a m ag a z i n e for a lu m n i a n d f r i e n d s of s a s . spr i ng 2 016
From Here Pretty Soon
Spring 2016
Care.
St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School Magazine
HELP US TELL THE SAS STORY.
Our prospective families often tell us that "word of mouth" was the most important factor in bringing SAS to their attention. Tell a child "you belong here."
Published twice a year by St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School
www.sasweb.org/admissions
St.Andrew’s Sewanee
6
Campus News
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YOUR SUPPORT BELONGS HERE.
FEATURES
Friend 10 My Mustafe
At SAS, we believe in cultivating creativity, celebrating individuality, and rejoicing in the natural world. Help the next generation live to serve and strive to succeed. Give today to the 2015-2016 SAS Fund. www.sasweb.org/support-sas
12 Raising Wildflowers
Wear.
SHOW YOUR MOUNTAIN PRIDE.
St.Andrew’s Sewanee
The SAS School Store offers a wide variety of t-shirts, hoodies, outerwear, hats, fun tank tops, and blankets. These items make great gifts and are a tangible way to show your St. Andrew’s-Sewanee pride.
Head 14 Incoming of School: Karl Sjolund
Contact chill@sasweb.org for more information.
ALUMNI
24 Class Notes
What the flip is going on?
ANSWER ON PAGE 29
The Rt. Rev. John Bauerschmidt, Bishop of Tennessee, came to campus to confirm senior Sophie Swallow.
31 Alumni Weekend
From the Interim Head of School St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School Magazine
Comings and Goings Enrich and Energize
W
hat a wonderfully challenging and exhilarating year this has been! As you read this letter, the Class of 2016 prepares for graduation. It’s always a bittersweet time. Yet, as the seniors leave us physically to pursue their own dreams, their spirit and accomplishments stay forever. The SAS community will also bid adieu to four beloved, longtime faculty members who are off to pursue new adventures.
The inimitable Susan Core wraps up her 40-year tenure, as she opts for what she calls her inflatus hiatus to spend more time with her husband, George, and her family. The ever-welcoming and gracious Sharon Zachau, ESL teacher and International Student Coordinator for 22 years, will indulge her passions and do some traveling of her own. Allison Paterson, our incomparable Dean of Students, will move with her family to Mobile, Ala., as husband Pratt pursues an exciting new professional opportunity. Christi Teasley ’83, Director of Faculty and Curriculum and for 27 years art teacher/mentor extraordinaire, anticipates a self-described open-ended radical sabbatical with boundaries yet to be disclosed. Tim Graham, Director of Development for 21 years, will be enhancing our leadership transition in his new part-time role as Assistant for Special Projects to Karl Sjolund. Although we’re sad to bid farewell to those who are leaving us, we also look forward to welcoming a new cadre of students and staff in the fall. For what’s truly important to remember is that no single person has ever defined SAS, rather it’s the collective comings and goings of all of us that have enriched and energized our school for almost 150 years. Thank you for the opportunity to serve and know you,
Judith C. Chamberlain Interim Head of School
Published twice a year by St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School Editor Sherri Bergman Layout & Design Aaron Welch, Big A Marketing Editorial Assistant Kiki Beavers SA ’82 Interim Head of School Judith Chamberlain Director of Development Tim Graham Director of Alumni Relations Elizabeth Duncan StA ’76 Director of Admissions David Mendlewski Office of Communications and Marketing Sherri Bergman, Director 290 Quintard Road Sewanee, Tennessee 37375-3000 Phone: 931.598.5651 Email: sbergman@sasweb.org Special Thanks to Contributors / Photographers: David Andrews, Mary Blount, Sandy Bryant, Luke Diamond, Claire Forbes, Ferah Fortune ’17, Mason Goodson ’16, Osei Hill ’07, Sarah Lodge, Rachel Malde, Kinion Pond, Cortney Smith, Sam Smith ’17, Myles Vinci ’18 School Mission Statement To be an inclusive Christian community in which the Episcopal heritage is central; to provide superior preparation for college; to provide educational opportunities for those students for whom such experiences might not otherwise be available; and to bring all members of the community to a richer spiritual, intellectual, social, physical, and aesthetic awareness, so that they might lead lives of honor and loving service to God and others. On The Cover: The theme of this issue comes from a story told by St. Andrew's teacher Father Flye about a young man new to the school who said, "I'm from everywhere but here and I'm going to be from here pretty soon." As we bid adieu to many familiar faces, we know, too, that others will be "from here" pretty soon.
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Join the Conversation.
April 30
Art on the Rise Celebration
May 4
Spring Concert, McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts In response to a photo of Mrs. Reishman: Countless times Mrs. Reishman caught my elbow in the hallways of the education building – steering me in a better direction. May God's countenance and favor continue to shine on all of the dedicated faculty of SAS. – Jana Russell Garner ’90
On teacher Geoffrey Smith receiving the Holocaust Educator of the Year Award: Such an honor. Caroline loves her class. So happy to see faculty teaching what they love and their enthusiasm and knowledge being passed on to our SAS students. – Paige Prescott Lashlee, Current Parent
In response to a video of students learning a new hymn in Chapel: Who says high school kids don't (always) sing in chapel? – National Association of Episcopal Schools
In response to a photo of one of our seniors voting in her first election: This country desperately needs our younger generation to stand up and let their voices be heard! Kudos to you, Anna! – Stuart Harrod ’82
In response to news that this would be John Shackelford's last year of coaching Middle School Girls’ Basketball: My daughter played for John Shackelford and he was her favorite coach. She had the ability but needed the confidence ... he helped her gain that. That confidence helped her believe she could conquer the world. For that I am forever grateful! – Beth Rhoton, Past Parent In response to a photo of exchange student Mustafe Axmed of Somaliland enjoying his first snow: I can remember a student from Gambia experiencing his first snow in 1976, Antouman Secka. He was so excited. Never knew anyone who had never seen snow. – Suzy Talkington Jackson StA ’78
May 5
Alumni & Friends Gathering, New Orleans
May 6–7
DII-A Middle/East Region Tournament, SAS Tennis Courts
May 9
8th Grade Exhibition, McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts
May 11
Creative Expression Assembly, McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts
May 20–22
Commencement Weekend
June 3–5
Alumni Weekend
July 22–23
Alumni Work Weekend New furniture in Owen Student Union. Looks like there’s been an upgrade since 2004. – Lindsay Rhys ’15 Severe upgrade since ’79. – Ed Magruder StA ’79
August 18–20
Opening Weekend
September 23–25
Upper School Family Weekend More info: www.sasweb.org/calendar
JOIN US FOR
Two Very Important Events IN THE LIFE OF SAS
4 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · Spring 2016
Friday, September 23, 2016 Installation of Head of School, Karl J. Sjolund
Sunday, September 25, 2016 Rededication of St. Andrew’s Chapel
Spring 2016 · 5
Campus News
Music to Our Ears
So Much Beauty
McCrory Hall hosted concerts by professional and student musicians from far and near. The MTSU Guitar Quartet performed a variety of genres, including the music of Praetorius, Telemann, Andrew York, and Paulo Bellinati.
SAS hosted the annual 2015 Holiday Tour of Fine Craft. The studio tour featured art from members of Tennessee Craft–Southeast and members of the St. Andrew’s-Sewanee faculty. School nurse Cheryl Lankhaar received the best 2-D award for her painting “Winchester Farm.” English and clay teacher Claire Reishman received the best 3-D award for her porcelain bowl. Student art was exhibited until January 22 and celebrated with a closing reception.
Anima Baroque Music Ensemble of New York City presented “Postcards from Orpheus,” a program of music based on the myth of Orpheus by celebrated composers Luigi Rossi, Jean Baptist Lully, José Marin, Leopold I of Vienna, and more. Ninety-five SAS students participated in the Winter Concert. The Middle School and Upper School choirs and 8th grade handbell choir offered a wide selection of holiday and secular music with tunes ranging from Lennon/ McCartney to Tchaikovsky.
The SAS Gallery hosts exhibitions, workshops, and special projects throughout the year. The exhibition schedule includes both solo and group exhibitions by regional artists and artists from across the nation. The goal of the gallery program is to introduce the community to a broad range of contemporary art and artists. February’s exhibition featured the work of Elizabeth Core ’84. Elizabeth met with several classes and also offered a community mixed media workshop.
Loving Service
Under the guidance of art teacher Osei Hill ’07, the 7th grade Art & Design class launched a Pop-Up Café during the Tennessee Craft-Southeast 2015 Holiday Tour. Students developed a variety of interdisciplinary projects to raise awareness and support for
Syrian refugees. Projects included discussion and assignments in Graphic Design/Information Graphics, Photo Journalism, Art Installation, Entrepreneurship/Non-Profits, and Culinary Arts. All profits and donations were used to directly aid the educational needs of a refugee the same age as the SAS students. Juniors Madison Gilliam, Cooper Nickels, Sam Smith, and Wesley Smith received Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). RYLA is the Rotary Club’s one-day experiential leadership training program for outstanding high school juniors. The program emphasizes leadership skills, citizenship, and personal growth. The Monteagle-Sewanee Rotary Club, including Director of Development Tim Graham, sponsored the four SAS juniors at the RYLA program.
Write On Five SAS 8th graders were recognized with Honorable Mentions in the 22nd Annual Letters About Literature Contest sponsored by Humanities Tennessee. Recognized were: Chloe Fontenelle, for her letter to William Golding, author of Lord of the Flies; Evan Fox, for his letter to Linda Sue Park, author of A Long Walk to Water; Kendale James, for her letter to J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan; and Grace Rowell and Bo Sain, for their letters to S.E. Hinton, author of The Outsiders.
Superior Prep for College
Acting Up
Understanding Our World
Each year, SAS crowns the first college admission for the year during an allschool Chapel meeting. Jade Sanders ’16 received the honor with her admission to Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo. Admissions and offers of merit scholarships continued to come in through the spring.
