Thayer Magazine - the Power of Words Issue - Winter/Spring 2020

Thayer M AG A Z I N E

Winter / Spring 2020

The Power of THE

MIS-

THAYER

SION OF

ACADEMY

INSPIRE ITY OF

MORAL

TUAL AND

IS TO

A D I VE R S E

STU- DENTS IN-

AES-

PHY-

TEL-

THE-

COMMUNTO

LECTIC

SICAL EX-

CELLENCE

EACH MAY

CONTRI-

THE COM-

SO THAT

RISE AND BUTE TO

I S S U E

MON GOOD.

F E A T U R E D TERESA HSIAO

’03

AIDAN ROONEY

P ’07, ’15

- WORDS THAT REPRESENT - WORDS IN VERSE

SANDRA BELL CALHOUNE

’84

- WORDS FROM THE HEART

WORDS FROM THE INSPIRED - ALUMNI VOICES CARTER HARRISON - SPOKEN WORDS ROSIE DARLING DAVID KATES

’95

’14,

LOUIE BELLO

’94,

EMMY GIARRUSSO

’10

- TELLING STORIES THROUGH SONG

- PERSONAL WORDS

SARA KELLEY-MUDIE - REFERENCE WORDS SIDRA ESCHAUZIER

’21

- STUDENT WORDS

WORDS IN A DIFFERENT TONGUE - FOREIGN LANGUAGE TIDBITS

THE MISSION OF THAYER ACADEMY IS TO INSPIRE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF STUDENTS TO MORAL, INTELLECTUAL, AESTHETIC, AND PHYSICAL EXCELLENCE SO THAT EACH MAY RISE TO HONORABLE ACHIEVEMENT AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMON GOOD.

Thayer

HEAD OF SCHOOL Ted Koskores ’70 P ’10, ’13

& COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Joanna Skoler Gilman ’86 P ’25, ’27

B I A N N U A L LY

magazine@thayer.org

PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHERS John F. Grant, Chris Bernstein

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

CHIEF MARKETING

MAGAZINE

P U B L I S H E D

PRINCIPAL EDITORS Craig Salters ’86

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, LAYOUT & DESIGN Paul W. Kahn CREATIVE DIRECTOR

SUPPLEMENTAL WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS & IMAGES Rebecca Delaney; Carter Harrison; Aidan Rooney P ’07, ’15; David Kates ’95; Teresa Hsiao ’03; Sandra Bell Calhoune ’84; Paul W. Kahn; Adobe Stock; Depositphotos.com

Joanna Skoler Gilman ’86 P ’25, ’27

CHIEF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Melissa Tuthill Forger ’92 P ’25 DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

PRINCIPAL WRITER Craig Salters ’86

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Julie Burke-Blanchard ’93, Heidi Brown, Tara Corcoran ’88 P ’19, Christine Dahlheimer, Matt Ghiden, Kelly Hines P ’18, ’19, Stefanie Hollister, Tina Lim, Tiffany Macauley, John Murphy, Billy O'Dwyer ’09, Brad Peterson ’11, Lesley Snyder ’93 P ’23, ’25, Alison Soule, Rachael Rouvales Vassalotti ’79 P ’07, ’11, ’12, Matt Welch

A Vibrant Community Students file into the Hale Theater prior to Diversity Day - Spring 2020

ON THE COVER See how the Power of Words has shaped the lives of our alums, current & past faculty members, and students. Read about the John Cheever typewriter (featured on the cover) on page 12.

READ THAYER MAGAZINE ONLINE: Scan this QR code to view this issue of Thayer Magazine online at ISSUU. To view all past magazine issues, visit:

THAYER ACADEMY

www.thayer.org/magazine

2020-2021 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

BOARD OFFICERS

BOARD MEMBERS

Michael Joe P ’17, ’20, Chair

Danya Abrams Sr. P ’20

Joseph L. Farmer

Melissa Bayer Tearney P ’14, Vice Chair

Donavan Brown ’01

Kevin Gill P ’1 1, ’1 3, ’22

Elaine DeLuca P ’20, ’21, Treasurer

James Cashman ’73

Julaine McInnis, Assistant Treasurer Thayer Academy CFOO

Michael McNally P ’22, ’24, ’27

P ’23

Maureen Pace P ’19, ’21

Jennifer Havlicek P ’18, ’21, ’21

Leigh King Schwartz P ’21

James Coughlin P ’24, ’26

Kathy Horgan P ’20

Allison Kent Trumbull ’00

Guy Daniello P ’22

Greg Lally ’92 P ’22, ’24, ’26

Rob DeMarco ’86 P ’19, ’21

Brenda Lyons P ’12, ’14, ’18

Sean Doherty P ’19, ’20

Brendan McDonough ’87

P ’19, ’21

Thayer Academy | 745 Washington Street | Braintree, MA 02184

Ex officio as President of the Alumni Board

P ’18, ’22

Ted Koskores ’70

P ’10, ’13, Head of School

Send correspondence to: magazine@thayer.org

A MESSAG E FR OM T H AYER ACA D E M Y ’ S C O M M U N I CAT I O N S T E A M

July 2020 In recent weeks, through conversations with current students, parents, and alumni, it has become abundantly clear that Thayer Academy has work to do: work to heal alumni who have felt deep and lasting pain as the result of racism at our school; work to make current and future experiences for our Black students much better; work to make all students of color feel included; and work to educate each and every one of our students on how to be antiracist and build an antiracist culture at Thayer.

This magazine, however, was put together before the COVID-19 pandemic and before the latest outbreak of a racial pandemic that has been going on and on and on for far too long now.

Today, we share with you a magazine months in the planning — complete with alumni profiles, updates from the Academy’s athletics and arts worlds, faculty and staff news, class notes, obituaries, and reunion information — that we believe is a fair summary of life on campus before both the onset of the coronavirus and the tragic death of George Floyd that finally launched the most substantial outcry for racial and social justice in decades. Both of those issues, we decided, are too important to give short shrift as some add-ons to this magazine.

Appropriately, we have shifted gears for the fall and will devote the next issue to the idea of community. More specifically, we will explore how members of the Thayer community are responding to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to confront systemic racism head-on and make change now.

So, consider this letter both an explanation and a call for information. While we won’t be able to cover every story suggested, we welcome submissions at magazine@thayer.org about how the Thayer community is tackling these issues with courage, creativity, and grace. We want to shine a light on those who have made contributions to the common good that is a guiding principle of the Thayer experience.

Stay safe, stay strong, and be well, everyone. We, along with all at Thayer, pledge to do better in word and in action.

The Thayer Academy Communications Team Joanna Skoler Gilman ’86, P ’25, P ’27 Paul Kahn Tina Lim Craig Salters ’86

F RO M T H E H E A D O F SC H O O L

Ted Koskores ’70 P ’10, ’13 Dear Thayer Community, These are very difficult times. Both the COVID-19 pandemic and

The other focal point of this magazine is, of course, The Power of

the call for social justice make plain that a safe and just America

Words. While this topic was determined before the advent of the

requires that we care for one another. This issue of Thayer Magazine,

profoundly important issues we now face, here, too, we are remind-

however, was actually compiled before both the onset of COVID-19

ed that the human experience is a shared one. Words have a special

and our national reckoning to confront the injustices experienced

role to play. It is, after all, our facility with language that sets us

by Black Americans. Still, while the topics may not, on the surface,

apart from other species, for it enables us to capture and communi-

capture the urgency of our present moment, they do document a

cate what we know, what we see, and what we feel. In their best use,

world as it was and remind us that through living, learning, and

words heighten our consciousness of the world around us, deepen

sharing as a community we can surmount even the most difficult

our connections to one another, and enrich immeasurably the value

challenges life can offer and emerge even stronger.

of our existence. I believe you will find interesting the myriad ways Thayer alumni, faculty, and students have embraced the power of

In that light, I hope you appreciate the energy and creativity that

words, and I hope, too, you will simply enjoy learning about their

characterized our students’ interactions with one another earlier

endeavors.

this spring, so amply captured in the Around Campus, Athletics, and Arts sections of this magazine. The breadth of student activity

And with that, I wish you strength of spirit as we move together, in

— including celebration of diversity, participation in athletics, and

word and in action, toward a healthy and just nation.

engagement in arts — was the natural consequence of sharing space and time and the irrepressible urge to enrich communal life through

Sincerely,

creative expression.

Ted Koskores ’70 P ’10, ’13 HEAD OF SCHOOL, THAYER ACADEMY

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

THE MISSION OF THAYER ACADEMY IS TO INSPIRE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF STUDENTS TO MORAL, INTELLECTUAL, AESTHETIC, AND PHYSICAL EXCELLENCE SO THAT EACH MAY RISE TO HONORABLE ACHIEVEMENT AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMON GOOD.

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

TA B L E O F CO N T E N TS

Letter from the Head of School

The Power of THE

MIS-

THAYER

SION OF

ACADEMY

IS TO

INSPIRE

A D I VE R S E

ITY OF

STU- DENTS

MORAL

TUAL AND

IN-

AES-

PHY-

CELLENCE

EACH MAY

CONTRI- THE COM-

TEL-

THE-

COMMUNTO

LECTIC

SICAL EXSO THAT

RISE AND

BUTE TO MON GOOD.

I S S U E

Ted Koskores ’70 P ’10, ’13, Head of School

Table of Contents

Around Campus

3

4-10

- Diversity Day 2020 - TA Timeline (Fall/Winter 2019-20)

- News & Pictures from the Year - Something Special:

- Louie Bello ’94

4 5, 7 5-7 8-9

Outgoing Middle School Director Carson Smith P '25 reflects upon his time at the Academy

- Faculty Notes

9

The Power of Words Issue

12-25

10-11 Introduction

ongwriting is a process.

S It took me a long time to get to the point where I can feel confident enough to release something that I put my heart and soul into.

1

12-13 Teresa Hsiao ’03 - Words that Represent 14-15 Aidan Rooney P ’07, ’15 - Words in Verse 16 Sandra Bell Calhoune ’84 - Words from the Heart 17 Words From the Inspired - Various Alumni 18-19 Carter Harrison on Declamation - Spoken Words 20-21 Rosie Darling ’14, Louie Bello ’94, Emmy Giarrusso ’10 - Songwriters 22 David Kates ’95 - Personal Words 23 Sara Kelley-Mudie - Reference Words 24-25 Sidra Eschauzier ’21 - Student Words 12-25 Words in a Foreign Tongue - Foreign Language Tidbits

Thayer Arts

- Hello, Dolly! & Once On This Island - Chicago & The 5th Grade Play - Music I & II Concerts - Winter Dance & Greek Myths

26-33

Thayer Athletics

- Thayer Fall Season Highlights & Pics - Thayer Winter Season Highlights & Pics

26-27 28-29 30-31 32-33

34-37 34-35 36-37

Alumni House News & Notes

38-63

Class Notes

42-52

- News & Notes

- A Night of Giving Auction & Soirée Recap - Alumni Get Togethers - Reunion 2020 - A New Date!

38 39 40 41

Thayer Weddings & Babies

48, 49

Southworth Society Giving

53

Charlie Castleman ’57

In Memoriam

Remembering a Legend: Arthur T. Valicenti 1932-2020

Complete this challenging Thayer puzzle before going online for a chance at a prize! See inside back cover or visit: www.thayer.org/magazine/crossword

The Final Word

54-63 54-55

64

The Power of Two Letters

The Thayer Crossword

65

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

AROUND CAMPUS

Diversity Day 2020 Annual Event Shares Message of Joy and Empathy Andre Bradford, aka S.C. Says, electrified students as the keynote speaker for the third annual Diversity Day at Thayer Academy, so much so that he received a student-led standing ovation at the end of his talk.

But what appeared to move Bradford most was when students interrupted his poem “Crayon Box” to spontaneously applaud the line “Color only matters to people who are afraid that, one day, theirs might not.”

“ If you want to change the world, start by trying to understand the people in it,” Bradford said.

“ That is literally how human connection happens,” Bradford said. “We share stories.”

Bradford discussed a wide variety of topics: race, the idea of being “weird,” mental health, and the signs of depression. Invariably, however, he returned to how empathy is, in his words, the active ingredient in conflict resolution. “ Showing someone empathy could literally save their life,” Bradford told the crowd.

Following that theme, Bradford

4

| by Craig Salters ’86

defined kintsukuroi (or “golden repair”) as a Japanese form of pottery where a broken object is repaired with gold “so that it is, arguably, more beautiful than before it was broken.” Through empathy, he urged, we can help to repair one another.

An Austin-based National Champion slam poet, Bradford’s presentation, “Kintsukuroi: On Empathy and Other Things,” mixed story and verse to connect with the audience, displaying in real time how being honest about one’s own fears and failings can build bridges of trust.

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

▲ Assistant Director of Admissions Brandon Odom ’04 with his

Bradford’s keynote address was just one highlight of the event, a day when students chose from 37 interactive workshops exploring a wide range of topics. One workshop featured a Skype session with Jason Reynolds, the bestselling author of All American Boys. Another workshop addressed “The N-Word in the Classroom and Beyond” while another tackled “Stereotypes in Mainstream Culture — Helpful or Harmful?”

Still other workshops broke down the stigma of mental health, discussed the raising of an autistic child, and examined travel “outside the bubble.”

Following the workshops, Kim and Ron Odom P ’04, pastors and Boston-based activists who have dedicated their lives to restorative justice, discussed the 2018 launching of The Steven P. Odom Training (SPOT) for Life Foundation, named in honor of their son, Steven, who lost his life to gun violence in 2007 at age 13. The foundation advocates

parents and panelists Ron & Kim Odom P ’04, Andre Bradford (keynote speaker), panelists and Thayer alums Aaron Gilmer ’13 & Orett Burke Jr. ’13 (with his girlfriend Camille Van Allen), and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Jenn Welch

for and supports children ages 6-13 and their families to ensure that young people are able to recognize, envision, and achieve their full potential.

This part of the diversity program also included an outstanding musical performance by The Van Burens, an energetic jazz funk band which was formed at Thayer Middle School in the 1990s (including Thayer MS Faculty and alum Emmet Knox ’04, with fellow alums Jeff King ’04, and brothers Matt ’04 and Greg Spitz ’06). Guest performers with the band included Creative Director Paul Kahn, Middle School Music Teacher Destiny Cooper, and Assistant Director of Admissions Brandon Odom ’04 who closed out the event with his rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” By the end of the performances, the students were literally dancing in the aisles. “ Diversity Day is an important time to celebrate Thayer Academy’s vibrant community,” said Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Jenn Welch.

“From start to finish, the day was a success — from Andre’s poetry to Mr. Odom’s rendition of ‘Superstition’ — everything fell perfectly into place. I hope the faculty and students keep the critical and courageous conversations going, not only on Diversity Day but throughout the year.”

1

2

3

4

1 Destiny Cooper singing “Rise Up” with the Van Burens; 2 The mosaic wall of sticky notes with encouraging messages in the Student Commons; 3 Brandon Odom ’04 speaking to the assembly before singing; 4 (L-R) Christine Oar ’23, Ava O’Brien ’23, Sophia Pevarnek ’23, and Izabella Amonte ’23 share positive messages.

FALL / WINTER

2019-20

TA

AROUND CAMPUS

HIGHLIGHTS

SEP

THAYER HOMECOMING SEES GREAT TURNOUT!

THAYER ACADEMY HOSTS TOP COLLEGIATE LACROSSE TOURNAMENT

NOV

Middle School Faculty Matt Ghiden performs on stage with (L-R) Seneca Wallace '24, Christopher "CJ" TalabiOates '26, and Mikayla L Barry '26 during Diversity Day festivities.

GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER WINS FIRST-EVER ISL CHAMPIONSHIP!

ALLY SENTNOR ’22 IS NAMED SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS SPORTSKID OF THE YEAR

TAMS CHESS CLUB HOLDS INAUGURAL COMPETITION

DEC

Middle School Diversity Day 2020

SOCIOLOGIST TAMARA KAYE, Ph.D., ASSOC. PROF. OF GLOBAL AFFAIRS & SOCIOLOGY AT NOTRE DAME, VISITS THAYER AS A BWC VISITING WRITER

Model UN

Members of Thayer’s Model United Nations club (MUNTA) gather in October for their annual inhouse Model UN Conference. Led by veteran Model UN’ers and head delegates Jackson Humphreys ’20, Yolanda Lin ’20, and Alan Xu ’20, here they debate in a lively session of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).

HOLIDAY ANGEL CAMPAIGN SUPPORTS EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS IN HAITI

JAN

TYLER KNIGHTLY ’20 NAMED TO USA SWIMMING’S 2018-19 SCHOLASTIC ALLAMERICA TEAM

THAYER'S MOCK TRIAL TEAM WINS ITS FIRST COMPETITION (see photos on the right)

TED KOSKORES ’70 P ’10, ’13 ANNOUNCES HE WILL CONCLUDE HIS TENURE AS HEAD OF SCHOOL IN 2021

Mock Trial

The victorious Thayer Mock Trial team - in court, and on the bus ride home

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

5

AROUND CAMPUS

Middle School students enjoy a reading from

5th the Grade: Chariot Races Student Day of Poetry event in December

In February, 5th graders took part in an interdisciplinary activity - chariot racing - combining history with coding and work in the Middle School CDL, with winners vying for the coveted "Great Chariot Race" trophy.

Mira T. Lee visits Thayer

Mira T. Lee, New York Times Best Selling Author of Everything Here Is Beautiful, speaks at the February Bailey-King Author Series Event at Southworth Library.

(L-R) Emily Rooney ’09, Jillian Rockoff Sykes ’99, and Liza Heller ’00

Alumni & Family Skates at the Valicenti Rink 6

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

(Front Row L-R) Marisa O’Dwyer P ’02, ’04, ’04, ’09 with Nora O’Dwyer, Rory O’Dwyer, and Owen O’Dwyer (Back Row L-R) Caitlin O’Dwyer, Danielle O’Dwyer ’09, and Randy O’Dwyer ’04

FALL / WINTER

2019-20

TA

AROUND CAMPUS

HIGHLIGHTS

JAN

ARCHIVIST & HISTORY FACULTY LARRY CARLSON P ’02, ’05, ’10 REPRESENTS THAYER AT THE OPENING OF THE BRAINTREE HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S NEW WORLD WAR I ARCHIVE WRITER & SPEAKER ANTHONY VALENTINE SPEAKS AT THE ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BREAKFAST AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

FEB

ANOTHER RECORD BREAKING "FOUNDERS DAY: A DAY OF GIVING" IN THE BOOKS (see p. 38)

Winter Wars 2020

Don Donovan P '10, '13 in the moments before announcing that the Senior Class had won Winter Wars 2020. The annual intra-class competition raised over $1400 and donated 4262 items to needy organizations.

THAYER CELEBRATES ITS VIBRANT COMMUNITY DURING THE 3RD ANNUAL DIVERSITY DAY, FEATURING SLAM POET ANDRE BRADFORD, 37 INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS, AND A MUSICAL CELEBRATION (see p. 4)

LILLY BRADLEY ’21 IS NAMED THE PATRIOT LEDGER’S CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR FOR 2019

THAYER SENIORS WIN WINTER WARS 2020

GALEN HAMANN IS ANNOUNCED AS THE NEW THAYER ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR, EFFECTIVE JULY 1

MAR

A Win for Arthur

The boys varsity hockey team captured the first Valicenti Cup on its new home ice - the Valicenti RInk - in the TSC. Both the boys and girls teams wore commemorative stickers in honor of the late hockey coaching legend.

POETESS PRINCESS MOON CONDUCTS A POETRY WORKSHOP WITH THAYER MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

THAYER CAMPUS CLOSES DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC; THAYER LAUNCHES THAYERCONNECT, THE ACADEMY'S DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM

Chicago the Musical

Silhouettes against a red background foreshadow the opening of Chicago the Musical (see p. 28 for photos from the show)

thayer.org/thayerconnect Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

7

AROUND CAMPUS

Something Special Middle School Director Carson Smith P ’25 reflects upon his time at the Academy

F O R M O R E T H A N A D E CA D E ,

Thayer Academy Middle School Director Carson Smith has encouraged students to actively pursue their dreams. Now, he’s taking a big step toward fulfilling his own.

Asked what he’s most proud of during his time at the Academy, Smith didn’t hesitate.

Smith recently accepted an offer to become Head of School at The Rumson Country Day School, a coed independent day school for Pre-K through Grade 8 in Rumson, New Jersey. He completes his 11th year at the Academy this spring and then assumes his new responsibilities July 1.

“ The most gratifying thing for me to see is the amazing group of faculty and staff we’ve assembled,” he said. He explained that when he arrived, he had inherited “a truly outstanding” faculty but one in which more than half of the teachers had 20 or more years of experience. Today’s faculty, he said, is younger and more diverse but maintains that same level of excellence.

“ Becoming a Head of School has been a dream of mine for quite some time,” said Smith. “I met my wife Amy in 2002, and according to her, I’d been talking about it even then, so for at least that long.”

Smith called the offer — and the chance to lead a school in a beautiful oceanside setting very reminiscent of the South Shore — “the perfect situation.” He added that only such an offer could have led him to make the difficult decision to leave Thayer. “ I love everybody here,” he said. “Everybody has just been so welcoming.

My kids have literally grown up on this campus. Two of them came right from the hospital to this campus.”

Head of School Ted Koskores ’70 P ’10, ’13 praised Smith for promoting both student achievement and community involvement during his years at the Middle School. “ Carson is a first-rate administrator; an excellent history teacher; a caring advisor; and a warm, prudent, and supportive colleague,” Koskores said. “Indeed, he has personified an ‘all-in’ approach to his professional opportunities and has modeled for his staff what it means to be fully committed.”

8

| by Craig Salters ’86

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

“ The new faculty have blended in well with our veteran teachers, who in turn provide such incredible leadership” he said. “It’s great to see how they work together and learn from one another. It brings a new perspective to the Middle School.”

Smith thanked Koskores for a number of reasons, starting with the fact that Koskores made the hire that brought Smith to Braintree. “ Ted took a chance on me, and I certainly have learned from him,” said Smith, adding that he still remembers where he was when he received the job offer. “Ted tries to see the best in everyone, and that’s something I’ve tried to emulate. He also understands that no one feels worse about making a mistake than the person who actually made the mistake.”

Smith credited Koskores for giving him enough freedom to chart much of his own course at the Middle School. Even now, said Smith, Koskores is guiding a smooth transition between Smith and incoming Middle School Director Galen Hamann.

Smith also gave credit to Doug Lally ’87, the former athletic director of the Middle School who chaired the MS Director Search Committee back then.

