65 minute read
Moving Westminster Forward
Bill and Jenny Philip strolling across campus.
Bill and Jenny Philip P ’06, ’09 will be departing Westminster at the end of the current academic year, following nearly four decades serving in various roles on campus. They met at Yale University when they were students, have been married 35 years and have approached their time at Westminster as a team effort.
Bill became Westminster’s eighth head of school July 1, 2010. A graduate of The Hotchkiss School, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at Yale and completed a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies at Wesleyan University. During his 38-year tenure at Westminster, he has served in a variety of roles, including associate head of school for eight years and assistant head of school for three years. He also taught history for 25 years, and served as director of studies, director of college counseling and senior development director. He has been a corridor and dormitory supervisor, a coach of swimming, baseball and lacrosse, and a sought-after advisor. He received the O’Brien Award in 1998 and was named an honorary member of the Class of 2006.
A graduate of Renbrook School and Miss Porter’s School, Jenny received her Bachelor of Arts from Yale as a history of art major. She has worked as an interviewer and applications reader in the Yale Admissions Office, as the associate and acting director of admission and financial aid at The Ethel Walker School and as the alumni coordinator at Renbrook School, where she also coached varsity field hockey and lacrosse.
At Westminster, Jenny has coached Third Girls’ Field Hockey, Second Girls’ Field Hockey and Second Girls’ Lacrosse, assisted with electronic communications in the Marketing and Communications Office, curated art exhibits in Baxter Gallery and maintained an active presence in the school community. Most recently, she has been a member of the committee managing food services for the school during the pandemic. Last year, she was named an honorary member of the Class of 2021.
Over the years, Bill and Jenny have lived in various dormitories and faculty homes at Westminster, including Pratt House during Bill’s tenure as head of school. Their two daughters, Kate ’06 and Alie ’09, grew up on campus, discovered their passion for art history as Westminster students and enjoyed considerable success on various Westminster athletic teams, before matriculating to Yale University and Bates College, respectively.
Nearing their departure from campus, Jenny and Bill took time to discuss their Westminster experience.
Many were surprised by your announcement to leave Westminster at the end of the current academic year. Why is the timing right to do this?
Bill: Leaving Westminster will always be very hard for us, but it is something we had been thinking about for a while, and we are turning 60. Thirtyeight years is a good run. I think it is important to be able to preview ahead and say to yourself that I have plenty of energy and enthusiasm now, but at what point in the future am I likely to be out of gas. And that is where we were early last summer when we confirmed with Brad Raymond ’85,
P’19, ’20, ’24, ’24, chair of the Board Jenny and Bill with their daughters, Kate ’06, on the left, and Alie ’09, on the right. of Trustees, that this next year has to be it. And that was added to by the whole experience in March doors open, and children are running in and out. Older with the COVID-19 planning that was going to make this children are out in the neighborhood, and people are riding academic year like six years in one. We were at the point where bikes and scooters, and doing other activities. When your we knew that in fairness to Westminster, we were all in for one own children are in school, the rhythm of the school year is more year but could not imagine doing more years well. very similar and comfortable. It has been great living in the Jenny: And obviously with this job there is no off switch. Yes, we dorms and faculty housing, and going to the dining hall and get time off theoretically, but Bill’s cellphone never stops, and all of that. you plan to go away and something comes up and suddenly you cannot take the trip. Also, we were looking ahead and felt there were not a lot of head of school searches going on this How have you supported one another in your roles at Westminster? academic year, but perhaps in a year or two there would be Bill: Jenny is a saint. a larger turnover. This led us to think that this timing would Jenny: I have always worked in schools. When I first moved to better for Westminster in the search process. Westminster, I was working in the Admissions Office at The Bill: I also think it has to be looked at through the lens that Ethel Walker School and then I was at Renbrook School,
I served 11 years as head of school, but before that, I was working in the Development Office as the alumni coordinator. assistant head of school and associate head of school. The I’ve always understood the outward-facing part of schools. basic scheme has been in place for more than two decades The first year Bill was head of school, I was still the alumni of what is involved, even though there is a difference in the coordinator at Renbrook. That was a rough year because all roles. We have devoted our lives to Westminster and care of my alumni events happened to be on the same weekends about nothing more, other than our family. Because of that, we had big events at Westminster. There was one Parents we wanted to do what is right for the school. This is not a job Weekend when I was leaving a parent reception at Pratt House where you just ride it into your 70s and do it well. to go run a reception for the head of school at Renbrook. It was clear that I could not continue to work off campus, so I You have spent your entire married life on campus. started working at Westminster, initially coaching. Some help How has that shaped your family? was needed with the field hockey program, and I had played Bill: We have gone through different phases as a family at field hockey at Yale and coached at Renbrook for years. I also
Westminster. I arrived in the fall of 1983 as a bachelor, and volunteered to help in the Marketing and Communications
Jenny and I got married in the summer of 1985. We spent Office because I was familiar with the web platform used at three years as a young married couple on campus and became Westminster. I took over the Connections and Hill Happenings parents in 1988. We spent about 20 years bringing up our two newsletters, and when the Advancement Office wanted to daughters on campus until we became empty nesters. do an alumni art show, I got involved with that. I had helped organize Westminster’s 125th anniversary alumni art show Jenny: We have moved six times at Westminster. Pratt House was and had run alumni art shows at Renbrook. It was an easy our sixth move. What a great place to bring up our daughters. transition to turn Baxter Study Hall into a gallery and do an
It is like the neighborhoods of old where people have their annual alumni art show there.
Bill: One of the most significant things that has changed in my 11 years in this role is the explosion of the external component.
And that is not to say that previous heads of school did not attend admissions receptions or advancement receptions. They did, but the scale that we are talking about now is not comparable. Receptions are taking place all over the world, and often the spouse is expected to be there because we position ourselves as a family school. This work has to be a family commitment. In most jobs, a person can have their professional life and their personal life. At a school like Westminster, it doesn’t work that way if it’s going to be done well.
What are the major factors that have kept you at Westminster over the years?
Bill: Jenny would be No. 1. No question about it. This doesn’t work unless she’s all in. I think at the end of the day, we’ve done remarkable work in terms of facilities and all the rest, but it is mostly the relationships you have. Some of them are with mentors and some of them are with friends. That is the personal side. On the professional side, there has been serendipity. I arrived here teaching three sections of history and one section of English, coaching baseball and swimming, and living in Memorial Hall. And then a year and a half later, Don
Werner, who was head of school at the time, asked me to join the College Counseling Office and then be head of college counseling a few years later. When Geoffrey Wilbraham retired, I was asked to be the director of studies, and when
Richard Miller retired, I was asked if I would serve as assistant head of school. There was no plan. And ironically, I was asked to return to the College Counseling Office years later when the director position opened up late in the academic year. And so,
I was happy to serve in that role again for a year to give the school a chance to hire a new college counseling director in a normal cycle of things. Some people get comfortable with what they are doing professionally and want to continue it indefinitely. That is not the way I’m wired. Even teaching history, I would rotate teaching European history, world history and U.S. history.
