Academy World Spring 2022

SPRING 2022

The Magazine of Wilbraham & Monson Academy At Home. In the World.

ACADEMYWORLD

by brian p. easler

perspectives

Head of School

We all share this campus together with … amazing people

I

don’t think I’ve ever heard an alumnus say, “Wow, I REALLY missed this building . . . this room had such a positive impact on my development as a young person and on my life since.” I DO, however, hear alumni say things like that all the time about the people they met here at WMA. Of course, the physical plant of the campus provides the spaces within which these meaningful relationships and shared experiences happen, no doubt; and without a proper facility matched to our mission, we would not be able to provide the transformational experience that is so often synonymous with time spent here. WMA and its buildings are beautiful and historic and quintessential as a boarding school campus.

Creating and maintaining a campus facility worthy of our community is absolutely critical.

Read the Head of School’s page at www.wma.us/hos

But, the memories the campus evokes from those who have walked the hallowed halls and the brick paths are memories of the friends, teachers, dorm parents, mentors and coaches who shared these spaces with them. Memories, often starting with the phrase “I remember . . . ”: • “sitting in Mr. Rogers’ office with my parents while being admitted to the school.”

• “babysitting the Mattern children at the Headmaster’s house.”

• “wrestling practices in the basement of Smith Hall, with Mr. Cardone.”

• “getting caught by Mr. Watts as I was sneaking back into Rich Hall from visiting my girlfriend at MacDuffie.”

• “talking with my advisor, Mrs. Kelly, on the pool bleachers after swim practice.”

• “arguing the finer points of antiestablishmentarianism with Mr. Cook in his classroom in the basement of Fisk Hall.”

Campus spaces are often triggers for such fond memories, and the spaces frame those memories and connect them to the place and to one another. Without the people, though, they are just rooms and hallways and buildings.

Longtime History Department faculty member Gary Cook’s retirement gives us an opportunity to remember this simple fact and to appreciate what a truly special gift it is that we all share this campus together with other amazing people—sometimes at the same time and sometimes in different decades—making common memories that will last us a lifetime and which tie us all to the school we love.

Respectfully,

Editor

Design

Teddy Ryan

Stoltze Design

Associate Editors

Printing

Russ Held Bill Wells

Puritan Capital Board of Trustees

Art Director

Chris Tinnesz Advisory Board

Mark Aimone Brian P. Easler Don Kelly Molly McGill Janet Moran CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Mark Aimone Gary Cook Emily Dromgold ’17 Brian P. Easler Don Kelly Molly McGill Janet Moran Don Nicholson ’79 Loretta Szych ’24 Isabella Voarino ’22 Bill Wells

Scott B. Jacobs ’75, Chair James E. LaCrosse ’50W, Vice Chair Mark R. Shenkman ’61M, Vice Chair David A. Reeves, Treasurer Krista Hanson, Secretary Raymond J. Anton ’61M Christopher C. Antonacci ’06 Bonnie Faulkner Ryan ’82 Caitlin S. Flynn ’06 William R. Guerin ’89 Linda B. Griffin Robert F. Little Barry M. Maloney ’85 Andrew P. Mele Craig A. Rubin ’63W Paul J. Sullivan ’91

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Trustee Emeriti

Eric W. Anderson Michael J. Flynn Richard S. Fuld Jr. ’64W Peter C. Lincoln ’55W Donald J. Stuart ’73

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Paul Bloomfield Russ Held Tom Kates Molly McGill Dave Roback Jordan Tavenner Bill Wells Various contributing photographers

Life Trustee

William E. James ’64W

FEATURE STORY 30

SUPPORTING WMA 2

Alumni, we’d like to hear from you! Send your current contact information and news to alumni@wma.us.

“Academy World” is published in the spring and fall for alumni, parents and friends of the Academy. Please direct comments and letters to: Wilbraham & Monson Academy Marketing & Communications Office 423 Main Street Wilbraham, MA 01095-1715 marketing@wma.us Our Mission

Wilbraham & Monson Academy is a transformational experience where students become challenge-seeking citizens and leaders of an evolving world.

Wilbraham & Monson Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, gender identity, and any other categories protected by federal, state or local law.

Gary Cook retires

Athenaeum named for Griffin Family

WMA SPOTLIGHT

DEPARTMENTS 4 6 10 12 40

IN MEMORIAM 48

20 22 28

iLab updates Hockey back on ice Honoring Scott Jacobs ’75

WMA ALUMNI 24 38

News from the Hill Titans Victorious Fall 2021 Athletics Recaps Fine & Performing Arts Class Notes

We Remember

ARCHIVES 50 52

Corbin Fields turn 100 ’60s high jinks

Dave Boland ’56M Alumni Reflection: Emily Dromgold ’17

Get Social with us! @wilbrahammonsonacademy @WMAalumni @wilbrahammonson wilbrahammonsonacad @wilbraham_monson

on the cover Engraved portrait illustration of Gary Cook, who is retiring after 43 years as a History Department faculty member and coach. Designed by WMA’s Art Director Chris Tinnesz.

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BY MARK AIMONE

SUPPORTING WMA: GRIFFIN FAMILY

Director of Advancement

Bill Griffin ’68W: Fitting tribute with Athenaeum honoring a legacy

• Senior Stone

• Linda Griffin, Bill Griffin ’68W and daughter Ashley Vitale at their home in Westerly, R.I.

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In October, members of the Board of Trustees, the Parents Leadership Council and the Administration gathered with the 50th Reunion class, friends and distinguished guests to officially dedicate the Athenaeum. From this day forward, the newest building on WMA’s campus will be known as the Griffin Athenaeum, in honor of the Griffin family and their extraordinary contributions to the Academy over the years.

The patriarch of the family was Bill Griffin ’68W, who served as an Academy Trustee for 10 years and as the Chair from 1992–1997. The University of Connecticut graduate served as the President of Browning Associates, Inc., a small consulting firm that worked with independent schools and other nonprofit organizations. This experience made him an invaluable resource for the Academy during a turbulent time in our history.

Peter Plumb ’61W, who served on the Board while Mr. Griffin was Chair, reflected that Mr. Griffin was ideally suited to be in this position at this time.

“He was enthusiastic and optimistic,” Mr. Plumb said.

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“He knew how to build a board, he knew how to inspire confidence and he knew how to help the Head. Bill and Dick Malley stabilized the school and laid the foundation for all that followed.”

Sadly, Mr. Griffin passed away from cancer in 2011, but his legacy and the involvement of the Griffin Family endured.

His wife, Linda, had come to know the Academy not only through his involvement on the Board, but also as a consultant with Browning Associates. Through these experiences, her own passion for the Academy grew. In 2013, Mrs. Griffin joined the Board of Trustees and, just as her husband did, she brought expertise, enthusiasm and optimism.

The Academy has not only benefited from the wisdom and experience of the Griffins, but they also led with their philanthropy. In 1995, they created the William A. Griffin ’68W Trust Scholarship Fund, and there is a classroom in the Middle School named for his parents, Robert and Marjorie Griffin. Earlier this year, Mrs. Griffin and daughter Ashley Vitale presented the Academy with a gift of more than

• far left: From left, Scott Jacobs ’75, Linda Griffin and daughter Ashley Vitale at the Athenaeum dedication ceremony.

• NEAR left: Linda Griffin, left, with her daughter Ashley Vitale.

“Every now and then you find a person who brings work, wisdom and wealth to a board . . . very rarely do you get that from a family.

Bill Griffin and his family are just that for WMA.” —Scott B. Jacobs ’75, Chair, Board of Trustees

$1 million to help move the Academy into the next phase of our master plan. Current Board Chair Scott Jacobs ’75 said: “As we look forward as a school, who is standing there? Linda and Ashley. Because that’s what the Griffin family does . . . this is just another example of how this family, anchored by Bill, means so much to this school.”

Mrs. Griffin shared: “Bill drew people together. He learned their passions and helped find common interests as a means of forging new friendships.”

The name Athenaeum is defined as a place where the academic community gathers, and it has quickly become a central space for our community to come together. It is fitting that this space was chosen to honor Mr. Griffin’s legacy and the legacy of this extraordinary family.

• Current and former Board of Trustees Chairs, from left, Scott Jacobs ’75, Bill Griffin ’68W and Peter Lincoln ’55W.

• WMA yearbook, 1968

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BY BILL WELLS

departments: NEWS FROM THE HILL

Director of Student Promotion

News from the Hill Patrick Evuleocha ’22 shines on multiple continents With the awards to prove it, Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Patrick Evuleocha ’22 has already made a positive impression in a Model Congress format on one continent.

Before Spring Vacation, he had hoped to do the same on a second continent.

Patrick, of Lagos, Nigeria, received a scholarship to attend the Harvard Model Congress in Boston in February. The four-day event allowed high school students the opportunity to role play with various scenarios in the U.S. government.

“I’ve always been interested in history, government and politics,” Patrick said. “When I arrived at WMA, I got the chance to explore this interest further outside the traditional classroom. I was really excited to join Model Congress because it allowed me to integrate my other interests into my love of Computer Science.

“This is something that really excites me. I did the best I could during the application process, and being a part of Leap Africa and the African Leadership Academy in South Africa definitely helped me stand out. Getting the Harvard Model Congress Merit Scholarship was a great honor and I am extremely grateful for receiving it.”

Prior to coming to WMA, Patrick participated in Leap Africa, citizenship and leadership training by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, and the African Leadership Academy, where he won multiple awards.

“Patrick is an outstanding young man who is richly deserving of this honor,” Faculty Advisor Dr. Anthony Kandel applauded. “He takes his preparation seriously, and strives to excel in all areas of his life. A naturally charming individual, Patrick will no doubt combine his intellect and demeanor to enjoy considerable success at the Model Congress Conference.”

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Malena Donovan ’25 living WMA values Less than two weeks into her high school career, Malena Donovan ’25 was already living the values of Wilbraham & Monson Academy.

And not just living, but promoting those values while serving as an ambassador for the entire school.

As a member of Project 351, Malena teamed with other students from Massachusetts and the Military Heroes Fund to create 800 care packages for U.S. soldiers and veterans at an event in Boston on Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of 9/11.

Earlier in the week, Malena and the Girls’ Soccer team wrote letters of support and mailed them to fire departments throughout the state.

Malena was just one of two students from Springfield, Massachusetts, selected to join Project 351, which focuses on kindness, compassion, humility and gratitude through community service.

“Its goal is to bring together young students from different towns in Massachusetts and show them the importance of giving back to the community and encourage service toward others,” Malena said.

“I got to meet some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and it was great they were all my age as well and they were passionate about helping others. It’s a nice feeling when you do community work, knowing the care packages are going to actual people and this is going to help.

Also, another thing that struck me was passersby were curious what we were doing and they wanted to donate or help.”

Mental health brought to forefront

• From left: WMA School Counselor Tess Presnal, #Samehere company founder Eric Kussin and former Super Bowl champion Chukky Okobi.

Just like physical health, every person has mental health. Why, though, is it so common to talk about physical health but uncommon to talk about mental health? #Samehere, a global mental health movement, gave three presentations to students and faculty at Wilbraham & Monson Academy Nov. 15–16, with an emphasis on normalizing conversations surrounding mental health.

The Academy was one of just 10 schools in the country to receive a grant sponsored by the National Football League. Former Super Bowl champion Chukky Okobi joined company founder Eric Kussin at the Academy.

“It was great to hear both of their stories,” WMA School Counselor Tess Presnal said. “It also didn’t sound like something that was abnormal or different. They normalized the conversation and normalized that we all go through this. I thought the message that not one in five have a mental health illness, but it’s five in five that have mental health. Just like everyone has physical health, we all have mental health.

We have high points and low points, and that’s normal. That’s so important to understand, especially in those teenage years.”

Ms. Presnal, recognizing the need for a schoolwide discussion about mental health, particularly during COVID-19, applied for the grant.

“I thought this was a great opportunity,” she explained. “Last year it became really clear that we were lacking community time together and lacking with any mental health programming because of the pandemic. I thought this would be a great opportunity to bring things together and bring mental health back to the discussion. For all of us, just like physical health, normalizing mental health is important.”

DEPARTMENTS: TITANS VICTORIOUS

By LORETTA SZYCH ’24

• WMA fans cheer on Titan players after the victory.

Boys’ Prep Basketball shines at national showcase As written for Atlas, WMA’s monthly newspaper With roughly half of the student body in tow, the Wilbraham & Monson Academy Boys’ Prep Basketball team competed at the 20th Annual Hoophall Classic Showcase at Springfield College’s Blake Arena on Jan. 17.

The Titans won impressively, topping Life Christian Academy of Kissimmee, Florida, by 30 points, 72–42. This high-profile event was not only against an out-of-conference team, but was also televised on ESPNU. The game was highly anticipated by the entirety of the school. Head of School Brian Easler made schedule adjustments to open attendance for the game to students who were interested.