AROUND CAMPUS

Faculty Notes Thayer Upper School Science faculty Don Donovan P ’10, ’13 has published two scientific journal articles this past year, “Physiological consequences of varying large shark exposure on striped bass (Morone saxatilis)” in the Canadian Journal of Zoology, and the “Effects of exposure to large sharks on the abundance and behavior of mobile prey fishes along a temperate coastal gradient” in PLOS ONE. Links to read both journal articles below: tinyurl.com/DDonovanSCI1 tinyurl.com/DDonovanSCI2

(L-R) Margaret, Carson P ’25, Huntting, Kathryn ’25 & Amy P ’25 Smith

“ It’s hard to be yourself during interviews, but Doug had the ability to put me at ease,” recalled Smith. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Doug, and that means I wouldn’t be a head of school.”

A New Hampshire native and St. Mark’s graduate, Smith said he felt a strong connection to the Class of 2016, which was in sixth grade when he arrived and became the first class he saw through to graduation. “Just nice kids and nice families,” was how he put it.

But then again, he said, that describes all the classes he’s dealt with at the Academy. And full disclosure: Smith understands why middle schoolers — average age, 12 — don’t always embrace education as the most important aspect of their lives. “ I can relate to the student who feels school doesn’t come easy or for whom it’s not the highest priority,” said Smith, acknowledging that he felt similarly during those years.

For Smith, watching those students grow and find their passions has made his time at the Academy special. “ The great thing about middle school,” Smith said, “is you never know where these kids are going to end up. It is so incredibly rewarding to see the tremendous strides they take along the way. You just never know.”

Thayer Upper School Foreign Language faculty Allynn Lodge had her work on display last December at the Winter Art Show at the Norwood Space Center in Norwood. The NSC is a collection of old warehouses that have been turned into a brewery, art studios, and more. Allynn had four illustrations on display and sold one titled “I Believe You” (pictured above).

In December 2019, Associate Director of Admissions Ben Rubeor was named the Head Coach of Atlas LC of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). “I am grateful for this opportunity to go to battle with and against the best players in the world.

It’s not easy to become a team, and I’m looking forward to putting in the work that is required,” says Rubeor. “I’m also excited about the opportunity to inspire kids to dream about playing professional lacrosse one day. Thank you to the Premier Lacrosse League and the Atlas Lacrosse Club for giving me this opportunity.”

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

9

The Power of Words

John Cheever’s Olympia Deluxe Typewriter A 2015 donation from former Los Angeles Police Commissioner Steve Soboroff, John Cheever’s Olympia Deluxe Typewriter is prominently displayed inside Southworth Library. To those wondering - yes, it still works, even after all these years!

ADDENDUM: 10

AS THE PULITZER PRIZE & NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER FOR SHORT FICTION, IT ISN'T A SURPRISE THAT EVEN THAYER'S BLACK & ORANGE (FROM THE YEAR HE WAS SUPPOSED TO GRADUATE, 1931) HAS A CHEEVER-ESQUE NOTE ABOUT HIM (ALONG WITH OTHERS WHO DIDN'T GRADUATE): "JOHN CHEEVER IS AT HOME."

WORDS...WITH

The Power of Words

FRIENDS

“ Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.”

Words That Represent Teresa Hsiao ’03

Words in Verse Aidan R o ney P ’07, ’15

So said the inimitable Julius Henry “Groucho” Marx, whose masterful way with words earned him fame, fortune, and a reputation as a wit not to be trifled wit… er, with. “I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn’t it,” is one of his milder one-liners.

Words from the Heart

ON PAST & PRESENT FACULTY

Spoken Words Carter Harrison

simplify, amplify, dignify, or even mystify. There can be words of caution, words of sympathy, words of encouragement, and those ever-elusive words of wisdom. Words can be fumbled, jumbled, counted, processed, breathed, given, and then taken back. Bird, we’ve even heard, is the word.

Word.

WRITER

Words from the Inspired

Words matter. Words can build up or tear down. Words can hurt or heal. Words can convince, confound, connive, confide, confess, and confuse. Words can

To put it simply, this magazine comprises an amazing agglomeration of linguistic ballistics enumerated, delineated, and wholeheartedly promulgated for your perusal or refusal. We hope you enjoy.

UPPER SCHOOL FACULTY

Sandra Bell Calhoune ’84

Various Alumni

In these pages, you’ll find Thayer students, faculty, and alumni using the power of words in a variety of wonderful ways. One alum uses her incredible talent to entertain millions while another has used his gift to commemorate a special person and special moments in time. There’s a faculty member taking satisfaction in his new book of poems while three alumni find joy in the craft of songwriting. There are current students just finding their voices amid grateful alumni connecting with former teachers through the power of language.

SCREENWRITER/PRODUCER

MIDDLE SCHOOL FACULTY

Telling Stories Through Song Rosie Darling ’14, Louie Bello ’94, Emmy Giarrusso ’10 SINGERS / SONGWRITERS

Personal Words David Kates ’95

WRITER

Reference Words Sara Kelley-Mudie

US LIBRARIAN

Student Words Sidra Eschauzier ’21

Words in a Different Tongue Various



FOREIGN LANGUAGE FACULTY

John Cheever & Thayer Academy:

More to the Story...

Contrary to popular belief, Cheever (who would’ve graduated in the Class of 1931) was not kicked out of Thayer. To summarize the circumstances, then Headmaster Southworth, we are told, noticed that Cheever’s academic performance had slipped and that he appeared to have somewhat lost his way, so to speak, and benevolently advised him to leave the Academy and find himself/get his act together and invited him to return. Cheever never did return, but wrote the famous (fictional) story “Expelled” (which drew heavily from his Thayer Academy experiences) about a young man who had been expelled from school for smoking. This led people to assume that the story was about what had happened to him, something that Cheever apparently never denied.

- THAYER ARCHIVIST LARRY CARLSON P ’02, ’05, ’10

The Power of Words

11

Words That Represent W R I T E R S ' R O O M R E C O G N I T I O N Alumna Teresa Hsiao '03 on comedy writing and breaking down barriers

by Paul W. Kahn

The camera zooms in on the closed eyes of Awkwafina in the opening moments of the Comedy Central hit Awkwafina is Nora From Queens.

When she opens them and looks around confusedly, the Golden Globe-winning actress utters the opening lines of the show: “Where am I?” The literal answer is in a kind of dream heaven, featuring God (as voiced by Orange is the New Black's Laverne Cox), with whom Awkwafina’s character Nora Lum engages in a profane argument before waking.

For Thayer Class of 2003 alumna Teresa Hsiao, watching this sitcom opening is just as disorienting and otherworldly because a few moments after that scene, right after the animated title sequence, two lines of text appear: “Created by Awkwafina & Teresa Hsiao.”

The story of how this quirky, pop cultureladen, at times ludicrously obscene, at times endearingly funny situation comedy came to be is the perfect encapsulation of the most unusual career path of Hsiao.

The Abington native immediately inserts her own brand of dry, comedic wit when describing her childhood hometown: “It's a really small town whose biggest claims to fame have been for manufacturing boots during the Civil War and for having a serial

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THE POWER OF WORDS IN A FOREIGN TONGUE:

killer.” She also notes that her town was 97.5% Caucasian (“My father worked for the state government doing research, working with the census, so we knew the exact numbers.”). Her experiences growing up in such a place would serve to both inform and empower her worldview and creative output.

Incredibly, considering her impressive comedic writing credits to date (Family Guy, American Dad), the path she currently finds herself on wasn't one even remotely considered by Hsiao growing up. Back then, most things came easy to her - though when she came to Thayer (where her younger brother Eric '07 also attended) as a freshman, she had a bit of a rude awakening.

"In my first semester, I remember getting two Cs (in Biology and Math), which is like the end of the world for an Asian person!" she recalls, laughing. But she is thankful for parents who supported her and especially thankful for Thayer faculty members who gave her some tough love from the get-go - instilling lessons about the need to put in the work to achieve things. "I remember Ms. (Karen) Jodoin P ‘22 telling me to become more disciplined about studying if I wanted to improve, and so I did."

Hsiao rattles off other Thayer faculty members she's thankful for, including Norma Atkinson GP ‘07, ‘11, ‘16 ("She showed me how the stories in history that most resonate will be the ones that enable our culture and shape what people believe and how they act.") and Jim King P ‘01, ‘04, ‘06 ("He taught me to trust my own voice and to believe that I had a compelling story to tell, which I think is something you don't realize or recognize when you're just a student in high school sometimes.").

And while Mr. King was the first person who planted the seed that there was a more creative path one could take in life, that wasn't Hsiao’s initial route. Following graduation from Thayer in 2003 (presciently, two of her three Black & Orange yearbook quotes are lines from witty comedians Steven Wright and Erma Bombeck), Hsiao went to Harvard. During her time there, while she considered various opportunities (most in the "practical" areas), she ended up pursuing a career in finance in New York City, beginning with a summer in 2006 at Lehman Brothers before working in the financial department of General Electric / NBC.

SOME WORDS CAN’T QUITE BE ENCAPSULATED OR BEST EXPRESSED IN ENGLISH AS THEY CAN IN OTHER LANGUAGES. ALONG THE BOTTOM OF THIS SECTION'S PAGES WE PRESENT FOREIGN WORDS/PHRASES FROM MEMBERS OF THAYER’S FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT:

This period was instrumental for her on a number of levels. First, while the compensation was good, she realized how boring and unfulfilling the work was to her. "I didn't want to do numbers for the rest of my life," she says. Second, and most importantly, a year and a half later when the market collapsed (and Lehman Brothers went bankrupt), triggering a $700 billion financial bailout from the government, her eyes opened to the hypocrisy and volatility of what she had perceived as a "safe" profession.

By then, she had returned to writing on the side, churning out a “spec script” for the show 30 Rock. This writing sample ended up giving her the confidence to take a leap of faith and fully pursue a career in television writing.

Her first job in the industry? A low-budget Canadian kids show featuring cartoon bears.

While not lucrative or widely known, what that seemingly minor opportunity gave Hsiao was experience and repetition. "We wrote 20 episodes in 12 weeks," she recalls. And the doing - the putting in the work - continued to spark her creativity and bolster her motivation.

She hired a manager and an agent, and they enabled her to land a staff writing job for Family Guy - one of the biggest adult cartoon shows ever.

"It was kind of like going from Single-A baseball to playing in the Major Leagues," she recalls. Her first day in the writer's room of the then-ten-year-old show was eye-opening.

As the youngest person and one of only two females on staff ("It was a room of twenty 40-50-year-old white dudes; there were more 'Daves' than there were women."), she immediately felt like she was on an island.

Despite the initial shock, Hsiao is thankful for her couple of years with Family Guy. It gave her the building blocks to be a voice in a very different environment, even when her references and jokes didn't quite land with her fellow writers.

From Family Guy she landed a gig with American Dad (from 2013-2017), which gave her more credentials, experience, and opportunities, including one opportunity as a consulting producer on Fresh Off the Boat, the landmark TV sitcom featuring the first AsianAmerican family.

There was another important piece that fell into place when she was writing and producing on American Dad: through her agent, she first met and clicked with an up-and-coming but

still unknown actress known more for her viral YouTube music videos than anything: Nora Lum, although she went by her stage name of Awkwafina.

"We just kind of hit it off," remembers Hsiao.

The two paired together to write a different kind of show, taking three years to brainstorm and create what would become Nora From Queens. And what a three years that ended up becoming for the both of them. Awkwafina's career took off, with roles in Oceans 8 and then the worldwide sensation Crazy Rich Asians.

The latter role proved instrumental to Comedy Central picking up the then-written-and-shot Nora pilot.

Casting decisions for Nora also fell into place, with esteemed longtime actors B.D. Wong and Lori Tan Chinn playing Awkwafina's father and grandmother, respectively. Moreover, actor Bowen Yang, who plays cousin Edmund, himself became a sensation by becoming the first Asian-American cast member of Saturday Night Live while shooting the first season of Nora. Trailblazers were begetting trailblazers, left and right.

And that's been a kind of beacon that guides Hsiao in her work. Now that her career has come to a place of influence, she's thankful to be so perfectly situated in the industry with the ability and experience and backing to begin creating the sort of things that need to be voiced into the mainstream.

"Growing up, watching people on TV that didn't look like me - I got really used to seeing different faces. Because of that, while it made me a more open, educated, and culturally sensitive person, at the same time, there's something so important about representation.

Awkwafina is Nora from Queens is on Comedy Central (cc.com). The show was the #1 freshman cable comedy series for the 18-49 age demographic.

"We need storytellers who are diverse and who do have different perspectives,” she says. “If we don't tell our story, who's going to tell it?

The future is bright for Hsiao. Not only has Season 2 of Nora From Queens been greenlit, but she is also working on additional TV pilots along with a possible feature film.

And remember that table full of Daves that served as an introduction to Hollywood writers' rooms? Well, the writers group for Awkwafina is Nora From Queens is representative of just how far things have come (as seen in the photo below) - for both Teresa and for the future of how different stories and perspectives will be shaped and shown in movies and on television.

Eyes are opening up all around, and Teresa Hsiao is busy writing and producing the next chapter of what's being told.

"What's so exciting about this show,” continues Hsiao, “is that we can showcase this new kind of American family that rarely gets seen on TV and in movies - not just the Fresh Off the Boat kind of family, but something different. It's important to see Asian Americans becoming a bigger part of the national fabric and culture.

On April 2, over 120 alumni and Thayer friends gathered remotely for Thayer's first virtual community event featuring Teresa Hsiao '03 and moderated by Kelley Tuthill '88.

ZAPATERO A TUS ZAPATOS = “STICK TO WHAT YOU KNOW BEST” (SPANISH, LIT. “COBBLER, TO YOUR SHOES”) - BILL LANAGAN, MIDDLE SCHOOL SPANISH

The Power of Words

13

Words in Verse

O N

T H E

I M P O R T A N C E

O F

P O E T R Y

Thayer Faculty Member Aidan Rooney P '07, '15 releases his third book of poems A Q&A with Aidan Rooney P '07, '15, UPPER SCHOOL FACULTY

Why is poetry important? What do your students gain from reading & writing poetry?

I like to consider poems—not poetry, nor poets—as important; “poetry,” after all, as Auden puts it, “makes nothing happen.” I love introducing a poem to a class, typically second semester seniors, as a small machine of words and images and sounds, asking them to slow down its motor and find out how it works. There’s a fair bit of demystifying and demythifying to be done in teaching poems, convincing young people, for example, that poetry prefers concrete language and imagery to abstract nonsense and rhetoric. We are often taught that “show, don’t tell” is good practice in creative writing, but are not always taught why. Reading poems teaches us why and how to, and in this way becomes the springboard to writing poems. It is fun to work with young writers freed of their notions about writing, to teach new rules and then break them, to resuscitate a healthy impulse to play with language. Students learn that poetry – slow, technical, and tricky – is the most quickening and liberating literary art.

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加油 (JIĀ YÓU) = AN EXHORTATION OF ENCOURAGEMENT ("KEEP GOING!" "DO YOUR BEST!") (MANDARIN, LIT. “ADD OIL/FUEL”) - EMMA LEE, UPPER SCHOOL MANDARIN

Do you remember when you first realized that words were important to you?

I tuned to words early as the surround sound of other people.

Being the youngest of five children perhaps played a role in this,

situations, when the lyric impulse

Angel

pulses -- to write it down. This is the hardest part, deciding when to translate the business of living.

a poem by Aidan Rooney from Go There

Not unlike the photo snapped and forwarded with our cellphone, the poem can get in the way of living, living the poem.

Her ankle tag reads Ange-Louise, 2 ans.

cultivating reticence, economy, and compression of expression. It is hard

Were it not for the diaper in her frock

What is your new book of poetry, Go There, about?

she’d slip. She sleeps in the crook of my arm,

good chunks of my adolescence in

Go There is my first collection to be published in the United States – Day

had she not hung her eyes and raised her arms

France. Words become everything, second maybe, but not by much, to

Release (2000) and Tightrope (2007)

acts. Coleridge considered poetry to

were published in Ireland – and first

Were it not for her heat and her heartbeat

be “the best words in the best order.”

in thirteen years. So, simply put,

against mine, she might not be there at all.

Composed along lines, arranged in

the book collects the best poems

There are no words. Outside, a waiting truck.

stanzas, words, for me, take on their

published over this period. That said,

greatest resonance in a poem whose

there is a four-page introductory

virtue is that it is not about anything.

essay by Daniel Tobin that tracks the

We have prose and rhetoric to be

central theme of crossing boundaries

about something, to assure us with

-- geographical, personal, communal,

declarative clarity. Poems disturb us.

artistic, and linguistic. The jacket

The best ones question the answers.

blurb also echoes this ranginess

not to escape the potency of language growing up in Ireland with its dual language traditions, and spending

also fallen asleep. Her sweat beads grow.

She’d be one of the ones on the world news for nothing more than a pick-me-up.

I hope she won’t wake when I put her back.

- L’orphelinat Mère Térésa, Port-Au-Prince, 2012

“A N G E L” R E C E I V E D T H E DA N I E L VA R O U JA N AWA R D F R OM T H E N EW E N G L A N D P O E T RY C LU B I N 2 0 1 2 .

corralled around multiple voices: “Ireland, France, Switzerland, Nova

page/screen, lay aside time, get stuck in on something, go there.

Wait, build, pain-stake. At other times, a poem seizes you in a sudden moment of grace and joy, and you feel barely fit to set it down. Some of the poems of Haiti are of this sort,

backdrops for poems in implicit dialogue with voices elsewhere, colonised and coloniser. With

concerns quotidian and universal, poems of ekphrasis, fables, elegies

and love letters join ruminations on war and religion, love and death, wealth and poverty.” In a time

$21.95

MadHat Press Cheshire, MA madhat-press.com

Y R O O N E

just have to sit down to the blank

e, both Release and Tightrop books of poems, Day nt Irish poets Aidan Rooney’s first one of the importa established him as d in the published in Ireland, collection to be publishe eness Go There is his first inventiv of his generation. play and formal its richly reflexive crossings of United States, and l passages, and border journeys, historica his contemporaries from signal the further Rooney What distinguishes nity but the the poems within.

European Commu t status outside the personal, is not just his emigran nt across boundaries—geographical, Nova ranginess of his moveme linguistic. Ireland, France, Switzerland, and poems in implicit dialogue communal, artistic, n form backdrops for r. With concerns quotidia Scotia, Haiti, and Boston e, colonised and colonise love letters join and elegies with voices elsewher of ekphrasis, fables, poverty. Go and universal, poems death, wealth and and love religion, and ruminations on war everyone everywhere. for poems has There

d eye to matters of childhoo a generous, forensic travel of the natural world, “Aidan Rooney brings in Go as to the larger canvases language, the poems and memory, as well in gloriously sinewy . This is a and history. Written s, poignant and intricate Miss Emily sensuou tender, r, author of There are intelligent, —Nuala O’Conno book.” a of joy poet Aidan Rooney is a s. ifty,’ in his own words, ies, and vivid sensation “‘Deliciously shape-sh and wit, far-flung trajector and Haiti; of Degas whose work marries ns of Ireland, France, ons of Go There offers evocatio memories and history; elegant translati d l variety of St. Ciaran; of childhoo more. The mercuria there’s and ; the for Fontaine s unerring feel Baudelaire and La and grounded by Rooney’ lives, line by rich and this collection is unified restless our capture and distill —Rachel Hadas power of poetry to compact line.”

A I D A N

This is a hard one. Sometimes, you

Go There (published by MadHat Press) is Aidan Rooney's third book of poetry, and his first imprint in the U.S. To purchase a copy of this work, visit the URL below. All royalties from Thayer-related purchases of the book will be donated to Thayer's Annual Fund.

Scotia, Haiti, and Boston form Go The re

Can you describe your process in writing poetry?

Go Th er e POEMS

|

A I DA N

ROONEY

of great uncertainty, Go There is about everything. It has poems for

For inscribed copies of Go There or to request Zoom Book Club guest writer appearance, please email Aidan at arooney@thayer.org.

www.tinyurl.com/GoThereAidanRooney

“everyone everywhere.”

“Angel,” for example (reprinted here) and “In Diquini,” which I “wrote” while talking to my veteran school colleague, Jim King, in the back of a truck headed down a mountain.

The key, in both cases, is to take the time -- in mundane and provocative

On April 30, 134 alumni and Thayer friends gathered remotely for a Zoom panel with Aidan Rooney P '07, '15 and a "Night of Poetry" - an event hosted by Betty Bailey '63 and Jim King P '01, '04, '06. View the panel and poetry online here:

www.thayer.org//virtualevents

DÉBROUILLARD = A PERSON CAPABLE OF FIGURING THINGS OUT (FRENCH, LIT. “ONE WHO CAN GET OUT OF THE FOG”) - AIDAN ROONEY P '07, '15, UPPER SCHOOL FRENCH

The Power of Words

15

Words from the Heart I S N ' T

I T

R O M A N T I C ?

For Sandra Bell Calhoune '84, an oft-misunderstood genre is worth defending and, more importantly, diving into

by Craig Salters '86 At age 7, Sandra Bell Calhoune ’84 and her family moved into a house directly across the street from the Milton Public Library.

She soon found her “home away from home” and began devouring books of all kinds, starting with Nancy Drew mysteries. As she got older, her tastes gravitated toward Rebecca and East of Eden, and she began to imagine that someday her name might appear on the cover of a book.

And it did … sort of.

Under the pen name Belle Calhoune, the Academy alumna is now a Publisher’s Weekly Bestselling Author of heartwarming, inspirational romance. She’s written over 40 novels, and one of her books, An Alaskan Christmas, became the television movie “Love, Alaska” and aired on the UPTV Channel. “ I started reading romance as a teenager, and it quickly

became my favorite genre,” explains Calhoune, a lifelong New Englander who now lives in Connecticut with her husband, two daughters, and “two very spoiled dogs,” a toy poodle named Copper and a black lab named Beau. “ There’s so much sadness in the world, especially now. It

means a lot to me that I can provide happily-ever-afters to my readers and put a smile on their faces.”

Calhoune says that, one way or another, her books tend to have a theme of forgiveness. “ Even when I try not to, there’s always a thread of it in my work,”

she admits. “It’s a theme that resonates for a lot of people.”

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See all 40+ of her novels here:

www.tinyurl.com/TAbellecalhoune

Calhoune says one of the few drawbacks of writing in the romance genre is dealing with the negative stereotypes which accompany it.

“Most romance writers are incredibly smart,” she says.

“We have doctors, professors, lawyers, and architects who write romance novels. It’s a billion-dollar industry, yet people want to reduce it to ‘bodice rippers.’ That really drives me crazy, because writing a novel is really a difficult undertaking.”

Calhoune recalls French with Madame Florescu as her favorite class at Thayer. “Madame was such a creative and interesting teacher, who not only taught us French but gave us a glimpse into French culture and history.”

And Calhoune’s junior school trip to France, she says, changed her life forever.

“I’m a Francophile, and one day I’ll write a book set in Paris, one of my favorite cities,” she says.

Calhoune — or perhaps, her alter ego, Belle Calhoune — writes for Harlequin Love Inspired, and she recently signed a three-book contract with Grand Central Publishing.