New opportunities seemed to come along just when I was getting ready for a change, so I was able to stay.
What were some of the administrative changes you made while serving in these various positions?
Bill: Each of the professional intervals were as much generational as real moments of transformation for the offices. For instance, when I first moved to the College
Counseling Office, we had a school report, which had a school history on one side and the college placements of the previous class on the other side. We changed that to make it a more compelling case for our students and the college admissions process. And when I took over the director of studies position, I began the process of moving the office online, scheduling classes and writing comments on computers and digitizing the office generally. Again, these changes were generational.
You both have a long history with boarding schools. How has that affected your work at Westminster?
Jenny: Bill and I both went to boarding schools, and I have worked at a couple of different schools. We always knew that
Westminster is a great school. Even when we were attending boarding schools, the students who attended Westminster then always loved the school. Also, Bill’s brothers have worked at schools. When we get together with them, we often talk about the things we like at schools. Westminster has always seemed to be the perfect size to us. It is big enough to have a variety of faculty and students, and its athletic component has always been competitive.
Jenny, you chose to assume a wide range of responsibilities at Westminster. Would you care to comment about that?
Jenny: Some of it is the jobs needed to be done. I tried to pick spots where it has really added value. I have taken on jobs and done things because the community needed it and part of it was interest. I have the time and see it as helping move
Westminster ahead. I am also a people person. I like talking to people, especially prospective families in the Admissions Office and hearing how they found out about Westminster. I wanted to get involved and do something that would actually help. Bill: There will be no problem replacing me. The biggest holes are going to be where Jenny was involved, even though much of that has been behind the scenes. As an example, almost nobody knows that Jenny has been the Hartford area chair of alumni interviewers for Yale for decades. She
Top, Jenny coaching field hockey and, below, Bill greeting students on campus.
is the one who coordinates all of the alumni interviews for all students in the greater Hartford area who are applying to
Yale. And Westminster has a few, too. When Yale admissions representatives come to visit Westminster, they are coming to visit Westminster, but they are also coming to see Jenny. Jenny: From our point of view, it has taken a family commitment.
Bill, has serving in the role of head of school been different in any ways than you expected?
Bill: The short answer is no, but a big new piece is the increased focus on the external component, as I mentioned earlier.
Westminster is expected to do a reception in Chicago, San
Francisco and other places on a pretty regular basis, and I’ve been to Asia just about once a year as head of school. Other schools are doing the same thing. One of the challenges is managing this and maintaining a presence on campus. To do this, I’ve tried to stay away from extended trips, even though it is less efficient. I have visited Los Angeles for one or two nights and returned rather than making a lengthier trip by visiting additional places on the West Coast. The Asia trips have lasted longer, but I tried to take those in the summer when it doesn’t matter in terms of school presence.
Bill, you often cite pillars for guiding campus decisions. What have been your guiding pillars as head of school? Bill: First, I have always felt that I would never ask anyone to do something that I have not done or would not do myself.
And that is certainly the case with regard to faculty. Just about everything I have asked faculty to do, I have done.
Secondly, I believe it is better to deliver bad news early.
Delaying the delivery of bad news never works out. There is an aphorism that there are three types of people in the world: problem creators, problem identifiers and problem solvers.
Whenever possible, we should aspire to be the third.
What are some major ways the school has changed during your tenure?
Bill: The school is in such a different place right now. We have the new buildings and the school community has changed, too.
When we first arrived in the early ’80s, faculty members were largely all older white men approaching retirement or young white men just out of college. There were a few female faculty members. Today, there are more women on the faculty than men, and the demographic of our faculty is spread nicely from those in their early 20s, to those in the middle and rearing children, to those with longer tenures. And while we still have a ton of work to do, there is a meaningful cohort of faculty of color who serve in significant leadership roles and are bringing up their families on campus in standalone faculty housing.
Westminster always strives to make a professional and familial commitment to faculty. As we have pushed forward, the demographics of the faculty directly correlates with the student experience. If you are a student of color at Westminster, you can go through your day and encounter people who look like you, and if you are a girl, you can see women serving in various positions. I think this has been an affirming development. Similarly, we have increased the percentage of students of color, which is now pressing on 20%, not counting international students. If you look back to the 1980s, it was 10% in a good year. That doesn’t mean this progress is complete, but it does mean it is a very different setting than when we arrived. Jenny: Westminster has always been very understated in promoting itself. When Bill became head of school, he and I had already discussed possible steps that could make people stand up and take notice. I spend a lot of time in the Admission
Office striking up conversations with people who are visiting, and they are blown away by how the campus looks now,
which is obviously different from what it looked like when we first moved here. The campus facilities finally match the strength of the faculty and students in the community. Some of this progress was good fortune, certainly with the anonymous donor and the confluence of many people coming to the same realization about supporting the school. I think it was fertile ground to actually make some pretty big changes without altering the culture of the school. Grit & Grace still defines our school community, but our physical campus looks different, and our school community includes more people from different circumstances and experiences. It still feels like the same place.
What are some of the leadership challenges of serving as head of school?
Bill: Some of those holding successive leadership positions in offices after me were anxious that perhaps I was going to try to continue to run that particular office. That is never how
I have approached things. If my successors needed any help, they were welcome to come check with me. I also periodically checked in with them to see how they were doing. Giving people the space in successor positions to do their thing has been important to me. There was also a time when I thought too many of us were literally the same age in leadership positions at Westminster.
If you think about the school strategically, you are not just thinking about now, but you are thinking about tomorrow and positioning it to flourish in the future. We have taken the school to the place that our generation can take it. It is time for the next generation to make the next move. Also serving as head of school is different from any other position on campus in that it is harder to maintain personal and professional relationships. Not because you don’t want to but because, for one reason or another, colleagues may get upset with decisions you make. Perhaps, they do not get an appointment or something they wanted, and they view it as your fault. That doesn’t mean that person couldn’t necessarily do the job, but it might be better for somebody else to do it. Serving as head of school can be isolating, and periods of change are necessarily uncomfortable.
Bill: The most overarching goal has been to push the school forward. Schools put a lot of stock in strategic plans and that is wonderful. We have one, and it is relevant to what we are doing.
But at the end of the day, donors get to have some say, too. You have to be nimble and willing to flex your school’s plans for relevant donor priorities. And that has to do with a lot of Westminster facilities. We are lucky because we don’t have facilities that are unrelated to the school’s mission. Some schools have architectural statements that have really nothing to do with what the school is doing but are what a donor or campus master planner wanted. We have avoided that, and it all pulled together nicely. And we have continued to enhance the school’s reputation. This is a great school and, obviously, I’m biased, but I think it is one of the best secondary schools in the country or the world. Westminster must not be afraid to claim that. I would make the case that a more intimate community-oriented school is more important to students than large reputational schools, but everyone can make their own decision. Westminster is not trying to become some other school. We do a great job, and all of us as faculty members and students are lucky to be a part of the school community.
