bulletin - spring 2007

Spring.Summer 2007 Volume 44.Number 1

Headmaster Christopher D. Wheeler, PhD

Assistant Headmaster Colley W. Bell III

Board of Trustees

Lance L. Weaver, President

Hon. Joseph J. Farnan, Jr., Vice President

William Daiger, Jr., Treasurer

Barbara M. G. Cooch, Secretary

Cherise Taylor-Alexander Dr. Earl J. Ball III Linda R. Boyden

Jane H. Carey Robert R. M. Carpenter, IV ‘81

Robert W. Crowe, Jr. ‘90 Dr. Robert C. Director ‘67

Stanley M. Diver ‘74 Karen A. Graham ‘76

Marc L. Greenberg ‘81 Charles F. Gummey, Jr.

Pierre du Pont Hayward ‘66 Michael P. Kelly ‘75

John R. Long John E. Osborn Zöe S. Pappas

David P. Roselle Matthew T. Twyman III ‘88

William T. Wood, Jr. ‘59

Managing Editor Edwina G. Bell

Director of Development

Editor Nancy Schuckert

Director of Communications

Class Notes Editor John Pierson

Sr. Development Officer

Photography Colley W. Bell III

Karen Gowen Jim Graham

Submissions to the Bulletin, suggestions for articles, photographs or letters are

welcome. Mail information to the Development Office, Tower Hill School,

2813 West 17th Street, Wilmington, DE 19806

or e-mail to [email protected]. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions for space and content.

Tower Hill School welcomes students of any race, religion, color, or nationality.

The school does not discriminate in its administrative policies or in the

administration of its program.

If you would like to submit class notes, check our updated sports scores, or

read about the latest events sponsored by the Alumni Council, please visit our

website at www.towerhill.org.

in this issue...2...............Headmaster’s letter

3..............A New Era in Athletics at Tower Hill

5..............Becoming the Showcase—Once Again

10............Green Giants: Betty Richardson and Patty Marshall

12............Orchestrating Transformation: Rich White

14............Perspectives on the Transformation

19............Campaign for Athletics

21............Welcome to Tower Hill

22............When Passion and .......... Talent Meet: Colley Bell

24............TowerNet: www.towerhill.org

28...........Tower Hill School News

30...........Caution is the Enemy of Art

32............Annual Fund Update; Welcome Kevin Ruth

33...........Planned Giving: Forever Green Society

36...........Tower Hill Homecoming & .......... Reunion 2007

38...........On the Hill

40...........From Baghdad to Tower Hill

44...........Tower Hill Spring Social

46...........Tower Hill Alumni Highlights

47............Class Notes by John Pierson ’59

56...........In Memoriam

Cover: Lindsay Griffith ’08, member of the Tower Hill Varsity Field Hockey

team which leads the nation in the number of state championships.

Tower Hill BulletinSpring.Summer 2007

For eight decades, the Tower Hill campus

has served generations of families. When I joined this wonderful school in 2005, I

was struck by the physical land—40 acres of prime real estate in a city setting. Over

the course of the last decade, the school has invested $25 million for substantial

updates to the academic and arts facilities. Our athletic facilities, which previously

set the standard for other schools, had not been updated in many years.

Soon after Jack Holloway (longtime and well-known figure in Delaware interscholastic

athletics) joined us as our new Director of Athletics, he provided an assessment on

how to better use our assets. After review of his assessment, the Board of Trustees

agreed that the time had come to address the athletic and physical education facilities

and approved a plan to invest $12 million in renovations that will benefit every Tower

Hill Student.

The first phase of the Master Plan renovations will include DeGroat Field, Richardson

Field and the playground areas which will be complete by early fall. Additional

renovations will include the boys’ lacrosse field, St. Amour baseball and soccer fields,

the “Rice Paddy” and Carpenter Field House. The timing of these renovations will

follow the first phase and are contingent on fundraising activities.

The Campaign for Athletics was officially launched last fall at Homecoming.

To celebrate the campaign and raise funds for the renovations, Tower Hill hosted

an evening event on April 28 for almost 500 parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty/

staff and friends. The theme for this first-ever social was “For the Love of the Game.”

Together with other fundraising efforts, we have raised $6.4 million to-date and

are thankful for those who have made a commitment to the campaign through

their donations.

With construction underway on DeGroat Field, Richardson Field and the

playgrounds, this is truly an exciting time at Tower Hill, as you’ll see from the

following pages in this issue of the Bulletin.

We are also proud to announce the launch of Tower Hill’s Planned Giving program

and the creation of The Forever Green Society, which recognizes members of the

Tower Hill community who establish a deferred gift arrangement with the school.

You’ll also read about exciting new enhancements to our web site and updates on

academic and art programs.

We invite you to join us this fall for Homecoming 2007 on October 26-28 to tour

the new athletic/physical education facilities as we embark on a new era in the

history of Tower Hill!

Yours for Tower Hill,

Chris Wheeler, Headmaster

2

Spring.Summer 2007 3Tower Hill Bulletin

in Athletics At tower hill

A New erAMany studies have shown the affect of the physical environment on people. Specifically, there

is experimental evidence that the physical state of a school can affect the school’s students in

tangible ways such as mood, attendance and academic performance.

