometimes I would get distracted, or confused, or lost, and have to double back to material I knew for sure. Eventually, I would stumble upon the escalator, the key topic or assignment that would lift me to the next level of understanding. Wandering the floor was time-consuming and often tedious, but finding the escalator was exhilarating. It gave me a sense of relief; it allowed me to look back over what I had

theory of education.” It consists of just one word: mastery. I learned the significance of that word from George Leonard, who, eleven years after I graduated from college, published a book called Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment. Those of you who have been in my English 11 classes have heard me talk about this book before. I use it as evidence of what the first great American writer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, says in his essay, “Self-Reliance”: “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men,—that is genius.” Emerson then adds a corollary: “In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts: they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty.” That was my experience exactly. Don’t let it be yours. I’m sure you know what I mean. Remember that time one of your teachers asked a question that seemed to baffle everyone else in the class but you. You knew the answer,

“In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts: they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty.” That was my experience exactly. Don’t let it be yours. just explored; it gave me a moment to relax before tackling the next floor. Best of all, it was quick. Gradually, I gained confidence in what I was now secretly calling my “department store theory of education.” I learned to have faith that the escalator was out there somewhere, and I began to keep an eye out for it at all times. More importantly, I realized that the time spent exploring each floor was necessary, so my anxiety decreased. As it did so, I became not only more attentive to my surroundings, but also more appreciative of them. Escalators appeared more often, but so too did beautiful displays on each level. Many years later, I learned that there’s a much more eloquent way to describe what I had been calling my “department store

but you felt it couldn’t be right, because no one else was responding. Finally, one of your classmates tentatively put forth the very answer that was in your head, and the teacher praised him for responding with exactly the right answer. What happened to you in that situation is what happened to me. To put it in Emerson’s terms, we both dismissed without notice our own thoughts, because they were ours. We lacked confidence in “that gleam of light which flashes across [our minds] from within.” In short, we lacked self-reliance. I then suffered the exact consequences that Emerson predicts: “to-morrow a stranger will say with masterly good sense precisely what we have thought and felt all the time.”

Dr. Phil Kokotailo and Dr. Sally Stevens with their daughter, Laura.

For me, George Leonard was that stranger. He describes my department story theory of education as a journey toward mastery, which he defines as “the mysterious process during which what is at first difficult becomes progressively easier and more pleasurable through practice.” For Leonard, my “floors” become “plateaus,” on which you “have to be willing to spend most of your time…to keep practicing even when you seem to be getting nowhere.” He calls this “the inexorable fact of the journey” to mastery. For Leonard, my “escalators” become “upward surges,” which he calls “the inevitable spurts of progress and the fruits of accomplishment” that come from learning to love the plateau. Leonard even includes a diagram of what he calls “the mastery curve.” Ultimately, from his own experience as a researcher, a writer, and a practitioner of the martial arts, especially aikido, Leonard concludes that “all significant learning” is measured “not in a straight line but in stages: brief spurts of progress separated by periods during which you seemed to be getting nowhere.” Perhaps by now you are beginning to sense why I told you this story, why I made a detour into my personal history. I began the detour shortly after I listed all the new faculty members hired in the past ten years. I then claimed that despite their racial, ethnic, gender, experiential, and disciplinary diversity, these masters all share one thing in common. And there it is: each is a master. No other school that I know of uses that word. It’s an old-fashioned word, perhaps

an outdated word, but it’s nonetheless a word I have come to love, for it implies mastery. I’m willing to bet that every one of the masters I named earlier has experienced his or her own version of my department store theory of education, of George Leonard’s journey to mastery. In addition, think of all the masters I haven’t yet named, the ones who have been here longer than ten years: Mrs. Dromgoole, Ms. Delaney, Mr. Guden, Mr. Hiatt, Mr. Walsh, Dr. Hyde, Mr. Cervas, Mr. Opdycke, Madame White, Mr. Lieb, Mr. Thomsen, Mr. and Mrs. Chappell, Monsieur Diop, Mr. Buckley, Mr. Sugg, and Mr. Randall. Consider, for a moment, the mastery achieved by both groups: mastery of modern and ancient languages and literatures; mastery of the scientific method and its relevance to the world around us; mastery of the arts—from drawing and painting to singing and acting; mastery of numbers not only in their abstract relationships but also in their practical applications; mastery of historical events—their meaning, progression, and themes—from the ancient world until yesterday; mastery not only of reading with comprehension and insight but also of writing with clarity and conviction; and finally, and for you most importantly, mastery of methods and techniques for conveying to students their understanding of, and passion for, their disciplines as teachers. That’s a lot, isn’t it? But there’s one more thing you should know about all of them, about all of us. We are often told, as a faculty, how fortunate we are to teach such a special group of students as

you are, talented students who are actively invested in learning. I think the reverse is at least equally true. You are fortunate to learn from us, from a special group of faculty, gifted teachers who are actively invested in your learning. In short, you are fortunate to learn…from masters. Let me end where I should have begun, by saying thank you. First, I need to thank Mr. Brennan for much more than just his kind words about me this morning. I need to thank him not only for the initiative he took to establish a Dean of Faculty position here, but also for the confidence he demonstrated in appointing me to it. I also need to thank Carol Deane and her late husband Disque, for their generosity in endowing the position I now hold. As some of you already know, Mrs. Deane is a great friend to the school, who trusted us with the education of her son Carl, and who has given generously to our scholarship program so that other boys might also benefit from all that a Roxbury Latin education means. Finally, I want to thank each of you for your good attention this morning. If you remember only one thing about today’s Hall, let it be this: There are many, many escalators in the Roxbury Latin Department Store. There’s at least one in every teacher’s classroom or office. Scratch that. There’s at least one in every master’s classroom or office. I know for a fact there are several in the Library and the Study Center. I’ve heard that one occasionally appears in the Student Center, though I’ve never seen it there myself. I’ve also heard rumors that they appear from time to time in the Refectory, the Palaistra, the gymnasium, the Tea Room, and all the outdoor playing fields. Who knows, there may even have been one in Rousmaniere Hall this morning. The point is this. You have to search for escalators. They do not come to you. But once you find one, you will want to find more. They will offer you clarity, understanding, and exhilaration. They will unsteadily take you toward mastery. Without question. I wish you good luck in your search.

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

7

Ja r vis I n te r nationa l Fund Le c ture

Foreign Service and 21st-Century Challenges Ambassador Mark C. Storella ’77 delivers Jarvis Lecture

F

orty years ago, on our class graduation day, I stood on this podium looking out at my classmates, parents and the faculty and said that, some day, we members of the Class of ’77 would return to the school as balding old men and the school would belong to others. Well I’m bald. And I’m back. It is hard to believe that this is the just 14th Jarvis lecture. When Tony Jarvis was headmaster, he lectured us every week. I personally survived—I mean, experienced—hundreds of Jarvis lectures. And they always came down to a few simple lessons. First, we were privileged, and

globally, and draw on the lessons of this school and of our own society—both our virtues and faults—to try to make both our country and our world better. So how can we—how can you—apply the lessons of this place to help address the many challenges our country and the world face? Let’s examine that question through the lens of the Foreign Service. What is a foreign service officer? First, what does it mean to be a foreign service officer? To understand, consider the name: Foreign. Service. Officer. Each word carries meaning. If you join the For-

Last year, as bombs went off in Brussels, I chaired the Embassy’s Emergency Action Committee as we deployed our people to hospitals and mortuaries to try to find American victims and ensure they received care. Our first concern was the safety of Americans. And we are officers. We take an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We pledge to accept any posting based on the needs of the service. That means you are sometimes “voluntold” which country you will serve in. We follow orders and advance the policies of the Administration no matter what

My wife and I frequently went to bed to the sound of gunfire during a three-year tour in Cambodia. She found herself looking down the barrel of an AK-47 held by a drunken soldier more than once. benefited from the best teachers and best education. Second, all this was to prepare us, in John Eliot’s immortal words, “for service to Church and Commonwealth.” Finally, Tony said that we would all be presented with many choices and, each time, we should choose to do the right thing. Easier said than done. But you get the idea. And I am sure that Kerry Brennan tells you the same thing every week. Think locally, act globally When I was a boy at R.L., a popular expression was that we should all “think globally, but act locally.” If there was a threat to the global environment, we should recycle bottles. If oil was in short supply around the world, we should drive smaller cars. If we were worried about global poverty, we should address poverty at home. I would turn that axiom on its head. Instead we should think locally and act 8

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

eign Service, you had better like things foreign. Most American diplomats spend about two-thirds of their careers posted overseas, and one-third in Washington. I have done nine overseas tours. You will learn foreign languages and you will be far away from family and friends for long periods and miss many reunions, weddings, birthdays, and passings. First and foremost, foreign service officers serve the American people. We help Americans who have lost their passports or fallen ill. But we also support Americans in major crises because, when a loved one is missing or in peril overseas, there is nothing that matters more to their family than knowing our government is doing all it can to help. In Cambodia in the early 1990s, a young American aid worker named Melissa Himes was captured by the Khmer Rouge. Over the course of months, we arranged her release safe and sound.

our personal views might be. I have served six presidents—two Democrats and four Republicans. I like to think the Democrats think I am a Democrat and the Republicans think I am a Republican. I certainly hope it is not the other way around. Like military officers, we face danger. When we deploy to war zones, we often do so with our families. My wife and I frequently went to bed to the sound of gunfire during a three-year tour in Cambodia. She found herself looking down the barrel of an AK-47 held by a drunken soldier more than once. It happens she is a Winsor girl. So I bet those soldiers were scared stiff. When I was in Baghdad, our embassy frequently came under mortar fire. On one occasion, five people on the embassy compound were killed in a single attack while I was there. Since World War II, seven American ambassadors have been killed in the line of duty, and only one general.

And there are a heck of a lot more generals than there are ambassadors. 21st-Century Challenges: Global Health So how could members of your generation tackle the challenges of the 21st century through the Foreign Service? I would like to offer a couple of examples of how we deal with 21st-century challenges drawn from my own practical experience in two key areas: global health and refugees. HIV. Ebola. Avian influenza. Zika. Nothing strikes fear into people’s hearts like the threat of a plague. Disease respects no borders and, in the jet age, infectious diseases can spread like wildfire. In the late 1990s, a woman named Margaret Chan was Director of Health for Hong Kong when they detected human cases of avian influenza. She ordered the slaughter of 1.5 million chickens to stop the spread. When I worked in Cambodia in 2003, avian influenza was a huge concern. Countries like Cambodia with broken health systems and antiquated laboratory facilities were seen as a weak link in the global surveillance and response network. If bird flu hit in Cambodia, we might not know until it had already spread. So we urged the Cambodians to make disease surveillance a priority. We worked with CDC and scientists from the Institut Pasteur to develop lab capacity, and improve hygiene at the many “wet markets” around the country where live chickens were bought and sold. Cambodia became a more capable partner in detecting new diseases and, as a result, American health security also improved. When I was Chargé d’Affaires in Geneva in 2009, the world faced a swine flu pandemic. Our team worked with the World Health Organization and its new leader, Margaret Chan (yes, the same Margaret Chan, the one with the 1.5 million dead chickens) to mount a global response. I accompanied the Secretary of Health and Human Services to visit WHO’s SHOC Room—the Strategic Health Operations Center—to reinforce cooperation. WHO declared its first-ever Public Health Emer-

A member of the Senior Foreign Service, with a longstanding commitment to human rights and human affairs, Ambassador Mark Storella joined the bureau in 2016, and today serves as deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. Over his distinguished career in foreign service, he has been involved in counterterrorism efforts at Embassy Brussels; focused on innovative health and governance programs in Zambia; and served as senior coordinator for Iraqi refugees in Baghdad from 2009 to 2010. Ambassador Storella is one of several R.L. alumni to serve as ambassadors over the last century, and joins Robert Hannan ’80 and Peter Martin ’85, who are currently members of the foreign service.

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

9

gency of International Concern to mount a worldwide response. And within months, swine flu was under control. During the Ebola outbreak in 2014 in West Africa, I was stationed in Brussels. It turned out that Brussels Airlines was the only carrier still serving West Africa as petrified governments cut their links to the region. We met with the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister to urge that Belgium keep this vital air link open so that medical personnel could make their way to the front in the battle against the disease. And they did. The lesson these experiences have taught me is that global health security depends on an effective surveillance and detection system in far-flung parts of the world and fast and effective international response. Investments we make in those systems, and active diplomatic engagement to ensure access and information sharing, are investments not only in the health of others, but in the health of the American people, too. To put Jarvis International Fund lecturers Paul A. Volcker, past Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2004 (inaugural speaker) Ambassador Richard W. Murphy, 2005 Ambassador Richard N. Haass, 2006 Linda Fasulo, Special Correspondent to the U.N. for NBC News and MSNBC, 2007 Peter D. Bell, Senior Research Fellow, The Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University, 2008 General Anthony Zinni, 2009 Sir Eric Anderson, former Provost of Eton College, 2010 Andrew Bacevich, Professor of International Relations at Boston University; retired U.S. Army colonel, 2011 R. Nicholas Burns, Professor of Diplomacy and International Politics at the Kennedy School of Government, 2012 Robert Gates, former Secretary of Defense; former Director of the CIA, 2013 Bill Richardson, former Governor of New Mexico, 2014 Dr. Stanley Fischer, Vice Chairman, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System, 2015 Lisa O. Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, 2016

10

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

it more simply, we have to stop the spread of these diseases far from our shores—Logan Airport cannot be our first line of defense. 21st-Century Challenges: Refugees Now refugees. Today there are more than 65 million people forcibly displaced around the world. Of those, 22.5 million have fled across borders, making them refugees under international law. That is the most ever recorded, perhaps even more than during World War II. Forced displacement is one of the defining challenges of our time and will likely remain so for the rest of the 21st century. Refugees are not just numbers; they are real people. The parents of my freshman year roommate were refugees from Poland. My wife’s father is a Hungarian refugee. My elder brother and I volunteered to help a family of Vietnamese refugees resettle in Allston in the early 1980s. I recently attended a dinner at which Henry Kissinger was the featured speaker. He began his remarks this way: “I came to the United States as a refugee.” In fact, two modern Secretaries of State were refugees—Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright. And the refugee crisis has had a global impact. The flood of asylum seekers arriving in Europe has turned European politics upside down, contributing to the breaking of the European Union. Frontline countries like Turkey and Jordan and Bangladesh are under enormous and destabilizing pressure. In the face of a challenge of this magnitude, a global response is necessary. The U.S. cannot carry the burden alone. And we must use all the tools at our disposal. The first tool is the safe and voluntary repatriation of refugees back to their home countries. From 1989-1991, I was part of the team that negotiated the Paris Peace Accords on Cambodia. The peace treaty called for the repatriation of 360,000 Cambodian refugees from camps in Thailand. It was an enormous logistical and security task in a country with dilapidated infrastructure and an ongoing Khmer Rouge insurgency.

