WFS Spring 2011 Magazine

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Friends Wilmington Friends School

Spring 2011

Big Ideas: “Thoughts” from a Nobel Laureate Solar & Sustainability New Mandarin Program The “T” Fund


Friends

Wilmington Friends School Spring 2011

From the Head of School

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For Alumni & Friends

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Winter Highlights

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New Mandarin Language Program

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Big Ideas in Biodiversity and Sustainability: Nobel Laureate Eric Chivian & Friends

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The “T Fund” Honoring Teacher-Coach Bob Tattersall

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Class Notes

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In Memory

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In Closing: Goodbye Winter

inside back cover

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Chair Vice Chair Treasurer Secretary

David W. Singleton Susan Kelley Daniel Klein Russ Endo

Andrew Aerenson ’81 Christopher F. Buccini ’90 Denise Chapman Thomas M. Connelly Curtis Clapham Doneene Damon Meg Gehret Erskine ’83 Brett D. Fallon Reginald D. Flowers ’90

Ellen L. Gay Scott W. Gates ’80 J. Harry Hammond Freeman Miller Deborah Murray-Sheppard Darcy Rademaker Laura K. Reilly Jocelyn Sutton Stewart ’82

Alumni Association Board Liaison

Christopher W. Lee ’82

Home & School Association Board Liaison

Paula Swain

ADMINISTRATION Head of School

Bryan Garman

Associate Head of School, Head of Middle School

William Neff

Assistant to the Head of School

Marilyn Maguire

Assistant Head for Academics

Peter Wenigmann

Assistant Head for Finance & Operations

William Baczkowski

Head of Lower School

Julie Gill

Head of Upper School

Rebecca Zug

Director of Admissions And Financial Aid

Kathleen Hopkins

Director of Communications

Tracey Quillen Carney ’80

Director of Development

Judy Aliquo

ALUMNI BOARD 2010-2011

Mission Statement Wilmington Friends, a Quaker school with high standards for academic achievement, challenges students to seek truth, to value justice and peace, and to act as creative, independent thinkers with a conscious responsibility to the good of all. On the cover: Freshmen Ryan Dubowy, Roth Johnson, Kevin Roux, and Gil Connolly first presented the idea of solar panels to the school’s Board of Trustees when they were in sixth grade (see story, page 13). This page: From the annual kindergarten “Peace March” commemorating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (for more, see pages 6-8).

Spring 2011 • Friends magazine

Kristin Dugan ’03, President Don Altmaier ’51 Andy Atkins ’76 Melissa Fagan Billitto ’87 Nicole Caddell ’03 Carolyn Gates Connors ’81 Kim Massih Dolan ’89 Meg Gehret Erskine ’83 Tim Gibbs ’76

Raven Harris ’06 Scott Jarrell ’95 Chris Lee ’82 Sarah Lester ’04 Carol Bancroft Morley ’68 Donnie Morton ’94 Richie Rockwell ’02 Tom Scott ’70 Amanda Corby Soto ’00

Professional photography by Billy Michels ’89 and Elisa Komins Morris Design/layout by Jacquelyn Quinn Dickey With thanks to the alumni, students, faculty, families, trustees, and staff of Wilmington Friends School for their contributions to the community effort of Friends magazine. Please send any comments or corrections to info@wilmingtonfriends.org.


FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Dear Friends, As I read this issue of Friends Magazine, I find myself reflecting on conversations our older daughter and I have had, thanks to the lively dialogue in her fifth grade social studies class, about the dramatic transformations that have been taking place in the Middle East. Whether we consider the technology that has been used to foment revolution, the political instability of the region, or a concern for how the world will meet the energy needs that the region has long satiated, it seems clear that rapid change is the defining characteristic of the “new normal” both at home and abroad. To be sure, the rate of change is sometimes so dizzying that we find ourselves longing to sustain old habits that bring us stability and comfort. Over the past year, those of us at Friends School have been reminded, however, that the concepts of sustainability and change are inextricably linked. The conversation began when Nobel Laureate Eric Chivian visited school last October. Speaking about his book, Sustaining Life: How Human Health Depends on Biodiversity, Chivian reminded us that to preserve the Earth, our most precious resource, we cannot go about our business as usual. As he encouraged us, to quote Ghandi, to “be the change we want,” he expressed high hopes for Quaker education: “One of the things I am seriously thinking about,” he mused in an email, “is that perhaps the Quakers could play a major role in helping rescue the world from the suicidal mission it is on in damaging the global environment, as it did with helping to prevent a nuclear war. A thought.”

Bryan with Nobel Laureate and QUEST Big Ideas

When Nobel Laureates share “thoughts,” I listen. And I am Speaker Eric Chivian happy to say that the four students featured on the cover of this magazine anticipated Eric Chivian’s call by speaking truth to power. When the Board of Trustees began a strategic planning process more than three years ago, these boys, then sixth graders, encouraged the Board to install solar panels on campus. Their presentation to Trustees was compelling: the panels would meet the mission of environmental stewardship and, in the long run, save money. Inspired by their passion and commitment, the school began to explore the possibility with a new sense of commitment. As you will see on page 13, we are delighted to announce that this summer we will install a solar energy system that will generate approximately 14 percent of our power. As we prepare our students to meet the challenges of global political, economic, and climate change, we think it is vital for them to become familiar with the culture and conversant in the language of China. As Blaine Kebede ’11, who spent her junior year studying in Beijing, explained, “Chinese is a growing language. One-fifth of the world’s population speaks it, and it is going to be essential in the business world. We stress global learning at Friends School, but to really be global, we need to know more about Asia. We need to teach Mandarin.” On page 9, you can read the exciting news about how Friends School will become the first in the state to offer an interdivisional Mandarin program while continuing to support vibrant programs in Spanish and French. As I hope you can see, we are deeply engaged in sustaining a tradition that has promoted academic excellence, global engagement, and social responsibility for more than 260 years. And, if you read further, you will see that we are working on making some facility improvements that will sustain the legacy of Bob Tattersall, our legendary football coach who exemplifies our outstanding programs for student-athletes. We are grateful for all that our alumni have done to create and sustain all of these traditions, and are fortunate to be working with extraordinary students, families, and faculty who remain committed to nurturing them with tremendous thought and care. With best wishes,

Bryan Garman

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For Alumni&Friends

From the Alumni Association President Dear Friends, With the harsh winter weather we have had, I am very happy that spring is here. Spring is always an exciting and busy time of year, especially within the Wilmington Friends community. On campus, tiny crocus bulbs are sprouting, sports have moved back outside, and senior parents are starting to look, well, very sentimental. The Alumni Board is certainly busy, too—by the time you are reading this, we will have finished determining the Alumni Award recipients for 2011. A few years ago the Alumni Board decided to have three awards (Distinguished Alumnus, Outstanding Service Alumnus, and Young Alumnus) annually, as opposed to just one, in order to reflect the breadth of leadership, achievements, and contributions among our alumni. The most recent honorees Kristin, at left, with 2010 alumni award recipients Omar Khan ’90, Bonnie were highlighted in the Fall Wilson Crosby ’79, and Tom Stephenson ’60, and Head of School Bryan 2010 Friends Magazine: Tom Garman Stephenson ’60 received the Distinguished Alumnus; Bonnie Wilson Crosby ’79 was recognized as Outstanding Service Alumna; and Omar Khan ’90 received the Young Alumnus of the Year. At our Quaker school, we work to reach consensus on the award winners each year, recognizing, too, that they are honored not only as individuals but as representatives of all that is best in the community of Friends graduates. We draw from a rich pool of nominees provided by alumni, friends, and family members. The Alumni Board reviews research on the candidates, which is undertaken over the course of winter, and then meets to finalize the selections. If you know of a Friends alumna/us who you feel is deserving of one of these awards in the future, please let us know. And please be sure to join us at the Alumni Reunion and Awards Reception on Friday, October 28, 2011. It is a really nice event on campus to kick off Homecoming/Reunion Weekend, and it’s a great opportunity to see old friends, both faculty and alumni. In addition to our four or five meetings throughout the year, the Alumni Board stays involved with the school in many other ways, including community service efforts and volunteering at events. The Auction for Friends (April 30), Lower School Grandparents & Special Friends Day (May 6), and a New York City Regional Reunion (May 12) are all on our calendar, and I hope, as they apply to your family, in your plans, too. We welcome your ideas and involvement. Please do not hesitate to contact the Alumni Office with any thoughts or questions by emailing alumni@wilmingtonfriends.org. If the school does not have your email address, please be sure to send it to us, or you will miss a lot of communications about events like the Auction and regional reunions. There is also an alumni community on the Friends website, www.wilmingtonfriends. org. And we are on Facebook, so please become a fan. Have a great spring! Best wishes,

Kristin Dugan ’03

Homecoming 2011 Calling all alumni from class years ending in 1 or 6: October 27-29, 2011, is your next reunion at Friends! The Alumni Office is already planning events, and your class agents are working on reunions. If you would like to help, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@wilmingtonfriends.org.

Thursday, october 27th 11:30am:

True Blue/1748 Society Luncheon Middle/Upper School Library

Friday, october 28th 11:30am: 2:00pm: 4:00pm: 5:00pm: 6:00pm: 6:30pm:

50th Reunion Luncheon DuPont Country Club Middle/Upper School Pep Rally West Gym JV Soccer vs. St. Andrews JV Volleyball vs. Tatnall Alumni Reunion and Awards Reception MS/US Library Varsity Volleyball vs. St. Andrews

saturday, october 29th 8:30am: 10:00am: 10:30am: 11:30am1:30pm: 12:00: 12:00: 2:30pm: Evening: 8:00pm:

Smith McMillan 5K Run/Walk Upper Campus Meeting for Worship Middle/Upper School Meeting Room Varsity Field Hockey vs. St. Andrews Homecoming Lunch Homecoming Tent JV Field Hockey vs. St. Andrews Varsity Soccer vs. St. Andrews Football vs. St. Andrews Class Reunions for 1’s and 6’s Upper School Homecoming Dance

(Cross Country TBA) 2

Spring 2011 • Friends magazine


for Alumni&friends

The Auction for friends

Benefiting financial aid at Wilmington friends school saturday, April 30,, 2011, Barclays on the riverfront Many thanks to the Auction Committee members, listed below, for their hard work and dedication. We look forward to sharing news from the event in the summer issue of Friends magazine. In the meantime, if your spring magazine arrives in time (and we’re sorry; it’s going to be close!), for more information, to buy a ticket, or to bid in the online auction, please visit http://wilmingtonfriends. maestroweb.com. Thanks for your support.

more events, etc. Lower School Grandparents/ Special Friends Day, May 6

Our annual Lower School Grandparents/Special Friends Day will be on Friday, May 6. This event is a wonderful opportunity for Grandparents and Special Friends of Lower School students to visit classrooms, see school projects, hear pieces from spring concerts, and enjoy a fun-filled morning. For more information, please contact Special Events Coordinator Stacy Gatti, sgatti@wilmingtonfriends.org or 302.576.2032.

NYC Regional Reunion, May 12

This year’s New York City Regional Reunion will be at The Links on Thursday, May 12, starting at 6:00 p.m. This event is generously hosted by Fran Biondi ’83, and just gets better every year. Come meet your fellow New York-area Friends alumni, and enjoy. If you have any questions, please contact Stacy, sgatti@wilmingtonfriends.org or at 302.576.2032.