The ambiance of a restaurant is as likely as the quality of the food to prompt a return visit. Additionally, school facilities have

served as symbols to the communities in which they are located. The results of nationwide opinion polls demonstrate that the

general public equates the quality of a school, and the level of its students’ achievement, with the quality of the facilities. At

Tower Hill, our athletic facilities literally surround our school. They are the portal through which the public views our campus.

the MAster plAn

4 Tower Hill BulletinSpring.Summer 2007

Tower Hill’s founding fathers gave consideration to this connection between facilities and achievement when they met to create Tower Hill. During their inaugural meeting, they vowed to design a school that “set the standard for all that is modern in design and facilities.” From the beginning, their vision and leadership created an educational environment based on facilities as fine as any in the nation.

Time, however, is unforgiving. What was once modern becomes dated. New technology and changing safety standards render obsolete what was once state-of-the-art. School expansion, the addition of additional athletic programs, loss of “down time” and extreme weather patterns combine to stress once pristine playing fields.

Over the past ten years, the Trustees and administration have upgraded almost every area of the school. This period has witnessed the provision of a performing arts center, a new music building, stimulating classrooms, renovated libraries, formal and informal gathering spaces, and a totally refurbished dining hall with an adjoining courtyard. Of the four images on Tower Hill’s shield, the one representing athletics is the last to be addressed.

Our motto, Multa Bene Facta, articulates the belief that the physical well-being and development of our students is as important as their intellectual growth. This philosophy views athletics as an extension of the classroom and acknowledges the many valuable life lessons gained through the athletic experience. Important qualities such as citizenship, leadership, integrity, and ethics are exhibited and examined daily in interscholastic athletics. We believe it is clear that individual student athletes, and athletic programs in general, make significant contributions to the vitality of life both within the school and its surrounding community.

The Tower Hill School Athletic Facilities Master Plan presents an exciting vision for our school and our community. It is an opportunity for the champions of past contests to connect with their history and to support the athletes of this and future generations.

By seizing this opportunity to provide leadership and support, we can all demonstrate a commitment to excellence that will again position Tower Hill at the

forefront of Delaware high school athletics, and enable our students to continue to do “many things well.”

The Tower Hill School Athletic Facilities Master Plan presents an exciting vision for our school and our community. It is an opportunity for the champions of past contests to connect with their history and to support the athletes of this and future generations.

Article by Jack Holloway,

Athletic Director

Tower Hill Bulletin Spring.Summer 2007 5

Once AgainBecomiNg the ShowcASe ...once AgAin

in 1919 a lot of care and planning went into the building of the new Tower Hill School. The

three divisions, Lower, Middle, and Upper, were carefully laid out as were the arts and music

areas. The Kindergarten and auditorium were the wings on either side after you entered through

the front door. The lunchroom was downstairs, and recreation areas were obviously outside but

almost attached to the school building. Such was the building as it was set up some 88 years ago.


Over the years changes have been made and additions added as needed. The size of the stage in the auditorium was gradually increased to the point where very few seats were left. The present third grade occupies the space that was originally the gym and later the Upper School science area. The music department outgrew its space in the back of the auditorium, and the Stabler Music Building was built, at the time state-of-the-art. (It has since been turned into two pre-school classrooms.) As science moved into the original gym area, the “old gym” or “girls’ gym” as we now know it was built in the late 1940’s. A large addition took place when the Upper School library and below it the Science area were added in the early 70’s, an addition which allowed the Lower School to have its own library and classrooms in a part of the building that suited them better.

As Tower Hill’s enrollment increased, so did other facilities. About 25 years ago the Carpenter Field House was built to allow more time for practice and games; in the mid-70’s varsity basketball players had about 20 minutes of full-court practice a day, not enough to compete with other schools, and the varsity wrestling team practiced in what is now the training room. The weight room was then in a flood-prone room that is now part of the Health Office. The addition of the Field House allowed students and coaches to use facilities that were then competitive with some of the athletic space of other schools.

The shortcomings of space for performing groups, drama as well as band and chorus groups, and adequate space for art studios and display became more and more of a problem; the 1919 Auditorium was no longer adequate, so the

Pierre S. du Pont Arts Center was built in the 90’s, and a brand new music building was constructed during the summer of 2004.

Suddenly Tower Hill School was once again state-of-the art in both music and drama, and as the theater became a wonderful place to see performances, the drama department became much more ambitious in what was presented by students.

And all the while the classrooms, the real lifeblood of the school, were modernized and outfitted to bring them up to date. The Middle and Upper Schools basically exchanged places; new classrooms were built for the Upper School, and the Middle School rooms were gutted and reborn with AC, more space, Smartboards, better lighting, continued internet access, and so much more.

DegroAt FielD

richArDson FielD


What you see today is the result of careful attention to the needed refurbishing of most of the school. Classrooms, performing areas, science areas…all seem to have been addressed in the last dozen years. And now it is time for the athletic side of the Tower Hill coin. When the school was interviewing Headmaster candidates three years ago, several commented about the athletic facilities and

wondered aloud if they were adequate for Tower Hill’s present needs. When Athletic Director candidates came through two years ago, similar though more pointed questions were asked of the school. When Jack Holloway was hired as AD, he and Dr. Chris Wheeler put their heads together to begin to address the shortcomings.