Through a remarkable international effort, all 360,000 returned without a single fatality to vote and help rebuild their country. I will never forget the first train of refugees arriving in Phnom Penh, and the combination of fear and excitement on the refugees’ faces. One man kept hitting his brother in the chest as he wept with joy. He couldn’t believe the physical reality that his brother had returned after two decades away. In Iraq, I met many internally displaced people—people who had fled conflict and fanaticism. I told them we would help them return to their homes in Baghdad, providing them with support to rebuild their homes. I remember well one Iraqi man who said he simply would never go back. “Why?” I asked. He told me that he saw his son’s throat slit in front of his eyes in his old neighborhood. He and the others refused to return. So return is not possible for all who flee. Then we need to use another tool— assistance to refugees where they are. In my current job, I help administer part of the over $7 billion the United States spends every year to help refugees around the world. We support various partners like the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and NGOs who help refugees in the countries where they have taken refuge. In the past six weeks, Bangladesh has accepted more than 500,000 Burmese Rohingya refugees who have flooded across the border and are now living under desperate conditions in overcrowded camps. Our aid is giving them water, food, shelter, and medical assistance while we work to ensure that they can return home voluntarily and in safety. And we actively encourage other donors to contribute and share the burden. For a small minority of refugees who cannot return home and who are the most vulnerable—usually less than 0.5% of refugees—we also utilize the tool of resettlement to third countries. Our office also manages the arrival and resettlement of refugees into the U.S. In March, I travelled to Connecticut to visit a school where newly arrived Syrian refugee children were

The F. Washington Jarvis International Fund was established by Jack Hennessy ’54 and his wife, Margarita, to support The Roxbury Latin School’s mission to expose its boys and masters to the political, economic, and cultural complexities of the international enterprise. Since the Fund’s inception, the school has sponsored speakers and cultural programs and expanded the support it offers to students and faculty for foreign travel, with the goal to advance their understanding of the world.

starting a new life. I asked one of the refugee children what she liked best about the United States. She responded with so much enthusiasm: “my bicycle, music lessons, horseback riding, and snow!” I wonder if she will be Secretary of State someday. Given its scale, the global refugee crisis requires a global response. With 22.5 million refugees, resettlement in third countries like the United States is vital and can help the most vulnerable, but it cannot solve such a large problem. For refugees to return home, peace must be restored in their home countries so that they may go home voluntarily and safely. That means active diplomacy and generous humanitarian assistance for refugees outside their countries so they can survive, so refugeehosting countries will permit them to stay, and so they and their children will believe they still have a future. If we want to protect the security and stability of our allies and our own country, we need an effort that uses all the tools at our disposal and that shares the burdens among many countries. American Exceptionalism Global health and refugees. These are only two of the many challenges your generation will face. There are others, from climate change to terrorism to economic

development to nuclear proliferation. I believe the United States has a unique role to play in confronting these challenges. But should we? To answer, we should consider the question of American exceptionalism. There has been considerable debate in recent years as to whether the United States is exceptional. We are exceptional in that our country sits on the best piece of land in the world, protected by two oceans with two friendly neighbors to the north and south. And we benefit from our founding principles and our constitution. But what has really made the United States exceptional as a great power is the fact that we have identified our interests with the interests of others. We sought security for our nation by ensuring the security of our allies. We opened opportunities for our businesses and our workers by supporting the prosperity of our partners. We protected our liberty by promoting freedom abroad. The United States has brought this same generous spirit to our efforts to address global health threats and forced displacement around the world. But American exceptionalism is not automatic. If the U.S. is to play this exceptional role, it will fall to each generation of Americans to be exceptional themselves. Now Roxbury Latin and its tradition of

service belong to you. This great school, its faculty, and resources are all marshalled for the single purpose of making you “fit for service to Church and Commonwealth.” How can you serve? How can you take the lessons you learn, the skills you acquire, and the values that are instilled in you here and have an impact on the world? In short, how can you think locally and act globally? I hope some of you will decide to join the Foreign Service. I assure you that, in addition to a lot of work, it is a lot of fun. Maybe you will join the Peace Corps and live for two years in a mud hut in a place like Zambia—the toughest job you will ever love. Maybe you will become an epidemiologist and track down the next Zika virus and stop it in its tracks. And maybe you will just help a refugee family become Americans and share in our dream. Marcus Aurelius was one of the great Roman philosophers and his book, The Meditations, remains a great and mercifully short read. In it, Marcus Aurelius says, “People are our proper occupation. Our job is to do them good.” Whatever you choose, I hope that your generation will carry forward the tradition of our school and our country. So I conclude today with a simple message: choose to serve; choose to be exceptional.

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

11

S mi th S ch ola r Se ries

It’s not about polar bears Former EPA Head Gina McCarthy on U.S. Climate Policy

T

he Honorable Gina McCarthy is a straight shooter—a policy wonk by her own reckoning. The former head of the Environmental Protection Agency under President Obama spoke on 13 November, the third in this year’s Smith Scholar series on the subject of global climate change. She discussed her work under the previous administration and offered her take on where U.S. climate policy stands today. Under Obama, the EPA tackled the two biggest sources of greenhouse gases—the car industry and fossil fuel power plants—as part of its Clean Power Plan. “The strongest message to the world that the U.S. was serious about mitigating climate change was to reduce emissions from our energy sector,” said Ms. McCarthy. Obama appointed Ms. McCarthy as head of the EPA based on her experience in this area. “Climate change isn’t just a threat to public health—it’s not about polar bears. It’s about you, your health, the health of your children,” said Ms. McCarthy, and she identified the economic 12

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

threat as well: the stronger and more frequent storms in the Caribbean and the fires in the west call for billions of off-budget dollars that aren’t allocated. “The reason people are accepting the science of climate change is because they are feeling it.” Climate change also threatens national security. Ms. McCarthy pointed to the need to create the transitional technology to make the next leap for clean energy. “Currently, China is leading that tech with India not far behind. The U.S. is losing out on those opportunities.” She added that owing to our three branches of government, undoing those policies won’t be easy. “The challenge today is to make sure we don’t go backward.” Ms. McCarthy’s environmental leadership experience stretches back 35 years, over both Democratic and Republican administrations. As EPA Administrator under President Obama, she was particularly noteworthy in her efforts to advance climate policy. In 2015, she signed the Clean Power Plan, which set the first-ever national standards for reducing carbon emissions from

power plants, underscoring the country’s commitment to climate action and spurring international efforts that helped secure the Paris Climate Agreement. Ms. McCarthy came to the EPA from Connecticut, where she served as Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. Prior to that, she worked for five Massachusetts governors in various environmental leadership

positions. Ms. McCarthy is currently a Fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a Senior Leadership Fellow at Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health. A native of Dorchester, Ms. McCarthy earned her bachelor’s degree in social anthropology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and her master’s in environmental health engineering and planning and policy from Tufts University.

Economic, Social, and Political Impacts of Climate Change This year, for the first time, the Smith Scholar series focuses on a global issue that is based in science. Climate change, and the ways in which we and others address its challenges, will have far reaching economic, social, and political impacts around the globe. In addition to Gina McCarthy, the school heard from Dr. Michael McElroy and Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz this fall. The series will conclude this winter with Dr. Maria Ivanova, professor of international relations and environmental policy at the University of Massachusetts.

C

uriosity, creativity, and commitment: This is the recipe that Dr. Michael McElroy— eminent scholar of environmental studies at Harvard—suggests to combat the effects of climate change. The first of four Smith Visiting Scholars to discuss the science and policies of climate change this year, Dr. McElroy presented the basics of climate science in Hall on 19 September and offered his perspective on the position of both the U.S. and China—historically the world’s largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions—to show leadership in combating the rise of CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere. “We’re at a critical time on this planet, and meaningful changes will have to be a collective investment, globally and with international connectivity,” says Dr. McElroy, whose research addresses challenges for public policy posed by the rapid pace of industrialization in developing countries while exploring alternative strategies for more sustainable development in mature economies. Dr. McElroy is the Gilbert Butler Professor of Environmental Studies at Harvard, and he has served as director of the Center for Earth and Planetary Physics and the Harvard University Center for the Environment. He currently leads the China Project, an interdisciplinary and collaborative research program on China’s atmospheric environment, energy system, and economy. On 19 October Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, an expert on American and international public opinion on global climate change, spoke about “Climate Change in the American Mind.” He presented and discussed the results of his 2016 survey, which

Dr. McElroy met with students and faculty after his presentation to answer questions and continue the conversation.

among other things revealed that nearly one in four Americans believe humans won’t reduce global warming because people are unwilling to change their behavior. It also showed that Americans are more likely to think of global warming as an environmental issue (and a relatively distant threat) than a moral issue or a threat to national security. A senior research scientist at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, Dr. Leiserowitz studies public perception of climate change risks; support and opposition for climate policies; and people’s willingness to make individual behavioral change. His presentation underscored the complexity of an issue in which science, public perceptions, and public policy intersect. The Robert P. Smith ’58 International Scholar in Residence was established by Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Smith in order to promote greater understanding of global issues. 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

13

student news Andrew Zhang and Kalyan Palepu named Siemens semifinalists

Andrew Zhang III and Kalyan Palepu II were semifinalists in this year’s Siemens Competition, the nation’s premier research competition in math, science, and technology for high school students. Under the mentorship of Professor Gil Alterovitz of Harvard Medical School, Andrew and Kalyan created a compression system for genome data to make it more accessible for daily clinical use, taking advantage of recent advances in machine learning, which can discover features in massive data without explicitly telling the computer how. Andrew explains: “Our system consists of two parts: one for finding features in genome data and using those patterns to compress the data, and the other for reconstructing the data. More specifically, each side is an artificial neural network, which simulates a biological neural network (a brain). It does this through a network of interconnected nodes, which each perform some mathematical function. A program runs the system repeatedly, each time adjusting parameters to tune its accuracy. Fortunately, Google’s Machine Learning framework, Tensorflow, hides all the technical details, and provides an easy interface to use. We designed and implemented our system with Python (a computer language) and Tensorflow.” Andrew and Kalyan’s system resulted in a 136x reduction of the genome data file size—from 500MB down to 23MB— and recovers without loss. It compresses an entire genome in three hours, and decompresses any section in a fraction of a second, all on a laptop. 14

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

In addition to being named Siemens semifinalists, Andrew Zhang III and Kalyan Palepu II (pictured here with CABA president, Dr. Kevin Fang) also won 2nd place in the 2017 Chinese-American Biomedical Association (CABA) research competition.

Gabriel Grajeda discusses STEAM teaching with Harvard graduate students

In October, Gabriel Grajeda I participated in a presentation to 200 graduate students at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Gabriel has spent the last three summers working for L2TT2L, a program that works to engage Boston youth in the latest STEAM education. At L2TT2L, Gabriel and other students combine work on their own technology projects with visits to Boston community centers where they teach STEAM concepts to children and youth. L2TT2L director Susan Klimczak arranged with Harvard professor Dr. Karen Brennan for Gabriel and his colleagues to showcase their summer STEAM projects to Dr. Brennan’s students. “The graduate students were curious about how we educate the kids—who have little experience with or access to computers—in STEAM concepts,” Gabriel said.

“While many of the children we teach are elementary school age, sometimes we are teaching to our peers.” And it was a heady experience to present to graduate students: “It was awesome just to find them so interested in our projects. One said to me, ‘Let me know when I can buy it!’”

“Smart” pill box wins four prizes at Hackathon

Kalyan Palepu II and Robert Cunningham I participated in the UMass Hackathon over the first weekend in November, and walked away with four prizes: Best Website, Best Use of Amazon Lex, Best HomeAutomated Project, and Most Creative Healthcare-Related Project. Their winning project was a “smart” pill box and a corresponding website. As Robert explains it, many people have elderly relatives who are independent, but also need to take medication—and making sure that they remember to take the

to support Camp Joslin (for children with diabetes), where Will has gone each summer for the past six years. Kalyan Palepu II, Robert Cunningham I

medication is often a source of friction. The smart pill box indicates with lights which pills should be taken and when, and it reports to the website if they’ve been taken and how many are left. Caretakers can keep track by checking the website. There’s also voice integration, so noncomputer-savvy elderly can just ask it when they need refills and when they’re next due to take their medicine. Paired with two college students, Kalyan and Robert were part of the top prize-winning team. Of the 200+ teams, only 14 won any prizes at all.

Will Matthews VI with Red Sox legend Jason Varitek and NBC anchor J.C. Monahan at High Hopes Gala. (Photo by Matt Teuten)

Will Matthews honored at Joslin Diabetes Center Gala

Will Matthews VI was honored with the Spotlight on Hope Award at the Joslin Diabetes Center’s High Hopes Gala in November for his efforts to raise funds and awareness for diabetes. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age six, today Will is a three-sport athlete and doesn’t let his diabetes hold him back. This summer, for the second year, Will hosted “Street Hockey to Shut out T1D” in Canton to benefit Joslin Diabetes Center and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Funds also go

John Philippides wins New York Times Summer Reading Contest

John Philippides I won Week 8 of the New York Times 10-Week Summer Reading Contest in August. That particular week saw 1,223 contestants. Contestants choose from a selection of topics—from North Korea and ocean-polluting plastic to affirmative action and shelter dogs. John chose “Cars suck up data about you. Where does it all go?” He wrote: Born in 2000, I have rarely worried about the risks of the digital age. But this article about the information that cars collect about us spurred a dramatic shift in my opinion about privacy and data-tracking. For a long time, I didn’t care what information companies and the government knew about me. I couldn’t believe that my mom required us to keep our new Amazon Echo turned off and far from where we talked. When I complained about her unfounded paranoia, she revealed that her reasons for moving Alexa were more complex than I thought. My mother’s family lived in Argentina during part of the “Dirty War,” a period starting in 1976 when the government abducted and killed thousands of Argentine citizens. Her father suspected that the government was spying on his family. When a group of soldiers entered their apartment and tore through his family’s belongings without their consent, they fled to the United States. I learned that the fear of surveillance is more deeply instilled in my mother than it ever could be in me, and my apathy began to erode. Last week, as I read how auto companies sell information about our driving habits and daily routines, sometimes without our consent, I wondered whether my family would have survived if the Argentine government had access to that kind of data and technology. Now, unless I need her, Alexa remains turned off in my study.