How have you strengthened ties to the larger school community?
Bill: Previously, Westminster School forever defined its school community as the students and faculty who are on Williams
Hill. And those people are very important and are central to our school. But I have always seen the community as extending to the alumni, parents, past parents and friends of the school who are scattered around the country and around the world.
I went to London in fall 2019 for a reception which was attended by a robust group of more than 20 people affiliated with Westminster. There were even alumni who took the train from Scotland, just for the event. And the same thing happens when we have held events in Seoul, Hong Kong, Shanghai or
Beijing, as well as around the U.S. This larger conception of community has always been important to me.
How has Westminster’s commitment to Hartford evolved?
Bill: Faculty member Todd Eckerson
P’09, ’11, ’17, ’21 first committed
Westminster to a public purpose and extending its meaningful involvement in Hartford in all sorts of ways. That involvement continues with Kathleen
Devaney’s P’19, ’22 leadership of
Hartford Partnerships and Horizons at
Westminster, and my participation on the boards of Hartford Youth Scholars,
Renbrook School and the Horizons program.
Is there anything that has worried
you the most as head of school? Jenny curating an art exhibit in Baxter Art Gallery. Bill: The students. We have 400 wonderful students on campus, but the capacity for a teenage mind ethos, mission and history of the school as highlighted most to come up with incredibly unwise ideas is always a significantly by the community vision in Armstrong Dining continued concern. What is most important is to take care of Hall and Brockelman Student Center. That process started these students. with the construction of Armour Academic Center in terms of changing the school’s mindset. Of all of the milestones while serving as head of school, Those were some of the milestones. And then coming down are there a few that stand out? the homestretch in my tenure, probably the most meaningful Bill: There is something about Westminster that is like the for me is the sustainability of all of this. Everybody said you folktale “The Little Engine That Could.” You have to get that cannot raise money for endowment related to financial aid and little engine to believe that it actually can climb the mountain. faculty because people want their names on buildings. But we
And once it believes it can climb that mountain, then it has did. While the school has a long way to go on increasing its a better shot at the next mountain, even though that next endowment, we raised significant resources for scholarships mountain is a little taller. An example of that early on in my and for faculty support. tenure was raising money for the Westminster turf field, so our field hockey program could be competitive, and student- What led to the success of the Soar Together Campaign? athletes in the program would have a chance to play in college. Getting that project approved and then getting the money raised was a meaningful moment for that “little engine that could.” And then moving ahead next with the first two new dorms, Squibb House and Gund House, was another important step, even though some did not see a problem with the existing Andrews House and the original Squibb House, which were significantly outdated. I remember the conversation I had with our campus master planner, Graham Gund ’59, about his vision for the campus that had a coherent architectural style. On many of the great college and school campuses around the country and the world, you can look at any part of the campus and you know where you are. It does not mean all of the buildings are identical, but there is a coherence. During the days of the original Squibb House and Andrews House that was not the case at Westminster. So getting those two new dorms approved was another big leap because there was a major financial commitment. It was a risk, but a risk I Bill: I still can’t believe we are going to get the campaign completed this academic year. It has been great for the school in all sorts of different ways, especially increasing support for students and faculty. Having it completed is really nice for a new head of school coming in because it provides an opportunity to plan from scratch and size up the school’s various priorities and what should be undertaken next. The money that was raised for faculty support and needbased financial aid is going to make such a difference in the student experience. Credit is spread wide for getting this accomplished, including donors, the Board of Trustees and great teams in Advancement, and Marketing and Communications. And we did it without the help of a fancy outside marketing consultant, even the logo. We conceptually had in mind what needed to be done in terms of the campus’s future, but then we took advantage of opportunities as they came along that relate to the school’s mission and core values and what we are trying to do. and others felt we could take. We met the challenge and got it done. We also did it in a way that was consistent with the
Have expectations for a Westminster School education changed over the years?
Bill: We are dating ourselves, but as I have said before,
Westminster in 1983 was not all that different from
Westminster in 1953, even though we went coeducational in 1971. However, for faculty from 1983, today’s school would seem quite different in all sorts of ways. The presence of parents in school life has also increased. They are in and out of campus all of the time for such things as attending games.
They also are in regular telephone and email contact with their child and the faculty. That level of access, accountability and expectation on the part of our families has intensified.
Has your leadership focus changed while leading the school’s response to the pandemic?
Bill: This past year, in many respects, is a return to the older and more internal style of headship for the campus, which is not so externally focused. To keep Westminster operating well over the past year required a huge reapportionment of my time to internal matters related to the day-to-day running of the school. The pandemic has forced us to reimagine all aspects of the school’s operations. One thing I think we have done quite well related to our COVID-19 response is communicating with the school community. We have had major communications going out almost weekly and at a minimum of once every other week. And most importantly, we were able to return students to campus for most of the year.
How have your daughters continued your family’s involvement with schools?
Jenny: They are both married and live in New York City. Kate is director of alumni relations at The Buckley School, which is a K-9 boys’ school, and Alie is the alumnae director at The
Spence School, which is a K-12 girls’ school. Both of their husbands work in finance.
How do you plan to stay involved with Westminster?
Bill: A lot of that will depend upon what is most helpful to Elaine
White, the next head of school. The expectation for outgoing heads is to literally disappear for an extended period, which we intend to honor. I have always thought that was a little strange, but it does not matter what I think. What matters is what would be helpful to Elaine. If the school ever reaches out, we will be there to help and support in any way we can.
How would you like people to remember you?
Bill: My goal is to slip out the back door at some point in June and move on to other things. In this position, you do the best you can in the circumstances you have. You cannot get caught up in what accolades or other things people are going to say or not say about you. All that will be forgotten in time. But, hopefully, the school and the experience of the students are incrementally better, which is what matters.
What are your next steps?
Bill: This sounds crazy, but we have no idea. This year, with the all-encompassing nature of the pandemic, we really have had no time to even think about that. We are going to be moved out of Pratt House in time for any changes to be made there, so Elaine can move in as soon as she starts July 1, if not before.
We are all-in on supporting this successful transition and
Elaine’s leadership. In terms of whether we will retire or not, we have no idea.
If the timing is right for you to leave the school, you have got to do it and have personal confidence that you will figure the rest out. Too many people get frozen in place because they do not have an answer to what is next. You have to have enough personal confidence that you are going to figure it out.
What do you look forward to pursuing in the next stage of your lives?
