[ A6 ] The Pine Needle February 2013
The Right Man for the Right Time Remembering Mr. Cal Boyd
By Nicholas Horsley Assistant Editor
Everyone knows Mr. Jim Boyd, senior math faculty member of the Upper School. But not many here still remember when there were two. Most of today’s students are not fortunate enough to have known Mr. Cal Boyd, but stories of the beloved math teacher, long-time driver’s ed instructor, cofounder of the cross country and outdoor soccer programs and head track coach live on. With more than 1,000 career wins, there is good reason the outdoor track is named in his honor. “He was a first-class individual in every way,” said Mr. Robert Johns, Upper School math teacher. “He was involved with everything for the good of the school. He wasn’t doing it because he had great visions of himself.”
After winning the Penn Relays in 1954 in the high jump, he left Indiana University and came to St. Christopher’s in the ’60s to teach math and coach track. In short, he made the track program into what it is today. “The amount of time he put into the program is practically mind boggling... before every outdoor meet, he would go outside and paint the lines onto the ash track,” said Head Track Coach Marshall Ware. Assistant Athletic Director Ren O’Ferrall recalled that Mr. Boyd would turn on the heaters in the old double-wide tin-box fieldhouse to warm it up, usually to little avail. “He was the right coach for the right time,” said Strength and Conditioning Coach Bob Blanton. “He let the coaches under him do what they do best, that is what made him great.”
Mr. Rich Hudepohl remembers his doing problems on the board and then looking down at the textbook for answers, only to find a different answer upon occasion. Then they would spend the rest of the class trying to figure out where they’d gone wrong on the board. English teacher John Burke told the same story. He let his students know that even math teachers sometimes make mistakes. Mrs. Melissa Hollerith remembers eating with Mr. Boyd and his wife Jan often in the school dining hall. “And he did fill his tray full -- only to run it all off the next day at track, which amazed me -- but more than that, he was a gentleman,” Mrs. Hollerith said. “He usually carried my tray for me every night, especially when I was pregnant with Marshall. He was a good man, a happy man who gave his
life to the education of young men.” Mr. Boyd’s son John ’81 and grandsons Jay ’12 graduated from here and his grandson William is a sophomore. The general consensus from all who knew Mr. Boyd is that he was the epitome of a first class citizen who was constantly upbeat and positive. Always willing to give up his free time and devote himself fully to St. Christopher’s, Mr. Boyd is a perfect example of what makes St. Christopher’s special. The only thing more impressive than
being able to say that St. Christopher’s has had such an amazing teacher as Mr. Cal Boyd is that they’re many more like him. Everyone who has learned from him feels that they owe a debt of gratitude to him and those teachers just like him; without them and their selfless ways, this school would not be what it is today.
Cal Boyd presents a diploma to his grandson, Jay Boyd ’12, at last year’s graduation.
continued from A1
At St. Christopher’s we are spoiled. No one has what we have. I played high school football on a field that college players can only dream about-- Knowles Field. It didn’t matter if the weather had been hot and dry the week before a game or rainy and cold. By the time we took the field, it was as if the weather had been perfect all week. The credit for our lush green field goes to Bernie Whitlow and his outstanding crew. Some people are horse whisperers and others are math geniuses. Bernie knows soil and seed. He knows how much to aerate, how much to seed, how much to water -- a talent that is rare today in the world of artificial turf. It is truly a lost art form. I doubt when I play football in college that I will ever step onto a field as beautiful as ours. There is something magical about playing football on grass. You stand up after a series of plays and you are wearing the field- it is in your face mask and on your jersey -- and you love it. I have Knowles field permanently on my jersey, and for that, I am grateful. -- Marshall Hollerith ’13
Virginia Tech. “That was just icing on the cake,” said Cressin. “We’re very conscientious,” Whitlow said. “We don’t do things halfway. All our lines are straight. All our lines are pretty. “The little details make a huge difference.” The crew is also focused on being green. In recent years, they have started using a VOC-free field marking paint as well as organic fertilizer and compost. “We’re trying to stay ahead of the curve if we can,” Cressin said. For years, the field crew has been commended for the job they do, not only from visiting coaches, but also from Charlie Connor, the representative from Pioneer Athletics. Connor begged Whitlow to enter the contest, and with the Saintennial field looking sharp, Cressin and he snapped some photos and wrote a short essay to find out months later their hard work had paid off. “There aren’t a lot of awards for field maintenance workers, so winning was truly spectacular,” said Whitlow smiling.
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