Joe Nero I

Joe Nero places second at international public speaking competition

Joe Nero I, Kalyan Palepu II, and Trey Sullivan II, accompanied by history master Stewart Thomsen, competed at the International Independent School Public Speaking Competition (IISPSC) held in Winnipeg, Canada, in the end of October. Students from North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia participated in the competition, hosted jointly by Gray Academy and Balmoral Hall. Joe placed second in the Radio Newscast event—the first R.L. boy to place in this event in at least the last 20 years. To compete in this event, each student is given 30 minutes to prepare a fourminute, top-of-the-hour broadcast based on local, national, and international news publications. Joe, who typically competes in Cross-Examination and Parliamentary debate, was competing in Radio Newscast for the first time. “One of the most challenging things about this event was being the last one to compete,” Joe says. “You’re not allowed to enter the room until it’s your turn to perform, so I didn’t know what I was up against.” In preparing for the event, Joe relied on videos of radio newscasts, as well as on his experience as the game announcer for R.L.’s varsity football home games. Joe’s performance at IISPSC qualifies him to become a member of the United States team for the World Individual Debate and Public Speaking Championships to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, in April.

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

15

S e r vi ce

John Frates II shows his wordsearch book to an Altenheim resident.

R.L.’s “gamesmiths” share craft with Altenheim neighbors

O

n Monday afternoon, 16 October, Class IV master Jim Ryan took a group of freshmen over to R.L. neighbor Deutsches Altenheim to spend time with the elderly residents there. The senior living community is accustomed to visits from Class IV—indeed, for years our freshmen have been paying visits to the residents to perform music, share artwork, discuss poetry, deliver speeches, compare family traditions. Each class conducts its own, yearlong service project, and getting to know our Altenheim neighbors is Class IV’s. But that Monday’s visit stood out. Accompanying the freshmen were two upper classmen: junior John Frates, who published a book of wordsearch puzzles this fall, and senior Ben LaFond, who is the latest in a growing cadre of R.L. boys who

16

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

have been bitten by the crossword bug. Altenheim residents gathered around small tables and in soft chairs in the Vista Room while John and Ben each gave a short presentation on his particular brand of puzzle making. In the lively Q&A that followed, the two boys answered questions about how they got interested in creating puzzles in the first place. Ben owes his avocation to Math Department Chair John Lieb, who—though a relative newcomer to crossword creation—has had eleven of his puzzles published in the New York Times. John Frates was inspired to create his book of wordsearches when his grandmother began having more difficulty with her memory and struggled with the standard wordsearch puzzle books she used to love. The rest of the time was spent tackling the sheets of wordsearches and crossword

Neither Snow nor Rain…

Undaunted by the season’s first snowstorm, members of the R.L. Chapter of Habitat for Humanity traveled to Dorchester on 9 December where they put in the better part of the day working on a Habitat home build. Paul Sugg and Phil Thornton accompanied the team of five boys: Colin Miller II, Josh Morris II, Ben Bryant I, Tomas Gustafsson II, and Liam Rimas II.

puzzles John and Ben brought with them, the boys working side-by-side with their hosts. Laughter and conversation buzzed around huddled heads and sharpened pencils—a witness to the sheer fun of puzzle-solving that engages young and old without discrimination.

Sixies tend to Founder’s grave

On 23 October, while seniors were off visiting colleges, special projects were arranged for Classes II through VI. Class VI traveled to the Eliot Burial Ground in Roxbury, equipped with rakes and yard waste bags, to tend to the ancient graveyard and to visit the Founder’s grave.

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

17

H all H i g hl i g h ts

Lt. Christopher Fuqua P ’21 Lt. Christopher Fuqua spent eight years flying S-3B Vikings as a naval flight officer in the U.S. Navy. He made two deployments on the USS John C. Stennis and served as a mission commander during Operation Enduring Freedom. Describing his path to the Naval Academy in his Veterans Day address, Lt. Fuqua said he never really considered joining the military when he was applying to college, despite his family’s deep military roots. But he wanted to swim competitively at a Division I school, and the Academy showed some interest. “I decided to make a visit. It was a trip that forever changed the course of my life.” Lt. Fuqua earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the Naval Academy and his MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Today, he is senior vice president of marketing for Dunkin Donuts LLC. He is the father of Alex in Class IV.

“Joining the military was a great way to serve my country and to give back. And like most things involving serving others, it paid me back tenfold in the form of building character, establishing and reinforcing a set of core values, and appreciating all that I have been given.”

Dr. Michael Massimino A veteran of two space flights—the fourth and fifth Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions in 2002 and 2009—Dr. Michael Massimino described his path toward becoming an astronaut, and what he learned along the way. He was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1996—on what, he shared, was his fourth time applying for the role. Undaunted by the long shot odds of achieving his childhood dream of going to space, he simply persisted. In his presentation, Dr. Massimino shared photos and videos of the intensive training that astronauts undergo preparing for space travel. He walked his audience through his mistake of stripping a screw while making repairs on the Hubble Telescope, and the team problem-solving that kept the mission from failure. Dr. Massimino is a professor of professional practice at Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. Earlier in his career he was an engineer at IBM, NASA Headquarters, and McDonnell Douglas Aerospace. He has been honored with two NASA Space Flight Medals, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and the American Astronautical Society’s 2009 Flight Achievement Award, among other recognitions.

18

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

“The things you think are mistakes may turn out not to be mistakes. I realized wherever you are, if you make the most of what you’ve got, you can find a way to keep moving forward.”

Arn Chorn-Pond

“In the jungle I felt lonely— there were no people there, only animals. I thought I would feel less lonely when I came to the U.S., but instead it felt like the Berlin Wall stood between myself and the other students.”

As a nine-year-old, Arn Chorn-Pond was one of hundreds of Cambodian children sent to prison camps when the Khmer Rouge came to power in 1975. Under the life-saving tutelage of Youen Mek—a master artist—Arn survived by playing the flute, performing propaganda music to entertain soldiers and drown the sounds of executions. Forced into battle during the Vietnamese invasion, Arn escaped into the jungle and made his way over the border into Thailand. There, in dire health, he met The Rev. Peter Pond who formally adopted him and brought him to the United States. Speaking to the school in September, Mr. Chorn-Pond spoke about his great struggle transitioning to life in the U.S., where he faced both language and discrimination barriers. At the urging of his adoptive father, Arn learned to process his emotions and, ultimately, he began to tell his story. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Providence College and, since, has committed himself to humanitarian service and the arts. His story is the subject of the book Never Fall Down—nominated for the National Book Award. An accomplished flautist, he founded the Cambodian Living Arts. He is the recipient of the Amnesty International Human Rights Award, and the Kohl Foundation International Peace Prize, among other honors.

“I had this illegal information, and I started to rationalize: It seems that everyone is doing it…and if I buy this stock, who am I hurting? But when my name became public for the crimes I committed, everyone cut ties with me. I hurt everyone.”

Thomas “Tipper X” Hardin At age 29, Tom Hardin was a junior partner at a long-short equity hedge fund. In 2007, a moment arose when he decided to cross a very important line, and the rest is history. Tom was later charged with securities fraud and, known as “Tipper X,” became one of the government’s most productive cooperating witnesses in Operation Perfect Hedge, the largest ever investigation into hedge fund insider trading. Tom was sentenced in 2015 and now speaks to investment firms, government agencies, and schools about the power of rationalization in his decision to cross the line, his work as an FBI informant, and the life consequences of a felony conviction. His Hall address in November was another step in his effort to empower the next generation to not make unethical choices. Tom holds a B.S. in economics with a finance concentration from UPenn’s Wharton School.

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

19

the arts S e n i o r P lay

DOGG’S

HAMLET CAHOOT’S MACBETH Directed by Derek Nelson Photos by Mike Pojman

T

he first thing the audience hears is: “Brick!” The first thing they see is a blue soccer ball sailing from one wing to the other. This verbal-visual riddle sets the tone for Dogg’s Hamlet—a play in which preeminent post-World War II dramatist Tom Stoppard attempts to teach the audience the language of the play as the play unfolds. Until Easy, a delivery man, arrives, everyone in “the world” of Act One speaks only “Dogg”, a kind of English gibberish (Stoppard is clearly referencing doggerel). Abel, Baker, and Charlie are students at a school whose headmaster is named “Dogg”; they are preparing a severely abridged—and extremely average—pro20

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

duction of Hamlet, to be performed immediately following an awards ceremony. So, for them, Shakespeare’s English is a second language. As Easy is trying to make his delivery of “planks, slabs, cubes, and blocks,” he is gradually, and hilariously, learning the language. Act Two (Cahoot’s Macbeth) opens in a different setting and a darker mood. Issues of the control of language, meaning, and power—treated comically in Act One—have now become politically charged. A group of dissident theatre artists, living in an unnamed dictatorship, are performing a clandestine production of Macbeth in a collaborator’s living room, with the furniture

pushed to the side. The apartment is invaded mid-performance by a state police inspector who is intent on enforcing the laws of censorship that would prohibit just this kind of artistic expression and freedom of speech. Intent on defying the inspector’s threats and strong-arm tactics, the actors must find a way to save the performance by repurposing Shakespeare’s language in support of the political crisis of the moment. And then, Easy arrives (again), and it’s “Double double, toil and trouble…”. As the New York Times put it when the play opened on Broadway in 1979, “Lewis Carroll would have been at home.” Dogg’s Hamlet and Cahoot’s Macbeth were among Stoppard’s

four dissident comedies of the late 1970s and written to be performed together. Stoppard dedicated the second play to dissident Czech dramatist Pavel Kohout (hence “Cahoot”). With a cast of 23—18 R.L. boys, four girls from Winsor, and one from Dana Hall—the production drew on a lot of talent. Marge Dunn oversaw the tech crew of eight boys including Conor Downey IV as stage manager. (By show time, Director Derek Nelson, having tied one costume bow tie too many, regretted not hiring Mr. Bettendorf as bow tie strategist!) The production was performed in the Smith Theater on the evenings of 17-18 November, with support from the Hugo van Itallie Endowment. 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

21

Fall Recitalists

A

ctors, artists, Alex Yin V played athletes, writRecitativo and Scherzo by Fritz ers all know that Kreisler. to be good at what they do requires practice. There is no shortcut. Musicians know this, too. On the last morning of November, we took our seats in Hall for a recital by seven student instrumentalists, whose exquisite performances of diverse and stunning compositions were the fruit of countless hours of study and repetition. Music has a way of changing the light on the day, and that morning seemed brighter, warmer, as we prepared to begin our various school Andrew Zhang III played Consolation no. 3 in D-flat day tasks. Meanwhile, these seven major by Franz Liszt. boys were already well into their day, and at the top of their game.

Elias Simeonov II (violin), Eric Zaks II (cello), and Dylan Zhou I (piano) played Primavera Porteña, part of Cuatro estaciones porteñas by Astor Piazzolla.

Jonathan Weiss III performed Six Bulgarian Dances (I), by Béla Bartók.

22

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

Christopher Zhu III played J.S. Bach’s Partita 3, 1st movement.

The holidays need music, and R.L. delivers at annual Messiah Sing

O

n Friday, 1 December, music filled a bedecked Rousmaniere Hall, kicking off a season of celebration. With more than 200 guests in attendance, the musical event began with a holiday concert by The Sly Voxes, an all-male a cappella group featuring talented Roxbury Latin alumni and parents, and directed by Headmaster Kerry Brennan. The group’s eclectic repertoire included songs ranging from “Ave Maria” to “Soon and Very Soon,” from “Pat-a-Pan” to “Do You Hear What I Hear?” The finale had The Sly Voxes donning cozy and crazy holiday scarves for a

rousing performance of “The Christmas Can Can.” The concert delighted an audience that included members of the school community as well as many neighbors from West Roxbury, Roslindale, and choral-music lovers from neighboring towns and around the city. After intermission, the audience itself became a dazzling chorus for the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah, one of the world’s most enduring choral masterpieces. Rearranging themselves by voice part, the audience was directed from the stage with gusto by Mr. Opdycke and Mr. Brennan,

and accompanied on the organ by Brandon Santini, music director and organist from neighboring St. Theresa Church. Soloists Lindsay Conrad (soprano), Sarah Beth Shelton (mezzo-soprano), John Bitsas (bass-baritone), and David Rivera Bozon (tenor) anchored the performance, and together with the enthusiastic audience made for a moving choral experience, on the 275th anniversary of Handel’s beloved creation. The Parents’ Auxiliary hosted a reception for all singers and concert-goers in the Bernstein Tea Room following the performance.

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

23

Left, Tsun Ming Chmielinski with Class III watercolor students. Above, One of Mrs. Chmielinski’s sumi-e paintings. View more from her gallery at www.tmgallery.org.

Arts Calendar

A Lesson in Sumi-e On 30 November, boys in Jim Ryan’s Class III watercolor elective welcomed Tsun Ming Chmielinski for a session on sumi-e, a Chinese brush painting technique. Mrs. Chmielinski, whose son Winston ’06 has earned critical acclaim as a painter, was born in China and began painting at age

14 as a private student of the late Zen Master Shaw Lup Sing. Emigrating to the U.S. in 1976 for college, Mrs. Chmielinski continued to practice sumi-e while pursuing a career in finance and raising a family. She teaches art classes at area art centers and in her private studio in Jamaica Plain.