Alice Reilly with grandson Ian Hartley at last year’s Lower School Grandparents & Special Friends Day

If you are interested in or have questions about any of the events or programs listed below, please contact the Alumni Office, alumni@wilmingtonfriends.org or 302.576.2981. Thanks.

Event Co-Chairs Kathleen Ganse and Mati Buccini, and Auction Clerk Danette Conley

Co-Chairs Mati Buccini and Kathleen Ganse Lauren Asher Helen Boulos Lori Captain Audy Carroccia Gigi Clark Danette Conley Katy Connolly Amy Crain Tori Davis-Artis Nancy Denney Lyn Fink Michelle Gardiner Mo Gavin Gretchen Gobris Sarah Gordon Maria Halpern

Linda Jaworski Lisa Bariglio Maas Karen Mannke Robyn Malone Julie Boswell McCulloch ’89 Joanne McGeoch Elisa Morris Angel Moser Susan Owen Moira Pando Lisa Pearce Nancy Pribble Tara Quinn Maureen Rhodes Andrea Rodi Debbie Ross Laura Rossi Maggie Swanson LeeAnn Trudel

Alumni Lacrosse Game, June 4

With the enthusiastic support of alumni Jeffrey Palmer ’04, Pliny Reynolds ’97, Sarah Lester ’04, and Abby Hughes-Strange ’04, and current coaches Pigeon Pollard Graham ’93 and Jake Rashkind, we are planning alumni lacrosse games for Saturday afternoon, June 4. Mark your calendars and join us as alumni from across the decades converge on campus to battle it out once more. We’ve arranged for Andy McEnroe’s ’04 First State Broadcasting to webcast the game, so even if you can’t attend, you can watch online. If you’d like to get involved, or if you’d like to help organize an alumni game in another sport, please contact the Alumni Office.

College Admissions

Many of our alumni, parents of alumni, and current parents interview applicants on behalf of their college alma maters. And of course, many of those applicants are Friends seniors. Among those who have been involved over a period of years are Lisa Townsend-Raber ’77 and Don “Chick” Altmaier ’51, Princeton; Kim Massih Dolan ’89, Lafayette; Bill Quillen ’52, Williams; and Carol Palmiotto, parent of alumni, Tufts. Chick reported that he is consistently impressed by students from Friends. Please contact us if you would like to volunteer by providing information about and/or conducting interviews on behalf of your college alma mater.

Alumni Career Resource Directory

We are developing a new Career Resource Directory on the alumni website. Password-protected, this web resource will list alumni, parents, parents of alumni, grandparents, etc. who have agreed to provide Friends alumni with information about work in various professions. Please let us know if you would like to help Friends alumni researching careers.

Spring 2011 • Friends magazine

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for Alumni&friends

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The 1748 Baseball Hat

2010-2011 Annual fund

Take a navy blue baseball hat. Add “1748” stitched on the front in crisp white. Mix with a few proud alumni, and you get one of the most interesting conversation-starters around. Chip Oat ’70, Chris Whitney ’12, and Chris Whitney ’64 in That’s what Chip their conversation-starting “1748” baseball caps Oat ’70 has been telling us this year through a series of often humorous emails about what happens when he wears his prized 1748 cap—given to him by Chris Whitney ’64, brother of Chip’s classmate, Heather Whitney Price ’70. Every time Chip wears the hat, it seems, someone stops to ask what “1748” means, and so they hear the story of Friends School’s proud history. And they tell their own stories—about alumni from Friends (the couple Chip met who ski with Fred Pardee ’52), about their own high schools (a Manhattan bus driver)—or just remark how impressive it is for a school to have been around for 260-plus years. In January 2011, Chip got together with hat-master Chris Whitney and his son Chris ’12, and they took a picture of three of the four currently-in-circulation 1748 hats. (See above.) The fourth hat belongs to Donnie Morton ’94, a teacher and coach of the younger Chris Whitney at Friends. Donnie told the story of how he came to possess one of the coveted hats: “I first spotted the hat during a football game this fall. Normally while coaching, you block out things like faces in the crowd, but this one afternoon, I found myself distracted by the coolest hat that I had ever seen. I recognized Chris Whitney, and after the game inquired about where to get one. To my surprise, a couple of weeks later he presented me with my own ‘1748’ cap, just in time for the Tower Hill game—the first time that I wore it in public. It must be a good luck charm, because we beat the Hillers in the season finale 14-13.” Donnie, too, has found that people seem fascinated by the hat. “It really is an opportunity to start a conversation about WFS,” he said. “Anybody who has ever spent any time around a Friends alum will tell you that we love to gush about our alma mater…. Oddly enough the hat now lives in Ohio with my parents. I let my dad wear it out one day while visiting, and he had so much fun answering questions about it, that he asked to keep it. Did I mention that WFS parents of alumni love to talk about the school as well?” The Alumni Office, with Chip’s helpful encouragement, has decided to order some “1748” hats to give out only for very special purposes. Including this one: send us a story and photo of you wearing your WFS gear out there in the world, and we’ll send you one of these very special caps in return. And we hope you will have many “1748” stories of your own to tell. (You may also find limited quantities of the caps for sale at certain school functions.) Special thanks, and all of the credit, goes to Chris Whitney ’64, who was inspired to create the first 1748 hat and got the conversation started.

This year’s Annual Fund is setting a strong pace, ahead of last year—thank you—but we still have a long way to go until the campaign closes on June 30.

Spring Spring2011 2011••Friends Friendsmagazine magazine

Our early success is largely due to a 32% increase in parent giving at the midpoint of our Annual Fund year, a tribute above all to the great program at Friends, brought to life by great teachers. It is also a tribute to our leadership, including our Annual Fund Chairs Kate and Bob Pincus, Parent Chairs Wendy and Adam Cutler, and Senior Fund Chairs Karen Fairchild and Paula Swain. Parents are leading the way, but we are proud to report that EVERY constituency group— alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents, and faculty/ staff—is stronger in giving this year. Thank you for your generosity. At the first annual Wilmington Friends School “Connect-aThon” in early February, 32 volunteers—trustees, alumni, parents, parents of alumni, and school staff—contacted more than 350 people in just two hours, raising more than $13,000 for the Annual Fund. And we had a lot of fun! In addition to phone calls, volunteers made contact by email and text message, and by using Facebook. We still need your support. As Friends plans for the future, we know that the school cannot rely on tuition alone to support and build upon its commitment to attract and retain a world-class faculty and to offer a world-leading program. There is no doubt that we need to continue to increase annual giving in order to keep Friends School in a position of leadership in educational excellence. The Annual Fund closes on June 30, 2011. If you have contributed, thank you. If you have not pledged yet, please consider making a gift today. To give online, please visit our website at www. wilmingtonfriends.org/givetofriends. For more information, please contact Dina Handwerk, Director of Annual Fund, at 302.576.2976 or dhandwerk@wilmingtonfriends.org. Thank you for your support.

Among the 30-plus volunteers at the Annual Fund “Connect-a-Thon” in early February – Susan Kelley, parent, parent of alumnus, and school trustee Greg Davis, lower school parent and recent, valued addition to the Annual Fund Leadership Committee Carolyn Gates Connors ’81, Alumni Board member, fresh from her duties as head coach of the Friends varsity girls’ basketball team


Winter d 2010-11 Winter Sports Highlights Sophomore Elise Lankiewicz brought a state championship in swimming to Friends, and both the girls’ and boys’ swim teams posted their best-ever team results in the state meet, with a total of seven top-10 finishes. In basketball, the boys’ team finished strong, in a season highlighted by wins over Charter, Tower Hill, and St. Andrew’s. The girls’ team also had key conference wins over St. Andrew’s and Tatnall, including a great season finale. In wrestling, Friends crowned three conference champions, and freshman Jesse Miller qualified for the state meet. Congratulations to all the student-athletes and to head coaches Gregg Miller, wrestling; Carolyn Gates Connors ’81, girls’ basketball; Brian Fahey, boys’ basketball; and Robin Lebauer, swimming.

Top left: Senior captain Matt Skibicki in action in the Quakers’ big win over Tower Hill ; this column, top: State champion Elise Lankiewicz; above: Junior Beth Hill with the ball in the season finale win over Tatnall Freshman Luke Morgan posted a fifth place finish in the state meet.

The wrestling team had a great 8-3 season in dual meets, and crowned three conference champs.

Performing Arts Winter concerts, from the Early Learning Center (twoand three-year-olds) to the upper school ensembles, celebrated the season at its most meaningful. The concluding concert, the “All-School” Holiday Celebration just before winter break, brought all students and faculty together in the West Gym. A special highlight for performing arts this winter was An Apple a Day, an original play—written, directed, and produced by students as part of an upper school Mastery Project. In snowy February, this year’s eighth grade musical provided a welcome trip to the South Pacific. And just in time for publication, the fifth grade musical was a harbinger of spring with a wonderful production of Seussical Jr.

Above: Early Learning Center Winter Concert; right: at Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten/Pre-First Concert; below: from the Sixth Grade Choir performance

Top: The 2011 Eighth Grade Musical, South Pacific Above: Scene from the original student play, An Apple a Day

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Winter d 2010-11 Performing Arts (continued)

This column, top: Chris Verry directs the Seventh & Eighth Grade Band; the “Friends School Wave,” led by Head of Lower School Julie Gill, before the Third, Fourth & Fifth Grade Concert; from the Fifth Grade Musical, Seussical Jr.; upper school Wind Ensemble; top right: First and Second Grade performed for a packed house; center: at the All-School Holiday Celebration the day before winter break; center right: members of the upper school Chamber Singers

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Spring 2011 • Friends magazine Fall 2010 • Friends magazine


Martin Luther King, Jr. Day The observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at Friends includes a special Meeting for Worship in each division and a morning of service for students and their families, and faculty and staff. The upper school gathers at the Fourth & West Street Meetinghouse for its MLK Day worship. Lower school students line the halls before going to the Meeting Room, as Kindergarten students carry signs in their annual Peace March. For the morning of service on MLK Day, 330 members of the school community participated in projects on and off campus, an 80 percent increase over last year’s participation. Lower school students, families, and staff prepared and packed bagged lunches—the youngest students decorated the bags—for the Sunday Breakfast Mission. The sixth and seventh grade projects were making birdhouses for new forest ecology trails, baking pies for the Breakfast Mission’s on-site meal service, and preparing “Meal to Go” Kits for the Ronald McDonald House. Eighth-twelfth grade students, families, and staff did off-site service work. Weather cancelled some of the outdoor projects, but there was still plenty of work to be done at sites like the Brandywine Zoo, Faithful Friends, Urban Promise School, and several residential and day programs.

Sixth and seventh graders baked apple pies for the Breakfast Mission, made birdhouses for learning trails, and packed meals for families at the Ronald McDonald House.

