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Class Notes 2010 Volume 47.Numb e r 1
Tower Hill Bulletin
Fall 2010
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Aerial view of the Tower Hill School campus in May 2010 after the completion of the renovations of Walter S. Carpenter Field House in the upper left-hand corner.
Headmaster Christopher D. Wheeler, Ph.D. 2010-2011 Board of Trustees David P. Roselle, Board Chair Ellen J. Kullman ’74, Board Vice Chair William H. Daiger, Jr., Board Treasurer Linda R. Boyden, Board Secretary Michael A. Acierno Theodore H. Ashford III Dr. Earl J. Ball III Robert W. Crowe, Jr. ’90 Ben du Pont ’82 Charles M. Elson W. Whitfield Gardner ’81 Marc L. Greenberg ’81 Thomas D. Harvey Pierre duP. Hayward ’66 Michael P. Kelly ’75 Michelle Shepherd Matthew T. Twyman III ’88 Lance L. Weaver Dennis Zeleny Chief Advancement Officer Julie R. Topkis-Scanlan Editor, Communications Director Nancy B. Schuckert Associate Director of Advancement Kim A. Murphy Director of Alumni Programs & Development Office Special Events Kathryn R. Warner Alumni Relations Brad du Pont, Jr. ’82 Database Manager Jane F. Bazydlo Development/Alumni Office Manager Luba Berbeza Photography Joe Smolko Nancy B. Schuckert Valeri Stanton Penny Ashford Layout/Design Kedash Design Submissions to the Bulletin, suggestions for articles, photographs or letters are welcome. Mail information to the Development Office, Tower Hill School, 2813 West 17th Street, Wilmington, DE, 19806 or email kwarner@towerhill.org. We reserve the right to edit submissions for space and content. Tower Hill School welcomes students of any race, religion, color or nationality. The school does not discriminate in its administrative policies or in the administration of its program. If you would like to submit Class Notes, check our updated sport scores or read about the latest events sponsored by the Alumni Council, please visit our web site at www.towerhill.org.
Cover: Adrienne Arsht ’60
in this issue... 2.............. Headmaster letter
3.............. Exceptional Alumni During Extraordinary Times 4.............. Adrienne Arsht ’60: A Lifetime of Leadership in Business and Philanthropy
8.............. Mike Castle ’57 and Chris Coons ’81: A Delaware Election with National Consequences is a Green-White Contest
10............ Morgan Hendry ’01: NASA’s 21st Century Breed of Rocket Scientist 12............ Casey Owens ’01: A New Generation
of Americans with a Global Perspective
14............ Ron “Pathfinder” Strickland ’61: Trail Developer, Conservationist and Author
16............ Allison Barlow ’82:
Cultivating a Future for Native American Youth
18............ Class of 2010: By the Numbers 20........... Graduation 2010 26........... Tower Hill School News 28........... Athletics update 30........... Bob DeGroat: Inducted in the
Delaware Sports Hall of Fame
32........... New Administrators 33........... Tower at early morning 34........... Around Tower Hill 36........... Over the Years 38........... Alumni Events 39........... Homecoming and Reunion 2009
40........... Homecoming 2010 42........... Class Notes 2010 48........... In Memoriam: John Pierson
August 2010
As I write this letter, we prepare to open our doors for Tower Hill School’s 92nd year. This summer I have enjoyed thinking back on this past exhilarating year, filled as it was with wonderful achievements in academics, the arts and athletics. Still fresh in my memory is the beautiful graduation ceremony last June, where the Class of 2010—whom we nurtured as scholars, artists, athletes and volunteers—received their Tower Hill School diplomas. We are proud of this class and their accomplishments, and we wish them success in their next stage of development. We know that they will go out into the world and do great things. But now it is time for us at Tower Hill to look forward...and there is much to be excited about! Our enrollment is strong. We anticipate opening the 2010-11 school year with more than 750 students, a level that may top our all-time high. I believe our commitment to the principles of our founders is largely responsible for our success. Since 1919 Tower Hill faculty, staff and students have been driven by our motto, Multa Bene Facta. This is not just a slogan on a banner. Everyday our community is challenged to do many things well. This means bringing the best of ourselves to all that we do. Our teachers are passionate about academics, the arts, athletics and serving others. How extraordinary that our school should nurture, embrace and celebrate such a rich variety of talents over such a diverse range of disciplines! When prospective families visit the school they can’t help but feel the energy—and the joy—of Many Things Done Well. In this issue of the Bulletin we write about seven exceptional alumni who have taken our school’s motto and put it to work. Their lives reflect the rich variety of human experience and the many ways of working and interacting with others during these extraordinary times. You will read about Adrienne Arsht ’60, one of the most extraordinary business leaders and philanthropists of our times. Mike Castle ’57 and Chris Coons ’81 will make history this fall by running against each other for Delaware’s U.S. Senate seat. Two alums from the Class of 2001, Morgan Hendry and Casey Owens, are making global impacts—Morgan as NASA’s next generation of rocket scientists and Casey in the Treasury Department focused on U.S.-Chinese economic relations. Author, conservationist and founder of the Pacific Northwest Trail, Ron Strickland ’61 is spearheading the 7,7000-mile Sea-to-Sea Route. Finally, Allison Barlow ’82 leads one of the largest development program in the nation for Native American youth and has involved Tower Hill students for the past three years. You will also enjoy reading about Tower Hill’s legendary coach Bob DeGroat’s induction into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame this past spring. And don’t miss the article about the stunning success of three of our spring sports teams, Girls’ Tennis, Boys’ Lacrosse and Girls’ Soccer, which each captured state titles in truly dramatic fashion. In this issue we also remember John Pierson ’59, who passed away last November, for his incredible years of service to Tower Hill. This issue of the Bulletin is the first that has been prepared since his passing; we miss the personal touch he brought to this publication as editor of the alumni class notes. Since our last issue, significant changes have been made to our physical plant. In May we re-opened the Walter S. Carpenter Field House, bringing a close to the building renovations of our entire athletic and physical education facilities. We have also completed the renovations on the Hayward House, the four-acre property adjacent to our campus, which was purchased in 2009. As planned, the Hayward House has become the headmaster’s residence and will be used to host a number of school and alumni events throughout the school year. We invite you to join us on October 22-23 for Homecoming 2010. There will be special dedication ceremonies for John Pierson ’59, and Jim Straub Sr. and Jim Straub Jr., a graphic art display by Heather McEvilly ’93, an encore performance by our Upper School Comedy Combat drama team and numerous athletic events. You’ll not want to miss tours of the renovated Field House and the new headmaster’s residence, the Hayward House. A complete schedule of events can be found on page 40. I look forward to welcoming you back to your school!
Yours for Tower Hill,
Chris Wheeler, Ph.D. , Headmaster
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A closer look at exceptional Tower Hill alumni who—in their own way—are making significant and enduring contributions to the world
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Spotlight on Alumni
One can’t help but think of Tower Hill’s motto “Many Things Done Well” when considering Adrienne Arsht’s accomplishments over the last 50 years. There can be no doubt that she has lived life fully and well, and that her international-level impact on the arts, education and medicine will reverberate for years to come. In her extraordinary life Adrienne has always seemed to be a step ahead, challenging conventional thinking, blazing new trails, yet leading with the aid of an ethical compass that is steadfast and true. 4
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Spotlight on Alumni
Adrienne Arsht ’60:
A Lifetime of Leadership in Business and Philanthropy By Headmaster Chris Wheeler
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hen Adrienne Arsht, Tower Hill class of 1960, chose to forego her senior year at Tower Hill School to attend Mount Holyoke College, her decision was criticized by the Tower Hill faculty and administration. “One faculty member even told me that I would probably fail and have to return to join my sister Alison’s class,” Adrienne told me over the phone recently. “That ended any real relationship with the school. I think I fell off the school’s radar.” While Adrienne may have fallen off Tower Hill’s radar for a time, she has been highly visible on the global business and philanthropic scenes for decades. Her path to success wasn’t an easy one, as I discovered in a fascinating hour-long phone conversation with her this past August. There were plenty of obstacles in her way, but Adrienne grew up in a family where high achievement and service to community were the norm. Obstacles were simply challenges to be overcome. Half a century after leaving Tower Hill, Adrienne Arsht is recognized as one the most significant business and philanthropic leaders of our times. Adrienne is quick to credit her strong and supportive parents for instilling in her the seeds of her success. “My parents really defined who and what I am and what I stand for and what matters in life. My mother stood up for causes—she never bent. She stood up for what was right at all times.” Her father, Samuel Arsht
the years to come. Undaunted, Adrienne enrolled at Villanova Law School and after graduating became the 11th woman admitted to the Delaware bar, 25 years after her mother. She went to work in her father’s law firm but after a few years decided that the only way to become her own person was to go out on her own.
Adrienne Arsht with President Barack Obama (at left) and Michelle Obama (above) during his presidential campaign in Miami.
was a highly prominent attorney in Wilmington. The Wilmington law firm Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnel still bears the family name. Her mother, the Honorable Roxana Cannon Arsht, was just the 5th woman in the state’s history to be admitted into the bar and was Delaware’s first female judge. After graduating from Mount Holyoke College, Adrienne decided to study law. “My parents had both attended the University of Pennsylvania for law school. I applied there, but was told that the school would rather accept a man because, ‘He would do more with his education.’” This kind of gender inequity was typical of the times and of the obstacles Adrienne often encountered in
She moved to New York City and worked for Trans World Airlines, first in their legal department, which was the only department that would hire women. When the federal government required that the airlines hire women and minorities throughout the company, Adrienne moved out of the legal department and eventually became the company’s Director of Civic Affairs. In 1979 she met Myer “Mike” Feldman, an attorney, real estate developer and former White House counsel to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Mike was a Penn law school classmate of her mother. Adrienne and Mike married in 1980, and she moved to Washington D.C. where she opened a title company. Adrienne and Mike owned a bank in Washington D. C., which they sold in 1986. They bought TotalBank in Miami, Florida. In 1996 Adrienne moved to Miami to run the bank. Over the next 11 years as Chairman of the Board of TotalBank, she took the company from four branches and $100 million in assets to 14 branches and $1.4 billion in assets. In July 2007 she sold the continued on page 6
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Spotlight on Alumni
Adrienne Arsht, continued from page 5 bank for $300 million to Banco Popular Espanol, the third largest bank in Spain. This would be the moment that most highly successful people might decide to relax—not Adrienne Arsht! Already nationally recognized as a cultural ambassador and philanthropist, she began to focus even more keenly on the needs of performing arts organizations, Hispanic organizations, and educational and medical institutions. Her impact on our nation’s performing arts and educational institutions is almost without parallel in modern times. In 2008 she was recognized by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as America’s 39th biggest donor, having given away an estimated $43 million. Included in that amount is $30 million she gave to save the Miami Performing Arts Center, now called the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Had she not stepped in at just the right moment, Miami’s performing arts
Adrienne Arsht and Anthony Kennedy Shriver at the Best Buddies Gala. Proceeds from the event supported people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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center would have gone into bankruptcy and disappeared. I asked Adrienne if that gift was one of her proudest moments. She answered quickly. “Yes, but not just because it saved an important cultural center in Miami. My parents taught me that giving back is what we do. That gift helped save the arts in Miami, but it also saved the jobs of countless people. Giving is almost my reason for living now, because I can affect so many lives in positive ways.” Adrienne doesn’t just give her money away. She devotes huge amounts of her time to organizations she believes in strongly. She is active on numerous boards and foundations. She is the Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, the Metropolitan Opera, Best Buddies International, Friends of the Budapest Festival Orchestra and The Global
Advisory Board of the Washington National Opera. She is a member of the Fine Arts Committee of the U.S. State Department and the Council on Foreign Relations and is also a fellow of The Aspen Institute. In South Florida, she is Chairman of the Adrienne Arsht Center Foundation, sits on the board of the University of Miami and Amigos For Kids and is a lifetime trustee of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. And even though she splits her time among homes in Miami, Washington D.C. and New York City, Adrienne has maintained close ties to Delaware. Adrienne gives between $600,000 and $750,000 each year to causes in Delaware. Her family’s foundation, the Arsht-Cannon Fund of the Delaware Community Foundation, supports a wide variety of important efforts in our state. From her years of living in Miami she developed an identity in the Hispanic community. Consequently, a requirement for all
Adrienne Arsht with longtime friend Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female member of the Supreme Court.
Spotlight on Alumni
The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Florida’s largest performing arts center located in Downtown Miami. It is the second-largest performing arts center in the United States by area.
of her gifts in Delaware is that they focus on and include the significant Hispanic population in the state. She recently funded the establishment of the Delaware chapter of Best Buddies International, which is to focus on Hispanic and African-American children with developmental disabilities. And for many years she provided scholarships for Hispanic students through the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Very recently the Arsht-Cannon Fund at the Delaware Community Foundation made a $300,000 gift to the Nemours BrightStarts! program to serve kids at risk for reading problems, an especially significant issue in the Hispanic community. Adrienne has never forgotten the solid ethical foundation provided to her by her parents. In 2005 she honored her mother by creating the Roxana Cannon Arsht Center for Ethics and Leadership
at Goucher College with a $2 million gift. She has also donated $3 million to the University of Miami to create the Arsht Ethics Programs, ensuring the instruction of ethics across the curriculum. She also gave $1 million to fund a laboratory at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami called the Adrienne Arsht Hope For Vision Degeneration Research Laboratory. One can’t help but think of Tower Hill’s motto “Many Things Done Well” when considering Adrienne Arsht’s accomplishments over the last 50 years. There can be no doubt that she has lived life fully and well, and that her international-level impact on the arts, education and medicine will reverberate for years to come. In her extraordinary life Adrienne has always seemed to be a step ahead, challenging conventional thinking, blazing new trails, yet leading
with the aid of an ethical compass that is steadfast and true. I asked Adrienne what could possibly come next. “There is so much left to do. I am very interested in supporting gender studies, particularly around philanthropy. You know, men and women view money entirely differently. Men use money to gain access and power. Women hold their money for home and family. They just want to have an impact on the community. I will continue to find ways to have a positive impact on communities. I have a responsibility to give back. It’s my full-time job now.”
Thanks to Mary Ann Kelly Mac Donald ‘79, always a loyal Tower Hill School supporter, who encouraged the Alumni Office to reach out to Adrienne as she and her Class of 1960 celebrate their 50th reunion in October.
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Spotlight on Alumni
Paramount Political Leadership in Delaware By Chuck Durante ’69
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Delaware election with national consequences features a candidate whose career of public service began at Tower Hill. Chris Coons ’81, in his second term as New Castle County Executive, is the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. He seeks to replace Ted Kaufman, father of Meg Kaufman ’86, appointed to the seat Joe Biden had to vacate after 36 years when he became vice president. As Coons raises his sights from civic associations to world affairs, another Hiller is retiring from elected office amid national acclaim. In his ninth term in Congress after eight years as Delaware’s governor, Mike Castle ’57 is completing a career of accomplishment, civility and integrity. Beyond the obvious differences of a quarter-century in age and eight inches in height, the similarities of Tower Hill’s
Chris Coons pictured on his senior page in the 1981 Evergreen yearbook. Coons has successfully guided New Castle County through the deepest economic downturn in generations.