Many of you know already what upgrades and improvements the

school has planned, but explaining them to the rest of you makes some sense. The most visible and splashy changes will be the two new synthetic turf fields: DeGroat and Richardson Fields will both be torn up and refitted with Field Turf, two different kinds to meet the different needs of the sports involved. DeGroat Field will be widened and permanently lined for football, soccer, and boys’ lacrosse. Bleachers, a permanent snack bar, and a press box will be installed outside the 400-meter track that will surround the playing surface. (The current track is the old-fashioned 440 yards.) Lights will allow for nighttime activities. Friday afternoon football games might become 7:30 night games; there could be a Friday afternoon soccer game followed by a night football game…what an upgrade! Richardson Field, home to field hockey and girls’ lacrosse, will be fitted with a different artificial turf, one with a tighter “nap,” with more permanent stands and a press box a part of the final look. Work has begun with those fields as you read this, and they should be ready by or near the start of the 2007-08 school year. It should be added here that artificial turf is the new thing for schools: Four schools in the state, two private and two public, already have artificial turf fields (with more in the planning stages), and this is not the dangerous, “painted concrete” that many remember from Vet Stadium in Philadelphia. It is safe and virtually maintenance-free compared to grass fields. Nearly every college, large or small, has one or more turf fields, and the numbers are growing.

Those are the only Tower Hill fields that will have artificial turf, but all the other fields will be upgraded with irrigation and drainage systems

st. AMour BAseBAll FielD

st. AMour soccer FielD


James Mraz ’08


Lower School students. The scope of renovations include an expansion of the playgrounds and upgrades to provide a challenging, fun and safe environment.

All of this takes time and money. The girls’ soccer and lacrosse teams and the track team have been homeless this spring as the outdoor construction begins. Arrangements have been made to practice on Wilcastle fields near Greenhill Ave and at Rockford Park, and nearly all games have been on the road, much as the boys’ lacrosse team had to do a few years ago while upgrades were being made to their field (and they went on to win the state championship!) Last summer, paid for by a separate gift, the old gym was brightened and refurbished, and the locker rooms downstairs were significantly changed around, the first real improvement to them since they were built in 1949.

The price tag is rather steep, but since there are no more areas on which to place new fields, these must be updated to work as they are needed now, and the updating costs money. Tower Hill has always done things the right way as you can see in all the other areas of the school, from the classrooms to the Theater to the science area to the music building; it is hard to believe that the school would approach the athletic facilities any differently. Tower Hill will again be a trendsetter in the community and will be left with facilities that draw renewed pride to the school.

Article by

John Pierson ’59,

Senior Development

Officer, Alumnus,

Parent, Past Teacher

and Coach.

Tower Hill has always done things the right way as you can see in all the other areas of the school, from the classrooms to the Theater to the science area to the music building; it is hard to believe that the school would approach the athletic facilities any differently.

cArpenter FielD house–north entrAnce

cArpenter FielD house–Art center view

that do not now exist. Baseball will have its own dedicated space with an outfield fence, dugouts, and a press box. The soccer field near the Field House and the soccer/lacrosse field across the Kennett Pike will be moved slightly to allow for full fields and some practice area. As always the Rice Paddy will continue to be an important part of Tower Hill athletics, and it, too, will receive irrigation and drainage improvements.

In 1980 the Field House was a marvel in the high school community with its artificial “Versa turf” surface and its indoor track, but some significant changes are needed in the Carpenter Field House. A building-long addition on the Rising Sun Lane side will house new bathrooms, some offices, and a multi-purpose/wrestling room; it should also allow a permanent place for the captains’ plaques to be hung and for an enlarged trophy case.

(It is a joy to have run out of space to house all of the trophies the students have earned!) At the far end of the building will be room for “future expansion.” The main basketball floor will be moved to the middle section so that a wood floor can be installed and still maintain the integrity of the indoor track, and the paved area outside the weight room will be enclosed. The weight room will move there and be expanded, a small locker area for officials will be built, and a satellite training room will be located where part of the present weight room is. The Green and White Club, which donates thousands of dollars each year to the athletics of the school, will take over the present storage area and bathrooms for a permanent selling area.

Equally important are the campus playgrounds which are an integral part of physical education for the


Betty richArdSoN ANd PAtty mArShAll

Betty Richardson, Athletic Director 1951-1996

Patty Marshall, Coach 1969-present

Wiz Montaigne Applegate ’79, Former Tower Hill Athlete,

Faculty/Coach 1984-present, Parent

Betty and Patty infuse meaning into the Tower Hill experience. Schools are built one stone at a time. Connections are built two people at a time. Creative work makes you feel alive. Using your most potent skills, not creating for a purpose, but creating for the joy and the challenge of the undertaking is a defining character of these two giants.


As true of any highly competitive college preparatory school, our eyes are trained to look upward, our orientation toward rising, rather than descending. Climbing up the ladder is a relatively familiar endeavor for many of our charges. Climbing down the ladder gracefully is another thing. It is not only the incredible winning records, undefeated seasons, and state titles that come to mind when I think of Miss Rich and Miss Marshall.

The fabric of their day was woven with integrity, honor, and character, heady words, but ones that rang true for those of us who were on the receiving end of that look from Miss Marshall or firm words from Miss Rich. No one ever wanted to be the one to disappoint them. The bar was set high but not out of reach. It was in those moments that we learned to gracefully navigate our way down the ladder.