Opposite and this page: Kindergarten students with their Peace March signs

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Winter d 2010-11 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (continued) In addition to the annual highlights of the season at Friends, among this year’s many notable winter events were: Brother Outsider, a film about civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, with the film’s director Bennett Singer, sponsored by Home & School Participating in the Rotary Club of Wilmington’s “Pakistan Project” Four students named as Presidential Scholar candidates; three selected as National Merit Scholar Finalists Senior Emma Pohl signed Division I Athletic Letter of Intent (University of Richmond, field hockey) “Interfaith Connections,” a new student group working to organize a Wilmington-area interfaith event for May 2011 Mock Trial team, second in state The David Mallery Film Series for Cross Cultural Understanding Finalists in the regional History Bowl and History Bee Seven students in AllState music ensembles; senior Sabrina Lessner chosen for three All-State instrumental groups Science Olympiad, 14 medals in state event, including a first-in-state for seniors Mara Freilich and Amanda Gill

Top two photos: Lower school families prepared lunches for the Sunday Breakfast Mission; bottom photos: Eighth grade and upper school service off campus, from clearing snow and branches at the Brandywine Zoo to helping residents at Gilpin Hall with an art project 8

Spring 2011 • Friends magazine


New Mandarin Language Program I

n November 2010, Head of School Bryan Garman announced that Wilmington Friends would add Mandarin to its language curriculum, with courses for grades 6-12 to be phased in starting in 20112012. The curriculum will be developed to include a culture-study component and interdisciplinary connections. The Board of Trustees finalized the decision to add Chinese after three years of research and program experience, culminating in an online pilot program this year. As part of the research, the school administration and Language Department conducted site visits and consultations with regional schools with both established and newly implemented Chinese language programs. Administrators also consulted with University of Delaware faculty, including Irene Vogel, Friends parent and Professor of Linguistics and Cognitive Sciences, and Renee Dong, Instructor of Chinese, and with Tommy Lu at the Chinese American Community Center in Hockessin. In addition, Head of School Bryan Garman and Head of Upper School Rebecca Zug had their own experience from supervising the Chinese program at Sidwell Friends. Other experiences with the language came through travel. In the summer of 2008, John Taggart ’10, Blaine Kebede ’11, and teachers Karen Horikawa and Stephanie Knudsen participated in a Peopleto-People “Gateways to China” trip. Blaine then decided to spend her junior year in China through School Year Abroad. In the summer of 2010, teachers Julie Rodowsky and Christopher Verry received Reilly Family travel grants to participate in a China trip with Renee Dong and her husband, renowned University of Delaware violinist Xiang Gao. Finally, members of the Board had personal and professional experience to draw upon. Scott Gates—a Friends alumnus (1980), parent, and trustee—has worked extensively with business and government leaders in China. He said, “My own experience has been very profound in learning how deeply the Chinese language is interwoven with the culture and a way of looking at the world. Having a basic understanding of the language is, in itself, an incredible education—not just about China but how perspectives, including our own, are shaped and communicated. Because the differences are so apparent, you pay attention to what you have in common and learn a lot about yourself in the process.” Board Chair David Singleton said, “We had been talking about and researching this possibility since the development of our 2008 Strategic Plan. There was a strong sense of agreement that we need to teach a non-Western language as part of a global education program. And of course, there is a strong sense of agreement far beyond our campus on the growing importance of learning about Chinese language and culture—it’s not an educational fashion; it’s a 21st century skill.”

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Mandarin Language Program To celebrate the new Mandarin program, lower school students participated in Chinese New Year events, organized by Spanish teacher Jennifer Cheung, including a Lion Parade and feasts with long noodles for long life, oranges for happiness and prosperity, and Swedish fish candy representing the whole fish traditionally served and the hope for sweet things through the year. Many students wore red, the traditional good-luck color in China. In addition, Friends welcomed a performing arts troupe from Jilin University in northeastern China. The troupe performed at the University of Delaware and four other regional universities; the Confucius Institute at UD arranged for the visit to Friends, the only middle/high school stop on the tour. Thanks to the students who participated in this year’s pilot program in Mandarin, through Stanford University’s Education Program for Gifted Children (EPGY) Online High School; pictured (next page, lower right) with Head of Upper School Rebecca Zug and Language Department Chair Bradey Bulk are junior Katlyn Barrett and seniors Erin Conces, Amanda Gill, Mara Freilich, Anna Melnick, and Luke Raber. And thanks to Blaine Kebede ’11 (previous page), who spent her junior year in China through School Year Abroad, and who has become a uniquely effective advocate, in and outside of the school community, for teaching and learning Mandarin.

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Big Ideas on BIODIVERSITY Nobel Laureate Eric Chivian This year’s QUEST Big Ideas speaker was Dr. Eric Chivian, Founder and Director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School.

In 1980, Dr. Chivian co-founded International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, recipient of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize. When Dr. Chivian visited Friends in October 2010, he explained to students how that group of tens of thousands of physicians, in 80 countries on both sides of the wall in the Cold War, worked to help people understand what nuclear weapons could do. “Our goal was to translate the abstract and technical into concrete, personal terms of human health,” he said, “to make it real for people, which is the first step in changing public opinion and maybe public policy.”

Case Studies Dr. Chivian’s goal is very much the same when it comes to helping people understand how damage to the environment and a loss of biodiversity are not just abstract risks. The stated mission of the Center at Harvard is, “to help people understand that our health, and that of our children, depends on the health of the environment, and that we must do everything we can to protect it.” Dr. Chivian offered students a few case studies to consider:

Holding a Centrolene sp. frog native to the mountains of Colombia Photo by Roger Triana, Office of Communications, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia

emerged—and continues to emerge— from the study of cone snails, which paralyze their prey with poison-coated harpoons. Among the approximately 700 species of cone snails, each species has a distinctive harpoon and 100-200 different toxins that attach to cell receptors. Some researchers believe those toxins, only a small percentage of which have been studied, could lead to the development of more important medicines than any other source. Cone snails live primarily in coral reefs and mangroves. Twenty percent of the world’s coral reefs are so degraded they are unlikely to recover; an additional 50% are considered at risk of collapse. An estimated 50% of the world’s mangroves already have been cleared for human activity.

• The processes by which bears survive the extreme privations of “denning” can • One of the most promising breakprovide insights to treating and preventthroughs in treating severe, chronic pain ing osteoporosis, kidney disease, and, especially in the study of polar bears, type II diabetes. What bears do is different from the hibernation of other species; bears basically maintain their body temperatures during denning and can quickly become alert and responsive to stimuli. Yet they do not lose bone mass while they are inactive; Dr. Chivian, at center holding the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize, with fellow founders of they do not suffer International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War toxicity from the Photo courtesy of the Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School build-up of bodily 12

Spring 2011 • Friends magazine

waste; and polar bears, which become, by human measure, “morbidly obese” and insulin resistant leading up to denning, do not develop diabetes. The U.S. Geological Survey predicted that two-thirds of the world’s polar bear population would be lost by 2050 because of melting summer sea ice in the Arctic; at least eight other bear species are considered threatened. • Paclitaxel was isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew tree, which used to be discarded during logging because it was thought to have no commercial value. Paclitaxel has proven effective in inducing remissions in ovarian cancers and other advanced malignancies—lung and prostate cancer, malignant melanomas, lymphomas, and metastatic breast cancer. • Amphibians, among the most endangered forms of life with one-third of species at risk and more than 120 species recently extinct, have particular value in human medicine. The skin of the waxy monkey tree frog secretes antimicrobial compounds that protect against infection and that have been used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. The crucifix toad secretes a protein glue that can be used to hold tissues together while the body heals, as in recovery from orthopedic surgery. And the gastric-brooding frog incubated offspring in the stomach of the mother, where eggs and tadpoles secreted substances that protected them from digestion, offering promise in developing new treatments for ulcers; that research stopped when both species of the gastricbrooding frog became extinct. • Lyme disease is less prevalent where there is vertebrate diversity. The blacklegged tick is the “vector” of Lyme disease, and in the eastern U.S., the principal “reservoir” for the disease—the kind of host that passes the disease on to another tick that bites it—is the white-footed mouse. Most organisms a tick bites are “incompetent” or “dead-end” hosts of the disease; they cannot transmit it. Where there are a lot of different ver-


A Whole New Solar System In the summer of 2011, the school, working with Standard Solar Inc. and Washington Gas Energy Services, will install solar panels on both campuses—on the East and West Gym roofs of the middle/upper school building, and on the Meeting Room roof and part of the main building at lower school. When the project is completed, there will be a 200 kW system, capable of meeting about 14% of the school’s total energy needs.

“These issues are complicated, scientifically and technically, and it gets worse when scientists are unable to communicate with policy makers, the media, and the public.” tebrates, there are a lot of incompetent hosts, leading to dilution of the disease over time. But as forests become fragmented, white-footed mice lose predators, thrive, and become concentrated in those fragments with fewer incompetent hosts, so there is a high proportion of ticks infected that are then able to infect people.

The decision to add solar panels was “a natural one,” Head of School Bryan Garman said, crediting the Board of Trustees for its enthusiastic endorsement. “We need to model our mission, and be what George Fox called ‘patterns and examples.’”The solar energy system will reduce the school’s carbon emissions, and also yield some savings in energy costs. There is no cash outlay for the panel installation; the school purchases power from the company that maintains ownership of the system—at a per kilowatt cost lower than what the school currently pays—for savings estimated at about $33,000 over 20 years. The educational value of the system had particular appeal. A number of Friends teachers are already working on ways to use the solar panels as teaching tools, including in data collection and analysis, and multi-variable computer modeling. Four current ninth grade students—Gil Connolly, Ryan Dubowy, Roth Johnson, and Kevin Roux (see cover)—made the initial proposal to the Board about solar panels more than three years ago when they were just starting middle school. “That student leadership made a big impression. Their thoughtfulness and passion were inspiring, and motivated all of us to make this important change,” Bryan said, also recognizing the Alapocas Civic Association’s board for its support.

Communication Such specific, smaller-scale examples can help in linking human health to other species and the environment, Dr. Chivian said in speaking with Friends teachers, when fostering understanding of what’s at stake can seem so hard. “People have become so separate from the environment, so disconnected from the natural world.” In addition, he said it’s hard because of “the global scale of the threats usually discussed, outside the range of everyday experience. These things are frightening—famines, floods and droughts, epidemics—biblical in proportion. People feel hopeless and helpless, and in the end, just don’t like thinking about it.” Dr. Chivian also said that scientists haven’t always been adept at breaking down that aversion, which sometimes cedes the field of public communication to others. “These issues are complicated, scientifically and technically, and it gets worse when scientists are unable to communicate with policy makers, the media, and the public. Scientists tend to talk to each other, even more as their fields become increasingly technical and specialized.” A related complication is that the situation seems “hypothetical,” Dr. Chivian said, contrasting it to the nuclear war prevention campaign, where there were the real-life examples of Hiroshima and

Renderings of planned solar panel installations on each campus, courtesy of Standard Solar, Inc. Spring 2011 • Friends magazine

13


Fifth Grade Chesapeake Trip On the annual fifth grade trip to the Chesapeake Bay, sustainability of life was a central theme. Among other activities, students used a fishing net to gauge biodiversity in the Bay’s shallows, and tested the water for pH and dissolved oxygen. “By analyzing biodiversity and the tests,” science teacher Tim Dalby said, “students are able to understand the quality of water in the Bay and how sustainable it is for living organisms and as a source of commerce for the surrounding area.” Students discussed their findings with Eric Chivian when he visited fifth grade.

