The Hillside S o u t h K e n t S c h o o l M a g a z i n e | Summer 2013
The Hillside 2013 Volume L Number 2
Head of School’s Report
Editor: Thomas Javery Communications Coordinator
A Tradition of Service
Head Writer: Sarah Pfeffer Communications Assistant Copy Editors: Mary Flemming Brown Matthew Winkler Contributors: Carol-Ann Bruen Cheryl Moore Lynn Mellis Worthington Send address changes to: South Kent School 40 Bulls Bridge Road South Kent, CT 06785-1199 (860) 927-3539 x206 email: advancement@southkentschool.org
South Kent School adheres to a longstanding policy of admitting students of any race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, and national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and other schooladministered programs. Mission Statement South Kent School is an independent, college preparatory school for boys. Since its founding, South Kent has maintained ties with the Episcopal Church. Three principles define the school: Simplicity of Life, Self-Reliance, and Directness of Purpose. We offer, by living simply, an uncluttered environment for lively and rigorous learning. We encourage our students to become self-reliant in order to develop competence and self-esteem. We value directness of purpose: we want each student to welcome the challenge to focus his energies, to set goals, and to work to meet them. South Kent School fosters these principles in a community, small in numbers, that provides a safe and supportive family structure. We embrace diversity and cherish honesty, courtesy, and compassion. In this energizing atmosphere, we provide leadership opportunities that develop a student’s sense of responsibility and service. We nurture in our students, regardless of belief or religious affiliation, a thoughtful engagement with spirituality.
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ith the same fervor that drives us to provide top-level academics and athletics to our boys, we are committed to developing heroes who act selflessly on behalf of the community. The Call to Service is one of the three “Calls” that students participate in as part of our Affinity Groups. Over the course of each year, the affinity groups—made up of our Fifth Formers, Sixth Formers and Post Graduates—participate in Calls designed to guide young men along what we refer to as the Hero’s Path. The Call to Adventure and Call to Explore are two such paths, but the Call to Service is where I’d like to shine a spotlight in this edition of The Hillside. In this past academic year, we were proud to see students participate in multiple service initiatives and projects. Whether it was running a 5K race for the Bishops’ Fund for Children; the Selects Hockey boys spending a day of their preseason cleaning local roads; raising money for Hurricane Sandy victims; designing and building a wheelchair-accessible community garden; participating in a bike-a-thon for World Bicycle Relief, or building houses with Habitat for Humanity—our boys learned firsthand the value of helping others. Something we seek to instill in our students regularly is the idea that, in each boy’s journey, he will have a choice: to be a hero—someone who uses his gifts and talents for the benefits of others, or to be a celebrity—someone who uses these gifts and talents merely for his own benefit. Through involvement in and exposure to a wide range of service experiences, each South Kent boy can begin to understand that a well-lived life includes service. The Jobs Program, which is part of our Call to Service for upper school students, has long been a tradition here and is still a central action point in our philosophy. This program allows our boys to take what they have, whether it is a talent, skill or just plain strong work ethic, and give back to South Kent, the local community and beyond. One great example of a Call to Service program is paticipation in the Church Street Eats soup kitchen at Christ Cathedral in Hartford. There, by stepping outside our campus, students get a tangible sense of the need in the larger Connecticut community and experience how they can be a positive force in others’ lives. The Call to Service directly connects to what is being taught in class, in assemblies and in Chapel. The Call to Service may be born at South Kent School, but it does not end here. It is our hope and expectation that the Call will be imparted in young men’s hearts and carried with them through their adult lives—wherever their paths may lead them. In this issue of The Hillside, we will talk to alumni who have taken values learned on the Hillside and carried them on in their lives and career endeavors. We will learn how camaraderie, the ethic of volunteerism and our tradition of service to our neighbors as well as to our global community have remained the heartbeat of South Kent. We have seen the positive change brought about by South Kent alumni, and we understand the impact that just one person can make on the world. In our efforts to provide the best, most well-rounded education for boys based on cutting edge research, technology and applied sciences, our foundational principles remain the same. We remain steadfast in living and teaching the ideologies of Simplicity of Life, Self-Reliance and Directness of Purpose. And ever present in life at South Kent School is the Call to Service.
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Visit South Kent School’s website at
www.southkentschool.org Cover2 • The Hillsidepaper Summer 2013 Printed on recycled
Andrew Vadnais vadnaisa@southkentschool.org
The Hillside
inside
Volume L, Number 2 Summer 2013
“It was the time in my life that in many ways formed who I am. That set of beliefs now drives me in my work and personal life.�
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Rowing for Life FRONT&CENTER
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News
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Prize Day
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Student Gallery
10 Winter and Spring Athletics
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Crew Coach and Author Whit Mitchell tells of the lifetime advantages to team athletics
Lasting Hillside Values
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Two alumni tell us how hard work on the Hillside has affected them throughout life
ALUMNI
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Alumni Profiles
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Class Notes
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Alumni Weekend
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In Memoriam
inSchool News
90 YEARS
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outh Kent School is proud to be entering into our 90th year this fall. Encouraging excellence in boys since our founding in 1923, we are excited to fulfill this call for our next 90 years and beyond. Through academic intensity, athletic competition and real-world learning, a boy on the Hillside can follow his own Hero’s Path. We’d like to thank everyone—past and present—who has made the South Kent educational experience possible. We will be marking our 90th year with various events and hope you will join us along the way.
For digital back issues or to view The Hillside online, visit:
www.southkentschool.org/magazine
To keep up-to-date on all of the exciting 90th year celebrations and activities throughout the year, check out: www.southkentschool.org
To Reach Us...
Also keep up with the latest SKS happenings by liking the SKS Facebook page! www.facebook.com/SouthKentSchool 2 • The Hillside Summer 2013
Editor’s Note: We welcome any correspondence that you might be willing to share with us. Please email letters to the editor to magazine@southkentschool.org. You can also send mail to Hillside Letters, South Kent School, 40 Bulls Bridge Road, South Kent, CT 06785. All letters may be edited for content. Letters received by The Hillside will be considered for publication unless otherwise stipulated by the sender.
Richard H. Lawrence, Sr.
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he spring of 2013 has been packed with activities and improvements on the South Kent School grounds. On February 16, we broke ground for the Richard H. Lawrence, Sr. Faculty Village and much has developed since. There has been a need for new housing, and now faculty members and their families will be able to enjoy the benefits of the village. This project was made possible by Dee and Richard Lawrence, Jr. ’74 who made a substantial gift in honor of Richard’s father, Richard H. Lawrence, Sr., who has served South Kent School for many years. As a member of the Board of Trustees from 1986 to 1998, he went on to serve as Chairman of the Board from 1992 through 1995. Five new buildings were drawn up on the original blueprint, along with a loop road to allow access to this new area on campus. With the first two duplexes freshly completed, these enhancements to the quality of life at South Kent are not going unnoticed. One of the buildings is a ranch style home with two two-bedroom units, and the other is a cape style home with one two-bedroom unit and one three-bedroom unit. The three remaining buildings will each be single family homes with three-bedrooms. All will be situated at the top of the hill near the Elizabeth Bringhurst Dormitory Complex and the “Wit’s End” house. Visitors were able to view summer construction in person on the Hillside or via a live webcam on the School’s website at www.southkentschool.org/village. The webcam is still available for viewing the completed buildings. “The contractor finished up the painting and trim of the interiors, and once they
Phase 1 Complete
completed that, we brought in a flooring contractor,” said Associate Head of School Richard Chavka. “The first two homes were built through modular housing, which is an efficient and economical means of constructing our faculty housing.” Chavka also noted that contractors recently completed putting in a conduit for electrical service, and Connecticut Light & Power connected the power lines. Additionally, water lines are ready and the septic system has been installed. Due to the increased demands the new village will put on the septic system, a new septic field was created before building even began. Some faculty members were temporarily displaced off-campus for the summer as there was a need to tear down a faculty-housing unit in the process of the Lawrence Village construction. Since the faculty members were able to move into their beautiful new homes before the commencement of the academic year, we are sure they have deemed those temporary moves worth the wait. Thanks to the Lawrence family, the School will be able to continue to attract and retain top-level teachers, remain at the forefront of educational development and also honor Richard (Dick) Lawrence, Sr. simultaneously. “We are so glad to be able to honor Dick,” said Head of School Andrew Vadnais. “He has been a dedicated friend of South Kent School for many years and has made positive contributions to the School in many areas.”
Summer 2013 The Hillside • 3
South Kent’s Class of 2013
Congratulations, Class of 2013! Prize Day Awards
Headmaster’s Cup......................................................................................................................................Shakhai Trott SSB Cup.......................................................................................................................................... Kevin Patrick Butler The James S. Johnson Memorial Trophy.............................................................................Cameron Joseph McFarlane The George and Maggie Bartlett Cup........................................................................................ Nicholas Robert Pezza Mary Flemming Brown and Arthur Wood Brown Award.................................................................Long Tuan Hoang The Paul and Terese Abbott Cup................................................................................................. Nolan Matthew Long William P. Gillette ’29 Trophy.............................................................................................. Anthony Joseph Florentino John C. Farr ’58 Trophy........................................................................................................................ Chi-Chen Hsieh The CFI Award....................................................................................Kevin Patrick Butler, Myles Vincent McFadden The Cum Laude Society....................................................Jake Cho, Shane Michael Starrett, Andrew Joseph Edwards Glennon Creative Writing Prize............................................................................................................Terence Hughes Academic Leader of the VI Form......................................................................................................................Jake Cho Bartlett English Prize.............................................................................................................................Terence Hughes Mathematics Prize.......................................................................................................................Yunhao Qiao, Lei Yang George D. Knopf Science Prize...................................................................................................Yunhao Qiao, Lei Yang Chapel Reading Prize.............................................................................................................................. Nicholas Pezza Art Prize.......................................................................................................................... Luc Chatelain, Nicholas Pezza Music Prize................................................................................................................................................ Yunhao Qiao The Pigtail Prize....................................................................................................................... Jake Cho, Jonghyuk Lee Scholastic Improvement Award..............................................................................................................Kenan Williams Excellence in Creativity in Arts and Drama Prize........................................................................... Kevin Patrick Butler 4 • The Hillside Summer 2013
PRIZE DAY 2013
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2012 to 2013 South Kent School’s Call to Service can be seen as the newest incarnation of the School’s Jobs Program. From our very start, boys developed character through working for the betterment of the community. In the beginning, this meant yard work, cooking, cleaning, and farming here on the Hillside. Nowadays, Call to Service instills this same understanding of the need to give back to one’s community through various programs at the local, state, and even international level.