There was value in winning, but even greater value was placed on how we picked ourselves up after stumbling. How to handle defeat, how to cope with setbacks, teammates, and bad calls were just as important. Miss Rich and Miss Marshall were tethers for our green and white balloons, grounding us in comfort and security while simultaneously stretching us and pushing us toward the sky.

As alumni, each one of us attaches individual meaning to our Tower Hill experience. We hold images: Miss Marshall standing in the Lower School hallway patiently waiting to pick up a gym class, the opening of the gym doors and emptying of the ball bag for a raucous game of snow ball; Miss Rich corralling kids by the flag pole as they await the bus, and the steadying hands on the stilts at Field Day.

Betty and Patty had a clear understanding of the demands that smallness makes on the individual at Tower Hill. In 1969, her first year at Tower Hill, Patty was the girls’ Varsity Basketball coach. Her 1979 team was the only team in school history to make it to the finals of the State Basketball Tournament. She has coached either A or B Field Hockey every fall since 1969. At one point or another she has coached JV Basketball, Varsity Track, Varsity Tennis, and coached A, B, and C Basketball.

Betty began her Tower Hill career in the fall of 1951 and retired in the spring of 1996. She coached all sports at Tower Hill and is quick to note how it was the norm to ref your own games and there was only one coach for all levels. Betty’s field hockey teams won the State Title in 1973, 1980, 1981 and 1982, providing the bedrock for other titles.

Betty and Patty understand the value of taking part in many activities. As Betty says, “One of the things I love about Tower Hill is the image of the three legged stool. I love all three legs of the stool: the arts, athletics, and academics. They all gelled back then as they do today. Our purpose was to develop all around students who did not have to be proficient in each

area, but who hoped to find one area they’d pursue and enjoy in later life.”

Athletics at Tower Hill have a strong winning tradition, and it is by no means a random coincidence that there has been tremendous growth and opportunity for girls during their tenure. Patty finds “having one person work with the kids from kindergarten to 12th grade paves the way for success. You have the opportunity to steer them in the direction where they will have a positive experience and the most success.”

Those with drive and enthusiasm for a myriad of activities seem to thrive. Betty and Patty infuse meaning into the Tower Hill experience. Schools are built one stone at a time. Connections are built two people at a time. Creative work makes you feel alive. Using your most potent skills, not creating for a purpose, but creating for the joy and the challenge of the undertaking is a defining character of these two giants.

Article by

Wiz Montaigne

Applegate ’79,

Faculty/Coach,

Parent

Betty richArDson

pAtty MArshAll


Orchestrating Transformation:

Playground Upgrades and Expansion—The Lower School playground will be moved into a

much larger space at the corner of 19th Street and Tower Road, and the current playground

will be converted into an attractive grassy area ideal for outdoor activities. The Extended Day

playground will be renovated to include new equipment installed on a special safety surface,

tricycle path, swing set, partial basketball court, grass playing field and equipment storage.

rich white


each summer, going back three or four years, students and faculty have closed up classrooms and lockers in mid-June and dashed away to enjoy the nine weeks of vacation before school launches again in September. You might assume that the school settles into a slow, quiet pace while the faculty and students are away. You would be wrong! Each summer is actually filled with major construction and renovation projects. Classrooms and laboratories have been redesigned and reconfigured, the Dining Room has been gutted and newly outfitted, the “old” Gymnasium has been made new again, and the locker rooms underneath have been raised from the dead!

For Rich White, Tower Hill School’s Facilities Development Director, the nine-week summer break is anything but slow-paced. In fact, Rich is very much aware, minute-by-minute, of the passage of each summer day. It is up to Rich to see that all of the summer construction and renovation work is completed to the highest standard, on time and on budget. This summer, with a new and grand plan to improve Tower Hill’s athletic facilities, Rich will take on a whole new challenge.

Rich has a remarkable history in the construction business. He ran his own custom home building and general contracting business, R. Allen White & Associates Inc., for 28 years. MBNA recognized Rich’s great talent and hired Rich as a Construction Manager and Facility Development officer. While there, Rich supervised a number of building projects, including the Bracebridge Hall and Deerfield Golf Course projects. Rich also worked as a consultant at the Benedictine School, managing construction projects. In 2002 Rich came to Tower Hill,

Article by

Chris Wheeler,

Headmaster

initially as a consultant to supervise the Music Building project. After successfully leading that project, Rich was invited to become a full time Tower Hill employee, supervising construction projects and adding the role of Business Manager to his plate. For the next two years he supervised every aspect of the business and facilities sides of the school. When the Capital Campaign for Tower Hill School Athletics was in its infancy, Rich was appointed the full-time job of seeing the project to fruition.

Even though the Capital Campaign became “public” on Homecoming day, Rich had already put in seven months of hard work. He organized the preliminary design work, the surveying, the architectural design work, the permits and the bidding process. In short, he laid the foundation for all the work to come.