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two prominent elected officials are legion, rooted in a school proud of its studies, sports and honor code. When they entered public life, each promised to be a reformer; neither has disap pointed. Castle championed criminal justice reform in the General Assembly, education as governor, stem cell research in Congress. Coons cleansed a dispirited county government and shrank its budget without involuntary layoffs. Both have been ethically impeccable. Coons has done nothing half-heartedly, particularly during his four years at Tower Hill. “Florence Williams is a big part of why I was a chemistry major in college. She made it interesting; she made it engaging; she made it something that very few people find chemistry to be. “Ollie Crichton not only talked to me a lot about biology, but also about my responsibility to try and make a difference in the classroom, in the community, in the world.” Coons
mentions his one-student European History seminar with Jim Ten Broeck, Ed Hughes, “a tremendous mentor, who helped me acclimate to the very different culture of Tower Hill,” and Steve Hyde, John Pierson and Harry Baetjer, his football coaches before Coons became third man on Bob Behr’s final cross country team. “What I loved in high school is something I loved in college, is something I love today. I enjoyed the dichotomy between debating about diplomatic history between the world wars in a seminar or with Henry Steele Commager about the foundations of the United States and the American Republic and then going over to the chem lab,” says Coons. “The difference between things that are inherently debatable, based perhaps in principle but not fixed and things that are measurable, repeatable. I always enjoyed that tension. I found that I learned things by applying the insights and methods of one discipline to the other.” Coons wrestled for Howe Lagarde. Coons was also student council president. “Our major issue was, could the guys wear sweaters with appropriate collars in the winter instead of a jacket and tie all year. We got it through.” “I have often thought that I worked harder and learned more at Tower Hill than I did at Amherst College or even in some ways law school. It was the foundation that was laid at Tower Hill in learning how to study, learning how to write, learning how to learn, that made possible all of these other things I have done academically.”
Spotlight on Alumni
Even with a double major, club sports and myriad campus activities, Coons’ most important Amherst experience was in Africa. A junior year in Nairobi exposed him to friendship and debates with Kenyan students and scholars, and to country’s profound poverty. “That really changed my world. I came back to Amherst re-energized, and re-engaged in volunteer service.” Chosen as the student commencement speaker, Coons wove an anti-apartheid message into his comments. After auditing a class on classical theologians while at Yale Law School, he obtained a Yale divinity degree. After clerking for Third Circuit Judge Jane Richards Roth ’53, he helped implement the AmeriCorps program at the I Have a Dream Foundation, then returned to Delaware as attorney at W.L. Gore. After a term as New Castle County president, he was elected County Executive in 2004. He is proudest of the growth of the county library system in a turbulent time. “I look back with great fondness as my four years as a Tower Hill student. It gave me an incredible lifelong gift of both learning how to learn and learning how to question. I continue to do both.” Like Coons, who like most Delawareans is his friend as well as his neighbor near Rockford Park, Castle spent his political career campaigning on the issues that motivate him, not on slogans that scare others. After a precocious decade in the state legislature, Castle left elective office at 37 to build a law practice before Govenor Pete du Pont ’53 asked him to be his running mate in 1980, leading to two terms as governor and 18 years in Congress. He was elected statewide 12 times, more than anyone in Delaware history. Castle walked to school for most of his 14 years at Tower Hill. He remembers his toughest teachers best: “Mr. [Harry] Algard in math, Miss [Cecile] Buckles
The 1957 Evergreen yearbook mentioned Mike Castle’s “good nature” and his accomplishments on stage and on the basketball court. Left: Delaware Congressman Mike Castle talks with constituents.
diagraming, Miss [Julia] Jones with her Latin. At the time you’re taking these classes, these teachers are very demanding. You think it’s punishment, and later you realize that it is the greatest part of your education.” At the encouragement of Howard Yule, “one of the greater influences in my life,” he attended Hamilton College. Castle played center on the school’s most successful basketball team. With Bill Beck, Jimmy Wild, Reeves Montague and Ruly Carpenter, the 1956-57 team went 15-1. He played center field on a team that, as in basketball, lost only to Salesianum, and was a stout reserve on the un defeated football team. “We had the good fortune of having very good teams. I emphasize teams because to break down the individual skills, we didn’t have stars; we had decent athletes who cared greatly about what they were doing. And we had fun.” The DeGroat approach had its desired effect. “To me, it was important in that it gave me a sense of confidence about life in general.” Castle first addressed the public in the Class of 1919 Auditorium, performing in plays and musicals. “In H.M.S. Pinafore, I had one song. The day before there was a debate whether I should say it
or sing it,” he laughs. “I was actually shy very shy in those days. The whole business of getting on stage and acting really allowed me to come out, so I did a lot of drama.” The son of a civic-minded patent lawyer, Castle was recruited into candidacy just two years after Georgetown Law School. “My background in Tower Hill sports was very helpful because I was determined to win. That why I put my name there, so I went out and knocked on a lot of doors.” In Dover, with colleague Laird Stabler, a Tower Hill trustee, as a mentor, he developed policy expertise. As governor, he expanded state initiatives in education, environment and economic development even as income tax rates were reduced. His pragmatic approach was welcome in Dover, less so in Washington. “My greatest concern in Washington is the political parties. They are too demanding about opposing the other side.” Castle refused to succumb to hyperpartisanship, forging ties among lawmakers and advocates of both parties and all outlooks. His Congressional legacy was especially strong in education, as chair of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education. Says education expert Chester Finn, “He has never failed to put the interests of kids ahead of those of adults.”
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Morgan Hendry ’01 By Elliot Mitchell, Upper School Science Teacher
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s a student at Tower Hill, Morgan Hendry was inspired by rockets in science class, and declared in 8th Grade that he had figured out what he wanted to do “when he grew up.” Morgan continued to devour the science curriculum, taking nearly every advanced science course available. The 2001 Evergreen yearbook claimed Morgan was most likely to become “Bill Nye, the science guy.” At graduation he received the Crichton Science Award for his stellar work and genuine interest. When recently asked to reflect on ways in which Tower Hill might have prepared him, Morgan commented:
“Quite simply, my career at Tower Hill taught me to overcome the challenges I face every day. Multa Bene Facta is a term that gets tossed around quite often at Tower Hill, and as a student you don’t really give it credence until you realize how rare of a quality it is. This philosophy is very relevant, as the days of the hyperspecialist are diminishing rapidly. In today’s technical world, a person has to be able to reach across disciplines to reduce mistakes and deliver products faster and cheaper.”
Hendry’s passion for science was recognized with the Crichton Science Award his senior year.
NASA’s next generation of rocket scientist—Hendry outside the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
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Morgan Hendry ’01 likes to think big: “If we are doing our job correctly, space flight will soon become as common as airline travel.” He’s referring to his work with NASA as a mechanical engineer. Hendry left Wilmington after graduating from Tower Hill in 2001 to pursue an aerospace engineering degree in astronautics at the University of Southern California. After receiving his B.S. cum laude, Hendry stayed to earn his Masters of Science, also in astronautics. His studies at USC gave him the talent and experience to prepare him for a job with NASA at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The JPL is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in Los Angeles County, California. JPL is managed by the nearby California Institute of Technology (Caltech) for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. We caught up with Morgan on-site recently and learned about his fascinating job and three of his major projects. Along with a team of young engineers, he first helped design a satellite to collect light from the surface of the ocean in order to study the microscopic plankton and phytoplankton that form the base of the oceanic food chain. “We designed a spectrophotometer capable of dividing the reflected light into such individual wavelengths that we could see the color signature of different species of bacteria.” Alhough the project didn’t move into a development phase, interest in their design lingered long after the team split up and moved to new projects. Next came an opportunity for Hendry to work as Mechanical Engineer on a very public project, the design of the next Mars Rover named “Curiosity.” Properly known as the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), the unit is currently under construction in an airplane hanger-sized clean room
and is scheduled for launch in 2014. The newest rover is bigger than its ancestors (who, incidentally, are still sending signals when NASA has time to listen) so that it can carry more instruments. Continuing some unfinished business of its predecessors, MSL will probe with more sophistication in the quest for life, water and previous conditions that may have supported life on Mars.
Future water resources are a critical societal impact of climate change, and scientific understanding of how such change may affect water supply and food production is crucial for policy makers. –NASA
Hendry is currently part of a design team for an Earth science satellite that will measure soil moisture from its orbit in space. By collecting light that reflects off Earth and by analyzing the reflection of its own radar beam focused on the planet, the Soil Moisture Active & Passive (SMAP) satellite will scan the entire Earth’s surface in three days. Obtaining a more thorough understanding of water on our planet’s surface can provide some very important insights. Water holds heat very effectively, so measuring the soil’s water content is essential for more accurate weather forecasting, climate forecast and flood prediction. Hendry has what appears to be an intractable challenge of the satellite scheduled to launch in 2014; he needs
Hendry, working in “clean room” attire near the Mars Science Laboratory. To work on a vehicle assembly, all workers are decontaminated for particles, bacteria, and are grounded to prevent electrostatic discharge.
to design a way to spin a fragile ring that is 18 feet in diameter at a rate of nearly 15 revolutions per minute, all without causing any wobble to the ring or the satellite below. Isolating and perfecting the movement of this cosmic lasso will require a tremendously thorough understanding of all the materials used in construction and the hundreds of spring-like joints that allow the ring to “unpack” itself when it reaches orbit. Ironically, the workhorse of Hendry’s cosmic design process is a massive collation of data and equations that are loaded into a tool familiar to many—an Excel spreadsheet. “There’s one more problem,” Hendry casually mentions in describing his challenge, “the ring can’t ever be tested here—it’s too fragile to exist with Earth’s gravity, so it will only survive in a weightless environment.” Morgan’s current existence seems to be like a physics boxing match; in one corner is a beautiful piece of equipment that needs to move with seemingly impossible precision but can only exist high above Earth, and is therefore, untouchable. In the other corner is the Tower Hill alum—armed with spreadsheets and an impressively deep knowledge of materials and motion. I would never bet against The Champ—my money is on Hendry and his team.
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Casey Owens ’01:
A New Generation of Americans with a Global Perspective By Dr. Ellis Wasson, Chair of the History Department Dr. Wasson taught Casey Chinese History in 10th Grade
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s a kid Casey Owens ’01 could never resist passing a new piece of sidewalk without inscribing her initials in the fresh cement. Her desire to put a mark on things has matured somewhat since then. Increasingly, she has set about creating a legacy in terms of helping people who cannot help themselves and serving her country. Her first job out of college as an analyst at Lazard Freres & Co. in New York helped teach her the ropes of finance and the capital markets. She applied the knowledge gained there during a stint at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation where she worked for the CFO. That job taught her the ins and outs of disciplined budgeting and managing rapid expansion (thanks to Warren Buffet’s epic gift)
through financial and strategic planning, and it introduced her to the world of international development. She had a ringside seat in the evolution of one of the greatest philanthropic ventures ever undertaken in the history of mankind. While an undergraduate at Harvard, Casey studied Mandarin Chinese, which she honed further in Beijing after graduation. Her interest in the language and culture of the “Middle Kingdom” led last spring to a position in government. She now serves as Special Assistant, U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, at the Treasury Department in Washington, where her team helps advise Secretary Geithner. When I caught up with her in May, she was coping with a visit by a team from
Casey Owens made her mark at Tower Hill in and outside of the classroom. She is pictured (second from the left) in 2000 with her classmates Tarra Boulden ’01, Alex Otto ’01, Mona Yezdani ’01 and Jill Hocutt ’01.
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the Chinese Ministry of Finance and was soon to head off to Beijing with the Secretary, several cabinet officials and agency heads and nearly 150 U.S. government officials for discussions of economic and financial matters between the two governments. As the economies of China and the United States become more interconnected, the Strategic and Economic Dialogue has gained a central place in the management of our national interest. The Dialogue was established by President Obama and Chinese President Hu in April 2009 and represents the highest-level bilateral forum to discuss a broad range of issues between the two nations. Casey’s office at the Treasury coordinates the priorities within the agenda for the Dialogue
Casey Owens and Vice Minister of Finance Zhu Guangyao, with whom her team worked very closely during the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. The vice minister presented her in May with a small jade vase as a birthday gift.
Spotlight on Alumni
drawing together the concerns of a myriad of agencies and departments across the whole government and spearheads the negotiation of proposals agreed to by individual U.S. agencies and Chinese ministries. Months are spent in preparing for the bilateral consultations and the rest of the year involves assessing outcomes and following up on agreements. Casey is optimistic about our future relations with China. Both sides are making coordination a high priority and both sides can benefit enormously from a balanced and healthy trading partnership. If the U.S. and the People’s Republic of China can identify and address the positive and negative aspects of our interlocking interests, both sides stand to succeed. In this process we need people who understand China, and Casey is one of a new generation of Americans with the language skills and cultural knowledge to help guide and protect us. Casey enjoys her life in D.C. She finds the city vibrant and exciting. She participates in triathlons, a continuation of her long-standing commitment to athletics nurtured at Tower Hill
The Treasury China team met in Beijing in May 2010 with Secretary Tim Geithner. Casey is pictured to the right behind Mr. Geithner. Below: Casey Owens, pictured here with Secretary Tim Geithner, is optimistic about the future Chinese-U.S. relations.
and Harvard where her intense competitiveness gained much success. Tower Hill and Harvard also fed but did not quench her thirst for knowledge. At some point, Casey would like to go back to graduate school. “There is just so much to learn,” she says. She wants to continue to tackle “big problems” in the field of economic development. Her experience on Wall Street, the Gates Foundation and the Treasury will give her unique perspectives which, with time to reflect and to study, will enable her to help move the world forward.
If the U.S. and the People’s Republic of China can identify and address the positive and negative aspects of our interlocking interests, both sides stand to succeed. In this process we need people who understand China, and Casey is one of a new generation of Americans with the language skills and cultural knowledge to help guide and protect us.