Bill: Not that I am any good at it, but I have not played any golf since August 2019, and I would like to pick that up again. We have rented a small apartment in New Haven, and we have a home in Vermont. We understand that Vermont is beautiful in the fall. … We would also like to travel, even to some places we have visited related to work and were only there for 48 hours or so and had to leave. Jenny: We have thought about visiting the Southwest sometime other than the summer when it is too hot. And we usually go to Bermuda in March during spring break, but if you ask Bermudians, they will tell you there are prettier times to be there. Bill: Going back to why we are leaving now. No one knows for sure, but you would hope you have 10 to 20 years of active life still in front of you when you are 60. Maybe more, but who knows. We wanted to make this move at a time when we still have the opportunity to do some things that we would like to be able to do.
2010 2011
Longtime faculty member Bill Philip becomes Westminster’s eighth head of school July 1. The Westminster Teaching Initiative holds its first Westminster Teaching Symposium and invites teachers from other schools in the region.
The Crossroads Cooperative Learning Program (CCLP) officially becomes part of Westminster School. With the new name Westminster Crossroads Learning Program in Hartford (WCLP), its mission is to serve the needs of students from Hartford, especially Hartford Public High School, through summer enrichment and after-school programs
John Armour ’76 completes a seven-year term as chair of the Board of Trustees, and T. Treadway Mink Jr. ’77, P’11 becomes the new chair of the Board of Trustees.
Westminster begins its 123rd year.
Four renewal committees are formed to take stock of what Westminster is doing well and what it can do better in major areas of school life. Culture Draws are started to extend Westminster’s longstanding involvement in Hartford. Four times a year, four students and two faculty members are selected from a lottery to travel to Hartford for dinner and a show.
A Sixth Form flag that features the same design as the Sixth Form pin becomes the new signal for Hill Holidays and will be displayed at Commencement and reunions. Jenny and Bill Philip visit Seoul, South Korea, in June. This is one of many trips they will take abroad to meet with alumni, parents and students.
The Class of 1966, in honor of its 45th reunion, creates the Alan F. Brooks ’55 Distinguished Alumni Award to annually honor a Westminster alumnus or alumna who exemplifies in thought, word and deed the school’s mission and who practices Westminster’s core values.
Novelist and short story writer Anthony Doerr, who was awarded the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for “All the Light We Cannot See,” is a featured reader at the Friday Nights at Westminster series. An anonymous donor steps forward during the summer with the offer of a $10 million gift to transform the residential experience for students and faculty at Westminster. It is the second largest gift in the school’s history. The Board of Trustees at its September meeting approves construction of two new student and faculty residential facilities beginning in spring 2012.
2012 2013
At its January meeting, the Board of Trustees launches a strategic planning process to create a new strategic plan for Westminster. Programming for the 125th anniversary celebration includes a March performance by tap legend Savion Glover as part of the Graham Gund ’59 Visiting Artist Series, an alumni athletics forum in May and community service donations.
Construction begins in March on two student and faculty residences. To make room for the buildings, Wyckoff House, West Cottage, Andrews House and the former Squibb House are demolished.
Westminster kicks off a yearlong 125th anniversary celebration in September with the theme “Leading with Grit & Grace” to highlight academics, athletics, arts and service through numerous activities and events.
Hovey Field, a new synthetic field funded entirely by philanthropy and named in honor of David “Hov” and Jenks Hovey, P’78, ’80, ’83, GP’09, ’11, ’14 opens. Hundreds turn out for the dedication Sept. 29. Baxter Gallery, the former site of Baxter Study Hall in Armour Academic Center, opens with the first major alumni art show in the school’s history.
Members of the Westminster community begin regular visits to Hartford March 25 to help serve lunch at Loaves and Fishes Ministries, a nonprofit organization that provides services to the poor including a soup kitchen.
The Chapel Gallery opens on the lower level of Andrews Memorial Chapel as a new multipurpose working gallery for students, faculty and other artists. The first show features works of five visual arts teachers.
Community Service Day takes place Oct. 4 at 20 venues around the Greater Hartford region, with students and faculty wearing 125th anniversary T-shirts.
The Westminster Teaching Symposium held in September features an address by Patrick F. Bassett, president of the National Association of Independent Schools.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan gives a campus reading. The Stanley Cup visits Westminster in July via Chicago Blackhawks player Ben Smith ’06. The event in Armour Academic Center is attended by members of the Westminster community, guests and the news media.
A closing celebration Sept. 28 for the school’s 125th anniversary includes dedication of two new dormitories named Gund House and Squibb House, and a reshaped center lawn named Baxter Lawn. The construction project also involved building three carriage houses, including McCullough House, and reshaping Perkin Memorial Drive. An evening gala attended by nearly 400 people features keynote remarks from New York Times columnist and bestselling author David Brooks and fireworks.
The Bruyette Leadership Academy is created in the fall to help leaders of student government, athletic teams and organizations develop their leadership potential. A new Introduction to the Visual and Performing Arts course gives Third Formers early exposure to the broad spectrum of visual and performing arts courses they might pursue while at Westminster.
2014 2015
Westminster begins a rigorous self-study as part of a two-year accreditation process by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) that takes place every 10 years.
Yale Whiffenpoofs of 1958 and 2015 perform in the Werner Centennial Center in September. The combined performance was thought to be the first of its kind in the 105-year history of the group. In honor of the 13 Westminster alumni who died in World War I, 63 mature trees are planted on campus as part of the centennial observation of that conflict.
The Board of Trustees votes at its April and September meetings to move forward with construction of a new dining hall, a new student center, a new dormitory and two new carriage houses.
Fifty educators from area private and public schools visit Westminster in September for the fourth annual Westminster Teaching Symposium. Westminster hosts its 15th annual MS Walk.
The Westminster website is redesigned. Among its many undertakings, WCLP sponsors two summer enrichment programs: Summer Academy at Westminster School (SAWS), run in conjunction with Covenant Preparatory School, and a program at Hartford Public High School.
Westminster begins a summer online orientation program for new students that consists of two one-hour sessions on consecutive days with a faculty member and other students to become familiar with the school’s learning management system and each other.
Westminster begins a fee-based, noncredit summer online learning program offering two weeks of interactive courses in a variety of disciplines taught by Westminster faculty. Former Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell gives a presentation to students and faculty in September.
Following a visiting committee review, NEASC awards Westminster its decennial accreditation.
2016
The WALKS Foundation, of which Westminster was a founding member, celebrates its 60th anniversary during the 2016-2017 academic year. Its primary mission is to provide scholarships at its five member schools for motivated, talented youth from Greater Hartford.
Ground is broken in March for a new dining hall, two carriage houses and a student and faculty residence that will house Fourth Form, Fifth Form and Sixth Form girls.
A new public speaking course is launched during the winter trimester with 12 finalists competing in a public speaking contest in May.