Variety Boys & Girls Club N
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For a second year in a row, SKS led Presidents Day games and activities for primary and middle school children at this Queens, NY, club.
Kent Land Trust Over the course of several weeks, SKS cleaned up the KLT’s community gardens and built a disabled-accessible garden for next year’s use.
Founded by alumnus and trustee F.K. Day, WBR provides bicycles for those parts of the world, such as Africa, where improved transportation can radically change lives for the better.
EARTH DAY
South Kent School cleaned up about ten miles of roads in South Kent and Gaylordsville. 66 •• The The Hillside Hillside Summer Summer 2013 2013
Church Street Eats
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Boys regularly distributed food and clothing at this soup kitchen based at Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford and collected clothing and blankets at the end of the year for next year’s needs.
Partnering with Marvelwood School, Kent School, the Kent Nursing Facility, and under the sponsorship of First Selectman Bruce Adams, students provided meals every Friday to a group of senior citizens in Kent.
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American Red Cross Hurricane Sandy Relief
CROP Walk of Church World Service At this annual ten-mile walkathon to fight global hunger our boys raised nearly
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Merwinsville Hotel
The boys helped out at the fall fundraiser for this local historic landmark.
n t i n k Ke ump Run P REBUILDING TOGETHER The School worked with Rebuilding Together and its affiliate, Heroes at Home, to help several elderly families maintain their homes in New Milford and Kent.
SKS manned the water stops at this annual five-mile race.
Bishops’ Fund for Children
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Students helped out and took part in the annual 5K for Kids race, which benefits children at risk throughout the state of Connecticut. The Bishops’ Fund is an Episcopal diocesan organization which is headed by Foster White, SKS ‘55.
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Student Gallery
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12 1. Sander Boroczky 2. Nolan Long 3. Trey Durham 4. Yanan Jiang 5. Gregory Davis 6. Ben Lussier 7. Nick DiNicola 8. Eisuke Matsuda 9. Andrew Edwards 10. Simon Hernandez 11. Connor Coughlin 12. Cole Karklins 13. Yanan Jiang Summer 2013 The Hillside • 9
inuniform Winter and Spring Athletics
CARDINALS
Hockey Lacrosse
Baseball
Crew Tennis Basketball
Golf
10 • The Hillside Summer 2013
Prep Basketball Injuries proved to be the biggest obstacle for the 2012-2013 Prep Basketball team. A season that began with plenty of talent and promise was slowed by concussions, ankle injuries and other afflictions. Although the team played most of the season shorthanded, they proved that they had the mental fortitude to overcome the adversity that they faced. Facing the competition of the NEPSAC AAA, which is widely considered the top high-school league in the country, the Prep Basketball team played every game with passion. Their dedication and hard work paid off as every player on the team will play basketball next year at a four-year college. Shane Rector led the team in scoring (16.8 ppg) and assists (4.3 apg). Rector, who will play next season at the University of Missouri, proved to be one of the top point guards in the country this year. He had plenty of help from the big men, Reggie Agbeko and Nolan Long. Agbeko (St. Louis University) proved to be one of the toprebounding big men in the country, pulling down over 10 rebounds per game. Agbeko
was also a dominant offensive weapon, scoring 11.5 ppg for the season. At 6’10”, Long, one of the top athletes in the country, is not only a Major League pitcher, but also earned a basketball scholarship to Wagner College where he will play both sports. Zach Brown and Dusan Perovic gained valuable experience this season on the Prep Team. Both will be counted on heavily during the 2013-14 season. Perovic had a terrific start to the 2012-13 season before an unfortunate ankle injury that ended his season. Perovic will enter next season as one of the league’s top front-court players. Brown, who committed to Wichita State right after their Final Four appearance, will bring experience and athleticism to the upcoming season. After a tough 2012-13 season, the future is bright moving forward. Submitted by Coach Kelven Jefferson
Varsity Basketball The 2012-2013 varsity basketball season had high expectations from the get-go. With the Cardinals winning the league title in back-to-back years, this group of young men faced tremendous pressure from the start,
Above left to right: Shane Rector dunking on a player from MacDuffie; Above Right: Joel Garcia working his way down court in a game vs. Millbrook.
along with getting used to a new coach. This year’s team did not disappoint. The team suffered an early season loss in its first game against Christian Heritage but bounced back to win the next three straight games, coming together as a unit. A challenging schedule produced a flurry of tough opponents in the next three games, but it also showed the guys they could play against anyone, and that we would be well-versed come tournament time. The group focused on an up-tempo style of play—both on the offensive and defensive ends—grit and toughness, and consistent execution. The squad was fortunate to return many experienced players such as Kenan “Mr. Clutch” Williams, Garrett “The Silent Assassin” Fox, Rich O’Shaughnessy and Evan Chen. Many new underclassmen players also served pivotal roles. Some include gun-slinger Ross West, Mickey “Mr. Hustle” Watson, “Mr. Shackles” Sam Lartey, and smooth NYC off guard Joel Garcia. Other contributors were Weijia Ren, Eun Oh Lee, Summer 2013 The Hillside • 11
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and Justin Forstmann. There was also a group of talented freshmen who improved on a daily basis and have bright futures ahead of them. The team overcame a lot of adversity and caught fire in the second half of the season, scoring a big win at home over rival Chase, and making it to their third straight league final. This match-up put us against Chase for the third time of the season. The team played their best game of the year but suffered a tough loss to a very solid and well coached team. I am extremely proud of this year’s team’s accomplishments, both individually and collectively. The team had three all-league performers in Kenan Williams (1st team), Garrett Fox (1st team), and Joel Garcia (2nd team). Most of all, I am proud of how this team bonded to overcome adversity, and how hard they played every night to represent their school. I wish them all the best next season and in years to come. Go, Cardinals! Submitted by Coach William Morse
12 • The Hillside Summer 2013
Junior Varsity Basketball We may not have had a winning season, but WE, as a team, were real winners of the word COURAGE ... learning to play the game we love: basketball. We played with courage against some tough schools on the schedule. The highlight of the season was our win over Salisbury School. It took a lot of courage for us to walk into their new sports complex and play against a very disciplined team. Long game short... we won by 4 points and had a great time celebrating in their locker room. Next year will be a new season for us. As always, we’ll play with lots and lots of courage. Submitted by Coach John Funk
Selects Academy U14 Hockey The U14 hockey season started out in Providence, Rhode Island, on the last day of August 2012. It was the first time that South Kent had fielded an all third-form team and
upon first glance, without having practiced, it appeared it would be an uphill climb for the young bunch of Selects through the 201213 season. However, the U14 team was one that was willing to buy in, work hard, grow together and unite as one. This tremendous improvement could not have been more evident than in winning the Warrior Classic Tournament in Detroit, Michigan, in mid-October only six weeks later. The U14 team was very proud to take home the league championship of the Bantam Major division as a first year member of the Eastern Hockey Federation heading into the Thanksgiving break in late November. Upon return to school, the boys were more than ready to finally play at home in early December and up to the Christmas break. Coming back for the new year, U14 battled some key injuries but made a pact to battle day-in and day-out and find a way to come out on top in some very impressive exhibition play throughout a long, cold winter. The season would be capped off heading into spring break as the hosting U14 were able to take home the inaugural U14 Legacy Cup and defend the Hillside as one of the premier third-form junior prep programs in the Northeast USA and Canada
prep school circuit. All in all, good and bad, for development, the season could not have gone better for our U14 family. The club battled through some very difficult situations of injury, and often long minutes were logged by the young players. The boys were focused on taking care of business as a family. Some key highlights include: • 35 wins, 19 losses, and 10 ties • Appearance in the finals of the Syracuse National Tournament • Three championship banners 1. Eastern Hockey Federation League 2. The Warrior Classic 3. Legacy Cup All of the boys brought their game to a new level, and the team had top gun awards given to Adam Peck and Jake Ryczek. Nick Moore was awarded the defensive MVP. The coaching staff is very excited as the majority of the boys will move up together for the first U16 American Selects Academy team at South Kent in 2013-14. Submitted by Coach Eric Soltys
Selects Academy U16 Hockey The Selects Hockey Academy U16 AAA national-bound team at South Kent School had a remarkable second season. The team finished the year ranked 19th in the country with an impressive record of 51-15-1 - and was one of six teams in the country with 50 or more wins. As a team, U16 achieved new heights as one of the most elite in the country. Additionally, individual achievement was unparalleled by any other program, with six players awarded full scholarships to Division I college hockey programs. Leading this talent-rich squad on the ice were team captains: Karl El-Mir, Anthony Siderio, Jarred Toole, and Chase Priskie. The enthusiasm, hustle, and dedication the captains demonstrated throughout the season were at the heart of the team’s success. El-Mir earned Offensive Player of the Year and led the team in points. Charlie Manley and Jeremie Lintner received the Defensive Player of the Year award. For his superb work ethic, Chase Harwell earned the Lunch Pail Award, given to the hardest working player. Rounding out the individual awards, Chase Priskie earned
From far left to right: Shihao Hu making a run on the basket against Millbrook; Andrew Peeke taking a shot at the goal in a game vs. Hillside School; Austin McIlmurray passing to Joseph Cipollone as he sneaks the puck in from the side of the goal behind the New Jersey Avalanche’s goal keeper.