Tues, 9 Jan 6 pm: Art Exhibit opening reception Tues, 6 Feb 6 pm: Art Exhibit closing reception Sat, 24 Feb 6:30 pm: February Flurry, featuring jazz singer Jane Monheit and Mike Kanan ’81 Fri & Sat, 2 & 3 Mar 7:30 pm: Junior Play: The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail Sun, 4 Mar 6 pm: Joint Concert with Winsor Fri, 6 Apr 7:30 pm: A Cappella Fest Fri, 20 Apr 7:30 pm: Senior Concert Fri & Sat, 4 & 5 May 8 pm: Spring Musical: Oliver Thurs, 10 May 7:30 pm: The Sly Voxes’ Spring Concert Fri, 18 May 7:30 pm: Spring Instrumental Concert

GR EAT H ALL EX HI BI T Matt McCambridge ’94 presents a crosssection of his work as a product designer spanning the past two decades. Matt has a passion for technology, invention, and design. In this exhibit, he presents his ideas about engineering (the process of making dreams real) and the limited but significant role technology can play to address human needs. His particular focus is on wheelchairs designed for, with, and by people in the developing world.

MAKING IDEAS REAL

9 January – 6 February • Great Hall

Service in the Global Commonwealth

Opening reception: Tues., 9 January, 6–7:30 pm Closing reception: Tues., 6 February, 6–7:30 pm

Matt McCambridge ’94

24

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

Fa cul t y Sp otl i g ht

Photo by John Gillooly

Dar ia n Re i d ’ 0 5

Darian Reid ’05 is the John P. Brennan Chairholder in Classics, and Class V Master.

W

hat gripped Darian Reid early, when it comes to Classics, were the stories. In his classroom is depicted a family tree, of sorts—of mythological characters, how they came about, how they’re connected. Students routinely pick out particular figures, eager to learn their stories. “Before learning a single word of Latin, the boys become hooked by the stories. That was certainly true for me. As you progress in your studies, the stories shift from the mythological to topics like philosophy, government, religion, history.” A Classics major at Bowdoin, having recently completed his master’s at St. John’s College, Mr. Reid has been on the R.L. faculty since 2010. Each day he aims to “match or exceed” the energy that the boys bring into his class, which is no small feat. “At R.L., you’re working with boys who want to learn. They want to be taught; they

have questions; they’re naturally curious. Each day, there’s something powerful at stake, and I feel it. I like having that onus upon me every day.” Mr. Reid appreciates how the lessons—in Latin or Greek courses—build from year to year, and how progress with a particular group of boys is easy to track. “In class, we give the boys what they need at that particular time, and as they move through the department’s curriculum, we build on that foundation in new and fresh ways, with more detail and in greater depth. When a boy sticks with Latin or Greek for three or four or five years, he’s having a truly unified experience. “It’s important to me that when we’re having discussions in language courses or the humanities we’re not viewing that as separate from everything else—that math and sciences are not seen as something else entirely. Interplay exists between all

of that, and Classics is a vehicle through which we can approach that. The more you read these great works, the more you realize that the mathematicians, the scientists, the humanitarians were all essentially asking the same questions.” An avid athlete and sports fan (rooting for the Celtics and the Dallas Cowboys), Mr. Reid coaches middle school football and J.V. basketball. He is also the Class V Master. In his precious free time, he also samples new podcasts—Invisibilia and Planet Money lately—and reads for pleasure, switching between the classics and social science. “I love reading the Epic of Gilgamesh. Recently I’ve enjoyed The Warmth of Other Suns, about the Great Migration; Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations; Animal Farm; and Chasing the Scream, about the first and last days of the war on drugs. Ultimately, I’m a fan of the narrative. It all comes back to the story.”

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

25

E nga ge m e n t and Colla bora ti on

Rachel Casseus (foreground) at DACA seminar

R.L. hosts DACA Seminar for R.L. & Winsor seniors

O

n 19 November, 32 senior girls from The Winsor School joined 46 Class I boys at Roxbury Latin for a different kind of sister school mixer: a joint seminar on DACA—the “Dreamer” legislation. The afternoon began with a presentation on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) by immigration law attorney Rachel Casseus (Winsor Class of 2002). Deeply knowledgeable about DACA, Ms. Casseus outlined its history and the current Administration’s efforts to end DACA, and shared her insights on how all of this is impacting the “Dreamers” who are at the heart of DACA. After

a Q&A, students broke into groups, each with a faculty facilitator, to discuss the topic. They were guided by several discussion questions and tasked with finding a more permanent solution and drafting new legislation for Congress, after which the students reconvened to share their results. The evening concluded with dinner in the Refectory. The heads of both schools attended. Julian Braxton, Winsor’s Director of Community and Multicultural Affairs, joined Winsor head Sarah Pelmas, and R.L. faculty members Elizabeth Carroll, Stewart Thomsen, Andrew Kinglsey, Kyle Layne-Allen,

Boys’ school heads join for panel discussion

H

eadmaster Kerry Brennan recently joined his colleagues and fellow heads of school Dr. Rick Melvoin (Belmont Hill) and Mr. Bill Burke (St. Sebastian’s) in a conversation on the value of a boys’ school education. The program, hosted at Belmont Hill on 20 November, included a panel discussion on a range of topics, from competition and relationships to academics and extracurriculars. The three leaders elaborated on the dynamics within boys’ schools and the distinctive model of a single-sex educa26

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

tional environment. The evening event broadened into an open conversation with those in attendance—people familiar with boys’ schools and those interested in learning more. Questions about technology use, pedagogical practices, and character development directed the dialogue. The program offered a rare opportunity to hear from these distinguished boys’ school heads as they reflected on their experiences, shared observations, and anticipated what lies ahead for boys’ schools across the country.

and Mike Pojman served as facilitators along with Headmaster Kerry Brennan. Mr. Brennan originally approached Ms. Carroll—herself a Winsor board member and alumna—with the idea for the seminar. “I wanted to explore other ways for students of the two schools to interact,” said Mr. Brennan. “By centering the event around an issue of civic import, something that taps into students’ intellectual curiosity and horsepower, we can broaden the kinds of joint engagement we offer to R.L. boys and Winsor girls.” The two schools anticipate coordinating a similar event in the spring.

R.L. hosts IBSC Teachers New to Boys’ Schools Conference

Photos by John Gillooly

T

his fall, Roxbury Latin welcomed 33 educators from across the United States and Canada for the annual International Boys’ Schools Coalition’s “Teachers New to Boys’ Schools” conference. From Thursday, 26 October, through that Saturday, teachers attended seminars and engaged in discussions on a range of topics related to educating and caring for boys. On Thursday evening, Rick Hawley—Headmaster Emeritus of University School—spoke to teachers about the mission of boys’ schools. Many veteran Roxbury Latin masters taught seminars and led discussions, based on their long experience. Those seminars focused on the social-emotional development of boys; pedagogy and approach; giving students a voice, and hearing those voices clearly; and the “ecosystem” of boys’ schools. The visiting educators also heard from the students themselves—on panels and in presentations. Throughout Friday afternoon, teachers broke into three groups and visited classes at R.L. and at our

neighboring schools, Catholic Memorial and Dexter Southfield. Heads of school Peter Folan (Catholic Memorial) and Todd Vincent (Dexter Southfield) joined Headmaster Kerry Brennan for a heads’ panel discussion, sharing their experiences in leading boys’ schools today. At the end of classes on Friday afternoon, the teachers tested their design and construction skills in R.L.’s IDEA lab, led by Class I students Andrew Gray, Robert Cunningham and Zach Levin, as well as Director of Technology Nate Piper. In small groups, teachers were charged with using the tools and materials at hand to create a vessel that would travel upright, the length of a zip line, without toppling the small, orange bear intended to ride on it. Testing their creations, many were pleasantly surprised with their maker-space success. Organized by Andy Chappell, R.L.’s Director of Studies and Strategic Initiatives, in conjunction with the IBSC, the conference brought together individuals invested in understanding, teaching, and

caring for the boys in their charge—eager to share ideas and experiences, and learn from one another. Roxbury Latin is a longtime member of the IBSC; Headmaster Brennan was re-elected as IBSC president this summer. The IBSC connects dedicated educators worldwide to discover the best learning practices for boys. The Coalition was founded in 1995 and includes more than 250 schools representing 250,000 boys in 20 countries.

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

27

Fo un d e r ’ s D ay

Part of Something Great by Mike Pojman left the Smith Theater wondering why the boys were so attentive, so drawn into a 65-minute lecture delivered by a certain Headmaster Emeritus whom they knew only by name—and by a distinctively haunting portrait watching over them at lunch in the Refectory. (“His eyes follow us around the room,” it’s said.) The sons of alums in the crowd had no doubt heard of the legendary Jarvis slide lectures from their fathers’ Western Civ days, but that was only a handful. The 1500 graduates spanning the 30 years comprising the Jarvis Era will certainly recall them, too. (To all you veterans of those infamous slide lectures, is that a chill running up and down your spine?) Still, this was no ordinary slide lecture—no frantic note-taking in an overstuffed Room 14, no blazing tour through English cathedrals, no softly whispered “Elie or Ely?” to the boy who could spell better than you could. But I’m getting ahead of myself. For the faculty and staff, Founder’s Day began at 8 a.m. with an inspiring call-to-arms by Headmaster Brennan, fully aware that we were embarking on a mission of uncertain outcome. “It’s going to be wonderful,” he said, with a tone and expression that was as much a “Make it so” (channeling his best Star Trek) as it was a prediction. Soon enough we were assembled in the Gordon Field House for the annual all-school photo, and the day was launched. More than one of us had that are-we-having-fun-yet look of a schoolmaster about to shepherd 300 boys through a closely choreographed march around campus, on a too-tight schedule, to St. Theresa’s church and back, in a sometimes-soaking rain. One could only hope that the morning’s Founder’s Day speaker, Governor Charlie Baker, would have something engaging to

I

28

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

say. As he listened impassively through the readings and hymns and songs, obviously preoccupied, the thought occurred to more than a few of us that perhaps he would not engage us at all, that we were just Event Number 1 on his gubernatorial agenda for the day. But we could not have been more wrong. Shortly, he approached the lectern, lit up the stage, and delivered—without

Tony Jarvis

notes—a 30-minute talk that connected with every R.L. boy in the room: If you are not a bit uncomfortable, he said in not so many words, you are not trying hard enough, not taking the right risks. After this auspicious start, it wouldn’t take us long to realize that this complicated, comprehensive Founder’s Day, with its elaborate tours and detours and talks and lectures, was worth its own risks. It seemed so right to celebrate the 90th year of the West Roxbury campus, and this was the time to do it. Advisor groups toured the school in clusters and saw things they’d seen a hundred times before but never noticed: the Eliot wall on the second floor of the Perry Building; portraits of former masters and headmasters and trustees (two of William Coe Collar, three of Albert Gordon); special displays of blueprints and photos

and historical memorabilia gathered for the occasion. A break in the rain even saved the field trip to St. Theresa’s, and snacks en route kept the natives from getting restless. But the highlight of the day was Tony’s mesmerizing history of Roxbury Latin, from the time of Eliot to the near present, replete with a touch of Jarvis hyperbole and a homespun dose of humor. The boys were riveted as one slide after another brought the R.L. story to life. Pausing on the projected portrait of the Gordon sisters, Mary Elizabeth and Elizabeth Mary, posing with their beloved McGinty, he made no secret of his intense dislike of that “horrid little dog that nipped at my ankles every time I went to visit them.” But when he learned that they had doubled their gift to build the Gordon wing in honor of their sister-in-law, he was so overjoyed he said, “I could have embraced them. I was even prepared to embrace McGinty.” And so the narrative unfolded in the hands of the only one who could have delivered it, and the boys began to realize that they were witnessing something the likes of which they will never experience again. They could sense that they were in the presence of brilliance. “Someday you will be telling your children and grandchildren that you once heard an address by the legendary Headmaster Jarvis,” Kerry reminded them in his poignant introduction. The boys listened attentively, straining to take it all in. By the end of the day, each of us, boy and master, could sense this was a Founder’s Day like no other, and it wasn’t until somewhat later that I fully understood why. As the history of the school played out before us throughout the day, we all realized— perhaps for the first time—that we were part of something great, that the greatness of Roxbury Latin somehow included us, and we were proud of it. Founder’s Day

Each of us is just a thin slice of the Roxbury Latin story, nestled snugly between the long history that has preceded us and the as yet unwritten narrative that will follow us. Go to https://tinyurl.com/y7el9txn for the video of Tony Jarvis’s Hall talk.

reminded me that each of us is just a thin slice of the Roxbury Latin story, nestled snugly between the long history that has preceded us and the as yet unwritten narrative that will follow us. We are part of it. We have added to it. We can hope that we have enriched it. For some of us, our slice of history will be just a sliver on that timeline.

For others, their share will be much longer and more consequential. Only time will tell. Tony closed his lecture with a charge to the boys right out of Saving Private Ryan: Make all of this worth it. I left for home that day with the renewed conviction that they do and the ever-optimistic hope that they will. 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

29

A Tradition of Governors The relationship between Roxbury Latin and governors of the Commonwealth goes back to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, when Gov. Thomas Dudley signed the Agreement of 1645, which established the school. The Commonwealth’s first governor, John Hancock, signed Roxbury Latin’s charter of 1789. Increase Sumner, Class of 1763, became the fifth governor. Gov. William Eustis spoke in Hall on 9 September 1823. More recently, several governors have helped us celebrate Founder’s Day: Paul Cellucci in 1999, Mike Dukakis paid a visit in 2005, and William Weld in 2013; the Commonwealth’s 72nd governor, Charlie Baker, continued the tradition this year. For ten years prior to his election in 2014, he was CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care; before that he served as a cabinet secretary under Governors William Weld and Paul Cellucci. We are grateful to Life Trustee Emerita Nancy Anthony for her help in inviting the Governor to be with us for Founder’s Day.