“I feel very fortunate in my ability to do what I love and get paid for it,” she says. “Being an author is truly a dream come true.”

VERGUENZA AJENA = FEELING EMBARRASSED BECAUSE OF WHAT SOMEONE IS DOING OR SAYING (SPANISH, LIT. “FOREIGN EMBARRASSMENT”) - ALLYNN LODGE, UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH

Over many decades, Thayer alumni have time and again referenced teachers during their time at the Academy who have inspired them in careers with words. Here are some of their stories of faculty members who inspired them to passions and professions.

Words from the Inspired I based my entire career on Miss Bailey’s English class freshman year. I could have left that freshman English class and pretty much done any job that I have done in my life. That’s how well trained I was in English and in the fundamentals of writing.

INSPIRED BY:

BE T T Y BA I L E Y '63

by Mike Sheehan '78 MANAGING PARTNER, ALLIED SPORTS; FORMER CHAIRMAN, CEO & CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER, HILL HOLLIDAY; FORMER CEO, THE BOSTON GLOBE.

INSPIRED BY:

K ATE HAYM AN

by Ike Butler '16 WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS ‘20, WINNER OF A.E. HOTCHNER PLAYWRITING COMPETITION 2018 & 2020

INSPIRED BY:

JIM K IN G

P '01, '04, '06

by Leif Tilden '83

Mr. King was fascinating because he was fascinated. He was an inside-out type guy. He started with someone’s heart and soul and went from there. He was about connection.

Connecting to words and connecting those words to you. He was a teacher of Humanity, and I thank him for that.

I credit Ms. Hayman with helping me find my voice as a writer. She allowed me the freedom to take writing assignments in my own creative direction, then workshop them in a way that was rigorous and fun. Without that exposure, I wouldn’t have been as compelled or prepared to keep writing.

WRITER / DIRECTOR

INSPIRED BY:

K E L LY HI N E S

P '18, '19

by Harry Bacon '12 WRITER & SCRIPT READER NETFLIX

"Know your lines" — one of the many lessons that I learned from Kelly Hines. But it was never about memorization.

Kelly taught all of her students that to know your lines was to own the words. As an actor, you may not have written the words; but you’re no mere mouthpiece. An ownership of language will allow the words you speak to become a vessel for your expression. Through both the spoken and written word, on stage or off, you may showcase all that is uniquely you. Thanks to Kelly, I’m sure to always know my lines.

INSPIRED BY:

G R ACE BE R NEN HI N R I C HS

by Liz Skoler '80 VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT ACQUISITION & STRATEGY, NEWSELA; FORMER SR. DIRECTOR CONTENT ACQUISITION & DEVELOPMENT AUDIBLE ORIGINALS

ἀρετή (“ARETE”) = EXCELLENCE OF ANY KIND / MORAL VIRTUE

Grace Bernen's class, "Man's Search for Meaning," was one of the most influential that I took at Thayer. She exposed us to a wide variety of writing, from Viktor Frankl's bestselling work, which was the eponymous book of the course, to Krishnamurti's Think on These Things to Charles Reich's The Greening of America.

My mind and life were expanded by the works of these thinkers, by Grace, and by keeping a journal of my own thoughts.

INSPIRED BY:

DAN L EVIN S O N

by Kelley Tuthill '88 VP OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS REGIS COLLEGE FORMER WCVB-TV REPORTER & ANCHOR

(ANCIENT GREEK, WHAT NOBLE ONES IN HOMERIC LITERATURE WOULD STRIVE TO POSSESS) - CALLIE SMITH, UPPER SCHOOL LATIN

When I was at Thayer, I had the opportunity to take a journalism class with Dan Levinson. He was so passionate about the news business and couldn’t wait to have us read All the President’s Men and watch the movie.

Dan really instilled this sense that journalism is a calling that comes with a profound responsibility to provide truthful information to the public. I was hooked.

The best part was he was my mentor and champion at each step of my 20-plus-year career in journalism. Teachers who are passionate about their field of study help students discover meaningful careers. Thank you, Mr. Levinson!

The Power of Words

17

Spoken Words D E C L A I M

T O

F A M E

Celebration of the spoken word is a Middle School tradition

by Carter Harrison

M IDDLE SCH O OL E NGLISH, DIREC TOR OF STUDIES

More than three decades ago on a bus ride back from a baseball game, a Thayer coach, Mike Shea, began to think about his English teaching responsibilities and hatched an idea which has become a Middle School tradition called the Declamation Celebration.

Declamation Finalists 2020 (L-R): Yuyang (Tony) Yin ’25, Gabriella Monteiro ’26, Teri Homicile ’24, Stefania Blackwell ’25, Kathryn Smith ’25, Aaravsinh Vaghela ’26, Gabby Guerrero ’24, Cassidy Mullin ’26, Clare LaMattina ’24, Jonathan Lan ’24, Theo Dowd ’25, Mary Keleher ’26, Megan Corry ’24, Charlie Gavin ’24, and Catherine George ’24

Now held in March each year, this celebration features memorized oral performances by 12-15 outstanding Middle School declaimers before an enthusiastic audience of peers, older Upper School fans, and adults.

Gabriella Monteiro: excerpt from “We Should All Be Feminists”

- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Tony Yin: excerpt from “A More Perfect Union” - Barack Obama Terri Homicile: “If I Have a Daughter” - Sarah Keyes Theo Dowd: “An April Day” - Henry Wadsworth Longellow Stefania Blackwell: excerpt from Insignificant Events in the Life

of a Cactus - Dusti Bowling Aaravsinh Veghela: excerpt from Resistance - Jenifer Neilson Kathryn Smith: excerpt from a speech - Diana Nyad Gabby Guerrero: “The Cremation of Sam McGee” - Robert W. Service Clare LaMattina: excerpt from The Fault in Our Stars - John Greene Jonathan Lan: “What is an American?” - Harold Ikes Mary Keleher: Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech - Malala Yousafzai

First-time adults in the audience often ask faculty members, "Can every student in the Middle School perform this well?"

While the simple answer is no, the complete answer is that many more students can match that performance level than the representative 12-15 who declaim in the celebration, many many more come close, and almost all students improve their presentation skills each year.

Just what is the Declamation as we refer to it, and how do we accomplish it?

Megan Corry: Excerpt from The Diary of Anne Frank Charlie Gavin: Speech before UN Climate Action Summit

- Greta Thunberg

Though only a small group perform in the celebration, all students in Middle School

English classes perform a declamation before their classmates each year. The traditional definition of declamation confines itself to a performance of a famous speech that also recreates the passion of the original, but our definition is broader. Our declamation can also include poetry and excerpts that stand alone from larger works. Preparation for the March celebration begins late the previous fall when students go over the expectations of the long-term English assignment on declamation. And for many students in the school, the experience will become more than an English assignment.

Students start by considering declamation choices right for them. They consult with teachers and sometimes with family members. To assist students in their choices, the school librarian has constructed a website which includes many acceptable selections. One thing we do not do is provide students a list from which they must choose (though this has been suggested to us many times). Such a list would limit student choice, and student choice is part of what brings out excellent performance.

Student choice also provides new material that faculty members might not have placed on such a list. The students' choices

Cassidy Mullin: “Birches” - Robert Frost Catherine George: excerpt from “Our Town” - Thornton Wilder

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OTHER FUN & RANDOM WORDS IN OTHER TONGUES: THAYER FOREIGN LANGUAGE FACULTY ALSO CONTRIBUTED THESE OTHER FUN/UNUSUAL WORDS FROM OTHER LANGUAGES:

Celebration, declaimers have about two weeks to further polish their performances.

At the Declamation Celebration, each student's piece is briefly introduced by a faculty member so that the audience understands its context. Examples from recent Declamation Celebration performances include: famous speeches from respected leaders on important topics, speeches from plays, excerpts from novels, poetry, and Ted Talks. Once a piece has been performed in the celebration, it can't be chosen again for another three years, assuring a varied program and that students have to choose what works for themselves, not what works for others.

Middle School English Faculty and Director of Studies Carter Harrison oversees the Declamation Celebration.

are often appropriately original in a way teachers' selections might not have been.

All students submit their declamation choices to their English teacher for approval by early January and, when approved, students begin memorizing.

Some students arrange their approval early so they can begin memorizing and practicing earlier.

During the last weeks of January, it is common while walking down Middle School halls to hear students practicing their performances for each other (students' word choice in the halls is not always as erudite). Early in February teachers organize student performances in their classrooms.

The most successful students go to the declamation finals, the step before the Declamation Celebration. In recent years, the declamation finals has had more than 50 declaimers (about a quarter of the

school) who perform before a panel of judges over a few afternoons in our auditorium.

In addition to the judges in the audience, many Middle School students who are not finalists attend to support their finalist friends. Other declamation fans drop in as well.

The judges' task is to create from among the best finals performances a representative and balanced program of male and female students from each grade (5-8) who will perform varied types of declamation for the Declamation Celebration.

Making it to the finals for a student is a significant achievement. But making it to the celebration is not just based on how well one does — it's also based on what one does and on the fact that there is limited opportunity. In other words, many excellent performers don't make it.

After the judges choose declaimers for the Declamation

A main reason for the program's success is the high standard the students provide each other each year. Students know how good they have to be to become one of those on the stage, and many students set that as their goal. While the declamation does require energy and time from the students and faculty each year, the high standard of performance is almost self-perpetuating. Students know how good they need to be because they remind each other of it each year.

T H E T O

The start of a new Thayer tradition in the Upper School

watch all six speeches online here:



What do students learn? The answer to this depends on the student, but we can make some generalizations: Students learn oral presentation skills that help them communicate to a large audience (articulation, volume, poise, eye contact, phrasing, inflection, and pace). Through the experience, students gain confidence.

By memorizing well-crafted language and then learning to deliver it well, students improve their own language facility. Declamation is a traditional educational method, no doubt, yet it involves student choice, authentic assessment, opportunities to collaborate, and public presentation — components of current best practices in educational theory.

In essence, every student in the Middle School has trained and tried out to be on the Declamation Celebration Team. This fact helps make the celebration audience appreciative of the representative declaimers' hard work and is an ingredient of the recipe that creates the educational community in the Middle School.

HAU = AN INTERJECTION OF PAIN OR GRIEF (LATIN, FROM PLAUTUS. PRONOUNCED LIKE THE BEGINNING OF 'OUCH') - RICHIE ISKRA, MIDDLE SCHOOL LATIN

D E S I R E I N S P I R E

www.tinyurl.com/TAwordsthatchangedtheworld2020

Five Academy seniors brought the house down this past February as finalists in the English Department’s inaugural Words That Changed the World competition, setting the bar high for what promises to be a new Thayer tradition.

The competition saw seniors employ their public speaking skills to both explain and recite passages from great speeches or dramatic works.

Noah Downing ’20 took the crown with a stirring portrayal of Will Smith (from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air). However, he was followed closely by the other finalists: Adam Lazowski ’20,

who performed Jimmy

Valvano’s famous “Never Give Up” speech; Caitlin Caulfield ’20,

who offered the remarks

of Australian Rules Football player Wayne Schwass in trying to destigmatize mental illness; Sola Osinubi ’20, who recited the words of Angela Davis; and Aimee Matos ’20, who presented a passage from Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

If this was the inaugural competition, we simply can’t wait until next year!

The Power of Words

19

Telling Stories Thr A T R I O O F T U N E C R A F T E R S all three stories by Rebecca Delaney The power of words when set to music can evoke emotions or tell a story in even a more powerful way. Here are three Thayer alums who are working as singer/songwriters - each sharing a little bit of their own stories. To listen to a sampling of each of these three talented alums,

Rosie Darling ’14 takes a shot at her dream in LA For Rosie Darling ’14, writing a song is like telling a story.

Often, Darling says, she takes a phrase that may evoke an emotion and then crafts a song around the details involved with that feeling.

check out the links below!

“Saying something like ’I miss hanging in our old apartment’ creates a visual for the listeners, and the song becomes more of a storytelling process where the details are what make it interesting, not the perfectly crafted rhymes,” she says.

ROSIE DARLING



tinyurl.com/RosieDarlingYT

Combo where Steve Skop P ’22 encouraged her combo to learn and perform some of Darling’s original songs.

LOUIE BELLO



youtube.com/user/LOUIEBELLO16

Today she lives in Los Angeles where she’s pursuing her dream of becoming a recording artist and songwriter. She recently wrote and sang on the album Never be the Same for a group called Tritonal. The album hit #1 on Sirius/BPM radio for three weeks in a row.

While her days are spent with other songwriters and producers working together to write songs and pitch them to other artists and recording labels, Darling says the songwriting process starts when she’s alone at the piano or on the guitar.

EVAN GIIA



20

Just 24, Darling speaks from years of experience. Growing up in a musical family, the Canton native learned guitar and piano at an early age and wrote songs in her bedroom. At Thayer she participated in Jazz

tinyurl.com/EmmyGiarrussoYT

“Sometimes a certain phrase will get stuck in my head, and I try to write a chorus from that,” she explains.

S’OCCUPER DE SES OIGNONS = “TO MIND ONE’S OWN BUSINESS” (LIT. “TO TAKE CARE OF ONE’S ONIONS”) - ANGELA TOUSSAINT, MIDDLE SCHOOL FRENCH

Darling admits that, occasionally, she can get carried away with her storytelling when she’s writing a song, but she just views such exuberance as part of the creative process. “Sometimes my verses end up too long because I get so into the details of a story,” says Darling. “But writing songs is just a way to express myself, and usually if I get stumped, I just move on to another idea, and maybe that old idea will surface again.”

And Darling is inspired by living in a city where music matters.

“LA has been the perfect place to learn about the industry,” she says. “Everyone is really passionate about their work out here, so every day is rewarding and different.”

rough Song For Louie Bello ’94, crafting the perfect song is a mix of inspiration and perspiration Louie Bello ’94 may need a new cellphone plan.

“I have about 2,000 voice memos on my phone,” the Norwood resident admits.

And those voice memos aren’t reminders of an upcoming dentist appointment or what to buy at the grocery store, but snippets of inspiration for lyrics or melodies that come to him throughout the day and which fuel his songwriting process. “ Every time I have an idea, I throw it on my phone, and 80% of those ideas I’ll never use,” he says, “but it’s the 20% that I do use and end up finishing which becomes something I like.”

As a successful country R&B artist, Bello just finished a European tour.

He regularly plays in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville. His songs have been featured in popular network TV shows, and his latest single reached 188,000 streams on Spotify.

When he attended Thayer, Bello was busy playing hockey and football and wasn’t serious about pursuing music, despite growing up in a musical household. “ My father was a musician, and I used to go to his practices, so I was around music, but I was never really interested in it as a profession,” Bello says. Later, he began singing and harmonizing with his friends on corners in Hyde Park, where he grew up. “It was a good way to get girls,” he jokes.

Bello wrote his first song at age 18.

Writing always came naturally to him in the classroom at Thayer, and he found he was able to transfer those skills to songwriting. “Once I started, I thought, ’OK, I’m not that bad at this,’” he recalls.

Today Bello takes an idea, starts writing a song, and then collaborates with one of his writing partners in Los Angeles, Nashville, or Boston to develop the song further. “ Collaboration for me is key,” he says. “I think it’s the best part of the process.”

Once a song is complete, Bello decides whether to pitch it to a TV show or movie or keep it and perform it in his shows. When he performs a new song on stage, it’s still a work in progress — something he says took a while to accept. “ I was always afraid to play my originals unless they were fully done and produced,” he says.

Now, he may still work on a song onstage, tweak a rhythm here or a chord change there. “ Songwriting is a process,” Bello says, “and it took me a long time to get to the point where I can feel confident enough to release something that I put my heart and soul into.”

Emmy Giarrusso ’10 (EVAN GIIA) refines her voice in Brooklyn While working at Sterling Sound, a well-known mastering studio in New York City, Emmy Giarrusso ’10 felt something was missing. At Thayer, Giarrusso had thrown herself into music: participating in jazz band, performing in musicals, and singing in concerts. Outside of class, she trained at Boston University’s opera program and entered opera competitions on the weekends. After graduation, however, things changed.

Giarrusso attended Berklee College of Music where, in her own words, she felt “like a little fish in a big pond.”

not about love,” she explains.

“I think it’s overplayed, and I’m always trying to come up with something else people can still relate to.”

“I didn’t sing much,” she recalls. “It was a little daunting.”

In the middle of her first headlining tour on the West Coast, Giarrusso says it’s been a wild ride. She also says that she looks back fondly on her time on the stage and in the choir at the Academy.

At Berklee, she majored in music business and planned to become a manager. But while at Sterling Sound, she found that she missed singing.

“I realized that being a singer was who I was,” she says.

EVAN GIIA’s song “Westworld” was recently picked up by the DJ Odesza, starting EVAN GIIA touring with well-known DJs across the country.

“Thayer definitely shaped me into the performer that I am today,” she says.

Giarrusso decided to meet with a few collaborators, write some songs, and — eventually — EVAN GIIA was born. EVAN GIIA (Giarrusso’s stage name) writes and performs electronic pop music. She was trained classically and still loves opera but states: “I really wanted to start singing songs that I wanted to listen to.”

For the Hingham native, the songwriting process starts with a melody. “I am very melody-driven, and that usually comes to me first,” she says.

“I’ll start humming different sounds and then put words to those mumbles.”

And don’t expect any romantic or heartsick lyrics in EVAN GIIA’s music. “I love to write songs that are relatable, but

EMBARAZADAS = PREGNANT (SPANISH. “IT'S A FALSE COGNATE - STUDENTS OFTEN THINK IT MEANS EMBARRASSED”) - GLORIA BLANCO P '04, '05, ‘08, '11, UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH

Giarrusso’s collaborators include the duo MEMBA (composed of her fiancé Ishaan Chaudhary and best friend Will Curry). The three live together in Brooklyn when EVAN GIIA isn’t touring.

The Power of Words

21

Personal Words W R I T I N G

I T

A L L

D O W N

David A. Kates '95 now wants to help other families tell their stories

by Craig Salters '86

David A. Kates ’95 doesn’t shy away from serious or painful topics in his writing. In fact, such topics are often what brings him to the keyboard in the first place.

“Writing is cathartic — certainly in my case,” says Kates, who grew up in Duxbury but now lives in St. Louis. “I write when I need to work through something. Often it’s joyful, but it’s about something I need to figure out in some way.”

Kates has published two books — Completing the Circle: A Son’s Memoir and Inheriting Weight: New Work: 2004-2008 — which are both “memoirs in poetry” addressing his mother Judy’s battle with terminal breast cancer and all the suffering, madness, humor, sorrow, anger, and even joy which accompanied it.

“This tale isn’t minty fresh, appetizing, sweet,” warns the first poem in Completing the Circle. A later poem laments, “If only loving hands cured cancer.”

Regarding his mother — “She had too much undone / Not to be / Swinging ungloved” reads part of one poem — Kates credits her as an inspiring force, someone who taught him not only about life but about the importance of education and the love of writing.

“My mother wrote, too,” explains Kates, who moved in with his mother at her beloved Pacific Palisades home when she became terminally ill. “She wrote about her cancer treatment. Disease can take your life, but it can’t take your outlook.”

According to Kates, he first became comfortable with writing, both in the creative and academic sense, at Thayer. He remembers being challenged by his history electives, enjoying his school-sponsored trip to England, and loving his senior internship at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester.

22

“I started to love the written word,” says Kates.

A graduate of Dickinson College, Kates earned his master’s degree in library science from the University of Illinois and his master’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California. Before moving to St. Louis, Kates was a middle school and high school librarian at a private school in Los Angeles.

“I think being a librarian is one of the best jobs you can have,” he says.

“You’re surrounded by all this culture; it’s never boring.

“A library listens to the community while adding its own flavor.

Bringing people together — getting them out of their silos — is a big role of a library.”

Right now, however, Kates is his own boss, venturing forth with a new company called Stories Made Whole, which combines his passions for writing and research. Based in St. Louis but available everywhere, the company offers services such as genealogy, research, oral history, audio-video book production, and consulting so that today’s seniors can pass something on to their children and grandchildren.

“I realized how important it was to get these stories while you can,” says Kates. On his website, he adds: “I believe that stories matter to family, friends, and even strangers. And that physical objects — photographs, letters, cards, clothing, furniture, even a house — tell stories.”

To learn more about Stories Made Whole, please visit their site at:

EMBOTELLAMIENTO = A TRAFFIC JAM (SPANISH, LIT. “A CLOG IN THE NECK OF A BOTTLE”) The Power of the Personal Word - TERRI LUKENS P '24, '27, UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH, PERU SENIOR TRIP ADVISOR

www.storiesmadewhole.com

Reference Words T H E

R O O M

F O R

I T

T O

H A P P E N

Sara Kelley-Mudie sees Southworth Library as physical, intellectual & emotional space

by Craig Salters '86

When Southworth Library Director Sara Kelley-Mudie needed to know what colleges were asking of their freshmen students in terms of research skills, she tried something revolutionary: she asked those colleges.

Specifically, Kelley-Mudie surveyed the librarians of colleges popular among Academy students; she discovered that your typical first-year college student needs work on annotated bibliographies. Her department immediately began working with faculty to further implement that skill into the Upper School curriculum.

It’s that admixture of educational excellence and brass-tacks efficiency which makes the library so integral to Thayer’s academic community. And it’s that same academic community that Kelley-Mudie works to fill with as many different voices as possible. “ Being a librarian is a series of interruptions interrupted by interruptions,” says Kelley-Mudie with a smile. Now in her third year as the Academy’s keeper of the words, so to speak, Kelley-Mudie always knew she wanted a career in education but started that career as an English teacher. She’s grateful that she found her passion as a librarian. “ I learn something new every day, and I get to do something new every day,” she says. “And

when I make that connection with a student, that’s magic.”

The library, which is essentially open 24/7 because of the internet, provides students with databases, tutorials, citation guides, and other resources through its TigerGuides platform. The librarians themselves serve as resources, whether that’s collaborating with history faculty on curriculum redesign or working with English faculty on “Words That Changed the World,” a successful public speaking program which debuted with seniors this winter. Library staff recently spearheaded a series of mini book clubs where students and teachers read the same book over Winter Recess and shared their thoughts upon returning to campus. “ The library is a space, for sure,” says Kelley-Mudie,” but the library is also a program, a culture.”

That culture is evolving. In 2020, for instance, students most certainly do not have an issue with a lack of information. But vetting such information is a modern-day problem. “ People need to know how to think critically about the information they obtain,” Kelley-Mudie says. “Students need to know how to evaluate and seek other perspectives.”

ZORILLA = SKUNK (LIT. “LITTLE FOX" (FOX = ZORRO) - MARC RANDO P '18, '20, UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH

But such critical thinking is hard, especially when the internet and social media have teenagers drinking water from a firehose.

Kelley-Mudie and her team see the library as very much a respite from all that. “ Libraries provide space for both contemplation and collaboration,” she says. “It’s very difficult for today’s teenagers to find space with their own thoughts.”