the Most Valuable Player Award and the Coach’s Award, for his spirit and dedication to the team. The team made it to the finals of every tournament entered but two. Here are some of the notable performances: 2nd at the USA Hockey regional tournament, 2nd at the Warrior Classic in Detroit, 2nd in the league (USEHL), 2nd at the SHS Invite, and 1st place at the Junior Bruins Tournament. Submitted by Coach Devin Rask
Selects Academy U18 Hockey The 2012-13 campaign was a season of firsts. It was my first season as Head Coach at South Kent. It was the first season that the original Prep Hockey Team transitioned to a full season Tier 1 Major Midget AAA schedule. Instead of starting in November and playing a 30-33 game schedule under Summer 2013 The Hillside • 13
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the New England Prep School Ice Hockey Association, we opened up our season under the new format on August 24th at the Chelsea Piers Tournament in Stamford, CT. We played 64 games this past season against various competitors including our USEHL U18 league opponents, various prep schools such as Culver and Northwood, some junior hockey teams, and some of the top Major Midget teams in the country. There were many highlights this past season that the U18 men accomplished. One of the best games of the season was in Detroit, MI at the Honeybaked/Compuware Tournament. We played Honeybaked’s U18 team, who was then ranked #5 in the country, to a 4-4 tie. We got out to a fast start in this contest as we jumped them early and took a 3-0 lead before they knew what hit them. Unfortunately, late in the first period of this one, we lost three key players in Jason Salvaggio, Brian Farrell, and Cole Karklins to injuries, and they were unable to return for the rest of the tournament. This lead to Honeybaked being able to score 4 unanswered goals to take a 4-3 lead in the third period. We continued to battle all the way to the final buzzer-when Jesse Schwartz redirected an Anthony Florentino shot into the net to tie the game at 4-4 with .01 seconds left on the clock. We dealt with a lot of adversity on this trip, but we showed great resiliency as a team. When losing those three players to injury, other players stepped up and filled in remarkably for the rest of the tournament. We finished this tournament 2-1-1. A few weeks later at the Beantown Fall Classic, we played two teams ranked in the top 15 in the country. We took down the #7 ranked Philadelphia Jr. Flyers U18 team 4-1, and the next day we blew a 3-2 3rd period lead to #11 ranked Detroit Belle Tire U18 to hold on for a 3-3 tie which helped us win our Division and advance to the playoffs of this tournament. One of our goals this past season as a team was to win the New England Regional Tournament and earn a berth to the USA Hockey Tier 1 Midget Major National 14 • The Hillside Summer 2013
Tournament. We fell short of accomplishing this goal with a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to the Connecticut Wolfpack U18 Elite team in the regional semi-final game. That being said, the season was far from over as it was only November 10th at the time. We knew well before our season was going to end that the National Tournament was not in the cards for us, but we still had 33 games left to play on our schedule. We still had an opportunity to win a USEHL League Title. The season could have gone one of two ways. It could have ended in disaster because guys checked out knowing the ultimate goal of a National Title was not an option. Conversely, we could have rallied together as a team, taken pride in ourselves, each other, our school, and our hockey program and moved forward. I am proud to say that this group did the latter. What we did in the second half of our season speaks volumes to the character and heart of this group of 23 young men. It also speaks volumes to the type of morals and values South Kent School instills in its student-athletes. We are all proud to represent South Kent and the Selects Hockey Academy program, and that is one thing we were all on the same page with.
Our record after that heartbreaking loss on November 10th was 24-7-2. During that stretch, we won 10 straight games, including South Kent’s first ever Albany Academy Holiday Christmas Tournament. We played three New England Prep Schools here and outscored our opponents in this tournament 13-0. We ended our regular season going into the USEHL Playoffs winning 9 of our last 10 games including winning 8 straight in that stretch. With our backs against the wall on three different occasions in the USEHL playoffs, our resolve was tested much like it had been all season long. In an elimination game against the Connecticut Yankees, we found ourselves in a must-win situation. We got out in front and built a 5-2 third period lead. Unfortunately, we blew the lead, and the Yankees were able to score three goals in the final six minutes to tie the game at five apiece and force overtime. In the very first shift of overtime, Jason Salvaggio went down the left wing side and ripped a shot past the Yankee goaltender giving us the 6-5 win and sending us to the semi-final game. The league semi-final game had us playing the New Jersey Hitmen U18 team. It was a back-and-forth
From left to right: Anthony Florentino gets chased down the ice by a player from Hill Academy; Noah Williams takes a shot against Forman School.
and hope for bright and prosperous futures. We also hope they won’t be strangers and will come back to South Kent at various alumni events to see the growth and prosperity of their school and hockey program and how they were the foundation of its success. Submitted by Coach Matt Plante affair, and again we found ourselves with our backs against the wall, down 3-2, with under a minute to play. With 58 seconds left, Salvaggio took a Cole Karklins bump pass off the half wall, drove to the slot and ripped a shot past the Hitmen netminder to tie the score at 3-3. 20 seconds later, the puck found Anthony Florentino at the blueline in the offensive zone where he threw the puck on net, and Kyle Wehmhoff, who was standing on the doorstep, was able to redirect Florentino’s shot into the net to give us a 4-3 lead. Ultimately, we won with only 38 seconds remaining in the game. In the USEHL Championship game, we squared off against the Boston Jr. Bruins U18 team where eventually our luck would run out, and we dropped another heartbreaker 2-1 in a game that came down to the very last second again. This past season was a great stepping stone for the program and the direction we want to go for the future. We finished the season with an overall 40-17-7 record. At one point, we were ranked #12, but by at season’s end we were ranked #15 in the country. For the first time ever in the same season, we had three players ranked on the NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings list in Defen-
seman Anthony Florentino, Forward Jason Salvaggio, and Goaltender Shane Starrett, culminating with the Buffalo Sabres drafting Florentino in the 5th round, 143rd overall. Although Florentino is not the first player to be drafted out of South Kent, he is the first player to be drafted from our program under the new format in only our first season under the new model. I want to thank all 23 young men who made up our team this past season for their significant contributions to our success in our inaugural year as a full-season Tier 1 Midget AAA program. I also want to thank these men for welcoming me with open arms this past year as this team and our journey together will be something I won’t forget. I am very proud to have been a part of it, and I am very proud of this team and how they represented South Kent’s Selects Hockey Academy program. They have set the standard for the future of our U18 team and the seniors and PGs that are moving on can know that they have left the program in great shape, with great potential because of the contributions they made during their time at South Kent. We wish the players moving on and their families the very best
Varsity Hockey South Kent varsity hockey ended their 2012-2013 season with a record of 6-3-1. The team once again opened up with a dominating 9-1 victory over Forman and showed its strength in the following two games while earning an 8-1 victory at Danbury and a 9-4 win at Millbrook. The toughest part of the season was its mid-point. With fatigue and a number of injuries, the team suffered several consecutive losses on the road. These include a 4-6 loss to a talented Gunnery team and 6-9 loss to Delbarton. Coaches DeRocco and Vylet were pleased with the overall tone of the season. The growth in each player’s skill and discipline this past season was commendable. At the winter sports banquet, Luc Chatelain was named the best offensive player. With twenty-seven goals and twenty-three assists, Chatelain led the team in points this season. Tristan Elliott received the award for the best defensive player. Ryan DeMatteo was awarded the coaches’ award for the best all-around player. Submitted by Coach Stan Vylet Summer 2013 The Hillside • 15
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HVAL BASEBALL CHAMPIONS!!!
Varsity Baseball Expectations were high coming into the season as the Cardinal Club had a wealth of talent returning from the 2012 team. Led by Sixth Formers Kevin Butler, Anthony Florentino, Gehrig Deaver, and Patrick Pedraja, the Cardinals returned a solid core of starters with their sights set on a championship. However, President Coolidge once remarked that “nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.” The challenge for this talented group of individuals was to come together as a team, and come together they did! If results are how you measure success, then winning our first ever HVAL Championship is a pretty good indication of the success of this senior group. Talent, when combined with commitment, is hard to beat. 16 • The Hillside Summer 2013
The season started well enough with two victories, including a great opening win at Greens Farms Academy. The Club faltered against Hamden Hall behind some terrible defense but righted the ship and went on a six-game winning streak before losing a costly game to HVAL rival Christian Heritage. Fueled by the disappointing loss to CHS, the Cardinals would not lose again in the regular season and avenged their loss to the Kingsmen in the HVAL Championship after a 14-inning nail-biter. The extra-inning game was probably a ton of fun to watch but caused far too many grey hairs for Coach Darrin and Coach Moore. The victory also required the use of our two aces, including San Francisco Giants prospect Nolan Long. The successful regular season continued with another berth into the New England tournament. Unfortunately, the Cardinals’ New
Photo by Cheryl Moore
England dreams were cut short after a 10-8 loss to King. The Red Birds finished 13-3 on the season. Some stats: • South Kent scored 147 runs and only gave up 74. • Cardinal hurlers struck out 157 batters, averaging around 10 strikeouts per game! • Cardinal sluggers logged 181 hits, including 8 home runs. Awards: The Coaches’ award went to team manager Greg Printz for his faithful dedication to duties. Third Former Kyle Warren earned the Most Improved Player award. Kyle had six errors in the first three games of the season and then didn’t make another error despite
Left: Varsity Baseball Team with their HVAL Championship Trophy. Top to Bottom: Hog-pile on home plate after championship winning pitch; Patrick Pedraja starting his run around the bases; Gehrig Deaver pitching one of the many, many strikes he did this season; Anthony Florentino diving to catch a long drive to the outfield; Mitchell Lundholm about to knock the ball out of the park.