Nagasaki. With the environment, he said, “We have never been in this situation before; we’ve never had the capacity to alter the physical, chemical, biological system of the planet before. And we can’t do a controlled experiment, because we only have one Earth.” Another contrast is that in working to prevent nuclear war, “You didn’t really have to change anything in your own life. With the environment, we are all part of the problem and part of the solution, whether we want to think about it or not.” Dr. Chivian urged teachers—saying, “Quaker schools do this better than any others”—to help students understand that they are part of “several different human communities—local, state, national, global, and also the community of people who came before us and, most important, the community of people who will come after us.” He also noted the importance of teaching students to be critical thinkers; “Teach them to evaluate sources of information that come at them unfiltered, 24/7; teach them to look at the motivation of the person providing the information.”

Collaboration

Evaluating biodiversity and water quality on the fifth grade Chesapeake trip

“Preservation Park” Second grade science this winter included a unit called “preservation park,” in which students were asked by a scientist to learn about soil, water, and resources around a (fictional) park that was in poor shape. Second graders researched various kinds of resources, determining if they were renewable; they explored components of soil to see if it was sustainable for plants; and they examined the water quality around the park. In one lab experiment, students tested various pollutants—like soap, oil, and acid—to determine which were harmful to plants. They watered blocks of grass with polluted and non-polluted water and compared the results. At the conclusion of the unit, putting together all of their findings, students shared ideas with the scientist about what could be done to make the park Observing the effects of “polluted” vs. “non-polluted” water sustainable for future on plant growth in second grade science generations. 14

Spring 2011 • Friends magazine

Shared motivation around the environment and health issues can be unifying for people who otherwise disagree, as Dr. Chivian recounted from experience. He noted in particular his work and friendship with the Reverend Richard Cizik, former Vice President for Governmental Affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals. Rev. Cizik’s interest in the environment had been inspired by a 2002 conference at Oxford, led by a prominent British climate scientist and prominent evangelical, Sir James Houghton. Rev. Cizik later said in an interview, “I reluctantly went to the conference, saying ‘I’ll go, but don’t expect me to be signing on to any statements.’ Then, for three days in Oxford, England, Houghton walked us through the science and our biblical responsibility. He talked about droughts, shrinking ice caps, increasing hurricane intensity, temperatures tracked for millennia through ice-core data… [T]he science has become too compelling. I could no longer sit on the sidelines. I didn’t want to be like the evangelicals who avoided getting involved during the civil rights movement and in the process discredited the gospel and themselves.” Dr. Chivian said when he first met Rev. Cizik, there was “trepidation on both sides, but we liked each other immediately.” They worked to bring environmental scientists and evangelical Christians together—“two powerful groups that hadn’t spoken since the Scopes trial,” Dr. Chivian said—and as the relationship grew, “it captured people’s attention.” In 2006, a group of 30 met, 15 scientists and 15 evangelicals, and as the two leaders later wrote in a joint essay for PBS, “It became clear to us that there was no such thing as a liberal or conservative environment, or a secular or religious environment. We all breathe the same air, drink the same water, and rely on the same organisms we share this planet with for our health and our lives. And it soon became obvious that whether one believed God created life


Dr. Chivian, with colleague Tracy Sachs and Friends teacher Brian Fahey, talking with fifth graders about biodiversity and the class’s fall 2010 research in the Chesapeake Bay on Earth in an instant, or that it had evolved over 3.5 billion years, we all felt deeply that it was sacred and that it was our responsibility to protect it.” In 2007, another combined group traveled with Dr. Chivian and Rev. Cizik to Alaska, along with a film crew, and the program, “God and Global Warming,” aired as part of the PBS NOW series. In 2008, Dr. Chivian and Rev. Cizik were honored together by Time magazine, as among the “100 Most Influential People in the World,” for their work in bringing people together in efforts to protect the global environment.

“Everything in their power” Another major collaborative work of Dr. Chivian’s career also appeared in 2008, with the publication of Sustaining Life: How Human Health Depends on Biodiversity. Dr. Chivian was co-editor and a contributing author to the book, 10 years in the making, involving more than 100 scientists and physicians. Dr. Chivian told Friends students, “I have never worked so hard on anything.” The book was published by Oxford University Press, co-sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme, the U.N.’s Convention on Biological Diversity, and the World Conservation Union; it was launched at U.N. headquarters and at the Smithsonian Institution. The book was described by Donald Kennedy, President Emeritus of Stanford University and Former Editorin-Chief of Science as, “the best work ever about what biodiversity means to human health.” In closing his remarks to Friends students, Dr. Chivian read from the book’s introductory sections, which also include excerpts from the Bible, Qur’an, Bhagavad Gita, and “Gradual Sayings” of the Buddha; a forward by

“We have never been in this situation before; we’ve never had the capacity to alter the physical, chemical, biological system of the planet before. And we can’t do a controlled experiment, because we only have one Earth.”

Dr. Chivian visited an eighth grade science class, and conducted an improvised experiment on the melting of sea ice vs. the melting of land ice; the latter raises sea levels, and the former does not, as the experiment successfully demonstrated.

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The Study of “Stuff” In the sixth grade science course, Investigating Physical Systems, the theme this year is “stuff.” Activities have included research about how materials degrade and how long it takes, and a small-groups project to design indoor composting systems (complete with worms). Sixth graders also did a joint sciencecomputer project, using stop-motion animation and iMovie, to produce a Public Service Announcement based on a statistic about an environmental trend.

Dr. Chivian urged teachers— saying, “Quaker schools do this better than any others”—to help students understand that they are part of “several different human communities—local, state, national, global, and also the community of people who came before us and, most important, the community of people who will come after us.”

Sixth grade students with (and in!) the compost bin they designed for science class

Sustainability in Middle School Art Middle school art teacher Paulo Machado links a number of projects and discussion topics in his classes to the theme of sustainability. Among the topics students are exploring this year: • Can something be beautiful without being sustainable? • Sustainability as a sign of creative responsibility • Juxtapositions: natural vs. man-made (drawing and photomontage) • Sustainable architecture design: computer-based 3D design of  “smart homes” • The built environment: sources of resources

Natural vs. man-made juxtaposition photomontages 16

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Harvard’s biologist/ethicist/author E. O. Wilson, two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction; and a preface by Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the U.N. Dr. Chivian read from the preface he had written with co-editor Dr. Aaron Bernstein: Scientists with experience in a wide range of disciplines, from industrialized and developing countries alike, have been involved in putting this book together. We have done so because we are convinced that it can help people understand that human beings are an integral part of Nature, and that our health depends ultimately on the health of its species and on the natural functioning of its ecosystems. We have done so because all of us hope that our efforts will help guide policy makers in developing innovative and equitable policies based on sound science that will effectively preserve biodiversity and promote human health for generations to come. And we have done so, finally, because we all believe that life on Earth is sacred and that we must never give up in trying to preserve it, and because we all share the conviction that once people recognize how much is at stake with their health and lives, with the health and lives of their children, they will do everything in their power to protect the global environment.

Dr. Chivian’s visit concluded with an evening talk and book signing, open to the school community and invited guests; he is shown with parents of alumni Lisa and Bernard David. Bernard led a QUEST Lunch & Learn about environmental entrepreneurship last spring.


Katlyn Barrett, Caroline Connolly, Katrina Sotiropolous, and Josh Zimmerman working on green roof projects in IB Physics

IB Students Go Green

In addition to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Environmental Science course in the upper school at Friends, there is an annual project in other IB science courses, in which students spend at least 10 hours working in interdisciplinary teams on a project chosen by their teacher. For the past two years, the project has had an environmental focus. In 2009-2010, students did sustainability research and presentations related to the school’s use of resources, including topics like efficiency of lighting, water usage, and waste disposal. This year, students in IB Biology and IB Physics classes have been busy applying creativity along with scientific research to design green roofs.

Other green roof projects on display in the Biology classroom

IB Biology teacher Ellen Johnson chose the project, based on the Green Roof Design competition that is part of Longwood Gardens’“Fairchild Challenge.”The Fairchild Challenge was founded in 2002, “to spark students’ concern about the environment,” and to help students “develop critical thinking skills, understand the need for biodiversity and conservation, become active and engaged citizens, and recognize that each of us makes a difference”—a great fit with the IB and with the overall program and philosophy at Friends. As Science Department Chair Mike Smith, who teaches IB Physics and Biology said, “Ellen’s choice was perfect. The green roof project fit beautifully with our school’s mission of stewardship and sustainability, and it gave students a great opportunity to apply their knowledge of biology and physics while working collaboratively.” For the project, students first had to research the history and benefits of green roofs, and analyze different types of roofs and plant materials. They based their designs on a 20-by-60-foot roof surface, selecting plants that would thrive in Delaware’s climate. Students had to draw their designs to scale (including a plan view and a cross-section view), then construct a 3-D model at a quarter-inch-to-one-foot scale. For their physics classes, students had to calculate the dry versus saturated load that all of the green roof materials, from soil to plants, would add to their buildings, factoring in the density as well as the porosity of the materials they chose. In addition to evaluating each group’s work product, IB teachers assess students’ self-motivation, perseverance, ability to work within a team, and awareness of and reflection upon their own strengths and weaknesses. “Watching our students work in teams to solve a challenging problem was a fascinating experience,” Mike Smith said. “Collaboration and cooperation lie at the heart of the scientific endeavor. Our students gained valuable experience working out differences of opinions and settling on the best way to approach a problem.” The teachers also chose two projects to submit to the Longwood Gardens Fairfield Challenge judges. Out of a possible 150 points, one Friends group earned 125, and the other—Leah O’Brien, Ellen Rodowsky, Rick Serra, Kristin Siegfried, Olivia Veale, and Jessica Venetianer—earned 129 points and was awarded third place in the competition. The green roof projects will be on display in the middle/upper school building this spring.

Spring Spring2011 2011• •Friends Friendsmagazine magazine 17


The

T Fund

A campaign to raise funds for football field renovations and financial aid endowment In honor of Coach Bob “T” Tattersall

Bob Tattersall has been a teacher and coach—and, most significantly, both at the same time—at Friends School for more than 43 years. He is the winningest coach in the history of Delaware high school football, with a current total of 257 career victories. It is time for our school community to honor Coach T—and what better place to honor him than on the Friends School football field. Alumni football players and football parents, with the support of the Alumni/Development Office, enthusiastically initiated an effort to raise funds for renovations on and around the football field. Our plans include:

• • • • •

New bleachers with additional seating A much improved (and much needed) coach/press box New scoreboard and goal posts Renovated bathroom facilities And, if possible, a concession stand

The firm of Buck Simpers Architect & Associates, which has renovated several football stadiums over the past few years, has completed the design in consultation with a school committee that includes Coach T and Billy Harman. The schedule for the renovations will depend on our fundraising. In addition to the field renovations, we would like to honor Coach T’s legacy with an endowment fund for scholar athletes through need-based awards (students who are fully qualified for admission, who need financial aid, and who value athletics as part of their education). We note that T was especially honored by this prospect—even more than by the field improvements. We have started to talk with alumni, parents of alumni, and parents about this initiative. At this point, we have raised about a third of the funds, so we need all fans of Coach T to help to make the renovations and the endowment fund a reality. Please consider a gift today to honor Coach Tattersall.

T Fund Giving Circles All gifts can be made over a period of three years.