2017
Armstrong Dining Hall opens at the beginning of the new academic year and family-style lunches begin four days a week.
Armstrong Dining Hall, Kelter House and Brockelman Student Center are dedicated Oct. 13 along with two new carriage houses named Beinecke House and Flinn Family House.
T. Treadway Mink Jr. ’77, P’11 completes five years as chair of the Board of Trustees, and Brad Raymond ’85, P’19, ’20, ’24, ’24 assumes the role of chair of the Board of Trustees and Moy Ogilvie Johnson ’86 becomes the new vice chair.
Nearly 200 grandparents visit Westminster in September for Grandparents Day. A rebuilt Sixth Form Lawn opens with a more symmetrical shape and perfect alignment with the chapel.
An announcement is made that football as a fall sport will be replaced going forward by water polo.
2018 2019
In January, the first floor of Cushing Hall is transformed with the opening of Brockelman Student Center, a new office area for the deans in Watts Hall, a remodeled head of school’s study, a new building entrance and new restrooms.
Timken Student Center is taken down following the opening of Brockelman Student Center. A plaque in the new student center commemorates the philanthropy of Jack Timken and his wife, Joy, and the nearly four decades of enjoyment students experienced in Timken Student Center.
The Davis Scholars Program celebrates a decade of transforming lives by bringing students from all over the world to Westminster to seek new education opportunities.
After a 10-year break, the faculty sabbatical program resumes for the 2018-2019 academic year.
Horizons at Westminster holds its first six-week summer learning program on campus with an inaugural class of 18 first grade students from Hartford. The program is designed to boost educational achievement and broaden access to opportunity for students from under-resourced communities.
The Soar Together Campaign for Westminster School is publicly launched to raise money for students, faculty and programs. It is the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the school’s history. Numerous regional, national and international receptions for alumni and parents are held. The Friday Nights at Westminster series of readings and concerts celebrates its 10th anniversary during the 2018-2019 academic year with an impressive lineup of guest writers and performers.
A generous donor pledges to give Westminster $10 million for financial aid if the Soar Together Campaign raises $90 million by 2022.
Westminster’s website is enhanced with a new color palette, a cleaner user interface, updated pages and an improved responsive design for mobile devices.
2020 2021
Ross Gay visits as the 20th Westminster Poet. Each year, the English Department invites a major poet to campus to give a reading and visit English classes.
The COVID-19 worldwide pandemic forces Westminster to go to distance learning for the spring trimester and hold a virtual celebration for the Class of 2020. Other spring events, such as reunion, are canceled. A Celebration of the Class of 2020 includes a video message by Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr. P’20. Diplomas and yearbooks are mailed in special boxes with notes from faculty to members of the class. Numerous committees of faculty and staff meet over the summer to create a path to reopen school in the fall. Equity and Inclusion at Westminster, a coalition of Westminster faculty and trustees, is created to address all aspects of the Westminster experience for students and alumni regarding racism.
Summer online courses for credit begin, offering new and returning students the opportunity to take one academic pass/fail course for credit during the summer taught by Westminster faculty.
The 2020-2021 academic year begins in August with record enrollment, and a combination of in-person and distance learning, and comprehensive health protocols.
A 12-member COVID-19 Task Force meets multiple times a week to plan all aspects of school life during the pandemic. The Black Alumni Affinity Group is established to acknowledge the rich history, contributions and struggles of Black alumni while also celebrating their accomplishments in a positive fashion among the school community at large.
With wide-ranging health and safety protocols in place, Westminster completes a successful fall trimester with three months of on-campus student learning.
The Board of Trustees announces the appointment of Elaine White, who has had a distinguished career in education, as Westminster’s ninth head of school beginning July 1, 2021. A transformational gift of $5 million to the Soar Together Campaign from a small group of alumni, parents and trustees creates the Jenny and Bill Philip Student Support Fund to impact and support the experience of students receiving needbased financial aid.
Students are on campus during the winter and spring trimesters following comprehensive planning efforts and hard work on everyone’s part to meet the ongoing challenges of the pandemic. A reunion for alumni with class years ending in the 0s, 1s, 5s and 6s takes place via Zoom in March and includes a virtual alumni art show.
The Lawn Ceremony and Commencement are held on campus in May in modified formats that follow health and safety guidelines. Jeff Artis ’72 is the keynote Commencement speaker.
The Soar Together Campaign ends one year early after successfully reaching its goal.
Reflections About the Philip Years
While many of the milestones listed in the timeline on the preceding pages will be prominent in Westminster history, the following reflections from alumni, trustees, parents and faculty are an indication of Jenny and Bill’s personal legacy in the lives of members of the school community.
Always Focused on Westminster
By Chair of the Board of Trustees Brad Raymond ’85, P’19, ’20, ’24, ’24
I first met Bill Philip 38 years ago in 1983 when he was a first-year teacher, had a head full of hair and was known for his contagious enthusiasm — in the dorm, in the classroom and in the pool as a coach. I was a Fifth Former, living with my two roommates in Memorial Hall above Bill’s apartment. As you can imagine, three 17-year-old boys might have been challenging neighbors.
In spite of that, over the years, Jenny and Bill have become good friends of mine, and I have had the pleasure of spending a lot of time with them. On many occasions, I have witnessed their deep character that has enabled their many important contributions to Westminster. When I think of the characteristics of Bill that have made him a successful and dynamic leader, several traits come to mind:
Enthusiasm. Bill’s enthusiasm is palpable. I remember it when I was a student, and he would talk to students in the halls and in the classroom. You can see it on his face these days as he brags about Westminster students and faculty. It is crystal clear when he talks about continuing to build a foundation, so Westminster will thrive for years to come.
Passion. I met with Bill the summer of his first year as head of school. I’d been a trustee for a few years, and he was meeting with each of us to discuss his vision and plan, and of course, he wanted everyone’s feedback. He was clear about his vision and how to get there. What I remember most of all, though, was his passion for Westminster and his new role.
Industriousness. In my first year as Board chair, Bill called me on a Saturday evening to discuss an important matter. He apologized for intruding on my Saturday night. I said you can call me any time. And — he did. We spoke on weekends, after hours and even during his vacations. His priority is always Westminster, the faculty and staff, and the students. He works tirelessly.
Empathy. Bill is very thoughtful and empathetic. He is always inquiring about family, mine and everyone else’s. No one cheers louder for Westminster students than Bill Philip. He understands the challenges of growing up today. He is demanding of students but also understanding and forgiving. And he is always generous with praise for Westminster students — highlighting their strengths and abilities, and their victories at the slightest urging.
Dedication. Bill’s focus on solving problems means that he considers every facet of an issue. Often, after a long day of Board meetings, we’d end with dinner, and then Bill, Jenny and I would sit in their library for hours, discussing the state of the school and their vision for its future. These discussions occurred at almost every single Board meeting, and would last long into the night.