The event attracted more than 150 members of the WMA community, represented in red clothing, as well as viewers at home. Coach Mike Mannix said the team’s level of maturity allowed them to distance themselves from the setting. Simply, he added, “Because we are on TV, don’t reinvent the wheel.”

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Nikias Schonerstedt ’22, a first-year player from Austria, described the event as unforgettable, as it was his biggest American basketball event to date.

He recalled the feeling when he made a 3-pointer in the first quarter and said, “That was special! I had goosebumps after the shot, and to hear the whole WMA section cheer and go crazy was amazing.”

Schonerstedt mentioned that in the beginning of the school year, he had to adjust to new rules and playing styles of the U.S. This would have been difficult to accomplish without the help of his teammates and new friends.

He said, “We always have the right words to push and motivate each other to get better every day and that is what makes our chemistry so good.”

One of these teammates was Kyle Filipowski ’22, who was named MVP of the game against Life Christian with 28 points, 10 rebounds and strong defense.

Coach Mannix felt Filipowski, a 6-foot-11 forward, stuck out as the strongest player of the game, but “at the same time, we had 10 guys score, and that’s all we have.”

Everyone played a significant role in the game, especially by keeping the energy high and always having confidence in each other. An aspect of these games that the team can always count on is the endless support from the WMA community.

Brendan Herbert ’22, a prominent leader of the student section, said, “The boys did their thing, we did ours. We are the best combination in NEPSAC.” This reciprocated confidence created a uniting atmosphere that everyone in the gym could sense. Coach Mannix said the support from the student section can often overwhelm the other team, explaining why they often feel responsible for the role they play in the outcome of the game.

WMA student Charlie Bowman ’22 wondered how the “other team must have felt going up against two 7-foot twins (Matt and Kyle Filipowski) and then looking at a crowd of red. We represent the school tremendously and I feel that we have made a huge impact.”

2021–2022 Highlights Coaches: Mike Mannix (head), Chris Iversen Captains: Deven Austin ’22, Kyle Filipowski ’22 TEAM • Record: 24–3 (school record for wins) • National Prep Championships: Elite 8 / quarterfinalist (2–1 record) • NEPSAC Class AA Championships: No. 1 seed, semifinalist • National rankings: Ranked as high as No. 7 • Hoophall Classic: Defeated Life Christian Academy (Fla.), 72–42, on ESPNU INDIVIDUAL • Kyle Filipowski (Duke, Naismith Award finalist, NEPSAC Player of the Year): 24 ppg, 12 rpg • Deven Austin (Princeton, National All-Academic Game): 16 ppg, 6 rpg • Matthew Filipowski (Harvard): 14 ppg, 10 rpg

• Opening tip at WMA’s game at the Hoophall Classic in January.

Kyle Filipowski ’22

BY BILL WELLS

departments: Titans Victorious

Director of Student Promotion

football

Football finishes in win, awards column An exciting final game of the season transferred to an exciting postseason for the Wilbraham & Monson Academy Football team.

The Titans, who rallied from a 12-point deficit at halftime to beat Albany Academy 37–19 in its finale, landed six players on the all-league team and two on the prestigious all-conference team.

Desmond Perezcastaneda ’23, Nick Pestrichello ’22 and Will Hardy ’22 were named to the All-Evergreen First Team, while teammates Enrique Rosado ’22, Dylan Quigley ’22 and Hudson Perham ’22 received Second Team honors.

Meanwhile, Desmond was selected to the All-New England Prep School Athletic Conference First Team, and Nick to the Second Team.

track

Ava Aguiar ’23 finishes 4th at New Englands Desmond Perezcastaneda ’23

Nick Pestrichello ’22

Will Hardy ’22

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Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Ava Aguiar ’23 ran like one of the best runners in New England all regular season.

At the biggest meet of the season, Ava showed the regular season was not a fluke.

Ava placed fourth among 131 runners in a time of 20 minutes, 45 seconds on a tough 5K course at the New England Prep School Track Association Division III Championships, which was held at Great Brook Farm State Park in Carlisle, Mass., on Nov. 13.

“I wanted to get a good spot at the start so I sprinted out with the lead girls and tried to keep on them as much as I could,” Ava explained. “It was a pretty flat course so that was easy, and the hills came at the end. It turned into a hilly course but it was OK. “I’m pretty proud of my performance. It was stressful not knowing what to expect. It was a little scary having all those runners and coaches around, but it was fun and everyone on the team had a good time so that made it a good race. I’m really proud of the team. They all put in their best effort and it was a good race for everyone.”

First-, second- and third-place finishes at invitationals during the regular season had Ava prepared for the season finale.

“Saturday was a tough course, and as always, Ava brought it,” Coach Bill Rosenbeck beamed. “She always has a strategy to keep pace with the top runners. She spent a good portion of the race in the lead. She performed very well. It had rained the night before so it was wet and muddy; a couple times she went right through the puddles with no fear.

“She did everything to prove she was one of the top runners in New England, and she was that day as she has been all season long. We couldn’t be more proud of her and she should be proud of herself as well.”

riflery

Titans finish perfect for 5th time in 6 seasons Perfection—again.

Coming off a perfect regular season, the Wilbraham & Monson Academy Riflery team won both of its postseason competitions, giving the Titans an undefeated record for the fifth time in six years.

“The key to this season was the immediate impact three of our first-year shooters made,” Coach Bill Passy said.

“Sophomores Leopold Heiss, Askar Bakirdinov and Matt Clark all made it into the 190s multiple times this season. Each shot a 189 in the championship match. They each have bright futures for WMA Riflery ahead of them.”

In the finale at the Connecticut High School State Championship, Colin Oh’s ’22 second-place finish of 193 (of 200 points) led the Titans to the victory. Matt (189), Askar (189), Leo (188) and Arzum Li ’24 (188) gave WMA the depth to secure the victory Feb. 23 at Blue Trail Range in Connecticut.

A week earlier, at the Prep Gallery Match Feb. 16 at Blue Trail, the preselected group of Steven Holik ’22 (195), Leo (193),

Colin (189) and Askar (189) teamed for a score of 766 to lead WMA to the win for the sixth-straight season.

“Any time anyone wins an event, at any level, at any age, in any sport, for six straight years is a tremendous achievement,” Coach Passy said. “We had our best shooting day of the season at the Prep Gallery Match. If we had used the regular league scoring of top five, we would have neared a school record.

“At the Connecticut State Championship, Colin Oh was tremendous. He shot 193, which was second best for the match among 50 shooters. It was a total team effort. Our depth proved to be the difference as we had five others shoot between 187 and 189. Bunnell High School had three of the top five scores on the day, but did not have the depth that we had.”

• From left, Front Row: Matt Clark ’24, Guo Yin ’23, Samuel Jasmin ’22, Askar Bakirdinov ’24. Middle Row: Wooseung “Colin” Oh ’22, Jinseon “Bella” Hwang ’22, Steven Holik ’22, Marisa Cyboron ’24, Sungjae “Jay” Yeo ’24.

Back Row: Head Coach Bill Passy, Arzum Li ’24, Leopold Heiss ’24, Jake Girhiny ’22, Coach Brian Lautenschleger.

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DEPARTMENTS: ATHLETICS

Fall 2021 Athletics Highlights

• The Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country teams in action.

boys’ cross country

girls’ cross country Varsity season record: 4–5 Captains: Ava Aguiar ’23, Giulia Cecchetti ’22 Highlights: Aguiar placed fourth among 131 runners with a time of 20 minutes, 45 seconds on a tough 5K course at the New England Prep School Track Association Division III Championships.

Varsity season record: 5–3 Captains: Ty Cosenzi ’23, Tianze “Spark” Xiong ’23 Highlights: Xiong (22nd place) and Cosenzi (62nd) fared well in a 132-runner field at the New England Championship meet.

• Stephnie Essien ’24

football Varsity season record: 3–5 Captains: Hudson Perham ’22, Matt Clifford ’22 Highlights: Victories over King, Portsmouth Abbey and Albany Academy. Titans rallied from a 12–0 halftime deficit to beat Albany, 37–17, on Senior Night under the lights. Doug Foley Award winner was Will Hardy ’22; team MVP was Desmond Perezcastaneda ’23. Six players were named All-Evergreen League choices, and two players earned All-NEPSAC.

• Callie Dunbar ’24, with Caitlin Stratton ’26 in background.

field hockey

• From left: Alonzo Esquivel Barbosa ’24, Nicolas Mannino ’22, Nick Pestrichello ’22, Matt Clifford ’22, Desmond Perezcastaneda ’23, Dom Cartelli ’22 and Enrique Rosado ’22.

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Varsity season record: 2–8 Captains: Claire Aimone ’22, Genna Miccoli ’22, Madeleine Soukup ’23 Highlights: A strong senior class led the way through a season of 7v7 and 11v11 games. Aimone and Miccoli represented the Titans in the WNEPSFHA League All-Star game.

boys’ soccer Varsity season record: 6–7–2 Captains: Ian Mackin ’22, Evan Spillane ’23 Highlights: A 5–1 win over rival Kingswood Oxford was a big highlight, in addition to victories over Canterbury (8–0) and Marianapolis (8–1). Mackin was an All-NEPSAC choice, and Amador Tortosa Potous ’22 was Honorable mention.

• From left: Cara Murphy ’22, Madeleine Hong ’23, Meagan Schuermann ’23, Korenna Weiss ’22, team manager Cole Stevens ’23, Jessica Ethier ’23 and Zoe Pinnock ’26.

girls’ soccer

• Ian Mackin ’22

Varsity season record: 6–8 Captains: Cara Murphy ’22, Korenna Weiss ’22 Highlights: Keeper Madaket “Maddie” Stoltz ’23 made All-States and midfielder Abigail Dorunda ’24 received an Honorable Mention from NEPSAC. Madeleine “Maddie” Hong ’23 was named to the Boston Globe Prep School All-Scholastic team. Hong and Megan Mark ’23 were named to the NEPSAC Junior All-Star team.

girls’ volleyball Varsity season record: 0–16 Captains: Brooke Catellier ’22, Gianna Courtney ’22, Rabia “Ceren” Erkek ’22, Hallie O’Toole ’22.

Highlights: O’Toole was recognized with All-League honors.

• Alejandra Conde Vidales ’22

water polo Varsity season record: 2–11 Captain: Leo Miller ’22 Highlights: Home victory over Deerfield avenged a loss earlier in the season. Miller sparked the defense, while Team MVP Korbin Dixon ’24 scored 50-plus goals; Yuhan “Alex” Zha ’22 won the team’s Coaches Award.

• Charles Fantom ’23

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BY BILL WELLS

departments: fine & performing arts

Director of Student Promotion

Fine & Performing Arts “Not to be Sent, Only Saved”

Emma Landry ’25 on the ‘write’ track Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Emma Landry ’25 penned her first poem when she was 5 years old.

Five!

Always one to be finetuning her craft, Emma was notified that one of her works—“Not to be Sent, Only Saved”—was selected to be published by the American Library of Poetry in its 2021 student collection “Expressions.” “‘Not to be Sent, Only Saved’ is a poem about writing letters that can’t be sent, either because the recipient can’t be contacted or the letter expresses emotions that the writer isn’t prepared to reveal,” Emma explained. “The goal is to have readers think about who their person is, the person they are unable to communicate with.

“I am so thankful for the amazing opportunity to be selected for the ALP and published alongside many talented writers.

It also serves as a reminder that there is a huge community of like-minded people, and I can’t wait to meet and share my work with more of them.”

The contest, which dates back to 1998, was open to students in Grades 3–12. All entries had to be 20 lines or less.

Emma said her first poem, which she wrote in kindergarten, was titled “Whisper Whisper Goes the Wind.”

“I became interested in poetry at a young age, and I enjoyed it because it was easier for me to write short poems as opposed to whole stories,” she recalled.

“I think storytelling is such a unifying experience. It brings people together and allows them to convey their inner thoughts and emotions, which is more important than ever because of the isolation of the pandemic. It allows us to identify with one another, and I love that I’m able to do that with my writing.”

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This is my letter to you.

It is not to be opened, as it is only for the promise of closure, not an ending but the wish that you will be with me as I move on to a future that is innocent and untouched by a past I have no power over.

The address is your name, written out with my pen.

The stamps are my trust and my wishes, my kisses and rings of red lipstick that I save on this paper.

I plead with the stars at night that my truth and my promises I write in these letters will search for you, running like rain through the time and the pain, they will reach you, not like the cruel cold of a ghost of your mistake or the cuts turned to scars on skin that will never be the same, only my name on your lips for a single moment more.

Only a painless end to this sleepless, nighttime war.