The SAS Players warmed our winter hearts with the musical “Cinderella.” The 43-member cast brought the 2013 Broadway version to the McCrory Hall stage. Performing Arts Coordinator Robie Jackson directed the show with technical direction by John Holleman, musical direction by Katherine Anderson, and choreography by current parent Debbie Blinder Welch. School nurse Cheryl Lankhaar was in charge of scenic design.
The eighth graders toured the Children’s Holocaust Memorial at Whitwell Middle School as part of their study of the Paper Clips Project. Students read and analyzed letters from survivors, relatives, friends, and supporters, and visited the library and artifact room. As part of the memorial, an authentic German railcar is used to display 11 million paper clips, a portion of the paper clips collected from around the world to represent and remember those who lost their lives in Nazi-era Germany. The museum houses more than 30 million paper clips and has the largest collection of literature about the Holocaust in the Southeast. Read more about the museum and the Paper Clips Project at www.whitwellmiddleschool.org.
The SAS Office of College Counseling hosted a free public workshop on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The workshop was led by former parent Denise Barry, Assistant Director of Financial Aid at the University of the South.
Go Figure
Eighth graders Cate Bachman and Aiden Smith, and 7th graders Lily Deering, Meredith Foster, Jimmy Shin, and Michael Vaughan competed in the MathCounts Chapter Competition at the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma. SAS students also participated in the 2016 American Mathematics Competitions (AMC). Fritz Stine ’17 was the school winner in the AMC 12 followed by Cindy Chen ’18 and Andrew Bachman ’17. Richard Du ’18 was the school winner in the AMC 10 followed by Vivian Li ’19 and Winnie Fang ’18. Other participants were Jack Haight ’17, Bonnie Tu ’17, Jack Simons ’18, Elsie Uwera ’18, and Zhaoqi Zhang ’18.
Caroline Graham ’17 won the 2015 BroadwayWorld Nashville Regional Award as Best Younger Actress (under age 25) for her summer performance in “Rent” at PACT Tullahoma.
#Youbelonghere SAS welcomed prospective students and their families at the February Admissions Open House. SAS Ambassadors offered tours of the school’s historic 550-acre campus, including the LEED Gold-certified Wade Hall for the Sciences. Following the tour, prospective students and their families were guests to the SAS Players production of “Cinderella.” A reception followed the musical. Spring 2016 · 7
Campus News
Sports Highlights
Photojournalist Stephen Alvarez ’83 spoke to the school community as the 23rd Bishop Reynolds Forum speaker. Stephen is an award-winning National Geographic photographer and filmmaker who has produced stories about exploration, culture, religion, archeology, and the aftermath of conflict. He has published more than a dozen feature stories in National Geographic Magazine, and his images have won awards in Pictures of the Year International and Communications Arts. His story on underground Paris, produced for National Public Radio, won a 2012 White House News Photographers Association award. Stephen is a Microsoft Devices brand ambassador and a frequent consultant and commenter on how new photographic technology is changing the world.
Future Scientists of America
The Bishop Reynolds Forum brings a prominent speaker to campus each year to engage students and the community in a topic of current interest. The Forum was established through an endowment in memory of the Rt. Rev. George Reynolds, the late Bishop of Tennessee, a former SAS trustee, and father of Katherine Reynolds ’88.
Three students were accepted to Tennessee Governor’s Schools for the summer of 2016. Katie Giltner ’18 was accepted to the Governor’s School for the Sciences at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Cooper Nickels ’17 was accepted to the Governor’s School for Engineering at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Winnie Fang ’18 was accepted to the Governor’s School for the Sciences at the University of TennesseeKnoxville. Andrew Bachman ’17 is the alternate for the School for Computational Physics at Austin Peay State University.
Seniors Abby Mainzer and Michael Schaerer and juniors Andrew Bachman, John Farris, Jack Haight, Daniel McNair, Cooper Nickels, and Sam Smith participated in the 21st National Engineers Week Student Design Competition at the Arnold Engineering Development Center. Daniel and John placed first and Cooper and Sam placed third in the competition. Science Olympiad team members brought home medals from the regional competition. Emma Diamond ’20 and Aidan Smith ’20 placed fifth in Bottle Rocket. Nickel Carlson ’20 and Emma placed fifth in Dynamic Planet. Maddy Mendlewski ’22 and Madeline Mundkowsky ’22 placed fourth in Fossils. Other students competing for the Science Olympiad team included Riley Burnette ’22, Sophia Carlos ’22, Vivian Li ’19, Colin DeLorme ’22, Gus Croom ’22, Evan Fox ’20, and Bo Sain ’20.
Basketball Honors Blaise Zeitler ’18 was selected to the Division II-A East/Middle All-District Basketball Team.
Climbing High Anna Fox ’17 placed sixth at the 2016 Bouldering Youth Divisionals and competed in the USA Climbing Nationals.
Big-8 News The middle school boys' basketball team finished in second place at the Big 8 tournament and second in the conference. The middle
Grappling to the State Championship Ferah Fortune ’17 went undefeated at SAS’s 35th annual Mountain Top Wrestling Tournament. Ferah, at heavyweight, qualified for the girls’ state championship by placing second at the girls’ West Regional. Abby Mainzer ’16 qualified for the state championship at 148 pounds by placing third at the regional. The girls’ team went on to place fifth in the 2016 TSSAA State Wrestling Championship. Ferah won the state heavyweight championship. Abby placed third.
TSWA All-State Golf Hannah Powell ’17 was selected to the 2015 Tennessee Sports Writers Association All-State Golf Team. Hannah won the 2015 Division II-A Regional Golf Championship, qualifying for the Division II-A TSSAA State Golf Championships where she placed second. school girls’ team finished third at the Big 8 tournament and second in the conference. James Pitts ’20, Isaac Smith ’20 and Anna Post ’20 were selected to the All-Conference teams. James, Isaac, Nathan King ’21, Tessa Shackelford ’20, and Sarah Beth Hobby ’20 made the All-Tournament teams.
Parting Shot With the last of his four daughters moving out of middle school, Coach John Shackelford announced his retirement from coaching SAS Middle School Girls’ basketball.
"I have never exerted myself to the extent that I did that match. I was tired, my body was completely drained, but something kept echoing within me. 'Outlast her.' Despite my burning lungs and the other part of me saying it would be so much easier to give up, I didn’t. And for once, I did something I could be proud of, something that could bring joy to someone else other than myself too. This is to my wonderful coach (McLain Still), who never gave up on me, who picked me up when I felt worthless, and became a figure in my life that can never be replaced. I will never forget this segment of my life, nor the people that have built me up. I don’t think I could live another life, except this one, and it’s due to my loved ones and this community that I cannot live without. And hey, I may not be an athlete, but something else, something even more important than that I believe, a fighter.” – State Wrestling Champion, Ferah Fortune ’17
Wet and Winning Joshua Alvarez ’16, Catherine Gray ’18, Jack Haight ’17, and Sam Smith ’17 qualified for the MTHSSA regional meet. Catherine set new school records in the 200-yard individual medley (2:37.00) and in the 100-yard backstroke (1:08.59). The records were previously held by Anneli Virkhaus (2002) and Anna Obermiller (2009), respectively. Sam received a state cut in the breaststroke and placed 37th at the TISCA State Swimming and Diving Championships. The girls’ varsity swim team placed second in the MTHSSA High School Region. The middle school boys’ swim team, Porter Neubauer ’21, Aidan Smith ’20, Zolon Knoll ’21, and Michael Vaughan ’21, took first place at this year’s SnowFlake Invitational and went on to finish 10th at the MTHSSA Middle School Championships.
Michael Schaerer ’16 and Wyatt Lindlau ’17 placed third at the Mountain Top Tournament. Wyatt and Jake Wiley ’16 placed fourth at the DII East/Middle Regionals to qualify for the state tournament. At the championship, Wyatt and Jake lost in the consolation bracket.
Spring 2016 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · 9
BY SAM SMITH ’17 • This article is modified from an assignment originally written as an exercise in Mrs. Brunton’s Creative Non-Fiction class.
I asked Mustafe about his family: Do your siblings argue? “They rarely argue,” he responded. How can siblings rarely argue? My brother and I are always fighting. Can his siblings be that different from mine?
INCE E 9/11, AMERICANS have become increasingly afraid of Islam and hateful towards Muslims. Mustafe, a Muslim SAS boarder, has observed much of the hate—the recent presidential campaign has made it quite apparent—yet, he still meets every American with a warm, loving smile. Mustafe is from Somaliland, a self-declared state on the northern tip of Somalia. He is one of 11 children of nomadic camel herders. In Somali culture, when a child is born, that child takes on the first names of all of his male ancestors. Deeq is his father’s name. Axmed is his grandfather’s name. Mustafe Deeq Axmed is the name that keeps him rooted to his family lineage. When Mustafe and I met in the library, he was wearing the heavy hooded parka he wears to protect him from Sewanee’s winter. The temperature rarely gets below 60° F back home.