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Ron “Pathfinder” Strickland ’61:
Trail Developer, Conservationist and Author “Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) By Randy Urmston ‘62
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his spring my wife, son and I hiked north of San Francisco in the old-growth, coastal redwood forest known as Muir Woods. The experience was so moving that I wondered how Teddy Roosevelt and others had preserved that magnificent place in 1908. Then I thought about my friend Ron Strickland ’61 and his conservation achievements. I still remember the shy, gangly kid, with whom I studied French and ran track. He was tall, skinny and seemed unlikely to amount to anything. Today I understand that his pursuits—as a student at Tower Hill and subsequently— tended to slip by unnoticed. While in Upper School, Ron became interested in flying and joined the Delaware Wing of the Civil Air patrol. Col. Louisa Spruance Morse, wing commander and mother of
several Tower Hill students, chose him to participate in the 1961 International Air Cadet Exchange to Turkey. His civil air patrol experience greatly increased Ron’s desire to become an Air Force pilot until that proved impossible due to poor vision. Ron graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in order to join the State Department. However, he eventually travelled down a career path that required a threeyear tour in South Vietnam as a rural development officer. For an anti-war protestor, that was too much. Ron, once again, had no career in sight. It was while he was at the School of Foreign Service that Ron spent many weekends hiking trails within a two or three hour drive of D.C. He even skipped his own graduation from Georgetown in 1976 to hike the Appalachian Trail through the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park. Georgetown had no outings program; no one but Ron was interested in backpacking. But once again his Delaware connections propelled him on a life-changing course. In October 1962, 19-year-old Ron read about a Newark antique dealer, Paris Walters, who had thru-hiked the 450mile Cascade Crest Trail in Washington state. (“Thru-hiking” is hiking a long distance trail from end to end.) Immediately fascinated, Ron sought out the self-proclaimed hillbilly hiker. It turned out that Paris had been an adventurer since the age of 17 when he’d run away from home to join a traveling tent show. Ron listened avidly to Paris’ constant proselytizing about the Appalachian and other trails. That led to a month-long North Cascades hike in Washington state, after which Ron returned east a changed person. Left: Christine Hartmann ’83 and Ron Strickland on Appalachian Trail in 2006.
Hiking in the North Cascades in late 1970s. Ron Strickland on far left, Randy Urmston in the center and Paris Walters on the far right.
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Far Left: Ron Strickland with Andrew Skurka at Cape Alava, Washington, upon Skurka’s completion of the 7,700-mile Seato-Sea Route in July 2005.
Spotlight on Alumni
The end of the Pacific Northwest Trail at Cape Alava where Ron Strickland and fellow hiker, Ted Hitzroth, completed the 1,200-mile hike in 1983.
Ron’s career in international affairs continued to provide him with new opportunities. In 1970 he had an Arabic fellowship at Georgetown as part of a doctoral program in Political Science. But there was no putting the wilderness genie back in the bottle. “The person who has lived the adventurous life under the open skies cannot easily forget it,” he says. “Before long I was looking for a rationale to return to the backcountry of 100-ft. Douglas-firs and abundant wildlife.” That opportunity came in the form of a “brainstorm” to hike from east to west across much of Washington state. From 1970-1972, Ron explored and pieced together existing trails on federal, state, and private land. In an audacious move that still surprises me, he created the concept of the Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT). I began calling Ron “Pathfinder.” We reconnected in 1973 when I arrived home one day at my Seattle house to find a pile of hiking gear on my porch. It was the beginning of a great friendship. Until Ron actually moved to Seattle in 1977, he came out each summer from D.C. to explore routes for the PNT. I aided and abetted his plans in several ways. Most memorably, as a Republican precinct chairman, I introduced him to the brother of Congressman Joel Pritchard. Soon Ron had persuaded Joel to introduce a bill in Congress that would eventually lead to the addition of the 1200-mile PNT to the National Trails System as a “national scenic trail,” and he had me serving as the first
president of his new Pacific Northwest Trail Association. The politics of creating our analogue to the Appalachian Trail were particularly difficult; the process took decades to play out which says several things about Ron. First, he was unbelievably persistent. Second, throughout the struggle the seemingly shy and aloof friend schmoozed ranchers, miners, Native Americans, loggers, politicians and others. When he was not talking trails, he interviewed people for a series of oral history books about all regions of the U.S. Hundreds of fascinating Northwesterners, Texans, Vermonters, and Alaskans have since died, but their stories live on in Ron’s books. Pathfinder, Ron Strickland’s eighth book, will be published in 2011 by Oregon State University Press. How did this shy Tower Hill graduate win over so many disparate people? Ron had a mysterious way of connecting— possibly it was his Yankee background. Until age 13 he lived in “remote” northwest Rhode Island, a smaller-thanDelaware state from which the citizens generally never leave. Ron’s native turf, Burrillville, is known as the home of swamp Yankees “who have been back in there so long that they don’t know which way is out.” Ron says that he is “one of the few who ever left.” New England is the source of his laconic style and dry wit. The humorous part is that in 2007 he married Christine Hartmann’83. In contrast to Ron’s reserved nature, she is an ebullient
“beacon of cheerfulness.” She also earned a doctorate and has written two books. Inspiration repeats itself from one generation to the next. Like Paris Walters, Ron has inspired subsequent youthful dreamers. One of the most impressive examples occurred when a Duke University senior, Andrew Skurka, read Backpacker Magazine’s February 2003 issue that outlined Ron’s proposal for a 7700-mile transcontinental Seato-Sea Route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Skurka thru-hiked the Sea-to-Sea Route in 11 continuous months, finishing in July 2005. “I am proudest,” says Ron, “of my efforts to inspire young people to seize upon the adventures that the natural world offers.” Skurka is currently on an AlaskaYukon expedition via skis, foot and pack raft to travel 4,700 miles over a sevenmonth period and is being followed by National Geographic. I remember when Ron and I used to run track out at the old DuPont Airport. Each day we trained under the watchful eyes of Mr. Oviatt, Mr. Hughes and Mr. Laguard. Ron was never an enthusiastic participant; in retrospect, his mind was already out where the boot hits the trail and where the songs of nature call from wild, unruly places. Today Ron Strickland is one of only two living founders of national scenic trails. His career path began in Delaware, but his goals are now national. His non-profit Scenic Trails Research is attempting to: (1) create a National Trails Center; (2) make permanent the transcontinental Sea-to-Sea Route; and (3) attract a new generation of young people to the nation’s trails. It has been a long journey. And who could have imagined that Ron, my struggling, fellow mile runner at Tower Hill, would be such a conservationist and long distance pathfinder! To enjoy more photographs and information about Ron, go to his web site www.ronstrickland.com.
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Spotlight on Alumni
Allison Barlow ’82 By Ann Barlow Ashley ’79
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lack Elk, a holy man of the Oglala Lakota Sioux stated, “Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle. The sky is round, and I have heard that the Earth is round like a ball and so are the stars. The wind in its greatest powers whirls. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours. The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. The moon does the same, and both are round. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing and always come back again to where they were. The life of man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.” It is fitting that the path Allison Barlow ’82, has chosen has come full circle...from her second grade start at Tower Hill to her return three years ago to the school to invite a handful of Tower Hill students to pursue their community service efforts at the Johns Hopkins Native Vision Camp that she helped found. Encounter Allison and you see a zest for life, an energetic force, a “can-do” attitude— someone whose devotion and drive comes from a genuine desire to make the world a better place. You see a thinker, a mother, an athlete and a fun-loving friend. Above: Allison Barlow Right: Tower Hill students David Kullman ’12, Zoe Blake ’11, Stephen Kullman ’12 and Trip Ashley ’10 join one of the Native American volunteers at the Native Vision Camp during the summer of 2009. Photos by Ed Cunicelli
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Ernie Savage, assistant headmaster from 1962-1985, referred to her as “a mover and shaker.” Betty Richardson, girls’ athletic director from 1951-1996, coached her to score the winning goal in the field hockey state finals. She did just that. This balance of academics and athletics at Tower Hill School parlayed into Allison receiving the Kenneth Archibald Scholar-Athlete Award from Dartmouth College, where she graduated cum laude while captaining the field hockey and lacrosse teams to Ivy League titles. After graduating, she found that short stints as a freelance writer with a PBS series and grant work with Children’s Hospital in Boston didn’t satisfy. She applied for a Rotary International Scholarship and the next part of her journey led to the University of Melbourne in Australia to pursue a Masters in English. Her thesis focused on Aboriginal writings and what they revealed about “how Aboriginal Australians hoped to define themselves
in the context of white Australia.” She recalls being “questioned by the white Australian critics for poking my flashlight around in what was a painful part of their history.” This fueled her interest in Native American peoples and landed her current position as Associate Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health. One of her biggest accomplishments, which she initiated 14 years ago, is the Native Vision Camp. This year it was held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and was attended by nearly 1000 Native American children from across the United States. Native Vision is one of the largest youth development programs in the nation designed specifically for Native American youth. Native American youth suffer the lowest education, health and economic status of any children in the United States. However, they come from a heritage that engendered exceptional
Spotlight on Alumni
2008 she received a Martin Luther King, Jr. Social Justice Alumni Award from Dartmouth College. Dartmouth, in particular, honored her efforts to employ and support Native American home educators to work with families to address substance abuse, youth suicide and difficult home environments.
Vision Camp on various Southwestern reservations for the past three summers. How “perfect” that they were given the opportunity to witness first-hand the culture of the Native Americans and in turn feel the warmth in their souls of what giving back to the community provides. After camp, Allison celebrated in a letter to their parents, “These Upper School students gave their minds and muscles in the form of 14-hour days in order to provide a life-changing experience for youth who struggle day-to-day to find a grasp on a positive future.” Along with the Tower Hill students, 58 professional and collegiate athletes also volunteered their time as coaches and mentors to the program. Allison, sleeves rolled up, worked alongside all of them tirelessly and positively, in hopes of widening the circle of people who care, who give and who will be inspired by one another. In return for their experience, students who were also members of the Tower Hill boys’ lacrosse team raised over $3,000 this past spring for the Native Vision Program. The state championship team’s campaign had fans pledge per goal—170 for the 2010 season!
Many medieval scholars believed that there was something intrinsically “divine” or “perfect” that could be found in circles. How “divine” that Allison incorporated service from a number of Tower Hill students at the Native
So as the circle is power, and man’s life revolves, how wonderful to have an alumnae pass on to the future generation of Tower Hill students the passion for service in tribute to where their journey began.
The guiding principle for Native Vision is to cultivate the core strengths, values and positive relationships for Native American Indian that will make them resilient to the prevailing risks and help them transition to healthy, productive and fulfilling adulthood.
physical health, mental acuity, spiritual discipline and stewardship of the North American land and environment. In 2007 Allison received a Martin Luther King, Jr. award for Community Service from Johns Hopkins University for her volunteer work in Baltimore City, primarily at Baltimore Station, a residential therapeutic community for veterans and men who were homeless due to their addictions. She recently co-chaired a capital campaign for Baltimore Station that helped double its size from 50 residents to 100. In
“These Upper School students gave their minds and muscles in the form of 14-hour days in order to provide a life-changing experience for youth who struggle day-today to find a grasp on a positive future.” Tower Hill Bulletin
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Playing NCAA sports in college: 9
Graduates: 48 (20 girls and 28 boys)
Attending Ivies: 7
Attending at the best college town in America (Amherst): 1 Presidential Scholarship Nominees: 5
Multa Bene Facta
National Merit Scholars: 1 / National Merit Fi National Merit Semifinalists: 3 / National Merit Commended
Attending with a 3.9 or higher GPA: Yale 2, Col Wake Forest 2, Harvard 1, Virginia-Honors 1, A Washington University 1, Tufts 1, Princeton 1,
“Sticking with your friends”—Hillers attending the same institution: Delaware 7, Wake Forest 4, Tufts 3
Top states attending: Massachusetts 8, Delaware 7, Pennsylvania 5
nalists: 3 Students: 7
Most applications for a single student
umbia 2, mherst 1, Cornell 1
Children of faculty:5 Children of trustees:5
Most acceptances by a single student
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Fall 2010
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90th Graduation Exercises
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ower Hill’s 90th Annual Graduation Exercises occurred on Saturday, June 5, 2010. Patty Marshall, Associate Director of Athletics, gave the invocation, followed by greetings from Headmaster Dr. Christopher Wheeler. Lance Weaver, Chair of the Board of Trustees congratulated the graduates and then gave Harry Baetjer, Associate Head of School, an honorary Tower Hill diploma in recognition of his many years of service to the school. Two students, Jordan Bills and Demetrius Murray, addressed the graduates and guests (see full text of their speeches on pages 22-25). After an introduction by graduating senior Alexander Zeleny, Donald Dietrich, teacher and Director of College Guidance, delivered the commencement address. The Headmaster and the Board Chair then presented diplomas to members of the class of 2010. Trustee Peter Hayward presented Lance Weaver with an honorary diploma for his many years of distinguished service on the Board of Trustees. Following the ceremony, the graduates and their guests celebrated with a reception in the St. Amour Garden.
Class of 2010 Colleges Entered Katherine Applegate. ................................................................. Tufts University Patrick Ashley. ............................................................... University of Delaware Jordan Bills..................................................... University of Virginia (Honors) Hunter Bolling. .................................................................. Connecticut College Preston Boyden................................................................. Vanderbilt University Kendall Cohen............................................................. Northeastern University Phillip Deardorff. .................................................................... Lehigh University Neilay Dedhia................................................................ Wake Forest University Nicket Dedhia...........................................................Johns Hopkins University Remy Denner............................................... University of Colorado-Boulder Gabrielle Dressler............................................................. Columbia University Samuel Durgin.................................................................... University of Miami Koko Ekong................................................................... University of Pittsburgh Veronica Everest........................................................... Wake Forest University Brian Felzer.......................................................................... Muhlenberg College Max Friedman. .............................................................. Georgetown University Jake Graham............................................................. College of the Holy Cross Samuel Greenberg.......................................... Virginia Polytechnic Institute Caroline Holliday...................................................................... Amherst College Zarshawn Jan. ............................................................................ Drexel University Benjamin Keller........................................... Southern Methodist University Joanna Kelly......................................................................... Columbia University Andrew Kreshtool....................................................................... Tufts University Evan Kreshtool............................................................................. Tufts University
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Michael Kreshtool.................................... Wake Forest University Meghan Lam................................................ Washington University Khaalid Lucas...............................Xavier University of Louisiana Taylor Martel................................................ University of Delaware William Martinez. ............................................... Hofstra University Juwan Montalvo.......................................... University of Delaware Demetrius Murray........................................... Clemson University Ripley Nielsen............................................ University of Richmond Lucy Nutting......................................... University of Connecticut Benjamin Rigrodsky............................... West Virginia University Molly Rosen............................................................ Boston University Alexis Saunders............................................... Princeton University Erik Schubert.............................................University of Pittsburgh Emily Schuckert.......................................................... Yale University Andrew Singles............................................ University of Delaware Blaise Taylor................................................ Wake Forest University Bryan Taylor. ........................... University of Delaware (Honors) Virginia Trapnell........................................... College of Charleston Victor Walker. .............................................. University of Delaware Logan Weaver. .............................................Georgetown University Jennifer Williams. ...................................... University of Delaware Monica Wilson.................................................... Harvard University Claire Xue....................................................................... Yale University Alexander Zeleny................................................. Cornell University
Awards Presented on Friday, June 4 Class of 2010
Parent Recognition
Cum Laude—Junior Year Jordan Meloy Bills Joann Gerard Kelly Emily Rebecca Schuckert Monica Joy Wilson Qiwei Claire Xue
The following parents were recognized for having accumulated 20 or more “student years” at Tower Hill School. Their youngest Tower Hill student is graduating with the Class of 2010.