Fo un d e r ’ s D ay

Governor Charlie Baker delivers Founder’s Day keynote address

O

n Thursday, 26 October, Governor Charlie Baker delivered the keynote Hall address to students, faculty, trustees, and guests, as the honored speaker for Roxbury Latin’s 2017 Founder’s Day celebration. Founded by John Eliot in 1645, Roxbury Latin is the oldest school in continuous existence in North America, and this year the school celebrates, in particular, its 90th year in West Roxbury. In his remarks, Governor Baker told the boys that greatness comes in not shying away from discomfort. “If you truly want to be great,” he said, “in whatever field of endeavor, the likelihood that you will get there without a few setbacks is very small.” Governor Baker drew upon the experience of his first gubernatorial race, which he lost to Deval Patrick in 2010. After lots of consideration, and after 30

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

facing uncomfortable realities about why that campaign wasn’t successful, he ran again and won the 2014 race by a slim margin. In that victory, Governor Baker was aware that half the electorate had voted for someone else, and he knew he had to prove himself to those constituents. “So, we built a bipartisan cabinet,” he said. “We went out of our way to talk to those people who worked for our opponents, and we chose the best people for the job, regardless of the letters at the ends of their names.” Governor Baker urged the boys to allow for the possibility of failure, and then to learn from that failure. “I hope when you come to those forks in the road you will choose the tough road. Because not only will you be better for it, so will we.” Following Governor Baker’s remarks,

students and faculty took part in special programming that drew on the school’s rich history. The Rev. F. Washington Jarvis—who served as Roxbury Latin’s headmaster from 1974 to 2004—delivered a historic presentation on the school’s evolution, dating back to the charter John Eliot received from King Charles I. Students then toured the campus in small groups, visiting faculty docents located at sites commemorating important figures and events in the school’s 373-year history. Finally, the boys visited Roxbury Latin’s neighboring St. Theresa of Avila in West Roxbury, to learn about the church’s art and architecture. The celebration continued into the evening, as alumni, faculty and friends gathered at Clery’s in Boston for the annual Founder’s Day Pub Night. (See page 42.)

Tha n ks g i vi ng Ha ll

Joys, Simple and Profound Nancy Anthony, Life Trustee, shares her Thanksgiving reflections

O

n the last day before the Thanksgiving holiday break, Life Trustee Nancy Anthony—mother of Drew ’01 and Graham ’03—offered her thoughts on gratitude as keynote speaker of the morning’s annual Thanksgiving Hall. “Today, we pause amidst the busyness of our lives to do two things,” began Headmaster Kerry Brennan. “First, to remember what we like to call ‘the first Thanksgiving’—the circumstances, the hardships, the virtues, the rituals, the example of it. And second, to do a bit of thanks-giving ourselves… Gratitude becomes more authentic the more reflective we are—to the extent we

take nothing for granted—and the more we practice it, feel it, express it, say thank you. The things for which I believe we ought to be most grateful are ones we receive thanks to Grace. Much of who we are—our intelligence, our physical strengths, our families—we have not earned, we are given.” Mrs. Anthony’s reflections and insight focused in part on the wonder of the senses at this time of year: the joys, both simple and profound, that they elicit, and the memories they constitute. She recalled the crackle and warmth of a lit fireplace, the smells and sights of turkeys cooked over the years—both successfully and less so.

Anthony Portrait Unveiled

Nancy and Bob Anthony (right) with their son Graham ’03, daughter-in-law Amber, and son Drew ’01.

The Thanksgiving Hall exercises included a formal unveiling of Ms. Anthony’s portrait, commissioned by the school to honor her commitment as “an irreplaceable member of the Roxbury Latin community—one of our school’s wisest advisors and stalwart supporters,” described Headmaster Brennan. This portrait (R.L.’s seventeenth by portrait artist Richard Owen) is the first to be commissioned by Roxbury Latin of a female trustee and school leader.

(“No one remembers the perfectly-cooked turkeys,” she joked, “only the ones that came out burnt or raw!”) She urged the boys in the audience to pay attention to the sensations, scents, and sights that they will recall fondly in years to come. She called upon her listeners to reflect with gratitude on those friends and family members around the table: “Take time this Thanksgiving to talk with the person in the room that you see the least and with the oldest person at the table. Ask them questions until they’re exhausted by it! You will learn so much in those conversations.” Finally, Mrs. Anthony shared her gratitude for Roxbury Latin—where, she says, her two sons received an invaluable education, and where she and her husband, Bob, have directed immeasurable support, as Headmaster Brennan said, “in time, talent, and treasure,” over the years. Nancy Anthony was president of Fernwood Advisors and is now chair of its successor, Fernwood Council LLC. A member of R.L.’s board of trustees from 2003 to 2017, Mrs. Anthony was elected life trustee in 2006 and vice president soon after, a position she held until her term ended last June. The Anthonys were active R.L. parent volunteers while their boys were students and led the 2002-2003 Parent Annual Fund. In 2004, they endowed the F. Washington Jarvis Headmastership; Headmaster Brennan is the first to hold the title. In addition to her impactful leadership at R.L., Mrs. Anthony has given countless hours in community service to area medical, social service, public policy, and educational institutions, including Boston Children’s Hospital, McLean Hospital, Massachusetts Historical Society, the Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research, The Park School, and Epiphany School. She has also been a devoted member of the board at her own school, Hathaway Brown in Cleveland.

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

31

Ramblings

12

FR O M T H E A R CH I V ES

by Christopher Heaton

O

13

ne of the activities this Founder’s Day was a guided tour of the school and the history on its walls. For those who haven’t wandered the halls recently, I hope to paint a picture for you of some of the portraits that comprise this school-wide gallery. This Ramblings article focuses on the works of Richard Owen, an artist from New York, who has painted 17 portraits that hang throughout the school. His most recent portrait is that of Life Trustee Nancy Swegler Anthony, who concluded her 14 years of board service last year. (See story on page 31.) Our first stop, where so many of you began your R.L. journey, is the 14 Admission Suite. Billy Quirk and Lindsay Schuyler oversee the office, and overlooking them is a fine portrait of former Assistant Headmaster and Director of Admission William E. Chauncey (1). Just outside the Admission Suite hangs the Owen portrait of Trustee Harry Lewis R.L. 1965 (2). The tour continues up the north stairs of the Perry Building and into the Great Hall, which features three Owen portraits of great R.L. benefactors: twins Mary Elizabeth Gordon and Elizabeth Mary Gordon (3) (this is not a typo), who sit with McGinty (the only dog not to have won over the heart of Tony Jarvis); their brother, Albert Gordon R.L. 1919 (4); and 15 Albert’s wife, Mary Rousmaniere Gordon (5), to whom the Gordon Wing is dedicated. When Al Gordon passed away in May 2009 as he neared his 108th birthday, he was R.L.’s oldest living alumnus. The corridor leading away from the Great Hall features 51 items relating to the history of Roxbury, Boston, and environs. A little farther down are three portraits by Owen: Trustees Dave Mittell R.L. 1935 (6) and John Wallace R.L. 1926 (7), and noted Shakespearean scholar Charles Lyman Kittredge R.L. 1878 (8), whose portrait is a copy of the original done by Charles Hopkinson.* On to Rousmaniere Hall, where two Owen portraits hang to the right of the stage: Charles Hall Grandgent R.L. 1879 (9) (another Hopkinson copy), and Robert 16 Hallowell Gardiner R.L. 1872 (10) (a copy of a portrait by renowned British painter Julian Story). Grandgent and Gardiner were instrumental in establishing the funds that helped the school move to this West Roxbury campus, 90 years ago. Rousmaniere Hall was named after Grandgent’s classmate Edmund Swett Rousmaniere. Exiting the building via the Ernst Wing, we pass Owen’s portrait of longtime trustee William Armstrong Oates Jr. (11), which hangs just outside the Bursary named in his honor. The Bauer Science Center holds two more Owen originals in the foyer: Charles “Ted” Bauer R.L. 1938 (12) and science master of legend Richard M. Whitney (1936-1979) (13). Owen’s James Conant R.L. 1910 (14) (Hopkinson copy) hangs with them. The last stop is the Jarvis Refectory. Of the nine large portraits that adorn its walls, two are Owen originals. The first is Trustee David Lewis R.L. 1931 (15). The other, that of F. Washington Jarvis (Headmaster 1974-2004) (16), presides over the senior table at the head of the building named in his honor.

32

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

2

1

11 10 7

8

9 6

*

5

4 3

Charles Hopkinson (three of whose portraits Owen copied for our collection) was not an R.L. graduate, but 18 of his classmates at Harvard in 1888 were. Many of his paintings were commissioned by east coast institutions, especially Harvard, where he acted as house portraitist. While still an undergraduate, he drew for the Harvard Lampoon, which was started, of course, by an R.L. alum, Edmund March Wheelwright R.L. 1872. Wheelwright could certainly wield a pencil well—in addition to designing the Lampoon Castle, he was the architect of Horticulture Hall in Boston, the Larz Anderson Auto Museum house, the Massachusetts Historical Society Building, and the lovely Jordan Hall. Hopkinson attended the eponymous school (in existence from 1868 to 1902) started by his father. “Hoppy” was R.L.’s big rival in football in the 1880s and 1890s. One of its teachers, James Greenough, hopped away from Hoppy and joined his father-in-law, George W.C. Noble, at the latter’s school in 1892. When that school moved to Dedham in 1922, the grounds at Noble and Greenough were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who had been wise enough to send his son (F.L.O. Jr.) to R.L. (1890).

NOTES: Hopkinson, Charles. View from the Terrace, published by the Cape Ann Museum. www.capeannmuseum.org/media/uploads/hopkinson_book_final.pdf

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

33

PHOTO

2017 Fall Team Records 2017 Fall Team Records

Soccer Varsity........................... 7-6-2 Soccer Varsity......................... Junior Varsity................ 10-2-2 0-0-0 Junior Varsity ..............0-0-0 4-3-4 Varsity..B. .............. Third. Junior........................... Varsity B............. 10-0-2 0-0-0 Third. Third.B. ..........................0-0-0 7-5-0 .......................... Fourth............................ 7-3-2 ........................ 0-0-0 Fifth............................. 12-0-1 0-0-0 Cross Country Football Varsity......................... 16-0-0 0-0-0 Junior Varsity................ 14-2-0 0-0-0 Junior.......................... 20-0-0 0-0-0 Football Cross Country Varsity........................... 2-6-0 Varsity......................... 0-0-0 Junior Varsity................ ................0-0-0 0-1-0 Junior............................ 5-2-0 Junior.......................... 0-0-0 34

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

athletics

What leads a team to success?

Opposite: Photo by Mike Pojman

E rin D

ro m go

ole

C h ri s H e a to n

N i ck P o l e s

Three cross country coaches share their insight on a perfect season

T

eam chemistry. Trust. A willingness to work hard. Buy-in. These components are critical to the success of any cross country team, says Coach Nick Poles ’09. In his second year leading the program, Mr. Poles built upon the team’s growing success toward this season’s triumphant apex. The team swept their competitors in an undefeated season, recording 16 regular season wins. In early November, they emerged as victors over 15 other Independent School League teams, sealing the League championship. The next weekend—facing freezing temperatures—they clinched the New England Division II Championship, running a challenging course at the Berkshire School (summiting “Cardiac Hill”) in the farthest corner of western Massachusetts. This marked the program’s first undefeated dual-meet season since 1999; and while R.L. cross country teams have placed second in the ISL five times since 1994, this is the program’s firstever League Championship. How does a team achieve that level of success? Mr. Poles—a member of R.L.’s cross country team as a student— competed at the collegiate level for Holy Cross. “In my college years, I remember sitting with a bunch of teammates and thinking, ‘Why 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

35

Varsity Cross Country. Seated: N. McKenna, D. Gillis, W. Connaughton (captain), R. Crawford (captain), B. Lawlor, G. Madison, E. Lim, J. Werner. Kneeling: W. Cote, B. Zhou, R. Cunningham, B. Jimenez, J. Harrington, C. Zhu, A. Bowen, L. O’Connor. Standing: Coach Nick Poles, A. Zhang (manager), S. Graber-Adamsons, D. LaFond, L. Zheng, R. Corless, J. Weiss, I. Richardson, G. Hayes, D. McElroy, C. Mazof, G. Grajeda, E. Zou, C. Estrada, Coach Chris Heaton, R. Johansongordet (manager). (Missing: M. Henshon, J. Wexelblatt.)

isn’t some of this stuff working?’ Asking that question pushed us to the research: How do you train effectively? What works for different people and why?” Today, for him and his runners, Mr. Poles tracks everything. “We have tons of data, but we don’t let the data take over.” Having experienced R.L. as a student, and knowing it today as a faculty member (he teaches AP Computer Science) Mr. Poles has a “leg up,” knowing the pace and rhythms of the school. Anticipating the pressure points and the calendar’s moments of breathing room, Mr. Poles can be most effective for his runners, planning workouts and training accordingly. But according to Mr. Poles, varsity assistant coach Chris Heaton, and junior team coach Erin Dromgoole, having buy-in from the entire team is the true cornerstone of success. “At the end of the day, you can’t make the kids run fast,” says Mr. Poles. “They have to want to do well and be willing to push themselves, and they have to trust 36

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

you as a coach. They have to be convinced, for instance, that doing their summer miles will be worth it come fall.” Establishing trust in all directions— athlete to coach, athlete to athlete—is seeded by leadership. This year’s cocaptains, Will Connaughton I and Robert Crawford I, provided, in Mr. Heaton’s

among grades is most effective. Erin Dromgoole—a member of the history department and R.L.’s head track & field coach—has been coaching the junior cross country team since 2011. For a team consisting of boys in grades seven through nine, the underlying philosophy, Erin says, is to “keep it fun.”