Spring 2016 · 10
“When you work all day,” explained Mustafe, “you feel tired, and do not have enough energy, or any reason, to argue.” This life of physical labor has not been Mustafe’s personal experience. For most of his childhood he has lived with his aunt in the capital city of Hargeisa, only visiting his family in the summers. He described his trips home. “When I want to talk to my youngest brother, I have to go work with him,” he said. “There is always something to do—a family needs three people to care for the animals, then another three to care for their babies, and then another three people doing house work and keeping up, so there is no time to waste.” I asked him what had been the most crucial moment in his life. He answered quickly. With a smile of pure admiration and sincerity, he told the story of how one of his little sisters had turned down his aunt’s offer to come to the capital for an education. At two years old, her refusal to leave the family opened up the opportunity for Mustafe. “I would have never ever made it to the
United States or received an education. We may have never had this conversation,” he said softly, as he trailed off into his thoughts, imagining the possibilities. Mustafe attended primary school in the capital and eventually moved to an English-speaking boarding school where he learned of ASSIST, the agency that made his year at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School possible. He is grateful for the opportunities he has been given. With pride, he told me that his family has never resented his being the only child to receive a strong education, to live in the city, to leave the nomadic lifestyle, and to come to the United States. They, and he, believe that he is his family’s best chance to succeed in the future. Not only his family will benefit from his endeavors; he is determined to better his country. Mustafe dreams of giving all Somali children the opportunities he has received. As he described his hopes, he moved his finger on the table as if he were clicking on a screen to choose his career path. He hopes to go to college and graduate school in the U.S. He then wants to gain experience to build his reputation before returning to Somaliland to work to improve the government, education system, and economy. Without a strong job market, there is little incentive for Somali children to pursue an education. Not unlike many Americans at this time, Mustafe foresees few changes coming with
his current government. I tried to draw parallels to our current political climate, but Mustafe described Somali politics as “ugly.” “Until Somaliland has a leader that revitalizes the government, the country will be stagnant,” he explained. As we neared the end of our conversation, Mustafe shared that he misses his friends and family and small-sided, fourversus-four soccer games. He looks forward to showing people pictures of his adventures in the U.S., because he does not believe his descriptions do it justice. “I cannot describe it to them,” he says. There is only one building in Somaliland with an elevator, and it is only seven stories. Mustafe is particularly amazed by our access to technology. “In Somaliland you can’t just leave your house and not know where you are going, but in America, you can just pull out your phone and it tells you where to go!” We wrapped up our conversation with small talk. I packed up my backpack and we walked outside together. “See you, man!” “See ya!” Mustafe is friendly, hilarious, and loving. Why should I care if he is Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or Hindu? He is an exceptional person with an exceptional story who happens to practice Islam.
Spring 2016 · St. Andrew’s-SewaneeSpring Magazine 2016 · 11
I
RAISING
n How to Raise an Adult, author Julie Lythcott-Haims, Stanford University’s former freshman dean of students, received a lot of attention for her thoughts on the growing number of young people she found to be unable to function independently in the college environment. As a science educator, middle school director, and mother of three boys, I was particularly taken with Lythcott-Haims reference to children as wildflowers, orchids, and bonsai trees, and her recommendation that we raise our children as wildflowers.
By Marion Knoll, Director of Middle School
Orchids, as those who’ve tried to raise them know, are a challenge to grow. They only thrive in carefully controlled environments. Keeping bonsai trees small and perfect requires constant attention. Wildflowers, however, grow freely. What Lythcott-Haims did not note is that wildflowers are not just strong, resilient, and easily adaptable. They are also often the pioneer species in ecological succession, the first to thrive in previously disturbed areas. They are the entrepreneurs of the plant world. Lythcott-Haims urges us strongly to “not do for our kids what they can do for themselves” or even what they can almost do for themselves. When parents and teachers intervene to fix or prepare the road ahead, we
We see children not as merely students but as artists and scientists, writers and speakers, mathematicians and performers. 12 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · Spring 2016
Photo by Myles Vinci ’18
rob our children of opportunities to learn independence.
from feeling the pricks and pains of growing up.
At SAS, we understand this. Perhaps it is our 550-acres of woodland that helps to remind us that much is beyond our control and that there is beauty in that. Perhaps it is a climate that shrouds us in fog for days at a time and requires that we sometimes blindly trust that the road ahead is, indeed, ahead.
When our children misplace a backpack at school or forget notecards for an oral presentation, we need to resist the urge to fix the problem. When they get their feelings hurt by a classmate’s unkind words or come home sad because they didn’t get a “big enough” part in the school musical, we need to step back and allow our children to navigate the disappointment.
My colleagues and I believe strongly that children learn best by doing. We see children not as merely students but as artists and scientists, writers and speakers, mathematicians and performers. Through this process of doing, our students learn deeply as their curiosity is sparked. Students are pushed outside their comfort zone and are asked to take risks. We know from close to 150 years in the business of education that that is how they grow. We encourage our parents to join with us as partners in this effort, to let a child test their wings, give them more space, and, most importantly, allow them to fail. This does not mean abandoning our children. We have been deemed a generation of “helicopter parents” because of our very interest in being present. We should be there to pick them up, dust them off, listen impartially when they need a sounding board, and hug them when they are sad, but we should not prevent them
If our children are to thrive both when conditions are good and bad, we need to meet them where they are and encourage them to move forward on their own. If your child doesn’t understand an assignment, encourage them to write an email to the teacher asking for help instead of writing the email for them. Urge them to seek out the teacher in person to clarify the assignment. Help your child to practice the questions to ask, but set your child free to handle the conversation alone. Can this be tough to do? Yes. Will they grow from it? Absolutely. Mistakes will happen—some of them small and some of them large, but mistakes provide crucial learning experiences. Working together, parents and educators can help our young people to learn from their mistakes and grow with the strength, pioneer spirit, and resilience of wildflowers.
Spring 2016 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · 13
A N I N T E RV I E W W I T H
Incoming Head
of
School
KARL SJOLUND K arl Sjolund assumes the helm of St. Andrew’s-Sewanee on July 1, 2016. We recently asked our alumni, students, parents, and friends to submit questions to help us to get to know Mr. Sjolund.
What is your program to keep our children from being over programmed?
I
n An Education for Our Time, Josiah Bunting III, former superintendent of Virginia Military Institute, recommended scheduling an hour every day for contemplation. No books, no cell phones, nothing but our own brain in a quiet space to be alone with our thoughts—whether it is to pray, or meditate, or to think about what we are learning. I have always been intrigued by that. We need time to just be still. On the other hand, I think that it’s important for kids to be engaged outside of the classroom and physically active whether as part of schoolwork or play. I love that so much teaching at SAS goes on outside. Our brains work better when our bodies are in better condition. There needs to be time for play, for physical activity, for study, and for contemplation or prayer. It is the responsibility of the adults in our community to ensure and to model that balance for our students.
Can fencing be a sport? How about climbing?
M
y inclination is to always say “yes,” but everything we do needs to be well done and cost effective. That doesn’t necessarily mean winning state championships, but it does mean making sure there’s a legitimate path to success. Our programs need to be positive educational experiences, and they need to reflect well on the school.
14 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · Spring 2016
Which one of your teachers had the biggest influence on you and why?
T
here were many. My old football coach and algebra teacher, Rock Lee, taught me a lot about love. His love was both tough and unconditional. He treated me like a son. My old baseball coach, Max Meador, did the same. Linda Strachan, my sixth grade teacher, took me on as a project at a time when my home situation was out of control. She introduced me to the wonderful family that paid for me to go to Virginia Episcopal School and VMI. I was not just one of her students; I was a child whose happiness and success as a person was important to her.
What can SAS do to minimize the “college admissions arms race?”
I
t starts with having the right perspective. When it comes to college admissions, we need to help students focus on finding the right college without worrying about the prestige of “the brand.” When it comes to Advanced Placement courses and padding students’ résumés, I’ve been pleased to see that colleges are starting to come around to the philosophy SAS has had for years—deemphasizing AP courses and a preference for students going deep, rather than broad, when it comes to activities beyond the classroom.
What is the ideal relationship between students and their teachers?
T
eachers should be mentors. The relationship should transcend academics and include trust and care. The student needs to know that the teacher cares about their well-being. The teacher needs to know that the student values what the teacher has to offer, both as a human being and as a scholar. The relationship should be as appropriately close as it needs to be to help a student to grow into an intelligent, loving, and caring adult.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
I
get up an hour and a half before breakfast to read and enjoy my quiet time. Mornings are my most productive time in the office, but I keep an open door policy and expect interruptions. Afternoons are devoted to reading, writing, and roaming! My goal, when I am not traveling for the school, is to be visible. The casual conversations that happen over meals, in the stands at games, and at student performances, are important for understanding what is on people’s minds. It’s how I get to know folks! Evenings are a good time to respond to emails and clean up what’s on my desk.
What attributes are you looking for in an ideal SAS student?
C
ompassion and a strong work ethic. The rest can be learned.
What is your management style?
I
f someone has a job to do, I expect that job to get done, done well, and done on time. As long as that is happening, I am not going to be looking over their shoulder or counting their hours. When faculty and staff feel safe, comfortable, appreciated, and supported, they are better at their jobs and better able to meet the needs of our students.
If you could give advice to your high school self, what would you say?
E
mbrace mystery. Take a gap year. Travel. Be curious about the world. Ask that girl out. Whenever you’re asking, “Should I?”—and the opportunity or experience is not unhealthy or going to get you into trouble—do it. Take risks… the good ones. Invest more time in your spiritual life.
What do you want your legacy at SAS to be?
W
hen people in the Southeast think of their children’s education, I want them to think of SAS first. I want everyone to know about this loving and creative school that is committed to producing happy adults who define success as their ability to serve the world. SAS is unique in an awesome way, and the world needs to know it. I want to improve the physical plant, grow the endowment to twice its current size, and I want every great educator to be checking our Employment Opportunities pages hoping for an opening.
Spring 2016 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · 15
Relatable Trustworthy
Winterim
A Profile of Natasha Brunton
For one week, the entire SAS community shifts its attention from the regular academic routine to intensive courses of study that are dedicated to experimental and experiential learning. Winterim gives faculty members and students an opportunity to collaboratively explore their passions.
This profile, by Mason Goodson ’16, was written as part of an interview assignment in Mrs. Brunton’s Writing Workshop for Creative Non-Fiction. Mason is a seven-year senior day student from Sewanee, Tenn., and the daughter of John Goodson StA ’78.
