Dr Craig Cook, Principal

History in the making

Building on our heritage

Dr Craig Cook, Principal, Woodstock School

Dear Woodstock Alumni Community,

To walk around the Woodstock School campus is to wend one’s way through history. Like the Himalayan foothills we call home, Woodstock is both timeless and ever shifting, with subtle changes brought about by every monsoon, and every new generation of students who live and learn at the school.

The school’s history guides us and acts as a reference point, one that has kept the spirit of Woodstock alive and kicking over the years and continues to do so. In everything we do, we should consider it through the lens of the school’s heritage. Woodstock has been around a lot longer than any of us, and will continue to be long after we are gone. We are only its current custodians, and all we can do is try and retain and build on all that is special about the school.

This year will once again go down in history, where students and teachers rose to the challenges of education during the worst pandemic in a century. Also, of a year when we were able to find the positives in the situation, and make significant steps in our plans to create living and learning spaces which are fitting for a Woodstock School education in a way that meets the future.

The year started with the finishing touches being made to the work which began in 2020, including the retrofitting and restoration of the Quad building’s top floor, and the complete refurbishment of Tafton as a fitting home for the Centre for Imagination. Then the area near the bottom of the ramp was redeveloped to provide a new home for the mailroom and an expanded terrace to add a new space for outdoor education and collaboration.

Developing cutting-edge science facilities

In March students had to leave campus for a second time, in the wake of the second wave of Covid-19 spreading across India. Once again, we considered how we could take a strategic advantage of this less than opportune circumstance.

Our focus turned to the Science labs on the top floor of the High School building. Our Science labs were somewhat dated and fell short of the International Baccalaureate’s requirements for modern, certified laboratories. The roof over the laboratories was also in desperate need of replacement, and the

With all the renovations we have undertaken, we have done so with full consideration of Woodstock’s long history. How does it fit in the school’s timeline, does it align with this institution’s legacy, does it do justice to the Woodstock education experience today, and how can it continue to do so for the lifespan of the renewed learning space?

whole structure needed strengthening, as the third floor would be particularly vulnerable to seismic activity. Students’ continued absence from campus gave us the opportunity to move ahead with this essential work with minimal disruption to school life and lessons, and doing so during the school semester rather than waiting to undertake major works over the holidays.

With all the renovations we have undertaken, we have done so with full consideration of Woodstock’s long history. How does it fit in the school’s timeline, does it align with this institution’s legacy, does it do justice to the Woodstock education experience today, and how can it continue to do so for the lifespan of the renewed learning space?

Honouring those who have come before

A further factor with the development of our science facilities is how we could honour members of our alumni community, and their own legacy in the Sciences, at Woodstock and the world over. The Science block at Woodstock was dedicated to Dr Robert L. Fleming Sr in 1977, in appreciation of his 25 years’ service as a science teacher from 1928-1953. While continuing to recognise Dr Fleming’s immense contribution to the school, the new state-of-the-art facilities are an opportunity to honour someone who followed in his footsteps.

T. Z. Chu’s life and work can be an inspiration to all the students who will study and learn in the revitalised Science facilities. Arriving at Woodstock as a refugee from China in 1948, he grew to be a successful part of the school community. He excelled at sports and developed a passion for Science, under the guidance of Dr Fleming himself. T.Z. graduated from Woodstock in 1952, studied Chemistry at University of California, Berkeley, and went on to have a distinguished career as a scholar, scientist and entrepreneur. He was not only the first Asian CEO

TZ Chu

of a public technology company, but also the National Chairman of the American Electronics Association. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History has recognized T.Z. in a permanent exhibit, ‘Many Voices, One Nation’, as a prominent immigrant who made significant contributions to America. T.Z. credited Woodstock as instrumental in his success and gave back in many ways; as a board member of the school and FWS, and a major donor, particularly in support of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). He became a Board Member emeritus and received a Distinguished Alumni Award. T.Z. Chu passed away on September 15, 2016.

Woodstock’s redeveloped science facilities will be christened the T.Z. Chu Science Laboratories. We think it is a fitting way to remember all his great achievements. His memory and spirit will live on in the generations of students who learn to share his passion for Science within them, in the experiments, measurements and observations that help shape their thirst for knowledge and understanding. Six new labs have been created, one large and one small each for Physics, Chemistry and Biology, as well as collaborative working space for teachers and students, preparation and storage rooms, and cutting-edge facilities and services throughout. Our Estates team worked in partnership with our Science Department, to ensure that every element of the development considers students’ needs first and foremost, and to create a facility that will continue to meet students and teachers’ needs many years into the future. Our Estates team also deserve great credit for their tireless work in the face of the challenges of the pandemic, as well as all those associated with the renovation of a building as old as the High School. We also offer thanks to Rick Downs Jr ’79, the Friends of Woodstock School, and T.Z. Chu’s family, whose generous donations enabled us to make the vision of a state-of-the-art-Science centre a reality.

Miss Marley, Bob Fleming Sr, Reverand and Mrs Robert Alter

Setting the stage for Parker Hall renovations

The next great challenge lies across the hallway from the Science block, and in terms of history and heritage it is one of Woodstock School’s most iconic spaces. Parker Hall, for many generations of Woodstockers, has been their first experience on stage, whether through drama, music, assemblies, or chapel. It continues to be our primary meeting space, but it is in its current state, an ageing auditorium. With performance such a constant highlight of the Woodstock School experience, work needs to be done to create a space that aligns with the latest standards in theatre design and technology, and fits with the wealth of talent we have within our community. Our ultimate goal is to do so in a way that continues to preserve the heritage of a space that was dedicated ninety years ago, bringing the space into the present day without losing the look and feel of the Parker Hall we all know and love. Once again it is our duty to understand what’s gone before us, and recognise and learn from this, in order to live our times in the present.

An unexpected opportunity arising from the Covid-19 pandemic has been that we could move forward with these essential campus works, condensing works which otherwise would have taken many years to realise into a much shorter timescale. We have only been able to do so, thanks to the generous support of alumni community. By the end of this decade, we will reach another milestone in Woodstock’s long and illustrious history, as we advance towards the school’s 175-year anniversary in 2029. It is our hope that by the time we reach this landmark occasion, we can do so with living and learning spaces throughout the campus which complement and harmonise with the Woodstock educational experience, while encompassing our rich heritage and all that has gone before.