“You can’t make the kids run fast. They have to want to do well and be willing to push themselves…They have to be convinced that doing their summer miles will be worth it come fall.” —Coach Nick Poles words, “solid, stable, senior leadership,” fostering a team chemistry in which the boys had fun, enjoyed one another, and— in turn—wanted to work hard for each other, across all grades. Cross country is perhaps the one sport in which integration

“If it’s not fun, boys won’t want to do it,” she says. “My job as the junior coach is to develop runners who will become our top varsity and J.V. runners, so my primary job is to keep them in the program. We want to bring them up in a developmental envi-

ronment, so we start with fundamentals— plyometric drills, distance running—and we have the junior, J.V., and varsity teams all warm up together. “I talk a lot with the junior team about why we’re doing a particular workout, what system we’re improving—aerobic, endurance, speed. I’m constantly helping them understand the basics of the sport and then showing how those basics are translated and built upon at the varsity level.” At the junior level, one challenge Mrs. Dromgoole faces is convincing boys to try what for many of them is a new sport. “A lot of boys have played soccer before, certainly most of them know what football

is, but cross country is more of a mystery. Some boys think all we do is run—but we play games; we do strengthening exercises. I always tell kids that cross country is a foundation sport, and it helps prepare them for any other sport they play. One reason I love coaching this sport, however, is that if you work hard, you will improve; and you can enjoy a team environment while also seeing individual success.” In addition to their physical training, the team’s mental preparation plays a significant role in gearing up for a meet. Mr. Heaton regularly leads the boys through “mindful minutes,” guided meditations that help the athletes put the day behind

them. During Friday training sessions, Mr. Heaton spends 25 minutes or so with the boys helping them to visualize a successful run and competition—even talking them through literal ups and downs, rights and lefts, in the terrain of the upcoming route. In addition to some stand-out upperclassmen—veteran runners like Ben Lawlor I—the varsity team had several younger runners leading the pack this year: Daniel Gillis III, Will Cote IV, Javi Werner IV, and George Madison V. That healthy contingent of devoted and talented underclassmen sets a solid stage for upcoming seasons. Mrs. Dromgoole credits Mr. Poles for

Photo by John Werner

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

37

reinvigorating the program and fundamentally changing the interaction between the teams so that it’s truly one continuous program. “Almost any coach can coach talent,” she says, “but if you want to find a great coach, look down the roster at the athletes toward the bottom and watch how hard they work for their team. Top runners may get the glory, but top teams build programs in which every athlete knows that he or she matters.” Runners of all levels, across all three teams, met success this year. The J.V. team placed first in the ISL this year, with runners filling the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 9th spots at the League Championship meet. The victory capped J.V.’s winning season of 14-2. At the New England Championship meet, the team took individual positions of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th to post a near-perfect score of 16 points. The junior team also completed an undefeated season of dual meets (18-0),

Junior Cross Country. Sitting: E. Mamuya, W. Hutter, E. Pan, M. O’Connor, M. Thomas, T. Oberg, T. Savage. Kneeling: T. Glaeser, V. Emani, M. Henshon, D. Sullivan, A. Messier, O. Wyner. Standing: Coach Erin Dromgoole, E. Auguste, B. Rosenzweig, W. Oberg, B. Crawford, R. Dhaliwal, J. Harrington, E. Tarazona, D. Sun-Friedman, R. Lim, S. Stone. (Missing: Coach Ernesto Guerra, D. Streckenbach.)

and won two invitationals. At the annual Roxbury Latin Junior Jamboree, they topped all twelve opponents, earning 28 points between their first-place win and a second-place Belmont Hill.

“Walking away with trophies and medals is lots of fun,” says Mr. Poles, “but watching boys come up through the junior team, and then succeed at the J.V. or varsity level, is most rewarding. The beautiful part

Varsity Football. First row: T. Bulger (captain), W. Greer (captain), Z. Keough (captain). Second row: Coach John Lieb, F. Lonergan, B. Keough, J. Gillespie, M. Cefail, W. Hyde, E. Downey, A. Best, D. D’Alessandro, J. Lomuscio, J.J. DeMarco, Coach Orlando Patterson. Third row: Coach Sean Spellman, C. Englert, B. Gibbons, Q. Sanchez, B. Lovett, S. Russell, N. Lopes, E. Ma, N. Dalton, J. Rios, J. Rose, Coach Kyle Layne-Allen. Fourth row: C. Knight, E. Ortiz, L. Rimas, D. Brennan, C. Bergstrom, D. Varney, A. Shlayen, Z. Mascall, D. Meneses Ontiveros, J. Regan, E. Egodogbare.

38

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

Varsity Soccer. Kneeling: K. Miller, B. Karlen, M. Uek (captain) , J. Philippides, B. Flood, H. Weitzel (captain), B. Bryant (captain), P. Kuechler (captain), T. Wolfe, E. Gomes, B. Stick. Standing: Coach Paul Sugg, K. Demore, J. Cloherty, P. Frates, M. Kobayashi, A. Massenat, T. Gustafsson, B. Rounds, D. Gaziano, R. Sheth, E. Kee, M. Davis, T. RaoShah, I. Balaguera, C. Miller, D. Estimphile, Coach Artur Solis. (Missing: Connor Dowd, Coach Phil Thornton.)

Undefeated Lower Soccer Teams (and sometimes the worst part!) about this sport is that you have a clock. Measuring progress, tracking against goals, is easy. Every boy can improve and see that improvement.”

“Almost any coach can coach talent, but if you want to find a great coach, look down the roster at the athletes toward the bottom and watch how hard they work for their team. Top runners may get the glory, but top teams build programs in which every athlete knows that he or she matters.” —Coach Erin Dromgoole

Fifth Soccer. Kneeling: N. Frumkin, J. Drachman, A. Kuechler (captain), A. Bose (captain), J. Shaw, T. Duarte, B. Zabin. Standing: Coach Ousmane Diop, M. O’Connell, C. Crowley, B. Clark, W. Matthews, J. McCurley, P. Schultz, R. Finn, E. Nwodo., E. Uluer, L. Wilkinson, N. Martin, M. Quintanar, A. Nahirny.

Third Soccer. Kneeling: B. Chang-Holt, E. Chang, A. Uek, A. Fuqua, S. Morris-Kliment, W. Specht, B. O’Grady, A. Gutierrez, K. Sahin. Middle row: B. Chappell, C. Ganthier, J. Balson, B. Brasher, M. Hutter, J. Wilkinson, E. Phan, D. Berk, B. Luca, J. Gillespie, T. Gaziano, M. Rincon, Coach Bob Houlihan. Back row: Coach Andy Chappell, E. Umunna, P. Morrissey, C. Downey, W. Santry, D. Murphy, J. Carroll, W. Murphy, B. Anderson, A. Gedeon-Hope, Q. Donovan, R. Balson.

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

39

Homecoming H

omecoming and Family Day on Saturday, 14 October, brought about 600 to campus (athletes included) despite the threat of damp weather. Alumni, students, and their families (as well as visiting teams and guests) enjoyed a barbecue lunch under the colonade of the Gordon Field House, while cheering varsity teams in contests throughout the afternoon. Soccer defeated Tabor 2-0 and Cross Country beat Belmont Hill; football lost a close one in the final minutes 34-30 to Nobles. As is half-time tradition, sixies and fifthies tested their mettle in the annual tug-of-war on Schoolhouse Field, with fifthies victorious. Prior to the barbecue and games, Admission Director Billy Quirk ’04 gave a presentation in the Evans Choral Room for alumni considering an independent school for their sons or

40

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

daughters. Mr. Quirk offered a perspective on the interview process, standardized testing, a financial aid timeline, parents’ role during the process, and ultimately highlighting the importance of finding the “right fit” for a child.

Homecoming Highlights Above: Brendan Jimenez enroute to an R.L. Cross Country victory over Belmont Hill, cheered on by Coach Heaton. Above, right: Students cheer the Foxes on from Schoolhouse Field sidelines. Right: A rainy day didn’t hamper Varsity Football vs. Nobles on the new artificial turf on Schoolhouse Field. Below, left: Rain gave way to a clement afternoon for the Headmaster’s post-game reception for parents of Classes 2014 to 2018.

Photos by Evan Scales

Below, right: The Latonics performed the National Anthem at halftime, under the baton of Director of Music Rob Opdycke.

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

41

Upcoming: Thursday, 1 March, 6:30 pm Exelauno Day Pub Night Clerys Pub, 113 Dartmouth St., Boston

alumni gatherings

April (date TBD)] Spring Alumni Luncheon Boston

For more information, visit www.roxburylatin.org/page/alumni

Founder’s Day Pub Night More than 50 alumni (representing the Classes of ’77 to ’13), faculty, and friends gathered at Clerys Pub in Boston’s Back Bay on 26 October for our annual tribute to John Eliot. See more photos at www.flickr. com/photos/roxburylatin/albums.

Darian Reid ’05

Ron Allen ’95, Michael Kilmurray ’95

Kevin Mullin ’10, Jack Kay ’10, James Mannering ’10, Kyle Kadlick ’10, Luke Faust ’10

Rich Habib ’79, Tom Walsh ’79

42

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

Michael McElaney ’98, Chris Downey ’81, Paul Sugg

Valentine Iwejuo ’13, Wilbert Seoane ’13, Kerry Brennan

Tim Pingree ’02, Mo Randall

Mike Hurley ’13, Will O’Sullivan ’13, Guy Green ’13

Justin Berry ’11, Joey Giandomenico ’11, Danny Lempres ’11, Billy Dalton ’11

Brion Morrissey-Bickerton ’13, Luke Scheuer ’13, Ryan Dukeman ’13

Joe Webster ’06, Dan Gonzalez ’06, Ricky Ghoshroy ’06

Young Alumni Social 24 November Coppersmith’s South Boston Paul Matthews ’13, Tom Campanella ’08, John O’Loughlin ’08

Andrew Brewster ’07, Pat Murphy ’09, Sean Kelleher ’07

NYC Reception: 9 November, Aretsky’s Patroon, NYC

Buckley Yung ’82, Dan Mackay ’82

Mike Pojman, Michael Flynn ’88

John Thompson ’91, Eugene Lee ’05

Izzy DelValle ’09, Stewart Thomsen

John Flynn ’96, J.P. Jaquet ’01

Robert Smith ’58, James Kohli ’07

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

43

Reunion: 11-12 May 2018 Send your news to alumni@roxburylatin.org

class notes 1943 Jerry Wyner has published a chapter titled “Making Each Day Count” in a new book about aging, Aging Wisely…Wisdom of Our Elders, by Irving I. Silverman and Ellen Beth Siegel. The book is a compendium of essays on a wide range of topics about how we age and how to age better, written by a group of 75 seniors and the professionals who care for them.

1958 60

th

1963 55

th

1964 During a recent visit to the National Portrait Gallery in D.C., Mike Marcus was pleased to come upon John Eliot’s portrait—the original. Dating from

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

at Joe’s American Bar and Grill in Dedham. (See photo.)

1968 50

1978 40

1973 45

1979

th

th

1975 Mike Marcus ’64 with the original John Eliot portrait.

the 17th century, and probably of Dutch origin, the portrait is the property of the Huntington Museum in Pasedena, on loan to the Smithsonian. R.L.’s copy was painted by John Hubbard Rich in 1935, commissioned by Thomas Slocum, Class of 1886, who paid him $500 (more than $8000 in today’s money) for the work. Bob McTighe ’73 paid homage to the Founder’s portrait back in 2015;

Class of 1975. Left, front to back: Ken Maider, Marc Goldberg, John Kennedy, John Lawler. Right, front to back: Rob Dart, Larry Cohen, Jim Flynn, Andy Efstathiou, Dave Everts.

44

alumni in D.C. might enjoy a look at the original.

Impatient for their every-fiveyear reunions at R.L., members of the Class of ’75 recently inaugurated what they hope will become an annual event: an informal gathering of classmates

th

Peter Choharis and his wife, Liliana Ubillus, announce the birth of their daughter, Alexandra Sophia, on 22 June 2017.

1982 Daniel Mackay was recently appointed by New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to serve

James Hamilton ’91 to head Berwick Academy James Hamilton ’91 was appointed Berwick Academy’s 54th Head of School, effective 1 July 2018. He is currently the associate head for external affairs at Brooks School in North Andover. Prior to Brooks, he was the director of admission and financial aid at St. George’s School in Newport, R.I. Berwick Academy is an independent, coeducational school founded in 1791 in South Berwick, Maine, serving nearly 600 students in grades PK-12. An active Roxbury Latin alumnus, Jim served for three years on the Alumni Council in the mid 2000s. He is currently a member of the Headmaster’s Council, and in June he accepted an appointment to the Roxbury Latin Board of Trustees. Jim joins a cadre of fellow alumni (as well as former masters) who have gone on to hold leadership positions in schools—most recently Graham Anthony ’03 at Pace Academy in Atlanta and Andrew Holmgren ’91 at Calvert School in Baltimore who join Robert Kosasky ’85, David Lourie ’89, and Andrew Martin ’98 who head schools.

class notes

RE NION! SAVE THE DATES: Friday & Saturday, 11-12 May 2018

All alumni welcome. Classes ending in 3 and 8 celebrate major anniversaries.

CALL FOR TRUSTEE NOMINATIONS The Committee on Trustees is seeking recommendations from any member of the Roxbury Latin community for trustee candidates to serve a six-year term on the Board of Trustees, as well as recommendations for candidates to fill a twelve-year Charter Trustee position. A Charter Trustee candidate must be a current or past member of the Board. Please forward such recommendations by 13 February to Dennis Kanin ’64, Chair of the Committee on Trustees, c/o The Roxbury Latin School, 101 St. Theresa Ave., West Roxbury, MA 02132.

as Deputy Commissioner for Historic Preservation, after a two-year stint as executive director of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation. Prior to that Daniel spent 15-years directing state and federal policy work for the Preservation League of New York State. He and his wife, Jean, now steward a 1780s home on five acres outside of Kinderhook. Jean works for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and continues her watercolor and natural history illustration and journaling. Son Jonah graduated from Washington and Lee University in May 2017, and son Bennett is a junior at Haverford College, pursuing a degree in applied math.

1983 35

th

1987 Chris Roy recently joined the wealth management firm of Boston Private as managing Director, Senior Business Development Officer responsible for establishing new relationships with institutional and private clients. Prior to this appointment he led the client advisory group at Windrose Advisors.

(Look sharp, Class of 2008—it’s your 10th.)

1988 30

th

1993 25

th

1998 20

th

Katie and Erik Fagan announce the arrival of Miles Andrew Fagan on 8 October 2017. Miles joins older brother Henry. Erik writes, “Everyone is doing great, although we could all wish for a little more sleep.”

2001 Linda and Parker Farrington were married on 30 June 2017 at New York City Hall.

2002 Matt Jones and his wife Cristina welcomed their daughter, Daniela Jones, in August 2017.

2003 15

th

Kevin O’Regan and his wife, Carrie, welcomed Patrick Michael O’Regan into the world on 23 September 2017. Dad reports that everyone is doing well.

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

45

class notes

Rea wedding. Front row: Dan Rea ’05, Lindsay Grey (now Lindsay Rea). Back row: Zach Hardoon ’05, Will O’Sullivan ’13, Greg O’Sullivan ’05, Brendan Kennedy ’05, Darian Reid ’05, Michael Coleman ’05.