M
rs. Brunton’s stories are endlessly entertaining to her students for many reasons—one being you never really know where she’s going to end up. Sometimes the story is quick and to the point, other times she takes detours to explain something just because she can. These stories make Mrs. Brunton relatable and trustworthy, two very important characteristics for a teacher. She
nonchalantly delivers what could be considered an embarrassing story with a funny tone, allowing her students to feel comfortable in her classroom. Her ability to be truthful and genuine almost immediately is one of Mrs. Brunton’s best qualities. Young people who have the privilege to be in her class or who have her as a dorm mom know that she has been through it, too. She is the perfect person to talk to in times of need. This honesty also allows her English
students to be truthful and genuine in their own writing without fear of judgment or criticism. Thank you, Mrs. Brunton, for allowing me to express myself without harsh criticism or obvious judgment (no matter how often I don’t return the favor). Thank you for being open to talk freely about your experiences, even though you’re not always comfortable with it. Thank you for teaching me things that don’t fall under your job title as “English teacher." Thank you for caring.
This year's Winterim also welcomed poet Chris Wiman, who joined us for a delightful reading of his works. Each year, the University of the South and The Sewanee Review make it possible for the Aiken Taylor Award winner to speak to the SAS student body.
On the last day of our trip, half way through the 9.6-mile hike we took out of Savage Gulf, the 14 of us sat on the edge of the north ridge looking out over the valley. Hemlocks followed a small, powerful river that ran along the sides of the mountains and through the valley. As we sat on the overlook and spread peanut butter and jelly onto bagel thins, Ms. Walker asked each of us about three moments that stood out during the trip. One good moment, our worst moment, and our best moment. Four days in the woods makes for quite a few moments, good and bad, so picking three was definitely a challenge. —Anna Fox ’17 The experiences I had during my Winterim courses in The Art of Jewelry Making and Cake Decorating were really special memories for me. This unrestrained way of study developed my interest in different areas and promoted my creativity. I gained new skills. It also allowed me to take a break and refresh my mind. —Lilly Zhen ’17
WINTERIM COURSES 2016 Antigone & Debate Art of Manliness Cake Decorating Caving Creating with Clay Cross Stitch Ethics & Sexuality Exploration in Watercolor Exploring Grundy County Field Archaeology Forging Cornell Games for Life Introduction to Animé Introduction to the Episcopal Church Hiking the Perimeter Trail Knitting Basics
La Cocina Mexicana Life Drawing as Process Movies & Makers Olympic Weightlifting Outdoor Ethics & Leadership Pterodactyls, Flight & Paper Airplanes Reality: The Arts & Perception Rock Around the Clock in Rockers SAS Spruce Up & Trail Maintenance Science Olympiad Sports Medicine Stop Motion Animation The Art of Jewelry The Art of Writing The Good War Through International Films
More Winterim photos: sasweb.smugmug.com/SpecialEventsGroups/Winterim-2016
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Cottage That Rufus Watched
The
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n the St. Andrew’s-Sewanee campus, just past the stonecolumned entrance, trees line the left side of Quintard Road. After a hundred yards or so, the trees clear back to reveal a dark creek line cutting through the property, and beyond it, a little red-shingled cottage with tan siding.
Formerly known as the Stroup cottage, it was built around 1910 of uninsulated tongue-in-groove walls, beadboard ceiling, and one-inch wood flooring, its few small rooms heated by a coal stove. Since then, the house has been remodeled more than once. By the late 1940s, the structure’s north end was extended to add a fireplace, built-in bookshelves, and Craftsman accents. A more recent addition juts out as a gabled room to the left of the porch. Despite these changes, the front entrance remains the same, and the central dining room retains much of its original wood. If you say there isn’t anything remarkable about the humble dwelling, you would be correct, architecturally speaking. But the house played a significant part in the development of a writer who lived here in adolescence, between ages nine and 14. Perhaps you’ve heard of him—he is arguably the most famous of St. Andrew’s-Sewanee’s alumni. This is the last of his Tennessee homes that is still standing. To be fair, the bright but sensitive boy, Rufus, did not live in this cottage full time. He spent two summers vacationing here with his mother and sister. When he entered St. Andrew’s as a student in fall of 1919, his mother insisted that he stay in a dormitory
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By Paul Brown with the other boys. Despite the move, Rufus routinely ran back to the cottage for motherly comfort. Classmates teased him for being a mama’s boy, and the student council disciplined him for leaving campus without permission. Rufus was fatherless. A hundred years ago this May, along a dark and narrow road outside Knoxville, his father died when his Model T struck an embankment and overturned. Rufus, who almost idolized his father, was suddenly without a strong male presence in his life. To compensate, his mother moved the family to St. Andrew’s, hoping that Rufus might make friends and gain an academic and spiritual mentor. He found that mentor in Father James Flye, a history teacher hired the previous fall. What began as a teacher-student relationship developed into a friendship that lasted long after Rufus left St. Andrew’s, and throughout the varied writing career that introduced Rufus to the world as James Agee—groundbreaking journalist of Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, lyricist of “Knoxville:
Summer of 1915,” influential film critic for Time and The Nation, Oscar-nominated screenwriter of The African Queen, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Death in the Family. In 1951, Agee published a novella, The Morning Watch, based on his experiences as a St. Andrew’s student during the Holy Week vigil. Parts of campus are described in great detail, notably the 1914 Spanish Mission-style chapel. Also depicted is the “Sand Cut” swimming hole, a once-abandoned silica mine one mile east of campus, now owned by Sequatchie Concrete Service. And in another passage, the main character, Richard, watches a small cottage through the trees, hoping to catch his mother’s attention. This book, and Agee’s posthumously published letters to Flye, cemented the reputations of both men and their connections to St. Andrew’s. The school honored Agee in 1972 when it opened the James Agee Memorial Library. And, 10 years ago, the school relocated—rather than demolished—Father Flye’s 1915 bungalow to make way for McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts. That house, where Agee visited Father and Mrs. Flye many times, is now a short walk from the old campus cemetery, where Agee’s mother, Laura Wright, is buried beside her second husband.
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oday, people on campus associate the Agee cottage with Tom and Burki Gladstone, its current residents of almost 11 years, who have worked at St. Andrew’s for more than two decades. The Gladstones knew of Agee’s connection to the school and house before they moved in and consider it “a privilege” to live there. “As a history teacher, I feel the spirit of those people, like Agee’s mom and sister, who lived here before we did,” Burki says. “When gardening, I often find shards of pottery and refuse that they left behind!” Those artifacts might be older than she thinks: a campus map, hand-drawn by the Rev. Robert Campbell in 1940 and archived in Agee Library, suggests that the cottage was built on a former Native American settlement, as “many Indian relics” had been found nearby. Look for this little-known literary landmark next time you’re driving by, and think of Rufus Agee—the boy-turned-writer who once sought refuge here. Paul Brown teaches music in East Tennessee and, in his spare time, researches local history. His book, Rufus: James Agee’s East Tennessee Roots, will be published later this year. PHOTO 1: The Agee cottage near St. Andrew’s campus, circa 1920. Photo: Hugh Tyler Collection, McClung Historical Collection. PHOTO 2: The cottage as it appears today. Photo by Paul Brown.
Spring 2016 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · 19
Faculty Notes
THE ST. ANDREW’S CENTENNIAL CHAPEL CAMPAIGN UPDATE
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he St. Andrew’s Chapel Centennial Campaign was officially announced during Alumni Weekend in June 2014 with a special celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Chapel’s consecration. Since that important milestone, many generous donors have given and pledged financial support for restoring this historically important building that is central to the life of St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School. Volunteers have called on friends and classmates for commitments for the Chapel’s restoration and endowment.
Modeling Lifelong Learning St. Andrew’s Chapel was the site for the Ordination of the Rev. Molly McGee Short to the Sacred Order of Priests. Mother Short teaches Life Issues and Introduction to Religious Studies at SAS and is the Assistant Chaplain. She has a B.S. in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Furman University, a M.Div. from Duke Divinity School, and a D.A.S. from the School of Theology at the University of the South. She was ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Church last summer in North Carolina. She and her husband Michael live on the SAS campus. Michael teaches Humanities, English, and Outdoor Adventure.
As of April, approximately 400 generous donors have committed a total of $1,275,000 in gifts and pledges toward the campaign cash goal of $1,350,000.
Building an Academic Support Program
2016 Belz-Lipman Holocaust Educator Award
The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) recently published an article by Director of Studies Kelley Black on building an academic support program. www.nais.org/Independent-Ideas
History teacher Geoffrey Smith was awarded the 2016 Belz-Lipman Holocaust Educator Award sponsored by The Tennessee Holocaust Commission.
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In addition to teaching World History I, Smith is currently teaching the SAS history elective Night Will Fall: Advanced Topics in Holocaust and Genocide Studies. The course examines political and moral lessons from the tragedies of the Shoah and the mass killings in Armenia, the Balkans, Rwanda, and Darfur. Mr. Smith believes that asking today’s students to grapple with the unsettling events of the Holocaust has implications for the future of American foreign policy, science, medicine, interfaith dialogue, and other contemporary political, social, and ethical concerns. He measures the success of his teaching through the decisions his students make in confronting acts of prejudice, intolerance, and discrimination.
Matching gifts from Ric Dillon StA ’74 and an anonymous donor inspired gifts and pledges from across the SAS community. We are excited to announce that both matches have been met. They have played a crucial role in the success of the campaign to date, resulting in $800,000 in support. Both gifts are part of the total amount raised. We are profoundly grateful for these two generous donors.
94%
YOUR LEGACY AND ST. ANDREW’S CHAPEL
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n addition to funding the restoration of the Chapel, it is vital to provide for its ongoing stewardship through the establishment of a permanent endowment that will generate income for operation and maintenance in perpetuity. One way to build endowment is through planned gifts.