Ironically, the Academy’s head librarian does not seek a community of quiet but rather a community of many voices. Under her leadership, Southworth Library has obtained books reflecting the experiences of LGBTQ individuals, people of color, and people with disabilities, among others.

There are also more books focusing on the unique experience of being an adolescent.

For Kelley-Mudie, Southworth Library (and libraries in general) can be seen through the metaphor of mirrors and windows. “ Students should see themselves,” she explains, “but they should also see the lived experiences of people who are different from them.”

A little later, she asks a question: “How do we make room for all people’s stories?”

The Power of Words

23

Student Words A

L O V E

L E T T E R

T O

C R E A T I V E

W R I T I N G

AP Language & Composition Class Essay

by Sidra Eschauzier '21 Dearest,

The sight of an empty page is one to which

I spend the next few days replaying our

I have grown accustomed. Even now, I find

time together over and over. What had I

I fell in love with you when I was seven

myself mocked by the cursor, watching

done right to make you notice me? What

years old, with a determination and shame-

it stoically and waiting for inspiration to

had I done wrong to make you leave? I

lessness only children can possess. I could

strike. Sometimes I write about things that

re-read the pages written during those

hardly tear my eyes from you long enough

don’t matter, just to fill the emptiness. I

golden hours, obsessing over the little

to live my own life. I spent hours scanning

often find myself a bad writer, but I will not

details that might have won or lost your

your pages, wishing I could melt into them.

allow myself to be no writer at all.

favor. A few agonizing days later, I was

People laughed when I told them I wanted

again blessed with your presence. And

to be a writer, offering little but conde-

It took you a while to warm up to me.

scending smiles and empty encouragement.

When I completed my first page of what-

I clung to you despite them. I stayed.

ever horrible story I’d determined was “the

You liked our rendezvous, didn’t you?

one,” I was absolutely giddy. The next day,

Whenever I caught your attention, you

Everything made sense to me, in my

I re-read it and deleted the entire thing. It

would dote on me like a lover. But I wasn’t

seven-year-old brain. We were destined to

was not perfect, and I was aiming for noth-

yet the permanent fixture in your life that

be perfect. I created a future in my mind, a

ing less. I missed my blank slate; though

I yearned to be, though I did notice our

life of J.K. Rowling-level fame and riches.

the page was white as snow, the words were

meetings growing in frequency.

And I wanted to realize that future as soon

forever imprinted in my mind. I tried to

as possible. I would be a writing prodigy;

conceal them with new sentences, new

Finally, you stayed. I spent every minute of

I would be one of the youngest published

stories, new idealized characters, but to no

this precious time with you, expecting you

authors. I would live in a mansion my

avail; my despair only added to the mess.

to go, but you didn’t. I could leave, and

entire adult life. Frankly, I wanted to use

again, you up and left.

you would be there when I came back. I

you. That might be why you took so long to

I found you hiding in the plot of a story

wasn’t overjoyed, as I thought I would be.

love me back.

I’d started writing. When I felt the warmth

I was certain it was a fluke, or another one

of your love as it streamed through my

of your tricks, and that I would wake up

You played hard to get. I had our image

desperately typing fingers, I almost cried.

one morning to find you gone. But I would

so engraved in my mind that I forgot my

I’d waited three years for you. Three years,

wake up every morning and there you

mother’s words of wisdom: “To be a writer,

living on nothing but little hints of your

would be, sitting patiently in the corner for

you have to write.” When I first managed to

smile. I wrote page after page, absolutely

me to take notice of you.

sit down at her computer, a nebula of ideas

glowing under your gaze. Then you left

swirling in my head, I confidently opened a

mid-sentence.

Word document.

It isn’t easy being with you. I’ll say it— you’re fickle. You’re ungrateful. You’re unapologetically manipulative. Your love is constantly undulating; I never know wheth-

24

QUAMQUAM = ALTHOUGH (LATIN “THIS WORD IS JUST FUN TO SAY AS A REDUPLICATIVE" - MAUREEN) - MAUREEN KELEHER P '24, '26, UPPER SCHOOL LATIN

er we’re on good footing, or whether I’m

I can’t blame you for leaving me then. My

night. The next morning, you were sitting

deluding myself in thinking you would ever

love had morphed into something cruel and

in the corner, waiting patiently for me to

love me back. I’ve lost sleep over unwritten

demanding and selfish, and my passion had

take notice of you.

words and forgotten plots. You’ve haunted

become obsession. I wanted to annihilate

my dreams. So many times have I woken

my imperfections; I refused to acknowledge

I’ve changed so much since then. I’ve

up with panic still on my tongue from the

yours. You represented everything I wanted

learned to see every malformed sentence

terror of your leaving. Once, my computer

to be, and I couldn’t bear to think you

as a pebble on the path of my progress,

died, erasing several thousand words of

weren’t an idol but a flawed creature like

every deleted page as another leap toward

work, and that nightmare became a reality.

me. My desperate desire to be perfect grew

the finish line, and every failed story as one

I ran sobbing into my parents’ room,

large enough to snuff you out.

more step in the journey I am undertaking.

begging my father to fix everything. He

My dream of fame and riches is dead; in its

couldn’t. I could only wallow in the pieces

One morning, I sat up and didn’t see you.

place I now find a simple desire to love you

of you that still rattled around my skull,

I looked under messy notebooks and in old

and be loved in return.

taunting me. But despite all this, despite

documents, but you were gone. I consoled

your infuriating stubbornness and lies, I

myself by saying that you’d be back. You’d

You haven’t changed much. You’re still

can’t muster any anger at you.

stepped out to get some fresh air, or to

fickle, ungrateful, and imperfect—in short,

stretch your legs. I didn’t think for a mo-

you’re still you. I still find myself exasper-

ment that you’d really left me. So I waited.

ated by your antics when we’re together.

Do you know how many times I’ve cried for you? I think the first time was when my

But I find myself less and less affected by

mother took away my laptop after I lied

It took me a week to fully accept that you

your moodiness, and more confident in the

to her. For three days, my time with you

weren’t coming back, at least not for a

strength of our love. I want you, unaltered,

was stolen, and I languished in my room.

while. None of the times you’ve driven me

in all your glory and imperfection.

My mother hugged me and told me that

to tears before can compare to the agony I

she was sorry, that this was the only way

felt when I realized you were gone. I could

I would learn. I find it funny now that

see with sudden clarity what I’d done, how

she knew I would be so easily controlled

I deserved it. I didn’t know what to do

if she threatened to steal you from me.

with myself. I drowned in purposelessness,

Other times, I’ve cried because I felt that

falling headfirst into schoolwork and stress.

I wasn’t doing you justice. I would spend

I was too ashamed to even attempt to

hours obsessing over a blank page, my ideas

contact you.

Love,

Sidra

refusing to translate to words. After a while, the frustration would push into my throat

But I never stopped loving you. And I think

and behind my eyes, and I would curse

even then—even as I took the full brunt of

my worthlessness. You were unattainable

your rejection—I knew that you still loved

perfection.

me, too.

I’ve heard that it’s never a good idea to

I found you hiding in the plot of a story

depend on someone else. I must admit that

I wanted to write. Your love streamed not

I have fully ignored that with you. During

through my fingers but into my heart. I

my darkest days, those eras full of fear and

didn’t write at all that day; I didn’t want

empty of purpose, you were my lifeline. I

to scare you away. I just clutched my chest

clung to you, praying that you would take

and wept. I’d waited three months for you,

care of me, praying that you might fill me

living on nothing but the dream of your re-

Sidra won the Harriet Gemmel Sophomore

with that purpose I was so lacking.

turn. I was beaming as I lay in my bed that

Short Story Prize last year at Last Chapel.

PARAGUAS = UMBRELLA (LIT. “TO STOP (PARAR) WATER (AGUA)") - BILL LANAGAN, MIDDLE SCHOOL SPANISH

The Power of Words

25

Arts Upper School Performances

DIRECT

1

On the Hale Theater Stage 2

HELLO, DOLLY! 3

OR’S N OTE:

Hello, Dolly! premie red in 1964, winning Channing. With 3 Tony Awards an exuberant and launching score and Gower the stardom of has been revived Carol Champion’s specta many times with cular choreography the title role played Age of musica , Hello, Dolly! l theater- Pearl by many of the Bailey, Ethel Merma grand dames of the Golden n, Bette Midler and Bernadette As the classic Peters. al canon of musica l theatre explod each Thayer studen es in diversity t balance betwee and composition, n the new and exciting, well-ro we seek to give old, the classic unded, compre al and modern hensive educat reflects the prioritie as part of an ional experience. s and values admire History of this artform so richly d in the day. We as it was concei ved and intende present this classic d, and honor , old-fashioned original 1964 its Vaudeville musical production - a origins with the shiny brass cash iconic symbols and Dolly’s red register, boater of the sequin dress hats, Uncle Sam, and feather plumes a tap-dancing . horse, Hello, Dolly! is about connec tion and hope. its gifts boldly It is about gracefu forward into life...pr lly letting go of the past eferably with gonna carry on!”). and bringing one’s own parade It is about seeing (“I’m gonna raise the undiscovered taught how to the roof! I’m best in others dance”) and about (“33 year old seizing each day friends. (“Close chief clerks for its infinite your eyes and possibilities of see it glisten, adventure and place where your Barnaby!”) It’s new people will always also about a sense be, no matter of belonging home where how much time to a I belong”). Like goes by (“It’s Thayer Academ so nice be back y.

OUR production of Hello, Dolly! is also about soul brings to a community our table, and that appreciates makes room for all. The whatever each freshmen when unique seniors you see we did Les Misera on stage this bles. They are wizards, your year were now your leading class officers and team captain players and technic the culture here s, your club leaders al theatre by modeling accept and friends. They ance, commitment have shaped and sincere investm ent in what they The theatre progra love. m at Thayer has been home to skills, and discipli them, where they ne that will serve have developed them well not they have becom the focus, just in the arts, e, and wait with but in life. We great anticipation are so proud of our world. to see what impact of who To middle school or prospective they have on current studen the challenges students and ts thinking about their families joining us next considering Thayer to take your place time, look at this , or among them. community. It Everyone is welcom may be time for e here. you

- Kelly Hines P

!

S E V E N

26

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

THE T H E

5 7

ON “TH E MATC H

AND LY RICS

MAKER

” BY

I N

F R I D A Y

HALE

A R T S

OR/PR

MUSIC CHORE TECHN

MUSIC

6

F O R

DIRECT

’18, ’19

BASED

4

O ’ C L O C K

T H U R S D A Y ,

C E N T E R

&

E V E N I N G

S A T U R D A Y

T H A Y E R

A C A D E M Y

ODUCE

R : Kelly Hines P ’18, ’19 O R : Dan Alosa Pam Sheiber P ’13, ’16 Brooks Donnell y

AL DIR ECT

OGRAP HER: ICAL D ESIGN

BY

T H E

THEAT ER

|

ER:

Jerry Herman

Thorton Wilder

| BOOK

| ORIGINAL

BY

Michael Stewart

CHORE

OGRAP

HY BY

Gower Champio n

Arts Middle School Performances

 

HELLO, DOLLY!

1

Caitlin Caulfield '20 commands the stage as Dolly in Hello, Dolly!

2

(L-R) Benjamin Hussey ’20, JourneyAde King ’22, Kendall Bryant ’20, and Caitlin Caulfield ’20 performing from the number "Motherhood."

3

4

5

8

The full cast in a panoply of pastel colors on the Hale Theater stage.

Thayer faculty members Larry Carlson P '02, '05, '10, Kevin Cedrone P '22, Don Donovan P '10, '13, Andy Gibson P '21, '22, '25, Derek Keough '12, and Highley Thompson P '20, '23 join the cast during "It Takes a Woman."

9

Thompson Hall Comes Alive

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND

THAYER ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL PROUDLY PRESENTS

Once on this Island

Andria Soares ’23, Ella McGilivray ’23, Sophia Skop ’23, Zac Gondelman ’22, Elena Gosalvez ’20, Caroline Driscoll ’20, Mia Matos ’23, and Isabella Richter ’23 sing enthusiastically during Hello, Dolly!

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2019 THOMPSON HALL 7:00 PM DIRECTED BY TARA CORCORAN ’88 P ’19 VOCAL DIRECTION BY DESTINY COOPER ACCOMPANIMENT BY SARA BARKON CHOREOGRAPHY BY ALISON NEILL

BOOK AND LYRICS BY LYNN AHERNS | MUSIC BY STEPHEN FLAHERTY

6

7

BASED ON THE NOVEL “MY LOVE, MY LOVE” BY ROSA GUY

Logan Clancy ’20 and Gavin Pevarnek ’22 in a scene before entering Mrs. Molloy's Hat Shop.

10

11

12

13

A brilliant display of umbrellas during "Put On Your Sunday Clothes."

 

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND

8

9

Luke Driscoll ’25, Brendan Brosnan ’25, Ryleigh Flaherty-Clapham ’27, Reese McNally ’27, and Stefania Blackwell ’25 are a picture of pure joy during one of the numbers from Once On This Island.

14

A final curtain call at the conclusion of the performance in Thompson Hall.

10

Catherine Woods ’25 and Jane Richard ’24 sing the duet "Mama Will Provide."

11

Brian Pickel ’26 exhorts the audience during a scene.

12

Catherine George ’24 singing "Human Heart."

13

The group sings "Why We Tell the Story."

14

Eli Lukens ’24 and Maxine Baker ’24 in a scene from "The Ball, Andrea's Sequence."

27

Arts Upper School Performances

THAYER ACADE MY PERFORMI NG

1

ARTS P R O U D L Y PRESENTS

CHICAGO

THE MUSICAL

On the Hale Theater Stage

Music by John Kander,

CHICAGO THE MUSICAL

Lyrics by Fred Ebb;

based on a book by

Ebb & Bob Fosse

FRIDAY & SA TURDAY

FEBRUARY 28 -29, 2020 7:00 PM - TH E HALE THEATER

DIRECTOR/PROD U C E R : K E L LY H I N E S P ’18, ’19 CHOREOGRAPHE R: PAM SHEIBE R P ’13, ’16 TEC

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MUSICAL DIREC T O R : D A N A LO SA HNICAL DIRECT OR: BROOKS D O N N E L LY

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Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

Arts Middle School Performances

CHICAGO

  1

Kendall Bryant ’20 playing Velma Kelly is front and center and surrounded by jazz hands at the conclusion of "All That Jazz."

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Elena Gosalvez ’20 as Mama Morton.

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Bradford Campbell ’20 as one of the Step Down Daddies.

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Aimee Matos ’20 as one of the Merry Murderesses.

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Olivia O'Connor ’20 as Roxie Hart.

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Journey-Ade King ’21 as one of the Showgirls.

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Henry Richard ’20 as Amos Hart & Logan Clancy ’20 as Billy Flynn ham it up on stage.

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Elena Gosalvez ’20 and Chloe Clifford ’20.

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5th Grade Play

THE FINAL DRESS REHEARSAL

Logan Clancy ’20 sings "All I Care About is Love" surrounded by a bevy of Showgirls.

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Kendall Bryant ’20 and Olivia O'Connor ’20 and more jazz hands!

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FROM THE CL ASS OF 2027 Compton Jones: Director

Aaravsinh Vaghela: Assistant Director Jack McDonough: Author Brandon Kwok: Stage Manager

THE FINAL DRESS REHEARSAL

Drew Jaspon: Utility Person

 

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Charlie Holmes: Sound Effects Person Teddy Gilman: Messenger Aashrita Joga: Stepmother

The entire 5th Grade Cast from The Final Dress Rehearsal.

Taylor Jaspon: Older Sister Reese McNally: Younger Sister Ryleigh Flaherty-Clapham: Cinderella

Brandon Kwok ’27 as the Stage Manager.

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Teddy Gilman ’27 as the Messenger.

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Ryleigh Flaherty-Clapham ’27 as Cinderella.

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Compton Jones ’27 as the Director.

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Aashrita Vaghela ’27 as the Stepmother.

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Jack McDonough ’27 as the Author and Aarav Vaghela ’27 as the Assistant Director.

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A scene from The Final Dress Rehearsal with (L-R) Aashrita Vaghela ’27, Ryleigh FlahertyClapham ’27 (background), Reese McNally ’27, Taylor Jaspon ’27, Jack McDonough ’27, Jackson Quealy ’27, Drew Jaspon ’27, Katie McCarthy ’27, and Charlie Holmes ’27.

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CAST

THE

Sidra Eschauzier ’21 floats in as Mary Sunshine, representing the manipulated media.

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Katie McCarthy: Fairy Godmother

THE

FINAL DRESS REHEARSAL

By Jack Frakes

James Shahied: Prompter Casey Lukens: Prompter Eric Cui: Stagehand

18 745 Washington Street

•

Friday, November 15, 2019 | Thompson Hall Directed by Tara Corcoran ’88 P ’19

Jackson Quealy: Stagehand Braintree, Massachusetts 02184

•

781.843.3580

•

thayer.org

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Arts Music Performances

Music & Song in the CFA

II

ARTS ER FOR THE THEA TER, CENT PM - THE HALE 2020 - 7:00 JANU ARY 16,

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(L-R): Emmett Wilmot ’20 and Thomas Briggs ’20 jam together on bass and electric guitar.

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Backstage (L-R): Ava Clancy ’21, Ryan Chiari ’22, Caitlin Caulfield ’20, Mikey Anastos ’21, Drew Bennett ’21, Chloe Clifford ’22, Jeff Browne P ’04, ’05, Karina Kilburn ’20, AJ Ratti ’20.

Vocalist Jovanna Walker ’21.

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Vocalist Leo Eschauzier ’23.

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Peter Chen ’23 on the violin.

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Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

9

Backstage (L-R): Eli Lukens ’24, Ryan Noreke ’24, Jane Richard ’24, Sebastian Keleher ’24, Jonathan Lan ’24, Zach Dixon ’24, Theo Dowd ’25, and Oscar Kester ’25.

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INTER 2020 W T ONE CONCER MUSIC

(L-R): Matt Scapicchio ’20, Kendall Bryant ’20, Logan Clancy ’20, and Henry Richard ’20 perform during the Music I Concert.

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ARTS ER FOR THE THEA TER, CENT - THE HALE - 7:00 PM ARY 14, 2020 TUES DAY, JANU

THUR SDAY,

2 INTER 2020 W T TWO CONCER MUSIC

1

Ensemble (L-R): Mia Matos ’23, Ava Clancy ’21, Ryker Gibson ’22, Adam Lazowski ’20, Kaspar Relaford ’20.

Vocalists (L-R): Eloise Daniello ’22, Abby DiGregorio ’22, Julia Pickel ’22 Drums: Maddie Stearns ’23; Bass: Tatiana Allen ’23.

Arts Music Performances

THU RSD AY,

JAN UAR Y

16, 202 0 - 7:00 PM - THE HAL E THE ATER ,

1 CEN TER FOR THE ART S

MUSIC I & II WINTER MUSIC CONCERTS - JANUARY 14 & 16, 2020

2020 WI MUSIC CONCE

II

2020 WINTE MUSIC R CONCE RT TW O

TUE SDA Y,

1

Members of the Upper School choir perform under the direction of Kelly Hines P ’18, ’19.

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Vocalist Meg Schwartz ’20.

3

Sidra Eschauzier ’21 on the keys.

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Kyle Cedrone ’22 on the drums.

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Vocalists (L-R):Sofia Skop ’23 Tess Meyers ’23, Ella McGillivray ’23.

6

Clarinetist Charlie Holmes ’26.

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Henry Richard ’20 gets ready to play another set on the drums.

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Three guitar players (L-R): Hobey Galvin ’21, Drew Havens ’21, Ethan Wilson ’21.

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The Middle School choir sings under the direction of Destiny Cooper.

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JAN UAR Y

14, 202 0 - 7:00 P

1

Arts

2

Upper School Performances

THAYER ACADEM Y

w i n t e r

da d an n ce e

Dancing on the Hale Theater Stage

c o n c e r t

J A nu Ja N U ar A Ry Y 28 2 8 ,, 20 2 0 20 20 77:: 00 0 0 PM PM

|

745 Washington

T H E

Street, Braintr

ee, MA 02184

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Trio of Dancers (L-R): Jessie King ’20, Olivia O'Connor ’20, and Kaitlyn Freeley ’21.

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Judith Walker ’21 soars during a dance number.

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Kadyn Darrow ’20.

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4

Isabella Rivera ’23.

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(L-R):Jess Fisher ’23, Riley Joyce ’23, Eva Rando ’20, Kadyn Darrow ’20, Sonya Penanhoat ’21, and Caitlyn Caulfield ’20 during a routine.

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

6

(L-R):Amanda Fogel ’23, Grace Mann ’23, Annie Middleton ’22, Abby DiGregorio ’22.

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Ellie Kilmartin's ’20 head pokes through the parachute's center hole in a dance to "Trampoline."

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Kendall Bryant ’20 and Eloise Daniello ’22.

H A L E

C E N T E R

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F O R

T H E A T E R T H E

A R T S

WINTER DANCE

Arts Middle School Performances

GREEK MYTHOLOGY SKITS T H A Y E R

A C A D E M Y

CO R E Y

M I D D L E

S C H O O L

TO U S S A I N T

GHIDEN

ATHENA LETO

Narrator : Charlie Horne Narrator: Liam Boyle Narrator : Severin DeFranceaux Narrator : Will Seed Hera: Jess Case Ilithyia: Ashley Foss Iris: Nina DeMarco Leto: Ella Aiello Poseidon: Christian Murphy Zeus: William Sentnor

1

ARIAD NE

Narrator : Tess Harper Narrator: Kylie Tang Narrator: Ryan Dowden Narrator : Gabriella Monteiro Daedalus: Vidyuth Sathish Theseus: Quinn Ognibene King Minos: Justin Le Ariadne: Mary Keleher Dionysus: Luke Shahied Athenian: Ava Teehan

D IONYSUS Narrator: Charlotte Richter Narrator : Ben Shatzkamer Narrator: Nina DeMarco Narrator : Will Seed Ariadne: Ashley Foss Dionysus: Ryan Tucker Dodona: Severin DeFranceaux Zeus: William Sentnor Hermes: Charlie Horne Semele: Ella Aiello Hera: Jess Case Pirate : Liam Boyle Pirate: Nolan Pevarnek Pirate: Christian Murphy

On the Thompson Hall Stage

GREEK MYTHOLOGY SKITS

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Emma Cox ’26

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Brian Pickel ’26

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Ashley Foss ’26

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Lexi Maraganore ’26

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Shaanveer Gupta ’26

this year's program was to feature "One Night, Two Acts: The Final Dress Rehearsal and Something's Rotten in the State of Denmark." Sadly, due to the pandemic, Thayer Academy ended up closing its campus the day before the performance, so students weren't able to showcase their acting chops on Thompson Hall's stage. Here's the program to showcase all the cast and crew members who would've undoubtedly brought down the house that evening.