Conference Champs Touchdown Club Go Blue Varsity Fan Club Young Alumni Fan Club 2001-2005 2006-2010

$100,000 or more $50,000 to 99,999 $25,000 to 49,999 $10,000 to $24,999 $5,000 to $9,999

Rendering of planned renovations to the football field sideline, by Buck Simpers Architect & Associates

T-isms

Reflections and favorite moments

“My son John’s (class of 2009) involvement with the Wilmington Friends football program was the most significant, single experience at Wilmington Friends School that positively impacted his personal growth and development. It extended well beyond the football field into his academic Coach T in 1968 achievements and positive character attributes. The traits of teamwork, commitment, accountability, a drive for excellence, self-confidence, and leadership that he developed from his football experience complemented the values of a Quaker education very well. As football parents, Holly and I have wonderful memories of those great football seasons. We will be forever grateful for the outstanding efforts of Coach Tattersall, his program, and his dedicated staff.” —Rick Chappell, parent of alumni “My favorite T quote? ‘Pair up in threes.’” —Gary Scott ’82

$1,000 or more $300 or more

We do need some major gifts to make this tribute to Coach T a reality, but of course, gifts of any size are welcome and much appreciated. Thank you! For more information or questions, please contact: Judy Aliquo, Director of Development Wilmington Friends School, 101 School Road, Wilmington, DE 19803 302.576.2980 or jaliquo@wilmingtonfriends.org 18

Spring 2011 • Friends magazine

Andy Aerenson ’81 (#64) and Gary Scott ’82 (#22) join teammates in celebrating an upset victory in 1980.


T Fund Committee

Andy Aerenson ’81, clerk Andy Atkins ’76 Rob Buccini ’86

Chip Connolly ’79 Eileen Dalton (parent ’97, ’05, ’08)

“There is so much of who I am that I attribute to Coach T, whether it is working well past the time that others have gone home for the day, simply to be more prepared than the competition; evaluating performance based on each person’s abilities, not comparing their abilities to others; and understanding that always we win or lose as a team. T and Mrs. T were the first to the hospital to visit Christine and me following the birth of our first son. While we plan a tribute to Coach T, we all know that none of this would have happened without Mrs. T.” — Tim Hidell ’71 “Coach T is and always has been an outstanding football coach. Yet more important than the football skills we learned from him were the lifelong lessons he taught us—hard work, preparation, discipline, teamwork, and loyalty, to name just a few. A growing number of us have had the great pleasure of seeing our sons play for Coach T. Coach T continues to teach his players how to be successful through his words and deeds. I can’t think of Coach T without also thinking of Mrs. T, the most loyal fan, friend, and supporter of Friends School football.” —Chip Connolly ’79

Susan Kelley (parent ’10) Lisa Davis (parent ’11) Artie Kempner Bill Harman ’69 George Hughes-Strange ’01 (parent ’11, ’14)

“While reviewing X’s and O’s on a chalkboard at preseason camp, T uttered the immortal words, ‘It’s easier said than it looks.’” —Andy Atkins ’76

Early T Fund supporters include front row, Andy Atkins ’76 (#54), and back row, Jake Gehret ’77 (#22), Pete Townsend ’75 (#64, next to Jake), Dan Fleming ’76 (#32), and Scott Sanders ’77 (#46).

“Coach T taught me that while winning and losing are one measure of success, they’re not the only one. He was able to make people proud of accomplishments in defeat if he could honestly assess that you put your all into the effort. He also would crash down joys of victory by identifying faults in effort or execution. That part of his coaching ability always kept the teams I was associated with engaged, grounded, and able to be proud of achievement. If Coach T told you a job was well done, there was no doubt the job was well done. I still rely on many of the traits the left-handed ‘ball coach’ taught me. Thanks for it all, Coach T.” —Malcolm Leason ’95 “Neil Vosters and I were T’s first captains…After 42 years, that season is still a great memory. Every day.” —Robb Sultzer ’69

Chip Connolly ’79, center #87, with fellow seniors from the 1978 conference champion football team

“’Failing to prepare is like preparing to fail.’ Although coined by another legendary coach, John Wooden, the sentiment epitomizes T’s approach to coaching. The countless hours T and his assistants (not to mention their families) have devoted preparing themselves and their players have yielded unprecedented results. T’s teams win because he’s able to get the most from his players individually and as a team. In short, they are better coached—better prepared.” —Dan Fleming ’76

Robb Sultzer ’69 (#16) and Neil Vosters ’69 (#79)

Jamie McDermott ’83 Ray Osbun ’71 Scott Sanders ’77

Gary Scott ’82 Peter Townsend ’75

From Artie Kempner Director, Fox Sports

Friends parent (Matt ’11 and Jack ’14, both football players) I am a football junkie—played football, coached football, study football, and work in sports television production because of football. The game has impacted my life in many positive ways. In my professional career as a director for both Fox Sports and CBS Sports, I have had an insider’s view of the game at both the college and NFL level. I’ve been to practices coached by Bill Walsh, Bill Belichick, Bill Parcels, Bill Cowher, and many more without the first name Bill, as in, Landry, Gibbs, Holmgren, Holtz, Schembechler, Reid, Tomlin—and I even played for a guy named Spurrier. From Super Bowls, Play-offs, and Bowl Championship games, I’ve been in a unique position to watch the finest coaches in football coach their teams. That is why I can say unequivocally that Bob Tattersall is one of the finest football coaches on any level that I have had the privilege to know. I didn’t play for Coach T, but I wish I had! Since moving to Alapocas in 1995, I’ve been an observer of Friends football, and for the past three years have had two sons on the Quaker team. T’s ability to teach, coach, and mentor his players, while helping to mold them into young men, is what makes him special. He instills discipline and accountability, and does it in a way that teaches the boys respect and responsibility, and in the most humble way. The “T Fund” was started not just to honor Coach T, the man, but to honor the qualities that he has brought to the Wilmington Friends community. It will provide funds to improve the field, grant scholarships, and even upgrade the famous tower that Bill Harman has called “home” on autumn Saturdays. For over 40 years we’ve had the gift of Bob Tattersall on the Friends’ campus. I urge you to make your own gift, and give generously to the “T Fund.” Go Quakers. Coach T after the 2010 season finale win over Tower Hill, with grandsons Jeff ’13 (#20) and Matt ’11 (#2) Davis; T and Dianne have six grandchildren at Friends, the children of their daughters Julie Tattersall McGinnis ’82 and Susan Tattersall Davis ’84. Spring 2011 • Friends magazine

19


CLASS NOTES 1943

Judy Aliquo, Director of Development, and Paige Meginley Winburn, Alumni Relations Director, enjoyed a visit with Lois Naylor Berl in her home in Wilmington, during which Lois shared wonderful pictures from the Friends days of the 40’s and 50’s.

1956

The Alumni Office received a call from Ira Doom who is still living in Virginia. After catching up a bit, Ira told us, “I liked WFS because I thought it was one of the best educations around, especially: the small class size which allowed for one-on-one teaching and the challenges the teachers put forth to the students.” We love hearing from alumni around the country, so please don’t hesitate to check in with us, as Ira did, by calling 302.576.2981, or email alumni@ wilmingtonfriends.org. Jim Simon (See 1964.)

Condolences to Ernest May ’44, whose wife of 56 years, Elizabeth “Betty” May, died on November 1, 2010.

Shelia Brown Arbury sent this update after attending the DC Regional Reunion on February 22: “I have a graduate degree in public health and work for the Occupational Safety & Health Administration protecting the health and safety of workers. I have two grown children and two grandchildren; luckily they are all in the DC area right now. For fun I have been taking Greek language classes and have enjoyed three recent trips to Greece. I enjoyed my last WFS reunion and plan to attend the next one in 2012.”

Condolences to Alice Mearns Ivy, whose husband, Edward, died on January 11, 2011. Alice and Ed were married in 1952.

John, Erika ’99, and Josephine ’03 Kurtz and their New Moon/Kurtz Collection rug businesses were highlighted in the News Journal’s Brandywine Signature magazine, February 2011.

1954

1964

1948

Congratulations to Anna Hubbard Bellenger who shared two recent milestones in her art career: 1) 100 Artists of the Brandywine Valley has been published, in which Anna is listed, and 2) she will be included in the American Watercolor Society Show in NYC this upcoming April.

We were happy to catch up with Kathy Gehret Welsh at the Washington, DC, Regional Reunion. She is currently working in Ashburn, VA as a loan officer for Prosperity Mortgage, a joint venture between Wells Fargo and Long and Foster Realtors. She is also serving as the President of the American Daffodil Society and continues to play tennis in her spare time. Baily Bellenger Cyprus (See 1954.)

1979

1962

1944

1975

1978

1960

Alumni Relations Director Paige Meginley Winburn and Lois Naylor Berl ’43

enjoying a Quaker education in elementary school at Newtown Friends.

Richard Broad was discovered to have several, even closer than six degrees of separation, connections to other alumni at the DC Regional Reunion. Among them, he talked with Shelia Brown Awbury ’62, whose younger brother, Peter Brown ’64, was a classmate of Richard’s. And Richard realized in their conversation that Ed Simon’s ’00 parents, Jim ’60 and Lisa, had purchased Richard’s childhood home decades ago, which meant that Ed and Richard had grown up in the same house. Richard runs Middle States Soccer Camp, which draws players from all over the mid-Atlantic. In its 38th year, Middle State Soccer Camp will host a session at St. Andrew’s School this summer.

We learned from Houston sources that Carol Quillen has advanced to a new administrative role at Rice University. She is now Vice President for International and Interdisciplinary Initiatives, as well as Associate Professor of History.

1983

Jim Bellenger and Lisa Craven Bellenger (See 1954.) Brandywine Signature magazine’s February 2011 issue included a piece about Melanie Togman Sloan and her work as the executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, DC. Melanie is quoted as saying: “We have a responsibility to help make the world a better place.” And the article noted that Melanie “cites a Friends philosophy of ‘taking on controversial issues and sometimes taking unpopular stands to do what is right.’”

1984

The News Journal highlighted Paul Schnee’s casting career in movies, in a November 7, 2010 article. Paul recently worked on Winter’s Bone, which won first place at the Sundance Film Festival; he also worked on Monster’s Ball and Conviction, among many other films.

1986

Jonathan Layton and his wife, Abigail, are keeping busy in Hockessin with their threeyear-old twins, Jacob and Katie, and sixmonth-old Zachary.

1970

On August 6, 2010, Anna Hubbard Bellenger ’54 was joined by her extended family and friends at her one-woman art show at The Howard Pyle Studio. Back row, left to right: husband George with granddaughter Madison Bellenger, Grandson “Reddy” Cypress, son-in-law Chip with his son and Anna’s grandson William, Anna, son Jim Bellenger ’83. On floor: Baily Bellenger Cyprus ’78 holding Baily’s nephew Austin Bellenger with her arm around her nephew George Bellenger, and Lisa Craven Bellenger ’83. Also attending, but not shown: Faith Poole Greeley ’54 and Janet Holmes Waddle ’54. 20

Spring 2011 • Friends magazine

Gale Carothers-Freeman lives in Bucks County, PA, in an historic home, built around 1800, which keeps her very busy with maintenance. Married to Don Freeman, she has one son who just graduated from Penn State University in December 2010 and is applying to graduate schools for the fall. Their other son is

Jacob, Zachary, and Katie Layton


Class notes

1990

Please consider joining the 1748 Society and give the gift of Friends education. Laura and Fred ’52 Pardee Laura and I became year-round residents of Florida in the summer of 2010 after living in Colorado for 21 years. One of many tasks prompted by the move to a new state was the need to revise our wills. This gave us a chance to rethink our choices of recipients of bequests. We enthusiastically decided to include Wilmington Friends School. Friends School has always meant a great deal to me as a member of the Class of 1952. We classmates have remained very close to each other during almost 60 years since graduation. We always have good representation at the major five year reunions. Recently we have added regional mini-reunions during the intervening years. Both our son Michael, Class of 1978, and daughter Martha, Class of 1979, graduated from Friends. For several years, Laura taught French at Friends. I served as chair of the board of trustees in the 80’s. My formation in Quaker values has found expression in my business career with the DuPont Company and in various community and Episcopal church volunteer service roles in Wilmington and in Denver. Before we moved, I completed an eight year term on the board of trustees of the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, an Episcopal seminary affiliated with the Yale Divinity School. As Friends School keeps getting stronger in academics and service opportunities, and, with each step forward, the school becomes even more deserving of our annual support and planned gifts.