Work on the first projects began in March. Mt.Vernon Lane has been removed and the DeGroat Field track and retaining wall has been demolished. A new track, full-sized artificial turf football/soccer/lacrosse field, concession stand and spectator stands for home and guests will be constructed. Richardson Field also began its transformation in the spring. A state-of-the-art artificial

turf surface, designed for field hockey and girls’ lacrosse, will be installed, and spectator bleachers to accommodate 400 will be placed next to the field. Two playgrounds will be constructed for our younger students, one behind the Extended Day building, the other on the corner of 19th Street and Tower Road.

You won’t have to look hard to find Rich White while all of this wonderful work is taking place. He’ll be the guy standing in the middle of the organized chaos, waving his arms, pointing here and there, directing the whole thing like a conductor leading an orchestra. And when he’s not conducting, he’ll be looking at his watch, counting down the minutes until school’s open again in the fall. We’re certain that Rich will bring the project in on time and on budget and finished to the highest standards. Tower Hill is very fortunate to have Rich White playing the role of construction Maestro!


PerSPectiveS oN the trANSformAtioN

FroM A pArent

Like most families, we cherish the unique and memorable experiences which have taken place at the athletic facilities of Tower Hill. I’ll never forget how the Extended Day playground was the “training camp” where my daughter learned how to play basketball and football with the boys. Who can forget DeGroat Field, where 1st and 2nd graders compete during gym class to see how many laps they can do to earn “feet” to proudly wear on their sneakers? Need I mention…Field Day, back to school picnics, homecoming and attending numerous athletic events! As my daughters began competing in interscholastic sports, I marveled at how they improved their mastery of the sport each year. More importantly, they learned to build friendships, create camaraderie as a team, and to develop discipline, ethics and leadership that will forever serve them well. Undoubtedly, as parents, grandparents, friends of Tower Hill or athletes, we savor the experiences leading up to and culminating in winning state championships!

Over the past decade we’ve seen the completion of magnificent enhancements to the academic and arts facilities of the school, encompassing the performing arts center, the music building, classrooms, dining hall, courtyard and the two libraries. Tower Hill is now dedicated to renovating the athletic fields, field house and playgrounds with a much needed face-lift which will benefit all students. Once again Tower Hill will become a “showcase” for athletic facilities.

While lower school parents are excited about the upgrades to the playgrounds and the physical education facilities, they also comment on how they look forward to the future when their children will play sports at the new, superior facilities. As an Upper School parent, I’m ecstatic about upcoming renovations to Richardson and DeGroat Fields. The temporary impact of the renovations (parking, closing DeGroat as a “community track” and moving spring practices to alternative sites) are small inconveniences—considering the major enhancements to come this fall.

Support of the “Campaign for Athletics” ensures superior physical education and athletic resources to match the academic and arts facilities we enjoy today. And it will be there that many more memories are made!

—Nancy Schuckert, Parent of Amanda ’03 and Emily ’10

Tower Hill is now dedicated to renovating the athletic fields, field house and playgrounds with a much needed face-lift which will benefit all students. Once again Tower Hill will become a “showcase” for athletic facilities.



FroM An AluMnus

A good school is more than books. Since its founding, Tower Hill has insisted on an environment where students could realize the potential of their bodies, whether or not they ever perceived themselves as athletes. Everyone on a team and a team for everyone was Bob DeGroat’s aphorism. At Tower Hill, all students, regardless of size, gender or dexterity, have a place in the athletic program. After a school day whose academic demands could be grueling would come an hour or two of attention to matters of the body.

From its Dewey-influenced beginnings, the school adopted the ideal expressed by the Roman poet Juvenal, mens sana in corpore sano. Corporeal development should enhance the mind. Athletics “gives the advantages of development in courage, responsibility, strength and morals,” read the school catalogue for 1929-1930. Physical education sought “development of coordination, skill, grace, poise and strength through the medium of the gymnasium.”

These goals apply equally for girls and boys. This principle, still resisted in some quarters, was standard at Tower Hill long before it became a mandate for federal funding. Tower Hill held its young women to equal standards in physical education and offered them comparable staffing, facilities and goals, long before the Olympic Games, which didn’t offer races longer than 200 meters for women until 1964. This equal treatment might explain how four Tower Hill girls beat runners from Chicago to New York to win the 1966 Penn Relays 440 relay championship. To be sure, the victory would never have happened without the remarkable Ginger Smith ‘66, a Delaware Track Hall of Fame sprinter, but also not without the moonlighting lacrosse players, Gail Straub ‘67, Carter Coates ‘66 and Dede Hardy ‘69, who made up the rest of the team.

The result of Tower Hill’s commitment to athletics has produced 87 graduating classes grateful for the opportunity, rarely equaled at any other time of their lives, to develop their physical skills, many of which they had no idea they possessed.

Tower Hill has implemented this ideal in the same way as its core academic mission—by faculty who work equally with the precocious and the knuckle-headed. Many coaches are still full-time faculty members, imbued with the rhythms of the school, familiar with the other pressures on their charges. Indeed, most Middle and Upper School teachers have mentored a sport at some point in their careers. All take their afternoon duties as seriously as the rest of the day. Gratitude grows after graduation. At a testimonial to Bob Behr as he was moving on to Williams in 1981, a former JV runner drove two hours to attend. “He cared as much about the slow runners or the average runners as the fastest ones,” Larry Durante ‘71 told the assemblage at glass-lifting time.

The twentieth century brought a new addition to American education: interscholastic sports.