Narrator : Mikayla Barry Narrator : Nate Shatzamer Narrator : George Dasco Narrator : Emma Hernandez Hades: Brian Pickel Triptolemus: David Morrisset Persephone: Lexi Maraganore Metaneirus: Lindsay Lashar Zeus: C.J. Talabi-Oates Demeter: Emma Cox Iris: Olga Lefas

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N I G H T ,

D EMETER & PERSEPHONE

C O R C O R A N '88 P '19 D I R E C T O R

The full group of Greek Myth participants

O N E

ARTEMIS & NIOB E

Narrator : Brian Pickel Narrator : Mason Barreto Narrator : Emma Hernandez Narrator : Olga Lefas Artemis: Emma Cox Zeus: Owen Rightmire Leto: Lindsay Lashar Actaeon: Nate Shatzamer Apollo: David Morrisset Niobe: Lexi Maraganore

Narrator : Lucy Hisenberg Narrator: Luke Shahied Narrator: Justin Le Narrator : Cassidy Mullin Zeus: Shanveer Gupta Epimetheus: Ryan Dowden Prometheus: Quinn Ognibene Pandora: Tess Harper Hephaestus: Vidyuth Sathish Hercules: William Coughlin

1

March 13, 2020, was supposed to be the Middle School's annual Spring Play -

Narrator : Mason Barreto Narrator : David Morisset Narrator : Mikayla Barry Narrator : Olga Lefas Maia: Emma Hernandez Zeus: C.J. Talabi-Oates Apollo: Owen Rightmire Hera: Lexi Maraganore Hermes: Brian Pickel

PROMETHEUS & PANDORA

TA R A

4

HERMES

Narrator : Ava Teehan Narrator: Lucy Hisenberg Narrator : Kylie Tang Narrator: Luke Shahied Zeus: Ryan Dowden Metis: Mary Keleher Hephaestus: William Coughlin Arachne: Gabriella Monteiro Athena: Cassidy Mullin Poseidon: Shanveer Gupta

T W O

Dress Rehearsal

A C T S

THE

An amateur theatrical group’s final dress rehearsal of Cinderella is a disaster: Cinderella is late, the prompter wants to play all the parts, the sassy stage crew is noisy, the author feels her brainchild is being ruined and the director is distraught

FINAL

S SO OM ME ET TH HIIN NG G’’S S

ROTTEN IIN N T TH HE E S STAT TAT E E O OF F

BY JACK FRAKES

D I R E C TO R

CAST OF CHARACTERS

DENMARK

BY JOSEPH WALLACE

CREW & THANKS

Cinderella: Reese McNally Stage Manager: Julia Yezukevich Utility Person: Ryleigh Flaherty Clapham Messenger: Emma Cox Older Sister: Mary Keleher Stepmom: Catherine Woods Director: Scarlett McMahon Asst. Director: Aly Mantville Sounds Effects Person: Rileigh Murphy-Morris Prompter: Rose Cairo Fairy Godmother: Julie Song Author: Stefania Blackwell Younger Sister: Tess Harper Prompter: Rebecca Rudolph

Director: Tara Corcoran ’88 P ‘19 Set Design: Elizabeth Persing Sound Design: Dan Alosa & Merritt Grillo Light Design: Austin Genannt & Gabby Guerrero Publications: Paul Kahn Stage Crew: Merritt Grillo, Gabby Guerrero, Eli Lukens, Mia Ng, Clare LaMattina, Teri Homicile, Abby Butner, C.J. Talabi-Oates, Martin Nyagilo, Jack McCarthy, Catherine George Special Thanks: Claire McCarthy P ’83 P ’88 GP ’02 GP ’06 GP ’19, Carson Smith P ’25, Dan Alosa, Building & Grounds

Stagehand: Christian MacCallum Stagehand: Jesus Sanchez Peguero

A hysterical (historical) farce/ tragedy in one-act. Based on Hamlet by William Shakespeare (albeit loosely)

THOMPS ON

HAL L

CAST OF CHARACTERS Fortinbras: Ella Aiello Director: Jesus Sanchez Peguero

Messenger: Katie Holmes Polonius: Jake Crowley

Horatio: Dylan Butler Laertes: Luke Driscoll Hamlet: Ollie Seed Ghost: Jane Richard

Fairie, Attendant: Charlotte Richter Old Lady, Voice, Attendant: Rebecca Rudolph

Marcellus: Seneca Wallace Francisco: Chase Lukowski Bernardo: Jonathan Lan

King: Sebastian Keleher Queen: Abigail Greenough Ophelia: Hannah Sullivan

Players: Aashrita Joga, Alice Luo, Ryleigh Flaherty Clapham, Ella Aiello, Rose Cairo, Charlotte Richter

Referee, Guard: Christian MacCallum Attendant: Aly Mantville

Child, Attendant: Alice Luo Bunny, Attendant: Emma Cox Attendant:

Ryleigh Flaherty Clapham, Attendant: Julia Yezukevich Guard: Jesus Sanchez Peguero

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Athletics FALL HIGHLIGHTS

1

2

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Head coach Jeff Browne P ’04, ’05 goes over race strategy with sophomore (and all-league cross country runner) Eloise Daniello ’22.

2

The girls cross country team (ISL & NE Champions).

3

Members of the boys cross country team ready themselves at the starting line. (L-R): Ben Koper ’22, Thomas Gaffey ’20, Grant Coldren ’21, Aidan Humphreys ’22, Ryan Chiari ’22, and Garner Thompson ’20.

4 Members of the girls volleyball squad celebrate a point. (L-R) Stella

3

Chiari ’22, Megan Bowen ’21, Cassie Davidson ’21, Kendall Roland ’20, Annelise Reinhard ’24.

5

Varsity volleyball team member Megan Bowen ’21 gets ready to spike the ball during pre-game drills.

6 (L-R) Lilly Arends ’21, Leonie Kuehberger ’21, Brooke McLoy ’22, Molly King ’20, and Hannah Pauly ’20 ready themselves for a match.

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Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

6

Athletics FALL HIGHLIGHTS

7

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9

7

Girls Varsity Soccer Team pre-game huddle.

8

Hobey Galvin ’21 brings up the ball during a match.

9

Brooke Mulroney ’22 and Liv Kelly ’20 celebrate another ISL soccer victory.

10 TJ Jean ’20 & co-captain Jack Schneider ’20 celebrate a play during a game.

11

Boys Varsity Football team pre-game pep talk.

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Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

35

Athletics WINTER HIGHLIGHTS

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Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

3

1

Girls Varsity Basketball Coach Billy O’Dwyer ’02 goes over some plays with the squad during a timeout.

2

Madeleine Broderick ’20, Grace Casey ’20, Kristyn Moran ’20, Lauren ’24 and Gabriella Grattan ’20 cheer on the girls basketball team during a home game.

3

Alanna Curtis ’20 soars during a gymnastics practice.

4

Varsity co-captain Cassandra Davidson ’21 drives to the hoop during a game versus Worcester.

5

Varsity captain Noah Downing ’20 puts up a shot in the lane during a game versus Vermont Academy.

6

Junior guard Myles Wilson ’21 shoots a three versus Vermont Academy in Alumni Gym.

7

Nick Roukounakis ’22 looks for an opening during the 2020 Valicenti Cup.

Athletics WINTER HIGHLIGHTS

8

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10 8

Luke Sadhwani ’20 heads towards the finish line in the 100m butterfly.

9

Members of Thayer’s varsity swim team [Front Row (L-R): Aly Truckenmiller ’21, Mel McCue ’21, Peyton Knightly ’24, Angie LoNigro ’21; Back Row (L-R): Bo Schneider ’22, Tyler Knightly ’20, Luke Sadhwani ’20, Vinh Tran ’21] show off their medals won in the 400 Freestyle relays at the ISL/EIL Championships at the Boston Sports Institute in Wellesley.

10

Wrestler Anthony Frank ’22 wins another wrestling match.

11

Annie Middleton ’22 readies herself for a dive during a competition.

12

Lillian Arends ’21 rockets down the slope during the Giant Slalom in January 2020.

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11

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13

Thayer ski team members (L-R) Amelia Compson ’23, Ciara Sage ’20, Sydney Langenhagen ’20, and Madison DeLuca ’20 at the Nashoba Valley Ski Area ISL Race on January 8, 2020.

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

37

Alumni House NEWS & NOTES

A Sign of the Times With the Covid-19 pandemic shutting down all in-person events, Thayer alums from the Class of 1962 and 1963 took the initiative to maintain their bonds of community with a "virtual cocktail hour" with classmates in April.

Top Row L-R: Jeff '62 and Elinor Ross, Paula Nobili '62, Van '62 & Campbell Whisnand; Bottom Row L-R: Ron '63 & Karen Shone, Frank '62 & Sandy Tenore, John MacLennan '62.

Alumni House News & Notes

Founders Day: A Day of Giving 2020 Over eighty volunteers helped make the 5th Annual Founders Day: A Day of Giving a success.

The Thayer community raised over $288,000 with 1,059 donors generously contributing to Thayer.

To view a recap video of the day, go to: 

tinyurl.com/TAFoundersDay2020

Check out all of our recorded virtual Thayer community events at:

www.thayer.org//virtualevents Thayer Calendar: Generally, all current and future Thayer events can be found at: www.thayer.org/calendar

If you are interested in hosting an alumni event (even a virtual one!), please contact Rachael Rouvales Vassalotti ’79 P ’07, ’11, ’12, Associate Director of Development, at 781.664.2504 or rvassalotti@thayer.org.

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Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

Alumni House AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS

1

2

3

5

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4



1

tinyurl.com/TANightofGiving2020

Kelley Tuthill '88 masterfully works the Granite Links ballroom as the evening’s live auctioneer.

4 Magician Cedric Purcell performs a card trick with Michael Egasti P '25.

2

A Night of Giving Auction & Soiree Committee Members (L-R): Kathy Egasti P '25, Debi Lashar P '26, Co-Chair, Danielle Shahied P '26, '27, CoChair, Nicole Cox P '26, Co-Chair, and Georgia Babanikas P '17, '20.

5 Thayer Academy Parent Programming - (L-R) Tony Morisset P '26, Marie

3

Ready for bidding! Quincy’s Granite Links ballroom was set to impress the evening’s guests.

Guests coming together to support Thayer’s Faculty Excellence Fund and Morisset P '26, A Night of Giving Committee Member, Jose Baretto P '26, and Wanda Baretto P '26, A Night of Giving Committee Member.

6 Alumni Board member Louie Bello '94 and his band entertain guests at the end of the evening.

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

39

Alumni House ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS

5

Alumni Get-Togethers

1

2 4

On April 16, over 130 alumni and Thayer friends gathered remotely for a Zoom panel with sports alums Jared Porter '99, Matt Evans '08, and Harrison Slutsky '08, and hosted by Kelley Tuthill '88. View the panel online here:

www.thayer.org//virtualevents

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Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

3

1

Brad Peterson '11 leads the charge during the inaugural Alumni Skate in February at the Valicenti Rink in the Thayer Sports Center (TSC)

2

(Front Row, L-R): Anthony Aiello '05, Joseph Rosano '06, Jon Barry '14, Tom Sullivan '02, Mike Greeley '04, Brad Peterson '11, Chris Tasiopoulos '11 (Back Row, L-R): Louie Bello '94, Raymond Shaw '83, Salvatore Tecchi '10, Kevin Colwell '03, Steven Reilly '99, Connor Fallon '11, Michael Vassalotti '79, Michael Vassalotti '11, Matt Brown '03, Mike Mottau '96

3

Family fun at the Family Skate at the TSC Kristen Aiello '08, Sienna Grace Aiello, and her father, Anthony Aiello '05

4

Participants in the 7th Annual Alumni Basketball Game back during Homecoming 2019: (L-R): Joeanna King McPherson '03, Thomas R. Kotopoulos ’15, Marvin Musiime-Kamali '22, Mike Jones ’03, Jude Z. David ’06, Billy O'Dwyer '02, Brandon Odom '04, Chris Cameron (Thayer faculty), Richard Sullivan ’05, James Kotopoulos ’18

P O S T P O N E D T O 2 0 2 1 - DAT E T B D

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

41

Alumni THAYER CLASS NOTES

Class Notes CLASS OF

In February, Thayer alums took part in an Alumni Hockey Game at the Valicenti Rink.

Here are the 11 alumnae who took part in the women's game.

FRONT ROW L-R: Mallory Collins ’10, Anna Mandell ’10, Jillian Rockoff Sykes ’99, Liza Heller ’00, Ashley Thornton ’99 BACK ROW L-R: Danielle O’Dwyer ’09, Emily Rooney ’09, Kristen Aiello ’08, Carly Alperin ’15, Meg Sandblom ’16, Tracy Alperin ’15

CLASS OF

1950 70th Saturday P Homecoming O S T P O N E D TO 2 0 2 1 | -October DAT E T17 BD

Reunion Year!

Janet Field Kyne ’50 Janet writes: “Serving on the editorial board of Reflections, our quarterly magazine, gives me great pleasure. Our Forum residents (retirement community) have traveled widely and contribute their well-written articles of unusual experiences. Occasionally I submit an article.

I continue to be very active in putting together contests, visiting patients in our Health Care Center (assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care), Bible Study, and the Welcome Committee.

Years ago I wouldn’t have believed it was possible to make so many new friends in my 80s. I feel very blessed.”

John Arapoff ’54 John writes: “I just completed a commemorative portrait of John Thomas, a trustee for the Brockton Public Library and former two-time Olympic high jump medalist. A silver medal in 1960 and a bronze medal in 1964.” (see photo, right)

1964 65th

Saturday P Homecoming O S T P O N E D TO 2 0 2 1 | -October DAT E T17 BD

Reunion Year!

Gail Barton ’55 Gail writes: “Doing Tai Chi to get back in shape, active with art for my soul, retired from medicine for blood pressure.”

CLASS OF

1962 Frank Tenore ’62 Frank writes: “So great to see everyone at the 57.5 Reunion and to speak to others on that occasion!”

1954

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

CLASS OF

1955

CLASS OF

42

ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE THAYER COMMUNITY

Arapoff ’54

Paul Yovino ’64 Paul shared, “A personal note today, January 24, 2020, on the hearing of the passing of Arthur Valicenti. In May of my Junior year at Thayer, my dad passed away rather suddenly. When I returned to school after my dad’s funeral Valicenti saw me crossing between the Main Building and Glover and he pulled me aside; put his arm around me and told me he was so sorry for my loss and he was here for me anytime I needed to talk. No other faculty member did that or even acknowledged my loss but Arthur. Just before my 50th Reunion I ran into him on campus and pulled him aside as he had done with me some 51 years before.

I apologized that it had taken all these years to thank him for his kindness; a kindness which I never forgot. I think he was probably a little embarrassed but I would bet over his years at Thayer he offered similar support and condolences to students who had lost a parent.

Thank you again, Arthur. I think I just heard a bell ring and like ‘Clarence’ another angel just got his wings. R.I.P. Arthur.”

CLASS OF

1966

1978

Deborah Caldwell McNeil ’66 Deborah writes, “I have been very busy since retiring in 2010: bridge, pickleball, traveling to Italy, India, Portugal, Spain, British Isles, Scandinavia, Argentina, Chile, China, and Tibet! Morocco is next fall. See you at our 55th, if not before.

Come Visit!”

Mike Sheehan ’78 Mike added restaurateur to his resume as he will be opening an upscale Norwell restaurant named “Cheever Tavern” later this year.

CLASS OF

1984

CLASS NOTES: 1950s-80s

CLASS OF

Sandra Bell Calhoune ’84 Read the magazine profile of Calhoune in the “Power of Words” section of the Magazine (see p. 16).

CLASS OF

1969 Robert Garber ’69 Bob enjoyed traveling to Australia in November 2018.

CLASS OF

1973 Sandra Colman ’73 Sandra’s boutique, S. Colman and Company, was voted #1 clothing store by Best of Milton 2020.

CLASS OF

1974 William Hickey ’74 William retired from Morgan Stanley in October 2018 after 40 years in the Financial Industry.

Sheehan ’78

CLASS OF

1982 Jeffrey Toussaint ’82 Jeff completed his sixteenth season as head coach of Thayer’s Varsity Football team. With six new starters on both offense and defense last fall, they won their first two games and three of their four home games as they battled through the highly competitive ISL. While they finished the season 3 - 5, through strength of schedule and performance, the Tigers finished the season ranked seventh by the Boston Herald in the sixteen-team ISL.

CLASS OF

1987 Julie Mehegan ’87 Julie shares some exciting professional news - in January she joined the WCVB team as Managing Editor of Chronicle.

She writes: “I feel so fortunate to be part of the future of a show I’ve known and loved for the better part of my entire life!”

CLASS OF

CLASS OF

1976 David Silk ’76 In February, David reunited with his teammates in Las Vegas to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their upset over the Soviet Union in men’s hockey at the 1980 Olympics.

1983 Raymond Shaw ’83 Raymond competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see photo on p. 40)

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

43

CLASS OF

CLASS OF

1991

1988 Gregory Burke ’88 Greg writes, “My wife, Carolyn from Springfield, MA, and I live in Columbus, OH. We have two daughters: Mackenzie, who is 8, and Sylar, who is 5. We also have a Golden Retriever named Teddy.”

Kelley Tuthill ’88 Kelley has joined the Board of Trustees of Catholic Charities of Boston. She also had the pleasure of interviewing former Good Morning America co-host Joan Lunden at Wellesley Books in March to discuss Lunden's recent book, Why Did I Come into This Room? Kelley also hosted “A Night of Giving” in March (see photo on p. 39) and moderated a virtual alumni event featuring Teresa Hsiao ’03 in April. (see photo on p. 13)

CLASS OF

1989 Robert McGee II ’89 P ’22, ’24 Rob’s son, Mikey ’24, joined Thayer Middle School’s 8th grade class in the fall.

CLASS OF

Matthew McDonough ’91 P ’24, ’27 Matt’s son, Jack ’27, joined Thayer’s Middle School as a 5th grader this fall.

William Stearns IV ’91 P ’23 Will’s daughter, Maddie ’23, joined Thayer’s Upper School as a freshman this fall.

CLASS OF

1992 Kelly Amonte Hiller ’92 Northwestern Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller was recently named as this year’s recipient of the Tewaaraton Legends Award, one of the highest honors in the sport of lacrosse.

This prestigious award honors athletes who played collegiate lacrosse prior to the creation of the Tewaaraton Award in 2001 but would have earned the award should it have existed during their collegiate careers. Last summer, Kelly also led the U.S. Women’s National Lacrosse U19 team to a gold medal. She has an overall record of 280 - 73 and has won 7 NCAA Championships.

CLASS OF

1994 Jared Baker ’94 Jared recently started a new position as Enterprise Sales Manager at Charles River Development, a State Street Company that provides technology systems and services to investment firms, asset owners, insurers, wealth managers, and hedge funds.

Louis Bello ’94 Louie, Boston Music Award Winner and Country R&B Recording Artist (and Alumni Board member), performed at Thayer's “A Night of Giving Auction and Soirée” for a live audience of Academy parents, alumni, faculty, and staff.

He also competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see pp. 40) Moreover, see the alumni profile of Bello as a songwriter in the “Power of Words” section of the Magazine (see pp. 20-21).

1990 30th Saturday P Homecoming O S T P O N E D TO 2 0 2 1 | -October DAT E T17 BD

Reunion Year!

Colleen Burns Hernandez ’90 P ’26 Colleen’s daughter, Emma ’26, joined Thayer Middle School’s 6th grade class in the fall.

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Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

CLASS OF

1993 Ryan Thornton ’93 Ryan has joined Cadence Capital Management LLC as their Senior Portfolio Strategist.

Joshua Sullivan ’94 Life has been busy for Josh. After founding Sullivan & Young, LLP, an insurance defense law firm in 2016, he traveled to Peru and hiked Machu Picchu and also celebrated an anniversary in Paris with his wife Caroline.

1998

1995 25th Homecoming Saturday PO S T P O N E D TO 2 0 2 1 | -October DAT E T17 BD

Reunion Year!

David Kates ’95 Read the alumni profile of David in the “Power of Words” section of the Magazine (see p. 22).

Quilninious Randall ’98 Quilninious played in the 7th annual Alumni Basketball Game at Homecoming this past September. (see photo on p.

40) CLASS OF

1999 Steven Reilly ’99 Steven competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see photo on p. 40) Jillian Rockoff Sykes ’99 Jillian participated in the inaugural Women’s Alumnae Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see photo on p. 42)

CLASS OF

1996 Michael Mottau ’96 Congratulations to Mike for establishing the Mike Mottau Defensive Skills hockey program. Mike also competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see photo on p. 40) CLASS OF

1997

Teresa Hsiao ’03 Teresa's show - co-written with Awkwafina - Awkwafina is Nora From Queens - concluded a successful debut season on Comedy Central. Read all about her in her alumni profile in the "Power of Words" section (see pp. 12-13).

CLASS NOTES: 1980s - 2000s

CLASS OF

CLASS OF

CLASS OF

2002 Thomas Sullivan ’02 Tom competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see photo on p. 40)

Brian Signorelli ’03 Brian married Leah Leavitt on August 17, 2019, at the York Golf and Tennis Club, York, ME. Josh Orleans ’03 was best man, brothers Kevin ’06 and Michael ’08 were groomsmen as well as Al Duro ’03. The couple resides in South Boston. (see photo on p. 48) Nacie Carson Pereira ’03 Nacie writes, “My husband Charles and I are over the moon to share that our daughter, Grace Elizabeth Pereira, was born on September 16! (see photo on p.

49)

CLASS OF

2003 Goldman ’03

Joanna Converse Scott ’97 Joanna is excited to begin her new position as Director of Lift Network at Family Reach, an incredible organization dedicated to supporting families affected by cancer.

Kevin Colwell ’03 Kevin competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see photo on p. 40) Leah Goldman ’03 Leah recently launched a new Boston-based business called Fika and Friends, which provides animal-assisted therapeutic coaching to individuals struggling with issues like stress, anxiety, and depression. (See photo on right)

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

45

CLASS OF

CLASS OF

2005

2004 Michael Greeley ’04 Michael competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February (see photo on p. 40).

Ryan McPherson ’04 Ryan is running his company, Glidden Point Oyster in Edgecomb, ME, and planning a Nantucket wedding with his fiance Rochelle Panichelle.

Callie Robarts ’04 Callie married Thomas Matthew O’Brien on June 29, 2019, at the Duxbury Bay Maritime School. They are living in Plymouth with their daughter, Mara.

Callie is teaching Special Education in the Rockland Public School System, and Tom works for the United Natural Food Company.

Amanda Kelly Silberman ’04 Amanda is the Director of Digital Marketing for the TJX Companies in Framingham. Fellow alum Carly DeCoste ’10 has joined her as the Email Marketing Supervisor on Amanda’s team. (see photo below) Silberman ’04

15th Saturday P Homecoming O S T P O N E D TO 2 0 2 1 | -October DAT E T17 BD

Reunion Year!