The 1748 Society Making a planned gift to Friends is easier than you might think, and it is one of best ways to give back to the school and to ensure its tradition of excellence for future generations.

You’re never too young: If you don’t have estate plans yet…making Friends a beneficiary of your retirement plan is one of the easiest ways to make a gift. You can visit your retirement plan’s website and add Friends as a beneficiary.

You’re never too “young at heart”: If your estate plans are already set… adding Friends as a beneficiary of your estate is easily accomplished by asking your attorney to add a codicil to your will. You can allocate a percentage of your residual estate or a set amount. All planned gifts are added to the Friends School endowment and provide funding in perpetuity. You may designate your gift for a specific purpose, such as faculty compensation or financial aid for students, or your gift may be “unrestricted.”

On December 27, 2010, Matthew Meyer was featured in a News Journal article about Delawareans working to rebuild Iraq. As a member of the reconstruction team, Matt used his private sector experience in finance to help as an economic advisor: “We’re doing a lot of work with small-business lending,” he said. “We’re doing a lot of work trying to bring investment to the area. And we’re doing a lot of work to provide economic opportunities for women.” Matt also said, “The primary impetus is service. It bothered me that a lot of kids over here have lost their lives. I think we should all contribute something. A lot of it, too, was looking for ways to use the skills I’ve learned.”

1993

Aisha Moss recently began working as the Community Organizer Assistant at Hanover Presbyterian Church and is a new member of Pit Stop, a fundraising event committee benefiting free and low-cost spaying and neutering of pitbulls at Faithful Friends, a no-kill animal shelter.

1996

Mike Lamb and his wife, Carrie, welcomed Molly Michael Lamb, born October 21, 2010.

If you are already a member of the 1748 Society, thank you! If you have included Friends School in your estate plans, please be sure to let us know. Building the 1748 Society is the most effective way for us to continue to build the school’s endowment—and its future.

To learn more about the 1748 Society and planned giving: Please contact Judy Aliquo, Director of Development at jaliquo@wilmigtonfriends.org, 302. 576. 2980. Or visit our website, www.wilmingtonfriends.org, and click on “Give to Friends” for more information on “Ways to Give.”

Laura and Fred Pardee ’52

Thank you to Fred and Laura— and to all of our 1748 Society members.

Molly Michael Lamb 1998

Many thanks to Devon Alessi, who answered our Facebook request for alumni updates. Devon wrote: “I recently got a job working as a Sales Activist and Copywriter at Under Armour headquarters in Baltimore, MD. I work in the global direct e-commerce department and am responsible for writing all the copy on our website. I also write, direct, and edit product Spring 2011 • Friends magazine

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Class notes

on leaving tripoli 1985 Thanks to trustee and former teacher and administrator Harry Hammond for sharing news of Andy Seehusen. Andy and his wife Pat are career educators in international schools, and their most recent work was in Libya. Amid the violence and government “crackdowns” of early 2011, Andy and Pat, along with many others, had to leave the country suddenly and amid much confusion, but thankfully reported that they were safe in London. Excerpts from Andy and Pat’s letter to family and friends: “We went to school as usual on Sunday thinking that Pat was giving a presentation about the IB Diploma Programme to parents in the evening. The decision to close the school for the rest of the week was taken early…Only 45% of the students were in school, and parents were taking their children out all the day as they were being evacuated. This is when we decided that we would leave also. Gadaffi’s son’s speech also helped us make our decision. Through our travel agent, we booked a Libyan Airways flight to Manchester for Tuesday morning and didn’t give it another thought. “We had been warned to stay away from crowds so we kept to our local area. We heard sporadic gunfire but it didn’t seem to be close and we never felt threatened. The night before we left we heard that six people had been killed in a village just a mile away from us, and at the airport we spoke to someone who said a boy had been shot dead at a roundabout around the corner from our flat. I must say, however, that our Libyan neighbours became more friendly during the week. More and more began to wave as they drove by. We heard on the news that the air force was bombing Tripoli so we went up to our roof to see if we could see anything. Our neighbours were also watching, and they greeted us and offered help if we needed. We live a couple of miles away from the city center and we could not see or hear anything. “We arrived at the airport at 6:30 on Tuesday morning. We didn’t realise there was a queue to enter and Pat walked straight in but I was stopped; the Arabs will let women go to the front. Pat put on the upset female act and I was allowed in. The airport was packed with people who had spent the night with more arriving; there was barely any space to move. We found that our flight had been cancelled and at that point were not sure what to do. We bumped into some of our staff, of whom one couple, Jared and Catherine, who are American and British and joined some friends of theirs who had spent the night [including another teacher, Elaine]. We tried to ring the British Embassy who said to ring the consulate; neither could give us advice though the consulate said that they would find out and ring back. The call never materialised. Jared fared no better with the American Embassy. “The people who had spent the night in the airport had successfully bought tickets with Tunisair so we did the same. Since there was a long queue of men, Catherine and Pat went to the front of the queue. We still had to battle to get into the office but came out with four tickets. You could see that they were really just scraps of paper with no flight details. “The next hurdle was to get through to the check-in area; this is where the real battling started. We fought our way to the front but passengers for Tunis were not allowed through. We stayed here for about three hours being pushed and jostled, with not enough room

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to stand and struggling to keep our position and not get knocked over. The Tunisians were friendly and we spoke in our poor French and they in their limited English. Somehow, Catherine and Jared got through but not Pat and I, but then came a determined woman with a large suitcase who pushed her way through, knocking Pat onto her case. The woman didn’t stop and just dragged Pat, our cases and her own case into the check-in area, so once again Pat did the upset female act to get me through. It didn’t work, so I had to sneak in with passengers allowed to enter while the guards were distracted by a surge of other people trying to get through. “…Then we received a blow—they wouldn’t check us in; they were taking Tunisians first, and we would be on a waiting list. We weren’t sure what to do, there were so many Tunisians that we wouldn’t get out that day. We waited for a while, and then Jared went to another check-in that looked hopeful and somehow everyone got checked-in except Pat and me, and the security guard wouldn’t let Pat through. We felt rather panicky but shortly after the guard disappeared and Pat pushed to the counter and got checked-in. What a relief! “When we got to passport control, the atmosphere was calmer as we queued…We successfully pushed and barged our way through to find that it was not our flight to Tunis but the one before ours, so back to the departure lounge where the parent of a student of Elaine’s invited us all into the business lounge; he is the manager. Suddenly we were in a haven of peace, in a room to ourselves with food and drink. The people who had gone to the airport on Monday hadn’t eaten since they left home. Pat and I hadn’t eaten or drunk anything since morning. We watched some of Gadaffi’s speech until our flight was finally called. I’m sure you will all be pleased to know that we are all ‘the greasy rats and cats who caused the troubles.’ It was surreal after the past 10 hours. “The flight to Tunis was not full and was uneventful, thank goodness. We stayed the night in Tunis and got a flight to Gatwick the next day arriving in York at 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday night…. All the staff from our school got out safely, and we were surprised at the relief we felt upon receiving this news. We hadn’t realised how stressed and tense we had been for the past week. “For those of you who are wondering, we will go back when the school reopens; keep your fingers crossed that it does. We are hoping it will be soon and our prayers are with our friends who remained [especially those from Africa]… The news/rumor that Gadaffi/protestors (depends on who is making the claim) are hiring African mercenaries has, according to the news, led to attacks against Africans. We hope our friends are safe. “Best wishes to you all, we hope to hear how you are. Pacem, Pat and Andy”

and in Japan In recent weeks, the Alumni Office has been in touch with Friends graduates and friends in Japan to express the concern and support of the school community. Among the responses, we heard from Kazu Watanabe Imai ’72 (AFS student), who reported that the destruction was, indeed, “really horrifying,” but that she and her family were safe.


Class notes

2001

videos seen on the website. I live here in a super cute row home with my dog, Maddox, and my boyfriend, Kirk. I have also started a small cupcake/cheesecake side business called Pink Rhino Cupcakes, where all my treats are inspired by popular cocktails. Perfect for bachelor/ette parties, weddings, and other special occasion parties where you let your hair down a little! Hope all is well at WFS. I truly loved my time there!” Josh Klein is currently practicing law in Washington, DC, and continues to pursue his interests in the languages of French, Hebrew, and Arabic. He also feels lucky to be among family, with brother Ben Klein ’05 and sister Becky Klein Smith ’00 in the DC area.

1999

Lily Davidson is in her third year as Director of Membership at the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association. She also recently joined a young professionals committee that raises awareness and funds for her local Planned Parenthood affiliate. Lily and her husband Brett Rodgers live in Logan Circle. It was great to see Lily at the Washington, DC Regional Reunion in February. Erika Kurtz (See 1962.) Glenn Simon received his Ph.D. in Cell Biology in 2008 from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (now UC Denver) in Aurora, CO. He worked a year doing postdoctorate medical (pulmonary) research at Jewish National Hospital in Denver. He’s now back at UC Denver Health Sciences Center (Fitzsimmons campus) doing research in the field of neuroscience. Glen is engaged to be married to Laura Wood, a Brandywine High School and UD grad, in July 2011. (Also, see 2001.)

Class of 2000 Reunion: In front (on the table): Dillon Paul; front row, kneeling: Chris Morley, Kaitlyn Ferrara; front row, standing: Julia Morse Forester, Leslie Rosenberg, Amy Blumberg, Becky Klein Smith, Collins Ford, Joe Gates, Scott Zimmerman, Josh Galperin; middle row: Jessica Fidance Clough, Austin Brown, Ed Simon, Ian Jones, Aaron Poole, James Scotland, Lacey Ryan-Millar, Chris Loeffler, Ryan Shotzberger; back row: Braden Neff, Tom Smith, Meredith Jones, Sarah Fick, Lizzie Goodfriend, Robyn Weinstein, Kate Stark, Danielle Greenberg are both enjoying our government-affiliated careers. Lucky for us, my two brothers, Ben Klein ’05 and Josh Klein ’98, both live close by, so we are all able to get together frequently. Right now, we are really looking forward to our upcoming golf trip to Scotland in May. Overall, life is good.” The Class of 2000 (top) celebrated its 10th Reunion in November 2010, while many folks were home for Thanksgiving, at the Brandywine Brewing Company. It was a great turnout, about 75% of the class.