Cum Laude Induction Veronica Elise Everest Caroline Elizabeth Holliday Andrew Scott Kreshtool Evan Samuel Kreshtool Michael Bernard Kreshtool Haon Award In Art Molly Alexandra Rosen Certificate of Honor: Alexis Anne Saunders David E. Scherer Dramatics Award Benjamin George Keller Emily Rebecca Schuckert Algard Mathematics Award Qiwei Claire Xue Certificate of Honor: Jordan Meloy Bills Frank C. Ashby Foreign Language Award Caroline Elizabeth Holliday Emily Rebecca Schuckert Certificate of Honor: Monica Joy Wilson
P. Edward Hughes History Award Joanna Gerard Kelly Monica Joy Wilson Crichton Science Award Andrew Flectcher Singles Certificate of Honor: Jordan Meloy Bills William J. Carveth Music Award Qiwei Claire Xue Alison Arsht Leadership Award Jordan Meloy Bills Gabrielle Corey Dressler Home And School Community Service Award Remy Elizabeth Denner Certificates of Honor: Molly Alexandra Rosen, Katherine Ramsay Applegate Home And School Athletic Awards Boy: Demetrius Jayvonne Murray Girl: Caroline Elizabeth Holliday Certificates of Honor: Katherine Ramsay Applegate, Emily Rebecca Schuckert Spiller Achievement Award Patrick Barlow Ashley Trustees’ Awards Service: Monica Joy Wilson Scholarship: Qiwei Claire Xue
Mr. Patrick M. Ashley and Mrs. Ann B. Ashley Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Bolling III Dr. Robert M. Dressler and Dr. Susan Szabo Mr. and Mrs. Esteban A. Ferrer Mr. and Mrs. Edward S. Friedman Mr. and Mrs. Homer E. Graham III Drs. Mian and Ambereen Jan Dr. and Mrs. G. William Keller Dr. and Mrs. Daniel R. Kreshtool Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey M. du P. Nielsen Mr. and Mrs. William V. Nutting Mr. and Mrs. Michael F. Schubert Mr. Frank J. Singles and Ms. Christine Sheehy Mr. and Mrs. Lance L. Weaver
Faculty Awards The Charles H. Arrington III Endowed Faculty Chair in Science Leigh Thompson Timothy B. Golding Endowed Faculty Chair in English The English Department William Kitchel Faculty Chair Award Gretchen Lacey
On June 5, 2010, the Class of 2010 eagerly processed into the graduation tent where they received the highest honor possible—the Tower Hill diploma. / Prior to giving her speech, Jordan Bills presented Headmaster Chris Wheeler with the state championship trophy that the girls’ soccer team won the previous day. / Seated with the Class of 2010 were Associate Head of School Harry Baetjer; Headmaster Chris Wheeler; Former Board Chair Lance Weaver; Upper School Head Dan Hickey; Associate Director of Athletics Patty Marshall and commencement speaker Don Dietrich. Tower Hill Bulletin
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Jordan Bills’ Speech Today, we celebrate the achievements of each member of the Class of 2010. We have all worked hard to reach this day and deserve to celebrate. However, we are not wholly responsible for who we have become, and we should also use this day to recognize the influential people in our lives. Our teachers at Tower Hill have been extremely important and this day is as much a celebration of them as it is a celebration of us. Teachers are some of the most selfless and devoted people in our lives. They are dedicated to enlightening us and fostering a passion for continued learning. We are fortunate to have such wonderful teachers at Tower Hill: Teachers like Dr. Hickey, whose bad dancing on the first day of school we can never forget, or Senora Caimi, who terrified us on our first day of Spanish in 9th grade, although we later found out she wasn’t so scary. And who can forget Mrs. Bailey saying, “Not is not a verb, not is always an adverb” or Mr. Hughes calling us “goobers.” The teachers at Tower Hill care about more than our book knowledge; they care about us as whole people and want to see us grow and prosper. To all of our teachers, thank you for the effort you have put into our development and for always being there to support us along the way. We have also been pushed to succeed by people outside of school. Speaking for my class, I believe I can accurately say that we have all been embarrassed or annoyed by our parents at some time. Joanna Kelly probably best exemplifies this. At the 8th grade Moving Up Day dance, Mr. Kelly offered to pay Juwan if he would ask Joanna to dance. Juwan made $20 that night. When after prom invitations were given out to Seniors in March, Mr. Kelly dressed
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up as a detective and kidnapped Gaby. I thought Joanna was going to die of embarrassment then! However, I know I would not be the person I am today without my family, and I’m sure Joanna wouldn’t be either. Our families nurture and support us, hold us close when we are down, and celebrate, with great enthusiasm, our success. Our families keep us grounded, bring meaning to our lives, and most importantly, love us unconditionally. To all of the family members here today to celebrate our success, thank you. We are lucky to have you in our lives. Beyond this, family, friends and mentors have influenced our development. While writing college application essays or interviewing at different schools, the question of who has been an influential person in your life always seems to come up. For me, some of the most important people have been close family friends. I have learned much from the wisdom of one of them. She is my former neighbor and has always been like a third grandmother to me. In her words, “Enjoy each new day as you have lots of time to grow up, learn, and discover.” Don’t forget this, class of 2010. Although we have developed much over the past 18 years, we still have far to go. In addition to our close friends and family, our peers have been undeniably influential. Although we may complain that we have spent most of our lives with the same 48 people, this small group certainly has its benefits. Because of such a tight-knit community, we have developed extremely close friendships. How many people will we meet in the future that will know our middle names, both our parents’ names, and the ages of our siblings? Our peers are like a family. We are always there to support each other on good days or difficult days. We have helped each other get through the tough times and encouraged one another to be the best we could be. We are truly blessed to have these friends and should never forget the significant role people at Tower Hill have played in our lives. One of my favorite memories is of Marvin, who will always greet you with
a huge smile and remember your name. He personifies the kind community we have at Tower Hill. Another one of my favorite memories is Field Day. Joanna, Emily, and Kendall always won the dashes and it was a miracle when any other girl placed in the top three. And then there was the time when Pokemon cards and Crazy Bones were banned at recess. Everyone was really upset. Then, on the 4th grade trip to Williamsburg, almost half our class got sick from the food. On our trip to Sandy Hill, Monica and Koko got swept away in their canoe and had to be rescued by Dr. Clay. They never made it to the beach with the rest of us. And on our overnight trip to Cape Henlopen, we gathered around a camp fire and listened to the teachers telling scary stories while Mrs. Pepper silently snuck up behind us and scared us all to death. And who can forget 9th grade History class with Mr. Bagley when students’ books were tossed out the window, or being terrified of Ms. Thompson’s Chemistry class in 10th grade? All of these memories culminate with the intense Mario kart games this year and playing mini golf outside the Senior Homeroom. These are just a few of the special memories I have of Tower Hill, and I am sure that all of you could think of many more. In closing, however, I would like to recall one of my most vivid memories, 9/11. September 11th, 2001 was my very first day as a new student at Tower Hill. We were starting 4th grade that day. At such a young age, I barely understood what was going on, but Tower Hill did a very good job of keeping us informed without making students too scared. They did not shelter us from the news, but rather, they told us what was happening and kept us as calm as possible. For me, that day is a great example of the nature of Tower Hill. Everyone was very supportive of one another, and we truly came together as a community. I have found this to be true of every day at Tower Hill. Tower Hill is a supportive, caring community, and I will truly miss it, as I am sure all of my peers will too. Thank you.
Demetrius Murray’s Speech Man, I never thought this day would come. Okay, that’s one cliché down. When we were freshmen I could never picture ourselves participating in graduation. I couldn’t envision us dressed in white, looking so fresh and so clean. What I did see was Genesis and Kendall arguing every day in Mr. Bagley’s history class freshman year. However, June 5, 2010, seemed like it would never come. But at last and when I say at last, I sure do mean it. Because there were times this year when we all felt we were walking towards a mountain. We could see it, but it never appeared to get any closer. To be honest, I think we had that feeling almost every day this year. I must commend my classmates though, for we all have made it. Over land, seas, and skies, papers, tests, and web assigns. We are finally here, 48 strong. Yes, there was a time when we had the largest class in the school with roughly 60 students. However, one by one, and even a few by two, people left us. They thought they were so cool because they were going to their cute little schools. But that’s okay, because they missed out. They missed out on great moments like when Will stuffed a whole chair in Lucy’s locker. They weren’t here for Mario Kart wars that went down every day. Or how the senior boys always made a mess in the homeroom. We are young, wild, and like Kanye West in 2004, we don’t care what people say. In other words, we just may be America’s worst nightmare. But then again, any class with three Kreshtools and two Dedhias would be a nightmare for anyone. Every moment is some kind of heated argument. But don’t get me wrong, ladies and gentlemen. We do have some bright spots, mostly among the girls. Not all of us are wild animals terrorizing Tower Hill. Some of us are soft, sweet, quiet creatures. For
instance, Claire, who I don’t think spent more than 5 minutes in the homeroom per week. I love Claire, but I’m just saying, it would have been nice to play Halo with Claire once in a while. Secondly there’s Brian Felzer, whom I wouldn’t necessarily call sweet, but every time one walked in, he and Khaalid were sleeping on the couches. When asked by my peers to speak, I initially did not know what I would say. I learned that a few sincere words of wisdom and from the heart are the way to go. So to my classmates, I wish you all the best of luck. It’s a crazy world out there, and our parents are just crazy enough to let us experience it on our own. So don’t blow it. On a more positive note, have the time of your lives. We will never get back the time we spent together in high school, and the next four years will be the same way. Turn up the fun meter, within reason of course. I know you all can’t wait to dive into the exciting thrills of college. Neither can I. I’m pretty sure that most of you have been in college since second semester began, maybe some sooner. But I ask you to take these last few months here at home and cherish them. For the sake of your mothers don’t be in such a rush to leave. Look at them, understand them, feel what they are feeling. Let them hold their little baby, as they once did when you were young, because no matter how intelligent, or stupid we become, we will always be the same to them.
classes, the rigorous course load, and the top-notch facilities are all important factors, but the intangibles about Tower Hill are what made the difference. These include the highly committed teachers, the strong sense of tradition, and the tightly knit community that makes each Hiller feel like family. That is what we are ladies and gentlemen, one big family. Each individual under this tent is connected to the numerous successful Tower Hill alums saving the world or delivering pizzas. This graduating class is just as significant as those previous and those to come. Lastly, I just want to say that I love you all. The years we spent together, the trouble we caused, and the state championships we won will never fade in my memories. I’ll carry each of you with me in life, and there’s no doubt in my mind you’ll do the same. In the words of Jay-Z, the self-professed greatest writer of the 21st Century, “Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the 8th wonder of the world, the graduation of the century. It is timeless. Thanks for coming out tonight. You could have been anywhere in the world, but you’re here with us. We appreciate that.” Thank you.
To the parents, thank you for the countless sacrifices you have made to put us through a phenomenal school with magnificent opportunities. Although we don’t always show our appreciation the way you’d like, we certainly are grateful. I do believe that enrolling each of us in Tower Hill was the greatest thing you could have done. Personally, I would like to thank my own mother for putting me through Tower Hill. However, I certainly did not feel this way every day, but having been through it all, I finally understand that there is quite some value that goes comes with our high tuition. The small
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Don Dietrich’s Speech I am honored and humbled to be here this afternoon sharing this memorable occasion with you. And I say memorable because there is no doubt in my mind that this day will be one that will stay in the forefront of your consciousness for many, many years to come. Although I graduated from high school 44 years ago today, I remember it like it was yesterday. Now my graduation ceremony was far different from yours. The 48 of you processed onto this beautiful, idyllic campus by virtue of the day that you began your studies at Tower Hill. Conversely, there were 485 graduates in my class, and we processed into a stark, fairly unattractive football stadium by virtue of our grade point average. We were led into the arena by our valedictorian—I had no idea who he was! Next in line was our salutatorian— never laid eyes on her before! The National Honor Society followed—they very well could have been students from another high school as far as I was concerned!—and on and on it went until I took my rightful seat in the very last row. But I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me—you see I was there with all of my friends!—the rest of the first line of our Western Mass championship hockey team and nine of the eleven of us who started on defense for our undefeated football team all occupied the last two rows. We could have had a team meeting. Well, it was a long wait—483 names had to be called before they got to me—and so, as I began to look around the stadium, I noticed my family sitting a short distance away...and then...on that sunny, warm day in June...I saw something I rarely saw in my lifetime...a tear was running down my father’s cheek!