As I pound on the glass of my mirror and try to take the ghost of your shadow out of it and drag the echoes of your voice out of my thoughts and as I understand that these letters are not to be sent, only saved, the truth comes down like a paperweight, ripping the paper and crushing my words, tearing up my time and taking from me all that I wanted to be mine.

Even if we will never be the same, I will write, and I will wish, and I will pray that you will get this letter in some beautiful way.

“I think storytelling is such a unifying experience. It brings people together and allows them to convey their inner thoughts and emotions . . . It allows us to identify with one another, and I love that I’m able to do that with my writing.”

—Emma Landry ’25

By ISABELLA VOARINO ’22

Fall Arts 2021 Our Fine & Performing Arts Department was showcased during a Fall Arts Weekend in early November in Founders Theatre. The talents and passions of our students were on full display during the Academy Players’ performance of “She Kills Monsters.” Highlights included the performance of our band “Late to SESH” and an arts encaustic workshop and “reflection” contest.

Our Academy Dancers performed magnificently during an inspiring three-show performance a week later.

Tilly’s death, Agnes discovers a notebook Equity & Inclusion and Academy administration consisting of an entire alternate universe game “to make WMA a more inclusive, safe place for scenario (Dungeons & Dragons), which Tilly everyone” and he “couldn’t find any justification created. Agnes seeks help to better understand the for bringing those slurs to the stage” as the game and to learn more about her latent sister. attitudes of the characters using such slurs “make Director and producer Mr. Michael Dziura their hate obvious.” selected the play. He chose this play as the Fall The play “relies mostly on a simple metaphor 2021 production because he “first directed it here that roleplaying is life and life is roleplaying. in 2014, and it became one of my favorite plays In some ways, it shows roleplaying to be more of all time. I also thought it was a good time to authentic than life, at least in the ways it allows bring it back because the cultural discussion about the characters to deal more readily with their LGBTQ+ issues has shifted significantly in trauma in the form of monsters. Monsters can be seven years.” slain more easily than trauma can,” Mr. Dziura Mr. Dziura added: “The thing I enjoyed most explained. about this production is, oddly enough, the same The main message of this production was: thing I enjoyed most about the 2014 production.

“We all play roles in real life that sometimes cause This play seems to bring people together very us to separate from our authentic selves, which quickly, and it creates bonds that run deep. Both can add to the pain and trauma that so often comes productions had a cast and crew that grew into a along with being teenagers, particularly if we family. It seems cliché, but it really is the case. All are teenagers who are constantly made to feel like of the people who worked on the show still spend outsiders. If we can take hold of that roleplaying time hanging out together in a way that hasn’t and put it into a safe context in which we feel happened on many other shows.” powerful and in control of who we are, we can Mr. Dziura made the decision to adjust the begin the healing process.” script due to the use of slurs. “Even though this Mr. Dziura said this play holds relevance to is the ‘Young Adventurers the Academy’s community since: “The overall • From left: Edition’ of the play, it still climate society has right now, we are in a period Yumin “Yuna” Rho ’23, contains some language that of massive social change, but it is also a period Audrey Harris ’24, hasn’t dated well,” he said. in which there is a lot of division and conflict.

Lainey Gilmartin ’22, Mr. Dziura has been I think reflection on authenticity, love and Mariana Mujica ’25 and Ye-On “Kate” Moon ’25. working with Diversity acceptance would do everyone some good.”

‘She Kills Monsters’ brings cultural discussion to life As written for Atlas, WMA’s monthly newspaper Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s production of “She Kills Monsters” by Qui Nguyen held much relevance in the community. The November performances included 12 student cast members.

“She Kills Monsters” is a sentimental tale of friendship, loss and acceptance, recounting the story of Agnes Evans, a young woman coping with the loss of her deceased sister Tilly. Tilly and Agnes never had a close relationship. Following

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ON CAMPUS: FALL SEMESTER 2021

Fall Semester 2021 1

Students and the WMA Community returned to campus last fall under COVID-19 restrictions that had impacted daily life for the third academic year. While protocol varied with evolving circumstances, there was significant hope that a “return to normal” was not far away.

1 Tiana Gao ’22 leads another inspiring dance performance in Founders Theatre. 2 Christian Sanchez ’27 enjoying Fall Fest. 3 Rich Hall is the perfect backdrop for (from left) Yejun Lee ’27, Julia Choi ’26, Maaya Higashi ’26 and Lily Ricci ’26. 4 Faculty Marshal Don Kelly, left, with daughter and Associate Director of College Counseling Maureen Kelly Chesky ’02. 5 WMA’s Mascot Titan enjoys a bike ride toward the finish line of the Bunion Derby. 6 Catarina Ravosa ’26, left, and Katie Hutcheson ’26 in front of the Athenaeum. 7 Science Department Chair Dr. John Strauss, left, awards Chimdinma Muoguilim ’22 with a department award during a rescheduled Prize Day ceremony for returning underclassmen. 8 Lilyth Mathison ’24, left, and Elias Domanig ’24 during an outdoor Fall Porch Jam Series concert in front of the Athenaeum. 9 Postgame picture from the annual Kickball Game between the graduating class and the (victorious, again) Faculty & Staff teams. 10 School Meeting, held outdoors in front of the Athenaeum.

11 From left: Yuxi “Amber” Wang ’22, Adelina Brown ’28, Cara Murphy ’22, Leo Miller ’22, Meagan Schuermann ’23 and Kylie Bignell ’23 are all smiles at Fall Fest. 12 From left: Division I basketball commits Deven Austin ’22 (Princeton), Kyle Filipowski ’22 (Duke) and Matt Filipowski ’22 (Harvard) with coach Mike Mannix. 13 From left: Claire Aimone ’22, Deven Austin ’22 and Ella Chandler ’24 at Fall Fest. 14 Mariana Mujica ’25 and Gabby Pierce ’24 perform during the “She Kills Monsters” performance.

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DEPARTMENTS: CAMPUS EVENTS

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At long last, parents, families, alumni and friends were back on campus to help celebrate Family Weekend in October. At the time, much felt “back to normal” with a full slate of athletic competition, robotics exhibits, social gatherings and meals, New England fall weather and the like.

1 Barbara Itkin, left, with daughter Michelle Itkin ’22. 2 Dakotah Thomas ’26 with her father, Dylan, in the iLab. 3 Parents Liz Salvador and Beata Puri. 4 Parents Chris and Kelly Woods. 5 Cara Murphy ’22 during Girls’ Soccer action.

6 From left: Parents Jamie and Associate Director of Admission Elyse Dunbar with Alicia and Jim Remaly ’89.

7 School Counselor Tess Presnal, left, with daughter Mackenzie and husband and former faculty member Craig Presnal.

8 From left: Parents Eric and Dena Hall with WMA faculty member and parent Jon Brook. 9 WMA parents Kamal and Kellie Kalia (back row) with Michelle Jacques and Steve Tremblay. 10 From left: Members of the Mujica family: Mayela Linares, Maridol Linares, Ana Castrillion-Mujica, Luzmila Linares and Ricardo Mujica. 11 Grandparents Virginia and former Trustee Ron Masnicki ’57M. 12 Parents Rez and Grace Cruz. 13 Parents Felipe and Marcela Uribe.

14 Walking down The Hill.

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DEPARTMENTS: fall reunion 2021

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In October 2021, WMA started a tradition of honoring the 50th reunion classes and above with a weekend celebration on campus.

There was something special about having these milestone reunion classes back on campus during the school year, interacting with students and being able to see their old classrooms and favorite haunts in use.

The Fall 2021 Reunion was a fun weekend and included classroom visits, a celebration dinner with the Board of Trustees and a memorial for a titan of WMA, Fred Watts.

We look forward to continuing this new tradition with the Fall Reunion 2022, Oct. 28–29, 2022.

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1 Paul Boudreau ’60M, left, and Bill Archer ’61M enjoy the cocktail reception in the new Athenaeum.

2 From left: Ted Thaxter ’65W, Frank Carrigan ’65W, Peary Stafford ’65W and Jon Randall ’65W. 3 Friday evening’s dinner celebration included alumni, faculty and members of the Board of Trustees.

4 Bill Faulkner ’57W speaks about his longtime friend Fred Watts. 5 From left: Doug Mulcahy ’58W, Laura (Mulcahy) Mayhew ’86, Frank Carrigan ’65W and Liz Mulcahy ’84. 6 Pam and Peter Plumb ’61W. 7 Alumni and friends in the Gill Memorial Library during a memorial service for Fred Watts.

8 Tim Harrington ’73, left, with classmates Steve McCormick ’73 and Don Stuart ’73, right.

9 Head of School Brian P. Easler, center, chats with Jamie Broder ’64W and his wife, Lee Broder.

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by brian p. easler Head of School

WMA SPOTLIGHT: iLAB

iLab on its feet, standing tall A

slow start to the use of our iLab facility has been replaced with rapid progression.

The 5,000-square-foot space opened as repurposed classroom space during the first year of the pandemic. And then an unfortunate staffing setback during the first week of school last fall created uncertainty at the start of its second year.

Enter the leadership of Luke Pelletier.

Mr. Pelletier brings with him not only his experience teaching science in our Middle School and leading the WMA Robotics teams, he also brings a wealth of experience managing similar spaces earlier in his career at Monsanto. He and his wife run robotics programs for his children

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and their friends out of his home. In his free time, Mr. Pelletier is a natural tinkerer and enjoys restoring and refining classic automobiles.

In coordination with Science Department Chair Dr. John Strauss, Mr. Pelletier and his small but growing cadre of student leaders are steadily bringing online all that this exciting new space has to offer. Students quickly began mastering the bank of 3D printers and the Epilog laser cutter;

and the machinery in the wood and composite shop are being thoughtfully and carefully employed as time and training allow. The Robotics teams are succeeding and competing already at a much higher level than previously possible, and the space is a daily hub of activity from a growing list of classes and extracurricular pursuits like Science Olympiad, Fashion Design, STEM 9, Digital Photography and Design Studio.

There is still a lot of work to be done to utilize the iLab to its full potential, but we are encouraged by the recent progress and look forward to the benefit of this resource to the WMA program and its students for decades to come.

Inspired by the vision of the late Dr. Kathleen Gorski (shown teaching in top right photo), who succumbed to a long battle with cancer in 2018, the iLab was the dream of our former Science Department Chair. Demolition and construction were followed by equipment delivery, installation and setup. The space opened for student use in September 2021. Please visit www.wma.us/ilab to learn more.

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by Bill Wells Director of Student Promotion

departments: athletics

Successful season ‘debut’ for Hockey program

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25 games against top NEPSAC competition.” he puck was Twenty-three players laced up the skates for dropped at the Titans, who practiced at Enfield Twin Wilbraham & Rinks, a 30-minute drive from campus. A sign of Monson Academy for the good things to come came in the season-opener— first time since the early a 5–2 victory at Cushing Academy.

2000s, and the Boys’ “Overall, I think this season went really well Hockey team is already for us having a solid group considering it was our looking forward to next season. first year bringing hockey back to WMA,” Cam In an intentionally-shortened season, the Titans Cosenzi ’22 said. “Most of us had never played went 2–2 while playing a junior varsity schedule, with each other prior to the season, but we were which included a thrilling come-from-behind able to come out and get the ‘W’ in the first victory in their final game in front of their home game since the rebirth and in our first home game. fans on Senior Night.

I think this year was a strong foundation for Most importantly, with Head Coach Barry the rebirth of WMA Hockey and the program has Almeida and Assistant Coach TJ Syner leading endless potential to bring home some hardware, the way, and with the support from the school’s with the strong coaching staff to lead the way.” administration, the WMA Hockey program is The team included 10 seniors, which benefitted skating on solid ice with its head up. the Titans in a number of ways in their first “Overall, I think it was a very successful first season back on the ice in more than two decades. season for WMA hockey,” said Coach Almeida, “To play hockey as a senior was special,” who led Boston College to two NCAA Division Brendan Herbert ’22 said. “I came to WMA I titles and played seven seasons of minor league knowing I’d have to give up the game I played hockey. “Although we only played four games, since I was three. Then for WMA to bring it the guys worked hard, competed and got better back my final year, I was so thankful.” every day. It was a pleasure showing up to the “The strength of our team this season was rink and coaching this team this year. our size and speed,” Coach Almeida added.

“TJ (a four-year standout at the University “We had a lot of athletes with big frames and who of Massachusetts and six-year minor league could skate. The guys really built their identity hockey veteran) and I are very excited about on being tough to play against especially as a the future of the hockey program. We are season progressed.” determined to bring high-character student For many, the highlight of the season came on athletes into the WMA community. The plan Senior Night, when the team rallied from three is to play a full varsity prep school schedule goals down to beat Pomfret School 9–7. next year. We will expect to play around “Winning our one and only home game was a blast,” Parker Donohue ’22 said. “I loved seeing the loud fan section that gave us energy when we got down. Overall, it was a great comeback win and a successful inaugural season. Hopefully next year I can come to see a varsity home game with the same outcome.”

