OVER THE MOON
A Legendary Legacy Middleburg’s famed Foxcroft School celebrates its centenary and honors the memory of legendary founder ‘Miss Charlotte’ Noland BY VICKY MOON
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he was known simply as “Miss Charlotte” and in 1914 at age 32, Charlotte Haxall Noland founded Foxcroft School in Middleburg, which this year celebrates its centennial. Miss Charlotte borrowed money to acquire the land just outside of Middleburg. The main “Brick House” is the first brick mansion erected in Loudoun County (built in 1723). The now 500-acre campus has 35 buildings (including a 60-stall stable with indoor arena), swimming pool and eight tennis courts. An avid and admired equestrienne, Miss Charlotte, who was head of school until 1955 and then president of the board until 1961, wanted to create a place that “girls would want to come to and hate to leave because they loved it.”That has indeed been the case, for the all-girls boarding school can now boast a century of devoted and distinguished alumnae. She retired to Winter Park, Florida in 1961 and died in 1969. One alumna who attended under Miss Charlotte’s tutelage was Rachel “Bunny” Lambert Mellon ‘29 of Upperville, who died recently at age 103. Bunny and her late husband, Paul Mellon, donated for construction of the library in 1969 named in honor of his niece Audrey Bruce Currier ’52 who died in an airplane crash in the Bermuda Triangle in 1967. Bunny designed the library courtyard and commissioned the iconic Fox and Hound sculptures by J. Clayton Bright. As part of Foxcroft’s Centennial Celebration, the National Sporting Library & Museum in Middleburg has mounted an exhibition “Foxcroft School: The Art of Women and the Sporting Life.” There are 30 paintings and sculptures on view through August 24 on loan from alumnae and their relatives. The exhibit offers a picture of the collecting interests of these remarkable women and their role in 20th century sporting life and art. This July, Mary Louise Leipheimer will retire as head of Foxcroft School after 25 successful
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For the Washington Performing Arts “Music in the Country” fete, hostess Danielle Bradley’s lapis blue Oscar de la Renta dress complemented the dinner tables in the orangery at “Locksley.” (Photo by Vicky Moon)
One of six children, “Miss Charlo e” Noland, founder of Foxcro School, grew up in Middleburg but never a ended college, saying she was only qualified to teach riding and the Bible. (Courtesy of Foxcro School)
years. (She began with a $2 million deficit and no endowment and leaves a $31 million endowment.) Future Foxcroft girls will welcome Catherine Smylie McGehee, who follows in mighty fine footsteps. Over in Millwood, Danielle and Ron Bradley hosted the Washington Performing Arts Society’s “Music in the Country Afternoon Concert” at their stately home, “Locksley,” which honored Jacqueline Badger Mars. The late afternoon gathering featured breathtaking performances in the ballroom by tenor Mario Chang, soprano María José Morales and pianist Nimrod David Pfeffer, with compositions by Chopin and Puccini. Supporters and attendees included: Mia and Donald Glickman, Katherine and Tom Anderson, Richard Strother and Tania Pouschine, Cathy and Stephen Graham, Lena and Lennart Lundh, Jean Perin, Trevor Potter, Dana Westring, Mary B. Schwab, Michael and Nadia Stanfield and Elizabeth and William Wolf. Meanwhile, Maria Tousimis and George Grayson took off for a long weekend in England as guests of Franny and Walter Kansteiner.They
attended the Cheltenham races as guests of Anne and Sean Clancy, whose horse, Valdez, finished fifth in The Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase. No sooner did Maria and George return and they were off to the American Medical Women’s Association Gala at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Maria’s sister, Dr. Eleni Tousimis, is director of the Ourisman Breast Center at the Lombardi Cancer Center, chief of breast surgery at Georgetown University Hospital and president of the association.The evening event honored Arianna Huffington and celebrated the publication of her new book “THRIVE: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being.” Finally, consider Liberty Hill Farm, the mountain-top retreat being offered at $1.9 million by Sheridan-MacMahon Ltd. in Middleburg. The new owner will have breathtaking 60-mile panoramic views of the Shenandoah Valley. The circa 1787 house has three bedrooms, random width pine floors, a guest cottage, barn, remnants of formal gardens, an old cemetery and spring fed-pond on 215 acres.
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