2000

Jessica Fidance recently celebrated her marriage to Mark Clough. Ed Simon (See 1964.) Becky Klein Smith sent in this update from the DC area: “Harrison Smith and I got married on November 3, 2007 in the WFS Lower School Meeting Room. We now live in Alexandria, VA with my stepdaughter, Andi, and our Golden Retriever, Crash; we

At the Washington, DC, Regional Reunion, we practically begged Becky Klein Smith ’00 to send us a wedding photo, even though it is a few years after the fact. There were just too many Friends alumni in attendance to miss the opportunity. Thank you to Becky and her dad, school trustee Dan Klein, for locating, scanning, and emailing this fine photo of Friends folks (the groom, Harrison Smith, helped arrange the group but is not pictured).

Lesley Simon received her B.F.A. in Interior Design from Syracuse University in 2006 and worked for Interarch, an architecture firm in Mt. Laurel, NJ, after graduation. She currently lives in South Philadelphia and attends Moore College of Art & Design. Recently, Lesley traveled to South America, to do WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) in Chile, and visited Machu Picchu during the trip. Among the highlights of keeping in touch with classmates, Lesley said, was the opportunity to act as a witness last year in the wedding of Alexandra Mellow (see photo). This summer, Lesley will be a bridesmaid in the wedding of her brother, Glenn Simon ’99.

2003

Josephine Kurtz (See 1962.)

Alexandra Mellow and Lesley Simon

2004

In January, the Communications Office at Friends heard from Justin Hugelen-Padin, who is in the Peace Corps in Togo. Justin is helping to build the first library at the only high school in his village. On his blog, Justin underlined the importance of the project: “The first library at the local high school, which has around 800 students, will be able to provide necessary resources to this community and its surrounding villages. The goal of this project is to provide a place where Togolese can access resources that are nearly impossible for people in their current financial situations to obtain, such as French history books, English and French dictionaries, general English books, etc. This is especially necessary when only a handful of the 8,000 plus inhabitants have a computer and/or access to the extremely expensive internet, and therefore it makes it extremely difficult to do any kind of research or to practice English outside the classroom. Most of the community’s surrounding villages don’t even have electricity.”

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Class notes

Rachel Elzufon graduated from the University at Buffalo (SUNY) in 2008, with a double major in political science and dance and a certificate in journalism. She is an anchor/reporter for KYMA TV in Yuma, AZ, reporting three days a week and anchoring the evening and late night news on weekends. Friends can catch some of Rachel’s reports on www.kyma.com. She teaches dance. Rachel married Ian Couch on February 20, 2010 at the DuPont Country Club in Wilmington. They live in Imperial, CA, where Ian works for the federal government.

2005

Ben Klein (See 1998.) While home for the Thanksgiving holidays, the Class of 2005 enjoyed a well-attended Fifth Reunion at Kid Shelleen’s. (See photo at right.)

2006

Aviva Elzufon graduated magna cum laude from Mount Holyoke College in 2010 with a double major in Spanish and Latin American Studies. During her time as a student, she studied abroad in Quito, Ecuador and had internships in Sevilla, Spain,; Santiago, Chile; and Washington, D.C. After living abroad and traveling to Argentina, Portugal, Morocco, Israel, and Costa Rica, Aviva is now a little closer to home...working for a non-profit in New York City.

Young alumni Party On December 23, 2010, the Friends Alumni/Development Office hosted its annual, and very popular, reunion party for “Young Alumni” at the Logan House.

This page,clockwise from top: John DeCarli, Andy McEnroe, Laura McGowan, Sarah Lester, Tony Rizzo (directly behind Sarah), Adam Willoughby-Knox at top, Mike Caddell, and Elyse Sahadevan (all Class of 2004); Nathan Hobbs ’07 and Kelsey Burston ’07; Faye Paul ’03, Dillan Paul ’00; Ellen Johnston, Andrew Pieper, Fzeel Khan, Erin Aliquo, Joe Sheridan, Jim Geoghegan (all Class of 2005)

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Class of 2005 Reunion: (left to right): James Melnick, Ellen Johnston, Joe Sheridan, Debra Shlosshman, Danny Rhoades, Steven Galinat, Molly Ketcham, Kristen Mraz, Jennifer Ljungqvist, Ted Matayas, Emily Scott, Alisha Wolf, Martha MaloneyHuss, Felicia Goodman, Natalie Rosenberg, Ricki Kaplan, Ben Klein, Merrie Bentley, Meredith Seitz, Jim Geohegan, Nick Derke, Mike Dalton, Cal Hayeb, Nate Hoffman, Cory Tieste


Class notes

Internship at Friends

Wrestling: a legacy of Respect “Respect All, Fear None.” Those words, painted on the wall of the Friends wrestling team’s practice room, have struck many alumni, including non-wrestlers, as summarizing the character of a Friends education. With that kind of inspiration at the foundation of the program, it’s not surprising that alumni come back every winter break to visit with Coach Gregg Miller and to practice with the team. Parent of alumni Gary Kirk (father of Austin ’09 and Maddie ’04) also helps coach a few times a week.

The Alumni/Development Office is looking for one or two summer interns for 2011. If you are searching for interesting and fun work, are über-organized, and love Friends as much as we do…then send us your resume!

Be sure to connect with us on Facebook!

Sam Titone ’06, Jesse Paul ’10, Evan Bartle ’08, Ben Altman ’06, Brook Kebede ’10, and Darrell Seeney ’10 (also participating but not pictured: Gabe Aliquo ’07, Connor Juers ’10, and Adrian Sawyerr ’08)

There are two sites for you to “fan” on Facebook—just search for either or both and click “like” to stay up to date on WFS: 1) Wilmington Friends School Alumni 2) Wilmington Friends School

This page, clockwise from left: Laura Wolf ’07 and Alisha Wolf ’05; Jon Culver ’07, Celia Laskowski ’07, Emily DePhillips ’07; Amy Johnston, Anne Kelsey, Lauren Galinat, Kirsten Detwiler, Laura Wolf (all Class of 2007); Ben Zorach ’06, Alison Altman ’03, Sam David ’06, Brad Albertson ’06

Spring Spring2011 2011• •Friends Friendsmagazine magazine 25


Class notes

Washington, DC Regional Reunion

Left: Head of Upper School Rebecca Zug, Josh Klein ’98, Becky Klein Smith ’00, and Becky’s husband Harrison; below: Lily Davidson ’99, Karen Gordon Bastow ’98, and Karen’s husband, Matt

Alumni/Development staff had a great time with alumni from the Washington, DC, area when we visited on February 22 and 23. On Tuesday, we enjoyed a private tour of the “Colors of the Oasis: Central Asian Ikats” exhibit at the Textile Museum with Alan Young ’54. The tour Right: Director was kindly arranged by Bruce of DevelopBaganz ’69, who serves as the ment Judy President of the Museum’s Aliquo with Board of Trustees.

Linda Schnee

Above: Shelia Brown Arbury ’62 and Richard Broad ’64 (Richard was a classmate of Sheila’s brother, Peter); Gary Scott ’82 shared memories of Friends football and Coach T with Head of School Bryan Garman; Kathy Gehret Welsh ’75 and Alan Young ’54

and Karen In the evening, at The Source McKinstry, both restaurant near The NewsClass of 1988 eum, we were joined by Bryan Garman, Head of School, Rebecca Zug, Head of Upper School, and a wonderful group of alumni and their spouses and guests. Graduates from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s came together to hear about what’s new at Friends and to share memories. Even the waitress noticed that something special was going on and told us, “Everyone I meet who went to a Friends school is so unique and open!” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. Our trip ended with a lovely breakfast with George Hughes-Strange ’01 who joined us after a long shift at Georgetown Hospital, where he is continuing his medical studies. Thanks to all who came out, despite the cold, to visit with us.

Head of Upper School Rebecca Zug, Linda Schnee ’88, Shelia Brown Arbury ’62, Karen McKinstry ’88, Gary Scott ’82, Andrew Baumann ’95, Alan Young ’54, John Gould ’95, Kathy Gehret Welsh ’75, Karen (Kari) Gordon Bastow ’98, Karen’s husband Matt, Becky Klein Smith ’00, Becky’s husband Harrison, Ed Simon ’00, Lily Davidson ’99, Director of Development Judy Aliquo, Head of School Bryan Garman (Not pictured: Richard Broad ’64 and Josh Klein ’98)

Elder and Child Buddies First grade teachers Laura Foltz and Julie Rodowsky have continued the Friends tradition of “Elder and Child,” a program that matches students with elder buddies. The term “elder” doesn’t describe the age of the volunteers—at least not primarily. The term reflects the idea of Quaker Elders who are respected within their Meetings for strong leadership qualities. This year’s Elder buddy group draws from current grandparents, parents of alumni, and staff. On February 14, the Elders created valentines with their first grade friends, which Julie Rodowsky then delivered to a nearby senior center. The group decorated pink and red hearts with words of love and peace. If you might be interested in becoming an Elder buddy next year, please contact Julie Rodowsky by email, jrodowsky@ wilmingtonfriends.org. And thank you to this year’s group of volunteers. 26

Spring 2011 • Friends magazine

Above: Current grandparent and buddy Mary Jo Carroccia; left: Alumnus, and parent of alumna Clare Bayard ’94, Tim Bayard ’62 enjoys volunteering in Jane Goldberg’s Kindergarten class every week, as well as being an Elder Buddy in Julie Rodowsky’s first grade; below: Karen Hansen, mother of James Melnick ’05, with her first grade friends

“Buddies” Eileen Dalton (above), parent of three alumni—Andrew ’97, Michael ’05, and Connor ’88—and Evelyn Brownlee (below), parent of two alumnae, Anne Brownlee ’94 and Erin Brownlee Dell ’89


IN MEMORY 1931

Ruth Dare Barton died on January 16, 2011 at the age of 97. She had lived at Stonegates in Greenville, DE for 23 years. Mrs. Barton was educated at the Misses Hebb’s School and at Wilmington Friends, and then trained at Miss Illman’s School in Philadelphia as a kindergarten teacher. She taught at Wilmington Friends from 1933-1936 before her marriage to Randolph Barton. Mr. Barton, her husband of 62 years, died in 1998. Mrs. Barton’s life was devoted to her family, her home, and her friends. She is survived by a daughter, a son, a grandson, and three great-grandchildren.

at Time Inc., after which he was recruited to the Reader’s Digest. He became responsible for quantitative analysis and founded their Statistics Department, the first application of modern statistics and regression analysis in the direct marketing industry. Jim pursued his twin loves of travel and theatre, often visiting England and France. In his last years, his beloved companion was Diane Hunt. Despite declining health, Jim remained passionate about his love for the arts, attending both an opera and a production of Hamlet just days before his passing. Jim is survived by his three children; his sister, Elizabeth Adams Foster ’38; and six grandchildren.

1941

Frederick Trowbridge Marston (Fritz) passed away October 18, 2010 in La Jolla, CA. He attended Philips Exeter Academy and graduated from Wilmington Friends. In 1942 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and became a B-17 pilot; his plane was shot down over France. He was rescued by the French Resistance, however later became a POW in Germany until the end of the war. Fritz returned to Wilmington, married Ruth Ann Lauritsen ’40 and went to work for the family lithographic process business, Kaumagraph Co. He was active in numerous civic affairs and received the recognition of his peers by winning the A.F. Lewis Memorial Award, Graphics Arts, “Man of the Year” in 1968. In 1979 he retired and relocated to San Diego, CA with his second wife, Lynn Knatz Marston. They owned a travel business and traveled the world. After Lynn passed away in 2000, Fritz married Grace Stubbins and remained active with Rotary and other civic groups. During his last years, Fritz reconnected with WWII veterans and POW survivors in Southern California, and a plaque honoring his service was placed in a memorial wall at the top of Mount Soledad in La Jolla. He is survived by his wife, Grace Marston; sisters Nancy Peters and Mason Marston Daley ’49; daughters Virginia Marston Burawski ’66 and Marguerite Marston Kritkausky ’70, sons Thomas Martson ’75 (past WFS Trustee) and Trowbridge Marston, three granddaughters, and five great-grandchildren.