Welcoming. Bill and Jenny have opened up Pratt House to all of us. They welcome the entire community in so many ways. Jenny greets nearly every prospective student in the Admissions Office. Bill is well-known for his giant high-fives to students around campus. It’s hard to imagine teenagers thinking it’s cool to high-five with the head of school, but my daughters — now in college — remember that fondly.
Finally, Focused. Bill’s singular focus is and has always been Westminster. Always Westminster. Bill and Jenny have dedicated their lives to our school, its students, its faculty and staff, and its future. This is how it has been for 38 years. What our school has gained from the Philips is immeasurable and our gratitude is deep.
Brad Raymond
Approachable and Understanding
By Euny Kwon and Hae Young Lee P’18, ’20
“Even the shadow of your teacher should not be stepped on.” As this old Korean proverb implies, the conventional image of the head of a high school in Korea is of a somewhat aloof disciplinarian to whom everyone should bow distantly with due deference and with whom they would hardly ever be on speaking terms. But Bill Philip has been the opposite. He has always been very approachable and understanding.
While our sons, Ryan ’18 and Scott ’20 attended Westminster, Bill made annual visits to Asia, including Korea, and Jenny accompanied him every other year. Bill and Jenny’s visits were always a big hit in Seoul. Many students and their parents, alumni, parents of alumni, and prospective students and their families attended Bill and Jenny’s reception. Everyone appreciated them traveling to Korea since we all knew that it is a very demanding journey. It takes 14 hours to fly from JFK to Seoul international airport with added extra hours of horrible traffic time to downtown Seoul and a gruesome 13-hour time difference. It is never an easy trip, even for Korean parents who are rather accustomed to this.
When traveling to Seoul with Jenny or a member of the Advancement or Admissions offices, we never saw Bill look fatigued. On arrival at the hotel directly from the airport, he met Korean parents convivially, enjoying talks and dinner with unremitting zeal while using chopsticks gracefully. After a three-day tight schedule of a reception, dinners, meetings and interviews, Bill always departed for three or more other destinations. His inexhaustible energy and enthusiasm always impressed us.
Bill’s prompt and thoughtful emails regarding any situation have also been amazing. Whenever there were concerns or questions, he responded to them right away. His reply at 4 a.m. EST to an email we wrote in the evening our time, was very surprising since we expected his reply the next morning our time, at the earliest. For international parents, his quick responses have meant a lot. Sending young children far away to other countries and cultures for the first time is bound to worry parents. Not just promptly but most considerately, Bill also sent us emails even before any questions came up. When North Korea’s provocation of a mine blast took place in the summer of 2015 and built up higher tension on the Korean Peninsula, the very next morning, we received an email from Bill wishing for a speedy resolution to the situation and ultimate peace. He added that if something did happen, he would take care of our children safely, mentioning “Martlets Fly Together.” Bill’s heartfelt understanding made us feel a strong family tie in time of need. Thanks to him, we were able to experience a deep sense of belonging to the Westminster community.
Bill has made every effort to warmly welcome all of us who come from afar. Unlike the teacher whose shadow should be a long way off in an old Korean proverb, Bill’s continuous efforts to foster a close-knit community have been deeply appreciated by us.
Hae Young Lee and Euny Kwon
Tuey Connell
Grateful for His Friendship
By Tuey Connell ’86
In the summer of 1983, just before returning to Westminster School for my Fourth Form year, my mother said: “There will be a new teacher at school this year whom you may remember from the swim team at the Bedford Golf and Tennis Club. His name is Bill Philip, Mr. Philip. Mr. Philip will be your history teacher this year. Be sure to say ‘hi’ and to welcome him on campus.”
Upon arriving on Williams Hill and with all due excitement to see my returning classmates as well as to meet new ones, I met Mr. Philip. I remember the twinkle in his eye and the laughter as we pieced together our shared past. I have actually known Bill since the ’70s, and I am grateful for his leadership and tenure at Westminster. But mostly, I am grateful for his friendship. We are all better for knowing “Mr. Philip.”
By Sofi Garnett Keller ’06 and Maddie Garnett ’10
While Bill Philip will always be remembered as a dedicated head of school, we will personally think of him, first and foremost, as our advisor. Mentoring the Garnett girls was anything but easy. Although better known as associate headmaster and senior development director during our time there, he advised us through tough exams, ups and downs on the sports fields, and everything in between — for seven years! We’d like to give an extra thank you to Kate and Alie for sharing their dad.
While Mr. Philip didn’t advertise an open-door policy, we Garnett girls felt welcome any time in his office with our joys and woes. He would gulp and deal with the teenage drama, even though his schedule was always packed with far more important school responsibilities. Sofi’s demands for counsel, while taking refuge on the couch in his office, made him late for more than one visiting dignitary, while he patiently listened to the pathetic excuses for why a report was unjustly given. Sofi certainly broke in Mr. Philip, which meant he never missed an opportunity to check in on Maddie — just to make sure she wasn’t in need of a vent.
Somehow, he knew our class attendance before the reports were delivered. Somehow, he knew what to warn us about and was always on our team with our best interests at heart. Fair enough, he was there to celebrate the happy times, praise the good grades and give a high-five for the wins. We were away from home, and he had our backs. Come to think of it, while he provided constant comfort and safety for the both of us, he was simultaneously providing our parents with an unmatched sense of relief.
We count ourselves lucky to have had Mr. Philip in our court, dispensing advice and watching over our antics throughout our Westminster years. Looking back, we are so grateful for the support and guidance we received from him.
Thank you, Mr. Philip, for your heartfelt advice and your caring and watchful eye. We will miss being greeted by the big bear hugs at the Westminster holiday party in New York. Once an advisor, always an advisor.
We adore you and appreciate you, Mr. Philip.
Sofi Garnett Keller and Maddie Garnett
Shepherding the School to be the Best Version of Itself
By Susie Werner Berenson ’82
“It was clear that he was the total package.” These are the words my father, Don Werner, former headmaster, used to explain why he hired a very inexperienced Bill Philip just out of Yale to teach and coach at Westminster nearly 40 years ago.