Anthony Aiello ’05 Anthony competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February (see photo on p. 40).

Steven Aveni ’05 Steve married Alexandra Felsenstein on September 14, 2019, in Dover Plains, NY (see photo on p. 48).

Gregory Collins ’05 Greg competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February (see photo on p. 40).

Sarah Niles Gadbois ’05 Sarah was appointed to Account Executive at Best Practical Solutions, LLC. BPS is a Boston-based software company that provides enterprise support, custom development, and training services for Request Tracker users large and small.

Ryan Joyce ’05 Ryan was recently promoted to Managing Director at Boston Private, a national wealth management and private banking company.

David Marr Jr. ’05 Alumni board member Dave married Tess Olson in October 2019 (see photo on p. 48) and was recently promoted to Vice President of MARR Crane & Rigging after serving 11 years as a Project Manager/ Sales Representative.

Richard Sullivan ’05 Rick played in the 7th annual Alumni Basketball Game at Homecoming this past September. (see photo on p. 40).

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Thayer Magazine Magazine /// /// Winter Winter // /Spring Spring 2020 2020 Thayer

Hannah Sussek ’05 Hannah was recently appointed as Employee Benefits Account Manager at Cross Insurance, a family-owned insurance agency with over 40 branches throughout New England.

CLASS OF

2006 Frances Ryan Courage ’06 Franci and Martin Courage welcomed Sophie Elizabeth Courage on June 3, 2019. (see photo on p. 49) Jude David ’06 Jude played in the 7th annual Alumni Basketball Game at Homecoming this past September. (see photo on p. 40).

Joseph Rosano ’06 Joe competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February (see photo on p. 40).

CLASS OF

2007 Taylor Hamilton-Trudeau ’07 Taylor will run the iconic 124th Boston Marathon to benefit the Corey C. Griffin Foundation. “For me, it is an opportunity to bring a community together and support an amazing cause. I am running on behalf of the Corey C. Griffin Foundation, an organization created to honor the life of Corey, a classmate who was just a few years ahead of me while at Thayer and tragically passed away six years ago. Today, all the funds raised go directly to helping children gain greater access to better education and healthcare resources.”

John Lerner ’07 John and his wife Meggie Hickey welcomed their precious baby, Hadley Lerner, to the world on October 7, 2019 (see photo on p. 49).

Nicholas Rugnetta ’07 As Thayer’s Girls Varsity Soccer Head Coach, Nick led the girls to the 2019 ISL Championship for the very first time in school history! Their banner was raised in Memorial Gym during the 2020 Winter Wars.

CLASS OF

2008 Kristen Aiello ’08 Kristen participated in the inaugural Women’s Alumnae Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February (see photo on p. 42).

Kenneth Carberry ’08 Alumni Board member Kenny, his wife Kate, and their daughter Keira took an incredible family trip to Disney World during Christmas break. This is a long-standing tradition the Carberry family has participated in for many years.

Kenny’s sister Erin ’12 also joined in on the fun. (see photo below) Olivia DiLorenzo ’08 Olivia married Zach Marginsky on October 5, 2019 at the Newport Beach Club, RI. Jessica Tokar ’08 was her bridesmaid.

Chelsea Rader ’07, Anna Fiotto ’07, Nick Taylor ’10, Emma Taylor ’12 were in attendance. (see photo on p. 48)

Brian Magner ’08 Brian was recently promoted to Sales Engineering Manager at iboss, a cloud security company that provides organizations and their employees secure access to the internet on any device, from any location, in the cloud.

Alannah Phelan ’08 Alannah was married to Michael DiBenedetto on October 5, 2019.

Hannah Rittershaus ’08 Hannah married Jeffrey Puopolo on August 3, 2019, at the East Chop Beach Club in Martha’s Vineyard. Michelle Daniels ’08 was a bridesmaid. Taylor MacKinnon Howell ’08 and Caroline Quincy ’08 were in attendance (see photo on p. 48).

inaugural Women’s Alumnae Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February (see photo on p. 42).

CLASS NOTES: 2000s

Nathan Richman ’07 Nate is working as a professional sports agent and recently signed a fellow Thayer alumnus Quentin Hall ’14 as a possible NFL-bound athlete.

Alyce Richardson ’09 Aly came to campus this January and spoke to Middle School students participating in the Science Cafe Program (see photo below). She discussed her background in the study of anthropology, biology, and bioarcheological and forensic anthropology, as well as her career transition into the field of radiography. Aly educated students about the valuable role of X-rays in dealing with medical issues like fractures and soft tissue problems.

She even brought the subject to life for students by challenging them to analyze real X-rays to determine what findings are normal or problematic.

Maura Carberry Stoeckle ’08 Maura and her husband, Matt, welcomed a precious baby boy, Patrick Thomas Stoeckle, to the world on February 3, 2020 (see photo on p. 49).

CLASS OF

2009 Michael Desmond ’09 Mikey and Kassey Desmond ’09 welcomed their twin boys, Ryan Patrick and Colin Michael Desmond, to the world on January 2, 2020 (see photo on p. 49).

Ibrahim Durrani ’09 Ibrahim played in the 7th annual Alumni Basketball Game at Homecoming this past September. (see photo on p. 40).

James O’Connor III ’09 In January, James was appointed Senior Consultant at EY, which provides assurance, tax, transaction, and advisory services to clients around the world.

Danielle O’Dwyer ’09 Danielle was recently promoted to Senior Manager, Footwear Development at Reebok. Danielle also participated in the

Richardson ’09

Emily Rooney ’09 Emily participated in the inaugural Women’s Alumnae Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February (see photo on p. 42).

CLASS OF

2010 10th Homecoming Saturday PO S T P O N E D TO 2 0 2 1 |-October DAT E T17 BD

Reunion Year!

Mallory Collins ’10 Mallory participated in the inaugural Women’s Alumnae Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February (see photo on p. 42).

Carberry ’08

Thayer Magazine Magazine /// /// Winter Winter // /Spring Spring 2020 2020 Thayer

47

Alumni WEDDINGS & BABIES

Thayer Weddings

1

Brian Signorelli ’03

2

1

Brian ’03 married Leah Leavitt on August 17, 2019, at the York Golf and Tennis Club, York, ME. Josh Orleans ’03 was best man, brothers Kevin ’06 and Michael ’08 were groomsmen as well as Al Duro ’03.

2

Callie ’04 married Thomas Matthew O’Brien on June 29, 2019, at the Duxbury Bay Maritime School.

3

Olivia ’08 married Zach Marginsky on October 5, 2019, at the Newport Beach Club, RI.

4

Hannah ’08 married Jeffrey Puopolo on August 3, 2019, at the East Chop Beach Club in Martha’s Vineyard.

Michelle Daniels ’08 was the bridesmand.

Taylor MacKinnon Howell ’08 and Caroline Quincy ’08 were in attendance.

Callie Robarts ’04

Newlywed?

Share the good news with your fellow Thayer alums!

Please email your highresolution photo to: magazine@thayer.org

Olivia DiLorenzo ’08

3

5

48

Hannah Rittershaus ’08

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

Thayer Babies

Welcoming the newest members of the Thayer community!

Emmy Giarrusso ’10 Read the alumni profile of Emmy - who goes by the stage name EVAN GIIA - in the "Power of Words" section. (see pp.

20-21)

Grace Elizabeth Pereira

Sophie Elizabeth Courage

BORN: September 16, 2019 Nacie (Carson) ’03 & Charles Pereira

BORN: June 3, 2019 Franci & Martin Courage ’06

Hadley Lerner

Patrick Thomas Stoeckle

BORN: October 7, 2019 John Lerner ’07 & Meggie Hickey

BORN: February 3, 2020 Maura (Carberry) ’08 & Matt Stoeckle

CLASS NOTES: WEDDINGS & BABIES & 2010s

Robert Curtis ’10 Robert was recently hired as Knowledgebase Manager at Privy, which offers software and services to businesses hoping to grow their email lists.

Anna Mandell ’10 Anna participated in the inaugural Women’s Alumnae Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February (see photo on p. 42).

Ian Noel Marcellana ’10 Ian was recently promoted to Business Intelligence Reporting Analyst at Bullhorn, a Boston-based cloud computing company that provides customer relationship management, applicant tracking system, and operations software for the staffing industry.

Salvatore Tecci ’10 Sal competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February (see photo on p. 40).

John Turgeon ’10 Jack was recently hired as Enterprise Account Executive at CircuitHub, which provides electronics manufacturing services built for makers and hardware startups.

New Parent?

Share the good news with your fellow Thayer alums!

Ryan Patrick & Colin Michael Desmond

BORN: January 2, 2020 Mikey & Kassandra ’09 Desmond

Email us your newborn’s full name and date of birth - and be sure to include a high-res (300 dpi or higher) photo to Thayer Magazine at: magazine@thayer.org

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

49

CLASS OF

2011 Sean Barbary ’11 Sean ran the 2019 Boston Marathon as a member of Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital’s Race for Rehab team. He received a tremendous amount of support in this endeavor from friends, family, and colleagues including a great deal of support from individuals that he has remained connected with over the years from both of his alma maters: Thayer Academy and Providence College. Over the course of the winter and spring, Sean raised more than $8,000 for patients of Spaulding Rehabilitation!

Abimbola Cole ’11 Alumni Board member Abimbola came to campus this past December and spoke with two groups of Middle School students. She shared valuable insights with students of color about her experiences at Thayer and beyond, and also took time to give Science Cafe Program attendees a fascinating overview of pharmacovigilance, the science of drug safety monitoring (see photo below).

Connor Fallon ’11 Connor competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see photo on p. 40) Dean Fiotto ’11 Dean is now the Law Clerk at DraftKings, the leader in daily fantasy sports.

Brennan Murray ’11 Brennan recently started a new position as Public Policy Senior Associate at VIPKid, a global education technology company that connects children with teachers for real-time online English immersion learning.

Charles Raymond ’11 Riggs was recently hired as Senior Associate at The Siegfried Group, a national accounting firm that specializes in leadership advisory and talent delivery services.

Christopher Tasiopoulos ’11 Chris competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see photo on p. 40) Michael Vassalotti III ’11 Mike competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see

Julia Budde ’12 Julia and Spencer Hilton became engaged in December.

Olivia Dilorati ’12 This February, Olivia began a new position as Development Associate at JUST Capital in New York City. JUST Capital is an independent research nonprofit that strives to build an economy that works for all Americans by helping companies improve how they serve all their stakeholders: workers, customers, communities, the environment, and shareholders.

McKenzie Hunt ’12 McKenzie served as Alumni Chair of the highly successful Fifth Annual Founders Day: A Day of Giving. An Alumni Board member, she developed and implemented a sophisticated campaign that allowed members of the Thayer community to better promote the event on their own social media channels.

Michaela Scanzillo ’12 Michaela was recently promoted to Technical Product Manager at ArtBinder, the leading digital platform for art galleries, collectors, and artists.

Emma Taylor ’12 Emma is now the Assistant Coach of the Women’s Crew team at Colby College.

photo on p. 40)

CLASS OF

2012

Cole ’11

Bridget Darling ’11 Bridget was recently promoted to Project Manager at Catamount Builders, a full-service general contractor company based in Boston.

Luke Ernst ’11 Luke recently started a new position as Customer Success Manager, Insider Threat Management at Proofpoint, which provides cybersecurity and compliance solutions for email, web, the cloud, and social media.

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Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

Lauren Baker ’12 Lauren was recently appointed as Partnerships Manager at Life is Good, a Boston-based, family-owned apparel and accessories wholesaler, retailer, and lifestyle brand.

Bryn Boucher ’12 Bryn recently started a new position as Commercial Sales Development Representative at Datadog, a monitoring and analytics platform for developers, IT operations teams, and businesses.

Angela Vassalotti ’12 Angela was recently promoted to the position of Content Management Specialist at EF Education First, an international education company that specializes in language training, educational travel, academic degree programs, and cultural exchange.

CLASS OF

2013 Molly McGlynn ’13 Molly is working at Boston City Hall as the Assistant Director of Communications for the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA).

Adam Pearson ’13 Adam is back on campus teaching Science and Robotics in Thayer’s Upper School and started this past fall semester.

Ryan Murray ’14 In January, Ryan began a new position as an Investment Banking Analyst at Bowen Advisors, an advisory firm dedicated to serving the corporate finance needs of technology companies.

CLASS OF

CLASS OF

2015

2016 5th

CLASS OF

PHomecoming O S T P O N E D Saturday TO 2 0 2 1| October - DAT E T17 BD

Reunion Year!

2014 Jonathan Barry ’14 Jon was recently promoted to the position of Account Development Representative at Zerto. This Boston-based computer software company provides customers with disaster recovery, backup, and cloud mobility converged into a single, simple, scalable IT resilience platform. Jon also competed in the inaugural Men’s Alumni Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see photo on p. 40) Rosie Darling ’14 Read the magazine profile of Darling as a songwriter in the “Power of Words” section of the Magazine (see pp. 20-21).

Dillon Ratti ’15 In February, Dillion started a new position as a Business Development Representative at SmartSense by Digi. This Boston-based software company is a global leader in designing highly-scalable IoT solutions for food and pharmacy safety, facility monitoring, and supply chain visibility.

CLASS NOTES: 2010s

Chandler Nemetz ’13 In January, Chandler was promoted to the position of Product Manager at BLACE, a New York City-based events services company that serves as an online marketplace where corporations and brands can connect to undiscovered spaces for events.

Carly Alperin ’15 Carly participated in the first annual Women’s Alumnae Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see photo on p. 42) Tracy Alperin ’15 Tracy participated in the first annual Women’s Alumnae Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see photo on p. 42) Joseph DiVico ’15 Joe was recently promoted to the position of Public Sector Account Manager at Granite Telecommunications, which provides phone line, broadband managed services, network integration, and security solutions to businesses in the United States and Canada.

Thomas Kotopoulos ’15 Thomas played in the 7th annual Alumni Basketball Game at Homecoming this past September. (see photo on p. 40)

Robert Carmody Jr. ’16 Robert was named Captain for the 2020 season of the Hartford Hawks baseball team.

He will be the only captain and according to his coach “the first ever to be named unanimously.”

Liam Cronan ’16 After graduating from Tufts University, Phi Beta Kappa with highest honors, Liam will be matriculating to Boston University School of Law in the fall, pursuing both a JD and an MA in History. He notes, "It is thanks in part to Pam Sheiber P '13 '16 and my time with the Mock Trial team that five years later, I’ll be attending law school."

Colby Hoffman ’16 Colby was recently appointed to Admissions Senior Fellow at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. Meg Sandblom ’16 Meg participated in the inaugural Women’s Alumnae Hockey Game at The Arthur T. Valicenti Rink this past February. (see photo on p. 42)

CLASS OF

Quentin Hall ’14 Quentin finished his senior year of football at Assumption College this year, earning Northeast-10 Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Margaret Nolen ’15 Meg started a new position as Investment Analyst at Cambridge Associates, a global investment firm serving endowments and foundations, pensions, healthcare systems, and private clients.

2017 Katherine Meehan ’17 Katy earned the first New England Women’s Hockey Alliance Player of the Week honor for the 2019-2020 season at Saint Anselm College after their opening weekend 2-0 win against Post University.

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51

CLASS OF

CLASS OF

2019

2018 Jake Comeau ’18 Jake played Bobby in A Chorus Line at the Greenwood Theatre in London this past January.

Cassidy Kearney ’18 Last October as a junior, Cassie continued a very strong cross country career at Middlebury College, earning athlete of the week after coming in 14th overall out of 370 at the Paul Short Invitational in Pennsylvania. When she was a freshman, Cassie earned All-American honors. According to her October 9, 2019, Boston Globe interview, Cassie is majoring in psychology and planning on minoring in Global Health and Spanish.

James Kotopoulos ’18 James played in the 7th annual Alumni Basketball Game at Homecoming this past September.

Aidan McDonough ’18 This February, Aidan, a freshman forward on Northeastern’s men’s hockey team, helped his team clinch a three-peat Beanpot Championship win in double overtime at the TD Garden. Down 2-0 at intermission, an assist by Aidan helped spark a heroic Husky come-from-behind win in this annual tournament featuring Boston’s top college programs. Earlier in the season, he was recognized as Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week and NCAA Second Star of the Week.

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Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

Donovan Mannion ’19 Dunny and the West Point Sprint Football team won the CSFL championship.

They finished the season with an overall record of 7-1 and beat Navy 13 - 0 in the Championship game in November. (see photo below)

Attention Alums!

Know fellow Thayer alumni who are doing something interesting or amazing? Do you Mannion ’11

know of someone who continues to live out our motto by inspiring others

Brittany Raphino ’19 Brittany earned Ivy League Rookie of the Week at Brown University following her soccer team's 2-0 win over Columbia.

She later earned the Ivy League 2019 Rookie of the Year with a team-best 19 points for her Ivy League championship team.

to excellence or by their many contributions to the common good?

Let us know so that we can feature them in these pages!

✉

CONTACT US! magazine@thayer.org

CHARLES CASTLEMAN ’57

VIOLINIST GIVES STOCK IN GRATITUDE FOR THAYER EXPERIENCE

By Anton Wishik (staff writer for Pentera)

Charles Castleman ’57 was already a celebrated musician with a busy travel schedule when he started at Thayer Academy...in the third grade...at age six.

In gratitude for the education that prepared him for admission to Harvard, the scholarship support he received at the Academy, and the scheduling flexibility he was allowed here, the world-renowned violinist known to Thayer as “Charlie” is making a substantial bequest funded by Amazon and Facebook stock. “ I really gained a whole lifetime from Thayer; almost everything that I accomplished hinged on Thayer’s flexibility,” says Charlie, who still solos with symphonies around the world while serving as professor of violin at the University of Miami. “ In addition, I needed scholarship help all the way through, and Thayer was very generous.”

Charlie chose to fund his gift with appreciated stock because he is spared the capital-gains tax he would have had to pay if he’d sold it and because he believes that Amazon and Facebook stock are likely to appreciate a lot more during his lifetime. “ I feel pretty secure that however long from now the bequest ends up happening, this stock will not have lost its value,” he says.

The unrestricted gift - which means Thayer can use it for any purpose - qualifies Charlie as a member of the Southworth Society for those who make planned gifts to Thayer. Charlie gives annually as well.

Charlie’s parents discovered Thayer while looking for a school for the prodigy, who began reading at 2 and playing violin and piano at 4 while being mentored by Arthur Fiedler of the Boston Pops - with whom Charlie performed during his first year at Thayer.

Charlie spent two years at Harvard before attending the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia for two years. Charlie then returned to the Ivy League school to complete his degree - the first time he was with students his own age.

“ Everybody agreed that at age 6 I should be in third grade, but the public school system did not know what to do with me,” Charlie relates. “At the time, Thayer had 2nd and 3rd grade in the same room, and that was ideal for someone who needed to be doing third-grade work but was only 6 years old.”

He earned a master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania and taught at the prestigious Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester for 40 years. Charlie then “retired” to his professorship at the University of Miami and his touring schedule.

As advanced as Charlie was, he benefited socially as well as academically from the Thayer experience. “ I’m an only child, and the social interaction I got at Thayer was very important to me,” he says. “I was younger than all the people in my class, but we are lifelong friends.”

Thayer became the only school Charlie attended until he went off to college at Harvard. He missed a lot of class time because of his touring schedule but was still an excellent student. All the while he was performing around the world, both serious classical music and as a guest on TV shows with the likes of Jackie Gleason, Lawrence Welk, and Frank Sinatra. “ My being able to do all this and balance everything was because Thayer figured out when to be flexible and when they didn’t have to be,” Charlie says again. “And the whole Thayer experience was exhilarating intellectually. All of the teachers were quite remarkable, preparing me very well for Harvard.”

Charlie returns to Thayer for reunions every five years. In 1997 Thayer honored him with its Alumni Achievement Award, and the school also established the Charles Castleman Music Library within the school library. In 2008 he performed at the official opening of the Center for the Arts. “ I very much like what Thayer stands for, and opening the Center for the Arts is an example of that,” Charlie says. “In this world, things are mostly going the other direction: people are less interested in the arts, and orchestras are fighting to survive. But Thayer has expanded its arts programs and is constantly reinventing itself. That is worthy of our support. I want to help other students go there.”

Read more about Charles Castleman ’57 at

www.thayer.giftplans.org/Castleman

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

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In Memoriam

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Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

R E M E M B E R I N G A L E G E N D : A R T H U R T. V A L I C E N T I 1 9 3 2 - 2 0 2 0

by Craig Salters ’86

Arthur Valicenti Jr. ’51 P ’75, ’75, ’77 GP ’10, ’14 was not a man suited for the sidelines of life.

As a husband, father, grandfather, educator, coach, and mentor, he displayed a passion for the people he cared about and an intensity for the causes he believed in. In his 33 years at Thayer, Coach Valicenti founded the school’s iconic hockey program, spearheaded Thayer’s admittance into the prestigious ISL, and coached the Academy’s famed “Un-Un-Un” football team of 1964.

But far more than any one accomplishment, he expressed — in no uncertain terms — a belief that his players mattered to him and were, whatever their starting points, capable of more. It is this passion that helped shape the lives of generations of Thayer students for the better.

“Coach Valicenti was among the most influential figures in our school’s long history,” wrote Head of School Ted Koskores ’70 P ’10, ’13 in a Jan. 24 letter to the Thayer community mourning the loss of his former coach. The Academy held a celebration of Valicenti’s life Feb. 9 on campus.

A Weymouth native, Valicenti died January 23 at age 87. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Vi (Robohm) Valicenti ’51 P ’75, ’75, ’77 GP 10, ’14; his son Ron Valicenti ’75 P ’10, ’14 and wife Janet Valicenti P ’10, ’14; his daughter Sherry Valicenti Banks ’75 and husband David Banks; his son Dale Valicenti ’77 and partner Marie Shadduck; and six grandchildren.

Valicenti graduated Weymouth High School in 1950 before taking a postgraduate year at Thayer, thus becoming a member of its Class of 1951. He then attended the University of New Hampshire, graduating in 1955. The athletic excellence displayed during high school followed him to UNH, where he earned varsity letters in football, hockey, and baseball and received the school’s Outstanding Athlete trophy his senior year.

After service in the U.S. Air Force, in 1958 Valicenti returned to Thayer as a science teacher. That same year he founded the boys hockey program and served as its head

coach while also serving as assistant coach for the football and baseball teams. In 1959 he became head coach of those two sports as well. In 1962 Valicenti became the school’s athletic director, a post he would hold for decades.

In February of 1991, shortly after his official retirement, Coach Valicenti became the sole charter member of Thayer’s new Sports Hall of Fame.

In the fall of 2019, Coach Valicenti realized a lifelong dream when he witnessed the dedication of the Arthur Valicenti Rink at Thayer Sports Center.