There are a variety of simple ways to make a significant planned or deferred gift to the school. These may include gifts from a will or trust, a retirement plan, or life insurance. Learn about the benefits of planned giving to donors, their families, and SAS at www.legacy.vg/sasweb.org. Or contact Tim Graham, Director of Development, tgraham@sasweb.org, 931.463.2124. Anyone who includes SAS in their estate planning is eligible for membership in the Mountain Society. Mountain Society members are listed in the school’s annual Honor Roll of Donors and are invited to Alumni Weekend each year for special recognition. Mountain Society Attending Alumni Weekend 2015
FRONT ROW (L-R): Will Hayley SMA ’65, Ray Hester SMA ’61, Bill Turner SMA ’65, Bud Walters SMA ’59; MIDDLE ROW: Jim Boyd StA ’65, Martha Boyd, Anne Griffin, Shore Griffin ’84; BACK ROW: Christi Teasley ’83, Anna Watkins StA ’80, David Allen StA ’77
We still seek to raise approximately $75,000 in gifts and pledges to finish the campaign. The restoration work on St. Andrew’s Chapel will begin in April with anticipated completion in time for the opening of school in August 2016. The installation of the new Head of School, Karl Sjolund, and the rededication of the spiritual center of our community will take place the weekend of September 23-25, 2016.
Spring 2016 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · 21
In Memoriam
Faculty and Staff Robert W. Simpson of Trout Lake, Mich., died on February 24, 2016. He came to SAS in 1988 as a football, basketball, and tennis coach. In 1992, he was named athletic director until he left the Mountain in 1994. He was married to Laura Kathryn Simpson and had one son, Tom Simpson ’91. Timothy Duer Hillman, age 58, of West Warwick, R.I., died on April 1, 2016. Born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y., Mr. Hillman spent time in Andover, Mass., Los Angeles, and Sewanee, but always called Rhode Island home. While studying at Bates College, he discovered his passions for acting and teaching, which would dictate much of his career. Before coming to SAS to teach theater as a residential faculty member in 1991, he taught at Phillips Academy Andover and the Buckley School in Los Angeles, from which several students would go on to become Emmy-winning actors and comedians. Many of his SAS students also went on to careers in theater. In 2001, he returned to Rhode Island, where he continued his career at The Prout School. He retired due to a progressive disability. Mr. Hillman was a man of diverse interests who was as comfortable on a stage doing improvisational comedy as he was on a sports field. He harbored an enduring love for music (especially his beloved Grateful Dead), and was an early adopter of the newest technologies. His legacy, both personal and professional, will be carried on by those whom he knew and taught. He is survived by his three children, Spencer Hillman ’05, Jordan Hillman, and Hunter Hillman, his two sisters, and extended family.
Alumni Rutherford R. Cravens II SMA ’34 died November 25, 2015. Born in Sewanee, he graduated from the University of the South where he was president of Kappa Alpha fraternity. During World War II, he volunteered and served as a First Lieutenant in the 10th Army Mountain Division in Italy. Mr. Cravens was co-founder of Cravens and Warren Insurance Company and remained president until his retirement. He was an avid tennis player well into his eighties. He
served as president of the Forest Club, was one of the founders and vice president of the Houston Racquet Club, was a member of the Colony Club, the Bastrop Marching and Chowder Society, the River Oaks Country Club, and the Houston Country Club. He was a founding member of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church and served on the vestry for many years. Survivors include his wife of 73 years, Anne Baker Cravens; two daughters and two sons; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephew, Rhea Cravens SMS ’61, Fain Cravens SMS ’67, and Duval Cravens SMA ’70. John T. Lanier, Jr. SMA ’41 died January 26, 2011. Mr. Lanier was born in Brinkley, Ark., later moving with his family to Forrest City. He attended Washington & Lee University and served in World War II as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He later moved to California where he lived for more than 20 years, returning to Forrest City in 1981 following the death of his first wife, Helen. Family survivors include his wife, Nell Deane Fogg Lanier, and extended family. John Robert Steiger StA ’41 died September 5, 2012. Born in Monteagle, Tenn., he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. During World War II, he was a Staff Sergeant and mechanical maintenance specialist for B-29s in India, China, and the Pacific Theater. He attended the American and Chicago Academies of Art in Chicago and worked for Encyclopedia Britannica Films, becoming a noted illustrator and wildlife artist. Mr. Steiger married Phyllis in 1956. They designed a log home in Riverwoods, Ill., where they raised three children. Mr. Steiger introduced his family to camping, canoeing, and the joy of the outdoors. In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by seven grandchildren; two sisters, Constance Beckner SMS ’44 and Catherine Hoye SMS ’41; two brothers, including Donald E. Steiger StA ’46; and extended family. Damon G. Yerkes, Jr. SMA ’43 died August 23, 2015. A lifelong resident of Jacksonville, Fla., he joined the Army Air Corps during World War II and received a Purple Heart after surviving injuries and being held
22 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · Spring 2016
captive as a POW. Mr. Yerkes attended Washington & Lee University, was a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity, and manager of the football team. He left college early to work for the family business, the Florida Hardware Company, where he started in sales and worked his way up to president. In 1959, Mr. Yerkes married Elizabeth “Betty” Hodges. They enjoyed 50 years together. He was an Eagle Scout and a lifelong supporter of the Boy Scouts, a founding member and commodore of the Rudder Club, honorary life member and commodore of the Florida Yacht Club, board member and honorary trustee of the Evergreen Cemetery Association, vestry member and senior warden of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, member of International Rotary where he was awarded the Paul Harris Fellow, and board member of Hope Haven Children’s Hospital. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and boating and was a lover of animals. He is survived by the world’s worst guide dog, but beloved companion, Ned; his sister; and his children. Jack B. Key, Jr. SMA ’45 died February 7, 2016. A member of the SAE fraternity, he graduated from Auburn in 1950 with a BS degree in mechanical engineering and was a registered professional engineer. He invented numerous products throughout his career including a portable incline exercise stand, innovative shovel, and a patented golf putter grip. He was awarded the Golden Hammer from Popular Mechanics for a staircase he designed and built. Mr. Key was a dedicated businessman, talented amateur golfer, and artist with a noted collection of intricate bowls crafted from exotic woods that was featured in several museums. He was past president of Valley Components, Inc. and K & C Construction Company, Inc.; former vice president of Valley Fir and Redwood Company, Inc.; and was president of the Georgia Component Manufacturing Association, Inc. Mr. Key also served as president of many organizations, including the Historic Columbus Foundation, the Rotary Club of Columbus, the Country Club of Columbus, the North Columbus Boys Cub, and the East Columbus Boys Club. He was past chairman of the Columbus Fire Department, the Columbus Board
of Water Commissioners, and the Board of Stewards at St. Paul United Methodist Church. He established the Jack Key Golf Teaching Facility at Auburn University. Mr. Key is survived by his wife, Erwin Davidson Key; three children; a brother; five grandchildren; and extended family. Egbert M. Jones SMA ’46 died October 10, 2015 in Heber Springs, Ark. Mr. Jones was a retired electrical engineer. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Frank Jones. Stafford B. Beach, Jr. SMA ’47 died February, 29, 2016. Born in his family home, one of Florida’s earliest landmarks in West Palm Beach, he was a fifth generation Floridian. Mr. Beach graduated from Cornell University with a degree in civil engineering. He began his career in Wellesley, Mass., working for Republic Aviation. Throughout his career, he worked on the Apollo rocket heat shield and the Minuteman missiles. He was an appointed member of the National Aerospace Industries Association. After retirement, he returned to Florida, was president of the Lantana Library, a board member of the Atlantis Golf Club, president of the non-profit group, the Centurians, and member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. Mr. Beach is survived by his wife Joan; three children; and four grandchildren. John Jay Hooker, Jr. SMA ’49 died January 24, 2016. Mr. Hooker was a graduate of the University of the South, served in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, and graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School. He was a longtime lawyer, politician, entrepreneur, social justice advocate, political candidate, and proud resident of Nashville. He and his father practiced law together before he and his brother started their own firm of Hooker, Hooker and Willis. He was among the original investors in Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), now the largest American for-profit hospital chain; chairman of the STP Corporation, a motor oil products company; publisher of The Nashville Banner, and, briefly, the chairman of the news agency United Press International. He gave his last energy to the cause of a human being’s right to suffer less at life’s end. He is survived by his four children and extended family.
Richard R. Garrison SMA ’51 died February 4, 2016. He attended the University of the South, joined the U.S. Army in 1955, and served three years active duty. He attended Drury University and graduated from Missouri State University with a degree in agriculture. Mr. Garrison retired in 2000 after 38 years of service with the Springfield/Greene County Health Department. He was an avid HAM radio operator, hunter and fisherman, and an animal lover. He was a member of Elks Lodge and a life-long member of Christ Episcopal Church. Survivors include his wife, Janice; one son and one daughter; four grandchildren; one great-grandson; and brother, Steve Wilkerson SMA ’61. Phyllis Hetrick-Bennett SMS ’51 died in Clyde, Ohio on February 18, 2016. She attended San Diego State College and received a PhD in English from Bowling Green State University. Dr. Hetrick-Bennett was a professor at Bowling Green State University, Defiance College, and the University of Kentucky. She concluded her career at the Environmental Protection Agency. Dr. Hetrick-Bennett was predeceased by her husband, Jack Bennett. She was a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., the Nature Conservatory, and the A.C.L.U. She enjoyed the Elizabethan period, especially Shakespeare plays, was an activist for human rights, and co-owner of a record store. Dr. Hetrick-Bennett is survived by her three sons and extended family. Richard G. Gregory StA ’52 of Brunswick, Ga., died January 4, 2016. He was a veteran of the United States Navy. He was a proud member of Masonic Lodge 717 F. & A.M. of Brunswick, where he served as master of the lodge in 1968. He was also a member of the York Rite and a member of Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church. Mr. Gregory was retired from Allied Chemical Co. He is survived by his wife, Stella Swango Gregory SMS ’52, three children, three siblings, and extended family. James F. White SMA ’52 died on January 9, 2016. A champion swimmer and boxer at SMA, Dr. White received his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida, where he was a member of SAE fraternity.