Delaware’s first high school football game matched Sussex County neighbors Seaford and Laurel in 1919. A year later, newly built Tower Hill began playing its 170-year-old peer, Wilmington Friends. Offerings expanded regularly to meet student interest. Boys and girls now each have 11 sports in which to compete—more than at many large universities.

Tower Hill BulletinSpring.Summer 200716

For most, high school provides the most memorable athletic experiences of their lives. The accomplishments may appear insignificant from a distance. With few exceptions—like Meredith Keller leading the Tar Heels past Duke in field hockey or Carmen Wallace shooting 10-for-11 for the Blue Devils in double overtime at the Dean Dome—even the most fulfilling college sports experiences lack the emotional intensity of high school.

The rigor and experience also apply to non-varsity athletes. Like a 240-person cast of A Chorus Line, Tower Hill must have meaningful roles for those who unsuccessfully audition for the leads. After three months of football, DeGroat spent an equal time coaching third team basketball, teeming with the wishfully athletic. Some grew into varsity players, the rest spent afternoons pretending to be Bill Bradley, but all ended the afternoon suitably exhausted, and half were on winning teams.

For the first two-thirds of the century, state championships were held only in the individual sports—tennis, track, and wrestling—events in which Tower Hill excelled. When team tournaments were introduced, the Independent Conference abstained from the box score sports of football, basketball and baseball, but after 1976 embraced statewide competition in all games.

As with any change, something was lost. Without a tournament, half of all seasons end with a victory. In a tournament, all but one team has a downbeat ending. The encounter at Alapocas was no longer the climax, just a well-attended step on the road to Newark, Dover or Milford. Yet, much was gained. As trackmen and tennis players had known for years, statewide competition is exhilarating, bringing them closer to the greater community, leading to friendships with erstwhile rivals and permitting more ambitious goals.

The pursuit of championships must be tempered by realism. Compromise of the school’s principles and standards would be intolerable. After all, “courage, responsibility, strength and morals” are the foundation of the athletic program. In some places, parents require adult supervision. At Tower Hill, boastfulness and trash-talking have always been uncool; peer pressure tends to enforce a code of civility which was validated by Tower Hill’s receipt of the state’s sportsmanship award last year.

Many other awards and distinctions mark Tower Hill’s athletic history. A sprinter in the class of 1930, Bill Poole became a Rhodes Scholar. Bob Carpenter ‘36 hurt his pitching arm against St. Andrew’s but found greater horizons for his baseball career. Jim Wild, Ruly Carpenter, and Bill Mullis led a football team that was the envy of the state in the late 1950’s, winning all but one game over four seasons and going 16-1 in basketball in 1957 to boot. Chuck Hobbs ’65 became the state’s first sub-50-second quarter miler, Bill Neff ‘65 its first 12-foot


The result of Tower Hill’s commitment to athletics has produced 87 graduating classes grateful for the opportunity, rarely equaled at any other time of their lives, to develop their physical skills, many of which they had no idea they possessed.

17Tower Hill Bulletin Spring.Summer 2007


pole vaulter, Jeff Brokaw ‘69 its first sub-4:20 miler, Ken Williams ‘76 its first 46-foot triple jumper, Ty Roberts ‘79 its first 49-foot triple jumper, Mike Roberts ‘99 the first 49-5 triple jumper, and John Carroll ‘81 the first 6-11 high jumper. Anthony Vattilana ‘89 led champion soccer teams of 1985 and 1988. Ricky Bush and Mike Hyde led an assemblage of faculty offspring that brought a 1987 state baseball championship.

Barbara Diver and Mary Ellen Jornlin led the 1970-71 teams that were unbeaten in every sport. Sarah Cashman and Wiz Montaigne took the 1979 basketball team to the state championship game, establishing a classic Tower Hill formula: one great player, one good ball-handler and three hockey or volleyball players with court sense. Since Delaware began sponsoring a lacrosse tournament nine years ago, Tower Hill has won one-third of the championships. Sara Casscells ‘05 broke a state record in the indoor 800 that had stood for 16 years. Leigh Finnegan ‘07 matched the record of Laura LeRoy ‘84 in sweeping four consecutive state tennis championships.

And there is field hockey. Beginning with a victory in the inaugural state tournament in 1973 led by Tower Hill’s other Rhodes Scholar, Muffy Seitz, the field hockey team has won 16 state championships, the most in the nation, including eight of the last ten.

The coaches have been leaders in their fields. Betty Richardson, herself among the state’s most accomplished athletes, coached three sports annually, advised cheerleaders and set policy as girls’ athletic director. She was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. DeGroat and wrestling pioneer Bill Laurelli are bubbling up the nomination list. Bob Behr raised a generation of track stars, six of whom are Delaware Hall of Famers. Tom Cofran Sr., Patty Marshall, Bix Bush, Stu Markley, Debbie Kaiser and others were regarded as being among the elite in their sports. The current coaching corps lives up to their standards.

Success continues apace. 2006 saw dramatic field hockey and lacrosse tournament victories over conference rivals en route to state championships. Strong volleyball and boys soccer teams went deep before losing to the eventual titlists. Baseball and football won the Independent Conference. In girls tennis, Tower Hill swept all five singles and doubles titles in the state tournament. Indoors, the girls were 6th of 22 teams at the state swim meet and captured the two-mile relay in track. Boys’ lacrosse, two seasons after its state championship, retained its top-ten ranking.