starting or playing in almost every game. The Rookie of the Year Award went to Ryan Moore, also in the Third Form. Ryan earned the starting shortstop position and started the New England Championship game against King. Ryan’s clutch performance against Chase during the HVAL tournament will forever be legend. We brought Ryan in with bases loaded and nobody out, and he got us out of the jam. Ryan also batted leadoff for most of the year, including all of the playoffs. The Duane Stone Pitching Award went to Nolan Long. We placed some serious weight on Nolan’s shoulders, and he did not let us down. Nolan pitched 37.33 innings and allowed only 5 runs. Other Nolan stats: .94 ERA, 1.045 WHIP, 79 Ks, 31 BBs, 8 hits allowed all year. Read that line again...8 hits allowed...all year! The Silver Slugger Prize was awarded to Anthony Florentino. Anthony only played in ten games due to injury. Despite missed time, he still batted .656...OPS of 1.747. 15 RBI, 21 hits. And went 10/12 over the last 4 games of the season. 10/12 including 2 HRs, 6 RBI, 8 Runs. Unreal stats. No fluke as he batted .663 last year. Kevin Butler, a 4-year starter, won the Gold Glove Award. Kevin was a rock behind the plate for us, but he will forever be remembered for “The Catch”. Here’s how I remembered it during the season: “Now many could question bringing Ryan in to replace Nolan. I mean, there isn’t much more of a pressure-filled situation in baseball than bases loaded in a close game. It is painful
pressure. Ryan is up to it though, so he’s the man. Ryan’s first pitch is a strike, then ball, then strike, then ball, then ball. Full count. Bases loaded, full count, semi-final, Behr, Chase, playoffs...remember when I mentioned pressure?...line-drive headed to the gap...Chase is going to score three runs... BUTLER, out of nowhere, Catcher, 3B, 1B, now first time as outfielder...BUTLER snags the ball...The catch wasn’t possible. Everyone knew it was a double. It should have been a base-clearing double. Had to be...but it wasn’t. Out number two instead. His catch was the equivalent of a three-run bomb. He almost doubled-up the Chase runner at 2B because they were already celebrating. Heck, the runner had already rounded third!! BUTLER!!!” What a game! The team is optimistic about its 2014 campaign. We return six Third Formers, two Fourth Formers, and three Fifth Formers. If any of the leadership from 2013 Sixth Formers rubbed-off on this team, then we should be in contention for another championship next May. I know that South Kent prides itself on the quality of its Sixth Formers. There are certain moments that you will always remember in life. These Sixth Formers will remember the hog-pile at the plate after beating CHS in fourteen innings to win the HVAL. I look forward to chatting about it at all the alumni events. Go, Cardinals! Submitted by Coach Phil Darrin Summer 2013 The Hillside • 17
Winter and Spring Athletics
Tennis Statistically, the season probably wouldn’t be termed a success. South Kent finished the season with a record of 3-7, a departure from our record of the past two seasons. The team lost in the first round of the playoffs, partly due to the controversial lineup of our opponents. Forman and Christian Heritage, two league opponents, significantly upgraded their talent this season, and Harvey was strong as always. In addition, we played three teams from a larger division. South Kent did have a solid team, basically the same one as last year’s league runner-up. South Kent lost in the first round of the playoffs to Watkinson. The match was tied going into the final match where our third doubles team lost in a tiebreaker. Nevertheless, in many ways, it was a very successful season. Players continued to develop and should put next year’s team in a good position to be competitive in the HVAL. Team awards went to Chi-chen Hsieh who earned MVP and Coach’s Award, and Long Hoang who was the most improved player. The team added another dimension at the 18 • The Hillside Summer 2013
end of the season. Upon completion of the playoffs, a tournament called the South Kent Cup was inaugurated, with a prize of $25 dollars to be redeemed at the SKS bookstore for merchandise. Handicaps were made so that all players could participate in the tournament on an equal footing. The winner was Long Hoang, our most improved player. Next year, there will be a top prize and a runner-up prize worth a total of $50. Submitted by Coach David Macomber
Crew Despite the icy winter, the South Kent School rowing team was able to begin practicing on Hatch Pond immediately after the spring break. The boys enjoyed a successful, exciting spring season. This year’s roster supported novice and varsity crews and allowed for two spares that travelled to all competitions. Team captain William Hoadley ’14 provided strong, steady leadership to a diverse and able group. South Kent competed at local venues such as Lake Lillinonah, Housatonic River, Lake Waramaug, and Bantam Lake and travelled as far as Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester,
MA. The team’s strongest performances were against rivals Canterbury School and Chase Collegiate School. The most memorable race this spring was a narrow victory against Canterbury School, moments before a lightning storm. However, no team can be fully measured in wins and losses, and the 2012-13 South Kent School crews are no different. This year’s crews learned to put personal interests aside to create the strongest possible unit. This required, among other things, personal sacrifice, communication across languages, and constant focus. The goal for 2013-14 is to master these skills to create optimum conditions for training and competition. The rowing team also benefitted greatly from the support it received from the South Kent School family. The increased interest in rowing on campus this year was invaluable. At the biggest regatta of the season, Founders’ Day, there was an abundance of spectators. Particular thanks are due the Hoadley family for providing a cookout for the athletes and fans. It was a memorable day for all. Like any sport, rowing takes many years to master. However, unlike other sports, rowers are typically introduced to the sport in high
school or later. The result is that rowing demands a tremendous amount of patience and focus at an age when the athlete likely already has mastery of another sport. However, rowing offers rich rewards and a uniquely strong team bond. South Kent School looks forward to another season with athletes eager to make this sacrifice. Submitted by Coach Tim Henderson
Golf For the South Kent School golf team, 2013 was a year to learn and grow. With eight enthusiastic members on the Varsity squad, the boys had a great opportunity to work on their individual skills as well as learn the value of teamwork in matches. There were certainly some exciting moments this season. Capitalizing on the home turf advantage at Bull’s Bridge Golf Club, we were able to decisively win over Chase, scoring 247 to 274. Another strong match for our golfers was against King Low Heywood Thomas School. KLHT put in an excellent effort, and all players demonstrated sportsmanship and focus, but South Kent was able to pull ahead for the win. Although the team
lost some matches throughout the season, the boys kept on practicing with good attitudes and the desire to improve. In our away-match against the skilled Millbrook team, our boys kept a steady pace behind them, and although we were unable to catch up in the end, we still scored a respectable 245 to their 233. It was an honor to take part in the Hudson Valley Athletic League championship against teams from Chase, Forman, and Harvey. Five members of the South Kent golf team participated: Ethan Basille, Donovan Ott, Max Rothston, Connor Sundquist and Jon Zaskorski. The three other members of the team who could not make it were Austin McIlmurray, Nicko Silva and Brenden Walch.The highlight of the HVAL tournament was when South Kent’s Post Graduate student player, Max Rothston, came in second place and won the individual’s Silver Medal with 42 strokes. Coaching the golf team this year was a valuable experience, and it was a thrill to be able to see each player grow in skill as well as character. The boys worked together during challenging times and exemplified a respect for golf, themselves and their opponents throughout the season. Carrying on the tra-
dition of teamwork, dedication and a love of golf, I am looking forward to another great season next year. Submitted by Coach Richard Chavka From far left to right: Chi-chen Hsieh returning a serve during a match against Wooster school; Alexander Fortuna, Van Lupardi, Tristan Elliott, Connor Coughlin and William Hoadley rowing on Lake Waramaug; Ethan Bassile about to sink a putt.
Summer 2013 The Hillside • 19
Winter and Spring Athletics
HVAL LACROSSE CHAMPIONS!!!
Varsity Lacrosse The lacrosse team had a successful season, finishing with a modest record of 8-6. This year we managed to regain the HVAL title, the last championship being won six years ago. Captains Luc Chatelain, Devon McLaughlin and Kenan Williams led the team. As one of the more offensive teams in years, the squad was not held to any fewer than five goals during a single game. Leading this offensive attack was three-year veteran Luc Chatelain. Along with Chatelain, McLaughlin and Williams provided countless opportunities and game-changing goals. In addition to their efforts, there was strong support from a number of teammates, including Sixth Former Jack Christensen, Fifth Former James Meyer, Fourth Former Dominic Costello and Third Formers Connor Marshall and Adam Peck. Each member 20 • The Hillside Summer 2013
Photo by Lynn Worthington
was key to our success in the HVAL league and will continue to grow into our 2014 season. On the defensive side, many players stood out and combined to create a cohesive unit that went against some of the strongest teams in the country. Post-Graduate Max Renner and Sixth Formers Kyle Leeds and Brian Farrell led our defense. Underclassmen standouts were Fifth Former Justin Forstmann, Fourth Former Ethan Nitkin and Third Former Colton Loomis. The strongest voice behind both our offense and defense was Sixth Former Noah Williams in goal. Noah stood in goal for the majority of our games, often leaving the goal to take on an opponent with the ball himself. At certain times, it appeared he was standing on his head to make saves! With a great group of returning boys to
fill our roster, there is no doubt that we are a force to be reckoned with in 2014! Submitted by Coaches Dillon Duncan and Marcus Cooper
Above: Varsity Lacrosse Team with their HVAL Championship Trophy; Right Top to Bottom: Kenan Williams dodges an opposing player from King School; Dominic Costello passes the ball down field during game against Gunnery; James Meyer is about to make a shot on the goal against King School; Cameron Loomis tends goal and directs his teammates; Adam Peck shrugs off a hit from a Forman player.