After college, he joined the Navy, was accepted to Naval Officer Candidate School at Rhode Island, and was commissioned as a Naval Ensign in 1957. He volunteered for Explosive Ordinance Disposal and served as a Navy diver and EOD Officer on the USS Sturdy (MSO-494). He earned his DMD from the University of Alabama School of Dentistry and started the first pediatric dental office in Pensacola in 1967. Over the 49 years he practiced, his passion and specialty were children with special needs and disabilities. Dr. White continued to see patients until days before his passing. In his younger years, he was renown for being a great dancer, an accomplished artist, and a water ski instructor. He is survived by his wife, Trudy Furney White; three children; and three grandchildren. Marvin H. Dukes, Jr. SMA ’53 died on November 28, 2015. He was a graduate of the University of South Carolina where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order. After his graduation from South Carolina School of Law in 1959, he returned to Beaufort to practice. Mr. Dukes’ legal career included associations and partnerships with some of the state’s finest lawyers. He was a lifetime member of the Parish Church of St. Helena, serving on the vestry and as a lay reader. He was chairman of the University of South Carolina Higher Education Commission, for which he received the Distinguished Service Award. He was chairman of the Beaufort Academy Board of Directors, commodore of the Beaufort Water Festival, and served on the board of the Beaufort County Airport Commission and as a director of South Carolina Federal Savings and Loan Bank. He was instrumental in the founding of the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club where he served as both commodore and chairman of the board for multiple terms. He was a founder and the first president of the John Ribaut Society and a member of The Thursday Club. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Priscilla Jones Dukes; four sons; and five grandchildren. James F. Hogan SMA ’53 of Hattiesburg, Miss., died September 12, 2015. He attended the University of Kentucky, where he was a member of the varsity swim team, and attended Murray State University.
Harris Dickson Shortle SMA ’55 died November 10, 2015. He attended the United States Military Academy and was a graduate of Louisiana State University. He was a U.S. Marine and served in Vietnam. He received the Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and a Purple Heart. He worked as a construction project engineer and general contractor, and was the author of Duplicate and The Duke of Zardano, both published in 2009. He is survived by his grandchildren, a sister, and extended family.
Notices
of Death
Emily Cameron ’01 died November 10, 2015 in Atlanta. She was born in Jackson, Miss. Emily had often been called fearless, but it was her courage in the face of fears that defined her. She traveled the world, leaving art behind in museums, restaurants and homes, but carrying countless friendships. She plumbed the depths of the human experience with aplomb and grace. Her rarified art allows fragments of time, the essence of a being, and even the truth to be crystallized and captured in acrylic, cellophane, or clay, shaping the viewer as much as the subject. From the age of 12, she strode bravely into the world, from Kenya to Germany, China to Scotland. At the Atlanta College of Art, she discovered her passion for photography, which she followed to Europe, capturing the energy of live music and discovering the joy of photographing architecture. Her skills redoubled at the Parsons School of Design, where she won a merit scholarship that took her to the Far East. Emily’s images were powerful, and she had clients around the country. Her food photography set mouths to watering. Her last great adventure took her to Scotland, where she sought out the roots of her family tree. Emily has gone on ahead, but her work remains as a trail of breadcrumbs through the dark woods of the world. She is survived by her parents, Alan and Mary Cameron; siblings, Ben and Adine Cameron Howard ’00; and extended family. A celebration of Emily’s life will be held at SAS on July 9, 2016. Memorial donations may be sent to St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School, Development Office, 290 Quintard Rd., Sewanee, TN, 37375.
Thomas Hill SMA ’59 died March 11, 2008.
Charlotte Heers Ling SMS ’43 died February 8, 2008. Mrs. R. Alice Bowker SMS ’51 died October 26, 2004. The Hon. William F. Buchanan, StA ’52 died August 7, 2013. Claude B. Senhausen, Jr. SMA ’58 died August 21, 2011. John S. Mayo SMA ’59 died November 10, 2012.
R. Michael Collard StA ’60 died October 15, 2015. Joe Hammerle StA ’63 died November 26, 2002. William J. Bolls, Jr. SMA ’69 died November 17, 2012. Marhsall A. Dooly III StA ’71 died April 8, 2013. Robin Anderson ’06 died March 11, 2013.
Spring 2016 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · 23
Class Notes
1940s Charles McNutt SMA ’46 attended the Memphis alumni and friends gathering in March. He and Frank Perry SMA ’46 will be on campus in May to present the SMA Class of 1946 Junior Leadership Award at Honors Day and again in June to celebrate their 70th reunion! Charlie is professor emeritus of archaeology at the University of Memphis. He recently started a new job running an archaeology consulting firm for the U.S. Government. Frank is a retired vice president of Northrop Grumman Ship Systems and lives in Spanish Fort, Ala.
1960s Bill Harlow StA ’62 will be inducted into the Class of 2016 National Wrestling Hall of Fame in June in Stillwater, Okla. Bill, a three-time NCAA Tournament finalist for Oklahoma State University, finished second at 177 pounds in 1964 and 1965, before moving to 191 pounds where he won the NCAA Championship in 1966. He was a Big 8 champion in 1965 and 1966. His career collegiate record of 54-5-2, included 21-0-1 during his national title season. He was a three-time national freestyle champion, earning Outstanding Wrestler honors in 1974. In 1970, he won a silver medal at the World Freestyle Championships. While at St. Andrew’s, he won the state championship and Outstanding Wrestler honors in 1962. Prior to retiring in 2013, he coached for almost 50 years at high schools in Illinois, Oklahoma, and Alaska, as well as serving as an administrator and principal at several high schools. He received the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award from the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005. Bill lives in Gulf Breeze, Fla., with his wife, Marlise.
James Shumard StA ’69 was named interim rector at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Casper, Wyo. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1997 in the Diocese of Atlanta. Fr. Shumard received his M.Div. from Candler School of Theology in 1985 and D.Min. in 2010 from the Episcopal Divinity School. For the last five years, he has served as rector at St. Michael’s in Waynesboro, Ga. Jim and his wife, Maureen, have two children, Jamie who is pursuing a degree in nursing, and Matthew, who is a senior in high school.
1970s Barry Mills StA ’70 received his master’s degree in education and has started a second career as a high school teacher in Frazer, Mont. He wrote, “I’ve wanted to be a teacher for many years, and am inspired by those teachers I had at StA in the 60s: Mr. VanNess, Mr. Luckett, and Mr. Jones. It was the personal relationship as much as the teaching and learning I experienced; mentoring in the truest sense of the word. My age as a first time teacher? You do the math! Cover me, I’m going in...” Barry lives in nearby Stevensville, Mont., with his wife, Paulette.
McFerrin Smith StA ’63 visited campus in December on a leisurely trip from his home in Deland, Fla., to Highlands, N.C. He retired in 2015 after 37 years on the bench as a circuit court judge.
John Sims StA ’75 is pictured at last year’s Alumni Weekend with former teacher Andy Simmonds StA ’61. John is an electrical and control technician at Tallgrass Energy in Rush Hill, Mo., and has returned to school at the University of Alabama. He recently visited classmate Clifton Lewis StA ’75 and his wife, Anne, while in Birmingham. John and his wife, Janice, live in Mexico, Mo.
Reid Harvey StA ’68 wrote, “I’ve been back from Kenya since August, living near my college alma mater, the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. I’m a ceramic industrial designer focused on environmental health in developing countries. I am working on ceramic filter systems of packed particle beds (PPBs) which, unlike all other point-of-use systems of water treatment, will provide safe drinking water to entire large communities. I’m collaborating with our Department of Ceramic Engineering to provide PPB filter media to be used when water supplies have been disrupted, which will be applicable for emergency situations.”
Nancy Henry SA ’76 received the teacher of the year award from first-year medical students at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, where she has been an instructor in anatomy at the medical school’s campus in Carbondale since 2009. This is the second time Nancy has received the award for her guidance during students’ first year of instruction. She earned a veterinary degree at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1989 and a BS in biology and chemistry from Vanderbilt University. Nancy lives in Makanda, Ill., and plans to return for her 40th reunion in June.
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1980s Bill Roberson StA ’80 is engaged to be married this summer to Sue Trimble. He continues to work with Safelite Autoglass in Columbus, Ohio. John Houser StA ’81 was married to Gary Wyant, his partner of 21 years, on December 19, 2015. They had a quick honeymoon in New York City just before Christmas. John runs a hardware store, and Gary operates the Dog Park Plaza, an exclusive daycare and boarding resort for pampered dogs in McConnelsville, Ohio. They are repurposing an old feed mill as the Dog Park Plaza and their personal residence. Adam Carlos ’85 has had a busy few months. He and his wife, Madison, welcomed their first child in September, daughter Clementine Gray Carlos. Adam, who is a professional portrait artist, opened Adam W. Carlos Fine Art in Telluride, Colo., during Thanksgiving. He and Clementine are pictured working together at the shop on a snowy day in January. Adam is the brother of Aaron BridgersCarlos ’83 and Malia Carlos ’88, uncle of Camila Hwang-Carlos ’17 and Sophia Carlos ’22, and step-uncle of Vanessa Moss ’16. Thomas Brodhead ’85 was featured on Saatchi Art, one of the world’s largest online art galleries. His painting, Chromapotheosis, an acrylic, latex, and graphite on canvas, was coupled with a fivestanza poem used as the painting’s description. Thomas lives and works as a painter and musician in the Nashville area. Daniel Traber ’86 visited campus in October for the first time since 2001. He made a pilgrimage to see the desk of faculty member Susan Core, hopeful that the two stickers he placed there during his senior year remained. He was pleased to see they had survived nearly 30 years of subsequent student decorations. Daniel is an English professor at Texas A&M University Galveston and lives in Houston with his wife, Julia.
Michael Hollingsworth ’88 was named to Georgia Trend Magazine’s “2015 Legal Elite.” He is managing partner of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP and co-head of the firm’s mergers and acquisitions group. He focuses his practice on middle-market corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures. Michael is an SAS trustee. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, Rebecca, and children, Margaret and Michael.