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Now this may not seem unusual for a graduation ceremony—indeed, I’m quite certain there will be many tears shed this evening if not in the first hour of my speech certainly by the end of the second. But my father—a highly decorated WWII vet, a factory worker, and a union steward—was not an emotional man and I can tell you, with a great deal of certainty, that the only tears shed in my house growing up were those of my siblings and me when we did something wrong and heard my mother shout the six haunting words that shook our very core—WAIT UNTIL YOUR FATHER GETS HOME! I must say that I was not only surprised but also touched by this public display of emotion. Could it be, I asked myself, that I actually did something that made him proud? Well that thought was short-lived for it wasn’t long before I learned that it was not pride but relief that brought my father to tears. He was relieved that after 5 years, the city of Chicopee, Massachusetts, finally decided to let someone else occupy my desk. Now I know what the eager young minds over here are thinking...Mr. Dietrich just made a mistake...we ALL know that high school is 4 years long and not 5...well, eager young minds, I have 3 words for you—NOT FOR EVERYONE! Have you ever watched a movie or seen an episode of your favorite TV show that so moved and entertained you that you watched it over and over and over again?—well that’s the way I felt about the 10th grade—two of the best years of my life! When Gaby extended the class’ invitation to share some thoughts with you this afternoon, I was truly excited, but I must confess that I also experienced several moments of anxiety and, well, terror. Now it may seem odd that someone who has been speaking in front of students and parents for over 34 years might experience these feelings but...you see...I was in the audience for last year’s graduation ceremony and recall, with fond memories, the
speech that Mr. Atkins delivered. It was inspiring, humorous, and eloquent. On many occasions, I lept to my feet to applaud his words of wisdom and, especially, his uncanny ability to rap! Since plagiarism is the highest form of flattery, I thought I might try to replicate his effort. I’m here to tell you, unequivocally, that, after several tries— I’ve come to the realization that I CAN’T RAP! I’ve tried it, and it just doesn’t work. I’ve tried listening to Snoop Dog—Ice T—and 50 Cent—but got nowhere. Eminem & Big Lurch weren’t any better. Bone Thugs & Harmony almost got me there but Bow Wow and Coo Coo Girl only served to reinforce my rapping inadequacies. Indeed, the only people who seemed to think that my efforts were worth listening to were the people who pulled up next to me at red lights while I was rehearsing. Rarely have I witnessed such laughter at 6:30 a.m.!...and so, there will be no rapping...not tonight...not tomorrow night...never ...well...what the heck... so much for NEVER: I’m sorry to disappoint Cuz it just ain’t cool But if I tried to rap I’d just be the fool I ain’t got the beat And that is so clear But I gave it a shot In spite of my fear Now whoever agrees To this gig next year You don’t have to worry You don’t have to fear It’s a piece of cake Following Hugh and Don Hugh’s got the beat And Don will be gone So have fun and listen To this piece of advice Just tune in to Lurch And the T that is Ice But if you don’t mind I’ll stick to Bobby D Joannie Baez, Peter, Paul and Mary
So goodbye for now My rapping friend Cuz this little ditty Is about to end I want to speak to you today about courage. I’ve always tried to distinguish between courage and heroism. While heroism might be putting your life in danger to save another, courage, it seems to me, is that and more—it is living ones life with purpose and conviction. In our lifetime, we have witnessed extraordinary examples of courage. There is, of course, the courage of those who served their country in times of danger—from the jungles and minefields of Vietnam to the IED laden streets of Iraq and Afghanistan—these brave men and women exhibited and continue to exhibit courage every day of their lives. And who will ever forget the horrific images of the thousands of Americans fleeing the smoke filled streets of New York City on that fateful day in September 2001. Yet the image that I will always remember from that day was not of people fleeing but, rather, of the hundreds who were rushing TOWARD the burning ruble we knew as the World Trade Center. These were men and women who put their own safety aside in an effort to help people they did not even know—THESE WERE MEN AND WOMEN OF COURAGE! But, you know, courage does not have to take on such magnificent and global forms. There are shining examples of courage around us everyday. I see people who have exhibited tremendous acts of courage sitting right in front of me— teachers who could have chosen far more lucrative professions yet chose to dedicate their lives to providing the tools necessary for the success of the young people graduating tonight. Before she died, my mother gave me a framed picture of a young blonde-haired boy standing on a cliff overlooking his favorite beach. I think the boy reminded her of me because his hair was all messed up, and his pants were half way
down to his knees—but it is the words printed on that picture that epitomize, for me, the courage and dedication of this faculty. It goes something like this:
Blaise and Preston to venture into innercity Baltimore to share some time with homeless veteran’s who were residents of an alcohol and drug rehab center.
“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove – but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”
And what about Gaby who spent part of last summer in South Africa with an organization that provides services to HIV infected people—and Ben Keller who helped to build a central meeting facility for a village in the Dominican Republic.
And while courage can be a collective quality, there are always individual acts that go well beyond the norm. As I look out at my colleagues tonight, I see two shining examples of women who exhibited extraordinary courage— Mrs. Matsanka and Mrs. Shorey. Both of these exceptional teachers had the courage to look cancer straight in the eye and shout, “YOU MAY TRY TO DESTROY MY BODY, BUT YOU WILL NEVER DESTROY MY SPIRIT!” You are both an inspiration to us all!! And I am not the only one to recognize the courage of members of this faculty. The 48 of you did so when you chose to dedicate your yearbook to two truly outstanding and courageous teachers— Mr. Martz and Mr. Pierson. That they could put aside their own pain over the years and concentrate on helping you achieve all that you were capable of achieving is a reflection of both their strength of character and their dedication. You could not have chosen two more worthy recipients. Now what about our seniors? Have they demonstrated acts of courage? Indeed they have. When I look amongst you, I’m reminded of the courage it took for Logan—at the age of 13—to leave the comfort of her home to attend school in Scotland—and the courage of her parents to let her do so. And I see the courage that Katie exhibits every time she reports for duty at the Longwood Fire Company and boards their ambulance ready to assist someone in need.
No—courage is not the province of the few—just look at Joanna who started and presided over the Tower Hill Abolitionists whose mission it is to raise awareness of child sex trafficking—and Jenni who has ventured into downtown Wilmington to serve meals to the homeless at the Sunday Breakfast Mission. It is truly the gift of the many—the gift that Jordan provided the children that she worked with each of the past four summers at the Center for Blind and Visually Impaired Children in Wisconsin—and the gift that so many of you give in support of the efforts of the DFRC. But acts of courage do not have to be quite so profound. Indeed, it takes courage to say to a person who is telling a joke or making a statement that is sexist, racist, homophobic, or antisemitic that you don’t appreciate that kind of humor—that it is hurtful—and that you would appreciate it if they would refrain from using it in your presence—or to say “NO”—to the person who offers you a drink at a party on a Friday night because you are driving and the people in your car are depending on you. Yes, my friends, we see examples of courage all around us—every day. The courage to admit that you have made a mistake – to take responsibility for your actions—it is what makes us special—it is what makes us the school that we are!
Yes, my friends, I see courage every day. The courage that it took for Trip, and
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Tower Hill School News lower School By Jacquelyn Hamilton
relationships. As we open for the 20102011 school year, we look forward to having two Tower Tot sections.
A classroom can be a place where lifetransforming work unfolds as teachers and students come together around big ideas. It can be a place where an understanding and knowledgeable adult helps to guide students through the complex maze of growing up. It can be a community of learners where one’s imagination is fired, skills developed and dreams become real. This is a snapshot of the Lower School experience at Tower Hill.
This year, Spanish was taught in our Tower Tot through Second Grade classes. The primary focus of the program is to teach children to utilize Spanish as a communicative tool. Activities are contextual in nature, encouraging the use of language in authentic situations, such as common greetings, describing weather and expressing feelings. Lessons are designed and coordinated with the children’s grade level, the grade’s current thematic focus and always with developmental progress in mind. Children in all Lower School grades will be taught Spanish as we begin the 2010-2011 school year.
We began the 2009-2010 school year with another developmental level added. The students in Tower Tots, our new three-year-old program, began their Tower Hill experience in an environment that fosters literacy, mathematical thinking and scientific inquiry through a variety of multisensory activities. The development of social awareness and social skills through play cultivates their ability to maintain collaborative
In our Lower School, one can observe faculty connecting with students in ways that provoke genuine learning and inspire active engagement with the questions at the center of the subjects they teach. The Fourth Grade faculty and students developed a plan and created a colonial garden as a new facet of the Fourth Grade social studies curriculum. The students gained first-hand knowledge about colonial horticulture through the research,
UPPER School By Dan Hickey
Tower Hill’s ability to allow students to maximize their potential was once again on display during the 2009-2010 school year. The number of opportunities our students have to develop themselves is extraordinary. A wonderful snapshot of this phenomenon was evident in the end-of-year experience of graduating senior, Jordan Bills. Jordan, in addition to being the President of the Student Faculty Council, was also the sole senior on our women’s soccer team
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this year. It just so happened that the state championship game our team was to take part in was scheduled for 7:00 p.m. the same day as our Senior Awards Night, which was to begin at 4:00 p.m. Jordan was noticeably anxious to get to the game and even inquired if it was okay if she could skip the awards ceremony to prepare for the big contest. We told her that she couldn’t skip and that she would have plenty of time to make the bus to the game. You see, Jordan didn’t know this, but she was to receive a few awards at the ceremony. I promised to let her know as soon as she could leave. After receiving recognition for math and science early in the program, Jordan finally came to the stage toward the
designing and maintenance of the garden. They were able to connect their experiences to other content areas such as writing, math and science. The entire Lower School was able to enjoy some of the early harvested vegetables during lunch in the spring. The Tower Hill Summer Program students will maintain the garden during the summer break. One may think that each school day ends at dismissal. It is at this time, however, that the After School program begins to move at top speed. The children eagerly begin their afternoon activities in the regular program or many of the wonderful enrichment activities. Lower School faculty joins the After School faculty to maintain a bridge between the two programs. During the 2009-2010 school year, 220 Lower School students participated in one or more of the many options available. The committed and enthusiastic adults who shape the Tower Hill Lower School experience embrace the importance of a child’s experience within and outside the classroom. We continue to discover ways to remain focused on what really matters in teaching, in learning, in life.
end of the ceremony to receive the Alison Arsht Leadership Award. As we shook hands and posed for a picture, I whispered to Jordan, “Okay, you can go now.” I watched as she gracefully walked off the stage, sauntered down the aisle, and broke into a light jog as she exited the tent. A few hours later, she was a state champion. The next day, she received her Tower Hill diploma. The Upper School asks all of its students to reach for their best, and students achieve this growth in different ways. But the opportunities and instruction we provide, coupled with the extraordinary talent and effort of our students reassures us that, when we say to our students, “Okay, you can go now,” that they are very well equipped for the next contest.
Tower Hill School News MIDDLE School By Pam Matsanka
We had an excellent year in the Middle School. Our teachers presented engaging material and our students devoured it with gusto—as usual. We continued the proven “extra” activities that we have done for years to make Middle School a unique experience for our students. The Fifth Grade Sandy Hill trip, the Seventh Grade Washington trip, the Eighth Grade Cape Henlopen trip, the Eighth Grade Show, the Sixth Grade mythology puppet show, and the Fifth Grade stream watch, Kabuki shows, and activities with the Pre-K buddies were the usual highlights that many alumni may remember! It is the “extras” that truly enhance our program, and as a result, we developed new activities this past year that we hope will become just as successful as the classics. Participating in community service is an important part of the Middle School character development program. This year we tried something new in our advisee groups to create more community service opportunities and to help advisors get to know his/her advisees better. Each advisory group was asked to find and participate in at least one community service project.
Advisors and advisees found many ways in which they could help the world. Following is an impressive list of some of the service projects they completed: selling sodas at lunch to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital; recycling soda cans and collecting the tops for the Ronald McDonald House; making T-shirts for the Hoops for Haiti event; organizing a dodgeball tournament that raised money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation; presenting a chapel on heroes; collecting 500 stuffed animals and sending them to the village of Coba in the Yucatan Peninsula; sponsoring a bake sale to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation; running various booths at the Hoops for Haiti event; recycling paper; adopting a highway; donating clothes to the Sunday Breakfast Mission; making no-sew fleece blankets for the Alfred I. du Pont Hospital for Children; organizing a team to walk and raise money for the E-Racing the Blues© event; participating in the Sixth Grade Chair-Y Gala; running a penny and coin drive that raised over $2,488 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; and collecting blankets and toys for the dogs and cats of the Faithful Friends Animal Shelter. New to the Sixth Grade curriculum this past year were two exciting trips that we hope to continue in the future. In October the class participated in the Living Classrooms Foundation, travelling to Baltimore to sail on the tall ships—
The Lady Maryland, a schooner, and the Sigsbee, a sloop. The trip was cross curricular, involving science and writing activities, as well as nautical history. On the bus ride down, we were worried about the threat of rain, but as soon as we boarded the boats the sun broke through the clouds, the wind picked up and we had a beautiful day on the Patapsco River. The activities the Living Classrooms teachers led were quite interesting and fun. Later in the year the Sixth Grade went to JA Finance Park, a Wilmington organization run by the Junior Achievement, where they were immersed in a reality-based, decisionmaking process that addressed aspects of individual and family budgeting. Before the trip, the reading, math, history and science teachers incorporated lessons into each of their programs to prepare students for the experience. Students were given a job and a budget and then had to make decisions on how much to spend on a mortgage, car, food, utilities, health care, investments, philanthropy and savings. After the event, one student commented, “Now I know what you adults go through!” We’re always thinking, plotting and planning for new and better experiences for our students. While the “old classics” remain excellent activities and adventures, we will continue to enhance our program by trying new and different activities that better prepare our students for the challenges of the 21st century.
We’re always thinking, plotting and planning for new and better experiences for our students. While the “old classics” remain excellent activities and adventures, we will continue to enhance our program by trying new and different activities that better prepare our students for the challenges of the 21st century. Tower Hill Bulletin
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By Jack Holloway, Director of Athletics
W
hen you hear that phrase “a season to remember,” it usually entails a coach or a player reminiscing about a particularly special year for his or her team. Rarely does it involve the grip placed by a school’s athletic program on its collective community for a remarkable three weeks of state tournament thrills and excitement. Late May and early June are always busy times for Hillers with exams, baccalaureate, graduation, parties and a host of end-of-the-school-year activities. This year, however, we hardly had a chance to catch our breath!
the state tournament. The season began to pick up steam with the boys’ tennis team. After going 9-4 during the regular season, they posted a strong third place finish in the DIAA championship. The girls’ tennis team set the bar high for the rest of the spring teams with a hard fought battle in the state tournament that saw all the girls finish at or above their tournament seeds. Led by senior Lucy Nutting’s indomitable spirit, the girls brought home the championship and freshman Sydney Butler was 3rd singles champion. The fact that the girls finished second by one point last year made the win more special.
The excitement started with our baseball team, which capped an 11-4 season with their fourth DISC championship in the last five years and earned the #8 seed in
Girls’ lacrosse, led by Delaware’s Player of the Year, Emily Schuckert, and fellow All-Staters Caroline Holliday and Katie Applegate, finished 10-4 and
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DISC co-champions. They ratcheted up the pressure on the fans with a heartbreaking 9-8 loss to eventual state champion Cape Henlopen. The following night found Green & White supporters again making the trek to Dover to see the boys’ lacrosse team take on the Cape Henlopen Vikings in the DIAA championship semi-finals. The Hillers were looking to advance to the finals and a rematch with last year’s champions, nationally ranked Salesianum. Trailing 8-6 with less than seven minutes remaining, the team rallied for an amazing 12-8 victory that sent fans home checking their BlackBerry® devices. Meanwhile, #1 seed Tower Hill was moving forward in the girls’ soccer
tournament. Fans would have to reschedule their Saturday plans in order to catch the boys taking on Salesianum in the lacrosse finals in the afternoon and cheer on the girls’ soccer team in their quarterfinal tournament game that night. Tension was at an all-time high at Caravel Academy as Coach Brad du Pont’s team took an early 1-0 lead over #1 seed Salesianum. Unfortunately, the Hillers couldn’t sustain the lead, and the Sals led 4-1 with less than three minutes remaining in the game. The Green & White faithful never wavered and were rewarded when sophomore Michael Pettit closed the gap to 4-2 with two minutes and forty seconds left to play. Chas Robino brought the score to 4-3 with a goal scored with less than one minute to go, and the fans prayed for a miracle. Jake Graham delivered, scoring the tie goal with just 12 seconds left in regulation. The teams remained tied 4-4 through the first overtime period. One minute into the second overtime,
Michael Pettit delivered the goal that will be remembered for a lifetime as the Hillers defeated mighty Salesianum! The News Journal rightly dubbed the game “the best high school sports contest of the 2009-2010 year.” Seniors Ripley Nielson, Demetrius Murray and Trip Ashley, together with junior Chas Robino, were named First Team AllState and Ripley was named The News Journal’s Player of the Year for Delaware. Tower Hill was abuzz with two state championships and come-from-behind inspirational efforts. It was graduation week, but the athletic joy was not yet over. The girls’ soccer team had advanced to the DIAA semi-finals, where they would meet Wilmington Charter, the only team to defeat them during the regular season. Once again the Tower Hill community put aside their plans and traveled to Appoquinimink High School to support the girls who rallied from a 1-0 deficit to post a 3-1 victory and move into the championship game.