It was, in fact, while in college that I first met Bill myself, when he was one of my freshman counselors. After having the pleasure of knowing Bill in his capacity as a student, a teacher and a leader, I can attest to my dad’s assessment: Bill Philip embodies all that a head of school should be. Bill brought his talents to every aspect of school life. He taught history for 25 years and has been director of studies; he has led the College Counseling Office and worked as senior development director; he has coached swimming, baseball and lacrosse; and he was former Headmaster Graham Cole’s assistant headmaster for four years and associate headmaster for seven years before becoming head of school himself. I had the honor to serve as a trustee for Westminster, and while we were conducting a search to find Graham’s successor, one faculty member said, “Simply put,
Bill made every department he touched No discussion about Bill and his better.” success as head of school would be
While Bill’s wide-ranging talents, complete without mentioning Jenny, expertise and experience are clear to and all that she contributed to the life of anyone who knows the breadth of his the school. In the small world category, history at Westminster, the quality that she and my sister, Betsy, were childhood I admire most in him can’t be learned friends. I doubt that when Jenny was by reading his resume. His passion racing through the rooms of Pratt House to shepherd the school to be “the as a middle schooler, she ever envisioned best version of itself” was a mantra I coming back to campus to work, coach repeatedly heard him say, both publicly and help to raise her two lovely daughters, and privately. For Bill, this meant living Kate ’06 and Alie ’09, in what I still think and breathing every aspect of the school, of as MY childhood home! 24/7. (In fact, one of the few suggestions Over the course of 38 years, Bill I heard the Board give to Bill was that he and Jenny touched every facet of what needed to take more vacation!) No sooner makes Westminster such a special place. would I leave for home after a Board of Their dedication and grit, their grace Trustees meeting than my phone would Susie Werner Berenson and personal character, will reverberate ring — sometimes while I was on the way to throughout the classrooms, the athletic the airport! — with Bill eager to discuss ways to implement items fields, the dorms, the dining hall, the chapel and Cushing Hall, discussed during the weekend or to brainstorm for how to make long after they leave. future meetings run even more smoothly.
A Rare Selflessness and Dedication
By Ted Carstensen ’96
My family prioritized finding the right community when deciding on a boarding school for me and my sister, Lee ’93. We wanted one that would foster growth, encourage us to try new things, and most of all, support us through the ups and downs of adolescence. This is what led our family to choose the Westminster family. Little did we know that the people we would meet would remain friends to this day, and that the subtle nudges, words of wisdom, encouraging comments, and helping hands we would receive at such young ages would forever set the trajectories of our lives.
I think every student at Westminster finds at least one faculty member whose quiet wisdom proves invaluable as the student awkwardly navigates high school. I’m not sure my sister and I would have made it through Westminster if we hadn’t found those teachers. For me, Bill Philip was core among the group of supporters there who shaped the person I am today. I was first introduced to Bill and Jenny when I arrived at Westminster my Third Form year. My mom and I found my dorm room on the second floor of Andrews House, where Bill and Jenny were brave enough to be dorm parents for a hall full of freshman boys. They quickly demonstrated the true spirit of dorm parents, opening their door to all of us living on the hall for food, TV, and often
Ted Carstensen Lee Carstensen Genung
just to share kind words and a laugh. Bill was the director of college counseling at the time and played the formal role of advisor to me. Unbeknownst to me, he also played the informal role of team captain for everyone who supported me during my time there.
Throughout my four years at Westminster, I experienced some failures (every sport I played) and enjoyed some successes in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. Bill played a vital role in helping me learn grit and grace when handling both the failures and successes. Bill and his family opened their door to me late at night freshman year when I was homesick and cheered me on when I went against the odds to apply to my dream college, even going so far as to drive me off campus to take standardized tests.
My entire family greatly appreciates what Bill and Jenny did to support and encourage me during my time at Westminster, and our admiration for them has only grown as we’ve watched the school develop and improve under their leadership. Bill and Jenny’s continued devotion to the students and the school’s legacy shows a selflessness and dedication that is increasingly rare in this day and age.
There is no question that the school is better for having had them in the community, as are many people like me. My family is proud to know Bill and Jenny, and we are tremendously grateful for all they’ve done for me, my sister, and for all of Westminster, so it’s with gratitude that we wish them health, happiness, and lots of fun in their next adventures.
By Cris Gomez ’10
My brother, Andy ’06, told me that I was very “lucky” to there for me, and I spent countless hours in his office laughing, have Bill Philip as my advisor upon my arrival on the Hill in crying and celebrating. After four years at Westminster, I knew the fall of 2006. As an eager Third Former, I simply brushed that I wanted to work in education as a teacher because of his that comment aside as I focused more on making friends and positive impact on me. And building on my teaching experience, figuring out where I should sit in the foyer of Baxter Academic I wanted to return to the Hill as a faculty member and have a Center. All I knew was that Bill had been Andy’s advisor for two positive impact on other Martlets. years, and it was clear to me that he had played an important Eleven years after graduating from Westminster, Bill role in Andy’s success as a student at Westminster. As I look continues to serve as my mentor and role model. Being part of back, I think Andy’s comment to me being lucky was a massive the faculty has been an eye-opening experience as you get to understatement. Bill was not only a great see how Westminster operates from advisor, but most importantly, he ended “He allowed me to fail when the other side. One of my biggest up being a phenomenal mentor, an needed, but he would pick takeaways from day one has been inspiring role model and a friend. As an advisor, Bill ingrained in me the Westminster core values of community, me right up with his calming presence and wise advice.” Bill’s unequivocal commitment to all aspects of Westminster. It is clear to me that he bleeds black and gold and that character, balance and involvement. He Westminster will always be part of his encouraged me to try new sports and life. He often says that Westminster is a join multiple clubs, and he challenged me school of relationships. It is what makes to take difficult classes. He also taught Westminster such a unique and special me what Grit & Grace was all about place for many of us. However, these by consistently keeping me accountable relationships would not be possible if we and never letting me select the easy way did not have people like Bill as part of out. He allowed me to fail when needed, the Westminster community for 38 years but he would pick me right up with his and play such an influential role in all calming presence and wise advice. As an aspects of the school. I look forward to aside, I will never forget his steak dinner continuing to celebrate Bill and Jenny’s feeds and Jenny’s famous Napa salad. legacy and accomplishments for many
I would not have had the positive years. I am appreciative of everything experience and grown as much as I did they have done for me and, most as a student without Bill’s guidance and importantly, for Westminster. support along the way. He was always Cris Gomez
Many Hats
By Trustee Will Beckford ’89, P’23, ’23
I am an accidental collector of hats — mostly of the baseball variety. My wife has spent over two decades attempting to showcase, organize, store and eventually “disappear” the most random of them, fearful that I have become a walking advertisement for cities I’ve never visited, events I don’t remember attending and microbrews I’ve never tried. There are, however, two categories of caps which have been rendered “untouchable” in our home: those associated with the city of Baltimore and the colorful array of Westminster ones that hang in the mudroom, adorn the kitchen table and are tucked in the backseat of my car. Given my proclivity toward this favorite appendage to my wardrobe, it seems only fitting that I have this opportunity to showcase the many accomplishments of Bill Philip, the ultimate wearer of many, many hats during his 38-year tenure at Westminster School.
Certainly, I could chronologically tick off his many accomplishments on the path from history teacher to head of school, but the breadth and depth of Bill’s involvement in his almost four-decade tenure on the Hill would read more as a nonfiction novella than one man’s reflections. Instead, I offer two personal memories of Bill’s contributions to one grateful family.