Alicia Gottfried Pascua ’99 and husband, Dario, welcomed daughter, Alba Marta, on June 24, 2015. Alicia wrote that big brother, Daniel, is very excited with his new role. The family lives in Boynton Beach, Fla., where Alicia continues her work in human resources with Dart Container.
1990s Elisabeth Röhm ’91 was featured in the March 21, 2016 issue of People Magazine for her educational philanthropic activity with the American Heart Association and Anthem Foundation. A professional actress, she was most recently seen in the awardwinning films American Hustle and Joy. Elisabeth was named to the SAS Distinguished Alumni in 2011. She lives in California with her fiancé, Ron Wooster, and eight year-old daughter, Easton. Will Sheppard ’95 opened Sheppard’s Pet Supply in October 2015 in Birmingham, Ala. A residential real estate agent, Will got the idea from clients who frequently asked where the nearest pet store was and were dismayed to learn that it was ten miles away. Located in the East Avondale neighborhood, Sheppard’s Pet Supply focuses on raw and holistic pet foods as well as high-end treats and toys. Jan Williams Stevens ’95 visited campus in early January with her husband, Frank, daughter, Josie, and son, Gabriel, who will be boarding in the fall. They currently live in Haiti where they are missionaries with the Hand and Feet Project.
Richard Lodge ’97, Lana Meeks Madico ’97, and Sierra Schneider ’97 got together at Richard’s home in Los Angeles for a Thanksgiving mini-reunion. Richard is married to Richard Coram and is tax director at Simms, Inc. Sierra is residential program manager of COSMOS (The California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science) at the University of California Santa Cruz. Lana lives in San Diego with her husband, Enrique, and works at the San Diego Art of Dentistry. Sierra also attended the SAS Bay Area Theater Soirée in March and is already hard at work on her 20th reunion to be held in June 2017. Sarah Ward Wilkes ’99 and husband Matt welcomed their first child, Jackson Matthew, on April 25, 2015. He is the nephew of Reid Ward ’98. The family lives in Chicago where Sarah is an associate broker with The Apostal Group. Maggie Shults ’99 and Michi Krohn ’99 visited in Dallas while Michi attended a chiropractic workshop at Parker College before a trip to Tulsa with her dog, Lux, for the AKC Championships. Michi lives in Anchorage. It was the first time they had seen each other since their SAS graduation. Maggie lives in Dallas and is opening Coterie-Dallas, a non-profit agency for creatives to develop the business end of their talents. She will market and promote clients in social settings, social media, and other outlets, as well as teach them everything from how to do their taxes to brand identity.
2000s Nelson Agee ’00 married Heather Lea on October 10, 2015 in St. Petersburg, Fla. They live in St. Petersburg where Nelson is a professional paramedic with Paramedic Plus and Pinellas County, and Heather is a case manager with United Healthcare. Laura Beth Graham ’01 married Jeff Matthews in Alexandria. La., on January 16, 2016. Alumnae in the wedding were Aggie Wright Stephenson ’01, Abby Peterson ’00, and Macey Lodge Stubblefield ’01. Also attending were LB’s brother, David Graham ’06, and her father, SAS Director of Development Tim Graham. The couple lives in Alexandria where LB is an attorney with Gold, Weems, Bruser, Sues & Rundell. Jeff is a local economy and news reporter for The Daily Town Talk newspaper. Colleen Keahey ’02 is the national outreach coordinator for Vote Hemp and works with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to support the renewal of industrial hemp as a state agricultural commodity. She helped to draft industrial hemp legislation with Tennessee Rep. Jeremy Faison and Senator Frank Nicely, which was enacted by the state government in May 2014. Victoria Fort ’03 is enrolled in her first year of medical school at Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine in New York. Monica Villa ’04 married Enrique Bayarri in 2015 and is owner and CEO of the digital marketing firm MEV Studios in Miami. She and her southeast director, Monroe Spivey ’04, have been hired by Nashville-based film director John Cherry to produce the digital marketing for their new film. Monica and Enrique expect their first child in late spring.
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Alumni Activities
Class Notes
Niki Hildago Jordan ’04 and husband Brandon welcomed their second child, Miller Beckman Jordan, on October 13, 2015. Miller’s older brother, Tate, was born in 2013. The family lives in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Chatham Morgan ’05 lives in Destin, Fla., with his wife Marilu. He was recently elected to the Destin City Council. He is pictured on Super Tuesday with his grandmother as they headed to the polls. In addition to helping run his family’s restaurant business, Chatham is the founder and president of the non-profit American Lunch, which he started while in college. Focusing on feeding the hungry via food trucks, it has expanded to four cities including Tuscaloosa, Ala., Chattanooga, Tenn., Knoxville, Tenn., and Athens, Ga. He recently participated in the SAS Career Series held on campus in February. Chatham is the older brother of Jane Morgan ’12.
2010s Stewart Anderson ’10 stopped by campus in December to deliver a gift to the SAS Fund. He and brother Jake Anderson ’06 continue to perform with the Walt Disney World cast choir for EPCOT. Jake continues piloting on the monorail and Stewart works in the front office of Disney’s flagship hotel, the Grand Floridian. They live in Orlando. Anna Condon ’10 lives in Memphis where she is a copy editor with the advertising agency, Inferno. She plans on attending Alumni Weekend again this year. Swade Mooney ’11 and his wife Sierra tied the knot on November 1, 2015 in a unique ceremony at the Red Barn in Beersheba Springs, Tenn. Alumni attending were his sister, Shalon Mooney ’15, and Evan Morris ’11. Swade graduated from Tennessee Technical College in 2015. The couple lives in Tracy City, Tenn.
2015-2016 SAS ALUMNI COUNCIL David Allen StA ’77, President Will Beard ’86, Vice President Anneke Skidmore ’05, Secretary
Alumni & Friends Gatherings
New York Mini-Group
A Sewanee gathering in September launched the year with Interim Head of School Judy Chamberlain. Pictured at the home of Rick and Lizzie Duncan StA ’76 are (from left): Elizabeth Core ’84; Sarah Carlos, former faculty; Danielle Goubeaud Guyear ’87; Leslie Muir ’91; Christi Teasley ’83, faculty member; Xan Glover ’92; Ansley Kellermann ’00; Susan Waldner StA ’77; Will Beard ’86; Jerry White, former faculty; Lelee Frank Hazard StA ’77; Lizzie; Mike Flannes SMA ’69; Martin Knoll SA ’78; Lucas Crossland ’13; Kimerlen Moore ’93; and Judy Chamberlain.
Young alumni in New York City gathered in January. Pictured (from top left) are: Jane Morgan ’12; Mollie Farrell ’10; Torlisa Jeffrey ’02; and (below on the left) Jude Ziliak ’05 and Scott Owsley ’10.
Ben Beavers SA ’81 Laura Cunningham ’96 Elizabeth Clark Duncan StA ’76 Claire Agricola England SMS ’66 Mike Flannes SMA ’69 Xan Glover ’92 Ansley Kellermann ’00 Leslie Muir ’91 David Tharp ’84 Susan Waldner StA ’77 Martha Warren StA ’82
Chelsey Barry ’06 lives in Atlanta, Ga., where she works with the employee benefits brokerage firm, Digital Insurance, as executive assistant and talent management specialist.
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his past fall and winter, we enjoyed alumni and friends gatherings from coast to coast. Events in Sewanee, Washington, D.C., Knoxville, New York, Memphis, and Mill Valley, Calif. drew alumni from across the decades. This summer and fall we look forward to introducing incoming Head of School Karl Sjolund at events around the country. If you are interested in hosting or participating in an event in your area, please email sasalumni@sasweb.org.
Alumni Council Club Programming
The launch of the DC Regional Alumni Club in October welcomed (from left): Zoe Petropoulos ’10; Alison Asmussen ’99; Kate Sheeler StA ’81; Jenna Lewis ’07; Chris Morrison ’92; and Scott Gelinas ’96.
Sarah Lee Morgan Bowman ’06 wrote, “I passed my pediatric nurse practitioner board exam! I am so excited and thankful for all the people that helped me get to this moment.” She lives in Memphis with her husband, Swaze, and works as a nurse at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Shane Rollins ’06 and wife Amy attended the SAS Bay Area Theater Soirée and talked of moving from San Jose, Calif., to Lake Tahoe. They purchased an RV and have spent the past several months traveling the country. Shane, an asset manager with Cisco, is able to work remotely from any location.
Rachel Du ’12 is in her fourth year of a five-year program at the Rochester Institute of Technology studying packaging science with a theater arts minor. She has worked as a lab assistant at the China State Food and Drug Administration and the China National Pharmaceutical Group Corp.
Phillip Coutant ’07 was promoted by Amazon and has moved to Columbia, S.C.
Allison Kuo ’14 is studying pâtisserie and baking at Le Cordon Bleu.
Rachel Collazo Davis ’07 is a certified speech and language pathologist. She and her husband Brian live in Madison, Ala., where she works with Madison Speech Associates.
Andrew White ’14 is a professional paramedic with Puckette EMS in Jasper, Tenn. He primarily works on hospital transfers and 911 coverage for Marion County. Andrew is the brother of Maggie White ’17.
Pictured in November at the Bistro at the Bijou in downtown Knoxville are (clockwise from left): Larry Robinson StA ’72; Bill Lyons, Gay Henry Lyons StA ’73; Liz Lyons ’04; Victor Hart StA ’61; Coral Turner ’92; Vickie Valentine; Judy Chamberlain; and Harry Hitchcock StA ’64. Memphis alumni, current and past SAS parents and grandparents, prospective parents, and friends gathered at the home of former trustee Doug Ferris and his wife, Dot Neale, on March 3. Pictured with Director of Alumni and Special Events, Lizzie Duncan StA ’76 (from left): Mike Kossmann StA ’75; John Pritchard SMA ’56; Rodney Nash StA ’76; Charles McNutt SMA ’46; Bill Condon SA ’75; Will Hayley SMA ’65; and Jim Boyd StA ’65.