Facilities have evolved. The first gym became a science lab, which later became classrooms. The second gym remains today, its wood floor and echoes providing a classic basketball or volleyball experience. The third gym, the Walter S. Carpenter Field House, is among the most versatile facilities of its kind, housing up to three activities at one time, making rained-out practices obsolete and providing Delaware’s principal venue for indoor track and field.

Now there is an effort to enlist the school and alumni community to refurnish the facilities, most of which, other than Mr. Carpenter’s field house legacy, have not undergone significant update in decades. Only a school that has already attended to its other needs, with campaigns for academics and the arts over the past dozen years, could credibly attempt this undertaking.

—Chuck Durante ‘69 , Parent of Julia ‘07


FroM A stuDent

As a senior at Tower Hill, I can openly say that the four years and twelve different seasons in which I have invested my time were some of the best times of my life. Being a part of a team at Tower Hill has allowed me to realize the importance of team sports in a young person’s life. Tower Hill athletics have defined what it means to be a part of a team. With such a small student body, each individual is forced to rely heavily on teammates, making each team more of a family than just a group of athletes. I have learned the most important lessons of my high school career in sports. Having participated in three varsity sports for four years and met my goals, I can honestly say I have but one regret—that I won’t be here to experience the new athletic facilities.

The improvements to DeGroat Field, Richardson Field, the St. Amour Baseball Field, the field house, the lacrosse field, practice fields, and the playground will undoubtedly increase popularity among players and fans and will certainly honor Tower Hill’s emphasis on a multi-talented student athlete. Respect for Tower Hill athletics will increase with the construction and reconstruction of these fields. Also, the spectator base will expand with such gorgeous facilities. Alumni appreciate and cherish the very playing fields on which they were able to compete but will genuinely admire the new renovations because they will realize athletics is as important as it was to them when they attended Tower Hill.

When asked about the renovations to the field hockey field and the installation of synthetic field turf, sophomore Mary Hobbs said, “The turf is a much faster playing field than grass and more to our style. We beat other teams with speed, and having turf at home is going to be a great advantage.” Together with the upcoming improvements to the field hockey field, the football field will be ready for the 2007 season, and the team is very excited for its installment. Being able to practice on the game field every day is a rare treat only a few teams in the state have at their disposal. The Tower Hill football field will be added to the list of the nicest facilities in the state on which to compete.

Plans are also being made to erect a new, much larger playground at the corner of Tower Road and 19th Street. Mrs. Snyder, a Pre-K teacher, had this to say about the new facility. “The new playground will be ideal for our lower school students. In addition to new developmentally appropriate equipment, a hard surface and a grass playing field will also be added which will allow our students greater opportunities for gross motor development. As a teacher, I look forward to the many choices afforded my pre-Kindergarten students.”

The renovation and construction of the athletic facilities at Tower Hill will benefit the athletes, parents, alumni, and school as a whole. Athletics at Tower Hill have continually raised the bar and redefined what it means to be a student/athlete. The new fields are a great way to pay tribute to what athletics means to us as a school community and what it means to athletes past and present. I look forward to returning in coming years to see the success of future sports teams and to honor the tradition of Tower Hill athletics.


—Brandon Harper ’07

Brandon Harper ’07Brandon Harper ’07


Field Day 2007, Ben Strine ‘19


Campaign for Athletics

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1. Groundbreaking on DeGroat Field: Rich White, Facilities Development Director; Fred Freibott, Campaign Co-Chair; Lance Weaver, President, Board of Trustees; Chris Wheeler, Headmaster; Brad duPont, Campaign Co-chair; Linda Boyden, Campaign Co-Chair; and Jack Holloway, Athletic Director.

2. Homecoming guest studies the Campaign for Athletics Master Plan displayed at Homecoming.

3. Steve Hyde ’59; Patty Marshall, Coach; Betty Richardson, past Athletic Director; and John Pierson ’59 stand at the sign honoring Betty Richardson.

4. Young Hillers proudly display their new Tower Hill caps.

5.Tower Hill students form the letters “T” and “H” during a groundbreaking ceremony on March 9 on DeGroat Football Field where artificial turf will replace the natural turf.

6. Tower Hill parents enjoying the celebration.

7. Jack Holloway, Athletic Director, announces details of the “Campaign for Athletics” to the Tower Hill community.

8. Pete Hayward ‘66, Board of Trustees; Lance and Karen Weaver

Homecoming Kickoff—October 21, 2006 . Groundbreaking on DeGroat Field—March 9, 2007

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Jacquelyn L. Hamilton, Head of the Lower School—Jacquelyn (“Jackie”) comes to Tower Hill School with tremendous experience. Since 1998 she has been Head of the Lower School of Episcopal Academy, Merion Campus, Pennsylvania. She has also served in a variety of other roles at Episcopal

Academy, including third grade teacher and English coordinator; Upper School English teacher; Upper School Reading Specialist; Director of Testing and Assessment and Director of Community Life. She began her career at Evans Elementary School in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, where she was a Second Grade teacher. She also taught reading at the Elwyn Institute and was the Lead Kindergarten Teacher at Ancona Montessori School in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Jackie has been extremely active as a presenter with the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and with the People of Color Conference over the last twenty years. She is well respected nationwide as a consultant on issues of diversity and multiculturalism. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Stratford Friends’ School and the A Better Chance organization. She has been active as an evaluator for Middle States as well.