1944

James F. Adams, Jr. (Jim) passed away on December 18, 2010 following an extraordinarily full and happy life. Jim graduated from Haverford College in 1948. Active in the theatre, he produced, wrote, and acted in theatrical productions in Bryn Mawr. His play, How High the Moon, was optioned by Warner Brothers. He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, but deferred the honor in favor of returning veterans with expiring age eligibility. Jim continued to pursue his theatre interests with graduate work at Columbia University, where he received an M.A. in English Literature. While at Columbia, he met and married Janet Stoke, and they remained happily married for 45 years until her death in 1997. While teaching, Jim also found editorial work

“Jimmy” Adams was one of three “Jimmy’s” in the Class of 1944 who graduated early in order to enlist during World War II. This photo was published in the spring 1944 issue of the Whittier Miscellany with the following caption: “For the first time in the history of Friends School three seniors, Jimmy Adams, Jimmy Collins and Jimmy Martel, completed their work and were graduated at the end of the first semester. Commencement exercises were held in the school gymnasium on January 28, 1944. Mr. Alva Lindley read the scriptures and, following the presentation of the diplomas by Mr. Jones, Mr. Bliss Forbush, Headmaster of Baltimore Friends, gave the commencement address.” 1945

Barbara McKnight Peoples, 83, died on December 20, 2010, in Boca Grande, FL, where she had maintained a residence for 25 years. Mrs. Peoples attended Mt. Holyoke College, and was a member of the Boca Grande Woman’s Club and the Gasparilla Inn & Club Croquet Club. She attended St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Boca Grande. Mrs. Peoples was predeceased by her husband, Robert J. Peoples ’43. Survivors include two daughters; a sister, Katherine McKnight Wood ’41; a granddaughter; grandson David Foote ’95; and three great-grandchildren.

1947

Anne Marguerite Holmstrom passed away on April 27, 2010 after 80 years of joyful, exuberant living. Her keen wit, artistic talent, strong principles, love of family, friends and country, appreciation of music, funny stories and the well-turned phrase, left a powerful and lasting impression on all who knew her. Anne was born in Wilmington, Delaware and spent the summers of her youth on the Delaware and New Jersey coasts, Lake Chautauqua, NY and Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Her childhood was shaped by the Depression and the untimely death of her father when Anne was 15 years old. She maintained close and supportive relationships from Friends School throughout her life. She met the love of her life, Fritz Holmstrom, a student at Harvard Medical School, the summer after graduating from Friends, and they were married the following summer. Fritz was a career military physician and his work with America’s early space program took the family to assignments around the world. With each move, Anne created a haven of security and happy times. She also created and sold her colorful and imaginative works of art at local art shows and galleries. Fritz died suddenly in 1982, but Anne found great comfort and companionship with another retired military man, Claude “Mac” McRaven, a former professional football player and WWII Spitfire pilot. They remained a devoted couple until his death in 2007. Anne had many and eclectic interests, hosted lively parties, worked nonstop on art for her family and friends, and remained curious about the mysteries of life. Anne is survived by her two children, seven grandchildren, and five greatgrandchildren.

1952

Jane Margaret Henke, daughter of the late Clyde O. Henke and Arney Anderson Henke, died suddenly in Wilmington, DE on December 2, 2010. Jane was devoted to her family and friends and was much loved and respected in return. She enjoyed family gatherings, but particularly enjoyed her trips abroad with her niece and nephew. She had a strong interest in art and took painting lessons from both Carolyn Wyeth and Frank Schoonover. Jane graduated from the Centenary Junior College in Hackettstown, NJ, and then attended Parson School of Design where she majored in Graphics Design and Advertising. She began her career with the DuPont Company, using her graphics design and training as the chartist for their film department. She retired after 27 years to enjoy golf, bridge, needlepoint, and especially her extensive travels in the United States and Europe. Jane was a resident of Alapocas, and a member of the Wilmington Country Club and Westminster Presbyterian Church. She is survived by a twin sister, Joan Elizabeth Henke ’52; a brother, David C. Henke ’49 and his wife Connie Howard Henke ’49; a niece, Carol Henke Johnson ’74 (husband, Steven), and a nephew David B. Henke ’78; and two grand-nieces.

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IN MEMORY

1959

Leland Lyon Moyer passed away on January 6, 2011 at age 69. Lee attended Wilmington Friends and The Hill School in Pottstown PA, graduating in 1959. Lee then graduated from Trinity College, Hartford CT, and joined the United States Marine Corps, serving his country until 1965. He worked at companies, such as DuPont, Burlington Industries, J.P. Stevens, and Atari, while attending classes at N.Y.U. to earn his M.B.A. Lee was involved in several business partnerships, including a company that handled uniquely designed apparel for individuals suffering from diabetes. In 2005, Lee became the Vice Chairman of Connecticut based marketing and public relations firm, Penn Gardner Inc. Lee was an avid golfer, and passionate fan of the Eagles and Phillies. Lee’s true passion, however, was his work and the projects and clients to which he was dedicated. Lee is survived by his life and business partner, Penelope Forman; a sister; his former wife, Nina Vosters Moyer ’61, and their three sons; Penelope’s daughter; and one grandchild. Robert D. Nutting of Leesburg, VA, died on January 8, 2011 at Fairfax Nursing Center. He was a beloved husband, step-father, and stepgrandfather.

1960

Elizabeth Cameron Nagle, age 67, of Wilmington, DE, passed away on January 7, 2011. Elizabeth attended Friends, but left in 1957. She is survived by her daughter and cat, and by church family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Wesley Nagle ’57. The Nagle family lived in Alapocas for many years.

1968

Faye Hamlin Daniel, of Annapolis, MD, died on December 24, 2010, the result of a rare, spontaneous brain disease. Faye’s undergraduate degree was from Agnes Scott College, and she received Master’s Degrees in philosophy and religion from Johns Hopkins and in education administration from Indiana University. Faye was a gifted educator, serving as principal of a Charter School in Indianapolis and then of Tyler Heights School in Annapolis. Before raising her daughters, Faye obtained her pilot’s license as the sole female student in her flight school. Her devoted husband, William M. Daniel, was at her side throughout her illness. She is also survived by her mother, two daughters, two brothers, and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles.

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Former Head of School Former Headmaster Charles Wetherill Hutton died on February 12, 2011, in Asheville, NC, his home for 33 years. “Mr. Hutton” attended Olney Friends School in Ohio, where his father was Headmaster. He received a BS from the College of Wooster, an MS in Geology from Ohio State, and also attended the Boston University School of Education. He was on the faculty of Westtown School; Head of the Science Department at Moses Brown School; Headmaster of Oakwood Friends, as well as Wilmington Friends; and Head of the School Consortium of New Jersey. He also served as fund raising and development consultant to educational and religious organizations for Marts & Lundy and Hutton Associates, and as a planned giving consultant for the Appalachian College Association.

Charles W. Hutton, 1917-2011

Charles Hutton was a member of the American Friends Service Committee, Research for Better Schools, and the Headmasters’ Association; he also served in leadership roles for the Friends Council on Education. He loved all aspects of nature, especially those found in the mountains of North Carolina and on the coast of Maine. In his last year as Headmaster at Friends, the Class of 1973 dedicated its yearbook to Charles Hutton, with the inscription: “The headmaster of a school has a difficult job to do. We dedicate this yearbook to Charles W. Hutton, who has for the past ten years worked with great conviction to guide Friends School in new directions. We wish him happiness for the future.” Mr. Hutton is survived by his wife, Jean Ramey Hutton, children Christine Hutton ’63, Richard Hutton ’64, and Charlotte Hutton DeBell ’67; Jean’s two daughters; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The family kindly directed memorial contributions to Wilmington Friends and Olney Friends Schools.

Former Trustee

Davis Godfrey Durham of Wilmington, DE, and Playa Carrillo, Costa Rica, died on December 4, 2010, in Costa Rica at age 96. Dr. Durham graduated from Warren High School, New Mexico Military Institute, the University of Pennsylvania, and Jefferson Medical College. He interned at the Delaware Hospital after medical school and served as a Battalion Aid Surgeon in World War II. He was awarded the European Theatre Ribbon with two battle stars, the Bronze Medal, and the Combat Medical Badge. Dr. Durham practiced ophthalmology in Wilmington since 1948 and also for many years at St. Luke’s Cataract & Intraocular Lens Institute in Tarpon Springs, FL. He was on the staff at the Medical Center of Delaware, St. Francis Hospital, and Wills Eye Hospital, and was Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson Medical College. He was certified by the American Board of Opthalmology. He was the first surgeon to introduce diamond knives, manufactured by the DuPont Company, in human surgery. He was also the first Delawarean ever to be elected to the prestigious American Ophthalmological Society. He was past president of the Delaware Academy of Medicine and the first medical director of the Ophthalmology Department of the Wilmington Medical Center. Often assisted by his wife, Harriet, an orthoptic technician, he was the first head of

the Eye Department of Project Hope, serving in Indonesia, Peru, Guinea, and Colombia. Other assignments included Alaska, Samoa, Haiti, South Africa, Nigeria, China, and Thailand. He was vice-president of Aid for International Medicine. Dr. Durham received the Brandywine College Award, Distinguished Delawarean Award for Distinguished Citizenship, Certificate of Award for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Significant Sig Award of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, the Hall of Fame of New Mexico Military Institute, and the Outstanding Humanitarian Award of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He published more than 30 scientific articles, and in partnership with DuPont engineers, developed a pneumatic application tonometer for measuring eye pressure in glaucoma patients. Dr. Durham was a member of the Wilmington Monthly Meeting of Friends, as well as the Rotary Club of Wilmington, Greenville Country Club, and The Explorers Club. He was proud to be a member of the United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada. His wife, Harriet Frorer Durham ’42, died in 1991. Dr. Durham is survived by his five children, Davis G. Durham Jr. ’69, James F. Durham, Andrew C. Durham ’77, Jeffrey F. Durham ’78, and Dee Durham ’79; and by six grandchildren, Matthew and Lindsay Durham, Jack and Eliza Durham ’14, and Lauren ’18 and Ryan ’20 Evans. The family generously designated Friends School for memorial gifts.


IN CLOSING

Goodbye to winter. Friends parent and professional photographer Elisa Komins Morris took the original of this photo; we added the “1748” to hat. (See page 4 for more on “1748” hats.) Special thanks to the Facilities, Grounds & Building Services staffs who came in early on snow days, when everyone else came in late, to make the campus safe for all. And welcome, spring.

Spring 2011 • Friends magazine


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One More Nobel Moment While visiting Friends in October, Eric Chivian took a moment (as many adults in the school community do) to pose in the Lower School for a photo to promote reading. The book was easy to choose, The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, in which a furry, round-cheeked creature fights to save the environment. The book ends with a message that Friends students have used to promote service-oriented events, especially concerning the environment: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

Spring 2011 • Friends magazine


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