SOUTH KENT
S C H O O L
S T O R E
Men’s and Women’s SKS Branded Apparel
Kitchenware, Mugs and Glasses
Ties, Belts, Hats and More
To get your hands on all the latest SKS gear, visit:
store.southkentschool.org The South Kent Blazer South Kent is happy to offer this customized blazer designed by Blaze-In Sportswear. The navy blazers are made from worsted wool, with hand-stitched detailing. They feature black and red lining with the South Kent School crest embroidered on one side, and an SKS Cardinal on the other. Gold buttons are embossed with the South Kent School crest.
www.southkentschool.org/Blaze-In Summer 2013 The Hillside • 21
inperson Alumni Profiles
Lasting Hillside W Values
hen boys join South Kent School, they do more than simply enter an academic institution; they become members of a family. The partnership between the School and loving families at home makes for a strong support system for students. This foundation of acceptance and unity allows boys to challenge themselves and achieve goals that they may have not considered possible. Students at South Kent know that if they take risks, they will be held up by their schoolmates, even if they fall. In the same way, each boy has a responsibility as a necessary member of the School. This co-dependency encourages trust, hard work and teamwork. Each student is uniquely important and valuable to the whole. He is appreciated, but he is also accountable. These ideas of family and
Teach us, Good Lord, to ser ve Thee as T ou deser vest: to g h
22 • The Hillside Summer 2013
community are perhaps most visibly evident through the multitude of service initiatives on and off campus. The Jobs Program has been and continues to be at the heart of the Call to Service. The concept of “doing your part� on the Hillside has grown far beyond our little corner of Connecticut and into our regional and international communities. This Band of Brothers, with structure and guidance from skilled faculty members, is able to come together, build one another up, and also go past what is familiar in order to become exceptional members of our global society. For this edition of the Hillside, we spoke with some alumni who had this experience at South Kent and were able to take these concepts into their careers, activities and family lives.
ive and not to count th e cost; to f ight and not to heed
To give and not to count the cost; Sam Morgan ’85
“They say that the music you love throughout your life is the music that you listened to as a teenager,” Sam Morgan ’85 said. “I think the same is true about the belief systems that you carry with you.” According to this South Kent School alumnus, the tenets of simplicity of life, self-reliance and directness of purpose were developed for him on the Hillside. “It was the time in my life that in many ways formed who I am. That set of beliefs now drives me in my work and personal life.” Morgan, who lives with his wife and two
the woun
daughters in Brooklyn, NY, is the Project Director for the New York Deaf-Blind Collaborative at Queens College. Through this technical assistance and training project, Morgan is able to put his foundational values into practice. He considers being involved in solving “systemic educational issues” while simultaneously being closely linked to families and educators to be the perfect balance. “It is the best of both worlds: it is intellectually and emotionally satisfying,” he said. But long before landing this position, Morgan took a unique journey. “Going to South Kent was a real challenge for me in and of itself. It made me confront much about myself that I never had to beforehand,” he said. Living in a small community demanded self-sacrifice, and Morgan felt this enabled him to mature very
ds; to labor and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do T hy will. Amen.
Summer 2013 The Hillside • 23
Alumni Profiles
To toil and not to seek for rest;
Dan Musser ’82
Left: Sam Morgan from the 1985 yearbook
quickly. “Daily life at South Kent was about trying to do better in all aspects from sports to academics to community life. I still carry that goal-directed view in life,” he said. During Morgan’s time on the Hillside, he said students felt a personal responsibility to contribute to the School, as in the Call to Service today. “You felt that if you did not do your job, someone else would be impacted,” he said. “It taught you that regardless of how menial that job might seem, it was important.” It was at this vital time that Morgan felt he needed a supportive environment to build into his life, and South Kent gave him the opportunity to challenge himself. “I was able to reach my potential academically and intellectually while also learning how to live in a close knit community.” After completing his studies at South Kent in 1985, Morgan went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in History and Anthropology at Hobart College. He subsequently attended Teachers College at Columbia University for his master’s and doctorate degrees. Morgan sees the usual career path in education as offering two opportunities: teacher or administrator. “There are other paths, however, which are tied into the higher education and non-profit sectors that are dynamic, interesting and worth looking for,” he explained. “This is the path I took.” For 25 years, Morgan has been involved in the education of children with sensory impairments and severe disabilities, beginning in direct care and as a teacher, and eventually moving into multiple positions of leadership. 24 • The Hillside Summer 2013
He spent time as a school principal and in higher education positions funded by grants. “While living on grants can be stressful, it is also dynamic, challenging and has an entrepreneurial aspect that keeps you looking forward,” he said. Looking back, it is clear that the Jobs Program and the principles of the Hero’s Journey went beyond teaching and words and permeated Morgan’s actions and worldview. “To me, there is nothing more rewarding than work that is directed towards supporting others to lead their lives in a fuller and more productive way, for themselves and for their children,” he said. “Helping a family who has a child with severe disabilities see that there can be a future, even in very difficult circumstances, is a powerful experience.” In addition to his fulfilling career, Morgan serves on numerous foundation and nonprofit boards, and he enjoys coming alongside various communities to help with their particular issues. Looking at where he is now, he feels honored and passionate about being involved in these communities. When asked what advice he might give to current South Kent boys, he did not hesitate to reiterate the importance of connecting to other individuals and local groups of people. Most of all, he said, “I know it sounds like a cliché, but find the thing that you truly care about and follow it. Take your time at SKS to develop your beliefs, be conscious of what they are, and it will serve you well.”
As his freshman year of high school plodded on, Dan was getting restless with the public high school he was attending and was eager to find something more. Both of his parents had attended boarding schools, so R. D. (Dan) Musser III joined them on what he describes as “an adventure” in search of a top notch, fitting private education. Because of the seasonal nature of his family’s business—the Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island, Michigan—they were able to make the trip. What brought the family from the Midwest to Connecticut’s northwestern countryside was a connection from home. “Our Episcopal minister from Lake Forest, Illinois, had left a couple years prior to work for Kent School,” Musser said. Numerous scheduled interviews took place at schools such as Salisbury School, Canterbury School and Avon Old Farms, but it wasn’t until
the Mussers met with their friend that the journey turned from predictable to unexpected. That evening at dinner, the Kent School minister surprised everyone with his advice not to apply at Kent, “but you really have to go down the street and meet this Mr. Bartlett character at South Kent.” The three arrived for an impromptu visit at South Kent School the next morning. They were greeted by then Head of School George Bartlett, who set any other plans aside to meet with the visitors. “Mr. Bartlett spent about two hours with us explaining the school’s philosophy, his philosophy and the way he sees things,” Musser said. “I knew right then that if they would take me, that’s where I wanted to go, and would go.” Mr. Bartlett and the School’s philosophy included the principle of serving one’s community through initiatives like the Jobs Program. South Kent boys saw to it that each day on campus ran smoothly, from making sure the dishes were done, to taking out the garbage, to shoveling snow, to mowing the lawns. “I enjoyed the work program at the School,” Musser said. “And I particularly enjoyed being a dorm supervisor of the New Wing.” As with many South Kent alumni,
the tenet of service reached beyond Musser’s time on the Hillside. Due to his interest in mathematics and numbers, Musser worked at the Board of Trade in Chicago while earning his Bachelor of Arts degree at Albion College. During this time he quickly realized how much he desired to be involved in his family’s company at Grand Hotel. “I switched gears halfway through Albion and concentrated on the idea of going to work for my family’s business,” he said. “South Kent School had helped me learn the values of hard work, perseverance and looking out for your fellow man.” With these values in mind, Musser worked his way through every department of the hotel: “as kitchen assistant, bellman, bartender, bar manager, front desk clerk, front desk manager, reservations manager and vice president.” In 1989, his father retired and Dan became the President of the world’s largest summer hotel, the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. “I found that whatever you want to do, if you do it well, you are going to need to work hard and spend a lot of hours to do so,” he said. Musser especially enjoyed and continues to relish meeting a variety of guests and spending time with the dedicated staff members, who all have unique skill sets and life experiences. Now, as a graduate and trustee at Albion College with an Honorary Doctorate of Business from Northern Michigan University, Musser still praises the academic excellence at South Kent. “To this day, I consider it the best and most intense education that I have had in my lifetime, including college,” he said. “It is my favorite experience because of that. It pushed me to learn new and challenging subjects that I did not think I could learn or grasp. I believe it has helped me become, in part, the man that I am today.” Musser emphasized that the ideologies of hard work, resolve, and teamwork served him well at Albion College and in life—whether in his daily responsibilities at the hotel or in his roles as husband to his wife, Marlee
Brown, and father to his three girls and two boys, whose ages go from 15 down to 1½ years. “I would assure students that these simple yet helpful skill sets are as important today for a young man entering South Kent as they were for me many years ago,” he said. Musser lives on Mackinac Island in the summer season and spends the academic year and off-season in Portland, Oregon, where his children attend school. To learn more about Grand Hotel visit www.grandhotel.com/
Bottom Center: Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island, Michigan; Above: Dan Musser
Summer 2013 The Hillside • 25
inprint Alumni Author
ROWING for
LIFE
Working in Sync tells the stories of eleven
An Interview with Whit Mitchell1’72
former Dartmouth crew athletes who went on to lead exceptional lives. They all have one thing in common: each credits part of his success to lessons learned during college crew under coach Whit Mitchell. After a 25th team reunion, Whit wanted to find out the secret to their successes. He conducted months of oneon-one interviews, uncovering outstanding insights on life, business, and success, and saw a direct connection to his executive coaching clients. In all eleven stories, the most important lesson is that success is achieved through working together—working in sync—with colleagues, clients, and loved ones.
It is no secret that South Kent School places an unwavering focus on the importance of physical activity and appropriate competition in its education for boys. As Head of School Andrew Vadnais puts it, “Boys are hardwired differently from girls. Anecdotally, we’ve known this for years. Now, research from the frontiers of neuroscience is proving why this is so.” Beyond this proof from modern science, the School has seen, over its eighty-nine years, how being part of a team has influenced each individual life at South Kent. The principles of teamwork, selflessness and determination are both irreplaceable and applicable to each boy’s future. SKS alumnus Whit Mitchell is now an executive coach specializing in team dynamics and the author of the book Working in Sync. Once an active member of the SKS rowing team, he went on to work with collegiate and professional athletes at the University of New Hampshire, the US Coast Guard Academy and Dartmouth College, in addition to coaching work with professional hockey players. It was his time at Dartmouth College when he was coaching a team of eleven particular rowers that eventually inspired Working in Sync. His work offers insights applicable beyond the playing of sports. In Mitchell’s book, he reveals that above all else, success in business and life is dependent upon working together. At South Kent, we believe in exactly that: 26 • The Hillside Summer 2013
encouraging community and brotherhood. These synergistic relationships are built through various aspects of life here, such as our rigorous academics, affinity groups and, of course, top-level athletics. SKS recently had the opportunity to sit down with Mitchell and discuss his life, career, and the impact his time on The Hillside has made on his mindset and decisions.