The Swimmers Premiere
The confluence of the world premiere of a play by Rachel Bonds ’01 at the Marin Theatre Company where Michael Barker ’98 is managing director was an opportunity for alumni arts lovers in the Bay Area to celebrate. Rachel, who lives in Brooklyn, spent several months rehearsing with the cast and director in Mill Valley, Calif. Pictured (left to right): Shane Rollins ’06 with wife, Amy; Dave Swank SMA ’64; Carolyn and Hugh Platt StA ’58; Rachel Bonds ’01, in the middle; Sierra Schneider ’97; Michael Barker ’98; and Lizzie Duncan StA ’76.
Zach Huffman ’09 is pictured with Simon Koch ’10 during a Christmas visit to Simon’s home in Burgdorf, Germany. Zach is teaching middle school at the American International School in Salzburg until May.
Spring 2016 · 26
Spring 2016 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · 27
Alumni Activities
Alumni In Print Register today!
sasweb.org/summer
After a year of hard work, the SAS Alumni Council held the first SAS Career Series. Current juniors and seniors attended an informative panel discussion and Q&A followed by dinner for students and alumni to connect with alumni in smaller groups to learn more about career paths, job searches, and interviewing. The following night, alumni hosted the senior class for an etiquette dinner. The two-day event was well received and will be held again next year.
The novel tells the story of Eleanor Loveless, a teenager who has yet to find her place in the world. Eleanor is tossed off the top of a cliff dubbed “Suicide Hill.” She lands in a mysterious town populated by all the suicide victims who ever made the jump, where she is shunned as an outsider. Eleanor finds solace in Phillip, who is willing to risk everything to help her.
Participating alumni (from left): Chatham Morgan ’05; Ryan Barry ’04; SAS Trustee Bruce Baird SMA ’69; Council member Ansley Kellermann ’00; Leah Lowe StA ’80; Aggie Wright Stephenson ’01; Jenna Lewis ’07; Taylor Kavanaugh ’10; Council member Ben Beavers SA ’81; Council member Laura Cunningham ’96; and Rob Utlaut ’85. Elizabeth Core ’84, who is not pictured, led a small group session.
On her blog, The Rough Draft (sarahgalyeanjones.com), Sarah’s essay, “The Smart Girl,” talks about how she went from being a failing English student to a published writer, “I eventually found my way at a high school that did an excellent job of openly embracing all types of students. There, at my little boarding school on top of a mountain in middle Tennessee, where we called the teachers by their first names and often had class outside and could design independent studies that counted for credit, was where I finally, finally, finally, started to make decent grades. Not straight A’s, never straight A’s, but a solid-enough average so that I could actually get into college.”
Dinner hosts were: Laura Cunningham ’96, Ben Beavers SA ’81, Bruce Baird SMA ’69, Aggie Wright Stephenson ’01, and Ansley Kellermann ’00.
A native of Memphis, Sarah is completing a degree in English from the University of Arkansas. She is currently working on revisions for her second book and on short stories.
Spend a week on the Mountain and give your kids the joy of SAS day camps. Seniors dressed to the nines to learn more about business and formal dinner etiquette and enjoyed the additional time with their alumni hosts. A group lingered for further conversation, including (from left): Margaret Wilson; Joshua Alvarez, son of Stephen Alvarez ’83, Emma Zeitler; Colburn Hassman; Andreas Forsyth; Tommy Oliver; Lachlan Hassman; Eliza Gooding, daughter of Charles Gooding ’83; Vanessa Moss, daughter of Bennett ’84 and Aaron Bridgers-Carlos ’83; and Thomas Simerville.
28 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · Spring 2016
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nspired by the elements of fantasy in the children’s books that were read to her as a child, Sarah Galyean Jones ’12 began writing at an early age. She completed the first draft of this, her debut novel, while still a boarding student at SAS. In fact, readers familiar with Sewanee may recognize it as the setting for The Broken Haven, published by Lands Atlantic Publishing.
Inaugural Career Series
May 31–June 3 BASKETBALL CAMP June 6–10 SOCCER CAMP June 13–17 CHOIR CAMP June 20–24 ARTS & OUTDOORS CAMP Information and registration at www.sasweb.org/summer
SAS Summer isn’t just for kids... June 12–26
SHAKERAG WORKSHOPS: A great way to relax and reconnect with the creative you. More info at www.shakerag.org.
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ob Williams ’93 published his first full-length novel, Music City Macabre, the first novel in his “The Low Lying Lands Saga.” The book introduces Prescott, a survivor of an event known as The Descent, which swept the nation and transformed the majority of the population into raging, destructive Freaks. In the two years since The Descent, Prescott has been searching for his sister, Emily. His search leads him to a post-apocalyptic Nashville ruled by the vicious warlord Kade and his congregation of Freaks. Prescott learns that family can grow from the ashes of devastation, love is still possible, and hope is eternal. A reader review noted, “The author’s language and storytelling skills are superior. He seamlessly blends present and past tense in a way that makes the reader feel simultaneously inside the action and that the story is being told to the reader by a trustworthy friend. A colorful turn of phrase here, a pop culture reference there, and some sly humor all add to the richness.” Bob’s short story “Magenta” was selected by the company Red Shift, to be turned into a fully produced audio drama, due out out in May. You can check out Bob’s writing at bwilliams.thirdscribe.com. Bob lives in Nashville with his wife, Sara, and five-year-old daughter, Kate. He is the manager of the ReStore Nashville Habitat for Humanity.
QUIZ ANSWER
FROM PAGE 2
Chaplain Drew Bunting ’93 introduced a new tradition, the Shrove Tuesday pancake race. View the race and more SAS fun on YouTube: www.youtube.com/StAndrewsSewanee.
Spring 2016 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · 29
Service Award W. ANDREW SIMMONDS, STA ’61
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HE ST. ANDREW’S-SEWANEE SERVICE AWARD honors individuals who have exhibited exemplary support of and leadership for SAS, and who have demonstrated over time unusual loyalty and service by virtue of their time, talent, and treasure and, in so doing, serve as outstanding role models to current students and future generations of SAS graduates. The recipient of this year’s Service Award is alumnus and former faculty member, W. Andrew Simmonds StA ’61. Andy has been a loyal and energetic supporter of St. Andrew’sSewanee from its earliest days. Andy and his wife, Heidi Hangar Simmonds SMS ’61, have attended nearly every Alumni Weekend for more than 30 years. Andy serves as reunion leader and class agent for his class during reunion and non-reunion years. In 2005, he was co-chair and class leader for the Heritage Celebration, marking the centennial of St. Andrew’s School. More recently, Andy has been a driving force behind the St. Andrew’s Chapel Centennial Campaign, serving both as campaign co-chair and class gift leader. He has worked countless hours writing, phoning, and visiting alumni to raise
SAS
Alumni Weekend SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
funds for the chapel restoration. “Andy’s boundless energy and never-failing optimism are inspirational,” said Director of Development, Tim Graham. “He always sees what is possible and dedicates himself to make things happen. His love for the school and his abiding desire to see alumni involvement provide encouragement to all who seek to make SAS the best school possible for each student.” Andy grew up on the SAS campus. His parents came to St. Andrew’s in 1948 when his father was named business manager, bursar, and chaplain. His mother taught reading. The Simmonds Building is named in their honor. Andy returned to campus in 1968 to teach mathematics. Heidi taught Spanish. Following his tenure at St. Andrew’s, Andy taught at Athens Academy for more than 30 years and served as the head of their middle school. Andy’s love for and dedication to St. Andrew’s-Sewanee can be seen in the joy he spreads each and every time he sets foot on campus. Thank you, Andy, for your service to St. Andrew’sSewanee School.
Friday • June 3
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LUMNI WEEKEND 2016 is right around the corner, and registrations are flowing in. Photos from last year, available online at sasweb.smugmug.com, inspire us to return to the Mountain to relax, rejoice, and reconnect in 2016. Approximately 400 alumni and friends are expected to come home to celebrate their milestone reunion, or join the many alumni who return each year to celebrate.
The Mountain Alumni Challenge (M-A-C), a new event this year, will incorporate sports, trivia, and entertainment. M-A-C events will demonstrate the bond of our parent school legacies while bringing all alumni together. Teams may be formed based on reunion year, parent school, or affinity groups. Look for much fun throughout the weekend with the culmination of the “trophy” awarded Saturday evening before the bonfire!
10:00 a.m. Registration Opens NOON SAS Golf Classic 4:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Alumnae Soirée 6:00 p.m. Jazz Dinner & Lawn Party* 9:00 p.m. M-A-C Event 9:00 p.m. Bonfire
Saturday • June 4
7:30 a.m. Breakfast Opens 9:30 a.m. M-A-C Events 10:00 a.m. Yoga 10:30 a.m. Family Soccer Match 11:30 a.m. Champagne Awards Brunch 2-5:00 p.m. Res Swim & Canoeing 4:00 p.m. M-A-C Events 5:30 p.m. Reunion Cocktail Parties 7:00 p.m. All-Alumni Dinner* 8:00 p.m. M-A-C Finale* 9:30 p.m. Bonfire*
Sunday • June 5
9:45 a.m. SMA Alumni March 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist 11:30 a.m. Farewell Brunch *Youth Program available during these events
Register today and meet us on the mountain! sasalumni@sasweb.org | www.sasweb.org/alumni 30 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · Spring 2016
St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School
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Is This Love That We're Feeling?
SAS students and teachers Luke Diamond and Rachel Malde traveled to Jamaica for the fifth annual outreach trip. The group helped to replace and rebuild the stands for the soccer facility at Boys’ Town, a lively community center complex housing a soccer stadium (home to the Boys’ Town professional soccer team), two schools for children ages 3-12, multiple after school tutoring programs, sports teams, a computer lab, and an audio recording studio. 32 · St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Magazine · Spring 2016