The spirit in the school and throughout the Greenville area was contagious. The Class of 2010’s Awards Ceremony was moved from 6:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the entire Green & White nation turned out to cheer the girls on against undefeated Caesar Rodney, led by three-time Delaware Player of the Year Jasmine Reeves. Tower Hill All-Stater Gracie Firestone scored on a free kick at the 27th minute, and goalie sophomore Kelsey O’Donnell and her defensive teammates made the 1-0 score stand up, giving the Hillers their first-ever state championship in girls’ soccer. The celebrations and parties finally subsided during the summer, but the Hiller spirit that permeated this community for those three special weeks will be embedded for some time to come. The athletes have their memories, the fans can rest their weary hearts and Tower Hill lore is three state championships richer. It was absolutely “a season to remember.”
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Bob DeGroat 1921- 2003
Inducted in the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame
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n May 19, 2010, Bob DeGroat was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame. Bob was the football coach from 1946-1983 and coached the Blue-Gold All-Star games. Among the attendees were Headmaster Chris Wheeler; Athletic Director Jack Holloway; Associate Head of School Harry Baetjer; Ruly Carpenter, 58’; Chuck Hobbs ’65; Steve Hyde ’59; George Stetson, faculty member and coach 1965-2000; George Herring ’49; Betty Richardson, Girls’ Athletic Director, 1951-1996. DeGroat’s son, Rory ’70, gave the induction speech which follows. Good evening. As the representative for the DeGroat family, I would first like to extend congratulations to all the other inductees tonight. Next, I would like to thank the selection committee, as I understand it is a difficult and lengthy process to choose from so many worthy candidates. I am here to say a few words on behalf of inductee Robert George DeGroat. Known by many as “Mr. D,” I was always instructed to call him “Coach” when I played for him, though I knew him better as “Dad.” Dad did not start out as a football superstar in high school. He actually played soccer for Classical High School in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was not until he went to Springfield College that he started to play football. That, in itself, was a little surprising, as his father, Harold DeGroat, was a famous baseball coach there at the time. That Coach DeGroat ultimately had 139 wins at Springfield over 16 seasons and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1980. Who gave the induction speech on that occasion? Me.
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analyze the pros and cons of each, then come up with a solution equitable to both parties. It was an uncanny ability that I truly miss for its veracity and balanced approach.
Like so many others, Dad interrupted his career to participate in World War II. He flew heavy bombers in that conflict and was shot down with only two missions left on his tour before he could have gone home. He ended up, as he used to say, “an unwilling guest of the German government.” And in many ways, it was through his experiences as a Prisoner of War (or POW) that made him realize the importance of fairness and teamwork. What’s more, it toughened him. Two weeks in solitary confinement with one hour of light per day can do that. But his confidence and poise in difficult situations also came through. During an interrogation by the feared Gestapo, he broke from the usual name, rank and serial number to remark, “I am interested in sports.” Dad was never one to allow ego to cloud his judgment. After all, who else would refer to flying life-or-death combat as “an everyday job with attached personal risk?” He could be objective, almost detached, about any subject and, without emotion, compare each side,
Postwar, Dad viewed football as the ultimate team game. Due to his wartime experiences as an aircraft commander, he realized that important contributions are made by each member of the crew. He liked to say, “You may not particularly like the guy playing next to you, but you learn to cooperate to achieve a common goal.” He stressed that principle as valid in nearly all circumstances that required dealing with people. Obviously, Dad had some very successful teams and enjoyed it when players did well, but remained strictly old school. Later in his life, he was clearly dismayed by the antics taking place in end zones. All that dancing and carrying on was lost on him. Those who almost ceremoniously drop the ball as they cross the goal line would invariably get a “Hey! Someone has to go pick that up.” He was always of the opinion that you should flip the ball to the ref like you could score any time you wanted. The vision of the team concept was always at the forefront. Not surprisingly, he used me as an example. I was the starting fullback when we got his 100th win. Our first drive of the game went well, as our quarterback made great reads using our new triple-option attack. When we got inside the 10, he called a rollout (yes, the quarterback called his own plays in those days), which required that I run what is now called a speedout. The pass was low, so I went down to make sure I got my hands under it, rolled, and
quickly held the ball up so the ref could see I had caught it cleanly. Touchdown! We went on to win the game, and Dad had his 100th. But, as was his habit, I was lectured on the unnecessary “flashy” catch. And true to form, making the point was more important to him than getting his milestone victory. I find it remarkable that many people over the last several years have told me that Dad had a favorable impact on their lives. I know what you mean, and I believe he would have been amazed and pleased that he affected so many people in such a positive way. Interestingly, a coaching career at Tower Hill was not originally on his radar. Dad had wanted to stay at the school a couple of years before attempting to progress up the ranks to the college and pro levels, but found the greatest need for his skills right where he was. He believed in Tower Hill and its principles. Those of you who knew him would probably agree that he made the correct decision to stay.
any given time. If he had ever had the time to watch Star Trek, he would have identified with Mr. Spock, the science officer, who said, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.” Some intramural programs came into existence because he saw a need, as he wisely realized that there are students who just aren’t interested in interscholastic competition. He did not disparage them at all. It may have caused an increase in his work load, but he felt, much as his father did, that if school is used to exercise your mind, shouldn’t it also exercise your body? And it should be accessible to everyone.
with. Dad was involved early on and eventually coached in several of those games. He was proud of his undefeated streak there. I was fortunate to have been a manager, and, two years later, a player. I only wish my sons had the wonderful opportunity to participate in this program which does so much for so many, not only for the selfish reason of having a third generation player in the family, but more importantly, for them to see for themselves why Dad and I expressed such high admiration for this program that touches so many hearts. It is a truly unique experience, never to be forgotten.
Like many other fathers and sons, Dad and I knocked heads on numerous occasions. One thing we could always agree on, however, was the magic of the Blue-Gold All-Star Football Game. We both believed that it is one of the most worthwhile events you can be involved
As time passed, Dad began to realize the importance of his contribution to the War effort in 1944-1945. His experience as a POW gave him a special status among both military personnel and civilians. Speeches at Tower Hill would allow an occasional glimpse into that difficult time in his life. Those that heard his words never forgot such topics as the walking dead man or the lawyer who hated flying.
His coaching style was different, since he felt that most players already knew when they made a mistake. Dad never yelled, but you also had no trouble identifying when he was displeased. (That was true at home as well.) Embarrassing the struggling athlete was never part of the plan. His explanations were always on point and easily understood.
His status was also elevated by local governments with the issuing of ex-POW license plates. He obtained one and was quite pleased with it in spite of himself. One day he came out of a store to find a gentleman looking at it. The man straightened up and asked, “Were you a POW?” Dad replied, “Why, yes I was.” The gentleman thought for a moment, then said, “Isn’t it nice that they do that for you retired post office workers.”
My brother Kerry and I both played football on what would ultimately become DeGroat Field at Tower Hill. Dad was proud to have his name associated with it but did not live long enough to see what a first-rate facility it has become. Maybe he did show a little ego after all.
The Tower Hill School alumni surprised Coach Bob DeGroat with a silver bowl in honor of his 100th career victory.
As the Athletic Director at Tower Hill, he was concerned with what was appropriate for the greatest number at
Top: DeGroat, pictured in 1957 with coaches and players, took several generations of gifted athletes to statewide football prominence and cared about the physical development of every student.
Thanks again for inducting my father into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame. I am sure he would have been honored to be included among so many of his friends and colleagues. He might also have been a little embarrassed by all the fuss. There is certainly no doubt that he represents the best of what has become known as the Greatest Generation. Thank you.
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New Administrators...
Making a Difference
Jill Lauck, Director of College Guidance Jill Lauck earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Bryn Mawr College in 1998 and has been working with students and families since her college days, first as a tour guide, and for the past 12 years as a college admission officer. She began her work in admission for one year at Hampshire College, then moved to Wellesley College in 1999, where she worked until December 2005, overseeing student tour guides, event planning, recruitment and outreach letters, and reviewing applications. From January 2006 until spring 2010, Jill oversaw international admission as an Associate Dean of Admission at Princeton University, where she worked with more than 3,500 applications and applicants from around the world—work she loved. She joins the Tower Hill College Guidance staff full of energy, optimism, hope and good cheer for her students, and a love of baking, art and design. She will work with students throughout the school as they think about the college search and admission process and will work with seniors in their final year to help find the right university offering both intellectual and social fit for each student.
Julie Topkis-Scanlan, Chief Advancement Officer A Wilmington native and graduate of Tatnall School and Penn State University, Julie Topkis-Scanlan comes to Tower Hill as chief advancement officer from a 12- year career with Catholic Health East and most recently Mercy Health System where she was vice president of philanthropy and provided philanthropic strategic direction and executive leadership to four Mercy Health System Hospitals, Home Care and Corporate Services. She was responsible for increasing funding revenues and creating, implementing and building a system-wide philanthropy program from the ground up, which included restructuring of budgets, resources, systems and policies. Julie has most recently served as a Board member for Nativity Preparatory School of Wilmington, the Wilmington Music School, Delaware Community Foundation and other volunteer organizations. In her new position, Julie will lead the strategic direction of development and philanthropy, which will enable Tower Hill to grow fund-raising programs and enhance alumni relations. Julie’s daughter has been a student at Tower Hill since Pre-K and is entering the 7th Grade.
Kim Murphy, Associate Director of Advancement Kim has had a very successful career in development and brings many years of experience in fundraising to the Tower Hill School Development Office. She has been responsible for all facets of development programs including annual giving, endowment programs, alumni relations, and corporate and foundation giving. In her role at Tower Hill, Kim’s responsibilities include the Annual Fund program and grant writing. Prior to her position at Tower Hill, Kim’s efforts and energies were dedicated to raising funds at a private college and a hospital.
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AROUND TOWER HILL
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AROUND TOWER HILL 1. On May 27, 2010, a reception was held for the Leadership Circle and major donors to celebrate the completion of the newly renovated Walter S. Carpenter Field House, the last phase of the Campaign for Athletics. The mural in the foyer recognizes the dedication of Mr. Carpenter as a founding member of the school and a generous supporter who donated the land where the field house stands today. 2. Attending the reception were Board members Pete Hayward and David Roselle, along with David’s wife Louise. 4. Chairs of the Campaign for Athletics Brad du Pont ’82, Linda Boyden and Fred Friebott thanked generous donors for their contributions and support of the campaign.
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3. Juniors and seniors in the Studio Art classes display their creative works in the Pierre S. du Pont Arts Center on April 9, 2010. Senior Trip Ashley is congratulated by Upper School Head Dan Hickey during the reception. 5. Grandparents’ Day on April 23, 2010, was attended by over 600 grandparents and special guests. They enjoyed visiting classrooms and in many cases participating in activities with the students. 6. Summer at Tower Hill, our new summer program, successfully concluded its second year in 2010. Enrichment, academic and sports programs, were offered along with a day camp. The Phillies camp was one of the most popular. 7. The 88th Annual Field Day on May 28, 2010, began with a dedication of newly renovated Walter S. Carpenter Field House for students and the Tower Hill community. After a tough competition, “Greens” won the event. 8. The arts continue to flourish at Tower Hill as evidenced by the Middle School instrumental holiday concert in December 2009.
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9. Students in Lower, Middle and Upper School sponsored “Hoops and Hope for Haiti” on February 28, 2010. The fundraiser, in support of Haiti earthquake relief efforts, included a student/faculty basketball game and other events, raising over $10,000 for the American Red Cross. 10. Parent and Former Board Chair Lance Weaver was one of the speakers at this year’s Forum speaker series entitled “Morality vs. Ethics.” Weaver spoke on business ethics and was introduced by his daughter, Logan, a member of the student Forum committee. 10
11. Moving Up Day on June 11, 2010, was a joyous celebration recognizing our 8th grade students for their accomplishments during Middle School.
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12. The 55th annual DFRC Blue-Gold AllStar Football Game was played on June 19, 2010, at the University of Delaware Stadium. Representing Tower Hill were senior player Demetrius Murray, Lexi Saunders (center), Katie Applegate and Christy Pletz (left) and their “Buddies” (in yellow).
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13. A welcome and exciting change to the Evening of the Arts this past April was the addition of small vocal and instrumental groups who engaged audiences while they were perusing the visual artwork throughout the building.
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Over the Years
Making Tower Hill History
Thanks to Margaret Porch Lounsbury ’37 (left) and Julia Ann Patterson McKay ’39 (right) we’re documenting Tower Hill history. The alumnae have been sorting through hundreds of old photos in the Alumni House and identifying their fellow classmates. A real trip down memory lane!
1. Girl’s Tennis Jean Lytle Reynolds ’38 Georgina Miller Bissell ’38 Bettina Bonner ’36 Elizabeth Schoonover Cobb ’36 2. Girl’s Basket Ball Jane Kurtz Marvin ’36 Mary Fowler Curtiss ’36 Eliz Schoonover Cobb ’36 Patricia Moseley Trepagnier ’37 Bettina Bonner ’36
3. Play Peggy Bradley Sherman ’31 Dr. H. Clinton Davis ’40 Mary Davis Buerki ’43 E. (Libby) Pearce Van Leeuwen ’43 Robert S. Wilson ’41 Sherman C. Lloyd ’36 Barbara Stine Cruici ’42 Mary Hughes Preyer ’42 Walter Chadwick Carol Wolff Rendall ’40 Frederick J. Blatz, Jr. ’40 Doris Mears Pugh ’40 George K. Landon, Jr. ’42 Sarah L. Springer ’42
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4. Girl’s Hockey Dorothy McKee Sawin ’29 Alice Huxley Green ’28 Katharine Boyd Derrickson ’28 Eleanor Sawin Russell ’27 Charlotte Steers VanWinkle ’28 Renee Carpenter Draper ’28 Helen Turner Fairchild ’28 Ellen Wood ’25 Deborah Rood Milke ’27 Dorothy Ackart Nichols ’26 Elizabeth (Betty) Stirling Tate ’28 Janet Stirling Chaplin ’28 5. 1933 Girl’s Varsity Hockey Winners of the Wilmington Field Hockey League Cup for the third straight year, thereby retiring the cup. Forward Center: Jane deBlois ’34 Front Row: Margaret (Libby) Zeisberg Guthrie ’35 Mary Ann Ranken Reese ’34 Bettina Bonner ’36 Gabriella Mahaffy Milnor ’37 Middle Row: Elizabeth (Biz) Schoonover Cobb ’36 Eleanor Dill ’35 Mary Fowler Curtiss ’36 Elizabeth (Didi) Gawthrop Bush ’34 Betty Moseley Kiesling ’36 Back Row: Marian Warner Trotter ’35 Mrs. Ellen Baldwin (Coach)
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6. The “Picnic House” in 1925-1926. Built off of Route 141 near Overbrook Road, the “Picnic House” was constructed by the shop class.