“There were two highlights that stuck in my mind,” Coach Almeida recalled. “The first one • WMA seniors, from left: Koy Monette ’22, Brendan Herbert ’22, Richie Joseph ’22, Cam Cosenzi ’22, Joe McMahon ’22, Connor Quinn ’22, Nick Starosielski ’22, John Ansart ’22 and Parker Donohue ’22.

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• Brendan Herbert ’22 skates in front of the WMA bench.

was getting our first win in over 20 seasons, on the road at Cushing. The second one had to be the home game. The determination our team showed coming back and scoring three goals in less than two minutes was pretty special.”

What’s also special is the future. With WMA academically trending upward and two proven hockey players such as Coach Almeida and Coach Syner wearing Titan gear, it’s not surprising there’s interest in the program from hockey people in the region.

“There is a buzz in the Western Mass. community about WMA hockey so we will continue riding the wave,” Coach Almeida explained. “The opportunity for kids to play a high level of hockey and get a top-notch education from a prestigious academy like WMA makes it a little easier.

“I think the future is bright for WMA hockey.

When building a program, you are starting at the bottom and building from the ground up.

This team did a great job building the foundation.

With the ongoing support from the entire Academy, we feel the program is trending in the right direction.”

departments: MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Website redesign gives WMA new look

One of our best vehicles to showcase to the world— including prospective families—all that makes Wilbraham & Monson Academy special is our website.

Access to our engaging videos, captivating photos of smiling students on our beautiful campus and information ranging from the number of AP classes we offer (24) to our lunch menu can be found with a few clicks—at any time of day and from across the world.

We know www.wma.us is often the “face” of the Academy, especially during pandemic times when in-person and on-campus interaction was disrupted.

With students from 32 different countries and 12 states, the website helps foster the start of great relationships and ultimately memorable experiences on campus.

So it was time for a makeover, a fresh new look in the form of a redesign. The new site, with updated branding, debuted on 2.22.22.

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Crisp, clean and clear is our intention.

Easy-to-navigate paths to the information users want is our hope.

Bringing the best of WMA to the world—and prospective students to our campus—is our goal.

Since our last redesign, our website had accumulated approximately 2.8 million pageviews, of which 500,000 were of our home page. We want to look our best. And if you haven’t had the chance, take a look at today’s WMA at www.wma.us.

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BY BILL WELLS

ALUMNI IN ACTION: Dave Boland ’56M

Director of Student Promotion

‘Timing is Everything’ for Dave Boland ’56M • The Boland Family, including Dave Boland ’56M (far left), wife Marilyn (front row, second from left) and son Ryan ’88 (far right). Among other immediate family are sons Tom (back row, second from left) and Matt ’86 (back row, far right).

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hatever he has been involved in throughout his life, Dave Boland ’56M has achieved two things: • From the bottom to the top, he’s climbed the ladder.

• He’s had a front row seat.

Even well into retirement age, Mr. Boland puts in 50 hours a week for the company he helped found 25 years ago: Timing Is Everything, which handles all timing and scorekeeping responsibilities for 290 professional and college teams in 13 sports spanning seven states.

Always driven, much of that success is rooted in the Summer of 1955, when his mother reached out to a friend to help put her oldest child on a better path. Mr. Boland and his parents headed north, stopping to have a talk with Dr. George Rogers, the Head of School at Monson Academy and formerly of Mr. Boland’s hometown of Manchester, Connecticut.

“It all seemed to fit and the rest is history,” recalled Mr. Boland, a member of the basketball and soccer teams at Monson.

“I felt during my stay at Monson, Dr. Rogers frequently went out of his way to check on me and offer constructive help and encouragement, almost as though a kind favor was being gendered to his hometown roots. Dr. Rogers was highly respective and fit the role of Headmaster in all respects.”

A changed person, Mr. Boland was now fully prepared to pursue his goal (since fourth grade) of becoming a teacher. Upon his graduation from Central Connecticut State University in 1960, he began his 23 years in education as a middle school teacher in Pomfret, Conn.

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In the world of teaching, Dave did it all: teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent.

He retired from education in 1983 after serving as the superintendent of schools in Brooklyn, Conn., for 10 years.

“I like the orderliness of an organized class: the needed prep and challenge offered by a dedicated teacher, and the benefit to young minds captured my fancy,” said Mr. Boland, who married his college sweetheart, Marilyn Boraski of Naugatuck, Conn., in 1961. “I couldn’t wait to get to work each day.”

Believe it or not, during that time and starting in 1960, Dave also juggled time in the military. He started in the Connecticut Army National Guard as a private and graduated two years later from the state’s Military Academy Officer Candidate School, commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Time as a platoon leader, instructor, executive officer, operations officer and company commander positioned him for a big jump.

In 1982, as a lieutenant colonel, he entered the National War College for a 13-month residence course, and upon his graduation remained to serve on the faculty. Retired from education and in the military fulltime in 1984 with the Connecticut National Guard, he served as executive officer, commander, command administrative officer and eventually the position of Chief of Staff in 1985, a responsibility he held until being promoted in 1992 to Assistant Adjutant General.

After 36 years in the service, he retired from the military as a Brigadier General, USA, in 1997.

“The military was the most challenging learning environment available—with structure, purpose and goal orientation—I have ever experienced in life,” Mr. Boland said. “Clearly visible with military readiness in mind, I found countless opportunities presented to me that mentors believed I could achieve and transfer to all manner of life ahead.”

What was ahead was a new career. In 1996 he launched Timing Is Everything with two business partners. The company started small, with two teams in its first year. Mr. Boland and his crews currently handle nearly 300 teams, including the WNBA, minor league baseball, professional lacrosse and soccer. One TIE crew member works the scorer’s table for the Boston Celtics.

• From left: WMA Director of Athletics Don Nicholson ’79, Dave Boland ’56M and WMA Boys’ Prep Basketball coach Mike Mannix before a WMA basketball game at the Hoophall Classic in January.

“When playing and officiating careers come to a close, usually it is because the long enduring mental and physical challenges are beginning to show wear and tear,” Mr. Boland explained. “So what then next? The couch? Recluse from athletic competition? No way! For me it was what was next to stay involved—to participate and contribute.

“The most likeable aspects of the positions we have skill sets in are game clocks, shot clocks, scoreboards, scorebooks and video replay. They all give the greatest satisfaction of being challenged, busy and contributing to the overall welfare of the activity, and usually the best seat in the house. Never in our wildest dream did we anticipate the welcoming acceptance of our capabilities.”

And never in his wildest dreams did he think his path would lead him to reconnect with Monson Academy, which merged with Wilbraham Academy in 1971.

Timing Is Everything landed the job at the University of Connecticut in 1996 to run the scorer’s table for the men’s and women’s basketball games. Who sits at center court, right behind the scorer’s table?

“As casual time allowed, sports chatter took place (with the fans nearby),” Mr. Boland said. “Then upon receiving my (Fall 2019) WMA Academy World, I found a tribute recognizing my wonderful, social and so likeable friend who was a WMA graduation speaker and had graduated from Monson Academy.

It was Mark Shenkman ’61M, whom I did not know.

“When I saw Mark at Gampel Pavilion at the start of the 2019–20 season, I said to him, ‘Mark, we’re inextricably linked by an event for life.’ His expression was one of total surprise.

I said I would give him a clue: ‘Dr. George Rogers.’ Mark was joyed to hear news of our life educational happenings, and our friendship has continued to grow since.”

Two of Mr. Boland’s three children grew also—at Wilbraham & Monson Academy.

“They needed exactly what I needed: a physical and mental growth to take place prior to the collegiate experience,”

Mr. Boland expressed. “Study habits, goal setting, structure for purposeful use of time, all needed fine tuning, guidance and maturity. The WMA experience was, in their mother’s opinion and mine, a significant contributor.”

Matt ’86 is a referee in the NBA, and Ryan ’88 is an attorney and vice president for Fidelity Inc. Dave’s oldest son, Tom, retired from the U.S. Army as a colonel (pilot) and is presently a senior project officer for Lockheed Martin in Israel for Blackhawk helicopters.

Dave’s resume is most impressive. He’s been inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, as well as the Manchester Hall of Fame, and has received multiple Merit Awards from the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference. He’s also an honorary life member of the referee associations for soccer and basketball in Connecticut.

On the military end, he’s earned the Legion of Merit with cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with cluster and Army Commendation Medal with cluster, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, numerous federal and state medals, and is a member of the Connecticut National Guard Hall of Fame.

Dave said so much of his success stems from his time at Monson Academy, and specifically, the guidance from Dr. Rogers.

“Simply put, as a 17-year-old high school graduate I was little prepared, immature and lacking self-discipline or any sense of organization and purpose. Monson Academy provided the opportunity for me to catch up, receive structure in an environment to grow with guidance, and properly prepared me for undergraduate training to become a teacher.”

And so much more, all with a front row seat.

• Yearbook photo, 1956

• Dave Boland ’56M, left, at work at the NCAA Lacrosse Championships.

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DEPARTMENTS: ALUMNI EVENTS

Hockey Night at the Thunderbirds JANUARY 2022 More than 60 alumni, parents and staff came together on Jan. 28 to watch the Springfield Thunderbirds take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in American Hockey League action. WMA’s Boys’ Hockey coaches Barry Almeida and TJ Syner and former Girls’ Hockey Coach Sara Ugalde were on hand, along with Director of Athletics Don Nicholson ’79 to discuss the exciting return of hockey to WMA. Many thanks to our four event hosts—Chris and Candy Bignell P’23, ’24, Executive Vice President of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Chris Porreca ’90 and WMA Atlas Fund Co-Chair Mike Dolaher ’90— for their help making the night a success.

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1 From left: Bryan Musa ’92 with daughter Claire, Mike Altobelli ’90, PJ Louis ’92, Alan Orquiola ’89, P’25, Mike Dolaher ’90 and Kevin Jennings ’90 P’21, ’23. 2 From left: Connor Devivo ’10, Peter Pascarelli ’10 and Nathan Lee ’10. 3 Lauren Poole ’17, left, and Giangabriel Linarez ’17. 4 Director of Athletics Don Nicholson ’79, left, and retiring History Faculty member Gary Cook. 5 Eddie Shore Jr. ’47W, right, and his son Robert Shore ’81 stand with the plaque dedicated to Eddie for his many years of service and involvement with Springfield Hockey. 6 Michelle Jacques P’26, left, and Steven Tremblay P’26.

7 From left: Chris Bignell P’23, ’24, Boys’ Head Coach Barry Almeida, former Girls’ Head Coach Sara Ugalde, Boys’ Assistant Coach TJ Syner and Chris Porreca ’90. 8 Mike Dolaher ’90, left, brought along his WMA Hockey jersey from 1989 to give to new coaches Barry Almeida, center, and TJ Syner. 9 The Thunderbirds won the game with a final score of 6–2 over the Phantoms. WMA mascot Titan, with Mike Dolaher ’90, warming up the crowd on the Fanboni. 10 From left: Alan Orquiola ’89 P’25, his wife, Holly, P’25, WMA mascot Titan, Bryan Musa ’92 and Director of Advancement Mark Aimone P’22. Musa’s daughter Claire stands in front row.

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by brian p. easler Head of School

WMA SPOTLIGHT: SCOTT B. JACOBS ’75

Scott B. Jacobs ’75: Leader, mentor and friend of the Academy • Scott Jacobs ’75, center, with former Head of School Rodney LaBrecque, left, and current Head of School Brian Easler.

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• Scott Jacobs ’75, second from right, with his family.

From left: daughter Lauren Benjamin, wife Leslie and daughter Michelle Antle.

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cott Jacobs ’75 has been serving on the Wilbraham & Monson Academy Board of Trustees for 20 years, and in another year he will begin his 20th year as Chair.

This is a remarkable tenure in a role that requires constant investment of one’s time and resources—it is truly a labor of love. To celebrate Scott’s dedication to WMA, we conspired to surprise Scott with a dinner celebration at our October Board Meeting. It was a rousing success (including breaking Scott’s No. 1 rule: no surprises), and a very special evening for a very special patron of the Academy.

I first met Scott in 1998, my first year at WMA, when former Head of School Dick Malley sent me down the East Coast to meet some alumni. Scott brought Steph and I out for dinner at the Red Fish Grille on Bourbon Street (New Orleans), and the discussion that evening was the start of a 23-year mentoring relationship that has literally changed the course of my life. I didn’t know that at the time, of course, but that is definitely the way things have played out.

It was a passive mentoring relationship at first. I attended most Board Meetings even in those days, so once Scott joined the board I was able to do with him what I did with other board members: I watched and I listened and I learned.