You can’t always see what is coming as you enter into marriage, work and bringing children up in today’s world. And, in rowing, you can’t see what’s ahead because you’re facing backwards as you head down the course. You only have the coxswain and coach telling you how you’re doing and helping you steer a straight course. In life, we all need that coxswain or coach to help us see ahead.
Read the stories of these eleven outstanding oarsmen and learn how reciprocity leads to organizational success. Give copies to your team and see the transformation trickle through your organization. Use the strategies in the book to become a more effective leader, mentor, spouse, and parent. Purchase a copy to begin your journey toward a more balanced, engaged, and in sync life.
SKS: You were on the South Kent rowing team. How did that influence you later in life?
Whit Mitchell: The four years I spent rowing at South Kent set the foundation for everything else in my life. The coach, Chick Willing, created an environment for learning and fun back in the early ’70s. He made hard work fun and knew how to take a group of good athletes and turn them into champions. Chick also worked with Bill Stowe, who coached us in the summer rowing program. Bill and I have been great friends ever since, and I coached for Bill at the US Coast Guard Academy in the early ’80s. The influence both Chick and Bill had on my life was substantial. It was the sport of crew that gave me the confidence and fortitude to deal with tougher times later on in life. You can’t always see what is coming as you enter into marriage, work, and bringing children up in today’s world. And, in rowing, you can’t see what’s ahead because you’re facing backwards as you head down the course. You only have the coxswain and coach telling you how you’re doing and helping you steer a straight course. In life, we all need that coxswain or coach to help us see ahead. I have been fortunate to make a living as an executive coach helping to steer the direction for many in business.
How did crew at South Kent prepare you to coach at the collegiate level?
Left to Right: Mitchell, Birch, Allen, Hewat, Genter
Three years after I graduated from SKS, I showed up at the University of New Hampshire and asked if I could help with the rowing program. While I didn’t want to row, I offered to volunteer my services in any other way. The captain of the UNH crew team said, “Great! You can help by being the head coach.” I was shocked and replied that I had just come to help— not coach! He looked at the 70 to 80 athletes who had come out for crew, turned back to me and said, “See all these athletes? They all want to row, and you’re the only one who doesn’t want to row. So, you’re the head coach!” I coached for four years at UNH, both the men’s and women’s teams. We had success with both teams, but I am most proud of the culture we created. The values that stuck with me from my days at SKS—Simplicity of Life, Self-Reliance and Directness of Purpose—certainly played a large part in our success. At UNH, we had old shells and used oars. We raised all of the money to run the program by ourselves and focused on team spirit to keep us winning. I remember rowing at Lake Waramaug my senior year at South Kent, and the entire school would show up to cheer. In fact, I remember playing on the third-level hockey and football teams at South Kent, and the entire school would come down the Hill. More than anything else, I brought that team spirit that was engendered at SKS to my crew coaching career. The morning we rowed at Lake Quinsigamond my senior year, we were rowing down the course in the morning heats, and about halfway down the course, I heard that old familiar cheer: “SKS….SKS…SKS…” When I had left the dock for the start that morning, there had only been ten other oarsmen and coaches from our team. I thought to myself, “How could they be yelling so loudly? Are we closer to the finish line than I thought?” We crossed the line, and I looked over to see the beach filled with the entire South Kent student body. Mr. Bartlett had hired buses and brought everyone up to Worcester, Massachusetts, to cheer us on. I’ll never forget that moment, and that show of leadership and team spirit has stayed with me. Summer 2013 The Hillside • 27
Alumni Author
How did you get involved in executive coaching? While working in the Dartmouth College athletic department as the Director of the Health and Fitness Programs and the freshman crew coach, I signed up for a one-day retreat held at Mt. Moosilauke in the White Mountains. Karl Rohnke, a pioneer in the field of experiential learning, facilitated the program using adventure-based learning activities. I was astounded at how much I learned and the insights I gained from that experience. Later that year, I attended a five-day training at Project Adventure in Massachusetts. I left Dartmouth College shortly thereafter and started my own training and coaching career. I used my seven years of crew coaching and combined it with my training in experiential learning to start my own company in executive coaching. That was over 25 years ago. Do you implement any of the principles you learned at SKS (simplicity of life, self-reliance and directness of purpose) in your work with clients?
Definitely. Those foundational values have stayed with me personally and professionally in everything I’ve aspired to become since my time at South Kent. One of my favorite activities when working with top-level executives is to help them discover their own values. By understanding values, my clients are better able to discover ways to help them make better decisions. Many of the executives I’ve worked with have used their values to help them make major life and business decisions.
What inspired you to write Working in Sync?
Dartmouth Class of ’86 crew reunion.
28 • The Hillside Summer 2013
Rather, “who” inspired me to write Working in Sync? The late Wuzzy Wittenberg was my English teacher at South Kent, and I’m sure he would have had some wiser words for me had I been able to approach him with questions about writing a book. My coach, Ron Price of Price Associates, and the publisher, Maryanna Young of Aloha Publishing, gave me the confidence to take on this wonderful project. Maryanna told me, “Just write from your heart and not your head.” If I could do that alone, she promised I could put out a book of great value. They were both so excited about the possibilities this story could generate that I just kept going. My attachment to the past lessons learned in crew gave me the courage to give it a go! I let go of the fact that I was told I couldn’t write and just wrote each Sunday morning. I came to love the practice of writing like never before. I discovered I could express my thoughts and words more eloquently than I had in the past; with practice and encouragement, I became better and better as this process continued. I now miss it since the book is completed! Getting great at rowing just takes lots of practice. Getting to be a great leader takes lots of practice. And getting the confidence to write just takes practice. I learned a great deal on Hatch Pond and on the fields at South Kent. Maybe that’s why I feel physical education should be regarded as one of the more important courses in high school and college. South Kent gave us two and a half hours each day to get out on the fields of play and learn those life lessons!
You say the book concept changed as you were writing it. Can you explain? I started out writing a book about the sport of rowing. I ended up writing a book about how rowing played a major part in the success of eleven athletes who came to Dartmouth to learn. And learn they did—just in a different way than they expected. In Working in Sync, each of these athletes tells of what they learned from their rowing experiences freshman year and how those experiences have influenced them over the last thirty years to help create success both at work and at home. I have already had people write to me about how the lessons in the book have changed their lives. If I had stayed with the book’s original direction, I don’t believe it would have had the same incredible impact. What is it about team athletics— crew, specifically—that can lead to professional excellence?
Whit Mitchell’s 1972 Yearbook photo
If you walk the halls of most executive suites, you will come across inspirational posters with words like “leadership,” “excellence,” and “vision.” There’s almost always also a poster that reads, “teamwork.” It shows the image of a crew during an early morning workout. All the oars are entering the water at the same time. The oarsmen’s bodies are working in sync, gathering energy with each stroke to move the shell through the water with precision and excellence. If you’ve ever had the good fortune of rowing in the early morning on flat water, with all the blades entering the water at once, and the bubbles moving along under the boat with each stroke, you know that even though rowing is hard work, it can seem effortless at a moment like that. When everyone is working equally hard and experiencing that unbelievable feeling of swing and power, it is the perfect illustration of teamwork. That’s when you hit perfection. When that kind of teamwork happens in the workplace, you can’t wait to come back the next day for more.
Why is your book like a “personal MBA program?” Each of the eleven different stories from the exceptional individuals in Working in Sync provides a lesson on business and life that can increase success and engagement. Each athlete has been through his own hardships, learning, successes, defeats and victories, and they’ve chosen to teach readers from their experiences. Stories come from individuals like WolfDietrich Weber, who works as one of the top engineers at Google; Hans Stander, who has helped create over one million jobs globally; Sam Kinney, who retired just ten years out of business school; and Mark Proctor, an internationally renowned neurosurgeon who saves lives daily. What translates these “stories” into a “personal MBA program” is the leadership development section at the end of each chapter. I include activities, ideas, and strategies for leaders to implement at work and home. It should probably be called “Beyond an MBA,” as the lessons learned are spoken from these men years after their own graduate programs and life experiences.
Summer 2013 The Hillside • 29
Alumni Author
What does it mean to be “working in sync?”
I started working with a group of freshmen oarsmen in the early fall, most of whom had never rowed before. Nine months later, during spring racing season, they beat Yale. That was a team that was working in sync! Just like a finely-tuned crew, the first step of building any successful team is to create an environment of trust. The team must trust you (their leader) and each other. Building trust requires time for them to first understand self-awareness. Once they heighten their own selfawareness and their impact on the other team members, you can move forward into dealing with any existing conflict. This needs to happen early on, so that team members can begin to learn how to deal with differences. There is a great book that all leaders should read and share with their teams called The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Patrick Lencioni outlines a systematic approach to creating great results, or a way to get teams to work in sync. Once trust and conflict resolution have occurred, you are on your way to getting commitment, accountability, and phenomenal results. In other words, your team will be working in sync. Chick was able to get those results on his crews of the ’70s because he created an environment of trust with commitment and accountability towards results. He wasn’t a teacher in the classroom, but he was my teacher, and I learned life lessons that have created great happiness in my life today.
Are you planning another reunion? Yes, one of the athletes has organized a bird-hunting trip in South Dakota this fall. Next year, we all plan to visit Hans (one of the 11 oarsmen) in Europe. Who knows? Maybe another book will result from our second or third reunion.