“Gratitude is a memory of the heart,” Valicenti told the crowd that night.

There that night was Van Whisnand ’62, a captain of one of Valicenti’s early hockey teams, whose $500,000 challenge grant spearheaded both construction of the sports center and the naming of the rink for Valicenti.

“All of this traces itself back to Arthur Valicenti,” said Whisnand. “For me, the naming is perfectly appropriate.”

Valicenti’s coaching accomplishments are numerous. He is a member of both the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame and the Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Under his leadership, Thayer boys varsity hockey won back-to-back New England Prep Hockey championships in 1986 and 1987.

Each year, both the boys and girls varsity hockey teams compete against their independent school rivals in the Valicenti Cup, which this season was held in the Valicenti Rink for the first time.

Those wishing to honor Coach Valicenti can donate to the Arthur T. Valicenti ’51 Fund (thayer.org/give). The fund provides financial assistance to a Thayer student who demonstrates a commitment to academics, athletics, and sportsmanship.

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

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In Memoriam

1941

Former Faculty Vinson W. Bronson

Vinson, husband of the late Margarete (Friedrich) Bronson, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 30, 2019. In 1951, he received his bachelor’s degree in Physics and Mathematics from Ripon College where he was a varsity wrestler. He was a 1953 graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and served as a combat engineer in Korea. He attended the Harvard Law School for two years where he discovered that his true calling was teaching. He was awarded a Master of Education Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1965. He taught at Thayer Academy in Braintree for three years. He taught Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics at Newton South High School for 37 years. He also served as an instructor for electronics courses at Bunker Hill Community College and the Wentworth Institute of Technology. He excelled in mentoring intern teachers and was particularly proud of his students who went on to successful teaching careers. He was a member of the ACS’ Aula Laudis Honor Society - the “Hall of Fame” for high school chemistry teachers selected by their peers in recognition of their excellence in the teaching of chemistry at the secondary level and for their contributions to chemistry education. He was the recipient of the Association of Physics Teachers “Excellence in Teaching” Award.

He was dedicated to the development of science curricula that made connections between theory and real-world applications. Vin was both a lifelong teacher and

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a lifelong learner. After retiring in 1999, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy at Stonehill College. He was a passionate and devoted student of process theology and relished the discussions and debates at the Linden Ponds Retirement Community. He served as a senior warden at Trinity Episcopal Church and later found a spiritual home at the Second Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Hingham. At Linden Ponds, he was active in the Science and Religion Discussion Group, Linden Ponds Players, and the Readers Theater. As recently as 2016 he tutored a high school student in calculus. He enjoyed reading and practicing yoga and qigong. He delighted in watching his granddaughter play basketball and listening to his younger daughter read aloud. He routinely bested his older daughter in bowling and cribbage all the while patiently providing her pointers for improvement. He missed his calling as a short-order cook, regularly producing amazing blueberry pancakes and perfect soft-boiled eggs for his daughters. He is survived by his two children Vanessa and Lisa; his granddaughter Kimberly; his nieces Rita, Linda, Beth, Gay, and Marrisa; his nephews Tim and Ken; and many cousins.

Ruth Nutting Dobbie ’41

Ruth, age 96, of Quincy passed away peacefully on January 20, 2020. She was born and raised in Quincy.

She was a graduate of Thayer Academy and went on to graduate from Boston University for her Masters. While at Thayer, Ruth participated in G.A.A. Board, which planned a number of events throughout the years; glee club; the dramatics committee; and the riding club. She was the Executive Director of the Quincy VNA for 35 years. Ruth was a member of many organizations, including the Eastern Star, and was on the board of directors for Eventide Nursing Home.

She was also a devoted member of Christ Church in Quincy. After retiring, she was a volunteer with her husband for Beechwood on the Bay and enjoyed reading her newspaper, gardening, and spending time with her family in good old Rocky Nook.

Loving wife of the late John M. Dobbie and mother of Sheryl L. Murphy (Dobbie). She was Nana to her grandchildren: Heather and David MacWhinnie, Douglas and Ruby Murphy, Victoria and Donnie Doroni, and Renee and Jacob Couture; as well as four great-grandchildren Cody, Matthew, Isabelle, and Jackson.

Frances, age 95, of Dedham, formerly of Sharon and Randolph, entered into rest Thursday, August 22, 2019. Predeceased by her husband Philip Silverstein. Loving mother of Steven and Susan Silverstein, Barry Silverstein and Maria O’Reilly, and Ann and Owen Breitner.

Adored grandmother of Laura Cooper, Dana and Howard Bloom, Jill, Matthew and Nikki Breitner, and great-grandmother of Tayler, Madison, and Micah. Loving sister of Marilyn and the late Harold Mallock, and the special aunt of Jerold Tilden, Mark and Susan Tilden, James, Arthur and Robert Mallock and their families. Fran and her daughter, Ann, had a unique and special bond that was unparalleled. Fran was a proud graduate of Thayer Academy and Brown University. During her time at Thayer, Frances dedicated much of her time to academics and extracurricular activities. She was a member of Theta Alpha, glee club, the dramatics committee, and scribblers’ club. She also made honor roll her last two years of high school. A beautiful and elegant woman, she was always impeccably dressed and a shining light at her residence. She delighted in people’s comments: “You’re 95? Impossible!” She was a fabulous cook, accomplished knitter and turned out delicious Jewish feasts and beautiful sweaters. She was the consummate matriarch for all her families - her own, the Tildens, the Silversteins, and the Mallocks. She is also survived by her dear friend, Nellie Moore. She was a long-term resident of Hebrew SeniorLife at Roslindale and NewBridge on the Charles at Dedham. At her 90th birthday, she became a Bat Mitzvah, with an audience of 100 people.

Ann Walsh Hinman ’41

Ann, 96, passed away at her home in Plymouth, NH on August 6, 2019. Ann was born on Feb. 8, 1923, in Providence, RI to Wilbur R. Walsh and Rachel Hughes Walsh. She was predeceased by her husband of 48 years, Clarence A. Haskell of Center Harbor, NH; her second husband of five years, George W. (Bill) Hinman of Durham, NH; and a son, Leighton S. Haskell of Belmont, NH. Ann grew up in the Merrymount area of Quincy, and graduated from Thayer Academy in 1941. While at Thayer, Ann participated in Theta Alpha and the

glee club. She attended Tufts University for two years before entering the Massachusetts General School of Nursing, graduating in 1947, and after receiving a Master’s degree in Health Education from Boston University in 1969. Ann was an instructor in Nursing at North Shore Children’s Hospital School of Nursing in Salem, MA, and served as the Community Health Educator for the Merrimack Valley Regional Family Planning Program of Lowell. After moving to Meredith, NH, Ann was associated for 25 years with Hospice of the Lakes Region Community Health Agency and served in many capacities, including patient care volunteer, volunteer coordinator, and community educator. Ann was a contributor to Hospice public relations through speaking engagements and newspaper articles and parades. In 1993, Ann was honored with the Volunteer of the Year award from the New Hampshire Governor’s Office on Volunteerism. Ann is survived by her son, Philip Haskell; daughter-in-law Terri Johnson of Holderness, NH; daughter Trish Driscoll of Sandwich, NH; grandchildren Tyler Driscoll and his wife Alice Field of Center Harbor, NH; Ann Galindo and husband Isaac of Lakeland, FL, and Kevin Driscoll of New Hampton, NH; great grandchildren Lucia, James, and Logan; and nieces and nephews.

Robert J. Whittier ’41

Bob, 97, formerly of Kingston and Duxbury, passed away peacefully and surrounded by family at his son’s home in St. Louis, MO, on December 24, 2019. Born in Norwood in 1922, he was the son of Hulda Jerden Whittier and Alfred Lester Whittier. Bob was predeceased in 2006 by his wife Helen Nason Whittier. Raised in Norwood, Brockton, Whitman, and Boston, Bob lost his hearing to illness at the age of 7, and subsequently attended the Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Thayer Academy. A 1941 graduate of Thayer, Bob enjoyed spending his time with his teammates on the varsity football team and other members of the rifle club. After Thayer, he later attended Parks Air College in East St. Louis, IL. A resident of Avon from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s, Bob began his career as an aviation mechanic, but his keen mechanical sense and skill with language led him to begin contributing articles to popular magazines of the day such as Air Facts, Skyways, FLYING, Air Progress, Rudder, Salt Water Sportsman, and Sport Aviation. As EAA #1235, he was an early member of the Experimental

Aircraft Association (EAA), now a worldwide organization of more than 200,000 recreational aviation enthusiasts. In 1956, he and his family moved to Osterville, where Bob developed his writing career and pursued his aviation passions, restoring and flying a 1935 E-2 Taylor Cub. A move to Duxbury followed in 1963, where Bob designed and produced the noted Seamaster motorboat. He resided in Duxbury until his relocation to Kingston in 2004.

The author of more than 2,500 articles and 10 books on a wide range of topics, Bob’s writing career spanned seven decades. In 1980, he received the Raytheon Company’s prestigious Captain Fred E. Lawton Boating Safety Award for his contributions to boating safety through the media. In 2003, FLYING magazine honored him with the “Bax Seat Trophy,” an award presented annually to an aviation writer who has notably contributed to aviation literature. In 2004, he was inducted into the EAA’s Homebuilders’ Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to the world of aviation. A lifetime member of the Camp Squanto Alumni Association, Bob was a devoted camper, staff member, and volunteer from 1934 until his death.

In 2012, he created a fund to honor excellence in teaching, and a scholarship in his name is presented annually to an emerging leader at Camp Squanto. Also in 2012, the Old Colony Council of the Boy Scouts of America inducted him into the Order of the Arrow and awarded him the Vigil Honor for his “exceptional service, personal commitment, and unselfish interest in the welfare of others.”

Known to his many friends, colleagues, and neighbors as fun-loving, brilliant, and insatiably curious, Bob always had a smile and a joke to offer, an insight to share, and a treat in his pocket or a friendly greeting for any dog or cat lucky enough to cross his path. He will be missed by many. Bob is survived by his three children and their partners, Jenney Whittier and Charles Clark of Portland, OR, John Whittier and Brenda Otterson of St. Louis, MO, and James and AnaMaria Whittier of Sunapee, NH. Bob was the loving grandfather of Adam, Christopher, Emily, Lauren, and Michael Whittier. He also leaves numerous nieces and nephews in Massachusetts and California.

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

IN MEMORIAM: 1940s

Frances Kotock Silverstein ’41

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IN MEMORIAM: 1940s

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1944 Patricia Dugan Hines ’44

Patricia, age 93, born February 22, 1926, in Milton, passed away peacefully in Deerfield Beach, FL, on January 25, 2020. Devoted wife of Robert E. Hines (deceased), beloved mother of Nancy Hines (Cleo Coy, deceased), Jack Hines (Marcy Fenton Hines), Kate Hines (Christopher Hearn), and Robert Hines Jr. (Anne Matthews).

Cherished grandmother of Andy Hines (Keegan Cook Finberg) and Henry Hines.

Loving great-grandmother of Zev Wilton Finberg-Hines. Dear sister of Owen Dugan and Sheila Block. Adored aunt to many and friend to all. Patricia was part of a large Irish Catholic family with historic roots in New England. She graduated from Thayer Academy in 1944 and was extremely involved during her years on campus. She was the class vice president during her sophomore year and class secretary her junior year as well as a member of Theta Alpha, yearbook club, glee club, dance committee, art club, current events, first aid, bowling, G.A.A. Board, archery, soccer, and golf. Patricia also graduated from Trinity College in Washington, DC. She loved raising her family and made sure they were comfortable and accepted as the family moved from Boston to Chicago, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and back to Boston in just a few short years. She was an avid golfer and reader. She loved following the Boston Red Sox and Miami Marlins. She enjoyed college and NFL football. She was an expert knitter who made countless blankets, scarves, and selflessly crafted caps for the homeless and newborns. Patricia and Bob retired to Deerfield Beach, FL, over 30 years ago where they settled in the same condo complex with her mother Mae Dugan. She was a devoted caregiver to her husband and mother. She spent countless hours on her balcony enjoying the beautiful view, watching the boats, and reading books and magazines. Patricia adored her friends and community at Penthouse North and lived a blessed, content life.

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

Barbara Fowler McCumber ’44

Barbara, of Dallas, TX, died May 1, 2019. She was born August 2, 1926, in East Bridgewater to Charles Fowler and Elizabeth (Dunbar) Fowler. She married Leonard Dixon McCumber on March 2, 1946 in Braintree.

They lived in various locations in New England plus Naperville, IL, and Princeton Junction, NJ, prior to moving to Dallas, TX, in 1981. She is survived by her husband of 73 loving years, Leonard Dixon McCumber; her three children, Leonard Dixon McCumber Jr., Barbara Lee McCumber, and David John McCumber; her four grandchildren, Stacey Hammack, Michael McCumber, Murae McCumber, and Ryan McCumber; her two great-grandchildren, Jackson Hammack and Austin Hammack. She is also survived by her two daughters-in-laws, Ruth McCumber and Kelli McCumber; and her grandson-inlaw, Scott Hammack. Barbara was a graduate of Thayer Academy’s Class of 1944. She was very involved while a student. She was her class secretary during her senior year and the Theta Alpha secretary as well as a member of the student council, glee club, and dramatics committee. She was also a three-sport athlete, having played tennis, hockey, and basketball. Along with being a wonderful wife, mother, and friend, she was a block chairperson for the Spring Creek Civic Organization, treasurer of the Spring Creek Garden Club, and an avid bridge player. Barbara McCumber will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

1945 Robert Wade ’45

Bob passed away March 6, 2019, at the age of 91. Born in Portland, ME, Bob grew up in Braintree and graduated from Thayer in 1945.

He was the class president for three years while also participating in many clubs such as yearbook, student council, dramatics, and chemistry. He was also a two-sport athlete, playing baseball and football all four years of high school.

Bob followed generations of his family to Bates College, graduating in 1950. He served in both the Navy at the tail-end of WWII and in the Air Force during the Korean War. Bob had a long, successful

career in asset management. He served as Director of Research at Drexel Burnham Lambert; as the Chief Investment Officer of Crocker Bank and of Bank of America in San Francisco, and of Citicorp in New York. He eventually led the spin-out of Citicorp’s asset management business and was the Chairman and CEO of Chancellor Capital Management until his retirement in 1995. Bob was interested in the world.

He was a prolific reader -- of daily news, current events, history, fiction, biography, finance, etc. He traveled the world both for business and with his wife Shirley. He was dedicated to community service in both Darien CT, where he lived for 20 years, and in Bonita Springs, FL, in his retirement where he was on the steering committee for the United Way of Bonita Bay. Bob served on the Board of Trustees of Bates College for 23 years and was on the Board of New State Teachers Retirement System (NYSTRS) Investment Advisory Committee for 20 years until 2016. Those fortunate enough to know him always mention his incredible intellect and his gentle kindness. Bob is survived by his wife Shirley. He is also survived by his brother Chuck ’49; his son Rob Wade and his daughters Deborah Wade Matheson and Anne Wade; and his grandchildren Lauren Wade, and Sarah & Jack Hagan.

1947 Carol Brown Basler ’47

Carol, age 90, of Venice, FL, passed away after a brief illness on November 21, 2019, surrounded by family. She was the beloved wife of James Basler for 67 years. Carol was born in Braintree and was a graduate of Thayer Academy’s Class of 1947. Throughout her four years on campus, she was involved in many clubs and athletic teams.

Theta Alpha, glee, dramatics, art, science, G.A.A., and current event clubs are where she spent her time after class. She was also on the archery, badminton, fencing, basketball, field hockey, softball, and tennis teams. Carol also attended Mount Ida Junior College. She was an avid athlete throughout her life, excelling on the tennis court, where she won many tournaments in both singles and doubles, achieving a top ranking in the New England Lawn Tennis Association. While raising four children, Carol was also very involved in volunteer work, devoting her time to

Edward B. Furber ’47

Edward, of Southport, ME, passed away October 16, 2019, at the age of 90, surrounded by Elizabeth, his wife of 60 years, and his sons Bill, Tom, and Win, who loved him dearly and always will. Ed gave people the benefit of his full attention. He looked for the good in everyone and was rarely disappointed.

He loved to putter in his barn workshop.

He loved to sail and piloted a succession of powerboats named Lucky Penny on trips with Liz and family and friends. Most of all, he drew far more enjoyment from giving than receiving, and the most constant joy of his life was watching others grow and helping where he could. Ed was the middle son of Alan and Edith Furber and grew up in Milton. After graduating from Thayer, he attended Middlebury College, the US Army’s Officer Candidate School, and received a certificate in management from Harvard Business School. He was president of each of his senior classes while also participating in student council, Hi-Y, and glee club. He was also an athlete, participating in football, basketball, and track. He believed in civic duty, and a local municipal or charitable role brought him home late at least once per week everywhere he lived. At 40 he changed careers, moved back to New England, and became head of marketing and investor relations at two regional commercial banks. He was senior in national professional associations and retired at 61 to Southport. Ed often said that every day of his retirement was so wonderful that each one was “like finding it in the street.” Ed is also survived by Tom’s and Bill’s wives Laura and Liz and Win’s former wife Cordelia Pitman and

his grandchildren, Aly, Clementine, Jack, Jillian, Kate, Miles, and Stassy, all of whom he loved greatly, as they love him. Ed was predeceased by his older brother, Alan ’44, of Richardson, TX; and his younger brother, Link ’49, also of Southport; and is survived by Al’s wife Alice and children Tory and Paul and their families, and Link’s former wife Eloise and children Edith Zhang and Sarah McGovern and their families.

Joanna L. Gibson ’47

Joanna, age 90, of Stoughton, passed away peacefully at home on March 3, 2020.

Daughter of the late Lincoln D. and Eugenia L.M. (Schwender) Gibson, she is survived by many family members and dear friends.

She lived her entire life in Stoughton and is the former owner of what is now Glen Echo Lake Conservation Area. Joanna was a patron of the Museum of Fine Arts and Peabody Essex Museum. While at Thayer she was recognized by her classmates as, “Stoughton’s contribution to T.A.” Beyond academics, Joanna participated in Theta Alpha, art, archery, tennis, and honor roll.

She had many favorite charities including the Audubon Society and the spaying and neutering of feral cats. She was an experienced and knowledgeable world traveler, having visited every continent and many countries.

1948 John F. Redding ’48

John, 90, of Framingham, formerly of Naples, FL, passed away peacefully the morning of January 1, 2020.

John was born in Watertown, NY, on August 1, 1929, the son of the late Carl Flint Redding and the late Edith Rebecca (Hennesey) Redding. He was the husband of the late Patricia (Zile) Redding, the late Frances (Wozniak) Redding, and Anne (Clark) Redding. John grew up in Wollaston and graduated from Thayer Academy in 1948. His classmates noted that he was witty and easy-going. While in high school, John was involved in numerous activities: yearbook, dramatics and dance committee, and the ski trip. He was also an athlete for four years, playing football, basketball, track and baseball. After Thayer, John went on to Marietta College

in Ohio. John attended Camp O-AT-KA, a boys summer camp in Sebago, ME, from 1938 through 1950 as a camper and staff member. The years spent and experiences gained at O-AT-KA were a major influence in his life, which fostered an enduring passion of commitment and support to the camp’s mission and legacy. He served on the Board of Directors and remained active as a Corporation member since 1962. John was a significant contributor to the enhancement of many aspects of the camp’s infrastructure, as well as an active consultant on matters relating to food service. The anticipation of his pointed questions (you knew they were coming) was a tradition at the annual July meetings.

His lifetime of involvement as a “Hero” of O-AT-KA was recognized in 2016. John was proud to serve his country. He joined the Air Force in 1950 and was stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas before transferring to the Army in 1951, completing Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA, as a Second Lieutenant. He received an honorable discharge in 1953.

John’s career in the food service industry spanned over 65 years. After separation from the Army, he teamed with his father in a sales role for the Norris Milk Dispenser Company, subsequently transitioning to Sales Manager for both the Oxford Pickle division of the Cain Company and Tree Pickle in Buffalo. He worked for the Knott-Sheehan Company as the firm’s first Sales Manager in their initial foray into the food service business. He founded Food Service Sales in 1977 and in 1979 served as President of the Frozen Foods Association of New England. John merged Food Service Sales with the Food Enterprises division of Merkert Enterprises in 1995 to form one of the largest food brokers in the Northeast. He retired to Florida in 1997, selling his stake in the business to Merkert Enterprises, and remained active post-retirement as a valued sales consultant to Westminster Cracker. John made many enduring friendships during his career and was highly respected for his industry knowledge, devoted professionalism, sales acumen, and unwavering willingness to mentor. Retirement to Florida allowed John time to pursue his passion for golf unencumbered. Though based in Naples, he traveled widely to enjoy many premier courses throughout the U.S. as well as Ireland. He played a round with family on his 90th birthday and always looked forward to traditional annual outings in Vermont with his friends and business associates to play Green Mountain and Okemo - two favorites. John was a man of great intellectual curiosity, a voracious reader and avid

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

IN MEMORIAM: 1940s

many charitable organizations and serving as President of the Hingham Mothers Club. Known for her love of singing and dancing, she and her husband James were founding members of the Hingham Cabaret. In her retirement, Carol was known for her excellent putting on the golf course and loved performing with the Missionaries’ Chorus of Mission Valley Country Club. Right up to within weeks of her passing, Carol and Jim spent many happy hours ballroom dancing at the Senior Friendship Center of Venice, FL. Carol is survived by her husband James; children, Jim Basler, Valerie Jameson, Robert Basler, and wife Beth Basler; grandchildren, John, Liza Ann, and Nathaniel Basler; great-grandson, Devon Basler. She was preceded in death by her daughter Cynthia Basler ’83.

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book collector with a wide appreciation for all genres, but with a special affinity for history. Quick-witted and an amazing raconteur with an all-encompassing sense of humor, he loved a robust conversation and a good meal (especially Italian). He was a learned counsel and a loyal friend.

He will be greatly missed. John is survived by his son Jeffrey Redding and his wife, Judy Redding, of Marlborough; his granddaughter Marissa Redding of Salem, and grandson Tyler Redding of Milton, to both of whom he was an immensely proud and ever-supportive Papa, something that he was all too willing to share with friends and strangers alike.

1949 Paul M. Murphy ’49

Paul, age 87, of Hingham and Osterville, died peacefully after a long illness on January 22, 2020, surrounded by his loving family. Born and raised in Brockton, he was the son of the late Judge Maurice J. Murphy and the late Edith (Saxton). His siblings, Denise Claire Stone and John Saxton Murphy, predeceased him. After attending St. Patrick’s School, he graduated from Thayer in 1949 where his performance as Professor Willard in the school production of “Our Town” is still legendary. “His wonderful humor and shy friendliness have made him a member of the class whom we’ll never forget,” said his Thayer classmates. Beyond his role in theater, Paul excelled at football, baseball, and basketball. He then went on to graduate from Williams College in 1954, an English major, a crafty southpaw on the baseball team, and a member of the Sigma Phi Fraternity. He served in the US Air Force as a Second Lieutenant, piloting one of the Air Force’s first jet-powered combat aircraft, the P-80 “Shooting Star.”