AT TOWER HILL Recognize yourself or classmates in these photos? We would enjoy hearing any details from our alums. Your input will also enable us to keep our archived records updated. Thanks! Contact Kathy Warner at 302.657.8358 x 235 or thalum@towerhill.org.
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Alumni Events
Alumni events in 2010 ranged from a reception in New York to gatherings closer to Tower Hill. Our goal has been to nurture and deepen the connections between alumni and with Tower Hill School.
We are always looking to create events and programs that will appeal to all ages, and we appreciate your feedback and suggestions.
New York City Reception
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Photos 1-3: On April 14 about 75 alums from the New York City area joined Headmaster Chris Wheeler and Brad du Pont ’82 at the William’s Club of New York for an alumni reception. Wheeler invited everyone to visit the campus to see the newly renovated Carpenter S. Field House, which was finished and reopened in May 2010. Lacrosse Coach Brad du Pont, talked about his team’s success this past spring. Steve Hyde ’59, former faculty and coach, as well as Wiz Applegate ’79, teacher, coach and parent, were on hand for lively conversations about the school—past and present. Kathy Warner, Director of Alumni Programs and Development Office Special Events, credited Ashley Altschuler ’91 and Board Trustee Matt Twyman ’88 with enthusiastically encouraging classmates and others from the Tower Hill community in NYC to attend.
Senior Dinner Photos 4-6: The Alumni Council held the Senior Dinner for the Class of 2010 at Brantwyn in May. The speaker was Wiz Applegate ’79 who talked about what it means to be a Tower Hill alum. Among the graduating seniors was Wiz’s daughter Katie.
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Golf Outing
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Photos 7-8: This year’s annual Golf Outing hosted by the Alumni Council and held at Delaware National Golf Club was a great success thanks to our co-chairs Wes Schwandt ’86, Doug McCoy ’82 and Rob Crowe ’90. About a hundred participants enjoyed a day of golf, a luncheon and cocktails followed by an awards dinner with Headmaster Wheeler, members of the Alumni Council, other alums and friends of the school. Proceeds benefitted Tower Hill’s Annual Fund and the Alumni Association Financial Aid Fund.
Wilmington Holiday Gathering On December 18 the Alumni Council once again invited Wilmington area alums to a holiday gathering hosted by Mike Kelly ’75 and his sister, Mary Ann Kelly MacDonald ’79 at Kelly’s Logan House. Monty Hayman ’87, president of the Alumni Council, joined Headmaster Chris Wheeler and other members of the Tower Hill community to celebrate the holiday Season.
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Homecoming & Reunion 2009 Sharing Memories and Renewing Friendships—Reunion Weekend October 2-3, 2009 1. The homecoming lunch and barbecue was a favorite gathering time for students, alumni, parents, grandparents and friends. 2. The Saturday schedule of events kicked off with the 5K Run/Walk. 3. Tours of the Tower Hill facility included the main building along with the recently renovated athletic and physical education facilities.
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4. The Class of 1979 celebrated their 30th reunion on October 3 at the home of Wiz Applegate. 5. The Alumni Games, a fairly recent addition to the reunion weekend, included soccer and field hockey games, and were open to alums and their families.
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6. Headmaster Chris Wheeler joins Robert (Rob) Brown ‘34 for lunch during last year’s homecoming. 7. The Class of 1969 celebrated their 40th reunion.
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Calling all Hillers! 2010 Schedule of Events
Homecoming & Reunion 2010 October 22-23 Saturday Events—October 23, 2010 For Everyone 8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. Noon -2:00 p.m.
Homecoming 5K Run/Walk—Register on the terrace of the Alumni House; Run/Walk starts at 8:30 a.m. on 17th Street at the main entrance of the school. Sue Johnson Memorial Round Robin Tennis Tennis courts; Field House in the event of rain Lunch—Under the Homecoming Tent
For Alumni 9:30 a.m. 5:30 p.m. The Arts 2:20 p.m. All day
Alumni Field Hockey, Soccer and Flag Football—Field Hockey on Richardson Field; Flag Football on DeGroat Field Reunion Reception—For Classes ending in “5” and “0” at the Hayward House. Enter from Tower Road. Class photos begin 6:00 p.m. Comedy Combat Improvisation Troupe—On the grass near DeGroat Field Heather McEvilly ’93 displays her graphic designs P.S. du Pont Arts Center
Tours and Open House 10:00 a.m. School Tour—Main building, 1919 Auditorium, Field House with Headmaster Chris Wheeler and Associate Head Harry Baetjer 2:15-3:00 p.m. Hayward House—Visit the 1st floor of our new facility for alumni events
Dedications
11:45 a.m. John Pierson Dedication—Bench near Alumni House 1:45 p.m. Straub Dedication—Alumni House Terrace
Athletic Events
Friday—October 22, 2010 3:45 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Field Hockey (3rd Team) vs. St. Mark’s—Richardson Field Volleyball (3rd Team) vs. Concord—Weaver Gym Volleyball (JV) vs. Wilmington Christian—Weaver Gym Volleyball (Varsity) vs. Wilmington Christian—Weaver Gym
Saturday—October 23, 2010 11:00 a.m. Field Hockey (Varsity) vs. St. Andrew’s—Richardson Field Soccer (Varsity) vs. St. Andrew’s—DeGroat Field Soccer (JV) vs. St. Andrew’s—Nitsche Pitch 12:30 p.m. Field Hockey (JV) vs. St. Andrew’s—Richardson Field 1:00 p.m. Soccer (3rd Team) vs. St. Andrew’s—Nitsche Pitch 2:00 p.m. Cross Country (Boys) vs. St. Andrew’s—Rockford Park/De Groat Field 2:10 p.m. Cross Country (Girls) vs. St. Andrew’s—Rockford Park/DeGroat Field 3:00 p.m. Football vs. St. Andrew’s—DeGroat Field
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COME HOME! Homecoming & Reunion Registration Name/s _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________
Class of ______ ______ ______ ______
Home Phone ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________
Email ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________
How many will be joining us for lunch (12:00-2:00 p.m.)? ___Alumni/family ___Students ___Parents ___Grandparents ___Faculty/staff ___Friends Will you be joining us for the Reunion Cocktail Reception on Saturday, October 23, at 5:30 p.m.? Name/s ___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
HOMECOMING 5K RUN/WALK—8:00 a.m. Registration Run/Walk
Relation to THS
Age
______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________
_______ _______ _______ _______
________________ ________________ ________________ ________________
_____ _____ _____ _____
T-Shirt Size
(S/M/L/XL) (Youth/Adult)
_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________
Detach and mail or fax to Tower Hill School
Name/s
SUE JOHNSON MEMORIAL ROUND ROBIN TENNIS—9:00 a.m. Name/s ___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
ALUMNI GAMES: FIELD HOCKEY, SOCCER, FLAG FOOTBALL—9:30 a.m. Former field hockey players join Wiz Applegate. Family and friends are welcome to join the Alumni Council and Monty Hay man for soccer or flag football.
Name/s ___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
Waiver for Tennis, 5K and Alumni Games In consideration of this entry being accepted, I, intending to be legally bound, hereby for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators, waive and release any and all rights I may have against the organization holding this event, its agents, representatives, successors, and assigns for any and all injuries suffered by me at said event.
_____________________________________________________ _______________ Signature (parent if participant is under 18) Date Mail or fax this completed registration form to: Tower Hill School, 2813 W. 17th Street, Wilmington, DE 19806 Phone: 302.657.8353 Fax: 302.657.8373 Or register online at www.towerhill.org.
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Class Notes 2010 Births
1994 Thayer Poppy to Mary Rose and Buzzy Hannum on October 2009
It’s a Boy 1990 Rory Dillon, Jr. to Jennifer and Rory Conway on October 27, 2009 1991 Devak Johnston (DJ) to Anjali Rao Martin and her husband Greg on December 20, 2009 1994 William Douglas to Whitney and Gray Thouron on July 21, 2009 1995 Matthew Mark, Jr. to Tara Morgan Hoopes and her husband Matthew on May 16, 2010 1996 Pell to Elizabeth Neilson Schmeiser and her husband Bryan on October 7, 2009
1994 Margaret Eveland “Margo” to Kate Lopez Weymouth and her husband Timo on May 10, 2009 1996 Blair Beaumont to Meghan and Luke Semple on April 30, 2010 1997 Ayla Jade to Sara and Matthew Auerbach on February 25, 2010
Twins 1991 Charlotte and Becket to Melissa and Michael Flynn on October 6, 2009
Weddings and Unions
Deaths Charles “Terry” Baker III ’50 on October 20, 2009 Duncan G. Bolton ’38 on October 1, 2009 James R. Cobb ’60 on January 16, 2010 John G. Craig, Jr. ’50 on May 26, 2010 Susanne Denham Singer ’44 on October 21, 2009 Margaret du Pont Smith ’48 on September 20, 2009 Sarah du Pont Cahill ’47 on January 24, 2010 Henry G. Law ’58 on September 19, 2009
It’s a Girl
1996 Pembry Keller married Pedro Saez on May 1, 2010
1989 Genevieve Joy to Jennifer and Tony Lunger on March 29, 2009
1997 Dave Jaquette married Amy Collen on August 22, 2009
1990 Paige Quinn to Amanda Golding Riegel ’94 and Chip Riegel on May 3, 2010
1997 Lisa Mariko Webster married Doug McLane on June 2009
Robert N. Pyle ’44 on March 18, 2010
2000 Arushi deFonseka married Jack Breaux III on September 5, 2009
Louisa Spruance Morse ’30 on October 22, 2009
2001 Heidi Johnson married Michael George Beris on May 22, 2010
Emalea Warner Trentman ’32 on January 23, 2010
1993 Margaret Burton to Abbi Keller Wagner and her husband Benjamin on June 7, 2010
Peyton Riegel holds her baby sister Paige Quinn who was born on the same day as her, May 3. Both are daughters of Amanda Golding Riegel ’94 and Chip Riegel ’90.
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Kenneth Nwannunu ’06 on October 22, 2009 John C. Pierson, Jr. ’59 on November 29, 2009 Carroll F. Poole ’39 on October 15, 2009
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Class Notes 2010 1942
1965 35th Reunion Year
Doris Slawter Eldridge writes that this past November she and her husband, Jim, took a southern Caribbean cruise to celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary.
Karen Farquhar writes that all is well in Port Clyde. “I was in Monhegan Island with Robin McCoy ’62 and her beau, Jim Blano, and the time was filled with the events of Trap Day. Trap Day is the island’s first day of setting out lobster traps.”
1950 50th Reunion Year Betty Keith Luke’s grandson, David P. Lazar ’06 graduated from Duke University on May 16, 2010. Nancy Ritter Raftery’s grandchild graduated from Miami University of Ohio in May 2009. She has a granddaughter at Dickinson College, and her grandson has been accepted at Skidmore College.
1951 Renis Siner Paton has 10 grandchildren— nine boys and one girl.
1959 Louise “Fibbie” Schoonover Smith thoroughly enjoyed her 50th reunion at Tower Hill last October. Alice Woodcock Smith was sorry to have missed the 50th reunion. She attended Tower Hill from kindergarten to 9th grade, moving away to Colorado when her mother remarried. Since then she has lived in Germany, Houston, Brazil, Columbia and Houston again. She lost her husband in 1990 and is now remarried and living in a friendly village in England not far from Oxford. If you are going her way, please get in touch.
1970 30th Reunion Year S. Ward (Trip) Casscells, M.D., the Tyson Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Texas at Houston, wrote an article dealing with health care reform, which was published on February 9, 2010, in the Huffington Post entitled Americans Have a Prescription for Congressional Health Care Delirium. Stefan Kozinski began a search in 2006 for a new job in the German theater system, which meant being ready to move to another city. In July 2008 he was invited to join the Theater Bremen as a coach and musical caretaker of its opera studio. Stefan thanks Tower Hill for making the effort to reach him after so much time. “It is beautiful to be remembered, and I will try at a calmer point in our season to be in Wilmington once again.”
1972 Sarah Beste Logan was promoted to Assistant Vice President for Institutional Research and Effectiveness last June at the University where she has worked now for ten years.
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Class of 1959 members Bill Wood ’59, Christopher Getman and Steve Hyde gathered this past fall with John Pierson ’59 (May 14, 1941– November 29, 2009), second from the right.
1960 40th Reunion Year Gail Rothrock Trozzo has completed a preservation plan update for Prince George’s County in Maryland—challenging and fun! Gail is looking forward to her 50th Reunion in October and seeing others from the class of 1960.
H. Cheryl Rusten has been working at Fox Chase Cancer Center since December 2008 as a Research and Evaluation Manager. “I feel very fortunate to have found this great job during a tough economy.”
1978 John Hughes writes that his mother, Jody, passed away June 13, 2010, and wanted to get word out to the Tower Hill community. She had many friends at Tower Hill School and also worked as a speech therapist for some of the students over the years. Jody’s grandson Ted starts in the 4th grade this fall. Charlie Scott continues to practice law at Scott and Scott, the family firm
Brad du Pont ’82, Bill Kitchel ’77, John Black ’82 and Ed Beacom ’67 at the Bradford Camps in Maine this past October.
in Elkton, Maryland. Charlie’s son, Charles III is in the 9th grade at St. Andrews. Charlie and his wife, Amy, live in Earleville, Maryland, with their daughters Katie, age 5, and Lauren, age 3 1/2 . Charlie writes that he has been running into friends from school at his son’s lacrosse games. Robert A. Bank was promoted last year to Chief of Civil Works, Engineering & Construction for the Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He is responsible for design standards and technical criteria for worldwide U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s projects. Last October, a segment of the Dr. Oz Show was filmed at Tower Hill School. Joe Rubini and Steve Hyde, former faculty and football coach, participated in the filming by sharing reminiscent stories about the school and about Mehmet Oz. When the segment aired on the show, it was a surprise to Mehmet. Even more of astonishing was that as the show was airing Joe and Steve walked onto the stage!
1986 W. Mott Hupfel III is about to have his third movie released in September. It is called Jack Goes Boating. Mott is the director of photography, and it is the first movie Philip Seymour Hoffman has ever directed—plus he stars in it.
1987 Erik Wildt lives in Scarsdale and rides trains and subways to work at the New York Stock Exchange.
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Class Notes 2010 1991
1997
Anjali Rao Martin and husband, Greg, welcomed their first child on December 20, 2009. Devak Johnston Martin (DJ) joined them with the blizzard of the decade and was the best gift for Christmas!!