About Whit Whit Mitchell is an executive coach specializing in team dynamics and the author of Working in Sync. He is the founder and CEO of Working InSync International. Over the past thirty years, Whit has worked with a diverse group of executives across Fortune 500 companies, regional corporations and small businesses, developing dynamic leaders and teams. In addition to his expertise in team development, Whit has worked with top executive development programs at Tuck School of Business, Harvard University and Columbia University. His work with collegiate and professional athletes and coaches includes Dartmouth College, the US Coast Guard Academy, the University of New Hampshire and professional hockey players. Whit and his wife, Judy, live with their yellow lab, Kyla, in Hanover, New Hampshire.
www.workinginsync.com
30 • The Hillside Summer 2013
Getting great at rowing just takes lots of practice. Getting to be a great leader takes lots of practice. And getting the conf idence to write just takes practice. I learned a great deal on Hatch Pond and on the f ields at South Kent. Maybe that’s why I feel physical education should be regarded as one of the more important courses in high school and college. South Kent gave us two and a half hours each day to get out on the f ields of play and learn those life lessons!
SOUTH KENT S C H O O L
2nd Annual
HARVEST AUCTION To make a donation or take out an ad in our auction program please contact Priscilla Loomis loomisp@southkentschool.org To make a reservation online visit the link below.
southkentschool.org/news/harvest-auction
Keep up with the latest SKS happenings by liking the SKS Facebook page!
www.facebook.com/SouthKentSchool Summer 2013 The Hillside • 31
intouch Class Notes
ANNOUNCMENT
JUST CHECKING IN
ALUMNI GET-TOGETHER
?
MARRIAGE
NEW JOB
RETIREMENT BIG MOVE BIRTH
We’d love to hear from you! Please remember to send in your class notes by mail, or email Carol-Ann Bruen bruenc@southkentschool.org. Don’t forget the picture!
1960
George Gilliam
I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation (entitled “Building a Modern South: Political Economy in NineteenthCentury Virginia”) before the history faculty on March 8, 2013, and the University of Virginia will confer the Ph.D. degree on me on May 19th. This definitively answers the “old dog/new tricks” question. Though apparently no one knows for certain, some think that at age 70 I am the oldest person to earn a Ph.D. at the University of Virginia. I will continue to teach in the history department.
1962
Gordon Hayward
Gordon Hayward and Fred Rossiter got together in Cambridge where Fred lives and where he went to graduate school. Fred and Gordon were both unable to attend their 50th reunion, so they had their own. Fred and Gordon were roommates in their 6th form year and lived atop the schoolhouse. Fred went to Rollins, Gordon to Marietta and both rowed for their respective colleges with all the passion for rowing they learned under Bruce Small at SKS.
1963
Tom Dingman
Above: Fred Rossiter and Gordon Hayward getting together in Cambridge.
32 • The Hillside Summer 2013
Entering my ninth year as Dean of Freshmen at Harvard – an everchallenging, interesting position. With the support of the Teagle Foundation, this year we will examine what we are doing in the area of moral and civic education
and study the experiences of other campuses. Great to see classmates and be inspired by current undertakings at the School at our 50th reunion!
1964
Michael Corrigan
Still chaplain at Northfield Mount Hermon. Teaching religious studies and coaching cross country. I plan to retire in June 2014, just in time to come to my 50th Reunion at SKS. I hope to see all of our awesome class at that event.
1972
Ernest Genter
Enjoying retirement, which began in December 2012, after nineteen years with the State of California as a health inspector and environmental scientist. Prior to that, I worked about eight years with Siskiyou County (California) Health Department as a health inspector and soil scientist, and about eight years with USDA Soil Conservation Service and Forest Service as a soil scientist. Now enjoying my two children and three grandchildren, as well as numerous activities and projects. May make it back East some day.
1973
Lawrence (Kip) Dalley
Kip and his wife Kim live in Francistown NH, a lovely part of New England. He plays tennis, hockey, fishes on Martha’s Vineyard and still gathers with long time friends from South Kent on special occasions. He is about to become a grandfather - so new happenings!
1987
Charlie Goodridge
Our 25th year reunion in 2012 inspired many of us to re-unite in Taos, NM for a four-day ski trip in Jamie Leeson’s backyard. We plan on doing it again this year!
Adrian Kiehn
1981
Bill Wreaks Chief Executive Officer of The Gramercy Institute, opened the NASDAQ OMX market to the world in New York City on June 25, 2013. Wreaks addressed world markets prior to his “bell ringing,” and there remarked that “marketing has never mattered more than it does today to the success of major financial firms around the world.” The ceremony was covered by major cable and news networks around the world. The ceremony was also projected onto the external “NASDAQ MarketSite” tower in Times Square, NYC. The Gramercy Institute is an industry think tank focused on the intellectual growth of senior marketers from the world’s major financial firms. With over 1400 members worldwide, The Gramercy Institute is the largest global network of senior financial marketers in the world. Wreaks served on South Kent School’s Board of Trustees from 2001-2007. Wreaks currently is Vice Chairman of The Board of Trustees of The Swain School in Pennsylvania.
My wife Alice, our three children, Alexis, Albert and Amelia, and I still live in Düsseldorf, Germany, but will soon move to Fierich, Switzerland. There, I will join the Executive Board of Manor AG, a Swiss retail and development store group. Happy to host any SKS guests there!
2004
Max Ulanoff and Thomas Hayes ’07
Max and Thomas visited Kevin Vining’s 4th form class to discuss where their South Kent School education has taken them. Max, who works in account sales and celebrity/entertainment, spoke to the boys about different aspects of the entertainment business. Thomas, a paralegal for the law office of Karen L. Lawrence, discussed various aspects of a legal career, such as picking the right school, internships, LCATs and more.
1989
Peter Browne
Ciao from Rome, Italy. Last year, Chiara and I had a sweet little baby girl, Isabel. She is growing fast and already crawling all over the house and making a glorious mess of everything she touches. Despite that, being a parent is fun (most of the time).
Right: Max Ulanoff, Kevin Vining and Thomas Hayes Below: Finn Ingalls, Bill Corbin, Matt Gardella, Tommy Zung, Chris Pinkerton, Charlie Goodridge, Pete Blake ‘86, Jamie Leeson
Our project for this year is to fix up the family olive farm outside of Rome so our girl can have a place to run, explore, and experience nature. We have a beautiful piece of land in a valley below a national park that has been somewhat abandoned for 20 years, and we are trying to make the land productive again. There are olives, apples, pears, cherries, figs, and apricots for fruit trees, and a bunch of hazelnut and walnut trees. The dream is to find a way to live in the country, but as it stands, work keeps us in the city. Lots of love to all my brothers on the Hillside, - Peter
Summer 2013 The Hillside • 33
Class Notes
Left: Fitz Robertson and Evan Haoyun Zhou at J.P. Morgan Asset Management in Hong Kong; Above: Marcus Cooper at his CD release party; Below: Mike Garzi at this past year’s Alumni Soccer Game.
2005
2006
Fitz and Evan Haoyun Zhou ‘11, a rising junior at Brown University, recently met in Hong Kong at Fitz’s office, J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Fitz Robertson recently moved to Hong Kong in March 2013 in a senior business management role for J.P. Morgan Asset Management APAC. As Evan was traveling in between summer internships at E Fund Management Co. and Greenwoods Private Equity Fund, they spent some time chatting about the markets, and Fitz provided advice on breaking into Wall Street.
Marcus recently released his first extended play album of original songs called Anchors In. Anchors In is available on CD and through iTunes.
Fitz Robertson
34 • The Hillside Summer 2013
Marcus Cooper
2009
Mike Garzi
Mike has signed a contract to play professional soccer with the New England Force. Garzi will join the team for the next ten months for exhibition games against top pro teams before the team applies to major leagues.
2010
Ian Fleming
Greetings from Germany, I hope all is well and that another great year is coming to an end on the Hillside. It has been way too long and for that, I apologize. I hope that you received my postcard and have a slight idea of what I have been doing. I had a wonderful first two years at Clemson and haven’t looked back on my decision whatsoever. The only thing that I have sometimes regretted is not spending another year at SKS...it really is one of a kind, and I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity that you all gave me. I will never forget my unbelievable year there and am excited to become more and more involved over the years. I am studying German and International Trade which is the reason I have been in Germany all year. I am studying at the University of Bamberg in Bavaria, Germany, for another two months (and a total of eleven months). I will return to South Carolina in early August, then begin my senior year later in the month. This has been a life-changing year for me, just as my time at SKS was. I have been able to travel to extraordinary cities including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Munich, Paris, Prague, Salzburg and others in between. It is amazing being able to take what I learned about diversity and other cultures at South Kent and build upon that knowledge and experience here in Europe.
such a poor job so far. I still speak to Father Klots about four or five times a year which is really nice. Please tell everyone hello for me, and I cannot wait to be back and able to do that myself.
Russ Smith
The 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Champion recently returned to the Hillside to speak to current South Kent student-athletes. Smith shared the realities of playing basketball at the elite level and discussed topics including the impact of social media, using free time, making smart choices and the necessity of taking the game seriously.
2013
Anthony Florentino
Anthony was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the fifth round of the NHL draft, 143rd overall.