Ben Kieff ’16 (holding the mic) returned to Alma Mater with his Yale a cappella group, The Society of Orpheus & Bacchus, to perform in Rousmaniere Hall on 20 October.

2005

in economics and geography from Bucknell. Tom is the director of national advertising sales at Gothamist LLC in New York City, an operator and franchisor of city-centric informational websites. They will make their home in New York City.

2007

Spitzer wedding. Patrick Costello ’05, Zach Ciccolo ’05, Jared Rosenberg ’05, Dina and Garrett Spitzer ’05, Sam Bourneuf ’05, Mike Ryan ’05, Steve Hepburn ’05.

Patrick Michael O’Regan

Dan Rea married Lindsay Grey in Boston at the Mandarin Oriental on 17 October 2017. Garrett Spitzer and Dina Westland were married on 2 September 2017 in Yountville, California. It was another Band of Brothers event, with brother Reid Spitzer ’10 as best man.

2006

Tom Stern ’06 and Sara Kratovil

46

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

Sam Klug ’07 and Maddy Joseph

Tom Stern married Sara Kratovil on 16 September 2017 at the Belle Haven Club in Greenwich, Connecticut. Sarah is the mobile apps project manager for Fox News Channel, and holds a BA

Sam Klug and Maddy Joseph were married on 21 October 2017 in Washington, D.C. Classmates Pranav Nanda, John Wolff, and James Kohli were in attendance, along with James and Mary Kloppenberg P ’02. Nate Klug ’04 was best man.

2008 10

th

2009 After two years with IBM’s healthcare consulting practice in D.C., Daniel Healy recently began in a master’s program at the University of Chicago, aiming to focus on health policy. He writes, “Hoping to get back out to Boston and visit R.L. this winter or early spring!”

class notes

Franny Rose ’17, a freshman at Bowdoin and a linebacker for the Polar Bears with classmate Hamilton Coiscou ’17, a freshman at Trinity College, and a cornerback for the Bantams, after their game on Saturday, 21 October.

2011 Thato Ungwang works for Botswana Insurance Fund Management in Botswana as an analyst on the local equities side. He writes, “There are not many listed stocks on the Botswana Stock Exchange, so the market is fairly illiquid, but we get to interact with management a lot because we cover such a small universe of stocks. I am really enjoying it.” Thato is also studying for the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is considering graduate school.

2013 5

th

2017 Hamilton Coiscou and Franny Rose were on opposing football teams on 21 October when the Trinity Bantams faced off against the Bowdoin Polar Bears in Hartford, with Trinity winning 63-14. Both R.L. football alumni play defense—Hamilton is a cornerback for Trinity and Franny is a linebacker for Bowdoin.

Jack Manning ’16, a Boston College sophomore, became the first recipient of the BC Strong Scholarship in a ceremony in October at Boston College. Presented by Jessica Kensky and her husband, 2005 BC graduate Patrick Downes, who were newlyweds when both lost legs in the Marathon bombings, the scholarship was the brainchild of BC classmates of Downes. The couple spent their long healing process reaching out to others impacted by traumatic injuries, especially people who have undergone amputations. Ms. Kensky and Mr. Downes felt Jack was a perfect fit for the scholarship. Jack endured a battle with cancer that led to his losing half his leg to the disease while still in elementary school. Yet throughout his years at Roxbury Latin, he continued to play sports, competing in both baseball and football. Jack counsels young patients and their parents at Boston Children’s Hospital and is currently preparing for his third ride in the Pan-Mass Challenge to support the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Felix Wang ’17 named Davidson Fellow

Felix Wang ’17, a Stanford freshman, was named a 2017 Davidson Fellow in mathematics for his project Functional Equations in Complex Analysis and Number Theory. The fellowship comes with a $25,000 scholarship. The results of Felix’s research extend and improve several results of the mathematician Joseph Ritt (1893-1951). Since Ritt’s results have had an important impact in the fields of complex analysis, number theory, and dynamical systems, Felix believes that his results will also contribute significantly to several mathematical fields. Felix was a finalist last spring in the Regeneron Science Talent Search. At Stanford, he plans to major in either math or computer science. Outside of academics, he enjoys playing sports (soccer, frisbee, and spikeball) and playing the piano. Connor Lehan ’14, a senior at Dartmouth College, brought his improv comedy group, Casual Thursday, to R.L. to perform for a group of 50 students and teachers on Monday, 4 December.

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

47

Photo by Lee Pellegrini

Jack Manning ’16 first recipient of BC Strong scholarship

In order that we might honor our deceased alumni, we ask survivors and friends to kindly send information to alumni@ roxburylatin.org

in memoriam 1945: Daniel Joseph Oram

1948: Melvin H. Zonis, MD

Daniel Joseph Oram died on 9 June 2016, at the age of 88. Born in Boston to Daniel James and Ruth Oram, he came to Roxbury Latin in 1939, where over the next six years he distinguished himself as an athlete in track and field, baseball, and football. In football, he cheerfully accepted the unheralded position of blocking back and walked away with many honors. He showcased his running skills against Noble and Greenough with two fifty-yard runs that led to a bruising score and sealed the win for R.L. In response to the WWII draft, Daniel left school before graduation to join the Army Air Corps. Sixty years later, in the spring of 2005, Headmaster Brennan invited Daniel and six other WWII veteran alumni back for a special convocation in which these men, who had received only provisional “War Diplomas,” were finally presented with traditional R.L. diplomas. After his Army service, Daniel earned a BS in civil engineering from Northeastern University. He went on to work as an engineer for General Motors in Warren, Michigan, where he made his home with his wife, Margaret, and raised three children. He retired in 1992. In his free time he enjoyed crossword puzzles, gardening, reading, and traveling. He is survived by Margaret; their children, Susan and Daniel John; his grandchildren, Andrew, Erica, and Rachel; and a great granddaughter. He is predeceased by daughter Karen Maiorano.

Dr. Melvin H. Zonis, of Quincy and Marblehead, died on 29 October 2017 of complications from a stroke. He was 87. Born in Boston to Dr. Jonathan and Frances Zonis, he spent his childhood in Roxbury and then Chestnut Hill. Entering R.L. as a fifthie, Mel won the Fowler Prize as a junior and represented the school at the World Federalist Meeting in New Haven as a senior. At Harvard he majored in human relations and kindled his lifelong passion for history, graduating cum laude in 1952. He earned his MD from the Chicago Medical School in 1956. After a residency at Boston City Hospital and a postdoctoral fellowship at Children’s Hospital in Boston, he served as a physician in the Army in Indianapolis (1960-1962). In 1960, Mel married Elissa Richmond. Settling in Quincy, they spent the next 60 years cultivating a long and loving life together, raising three children along the way. In 1962 Mel cofounded Quincy Pediatrics where he worked as a pediatrician until 1999. Throughout his career, Mel maintained affiliations with numerous area hospitals. Mel’s favorite summer pastime was meandering along Preston Beach in Marblehead with friends and family. He was a longtime member of the Quincy Tennis Club, the Quincy YMCA, the Weymouth Club, the JCC in Marblehead, Temple Beth El in Quincy, and, most recently, Congregation Sha’aray Shalom in Hingham. He will be remembered for his love

* A memorial gift is a meaningful way to pay tribute to a friend, colleague, mentor, or loved one while honoring that person’s connection to the school. Memorial gifts can be made online, by mail, by phone, and through endowments or planned giving. Please contact David Cataruzolo, Director of Alumni Affairs and Planned Giving, at david.cataruzolo@roxburylatin.org or 617.477.6314.

48

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

of family, dedication to the art and science of pediatrics, warm sense of humor, and ever-present optimism. In a reunion note later in life, Mel wrote that he believed that Roxbury Latin provided the foundation for all his subsequent studies. He is survived by Elissa; their children, Beth, Jonathan, and Louis, and spouses; and five grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Judith Listernick. The family requests that donations may be made to The Roxbury Latin School in Melvin’s memory.* 1954: Stephen Lee Robbins Stephen Lee Robbins passed away on 2 July 2016. Born in Boston to Herbert and Harriet Robbins, Stephen attended Roxbury Latin where he devoted his talents to the Glee Club, Student Council, tennis, and soccer. In a recent class note, he wrote that R.L.’s education “has held me in good stead throughout my career and in life in general.” His R.L. masters noted his work ethic and faithful approach to tasks and extracurricular activities, a work ethic he carried into his higher education. He earned an AB in economics from Harvard in 1958, an LLB in law from Yale in 1961, and an LLM in taxation from Georgetown in 1966. Steve worked for the IRS in the Office of the District Counsel in Washington, D.C., and then in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he discovered “Southern hospitality is not a myth.” He retired as Deputy District Counsel in 1988. In 1972 he married Alice Powers, a purveyor of rare books. Stephen’s skill set was a support to his wife’s business, and the couple enjoyed visiting antiquarian book fairs together all over the South-

east. In a recent class note, Steve expressed his gratitude to R.L. for teaching him “one of life’s greatest lessons—how to think.” At the time of Steve’s death, he and Alice were living in the mountains of northwestern North Carolina. He is survived by his wife of 44 years. 1995: Matthew Michael O’Leary Matt O’Leary sadly passed away on 16 November 2017. Lately of New York City, Matt grew up in West Roxbury, the son of Susan and the late Denis O’Leary, and came to R.L. as a sixie. His advisor, Mo Randall, noted Matt’s “enthusiastic involvement” in sports. A quintessential member of the 1994-1995 varsity basketball team as a senior, Matt is credited with the key free throws that propelled R.L. past their annual season-ending opponent, Brooks, to a 66-65 victory. Coach Perham commented on Matt’s spirit that year saying, “Matt worked hard to become a contributing member… His intensity, desire, and commitment were notable.” The lacrosse coach echoed similar feelings, expressing appreciation for Matt’s grittiness, tough play, and great desire. In his senior year autobiography, Matt wrote, “The young men I have met at school are friends for life. We all share the same struggle inside and outside of school.” Matt went on to Boston College and then moved to New York City where he worked in the financial services industry. Ever a sports fan, he enjoyed keeping up with all of the Boston teams. He is survived by his mother, Susan; his son, William; his brother, Jason, and sister-in-law, Catie; a nephew and two nieces.

Jim and Beth Frates, parents of John ’19 and Peter ’21.

Dad always said, your schools “make you who you are.” by Jim Frates

H

aving our two sons at Roxbury Latin has been a gift for us. At R.L. they receive an outstanding education— but that’s not all. They learn that character matters, and they see those lessons every day with their peers, their faculty, their coaches, and advisors. My father was a scholarship student, first at St. Catherine’s in Norwood, then at Boston College. Finally he joined the Navy and went through medical school. He would always say, “You should support your schools every year, even if it is only a few dollars. They made you who you are.” When my father passed away three years ago, I became the executor of his will, and

I saw how much tax was due on his 401K. Beth and I learned firsthand how much more tax effective it can be to donate to a charity through your 401K, since the pre-tax donation means more money goes directly to the cause you believe in. For more than 370 years, each R.L. generation has done its part to help the school thrive. Beth and I can’t think of a better gift for our sons than to support R.L. in our will through a bequest. It’s easy, tax effective, and it will remind our boys of the legacy we want for them: to be men of character and learning. Roxbury Latin changes lives—we have seen it through the many accomplished

alumni we have met over the years. We know our gift will make a difference for new generations of boys for years to come. To learn more about supporting Roxbury Latin in your financial plans, visit: http:// roxburylatin.plannedgiving.org/ or contact David S. Cataruzolo, Director of Alumni Affairs and Planned Giving, 617.477.6314, david.cataruzolo@roxburylatin.org

*As always, we encourage you to consult with a financial, tax, or legal advisor when making estate planning decisions.

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

49

A n n u a l Fun d Kick-Off

At School, At Play The Remarks of Kate Stearns at the Annual Fund Kick-Off

W

hen Mr. Brennan asked me to speak tonight, I was surprised at first, because I’m relatively new to the R.L. faculty. But when I thought about it, it made sense. I have multiple perspectives on R.L.: I’ve sat where you’re sitting; I’ve waited in the circle for an exam to be over, a play rehearsal to be over, a soccer or basketball or lacrosse practice to be over, a speech to be over. I’ve been court side, field side, and behind the groundlings at the Smith Theater. Most recently, I get to share an office with Mr. Snider and Mr. Kingsley, surely one of the most entertaining digs at R.L., and of course in the Library Classroom I have the distinct honor of getting to know the Class of 2018 who have already shown me a taste of their boldness, humor, and intelligence. The first time I came to R.L., it was the result of the kindness of Stanley Bernstein, whose son Geoff was in the same gradeschool class as our older son. We had been talking about next schools, and Stan said, “You have to see R.L.” The day I came, I was lucky enough to be shown around by Mr. Jarvis—someone, I knew immediately, who cared about important things—and to land in Joe Kerner’s English class, where boys were talking with considerable animation about The Great Gatsby. I remember being caught up in their conversation, which spilled out into the hall after class. I asked a boy how he was liking Fitzgerald. He said he liked him, but he preferred Hemingway; then he asked me which writer I preferred. Later, in what I learned was called “the bomb shelter,” I saw that same young man

50

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

Writer-in-Residence Kate Stearns and Richard Klug, parents of Nate Klug ’04 and Sam Klug ’07.

with a younger boy who was laughing so hard he got the hiccups. So, after that very first visit, because of Mr. Jarvis, Mr. Kerner, the boys I talked to, and perhaps especially that boy with the hiccups, I knew I wanted my sons to apply to R.L.

mentary and good-natured banter. I’ve been in several English classes now where boys were, essentially, at play: rigorous, reflective, directed play. They created a certain spirit, got into the zone, forgot themselves when they were on a roll.