Elizabeth Jennings writes that she lived in Vancouver, B.C., for two months and worked as a Product Merchandiser for the Coca-Cola Company during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
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1993 Gabrielle Rappolt-Schlichtmann, who received a doctorate in Human Development and a master’s degree in Behavioral Neuroscience both from Harvard University, spoke to Tower Hill’s Upper School students in February 2010 as part of this year’s Forum series on the subject of ethics of scientific research. She is a research scientist for the Centre for Applied Special Technology, a non-profit research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities. Major John C. Lemay is currently at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as a student in the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College. Jody Allen is living on the Upper East Side for about eight years and has done some TV and improv work there, but he has mostly focused on his new career with Barnes & Noble, Inc. where he is currently General Manager of their new flagship store at 86th and Lexington. He ran the New York City Marathon in November for the first time finishing in the top 10. In June 2010 he went diving for 2 weeks in Fiji, most of it exploratory diving on virgin reefs in the outer islands. Last year Jody was selected to compete on Jeopardy! Jody was in Los Angeles for the taping and told Alex Trebek about his time at Tower Hill and being on the Academic Bowl, thanking Elliot Mitchell, his Science teacher, for the guidance and support he gave as a faculty advisor. Jody and Dimitri Pappas still get together once in a while in Philly. Dimitri went to Harvard Law School after graduating from Princeton. He is now the General Counsel for his family’s agriculture business in New Jersey. Dimitri is married and lives in Philadelphia.
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Will and Charlotte Evans, children of Moley Karas Evans ’94 and husband Nicholas, during the holidays.
1994 Moley Karas Evans writes that she is living with husband, Nicholas, and two children, Charlotte and Will, in Arlington, Virginia. “I own an after school arts enrichment and summer camps company called Left Noodle—Right Noodle. My husband works in Government Relations. Life is good.” Dr. Katharine Lopez Weymouth welcomed her new daughter, Margaret (Margo) on May 20, 2009. Katharine and her husband enjoyed catching up with friends at her Tower Hill School reunion this past year.
Brian J. Smigielski was invited to continue his research in Physics at The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia. While there, he worked on his thesis and then returned to the University of Washington in Seattle to obtain his doctorate. Brian received his Doctorate in Theorectical Nuclear Physics on May 7, 2010, and graduated on June 12. Brian has accepted a post-doc position with the Institute of Physics, National Centre for Theoretical Sciences, National Chia-Tung University in Taipei, Taiwan, and began his research there in August.
1995 15th Reunion Year David Larned was the subject of a Roger Morris article, “The Sitter and the Painter” in The Hunt Magazine’s Winter 2010 issue. With degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, the Florence Academy of Art in Italy and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Larned has been painting portraits—for which people will be remembered—for over ten years.
1996 Daniel K. Moon and his wife, Anna, both graduated from Harvard Business School and moved back to NYC, where their happy sister, Patricia works and lives! David, Anna and Patricia joined other NYC alums at the Tower Hill School reception at the Williams Club of New York.
Gerard Baltazar ’98, a surgeon, and Maria Karas ’98, a cardiologist, had the opportunity to collaborate in the care of a patient at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
1999 Leslie Moroz graduated from Jefferson Medical College on May 29, 2009. She and Alexi Mascitti ’00 were in the same class.
2000 10th Reunion Year Arushi deFonseka married Jack Breaux III, formerly of New Orleans, at The Plaza in New York City on September 5, 2009. Brother Jehan
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Class Notes 2010 deFonseka ’03 was a groomsman. Other Hillers in attendance included Doretta Mistras ’00, Justin Devotta ’00, Elizabeth Crowe ’00, Nick Villalon ’00 and David Lunger ’03. Arushi and Jack met in Pittsburgh at a medical conference where they were both presenting research. After a honeymoon in Paris, they are now completing their residencies in Internal Medicine in Los Angeles. 1st Lt. Emily McConnell Arthur and her husband Todd moved to Dover last July and are both stationed at Dover Air Force Base. He is a C-5 pilot and she is a contracting officer. It’s nice to be back in Delaware! Alexi S. Mascitti graduated from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia on May 29, 2009. She began a pediatric residency in New York City at NYU in July and plans to specialize in neonatology. Alexis will marry fellow Jefferson classmate, Michael J. Brown, of Saratoga, New York, on September 18, 2010, in Wilmington.
2001 Heidi Johnson married Michael George Beris on May 22, 2010. Alumnae in the wedding party were maid of honor Heather Johnson Pitambe and bridesmaids Christiana Wray ’01 and Kelsey Robinson ’01.
2003 On February 23, 2010, Hugh Bender made Forum history by being the first graduate to participate in the Forum series to have attended the forums while he was a student at Tower Hill. In his presentation entitled “The Ethics of Stem Cell Research,” he explained the strengths, the weaknesses and the ethics behind three distinct types of stem cells. He reminded students that stem cells are not “the” miracle cure, rather they are vital in confronting current medical issues, and a balance can be achieved between the ethical issues and the potential therapeutic uses. Ann Marie Gamble completed her third year as an RN at Johns Hopkins Hospital. After two years in cardiology, she is in the Medical Intensive Care Unit. Anthony M. Hidell lives in Dallas, Texas, after being relocated by his employer CIGNA International, where he is a New Business Manager. John Holzman has a new web site,
Coach Brad du Pont ’82 got his 100th lacrosse win on April 3, 2010, defeating St. Andrew’s. Five alums joined him in coaching the team, including Greg Mackenzie ’06, Thomas Martel ’07, Sean Baetjer ’05, Nick Jacobs ’05 and Matt Moyer ’05.
www.cieloymarproductions.com, that showcases his photo and video work in aviation as well as underwater.
2005 5th Reunion Year Teagan Gregory graduated from the University of Delaware as a top student. He is pursuing his education at the University of Michigan Law School.
2006 David P. Lazar graduated from Duke University on May 16, 2010.The University of Delaware field hockey team, which made one of the nation’s biggest turnarounds in 2009 when the Blue Hens captured the Colonial Athletic Association title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, was presented its championship rings in a ceremony on February 16, 2010. Recognized were players Lizzie Lewis and Caroline Campbell ’07. Ben Morris-Levenson has been selected a Student Marshall at the University of Chicago. He is one of the third-year students who have excelled academically and demonstrated outstanding commitment to significant extracurricular activities on campus and in the community. Student marshalls assist with the university convocation ceremonies, and on occasion, they represent the student body at other special University events. Blakely Ashley, member of the Princeton women’s tennis team, was undefeated this year in Ivy League play. The Princeton team swept the Ivies in April, after beating Columbia to complete a 7–0 Ivy season and earned a return trip to the NCAA Championships in May.
2008 Caitlin Van Sickle played on the UNC field hockey team who won the NCAA Championship this past November. Van Sickle made the assist in the remaining seconds of the game to give the Tar Heels their sixth NCAA championship.
2009 Meghan Lyons was named to the 2009 National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Academic Squad, which requires a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or higher. Meghan attends the University of North Carolina. Delaney Osborn, who attends the College of William and Mary, loved Tower Hill according to her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Powell. Keep up the good work! Justin Hicks, who ran indoor and outdoor track at Bucknell University last year, broke four all-time top ten records. He made the All-Patriot League First Team and was named Rookie of the Year for Track and Field.
Faculty Wiz Applegate, Middle School teacher and girls’ lacrosse coach, was inducted into the Delaware Lacrosse Hall of Fame at the Delaware Lacrosse Foundation’s annual banquet on June 10. Applegate, who has coached since 1989, has guided the Hillers to five state championships and eleven DISC conference championships. She has been active in lacrosse for most of her career in Delaware and nationally as a player, coach, administrator and parent. Luba Berbeza, Office Manager for the Development
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Class Notes 2010 Office, attended the taping of the Dr. Oz Show in December 2009. After the show, she had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Mehmet Oz ’78 and presented him with a paperweight from the school. On June 24 and 25, Karen Bohn, Lower School Reading teacher, participated in a two-day Wilson training workshop in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The program—Just Words®—is a study of word structure designed for students with word-level deficits. The knowledge gained from the training can be readily implemented to complement language arts programs currently in use in Lower School classrooms. Sara Bush, Lower School Music, is writing a musical based on a well-loved lower school book called The Aaraboolies of Liberty Street written by Sam Swope. The book deals with individuality, freedom and tolerance in a way that children can understand. Sara’s musical will be performed by the First and Second Grades during the upcoming school year as an arts-literature-diversity event and will involve the Lower School, Drama Department and Library Department. In addition to the performance, Sam Swope will make an author’s visit to the school in conjunction with a book signing. Coordinating the event will be Ellen Dolmetsch, Lower School
Librarian, with help from former reading teacher, Ellen Bryant, who has ties to the author. Cinda Crane, Middle School Librarian, and Ellen Dolmetsch, Lower School Librarian, attended the American Library Association Conference in June in Washington, D.C. Director of Libraries, Ellen Potter was a contributor to an article entitled Books, Books Everywhere, But Nary a One in Print by Norm Medeiros. She also supplied views on Cushing Academy’s (college prep school in Ashburnham, Massachusetts) action to remove all books from their high school library and go digital. Admission Director Kelly DeShane, Associate Director of Admission Bill Ushler and Technology Department Head Joe Smolko attended the May 2010 ADVIS Admission Retreat featuring Alan November, Founder and Senior Partner of November Learning. In July Frank Singles, Middle School History, participated in a summer institute in Dover, Delaware. The Age of Roosevelt program was part of the Historical Literacy Project grant Frank received from the U.S. Dept of Education. Historians, children’s book authors, and curriculum specialist presented materials related to the teaching of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal. The group traveled to Washington D.C. for a workshop at the National
Archives and a special program with the U.S. Parks Service at the FDR Memorial. Frank was invited to return later this year and consult on the new educational program involving research on the Constitution of the United States at the National Archives. Tower Hill Seventh Graders will be among the first in the nation to participate in the program once it is launched when they travel to Washington D.C. next spring. Trina Tjersland, Drama Department Chair, finished her last class at NYU and received a MA in Educational Theatre. Headmaster Chris Wheeler is delighted to announce that his book was finished over the past summer and is due to be published early in the fall. The book is called Inside Their Headships: Conversations with Independent School Heads and contains 11 interviews with current and former heads of school.
Former Faculty John Newlin, former Head of the Middle School, published an article in Independent School magazine in the spring 2010 issue. In his article Enhancing School and Parent Connections, John writes about promoting effective communication with parents on behalf of their children.
Great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of this publication. We sincerely regret any errors or omissions and ask that you notify us so that our records can be updated.
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At Tower Hill School we believe in doing many things well. We nurture nuclear physicists, doctors, surgeons, researchers, and scientists. Our students become leaders, innovators and citizens of the world. When you give to the Annual Fund, you join others in being stewards of an educational experience that is distinctive to Tower Hill. Give today by visiting www.towerhill.org/makeagift, calling 302.657.8358 ext.252, or mailing your gift to Tower Hill School Annual Fund, 2813 W. 17th Street, Wilmington, DE 19806. Tower Hill Bulletin
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In Memoriam
John Pierson
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May 14, 1941–November 29, 2009
By Headmaster Chris Wheeler
Last November 30 the normal hustle
others as an organizer, fund-raiser and all-around doer. John was the model for selfless dedication and service to others and his example will remain the gold standard for years to come.
and bustle of Tower Hill School was suddenly quieted by news of John Pierson’s passing the night before. Even though the news was not a shock—we all knew that John’s quiet and courageous battle with cancer was coming to a conclusion—a loss such as this was felt at the school’s core. And at that moment, a Tower Hill fixture for 41 years became a Tower Hill legend.
John’s direct connection with Tower Hill actually spanned 53 years, a staggering fact which must certainly be one of the longest in school history. He began in 1946 as a kindergarten student. John was five years old and Tower Hill School was in its 27th year. These were the Guernsey years and familiar Tower Hill legends such as Cecile Buckles, Julia Jones, Harry Algard, and Bob DeGroat were in their prime. After an excellent academic and athletic career at Tower Hill, John graduated in 1959 and left Wilmington for Hamilton College where he received a degree in French. John’s strengths as a student, athlete and community member were recognized at Hamilton where he received the Gelas Memorial Prize for “outstanding development, sportsmanship, leadership, strength of character and athletic ability during his college years.” These qualities would be in evidence for the rest of his life. After Hamilton College John took a teaching position at The Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland, and then at the St. Louis Country Day School in St. Louis, Missouri. John was enticed back to Tower Hill to teach English and to coach football and basketball in 1968. His distinguished
service to Tower Hill over the next 41 years would be marked by excellence as a teacher and coach and by a sense of commitment to community without parallel in our school’s history. John taught in the Middle School, continuing the tradition of grammar-intensive English instruction pioneered by Cecile Buckles and Jean Morton. He coached both boys’ and girls’ junior varsity and varsity sports. But it was his dedication to and involvement in numerous community service activities that he may be best remembered for. John was a co-founder of the Green and White Club and was active for decades with the Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens with Intellectual disAbilities (DFRC), to name but a few. It would be safe to say that John spent thousands and thousands of hours in service to
Shortly after John passed, his children Jay, Corbin and Tucker worked with the school to establish a merit-based scholarship in their father’s memory. The John Pierson Scholarships are awarded to a few newly admitted 9th grade students for their demonstrated commitment to academic excellence, community involvement and service, and physical fitness. The first class of Pierson scholars have entered Tower Hill this fall and their presence on campus are daily reminders of John’s powerful legacy. The Pierson family and Tower Hill School welcome your contribution to the John Pierson Scholarships. Please send your donation to the address below. The Pierson family also invites you to attend the dedication of a bench and plaque presented in John’s honor at Homecoming. The ceremony will take place on Saturday, October 23 at 11:45 a.m. sharp on the Alumni Walk just a few steps away from the Golding Alumni House. The bench and plaque will be placed in front of two Dogwood trees overlooking DeGroat Field at Stoltz-Alumni Stadium. Fourteen years as a Tower Hill student, 41 years as a Tower Hill faculty member, community leader and coach, 53 years of a life dedicated to the ideals of a school and to the students and faculty that fill it. Thank you, John, for all you did for Tower Hill School. You will be forever in our hearts and minds.
Contributions may be sent to: The John Pierson Scholarships, Tower Hill School, 2813 W. 17th Street, Wilmington, DE 19806
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Fall 2010
Tower Hill Bulletin
We want to hear from you! Share your news about career changes, weddings, engagements and births with your fellow alums. Submit your news to thalum@towerhill.org or online at www.towerhill.org-Alumni/Class Notes. Or send them to: Class Notes, Kathy Warner, 2813 W. 17th Street, Wilmington, DE 19806 Look for Tower Hill on a new and improved Facebook page this fall!
Tower Hill S chool 2813 West 17th Street Wilmington, DE 19806 Please keep us informed with all updated addresses.
Renovated Walter S. Carpenter Field House, May 2010.
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Permit No. 562 Wilmington, Delaware