So, what did I notice during all those early years of just observing? I noticed how adept Scott is at managing a room of high‑achieving Board Members. Scott has a subtle approach

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and quiet but authoritative presence, and he always gracefully and thoughtfully leads the Board, synthesizing often varied positions around complicated topics and bringing the members together when it would be easy for them to drift apart.

I also noticed that Scott almost never writes anything down. That in itself is not necessarily unique, except when you pair it with the fact he also never forgets anything. Often in Board meetings a question about a previous Board resolution comes up and Scott says, “check the minutes from the October meeting three years ago.” Sure enough . . . right on target. It’s really impressive.

Once I was chosen as the next Head, obviously, Scott’s relationship as my mentor became much more active. On the day he told me I had been selected, he said “you are now No. 2 in my phone list only after my family. You can call me anytime you need me, day or night.” He has certainly lived up to that promise. There has literally only been one time in eight years that Scott has not been available to talk with me within a minute or two of me asking ... and even then he called me within an hour. Other heads of schools are amazed when I tell them about the kind of access I have to our Board Chair, literally day or night, whenever I need him. The value of this level of engagement between the Board Chair and the Head really cannot be overstated, especially for a new head transitioning from within the school.

• Scott Jacobs ’75 reacts to the announcement of the newly named Scott B. Jacobs ’75 Board Room in the Athletic Center.

I know Scott provided a similar level of support to Rodney LaBrecque during his years as Head, but in very pragmatic ways Rodney and I needed different kinds of support from Scott. Rodney came to WMA with vast experience at several other well-known schools, while WMA has been my only school. Rodney was already experienced in the aspects of school leadership of which I had none. Rodney was already an experienced Head, and I was totally green. I am certain that our vastly different needs required of Scott significantly different kinds of support and guidance. I am in no way suggesting that Scott and Rodney somehow had it easier.

On the contrary, Rodney came to WMA and Scott became Chair at a time of significant financial challenges that I have no doubt tested Scott in his role. My point, and a central one I believe, is that Scott transitioned so successfully between working with one Head to another, very different in so many ways, and that the continuity of Scott’s leadership and support over the span of 20 years is largely responsible for the thriving school we all know today.

Certainly the biggest challenge for Scott’s leadership in my tenure as Head has been the pandemic. Scott’s vast experience and knowledge, and his thirst for more, was absolutely central and critical to how well the Academy weathered this crisis.

Scott’s strategic and tactical thinking were always at the forefront, helping us stay one step ahead. He didn’t wait for me to reach out with issues or ideas; he was constantly thinking about WMA and how we would, how we should, get through this. He was proactive and rational and absolutely determined that we would succeed in one central priority: WMA will

survive this, no matter what. “Everything else can be put back together,” his words, “as long as the school survives.” That might seem a little extreme now, after having come through it so successfully. At the beginning, though, things were not so certain. Scott’s central priority led to what became an institutional mantra for getting through the crisis. “Whatever It Takes” became our collective answer to any challenge, and that mindset buoyed this entire community through one of its most tenuous times.

In recognition of Scott’s 20 years of loyal and dedicated service to WMA and the Board of Trustees, current and former Board members, family and friends raised $1 million, in Scott’s honor, as a gift to WMA. As further testament to the trust and confidence his intelligence and leadership inspires, the gift was designated to Scott’s sole discretion in how it is applied within the Academy’s financial planning for maximum short- and long-term benefit. This essentially means that Scott has a discretionary fund of a million dollars to allocate within the Academy as he sees fit. In recognition of this gift, and through the generosity of the donors, the room where we hold our Board Meetings in the Athletic Center has been named the Scott B. Jacobs ’75 Board Room.

Through all of this, Scott’s humility and his sense of humor brought balance and sometimes a bit of levity when needed.

My weekly calls with Scott are always a blend of his wisdom, passion, encouragement, challenge and never a shortage of laughter. I will always know Scott Jacobs not only as a mentor, a role model and, quite literally, my boss . . . I will always consider him my friend.

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FACULTY RECOGNITION: GARY COOK

Gary Cook: He is History True to the conviction of his spirit and vocation at Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Cook’s time in the classroom here is, well . . . history. Coach Cook, a longtime history teacher and a legend on the soccer sideline, is retiring after 43 years at the end of the current academic year. This spread honors him and all he has done for the WMA Community. Congrats to you, Gary Cook. And thank you!

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BY DON KELLY

Faculty Marshal

Gary Cook: A difference maker ‘every day’ for 43 years at WMA As the National Football League season was ending this year, there was a great deal of speculation about whether GOAT (Greatest of All Time) quarterback Tom Brady would retire. Brady did retire, bringing a great deal of disappointment to his many fans.

The WMA community recently experienced similar disappointment. At a faculty meeting in Alumni Memorial Chapel on Jan. 26, Head of School Brian Easler announced that WMA’s GOAT history teacher Gary Cook would be retiring at the end of this academic year after 43 years of outstanding service to the Academy.

The response to the announcement about Gary’s retirement created among the WMA faculty and student body the same disappointment as Brady’s retirement did for his fans.

As the news settled in, we began to reflect on the many accomplishments of this giant among the faculty and his countless contributions to the Academy. The WMA community would like to thank this great educator for a job well done, and also tell him that he will be missed. As a teacher, as a coach, as a mentor to younger faculty members and as a friend to many of us, Gary can look back with pride on a very successful tenure at WMA. Passion is the first word that comes to mind when describing Gary’s role as a history teacher.

While he could be a very fiery player on the court playing faculty basketball on Tuesday nights in our gym or very competitive on the soccer field playing against students in a pickup game, these moments pale in comparison to his enthusiasm for discussing great historical events in the classroom with his students.

Gary’s passion for history is legendary, and it is also contagious as many of his former students have gone on to study history in college because they had Gary as a history teacher at WMA. This passion for teaching history was not confined to simply inculcating facts into the minds of his students. In a Cook history course there were high academic standards, and Gary prided himself for consistently maintaining these standards over the years.

Students were expected to be active class participants, and Gary instilled in his students

the concept of critical thinking long before this term became part of contemporary educational jargon. In the analysis of historical events, Gary demanded clear logical thinking from his students, and he expected them to strip themselves of any biases and to analyze historical events without prejudice. Most importantly, he expected his students to write coherent and persuasive papers about the events discussed in class.

Nowhere were these expectations more clearly on display than in Gary’s Advanced Placement U.S. History course. Gary took pride in the fact that many students considered this course to be the most challenging in the WMA curriculum.

There was no way for a student to earn an “A” in this course unless they met Gary’s high standards.

However, even those students who did not earn an “A” often returned to our campus praising and thanking Gary because the challenging discussions and clear thinking he trained them to participate in prepared them for success in their college courses which involved similar tasks.

When the College Board, an industry leader in educational testing, heard about Gary’s extraordinary commitment to teaching AP U.S. History, they invited him to serve as a grader for the AP U.S. History Examinations. Gary did this for 10 years and was given the important

responsibility of being a table leader six times.

Having a faculty member represent our school in this important educational activity certainly enhanced WMA’s academic reputation.

Gary’s legacy as a teacher will live on at WMA in the work of the current teachers on the faculty that he helped form. Alumna and sixth-year history teacher Sommer Mahoney said: “Gary has taught me so much about teaching; not just the concrete details of fashioning an engaging and intelligent lesson plan but also the softer skills. Skills like identifying how to sense when a kid can be pushed to go deeper or needs a moment to reflect; how to design a lesson so that the kids find the key concepts on their own; how to create a feeling of safety and trust in a classroom so that we can discuss challenging topics. Gary is a master teacher, and I could not be more lucky or more proud to have been his actual student, and now his mentee.”

In addition to teaching history, Gary’s commitment to his other passion—soccer— has made an indelible mark on WMA’s athletic history. Gary became the best soccer coach

• Don Kelly, left, and Gary Cook together at the Bunion Derby.

Continued on following page.

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FACULTY RECOGNITION: GARY COOK

Continued from previous page.

that he could be. He devoted time for his personal professional development in attaining the highest coaching licenses awarded by the United Soccer Coaches Association, and he frequently was invited by this organization to be a presenter at soccer clinics nationwide. In this service, Gary Cook again boosted WMA’s reputation on a national level.

The 35 years that Gary coached Boys’ Varsity Soccer became known as the Golden Age of WMA soccer as our team was victorious 234 times under his leadership. Gary’s teams were the New England Boys’ Prep School champions three times, and they captured the WNEPSSA (Western New England Prep School Soccer Association) Ray Brown Trophy five years in a row (2003–2007).

Gary received the Larry E. Briggs Award for his outstanding contributions to soccer in 2013.

In addition, he was named Massachusetts State Coach of the Year on two occasions, and he was inducted into the WNEPSSA Coaches Hall of Fame in 2016.

In closing, I think back to the announcement of Gary’s retirement at the faculty meeting in January. After making the announcement, Mr. Easler invited Gary to speak to the faculty, and the faculty gave Gary a much-deserved standing ovation.

Gary then shared some reflections with the faculty about his life and career at WMA. He mentioned that one time he was driving with his son, Tim, and they were having a father-son talk about Tim’s future. Tim had mentioned that he did not think that he would be following his father into teaching. Tim then asked Gary about his teaching experience and asked Gary whether he thought that he had made a difference as a teacher.

Gary told us that his answer to Tim was, “Yes, on my best days I think I do make a difference.”

As for me, Don Kelly, I have seen Gary Cook, master teacher, varsity coach, advisor and colleague, up close and in action for the past 43 years, and I respectfully disagree. Gary, here at WMA you made a difference EVERY day.

Your colleagues and your students, present and past, will attest to this with me, Gary, in saying farewell to you as a faculty member, let me repeat Brian Easler’s elegant valedictory to you at the faculty meeting, “You might be leaving the house, Coach, but you will always be part of the family.”

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Community Reflections It has been difficult for me to come to grips with the fact that Gary Cook is actually retiring. To me, I will find it difficult to even think of our school not having this man being an integral part of our daily campus life. I first met Gary Cook in the spring of 1983 at the wedding of a mutual friend. I would begin teaching at WMA that fall and become Mr. Cook’s colleague in the History Department. I would then also become his assistant coach with Boys’ Varsity Soccer for 12 years, until I moved to become head coach of the Girls’ Varsity Soccer team. Thirty-nine years later, I look back on his career with great admiration. It has been such a tremendously rewarding experience to have worked with him as a fellow teacher of history and through our mutual love of the game of soccer. His coaching legacy is certainly enshrined within the history of Wilbraham & Monson athletics. However, the true impact of his career exists within the memories of the student-athletes he influenced during his many decades here.

Who they were here and who they would become in later life is his true legacy. He has been a great colleague, a great teacher, a great coach and a great friend.”

— don nicholson ’79, director of athletics

• Don Nicholson ’79, left, with Gary Cook at a coaching retirement roast in June 2016.

“Best of luck, and thank you for being an influential teacher in my life.”

— ming chang ’89

“As one of many students lucky enough to sit in your classroom over the past 40 years, I thank you!”

— heather little ’13

“Thank you for always making WMA feel like home!”

— courtney fallon ’17

“You have made such an impact on my personal and academic life, and I know that I am a better student and person because of you.”

— julia puppolo ’20

“Simply put, you were the best teacher I ever had.”

— william metzger ’97

• John Boozang, left, with Sean McGrath ’07 with a “Cook Sendoff Game” T-shirt during Reunion 2016.

In my first season as a varsity baseball head coach, our team featured great kids, most of whom were mediocre ballplayers; we won two games. A week before the May varsity banquet, I confided in Gary that I had no idea of what, if anything, I could offer to adequately summarize our season and also honor the players’ efforts. Without delay, Gary suggested the perfect opener, a quote by Thomas Payne: ‘These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.’

It’s no wonder Gary was quick to reference Payne. Throughout his remarkable tenure at WMA— as a master teacher, department head and faculty advisor; as a revered coach in soccer, baseball and basketball; as a Model U.N. leader and in countless other roles—it’s clear that Gary’s student-centered focus has always been on the journey, not the destination, and the growth from struggles along the way. That’s not to say that Gary isn’t concerned about results or winning—he is; and we thank him for all the success, accomplishments and pride he’s inspired throughout the years.”

— john boozang, director of college counseling

I’ve been blessed to have Coach, Mrs. Cook, Colin and Tim in my life for over 30 years. Thank you for mentoring me beyond my Academy years into adulthood, marriage and parenthood.

One of my fondest memories was Monday B period coffee and bagels that Mrs. Cook would have set aside for me while I watched the boys at

the house my senior year. My coffee addiction thanks you. Even though my boarding school career was brief, it was no coincidence that I chose to teach U.S. History and coach soccer. And to this day, most mornings consist of coffee and a bagel.”

— yd kwon ’88

A True Gaffer gaf·fer /ˈɡafər/

noun 1. the chief electrician in a motion-picture or television production unit.

2. informal an old man.