I’ve been in several English classes now where boys were, essentially, at play: rigorous, reflective, directed play. R.L. is widely known and highly respected for its emphasis on academic rigor, on serious scholarship and critical thinking.… But I believe that our rigor, important as it is, needs to be balanced by another quality, and that quality is play. One of the things I most love about R.L.’s school culture is the playfulness that exists here, not only between and among students, but also between and among students and faculty. Because of the close relationships here, a kind of daily banter exists that reminds me of the best dinner table conversations. Open up any issue of Tripod (hats off to Mr. Pojman and Mr. Cervas), and you’ll find both astute com-

When Dr. Kokotailo’s juniors unpacked an Emily Dickinson poem, ideas were batted around, wrestled with, verbal elbows flying. And that, of course, is learning, appreciating, and experiencing that language is truly alive, creative, “at play.” Here’s the thing about teaching at R.L.: you teach a discipline you love and are passionate about, but of course you are not only teaching English or math or Latin, you are teaching Joe and Ayinde and Robert. Everything that happens has to do with our close acquaintanceship, which makes teaching here both a privilege and a lot of fun. This relational model is reflected in many ways, of course, but surely one of the

most important is R.L.’s advising system. Boys here get to choose their advisors, which is not always, not even often, the case. Over time, advisors get to know the boys well, and vice versa. Both my sons had advisors—not to mention teachers— who, in the midst of high academic rigor, made them feel safe enough to take risks beyond the comfort of habit. Every Monday, my younger son used to have lunch with his advisor, Mo Randall, who asked him to talk about something fun he’d done over the weekend. Like Jane Austen, Mr. Randall’s code of realism

must entail seeing oneself clearly in the present moment. My son could feel pretty over-scheduled sometimes, which I think is true for a number of boys here, and Mr. Randall’s weekly check-ins always helped him keep things—such as college admissions—in perspective. Advisors are called upon, not infrequently, to prop boys up, to be trusted adults in times of hardship. On September 11, 2001, when fighter planes were flying over the upper practice fields, it was my older son’s long-time advisor, Paul Sugg, who was the voice of calm, reassuring the soccer teammates, talking about

Annual Fund Chairman Bill Maffie ’88: In his remarks, Bill Maffie ’88 stressed the school’s concern for what kind of person a boys is. “At times like these, I take great comfort in the certainty of Roxbury Latin.…That, though these boys will certainly grow as scholars, as athletes, as intrepid explorers prepared for the many and varied paths that their lives will take, they will grow first and foremost into young men who embrace the ideals of this institution, who internalize its values, and who go forth to live lives guided by and committed to the lessons they learn during their years here.”

2017-18 Annual Fund Leadership: Bill Maffie ’88; Ellen Berkman and David Bryant P ’18; Claire and Michael Callewaert P ’17, ’20, ’22; Kerry Brennan.

the importance of working and just being together, even on the most difficult days. Both my sons were in carpools, an excellent source of information for the parent who understands that his or her job is to drive silently and invisibly. When you drive carpool, you see (or hear, rather) over time just how the boys are relating, how they are adjusting, and how they themselves can lead the way. One of the carpool stories that drew breath for quite a while at our dining room table was “the ambulance dispute.” Let me set the scene. Two sophomores, best friends, carpooled with a shy freshman and our son, then a senior. This particular carpool story took place when the freshman started to hold his own in the crazy discussions, filled with ethical dilemmas and intricate plots, dreamed up by the two sophomores. Such as the following: An ambulance speeds by, sirens blaring, headed to the scene of an accident. Suddenly, the ambulance itself gets into an accident, the victim of which now lay by the side of the road, no doubt bleeding profusely. Does the ambulance stop to take care of this person, victim #2, or continue on its way to the original emergency and victim #1, calling another ambulance in the meantime. One of the sophomores, let’s call him Chris Muto, made solid points for both sides. But the other sophomore, let’s call him Corey Rosenberg, who invoked the Hippocratic oath at one point, was adamant that the ambulance had to stop immediately to deal with the crisis it caused. This exchange, and the many questions raised, could have gone on for years; carpool dilemmas had the shelf life of powdered eggs. What made this one memorable was that the shy freshman jumped in with a strong argument the other way, saying no, no, the ambulance, though it must of course call for help, should continue on its way. It wasn’t the fault of victim #1, who had been injured originally, that the ambulance hit someone. People have to wait for an ambulance— why should someone who happens to

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

51

be hit by an ambulance get preferential treatment, and at the expense of someone who now has to wait twice as long for an ambulance to be dispatched…. This point of view, whether you agree with it or not, actually silenced the two sophomores down most of Centre Street, and carpool consensus was that the shy freshman, let’s call him Robbie Richards, had won the day. Opportunities for play are built into the very structure of R.L. with special occasions like Exelauno Day, Maru a Pula Day, and May Day. Then of course are the many examples from classes. The Latin play came to mind as I was writing this. Our younger son, the shortest boy in his class, played an identical twin opposite the tallest boy in his class. Our older son played an old woman opposite a young Director of Admission and English master, Mr. Billy Quirk ’04, and I still vividly remember this son awkwardly, but necessarily, hiking up the tennis balls on his chest while Billy struggled not to laugh. The schedule here gives a certain amount of breathing room to the standard R.L. day. If you wander from the Library Classroom to the gym, you’ll see boys destressing after a hard quiz with a pickup game of basketball. I suggest that such freedom, a luxury that this small, safe, and trusting environment makes possible, represents just the kind of autonomy that we want our sons to experience before going off to college. We give boys the chance to learn for themselves about the requirements of time. (I thought this was one of the most interesting results of my “in-house” survey leading up to this speech: Both my sons felt that the process of figuring out which friends they had free periods with, on which days, and how they were going to spend their free time, was important to their growth.) Lots of schools fill in schedules with mandatory study halls, but such is not the case here. R.L. trusts your sons to learn to trust themselves. Because I don’t have this opportunity every day, I want to (almost) end by saying that, in my opinion, R.L. is such a special place because it is as small as it is and as 52

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

Joe Nero I: In his Kick-Off Dinner remarks, Class I’s Joe Nero described all the ways R.L. has changed him. One theme stood out—stepping out of one’s comfort zone and joining up. Taking up cross country as a neophyte sixie; signing up late for Junior Chorus when he noticed how his classmates enjoyed it; and competing with the debate team as an upperclassman—Joe espoused a great R.L. truth when he said, “We’re at our best when we are part of a team. And so many experiences at R.L. have ‘team’ at their core.”

diverse as it is. These are, to my mind, the twin pillars on which R.L. stands. We are made better people when we know, really know, others who both are and are not like us. With racism, misogyny, and xenophobia at a visible boiling point, it seems to me that the kind of access into other lives that the R.L. community gives us is more important than ever. And this is a community, not simply people in the same place, but people who share interests and goals, who cheer each other on, who argue with each other, who feel and express engagement and empathy in daily ways, who are vulnerably involved with each other. Mr. Brennan speaks informally to the faculty twice a week before Homeroom. Twice a week teachers take the opportunity to share information about specific students: who was hurt in a recent game, who’s hurting because a grandparent recently died, who should be congratulated for winning an award at Model U.N. Add to this the countless conversations between and among teachers and students in the halls, before school starts, at the Refectory, in the parking lot, and you can see why I say that R.L. is, most of all, a school that fosters connection. The institutions of a society must be healthy—robust and self-critical—for society at large to be healthy. Educational institutions, especially, pass on our heritage

and values. At R.L., the dead teach the living, tradition is alive and well even after 373 years, which is indeed extraordinary. The past is always embedded in the present. However (and I know this sounds silly, but I’ll say it anyway), the living also teach the living: dedicated, generous people create the culture of this place every day, people who routinely talk about values, defining and contextualizing them, constantly. I was on the Mission Committee for the selfstudy this past year. The “mission” of R.L. is not and cannot be summarized in one pithy paragraph, as is often the case, precisely because R.L.’s mission has to do with creating meaning on an on-going basis. It is ubiquitous; it is daily; it is relational. Finally, I want to leave you with food for thought. After your sons graduate, R.L. will still occupy a significant place in their lives. They will get together with R.L. friends for years to talk about a soccer game, a play, the time David Frank sang opera in the classroom. They will get in the zone, and they will go on and on and on. Then, at some point in the future, your son may bring home a significant other. This will be an especially joyful occasion. But, as he and his friends launch into yet another story around the dining room table, you will look over and meet his beloved’s eyes and know, as the night wears on, that even where R.L. is concerned, enough is enough.

ALGC Dinner

Annual Fund Update

T

he Alumni Leadership Giving Committee (ALGC) held its annual dinner this year on 16 November at Smith & Wollensky in Boston. The evening brimmmed with reunions between alumni and faculty members who taught them as students— some retired and some still in the classroom. Kerry Brennan was joined by Steve Ward, Joe Kerner, Rick Dower, Mo Randall, Mike Pojman, and Paul Sugg. Mr. Pojman delivered the after-dinner speech and kept everyone in stitches with his inimitable dry wit and sharp-shooter memories. The ALGC is comprised of roughly two dozen alumni who share the responsibility for asking other alumni to join them in making contributions to the school at the leadership level.

Kerry Brennan, Pat McCabe ’87, Andy McElaney ’96

The 2017-2018 Annual Fund is making great progress toward achieving its goal of $3,600,000, thanks to the generosity of our alumni, parents, and friends. As of 13 December 2017, we had already topped the $2 million mark with gifts and pledges totaling $2,202,789. We are 61 percent of the way there, but we still need your help! Thank you to all who have already made a commitment to Roxbury Latin’s 2017-2018 Annual Fund. If you have not yet contributed, please consider supporting Roxbury Latin’s success. Every gift helps R.L. maintain tuition that is, on average, about $14,000 less than the tuition of other local independent schools. Every gift helps bridge the $25,000 gap between the cost of tuition and the actual cost of an R.L. education. Every gift supports the admission and enrollment of qualified applicants, regardless of their ability to pay, and every gift helps retain and attract a faculty that is second to none. Gifts, large and small, from each and every donor, make a tremendous difference in the education Roxbury Latin can offer to the talented young men who study here. Please join your classmates, fellow parents, and friends by making a gift today. Thank you for doing your part to ensure that Roxbury Latin can preserve its distinctive quality and character. www.roxburylatin.org/giving

Matt Engler ’94, Jim Barri ’94

Paul Evans ’02, Mike Ferrante ’01, Colin Flynn ’01

Peter Slater ’84, Bill Maffie ’88

Chris Mitchell ’89, Paul Spinale ’81

Kent Sahin ’91, Matt Fruhan ’91

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

53

summer Academic, athletic, and artistic enrichment programs, for boys and girls, at The Roxbury Latin School

Summer at Roxbury Latin means growth and skill-building, fun and excitement, making new friends and doing what you love. With more than 25 athletic, academic, and artistic enrichment programs to choose from, boys and girls, ages 5 through 18, can create and investigate, learn new skills, or further develop their interests on R.L.’s 117-acre campus. RL Summer programs are conducted with the same expertise and dedication that the school offers its own students throughout the academic year.

Learn more, and join us, at

RLSummer.org

Save the Date: Saturday, 5 May

40

th

Parents’ Auxiliary

Giant Yard Sale

54

J a n ua r y 2 0 1 8

Start setting aside those treasures that need a new home. Drop-off dates are Saturdays, 21 and 28 April, 9 am - 12 noon at R.L.

Varsity Athletic Schedule | Winter 2017-18 2017-18

Varsity Basketball

Varsity Hockey

F, Dec 1

@ CM (scrimmage) 4:00

@ St. George’s 5:30

Varsity Wrestling

S, Dec 2

Boston Trinity Academy 2:30

@ Portsmouth Abbey 1:30

W, Dec 6

@ Beaver 4:30

@ Groton 3:30

F, Dec 8

Governor’s 7:00

Portsmouth Abbey 5:30

F, Dec 29

RL/BH Inv’l vs. Hamden Hall 3:00

RL Holiday Showcase vs BB&N 1:00

S, Dec 30

RL/BH Inv’l vs. Nobles 3:00

RL Holiday Showcase vs VT Acad. 9:00 / Berwick 4:00

W, Jan 3

@ St. Sebastian’s 5:00

F, Jan 5

@ Dexter 4:45

@ Pomfret w/ Hamden Hall, LCA 3:30

@ Governor’s w/ Hyde (ME) 4:30

W, Dec 27

@ Pentucket Tournament 9:30

Pomfret 6:30

Middlesex w/ Landmark 2:00

S, Jan 6 St. Mark’s 5:00

W, Jan 10 F, Jan 12

@ St. Mark’s 6:30

St. Mark’s 5:00

S, Jan 13

Brooks 2:30

@ Nobles w/ Brooks, PA, NMH 2:30

W, Jan 17

@ Thayer 4:30

Middlesex 4:30

@ Milton w/ BB&N 3:30

F, Jan 19

@ BB&N 5:45

@ Pingree 5:30

St. Sebastian’s 3:30

S, Jan 20

Wheeler School 2:00

W, Jan 24

@ Middlesex 5:00

Rivers 4:00

@ Lawrence 3:45

F, Jan 26 **

Nobles 7:30

Groton 6:00

Nobles 4:00

S, Jan 27

@ Portsmouth Abbey 1:30

Worcester Academy 3:00

W, Jan 31

@ Tabor 3:30

@ St. Mark’s 5:00

F, Feb 2

Belmont Hill 7:00

S, Feb 3 W, Feb. 7

BH w/ Tabor, Loomis, Andover 2:00

@ Milton 12:00 Milton 3:30

@ Middlesex 5:15 Pingree 5:30

F, Feb 9 S, Feb 10

@ St. George’s 2:00

@ Rivers 2:30

W, Feb 14

Rivers 5:00

St. George’s 3:00

F, Feb 16

@ Groton 5:15

@ Brooks 6:00

@ Lawrence 3:30

@ BB&N 5:30

S, Feb 17 W, Feb 21

Graves-Kelsey Tournament @ Tabor 9:00

NE Tournament @ Tabor NE Tournament @ Tabor

F, Feb 23 S, Feb 24

@ Thayer w/ Marianapolis 3:30

Nationals @ Lehigh @ Brooks 3:30

Home games are boldface.

Nationals @ Lehigh **Family Day

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

55

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

Photos by Evan Scales

M

ere fifthies today, R.L. alumni tomorrow, Class V boys (above) took on their nemesis (Class VI, inset) in the traditional tugof-war during half-time on Homecoming Day, 14 October. With so much more wisdom and life experience (and a year’s physical growth), fifthies might think victory is a shoe-in. It is not always so, but this year they took the crown.

Nonprofit Org U.S. Postage

PAID Villanti Mailed from 05401