Above: Anthony Florentino at a press conference after being drafted; Below: Russ Smith and Prep Basketball Coach Kelvin Jefferson during Russ’ visit to the Hillside
My father and I are planning on returning for the Alumni Golf Tournament within the next couple years and are very excited to get back. I will be sure to keep you updated better than I have and again, I am sorry for doing Summer 2013 The Hillside • 35
intouch Alumni Weekend
36 • The Hillside Summer 2013
CLASS OF 1948 ~ 65TH REUNION Six of the surviving eighteen members of the class of 1948 gathered together at SKS on the weekend of June 14-16, to celebrate our 65th year reunion. We kicked off the festivities at the Bulls Bridge Inn with libations and fine food fare served in our private dining room provided by Tom Zaccara, owner and chief chef. It was a rousing good time of remembrance and reunion. Returning classmates were Dick Aiken from Truro MA, Wally Hastings and wife Maida from Pacific Palisades CA, Roy Megargel of Middle River MD, Cornelius Sewell and his wife Ann from New York City, David and Jodi Williams of Ormand Beach FL, and Bill Reynolds (reunion coordinator) and Peggy Matthews from Hudson MA. Adding to this hardy group of ten were the Hastings’ daughter, her husband and three children, and the Sewells’ son and his lady. I also invited the only returning member of the class of 1949 to join us: a great friend of our class and former headmaster, Noble Richards and his lovely wife Liz. Also joining us was the only returning member of the class of 1945, Harvey Russ. Our dinner party was now a full room of
twenty folks who obviously enjoyed the camaraderie. A highlight of the evening was a visit by Headmaster Andy Vadnais and Chairman of the Board, Jeff Rosenberg. They graciously spoke to us and answered our questions for some forty minutes on the spectacular advances in the educational programs, the modernization of the learning process at South Kent, and the great success of the athletic programs which have helped put SKS at the top of the list of desired boys prep schools! It was a very enjoyable evening, enhanced immensely by the informative and lively discussion with two of the top “engineers” behind the School’s remarkable progress. Thanks, Andy and Jeff. I updated everyone with information gathered during my communications with ten other members of our class, all of whom expressed a desire to be with us but for various reasons were unable to do so. I solicit all members of the Old Guard of ’48 to meet here in June of 2018 to celebrate our 70th reunion! Bill Reynolds Summer 2013 The Hillside • 37
inmemoriam
Remembrances of Julius (Jerry) Waller Dear Hillside, I was saddened to learn of Jerry Waller’s death from your letter of April 15th. He certainly lived a long and fruitful life while at South Kent and later in upstate New York. What a wonderful contribution in both places; his family must find solace with so many fond memories. He was my French professor when I started in the third form in the fall of 1959. I’ll never forget my last day in his class. It was the first day of the third semester, right after our spring break. He looked at me and said, “You don’t like French, do you?” I said, “No, I don’t.” He said, “Well, you’re excused for the rest of the year.” I couldn’t speak it or write it or read it. I couldn’t stand it, and he knew I was miserable. While he gave me an F, he took me out of my misery, and I was forever grateful. (Tom Dingman did the same thing, by the way. This time I was only in his first year chemistry class for three days. He said, “You don’t understand anything I’ve been talking about do you?” I said, “Nope.” That was the end of chemistry, thank God.) (How the hell did I ever get through South Kent?) Jerry was the varsity tennis coach for my first two years. Then he went to France, and Pat Humphreys, and sometimes Pat’s dad, took over. Jerry was wonderful to work with. Pat was a terror. We weren’t very good in those days, but Jerry made competition fun and in my view that made losing okay. I lost track of him after that, but occasionally he’d come back over a reunion weekend, and we would reminisce. He was part of my South Kent experience and he will be missed. All the best, Calvin S. Frost Mr. Waller was my Latin teacher during the 1970-1971 and 19711972 academic years. He also taught French which allowed him to use French phrases (polite swears), when the Latin students made errors translating text from Latin orators. Jerry used these phrases liberally we had a slow class. Jerry Waller always addressed his students individually using the prefix Mr. as in Mr. Stevenson, and he wrote everything on the chalkboard. He also had a habit of leaning against the chalkboard during class discussion and, as was often the case, what he had written on the board was transferred onto the back of his blazer. To my knowledge, he never caught on. Jerry also had the habit of putting chalk against his lips as he was pondering a question, so chalk lines under his nose and above his chin were the norm of our daily lesson. There was no mistaking Mr. Waller’s ability. He knew the material well and was a superb teacher. If you made an obvious translation mistake in class, he would let you have it. “No, No, No, No, No, Mr. Griswold.” He would say in a French accent, “You must start over.” Mr. Waller had a unique way of teaching. It must have worked, as I later became a Classics major! Godspeed, Jack Stevenson ’74 38 • The Hillside Summer 2013
Julius (Jerry) Waller ‘35 died peacefully March 27, 2013, age 96, at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, NY, with his family at his side. He was born in Schenectady, New York, December 20, 1916. A South Kent graduate of the Class of 1935, he returned to the hillside in 1947 to begin a 35 year teaching career. Jerry married Anne Bigelow Thomson (Nancy) of Nanking, China, April 4, 1943 in Kearney, Nebraska, where he was stationed. He was an officer in the 8th Army Air Force during WWII (1941-1946) and served in England and the Ukraine. Jerry taught French and Latin and coached varsity tennis, ice hockey and football. The Wallers were vibrant members of both the campus and Kent communities. He graduated from Princeton University magna cum laude (1939) and then studied for a year at the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland. In 1959, he completed graduate studies with honors at the University of Poitiers in France, where he and his young family were living during a two-year sabbatical. Jerry and his family spent many summers in Roseboom, New York, where he established a model tree farm on his land, consulting with the
NY State Dept of Forestry from 1948 through the present. In 1983, Jerry and Nancy retired to Cherry Valley and restored one of the village’s historic homes, Willow Hill (1793). Eventually the Wallers moved back to Roseboom, where he continued his forestry, gardening, and the restoration of an 1852 family barn. He leaves a broad circle of devoted Waller/ Thomson nieces and nephews, cherished friends, French “cousins,” and former SKS students in the US and France. Laurent Michel ‘44, died peacefully on April 20th in Chatham, MA. Laurent Philippe Michel was a loyal son of South Kent School. His mother, Laure Yvonne Michel, ‘discovered’ the school in the late 1930’s when she attended a summer seminar at Middlebury College and met Pierre Cameron, the crew coach at SKS. Laurent had a long and fulfilling life that saw him work as a chemical engineer in his youth, a successful financier in his prime, and an international volunteer executive as a retiree. He was a devoted husband for over 60 years and a loving father and grandfather.
Donald Robert Lawson ’45, born January 23, 1928 in Valley Stream, NY, passed away on October 19, 2012. Don was
a choir boy at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in NYC. He received his BS in engineering from Lafayette College in Easton, PA. Don ran a division of the NY Central Railroad until he and his family moved to Tucson, AZ in 1970. He was an avid salt water fisherman, and Cabo and La Paz were his favorite destinations. For the last 23 years, he found much happiness with Betty Pageau who was his best friend and worldwide travel companion.
a math teacher and coach of football, hockey, and baseball. In keeping with his unique style, Rip requested no funeral or memorial service but asked that people remember him in their own way and in their own hearts, and shuck an oyster or set off a few fireworks in his honor. James D. Smith ‘46, a WW II Army veteran, passed away on February 23, 2013. He was the beloved husband of the late Anne (Dorr), loving father of Christine and Michael. John Young Doty ’51 passed away on May 31, 2013, at the age of 81 of pulmonary fibrosis. John is survived by Diane, his wife of 55 years.
George S. “Rip” Richards ’46 died peacefully in his sleep on Friday, February 15th, at the age of 85. Rip was born in Cleveland, OH, in 1927. Shortly thereafter, his family moved to Springfield, PA, and he spent his early years there and on the water in Ocean City, NJ. He attended South Kent School and, while he was a student there, he left in May 1945 to join the United States Navy. He remained in the US Naval Reserves until July 1954. Rip returned to school after his active duty, graduated in 1947 from South Kent, then attended and graduated from Marlboro College as one of the original G.I. Bill recipients. In 1952, he began his long career at Holderness School as
George G. Carey ’52 died peacefully in his sleep on March 2, at the age of 78. Carey, who grew up in Princeton, NJ, attended Princeton Country Day School, South Kent School in Connecticut, Middlebury College and held a Ph.D. from Indiana University. Folklore was his specialty because, he once explained, “What other profession pays you to sit on a bench outside a general store, chatting with the occupants?” While
How Rip Got His Nickname Upon the completion of World War II, George S. “Rip” Richards returned to South Kent School in Connecticut from active duty in the U.S. Navy, and picked up his studies for his final year at SKS. The challenge with any returning Veteran is that you can’t go back to the way it was before, and you just need to adapt. So the Vets, as they were called, challenged themselves in new ways by building the “Vet mobile,” which was part truck, part tractor and called a doodlebug, and also by playing intramural sports. The returning Vets were not boys anymore and they were “asked” not to play on the school teams because of their size and speed. Some of the Vets like Jim Whittier, Harvey Russ, Jim King and Rip, flooded a hockey rink up behind the chapel at SKS and played in a town hockey league. Rip played with Harvey Russ as a defensive pair. They were big, strong and fast, and they loved to team up to pinch a rusher between them. Rip and Harvey became so good at laying guys out that they were nicknamed “Rigor and Mortis.” As with all good nicknames you don’t get to make up your own in most cases, and this one was earned and awarded to them. Most people say the origin of the nickname came from Aunt Pogo, the sister of Rip’s wife Mary, and over the years Rigor turned to Ripper, which turned to Rip. Written by Rocky Richards and shared by Sam Richards ’74
teaching at the University of Maryland, he published the book Maryland Folklore, one of several he would publish. Carey later joined the English Department at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and he also served as Maryland’s State Folklorist in 1974-75. Carey retired from UMass to reside year round at his summer residence of Tenants Harbor. There, with his hives of bees – “my thousand employees” – his chain saws, John Deere tractors and two ancient trucks, he settled into life as a tender of forests and a clearer of land -- never far from the water which served as a backdrop for Carey’s life: messing about in boats as a child, sailing his Concordia yawl or rowing his Alden shell.
John Foster ’88 passed away on Wednesday, January 30, 2013, at the age of 43. John had a fearless zest for life. He loved his family and friends. He was a great father, true friend and a dedicated attorney. He will be greatly missed.
Summer 2013 The Hillside • 39
inretrospect Reflections
The Pigtail, September 27, 1963
40 • The Hillside Summer 2013
Thank you! From its humble beginnings 90 years ago, to what it is today, South Kent School’s success would not have been possible without the contributions of SKS community members like you.
SKS is stronger than ever, and the outlook for the next 90 years could not be brighter.
South Kent School 40 Bulls Bridge Road South Kent, CT 06785-1199 860-927-3539
Parents of Alumni
If this publication is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the alumni office of a preferred mailing address by calling (860) 927-3539 x206 or emailing us at advancement@southkentschool.org. Thank you!
1923