FALL 1988
A 17-year-old me embarks upon his Sixth Form year at Westminster. Four years on the Hill will be wrapping up in a matter of months, and it is time to consider the next stage of my education. This is new. This is daunting. This is overwhelming. Unlike many of my peers, I am pretty much going this one solo. My family is certainly aware of the process that needs to unfold but are trusting me to “make it happen.” Unfortunately, other than a few summer stints at basketball camps in Pennsylvania, visiting grandma in North Carolina and my time in Simsbury, my worldly experience is extremely limited. I need a guide and a voice I can trust. I need someone with patience and foresight, insight and empathy. This is the story of Bill Philip, the college counselor.
It was Bill who drove me to Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., to tour the school, meet with the basketball coach and interview with the admissions team. It was Bill who processed my visit with me on the return drive to Westminster that evening, providing a sounding board as I weighed my choices and strategized the entire admissions process. And it was Bill I notified first when I made my decision that spring. Bill’s commitment to his role, and his open mind, quick smile and accessibility allowed me to make the right choice during a foreign and overwhelming process. That same accessibility would bring our family back to the Hill three decades later.
SPRING 2015
An 11-year-old girl, my 11-year-old girl, approaches me with a neatly folded piece of paper. “Daddy,” she declares, “We need to mail this to the man at Westminster!” I am curious and amused. I unfold the paper to find a letter (in seven different colors and five different fonts) addressed to Bill. The message is simple and honest: “I want to attend your school when I am older. What do I need to do to make that happen? Especially the math part?” Keep in mind, my wife and I had never seriously considered boarding school for our children. And our daughter was, after all, only 11! But my recent class reunion at Westminster had introduced her to the campus and its leader, just a few years into his tenure. There are dozens of edits I want to make to her letter, starting with the colors and the fonts, and some tweaking to the content, but I practice restraint and encourage her to send the letter, confident that it’s recipient will appreciate its authenticity, humanity and candor. This is the story of Bill Philip, the head of school.
Always accessible, Bill became her pen pal over the next two years, sending her notes of encouragement and advice (and maybe a little swag as well). My daughter’s initial impressions of Westminster’s head of school are certainly in line with comments I received from Westminster alumni who were quick to point out Bill’s “kind and warm vibe,” his “consistent, fair, calm and always smiling and cheerful” demeanor, and that “smile and giggle when he busted you” for being late to corridor checks in Andrews House! “Bill,” noted one classmate, “was always pragmatic and classy.” It is no surprise, then, that my daughter was drawn to her future school. A school where the leaders know your name, smile authentically and genuinely care.
Of the many hats Bill has worn through the years, it is the cultivator of a very special school culture that I value the most. And for that, I thank you, my friend.
Will Beckford
We Mattered
By Ricky Padro ’87
I don’t know how others store or retrieve were in the other lanes which churned important events from long ago which with the feverish foam of strength, helped shape their lives or characters, confidence and mobility. But in this salient but for me, it’s like visiting the Sterling memory, housed in my own personal Memorial Library (SML) in New Haven. cathedral, the other lanes are silent and This edifice is an almost sacred fixture still as a pond. The superstars have blown of Yale academic and campus life. It through practice and left for the day. sits majestically at the far end of Cross It is now just the three of us, looking Campus, contemplating students as they up at Coach Philip in his beige slacks and walk to class, gather with friends, play sneakers, holding a stopwatch. After a Frisbee, share ideas or just sit on the (no-doubt) exhausting day, our coach had grass and read. In describing the mastery found the kindness and patience to spend of its architecture, the Yale website an extra 15 to 20 minutes of his personal writes: “Even the most unexpected time with us. We had wanted to see if we portions of SML have been adorned could swim the 100-freestyle in under a in the manner of a Gothic cathedral, minute. We knew this goal was probably but in this case to the greater glory of a joke to the strong swimmers in the main scholarship and the dignity of libraries.” Ricky Padro lanes, but to the three of us, it was dead
I picture myself walking in through serious. We had requested this personal the heavy doors and feeling tiny under the glorious vaulted moment. We needed it. He granted it. ceilings. Bathed in a warm glow of amber light, I shuffle past the We try several times, and after each go, Coach Philip smiles giant stone columns and arches on either side with a sense of and shares an encouraging word or two. At this moment, I realize purpose. I head past security and into the inner sanctum of this that this man really cares about us as individuals. He is seeing “cathedral,” a place known as the “stacks.” These 16 floors of and recognizing each one of us, and we are no longer a stigma dark rooms and dusty bookshelves house over 2.5 million books hidden in the margins. He is chatting with us, and it oddly feels that have helped to shape countless minds, educations, lives and like all four of us are friends just hanging out together. It seems communities. It seems appropriate that Bill Philip — the coach, like a weird paradox, not to mention, we are actually having fun the teacher, the book, the memory that I now seek to retrieve — for once in that icy, wretched pool! is housed in this monumental place (in my soul, at least). In fact, I also realize in this moment that I myself have ambition. I as a Yale student, he himself no doubt maneuvered the stacks want so badly to swim the 100-free in under a minute! I am so at some point and experienced the solemnity associated with close to winning in my mind. As Coach Philip finally prepares to searching for a key manuscript, memoir or piece of literature, leave, I smile a huge smile and summon up the audacity to blurt each demanding to be treated with the deference it deserves. out, “Let me try it one more time!” Whoa, did I actually just
I walk down a creaky old book aisle with just a crack of utter that?! I brace for him to reply “no,” but instead, he turns light and sound coming in from York Street. As I step further around and gets his stopwatch ready. I am struck by both his into the depths, I feel the water rising. I sense that I am out of altruism and the power of my own words. my league in this labyrinth. I recall the onerous task of writing a I am not going to say whether or not I hit the 100-freestyle 25-page senior thesis in which I try to give voice to the victims of in under a minute because that’s not what really matters in this Stalin’s gulag camps. What a dark, intimidating topic. How did I memory. What really matters is that “we” mattered. We mattered to ever manage? Coach Philip, and by extension (we realized), we mattered to others.
Surrounded by must, I reach for that book on Bill Philip, Even if we always took last place, our personal growth mattered. and when I open it, I become engulfed in a heavy odor of This was a huge moment. It was partly why I managed to power chlorine. I get dunked back into the cold waters of the “Tank” through my senior thesis at Yale and give voice to the “zeks,” Stalin’s at Westminster. I am treading water in the slow lane of the “imprisoned ones.” It was also partly why I became a teacher in swimming pool with two other “challenged” swimmers — my New Haven and why I continue to advocate for diverse students buddies in pain and humiliation. We had gone through so much with varying needs to this day. Yes, it is a key Bill Philip moment struggle together. The real swimmers (and winners), we knew, which deserves a special place in the sacred “stacks.”