After teaching at the Eaglebrook School, he attended Boston University Law School, attaining his Juris Doctor in 1959.

He joined his father in private practice, representing a broad and eclectic group of clients. Seeking to serve his community, he was elected a State Representative in the Massachusetts Legislature where he served the people of Brockton for 14 years, including time as Assistant Majority Leader.

Throughout his public service, he championed progressive causes, social justice legislation to support working people, equity and fairness for all, and city improvements.

He followed his father to the bench when

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he was appointed by President George H. W. Bush as an Administrative Law Judge in the Social Security Administration. He served 25 years, retiring at the age of 80.

Meeting Paul was unforgettable; his ready wit, incisive intellect, and great storytelling was only a small part of his charm. A sailor for over 80 years, he loved spending time on, near, or in the ocean. Over the years, you may have found him sailing — along with friends, children, or grandchildren — the waters of Onset Bay, Butler’s Cove, or the five bays surrounding Osterville. At different times his fleet included skiffs, catboats, sloops, and, most proudly, his vintage Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 15, Vim. He had great humility and optimism; when he captained the winner of the Figawi, an annual sailing regatta from Hyannis to Nantucket, the only person surprised was himself. A true gentleman, his compassion, optimism, sense of humor, and kindness have inspired many and will leave a great hole with his passing. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 56 years Marcia (McGahan) and four children: Sarah Brown Murphy of Cotuit, Charles and his wife Sarah (Geary) Murphy of Hingham, Emily (Murphy) Doyle and her husband Kevin Doyle of Santa Monica, CA, and Andrew and his wife Karen (Feury) Murphy of Rutherford, NJ; nine grandchildren: Caitlin, Sean and Elizabeth Murphy; Grace, John, and Claire Doyle; and Erin, Maeve, and Matthew Murphy.

1950 Priscilla Burnham MacCallum ’50

Priscilla, age 87, a longtime resident of Duxbury, died peacefully on February 13. Born December 13, 1932, she was the daughter of Charles Kenneth Burnham and Ethel Pratt Burnham of Connecticut and Duxbury. She was the wife of the late Robert G. MacCallum for 52 years.

Mother of David MacCallum and his wife Katherine of Pembroke, Kimberly Chase and her husband Todd of Oregon, Gail MacCallum and her wife Cheryl Maloof of Boston, Jonathan MacCallum and his wife Ashley of Duxbury. Grandmother of Robert, Douglas, Trevor, Heather, Heath, Charlotte, Patrick, Paul, and Michael.

Sister to the late Nancy Teravainen, Susan Burnham of Massachusetts, and Kenneth Burnham of Maine. Priscilla attended Thayer Academy and graduated in 1950.

She was involved in many extracurricular activities such as play committee, G.A.A., chapel choir, and glee club. She also enjoyed playing field hockey, softball, and badminton. She then went on to college at The University of New Hampshire and Fisher Junior College. She worked as a secretary for the superintendent of the Duxbury Public Schools for over 15 years.

Priscilla and her family were longtime members of the Duxbury Yacht Club. She loved to play golf and played in many golf leagues. You could always find her spending time walking Duxbury Beach, and Powder Point Bridge, as well as sailing the bay on her Duxbury Duck. Always active in the Duxbury community, Priscilla was a library trustee and a volunteer for the Duxbury Free Library, a deacon of Pilgrim Church, a docent for the Duxbury Art Museum, and volunteered at the Duxbury Thrift Shop. Priscilla was an excellent and very competitive bridge player and played in several bridge clubs. She was also an avid reader, knitter, and gardener who enjoyed hooking rugs.

Jacqueline Savoy ’50

Jackie, of Holbrook and Naples, FL, passed away peacefully, after a brief illness, on December 26, 2019, at the age of 87. Born in Cambridge, Jackie grew up in Holbrook, attended Holbrook schools, and graduated from Thayer in 1950.

While a student at Thayer, she spent her free time participating in archery club and the ski trip. She retired from Verizon after many years of employment with the telephone companies. In her free time, Jackie volunteered at the polls in Holbrook for many years. Jackie was the beloved mother of Sandra M. Wisniewski and her husband Kenneth of Abington and the late Steven Savoy and his wife Peggy of Stanwood, WA; loving grandmother of James Savoy and his wife Christy of Arlington, WA, Hannah Savoy of San Luis Obispo, CA, and Garret Savoy of Everett, WA; great-grandmother of Steven and Alexsaundra Savoy of Arlington, WA.; sister of Paul and Jeanne Savoy of South Dennis, Gary Savoy of Bass River and Naples, FL, Ronald and Jean Savoy of Honolulu, HI, Kevin and Heidi Savoy of Bradenton, FL, and Germany, Pamela Savoy-Dailey, and the late Michael Dailey of Sarasota, FL, and the late Peter Savoy, Robert Savoy, and Rachel Loud. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Gordon G. Swanson ’53

Gordon passed away on July 24, 2019, at his home in Brewster, surrounded by family and loved ones. Swanee was born in Quincy, on August 25, 1934, to George and Gladys Swanson.

He was predeceased by his sister Ruth Davies and her husband Trevor Davies of Weymouth. His love of Cape Cod began at an early age spending time at his parents’ cottage on Pine Avenue in Popponesset and working summers at the nearby Popponesset Inn. As a graduate of Thayer Academy’s Class of 1953, Gordon was involved in glee club, ski trip, football, and baseball. He then attended Babson College and Culinary Institute of America.

Swanee returned to Cape Cod to serve as Popponesset’s head chef where he met and married Sally Suorsa. Together they had two children and made their mark as restaurateurs, having started the Chart Room in Cataumet, Scorton Tavern in Sandwich, Swanee’s in Stratham, NH, and The Half Barn in Newfields, NH, before finally returning home to Cape Cod to open The Ruddy Turnstone B&B in Brewster. Swanee is survived by his two children; son Arvid Swanson; wife Anna, and two granddaughters Myaah and Anja of Ashland, NH; and daughter Abigail Swanson, Brent, and two grandchildren Payton and Hannah of Brewster; brotherin-law Peter Suorsa, wife Gaylene Main of Amesbury; brother-in-law Paul Suorsa, wife Janet of Englewood, FL; sister-in-law Laurie Andrews of Portsmouth, NH, and Fort Myers, FL. Swanee is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Swanee lived his life taking enjoyment from all that he was passionate about: his home, cooking, antiques, sports, birds, his dog Spats, and The Cape. Family, friends, and acquaintances were the foundation of Swanees happiness.

1954 Bruce G. MacLennan ’54

Bruce, US Air Force Colonel (retired), Alexandria VA, passed away on September 10, 2019, after a seven-year battle with cancer. Bruce grew up in Braintree, graduated from Braintree High School in 1953, and from Thayer in 1954

where he played football, basketball, and baseball under Ward Donner. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1958 and spent the next 30 years in the Air Force, flying the F-100, F-4, F-5, and F-16 fighter aircraft, serving three tours of duty in the Vietnam War, and commanding the first Aggressor Squadron in the European Theater. He was predeceased by his wife of 53 years, Eileen, and survived by his brother, John ’62.

1955 Joseph C. Crowley ’55

Joe, age 83, of Wayne, NJ, passed away peacefully at home on August 8, 2019, while receiving the loving care of his family. Joseph was born in Quincy. He and his family lived in a number of places including Weymouth and Scituate, MA, and Bridgewater and Summit, NJ, before moving to Wayne, NJ, many years ago.

Joe graduated from North Quincy High School where he excelled in football, basketball, track, and baseball and had a batting average of .423. After graduation, he was selected as the starting center fielder for the All New England Hearst All-Star Team that played at Fenway Park and the Traveler and Boston Globe All-Scholastic baseball teams. Joe continued his athletic pursuits while attending Thayer Academy and then Tufts University where he received his BA in 1959. He was a star athlete throughout, gaining recognition as the only collegiate left-handed catcher while also maintaining a .387 batting average. He continued his athletic pursuits throughout his life, and became an exceptional runner at the age of 40, completing so many marathons that he lost count, including the NYC Marathon for many years and the Boston Marathon. Following college, Joe accepted a position at John Hancock, then later became Executive Vice President and CEO of Rolodex Corporation for many years. The last 30 years of Joe’s life were devoted to others. Upon retirement, he committed himself to a life of service, following the credo, “It is in giving that we receive.” Joe was ordained a permanent deacon in the Catholic Diocese of Paterson in 1999 and was a beloved deacon who served at the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wayne, N.J. He also worked extensively with the developmentally disabled at Cath-

olic Charities where he was honored as the volunteer of the year in 2004. He served as a hospice chaplain and volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross. Joe was also a volunteer coach at Thayer, where the highlight of his experience was the legendary 1964 football team’s season in which they were undefeated, untied and unscored upon. Joe was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He cherished 62 years of loving and loyal marriage to his wife Joan.

He touched the lives of countless people and will be sincerely missed by everyone who knew him. Joe is survived by his wife, Dr. Joan C. Crowley; and five children, Joe Crowley III and his wife Clernise; Kathleen Mitchell; Marianne Crowley; and her partner Tom Shannon; Deirdre Crowley and her husband Jim Yanker; and Tim Crowley and his wife Carolyn. He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Melissa Beveridge (Marshall), Kelly Gingell, Jessica Willis, James Willis, Timothy Crowley, Michael Crowley, Lindsey Mitchell, and Rebecca Mitchell; and one great-grandson, Tyler Beveridge. Joe is also survived by his brother, James “Duke” Crowley, and sisterin-law Betty.

IN MEMORIAM: -1950s

1953

1956 Peter H. Burnham ’56

Peter, of Duxbury, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones, on Feb. 20. He is survived by his sons, Michael (Denise) of Pembroke and Scott (Wendy) of Marshfield. Peter also leaves his soul mate and life partner, Kay Drake. His biggest joy was his grandchildren Zachary, Caelene, Joshua (Taylor), Austin and Kimberly, and great-grandchildren Charlotte and Caleb. He was a proud uncle and friend to Kay’s family. Peter is also survived by his brother Robert ’52 of Plymouth, and nieces and nephews. Peter was a graduate of Thayer Academy and attended Colby College. While at Thayer, Peter was heavily involved throughout his four years. He spent time acting as manager for the yearbook, newspaper, football, and basketball. He was an entrepreneur in the rug business, designing and selling handmade and machine-made oriental rugs all over the world. After retirement, he loved the Standish Shore beach, gardening, and spending time with his family. He loved playing Santa Claus at the Standish

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

61

IN MEMORIAM: 1950s-1970s

Shore Christmas gathering, and hanging with his poker group was one of his favorite pastimes.

1958 Bruce C. Marden ’58

Bruce C. Marden, 79, passed away November 7 in Hingham. He is survived by his children, Gwyn (Marden) Brittigan and husband Eric of Annapolis, MD; Craig Marden and wife Sandy Kelly of Shutesbury; and Carey (Marden) Shaulus and husband Thom of North Berwick, ME. Bruce also leaves his brothers Jay Lewis Marden ’53 and his wife Dorothy (Dotty) of New Boston, NH, and Lee Bradford Marden ’61 and wife Terry of Concord, NH; six granddaughters; and many loving nieces and nephews. He was the son of Wallace R. Marden and Marjorie (Maclary) Marden of Hingham. Bruce was predeceased by his longtime companion Elizabeth Collins (OLeary). Bruce grew up in Hingham and Hanover, graduated from Thayer in 1958, and received his degree in Hotel Restaurant Management from UNH in 1963. Bruce was a leader of his class at Thayer, acting as class president his senior year. He also spent much time involved in yearbook club, play committee, glee club, band, orchestra, ski trip, dance committee, and football. He served four years in the U.S. Air Force, including a tour of duty in Vietnam. He worked as a club manager and in the hospitality industry for his entire career. He was a past president of the New England Club Managers Association.

He was an active Mason for 51 years, attending meetings at the Old Colony Lodge. He loved the ocean, his black cats, and spending time on Cape Cod.

Katherine Mullen McLaughlin ’58

Kathie died peacefully on November 5. She was 79.

Kathie, a longtime resident of Belmont and West Falmouth, was born in Brockton on September 12, 1940, to the late Anne (O’Rourke) and the late William Mullen ’29, the older of two sisters (predeceased by the late Anne “Nan” Mullen ’65). She grew up in Braintree and graduated from Thayer Academy in 1958, where she played softball and field hockey. Kathie also participated in Theta Alpha, G.A.A., yearbook,

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play committee, and the campus newspaper. She attended Regis and Lesley colleges. She married Walter H. McLaughlin Jr. on April 8, 1961, in Cambridge. They settled first in Arlington and moved to Belmont in 1974, where they raised their four sons. She and Walter were married for 49 years until his passing in 2010. Kathie was an engaged mother, attending all of her boys’ games and events, and she was very active in the PTA for many years. Her favorite place was her home on Chapoquoit Beach in West Falmouth, where she loved to host her large family and many friends during the summer, as well as many Thanksgivings. She also enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Cape Cod off-season with Walter. Perhaps her greatest joy later in life was being with her 13 grandchildren. She was a very active alumna at Thayer, as well as a devoted philanthropist throughout her life, most notably serving for many years at Mount Auburn Hospital, where she was President of the Auxiliary; and at the Baird Center in Plymouth, where she was Chairwoman of the Board. She is survived by her four sons, Walter K. (Martha) of Monson, William M. (Linda) of Newton, David E. (Betsy) of Belmont, and Michael J. (Beth) of Lincoln, as well as 13 grandchildren: Caitlin, John (Jack), Walter Thomas, Bridget, Kevin, Erin, Sean, Ryan, Dylan, Brendan, Charlie, Connor, and Brian; and many nieces and nephews, extended family, and friends.

1966 Patrick H. O’Brien ’66

Patrick, formerly of Bluffton, SC, and Sandwich, died on January 6, 2020, in West Springfield, surrounded by his loving family. Pat was born in Boston on July 17, 1947, to the late J. Leo O’Brien and Johanna Hayes O’Brien. He was a graduate of Thayer, Class of ’66 and Norwich University, Class of ’70. “Life is what you make it. I prefer to make it interesting,” said Pat in the Black & Orange. An important member of Thayer’s community, Pat spent time participating in debate, Latin, and varsity clubs. A great athlete as well, Pat played baseball, basketball, football, and soccer throughout his time at the Academy. He was employed as a tax auditor for 32 years by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Pat was an avid reader and enjoyed golf and traveling.

He was a loyal fan and supporter of the Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics, and Patriots.

He is survived by his wife, Doris LaRose O’Brien of West Springfield; his son, Sean of Dorchester; and three daughters: Kaitlin of Fort Lauderdale, FL, Kiara of Springfield; and Meghan Sullivan, her husband, Daniel, and their daughter, Clare of West Springfield. In addition, Pat is survived by his brother, John, of Newton and two sisters: Atty. Paula O’Brien Killion of Milton and Mary Caprio of Melrose. He was predeceased by his sister, Judith Bottiggi.

He also leaves several nieces and nephews.

1971 John Delaney ’71

A longtime resident of Cohasset, John passed away peacefully on March 20, 2020, at the age of 68, after a long battle with cancer. He was surrounded by family.

Born in Boston to the late John J. Delaney Jr. and Norma O’Shea Delaney, of Scituate. He was the proud father of Sarah Delaney (Peter Jackson) of Falmouth, ME. He was the beloved brother of Ann Szymanski (Jack) of Scituate; Katherine Lauziere of Raynham; Betsy Delaney ’79 (Greg Tardif ) of Hamden, CT; and Norma Delaney ’82 (Patrick Pilkington) of Sudbury; and a loving uncle to four nieces and two nephews. A graduate of Thayer’s Class of 1971 and Boston University, John enjoyed a career in commercial real estate, brokering and owning properties in the Greater Boston area. In addition to spending time with his dear dog, Reese, John enjoyed boating and restoring European cars. He loved listening to music and reading historical and political literature. John was a skilled carpenter and craftsman who built his life with his hands. He found great joy in working on projects in his garage and remodeling houses. He had a deep appreciation for art and enjoyed taking photographs of sunsets along the beaches and coves of the South Shore. John made friends wherever he went and will be forever loved and remembered by many.

Mark E. Levy ’73

Mark passed away August 4 at the age of 64 after a long illness.

Mark is survived by his wife, Gail. Mark was a fixture in the Boston-area real estate industry for more than 40 years. He began his real estate career as a rental and sales associate with Brenner Associates in 1976. In 1978, he co-founded M & M Condominiums, a full-service real estate company that specialized in condominium conversions of apartment buildings.

During the 1980s, in addition to converting and selling hundreds of condominium units, he purchased and redeveloped commercial, retail properties, and multifamily residential properties. Levy was president of Riverside Properties since its founding in 1992. Since then, he has represented financial institutions to help them deal with their troubled real estate and continued with both commercial and residential investment and redevelopment activities.

Riverside is a real estate investment and property management company which operates a portfolio of industrial, office, retail, and residential properties, representing more than 600,000 s/f in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Levy was a licensed real estate broker, a Realtor, and a member of The Appraisal Institute. He graduated from Thayer Academy in 1973 and received his bachelor of arts degree from Northeastern University.

1974 Susan Pineo Gibbs ’74

Susan, age 63, of Canton, passed away peacefully on January 19, 2020, surrounded by the love and prayers of her family and friends. Susan was born on February 4, 1956, to loving parents, the late Allen and Evelyn (Grundy) Pineo of Canton and St. Petersburg, FL. Susan now rejoins her beloved late husband and soul mate, Joseph “Mark” Gibbs of Canton. She is survived by her three children: Kimberly (Gibbs) Boucher and husband, Jonathan Boucher of Bangor, ME; Sean Gibbs of Stoughton; and Kyle Gibbs of Canton. She was an adoring Grandma to three fun-loving grandchildren: James Boucher, Magnolia Boucher, and Alexis

Gibbs. She will continue to guide and support them in death, as she did in life.

Susan was one of four children and is survived by Laura (Pineo) Macs ’72 and husband Erik of Natick; Jonathan Pineo and wife Christine (Mosch) of Bernardston, MA; and Peter Pineo of Canton.

She was a devoted aunt to John Macs of Natick; Jason Kelliher of West New York, NJ; Nicholas Kelliher of Whitinsville; Chelsea Marin of Largo, FL; Matthew Rice of Tampa, FL; Nathaniel Rice of Bennington, VT; Christine Iacobucci of Stoughton; Patrick Gibbs of Canton; Sabrina Gibbs of Raynham; and Jerimiah Gibbs of Canton.

Susan was a force for good in the world, and the world is a better place for having had her in it. She grew up in Canton and graduated from Thayer Academy in 1974. While a student at Thayer, Susan enjoyed playing field hockey, lacrosse, and basketball. She was also part of Theta Alpha and G.A.A. on campus. She spent many a summer as a camper and counselor at Fleur-de-Lis Camp in Fitzwilliam, NH, where she was affectionately called “Soupy.” She attended Fisher College and received an associate degree in Early Childhood Psychology and Education. She met her best friend and greatest love in 1973 and they were married on September 27, 1980. Susan and Mark experienced a love that was unparalleled, and together they faced life’s ups and downs. She had many close friends who will miss her humor, kindness, and genuine caring. She was the ultimate caregiver for many, including elderly family and community members, a wonderful mother, and her home was always a gathering place for all, especially at poolside barbecues. She was an active and contributing member of the Blue Hills Civic Association and Canton Historical Society. She served as secretary of the Canton Historical Commission. She was an active parishioner of St. Gerard Majella Parish in Canton for many years. She lived the message of Christ in her life of service to others and was particularly involved in Kids Camp. She also volunteered annually at the St. Francis House in Philadelphia with several women from the parish. The Gibbs Family extends their thanks to all of their family and friends who have offered their support and condolences at this difficult time.

1989 Matthew G. Duggan ’89

Matthew, 48, of Plymouth, died unexpectedly on December 19, 2019, while living in Westbrook, ME. Matthew was the beloved son of Louise R. (Ziegler) Duggan and the late Arthur L. Duggan of Plymouth. Matthew was born in Scituate on June 8, 1971, and moved shortly after to spend most of his life as a resident of Plymouth. He graduated from Thayer Academy in 1989 where he excelled in skiing, track, and football. Matt also graduated from Merrimack College and received his MBA while serving in the United States Air Force. Matthew served from 1995-1999 as an Aircraft Loadmaster on a C130 Flight Crew. He received the Air Force Achievement Medal and Certificates of Appreciation for his service during Operation Southern Watch in Saudi Arabia.

After the Air Force, Matthew went on to become a master electrician. He is survived by his mother, Louise Duggan; his three sisters: Erin Duggan ’81 of Plymouth, Colleen Duggan Cuomo ’82 of Duxbury, and Paddy Duggan Cappellano ’84 of PA., and his nieces Kelly Lootz, Holly Vitko, Hailey Leonard, Samantha Cuomo, Maggee Cappellano, Madison Cappellano, and his nephew Adam Cuomo.

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

IN MEMORIAM: 1970s-1980s

1973

63

The Final Word T HE

P OWE R

O F

T WO

L E T T E R S . . .

The final word isn't a word, but rather, two simple letters: TA. Last fall, as part of a Homecoming pep rally, all students and faculty from the Upper School gathered on the field and stood together to spell those two letters in a spirit of camaraderie and good fun. Looking forward to the day when our community can be close together again...

Watch a short clip of the "TA" from when it was formed during Homecoming 2019:



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Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

www.tinyurl.com/TAHomecoming2019

THE THAYER CROSSWORD 5

6 1

As a final piece of this Power of Words issue, we present this Thayer Crossword Puzzle, created by Craig Salters '86.

But be forewarned - this isn't an easy crossword, as it draws from Thayer history from across 10 many decades.

Perhaps if you're stuck, reach out to an alum from a different decade for help!

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PUZZLE CONTEST!

The Thayer Crossword

7

2

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9

by Craig Salters ’86

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5

6 7

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8

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The solution to this puzzle will be posted online on September 15, but if you 15 finish the puzzle before then, email us a digital photo of your completed puzzle (magazine@thayer.org). A prize will be given to 5 randomly drawn people who email 17 us photos of their completed (or nearly completed) crosswords by Sept 15!

BY CRAIG SALTERS ’86

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Violin

29. Ward’s wonderful wife To download a printable PDF of the crossword, view answer key (after Sept 15), or to submit your photo of your completed puzzle to be entered into our contest, visit:

www.thayer.org/magazine/crossword

Thayer Magazine /// Winter / Spring 2020

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Winter / Spring 2020

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OF STUDENTS TO MORAL, INTELLECTUAL, AESTHETIC, AND PHYSICAL EXCELLENCE SO THAT EACH MAY RISE TO HONORABLE ACHIEVEMENT AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMON GOOD.