3. informal • British a person in charge of others; a boss.

It was a hot afternoon— very hot—several days into the 2014 preseason. The boys were breaking a sweat just walking from the dressing room to the soccer pitch.

One lad in particular, who had taken it upon himself to get out early and get extra warmed up, was perspiring heavily. Until he wasn’t. Somewhere in the span of training, maybe 30 minutes in, without another player near him, Jahkeem collapsed.

me commit to what would be a I was only three years out life‑transforming PG year at WMA. of college, working my first job My first impression of Gary’s in the triple threat—teaching, coaching was “this guy stops coaching, dorm dadding—at the practice more than anyone I’ve ever Academy. I had taken the CPR classes, but in the heat of the moment, seen.” Five years later, fresh out of undergrad and under tutelage as we approached the player lying this time as his assistant coach, my prostrate on the pitch, I was hardly impression was . . . pretty much sure what I was looking at— concussion, playacting, taking a nap? the same. But, as a budding educator, what I grew to see was how he Gary knew. And before I used the field as a classroom. And had even come to understand the more, how he used all of the spaces seriousness of it all, Coach Cook he lived to rein in and build up had our players running for ice bags the folks around him—a real gaffer. and packing the boy in. Heat stroke.

The soccer pitch at the Academy Where every second is of the essence. is like his second home, and “Coach” Coach’s response may well have his second favorite title after “Dad.” preserved Jahkeem’s life that day— “The ball speaks the language,” he a player who went on to be a team would say, trying to make global MVP and All-Region selection. citizens of us. “Is it good enough?”

Mr. Cook has been in the he would ask, compelling us to dig business of life-building for some deeper into our craft. “Get stuck in!” many years now. I first came he would whisper with a steely under his tutelage as a club soccer fist, encouraging us to bring an player for Western United FC in extra edge to our every endeavor.

2005, my senior year of high school.

Disillusioned about college prospects Whether it was on the pitch, in the classroom in Fisk, the dining and unsure what the next chapter hall or in his own living room would hold, Coach Cook helped

• Sean McGrath ’07, second from right, with Coach Cook, left, after a Western New England Prep School Soccer Association All-Star game in 2006.

(where he aspired to recruit book lovers, coffee snobs and Manchester United fans), Coach would coach.

And I don’t expect much will change in retirement besides the venues.

Mr. Coach Gary Cook—man of many titles, consummate educator, relentless advocate for the faculty, lifelong advisor, loving father and husband, true gaffer— enjoy the retirement. I’ll see ya on the sidelines.

— sean mcgrath ’07

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departments: Faculty Fun Facts

If These Walls Could Talk 1

3 2 4

Snapshots of Gary Cook’s classroom in Mattern Science Center. For many years, he taught his history classes in the basement of Fisk Hall.

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5 6 7

8

9

10

11

1 Top shelf frames

4 Celtics Bobbleheads

Hugh Harrell, my first mentor here, and a collection of photos from the 1998 New England Championship team.

A gift from a parent.

Tommy Heinsohn and Bob Cousy bobbleheads.

2 Bookshelves Organized by section; banned books are on the third shelf.

3 Grateful Dead album Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton spoke on campus and signed the album cover.

5 Larry Bird poster In my classrooms since the 1980s. LB is symbolic for all of my students—everyone said he couldn’t make it in the NBA. He worked hard and prepared, and he made it . . . and that’s what I want for my students.

6 The People Speak poster & Democracy T-shirt In grad school, I was introduced to history professor Howard Zinn. He has been called a Marxist, as he looks at history from the ground up. I was fascinated by his work, heard him speak and so I introduced him to my students. The People Speak is actors and actresses performing pieces of history.

The Democracy T-shirt is a gift from a student— Patrick Agahigian ’09—who went to hear him speak.

7 Tim O’Brien poster He taught a class about Vietnam history for years.

Read the book, heard him speak and came home with the poster.

8 Celtics vs. 76ers photo A gift from Don Kelly, the photo has six or seven Hall of Famers in it. And “DK” is a hall of famer.

10 Wilbraham Academy pennant My wife, Debbie, found it at a tag sale in Harwich, Massachusetts.

11 Soccer team championships Commemorative plaques of championship seasons.

9 Monaco sign From Model UN. I always displayed one of the countries we had.

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FACULTY REFLECTION: GARY COOK

‘You will always be part of the family’ From left:

Gary Cook: Abridged History Wilbraham & Monson Academy has been blessed to have Mr. Cook as a history teacher for parts of six decades, from 1979 to his retirement at the end of the 2021–2022 academic year.

teaching at wma

Dr. Stephanie Easler, Gary Cook and Head of School Brian P. Easler.

• History Department: 1979–2022 • History Department Chair: 1984–1992, 1994–2007

coaching at wma

Letter to the WMA Community: From Head of School Brian P. Easler sent January 26, 2022 Dear Titans, There are a handful of faculty members at WMA who were here long before I arrived in 1998. There are others, also, who arrived at roughly the same time as me, maybe a year or two before, but I’m talking about people who had already been here for a good, long while and were already leaders within the school. These folks taught me what it means to be part of a community like this. They guided me, mentored me, supported me and, most of all, modeled what it means to be a member of a true learning community. They have done this for all of us here today and countless others over the years, and their collective influence on their colleagues, their students and this school is immeasurable.

Gary Cook is one of those faculty members, which is why it is so bittersweet to announce today that he will be retiring at the end of this school year.

This is, of course, a joyous time for Gary. It’s what we all work toward. His wife, Deb, retired last year and his boys are starting families. Gary and Deb have a house on the Cape, and I know they have big plans for any time Deb is able to coax him away from the trout streams. Gary

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leaves behind a career of superb teaching and coaching, and extraordinary impact on decades of students, and he leaves behind a legacy here at WMA of which any teacher would be proud.

I am truly happy for Gary and his family, but it is also difficult to imagine WMA without Mr. Cook—Coach Cook. Gary often reminds me of the speech I read upon being named head, where I talked of sitting on the senior bridge and thinking of this place as my home. I was thinking about Gary and others like him when I sat on the bridge that day, as I have so many other days.

This is my home, it’s our home, and it’s hard to imagine this home without Gary Cook in it.

You might be leaving the house, Coach, but you will always be part of the family.

• Head Coach Boys’ Soccer: 1981–2015 • New England Champions: 1998, 2002, 2006 • Class M Champions (Ray Brown Cup): Western New England Prep School Soccer Association – 1998, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 • WNEPSSA Overall Champions (1st place of 50 schools): 2005, 2006 • Massachusetts Prep/Private Coach of the Year: 1998, 2005 • Overall coaching record: 234–203–92 • WNEPSSA Coaches Hall of Fame: Class of 2016 • Larry Briggs Award: Pioneer Soccer Official Lifelong Contributions Award, 2013 • Basketball – JV and 3rds: 30-plus years • Baseball – Varsity and JV: 10 years

residential and school life at wma • • • • • • •

Cum Laude Society Dormitory Experience Class Advisor: 1983, 1999 Rules and Discipline Committee Department Head Evening Study Hall Black Student Group Advisor

education • Master of Arts, Liberal Studies (History), Wesleyan University, 1992 • B.A., Sociology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1976

family

Brian P. Easler Head of School

• Married Deborah in 1977 • Sons Colin ’04 and Timothy ’06 (non-grad)

Goodbye WMA: ‘I learned from you and with you’ Dear reader, Let me put this in context, I’ve been at the Academy since Jimmy Carter was in the White House . . .

That this occurred was not part of a master plan, but it happened.

Arriving in the fall of 1979, I knew next to nothing about prep schools, but I was certified to teach and had already coached high school soccer for three years. My wife, Deb, said “OK” and here we are 43 years down the road . . .

Among my new duties that first year was to be advisor to the new ninth grade. Four years later when the class of 1983 graduated, I was hooked . . . soon followed by a family—sons Colin (born in 1985), Timothy (1987)— and, through the decades, three large retrievers.

I was informed in my interview, it’s not a job. It’s a culture and lifestyle— living on campus, teaching, coaching three sports, advisees, dorm life, study hall (yuck), clubs and student activities—and I did it all. You live where you work, with adults and young people—there aren’t many left from the formative years. Faculty friends and families came and went, but you the students, with all your generational titles, ending now with Gen Z, were pretty much the same—most hardworking, a few harder to engage, all eager to grow up and chase dreams or explore new passions that a prep school opportunity presented to you.

Teaching history, which requires some skills and knowledge of content, and sociology, where the “norms” matter—well, holding students to high standards—always felt right; and I hope I challenged you and supported you at the same time.

I believed you should be in dress code (still do). I wanted my teams to train and play the right way, respect the game and strive to improve over a season.

I believe the lessons of sports and academics were not all that different: prepare to do your best, learn something when things went sideways and keep moving forward.

I hope my good days outnumber the bad ones. For the more recent of you, if I played a song you liked in class or you laughed at my limited technological capacity, if I made you smile, celebrated your first A in my class (yes, that did happen) or helped a down day get a little better, applauded your growth and grit, shared a good book, excited a new academic passion or you just beat a good soccer team on Corbin Field . . . well then it was a good run.

If I wronged you with deeds or words, it was not intentional and please accept my belated apology.

There are too many advisees, students, athletes, Model UNers to name—but you impacted me in ways you will never know. I learned from you and with you.

Over time, former students became adult friends and our lives came together yet again. Colin and Tim’s Wilbraham friends became ours as well. I’ve been to your weddings and much more, as connections kept growing and we all got older.

I will miss: • Playing faculty basketball • Campus jogs and hikes that happened long before COVID • Teaching ninth grade history in Fisk basement and AP US • Standing on the soccer field looking up at fall foliage • An overflowing Rubicon with winter ending • The beauty of spring and elegant seniors crossing the Rubicon one last time at graduation • Historical and philosophical quotes • Cartoons and music in class • and you!

None of this could have happened without family: • My wife, Debbie, whose love made the journey possible.

• My dad, who came to decades of games, knew the players and was at my 200th soccer win.

• My sons Colin and Tim. WMA provided a home that included the keys to a gym, playing fields and friends. Growing up in campus housing was weird, but we now all have a place of our own and you continue to make me proud every day.

The buildings and fields will remain behind, but the students and adults that shaped this experience—and the memories—will travel with me to Cape Cod. Not long ago, my best friend from boyhood told me, “For a guy with no plan at all, you had a hell of a life so far.”

Yes, I did.

I will leave a part of me behind, but it’s time for the next chapter.

Be well, stay safe and thank you.

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WMA ALUMNI: REFLECTION

By EMILY DROMGOLD ’17

‘WMA heard me and that made all the difference’

• Emily Dromgold ’17 while studying in Cork, Ireland.

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a strong personal connection to Ireland. I now understand my mosaic of a self not as broken, but as something worth celebrating, nurturing and sharing through my poetry and prose.

Even though I am out in the world now, I look back and know WMA was the first community to bring the world to me.

In that world, I was celebrated, cared for and safe. I learned what it was like to truly be heard.

At WMA, my friends and I exchanged international snacks and stories from home. We traveled back to China, Brazil, Cape Cod, the Netherlands, Russia and more together through the caramel overtones of stroopwafels, homemade stir fry, white rabbit candies or all those memories that ended in laughter. We studied together in Mattern. We walked as fast as possible from Rich lobby after lunch to next period (the chicken giuseppe was the best, especially when Ms. Heanny served it since she always had the biggest smile). We caught our uniforms from Mr. Weeks, said hi to Mr. D on the way up hen I think of WMA, I think of home. There’s the hill, straightened our pins on our blazers and contributed a rush of warmth in my chest accompanied to the waves of chatter before school meeting started. We by a soft ache remembering those first days celebrated a tennis match win with Coach Jay over a box of when I found a community where I belonged. WMA helped clementines and laughter. I struggled in Algebra 2, but nurture the voice that would eventually create the language Mr. Lombard didn’t give up on me and I ended up enjoying needed to speak my multifaceted identity into being. This math. We pet Mr. Cook’s dog, Rufus, outside of Rich. We year culminates into the first page of that story starting with challenged Hobbes and Locke, dog eared pages of The Jungle, a reclaiming of my name(s) and love for my whole identity.

My name is Emily Dromgold ’17. 我中⽂的名字是锡萍芳。 dissected strawberry DNA, interrogated the world, made the world a little better by asking for more. More inclusivity.

I publish under Emily Anna King to honor my grandmother More kindness. More curiosity and adventure. and strong women in my life.

