Frank Keith (left) and Frank Stephenson (right) retire this year, after a combined 64 years at Stevenson.
ambitions, in the early years Stevenson became a teacher training school. And after giving everything they had to the school for a few years they would move to other schools or to graduate school, or to some other profession. Fred Roth is an example of this except that after teaching here from 1963 to 1965 and going on to earn his PhD and teach at other schools, he returned to us in 1991 as head of our English Department until his retirement in 2007; and raised the standards for all of us. FRANK S: In conversations with Mark Stross ’80 and Josh Soske ’77, it seems that their access to technology here played a significant role in their lives. Tell us about your approach to introducing new ideas to students. FRANK K: Well, when I was the academic dean I always attempted to be sensitive to the interests and needs of the students, and try to provide opportunities for talented teachers to be innovative within their classroom environments; and sometimes this resulted in a group of kids becoming interested in new things, in this case aspects of technology, 6
STEVENSON SCHOOL
especially the beginning of the use of computers. Very early on we used a Monroe calculator almost as a computer and then moved on to the very early Commodore and then Radio Shack computers. And this goes back to the quality and enthusiasm of our teachers. FRANK S: You’ve been associated with Stevenson for 50 of its 60 years. How would you like to be remembered? FRANK K: Well, my greatest interest has always been students. So whether it was encouraging teachers to implement new ideas, especially in the fine arts, and helping create an environment where they could flourish, or helping to develop a strong summer program which I ran for 11 years, or creating a solid college counseling program for over 25 years, I would like to think of myself as a catalyst for bigger and better things to come. The challenges were everywhere; the satisfaction of having a hand in solving some of them is great. FRANK S: Well then, what about Stevenson’s future?
FRANK K: Well, obviously, I trust and hope that the school retains its core moral and spiritual values, and its quest for excellence in scholarship and leadership. I also hope it will keep encouraging experiential learning through opportunities like KSPB, service learning, and internships; things that allow students to integrate theory and practice in a learning environment, to try out their talents in a larger world. FRANK S: Are there moments of special pride for you in your relationship with Stevenson? FRANK K: Within the sweep of 50 years, I think I was proud of the school all the time. I was approached from time to time to consider something else, but I could always see the next challenge, the next thing to be done, the next excitement, the next adventure here, and this led me to stay at Stevenson. If the moment had ever come when I wasn’t proud of Stevenson, I would have left. FRANK S: Thank you very much, Frank. It has been an honor and pleasure to work with you at this special place.