I still carry warm memories of every teacher at WMA who I am a writer. I am an educator, musician, an athlete, a made me feel like I could be better without ever making me jiujitsu student, a baker, an adventurer. Most importantly, I am feel like I wasn’t already enough. They read my rough drafts human. I am currently pursuing my MA in Creative Writing of poetry between classes. I remember their wit and kindness at University College Cork in Ireland. While my work covers and brilliance poured over cups of black coffee. Ms. Krassin a wide range of topics, I make space to negotiate identity, place and how we can cultivate a sense of belonging on our own gave me a book that taught me to bend genres and limitations I placed on myself. Mr. (Sean) McGrath ’07 taught me about terms. Being a transnational adoptee, my heritage is Chinese, the art of concision. Mr. (Tim) Harrington ’73 reminded me to my culture is Italian, German and Irish American, and I have

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organize my ideas and remember each verb, adjective and subject functioned as more than one layer. Ms. Mitchell ’04 taught me every piece has worth and deserves to be seen for its potential. Ms. Hutch said my idea was brilliant even when I didn’t think so. Mr. Moran asked more from the meaning of the piece and where my ideas were rooted. He taught me to interrogate my writing and the world, and that curiosity is a gift when balanced with reason and imagination.

WMA heard me and that made all the difference.

I hope to do the same for my own students. Besides my current studies, I am teaching online due to COVID-19 restrictions. I teach English, ESL, Elementary Mandarin and other elementary school subjects to students across the globe online, ranging from kindergarten level to adults returning to university. I’m grateful to help my students find their voice and lean into their own potential. I’m also grateful to have my own voice heard in places such as Tír na nÓg, Massachusetts Best Emerging Poets 2019 (Z Publishing), Pamplemousse, Lily

Poetry Review, Paragon Press and Otherwise Engaged Journal. While I am proud of publication, it is the power to write myself into being that brings me the most joy—and WMA helped nurture the voice capable of doing so.

Someone wrote in my yearbook: “Everything you need is already inside of you.” These are words I hope my students, my family, my friends, my teammates and anyone reading this will carry forward with them. I hope you’ll find the courage to share your story and take pride in the unique aspects of your own path. Know that so many of us are listening and that you are enough.

I hope that by being who we are and raising our voices, our global community becomes more inclusive, more compassionate and more connected. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to that world.

In the future, I know I will be writing, teaching, making time for friends and family, and waiting for the next time this world takes my breath away. I know it will.

• WMA senior photo

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departments: class notes

Class Notes 1955 Wilbraham

1970 Wilbraham

Robert Hohman writes to WMA and the Class of ’55, in particular: “Both my wife, Jan, and I are basically fine and well in Sun City Hilton Head, Bluffton, South Carolina. No more pickleball (sore knees) but bowling and idle time with glass crafting making ‘sun catcher’ type things and some glass chess/checker boards.

Hope all is well with everyone, young and old!”

1 Darius Mojallali writes: “Hello to all my old friends from Wilbraham Class of 1970. It is hard to believe 51 years have passed since we graduated. I am enjoying retirement from full-time ministry as an Episcopal priest, with lots more time for making music and adding to my ever-expanding collection of guitars and other instruments. I lead the Praise Band (I know, cheesy name) at a local Episcopal church, and my wife, Stephanie (who is an amazing singer), is part of it. We have a lot of fun learning new songs and leading them at church. Our kids are doing well, and Matthias (who is 18) is still with us and taking a year off before venturing forth to further education.

We have five grandchildren, the most recent being our daughter Anna’s baby Shiloh. I’d love to be in touch with any of my old friends so feel free to text me!”

Olli Kokkonen salutes all his classmates who happen to see this message. “I have warm memories of the school year 1954–55 which changed the course of my life totally in a way I could not imagine on arrival at Wilbraham 67 years ago. The last time I visited Wilbraham was for the 50th class reunion. Fred Watts was present then and permanently in my mind.”

1965 Wilbraham Richard Carreño reports that Philabooks Press will publish his new book “Master Amateur: George H. McFadden and the Dashing Diggers of Cyprus” in early 2023.

1967 Wilbraham Anthony Gagliardi writes: “Hello to all fellow classmates and those a year ahead and behind that I was fortunate enough to meet while on my life journey. I hope this friendly note finds you well and, if possible, I hope we cross paths at some point.

I spend much of my time in the Charleston, S.C., area, and still some time in Westchester County, N.Y. Let me hear from you please.”

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1973 After 20 years as Senior Vice President, David Dibner is retiring from NYU Langone Hospitals.

“I will be staying in my town of Port Washington, N.Y., with my partner, Elise, while my daughter Isabelle is preparing for college. If ever in Port, just go to the water and ask for the boat ‘Blue God.’ That’s where you’ll find me most of the time.”

1977 Adrian (Graham) McLean retired after 36 years of teaching elementary school in Boston, Massachusetts.

“Shoutout to the Class of ’77!”

1992 2 Steven Riel’s fifth book of poetry “Edgemere” was published in 2021.

He is pictured opening the boxes of his author copies.

1978 Jenny (Gleason) Franklin is living in DeLand, Florida, and working in home healthcare as an R.N. specializing in wound care and diabetic education. She has been married for 41 years. Her son Christopher, 39, is a private business owner and electrical and concrete contractor. Her granddaughter Casey, 20, is in college studying physical therapy. “Shoutout to David Eldridge, David Cobleigh, Steven Sullivan, John Sherley and Mont Stong!”

1983 3 Lisa Sheehan started a new role as Senior Vice President with the Community Development Lending Group at Eastern Bank. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

1986 Rich Thompson heads the Global Airline Strategy for Riskified, the world’s leading fraud prevention management provider. “We work in several industries helping companies optimize their sales channels while reducing their chargebacks and taking on their fraud chargeback liability. Our Headquarters are in NYC and Tel Aviv, and we have other global offices. I work remotely from Cape Cod but travel the world for events, conferences, meetings and speaking engagements.”

4 Mark Oppenheimer has been touring the country to speak at schools and community centers about his latest book “Squirrel Hill,” a major study of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting and the background of white supremacy. Oppenheimer is the author of five books and was the religion columnist for The New York Times from 2010 to 2016. He has written for The New York Times Magazine, GQ, Mother Jones, The Nation and The Believer, among other publications. The host of Tablet magazine’s podcast “Unorthodox,” Oppenheimer has taught at Stanford, Wellesley and Yale, where since 2006 he has directed the Yale Journalism Initiative. He lives with his family in New Haven, Connecticut.

5 Hilary (Kenyon) Sams and PJ Louis, who each have a son on the Kingswood Oxford Boys’ Soccer team, caught up with Coach Cook and Coach Nicholson ’79 at the WMA vs.

KO match in November 2021.

1994 6 Ian Macdonald writes, “I (finally) got married to Sabrina Lee on Aug. 2, 2021, on Lake Orta in Orta San Giulio, Italy.” The couple, pictured with Ian’s parents, now live in Hoboken, New Jersey.

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departments: class notes

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2001 7 Kevin Ryan is Director of Business Operations at Optum, a UnitedHealthcare company. “I help connect hospices with tools and solutions to help them thrive as they treat patients at the end of life. I enjoy being able to help these organizations navigate the complicated world of healthcare insurance immensely.”

Kevin and his wife, Jen, have been married for almost 15 years, and they have two children, Hannah, 14, and Kash, 10. “When we are not sitting on a beach or sailing in the summer, we are skiing each weekend in the winter.”

1999 8 & 9 Kimberly (Unrine) Treibick, her husband, Ian, and their children, Avery, then 10, Oliver, 8, and Charlie, 4, spent eight months living aboard their boat, Calypso. “We left Greenwich, CT, in October of 2020 and went as far as Antigua and Barbuda, stopping in several places in the U.S. and continuing on to The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the Spanish Virgin Islands, the USVI, St. Martin, St. Barths and finally Antigua, where we shipped our boat to Newport, Rhode Island.

Our favorite places were probably the Bahamas and the Spanish Virgin Islands, although all of the places were amazing. My husband and I were both the captains, and we boat-schooled the children together.

We spent our days exploring islands and meeting other families living on boats. It was truly amazing!!”

The family set sail for a shorter, four‑month leg to Central America in January 2022.

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10 Faruk Aliyu ’02 writes with the sad news of the passing of his brother Muktar Aliyu ’01. He passed away on March 9, 2021, in Abuja, Nigeria.

Muktar is survived by his wife, three children, parents, three brothers and three sisters. Muktar graduated from New York Institute of Technology with a degree in architecture. Up until his death, he was working as an Executive Director at one of Nigeria’s largest private Real Estate developers, Urban Shelter Ltd. He will be missed.

2004 11 Christina Alves Boardman and her husband, Damon, welcomed a baby girl to their family. Penelope Alves Boardman was born Oct. 27, 2021, and joins big brother Leonardo.

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12 Colin Cook and Ben Premo ’05 teamed up to win a big local golf tournament at Northampton Country Club on Labor Day weekend. The No. 1 seeds dominated the championship match to claim the first division victory. Gary Cook, Colin’s father and retiring WMA faculty member, called them “the best pair of strikers I ever had,” in reference to days on the soccer pitch at WMA.

2005 13 Kelsey (Ekness) Lastowski and her husband, Tim, welcomed a baby girl to their family. Elaina Marion Lastowski was born Jan. 5, 2022.

14 Shawn Jiles and his wife, Adrianne, visited campus for their 10th wedding anniversary in October 2021.

Adrianne put together a scavenger hunt for Shawn, which ended at his Senior Stone!

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departments: class notes

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2007 15 Alexandra Johnson writes: “Hi! It’s been a long journey since graduating from WMA 14 years ago!

I am now graduating from Queens College, Aaron Copland School of Music, as a Master in Music in Jazz Studies (trumpet) and Composition.”

Alexandra joined the New York National Guard 42nd Infantry Division Band and is an active duty soldier in the NY National Guard Military Funeral Honors Program. She is also a freelance musician and model in New York City. “I am staying busy to say the least!”

Sean McGrath has released his second book of poetry, “From a Balcony in Palos Verdes” (Indie Printing). The collection spans a year of seasons (internal and external) in California’s southland. The project was completed while McGrath continued his teaching and coaching career south of Los Angeles. It is now available in print on Amazon.

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16 Michael Washington won three 2021 Clio Awards for his work as creative director on the advertising for the Spike Lee film “Da 5 Bloods” and the Amazon Studios’ action thriller “Without Remorse.” Michael received one gold and one silver for “Da 5 Bloods” and another silver for “Without Remorse.”

2008 17 Lauren Brodeur Buckley married Patrick Buckley on Dec. 4, 2021, at the Old Saco Inn in Fryeburg, Maine.

Patrick is a carpenter, and Lauren works at Holyoke Medical Center as an ultrasound technologist. The couple lives in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

2009 18–20 Alessandra (Mele) Corbett married Jake Corbett on Sept. 25, 2021, at Gedney Farm in New Marlborough, Massachusetts. Jake is a civil engineer, and Alessandra is a graphic designer. “We live and work here in Wilbraham, just down the street from WMA, and we enjoy daily lunch walks around the triangle!”

Alessandra’s design company, The Homegrown Studio, was recognized for branding work from 2020 by the Ad Club of Western Massachusetts at their annual Creative Awards. Her package design work for the Hudson Valley skincare brand Apis Apotheca won a gold medal, and her logo design work for Diemand Farm in Wendell, Massachusetts, won a silver medal. Alessandra writes: “Additionally, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to partner with a few organizations in the city of Northampton to help brand the city and work on marketing campaigns to reinvigorate local culture and commerce post‑COVID. First, I developed a branding campaign for the Summer on Strong initiative, to help promote outdoor dining and entertainment throughout the summer months. Most recently, I completed a big holiday campaign with the Downtown Northampton Association to encourage shopping locally this holiday season. I’m particularly proud of this work because I’m passionate about Western Massachusetts culture and community—it’s my home, and it means the world to be able to manifest that into meaningful branding that the community can connect and engage with.”

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departments: class notes

2012 21 Kayla Caine Richards and her husband, John, welcomed a baby boy to their family. Caine Thomas Richards was born Oct. 15, 2021.

2011 22 & 23 Jackie (Smith) Norton completed the NYC Marathon on Nov. 7, 2021. Her in-person cheering section included her mom, Caroline Smith (Executive Assistant to the Head of School at WMA), sister Jess Smith ’14 and Issa Best ’13.

“I ran with the group called Beyond TypeOne and had many WMA supporters cheering me on from afar and helping me get there by donating, including: Adrianne Hanson ’10, Brittany McFarlane ’11, Rachael Kantor ’11 and Brianna Lacroix ’12.”

24 Hannah (Caine) McDonald married Lt. Frederick McDonald on Aug. 13, 2021, at Mt. Woodson Castle in San Diego, California. Fellow Titan, and sister of the bride, Kayla Richards ’09 was the matron of honor.

2013 25 Josh Slater visited campus in December 2021, the day before starting a new job as Customer Accounts Coordinator at The Morris Group in Windsor, Connecticut.

2015 26 Ashley (Theriault) Wilkinson and JD Wilkinson were married on Oct. 9, 2021, in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Classmate Molly Socha served as a bridesmaid.

We’d like to hear from you! Send your news to alumni@wma.us or call Molly McGill, Director of Alumni Relations, at 413.596.9118.

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We Remember

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Mr. Gar M. Anderson ’62M Alumnus

Mr. David W. Armstrong Jr. ’40W Alumnus

Mrs. Donna Vallandingham Alumni Grandparent

Mr. Richard M. Frary ’47M Alumnus

Mr. Stuart N. Coleman ’46W Alumnus

Mrs. Barbara Piccin Alumni Grandparent Non-Grad

Mr. Robert A. Garstka ’56M Alumnus

Lt. Col. Sherman A. Cowdrey ’50W Alumnus

Mr. Philip W. Ackerman Alumni Parent

Mr. Paul W. Huckans ’62M Alumnus

Mr. Randall A. Greene ’64W Alumnus

Mr. G. Barton Griffin Alumni Parent

Mr. Alfred Isham ’62M Alumnus

Mr. Arthur S. Johnson III ’40W Alumnus

Mr. Richard Harty Alumni Parent

Mr. Andrew J. Kasznay Jr. ’57M Alumnus

Mr. Paul A. Malley Jr. ’57W Alumnus

Dr. Jose Pangan Alumni Parent

Mr. Charles Lipson ’56M Alumnus

Mr. Joseph J. Tebo ’54W Alumnus

Mrs. Carol Bailey Alumni Parent Non-Grad

Mr. William M. Magrone ’57M Alumnus

Mr. Kevin S. Counter ’83 Alumnus

Mrs. Susan J. Hohnsbeen Alumni Spouse

Mr. John A. Mailman Sr. ’59M Alumnus

Mr. Thomas J. Harty ’87 Alumnus

Mrs. Nancy Jo R. McKenna Alumni Spouse

Mr. Edward A. McColgan ’54M Alumnus

Mr. Thomas J. Howard IV ’88 Alumnus

Mrs. Nancy S. Porter Alumni Spouse

Mr. Nicholas L. Mushenko ’53M Alumnus

Mr. Gregory A. Merkel ’72 Alumnus

Mrs. Jamie Mercier Former Faculty

Mr. Stanley W. Niemczura ’47M Alumnus

Mr. Brian H. Carroll ’81 Alumnus Non-Grad

Mr. Richard P. Goldman Former Staff

Mr. Peter B. Panagore ’53M Alumnus

Mr. Gregory Barnagian Alumni Grandparent

Mr. John Hamel Former Staff

Mr. Edward R. Stein ’57M Alumnus

Ms. Sara Omartian Alumni Grandparent

Mr. David Witherspoon Friend

A C A D E M Y W O R L D S P R I N G 22 002222

WILBRAHAM & MONSON ACADEMY

MAKE YOUR GIFT Gifts to the Atlas Fund go to work immediately, directly supporting the people and programs that make a WMA education transformative.

WAYS TO GIVE ONLINE: www.wma.us/give

QR CODE:

MAIL: Wilbraham & Monson Academy 423 Main Street Wilbraham, MA 01095 Attn: Office of Advancement

QUESTIONS: Contact Sarah Wakelin, Director of Annual Giving, at swakelin@wma.us Phone: 413.596.9133 MATCHING GIFTS: Many employers will match charitable contributions made by their employees. Visit www.wma.us/matchinggift to find out if your company will match your gift.

BY DON NICHOLSON ’79

DEPARTMENTS: WMA HISTORY

Director of Athletics

Corbin Fields: A century of athletic competition memories

• Aerial view during Reunion 2019.

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E

ach week during the fall and spring seasons, I send emails regarding game locations. The references to Corbin Field 1, Corbin Field 2 and Corbin Field 3 are very familiar to our student-athletes; but each time I send these messages, I am personally reminded of the history— highlighted this year by the 100th anniversary of their dedication—of the phrase “Corbin Fields.”

On Nov. 4, 1922, the official dedication of Corbin Memorial Athletic Fields took place on our campus. The dedication served as a memorial to Chester C. Corbin, through a special bequest from his wife, Augusta C. Corbin. Mr. Corbin was a student at Wesleyan Academy from 1856 to 1859. He then served as a member of the Board of Trustees from 1881 until his death in 1903.

Before 1922, Academy athletic activity was restricted to the northeastern portion of the campus, which is now known as Winchester Field on Main Street. By the time I first stepped onto Corbin Fields in the late 1970s, decades of our school’s athletes had graced these fields as they engaged in interscholastic competition in lacrosse, football, track and field, soccer and baseball. Although the dimensions of Corbin Fields have largely stayed the same over time, there have been changes in the appearance of some of the venues and even some of the topography was changed to make more effective use of the overall space.

My memory of the old brick and iron gate leading onto the fields is still very clear. Although the structure is now gone, one of the original 1922 “Corbin Memorial” bronze plaques

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from the brick pillars is still in that area on a stone by the flagpole. The original lamps from the top of the brick pillars are still in active use on new pillars by the senior wall in front of the Rich Hall main entrance.

Our current students are reminded of our old cinder track when they look at the Phil Shaw portrait hanging in the Athletic Center’s Scott B. Jacobs ’75 Board Room and see the track behind Coach Shaw. The new track, dedicated to Coach Shaw in 2009, now sits as a focal point of the modern Corbin Fields.

Although the old baseball field is long gone and that space has become part of the football practice field (Corbin 2), it was visible until recent years in aerial photos of Corbin Fields.

The old field was not too far away from where the old stone drinking fountain was located by Faculty Street.

Lower Corbin was expanded into upper Corbin, and earth was removed in order to fit in a new soccer field and a new baseball field on the western side of the athletic field.

Although Corbin Fields would look a bit different to those from previous generations, it has still retained its distinction as the center of athletic activity on our campus. The memorials and markers are passed by our athletes every day on their way to practice.

• The Girls’ Soccer team, shown here in 2014 as Western New England champions and New England finalists, has been among countless teams that enjoyed high-level success on Corbin Fields.

A photo from 1922, the year of dedication of Corbin Fields.

• WMA’s football team during a win over Williston, with the Athletic Center in the background, in 2016.

Originally published in Nov. 1922 in the Wilbraham Bulletin, the official magazine of the Academy

The New Athletic field

We do try to show our current students the history that is all around them each day, but they are obviously focused on their current athletic endeavors and teams. As alumni, we all have our own memories of time spent in practices and games on Corbin.

The teammates and coaches we shared experiences with would perhaps come into our memories when we think about our time out there.

• How many can still remember the old wooden bleachers on the old football field inside the track?

• How about when the baseball field was located in the middle area of Corbin?

And maybe, just maybe, you can even imagine your own memories of Phil Shaw, Phil Cardone, Bill LaBelle, Gary Cook, Joe Mazeika and so many others who have walked these athletic fields and have made Corbin such a special place in the hearts and minds of Academy student-athletes.

What are your memories of this special place on our campus?

“During the past year, all eyes have turned with longing toward the new athletic field, a part of which was constructed last fall on the south side of Faculty Street, just west of or back of Rich Hall and the farm buildings.

The area there will prove ample for all the boys to be on the field at the same time. The splendid level field for soccer is, and for baseball is, waiting for the new grassroots to become firmly entrenched before actual play begins.

Early in the Fall, it is hoped that a suitable hedge may be started, running from the rear of Rich Hall past the barns and serving as a dividing line between the new playing field and the road. It would therefore be about a quarter of a mile in length, and about the middle of the field would contain an appropriate gateway of brick and iron-bearing the name Corbin Playing field, in honor of Chester C. Corbin, Wilbraham student and trustee to whom the entire work is a Memorial.

The Corbin Memorial Athletic Field was dedicated Nov. 4th, 1922, and was built and equipped, and endowed by a special bequest of Mrs. Chester C. Corbin in memory of her husband who attended from 1856 to 1859 and served as an Academy trustee from 1881 until his death in 1903. This field covers about seven acres and can be greatly enlarged when added facilities may be needed. There are separate baseball diamond and soccer fields, two hundred and twenty yards of cinder running track, and five tennis courts. An Amur Privet hedge extends for one thousand feet along the front line of the field and as a rear boundary there are one hundred and twenty-five Lombardy poplar trees eight feet apart. These natural surroundings make a most attractive and harmonious the setting for this convenient and well-appointed athletic field.”

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BY JANET MORAN

HISTORY: FROM THE ARCHIVES

Recalling a ‘propensity for high jinks’ 6 decades later

• John Foster ’62W

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ixty-one years ago, Wilbraham Academy was still an all boys’ school. Gray Mattern was the Head of School (1955–1971) and Fred Watts (1952–1992) would be seen roaming the halls, hoping to ward off any pranks those feisty boys might have come up with. Back then, the boys desperately wanted two things for their school: a hockey rink and a swimming pool.

Cowdrey Memorial Pool was not built until 1964, and every year the boys would make an outdoor hockey rink, which was a lot of work.

During this era, the outdoor hockey rink was built next to Smith Hall dormitory and later in the parking lot of the Greenhalgh Gymnasium.

Alas, we still do not have a hockey rink today, but we do have both boys’ and girls’ hockey teams in the works.

Richard Taylor ’62W recently visited campus, and his memories of his time here came flooding back. Mr. Taylor shared some of his fond memories with us, and we thought we should share his crazy antics with you.

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Things have changed a great deal since the early ’60s, and students today don’t seem to have quite as much imagination as did the boys in this story. In chatting with Mr. Taylor, he mentioned a few of his fellow pranksters with whom I was also able to chat, and of course more stories were spilled. Here are a few: Four boys, Mr. Taylor, Win Turner ’62W, Charles Kellogg ’62W and John Foster ’62W, all juniors at the time, lived on the first and second floors of Rich Hall. They decided to build their own swimming pool, in the first-floor bathroom no less! The boys went to the hardware store (where the Village Store and Café is now located) and bought putty and a metal bar. Then they snuck down to the basement and grabbed a door out of storage.

The pool was being built in a large open space between two shower heads. The boys secured the door with the putty and bar, turned on the two shower heads and watched it slowly fill up. Before

• Charles Kellogg ’62W

Director of Archives

• Richard Taylor ’62W

• Win Turner ’62W

• John Foster ’62W enjoys the makeshift “swimming pool” in a first-floor bathroom in Rich Hall in 1961.

long, the boys heard a loud crack. The water was spilling out from a closet on the other side of the showers. With quick thinking and much desperation, they gathered towels to stop the water from going into the dorm parent’s room.

Then, moving quickly, they guided the water with brooms all the way down the hallway and swept the water out the fire escape. Someone had the smarts to take a photo of this fearless caper and put it in the yearbook that year.

Not only did the boys not get caught in the swimming pool caper, but it seemed to embolden them.

The next prank recalled by the foursome was related to “lights out at night.” The boys had a curfew each night. The lights were shut down from a central location so that students could not turn them back on until morning. Mr. Taylor and friends noticed the lights were always on in the basement. They then figured out how to hotwire the lights from the basement to their room. They did eventually get caught for that one.

Mr. Watts clearly had his eye on these boys, but that did not stop them. To remind themselves that Mr. Watts lived directly below, the boys made a sign to remind them to keep the noise down when they were up to their mischief.

It read “WATTS BELOW.” Mr. Turner, who described his fellow comrades as “cut-ups with a propensity for high jinks” recalled that he could still hear Mr. Watts yelling, “What’s going on in there?”

Mr. Turner, a boarder from West Springfield, Massachusetts, had the opportunity to borrow his father’s convertible when he was away on business. Cars were not allowed on campus, so he parked the car down the street by the barber shop. Well, this was too tempting for Mr. Taylor.

He recruited a fellow student who knew how to hotwire cars. They sneaked out of the dorm and off they went on an evening joy ride! They covered their tracks and successfully returned to the dorm.

Mr. Taylor and Mr. Turner had been roommates and good friends, but it seems it was Mr. Taylor who was the “king pin” for fun.

One last story that Mr. Turner recalled took place during evening dinner duties. The boys took turns setting the tables for dinner. Left to their own devices, they made a game out of the chore. One would throw the plates “Frisbee-style” to the other to speed things along. In addition, the two decided to try to land the silverware up in the giant saucer-like lighting that hung from the ceiling in Lak Dining Hall. Mr. Watts was certainly kept busy with these pranksters. “Fred always seemed to know what we were up to . . . but not everything,” Mr. Turner said.

From speaking with Mr. Taylor recently, I think it’s fair to say he still loves the thrill of speed and fun. In March 2022, Mr. Taylor planned to experience in-flight, G-force speeds.

We will make sure to follow up with him to report on his latest adventure.

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Wilbraham & Monson Academy 423 Main Street Wilbraham, MA 01095-1715 www.wma.us tel: 413.596.6811 address service requested

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