Daniel Hickey, Director of Admissions—A graduate of Archmere Academy, Dan received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Dickinson College, a Master of Arts in Literature from American University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Dan served as an admissions counselor at

Dickinson College and American University and as Assistant Director of Admissions at American University for two years. He returned to Archmere in 1998 and has served as the Director of Admissions, an English teacher, Webmaster, and football coach since then.

William Ushler, Associate Director of Admissions—Bill has over ten years of experience in admission work at the college and school level. Most recently he was the Associate Director of Admissions at Girard College in Philadelphia. A graduate of Elizabethtown College with a B.A. in communications and an

M.S. from Shippensburg University with a concentration in counseling, Bill certainly has the skills and experience to be an asset to the admissions office. He is excited about the challenges ahead and the opportunity to work at Tower Hill.

Kathy Warner, Associate Director of Development—Kathy’s career in education began as an English teacher. After a few years in the classroom, Kathy opted to stay at home with her three boys and was active as a volunteer in their school and community in Connecticut. Kathy resumed her career

at Westminster School in Simsbury, Connecticut as an Admissions Officer. As the Associate Director of Admissions, Kathy interviewed prospective candidates, served on the Admission Committee and traveled extensively, representing Westminster to prospective families as well as visiting with current Westminster families and alumni.

In the Development Office here at Tower Hill, she has used her experience to foster better communication with our Alumni and to strengthen the involvement of the Alumni Council at Tower Hill. Kathy enjoyed working to make Homecoming 2006 and the Kick-Off for the Campaign for Tower Hill Athletics such a great success. She believes that a strong Alumni Program is key to a strong and involved school community, and it is to that end that she works as the Associate Director of Development.

Nancy Schuckert, Director of Communications—Nancy joins Tower Hill with over 20 years of experience in marketing and communications. Most recently she was Marketing Director for Deluxe Corporation and prior to that Vice President of Marketing with Providian Corporation. She completed her

undergraduate degree in English at Colorado State University, MBA courses at the University of Delaware and executive marketing programs at Columbia University and the University of Missouri. As a Tower Hill parent for the past 11 years, she has been actively involved in the life of the school as the editor of the FOCUS and Bravo! newsletters, the communications chair for the Spring Social and a Parent Representative.

Welcome to Tower HillCampaign for Athletics

Spring.Summer 2007 Tower Hill Bulletin22


For Colley, there is value in trying new things and taking chances with students. Colley recalls a couple of students who “were capable students —but there was a work ethic that stood out as I remember them.” One, he remembers, “had a terrible time in my class.” But then came a film project Colley introduced to the class during the January doldrums and things began to change. It was there that Colley began working with video projects. “Actually, my students started calling Civil War historians and began to put together these interviews for a local cable access show.” He remembers proudly sitting in his apartment while attending Columbia when he saw their production on a New York cable access station still showing the documentary five years after its creation.

What do his Tower Hill Upper School history students say about him today? While “Mr. Bell knows basically everyone in the world and has some relation to him about every different chapter we learn about in history,” commented one student, another described his interest in history as an “obsession with the zeitgeist.” Seeing “Mr. Bell as one of the most passionate teachers,” others believe that he should “be on the presidential ticket for the 2008 election!” For Tower Hill, the benefits are simply palpable!

ulta Bene Facta… an apt and appropriate description of Tower Hill’s Assistant Headmaster, Colley Bell. Colley came to Tower Hill two years ago as the school’s Assistant Headmaster, and he has not stopped for a moment. From the beginning, he orchestrated the installation of our new Headmaster and then oversaw the revamping of all our communication and publication work. He is currently implementing the school’s new fully interactive web site and preparing work for a scheduling task force. Today he is helping Chris Wheeler coordinate new hires, and he takes many of the school photographs and teaches U.S. History. You will usually see his golf cart and dogs parked on the Alumni House patio on any given Saturday or Sunday while he works on his eclectic group of projects and devotes his time and energy to all things related to Tower Hill.

Those who have come to know Colley recognize him as a dedicated educator with a most diverse set of skills and talents. Headmaster Chris Wheeler knew Colley could be plopped into almost any area in school life and make it better. Chris remarked, “I knew I needed someone who would bring a wide range of experiences to the leadership team.” Lake Forest Academy’s Headmaster, John Strudwick, quipped, “I knew I had hired a great Dean; I had no idea I also had a Cecil B. DeMille in my midst.” (Cecil B. DeMille was one of the most successful filmmakers during the first half of the 20th century.) Those who were lucky enough to sit through Colley’s work on the Tower Hill Spring Social video understand the comparison. But Colley will be quick to change the subject and would rather talk of students and schools.

W H e N PA S S i o N A N D tA L e N t M e e t:

COLLEY BELLFor Colley, that conversation began around the dinner table where his father was a headmaster of an all-girls’ boarding school in Kentucky. Students in Colley’s classroom will hear stories of growing up in the atmosphere of a small, southern town in the 1960s, and it is particularly in the classroom where Colley is most content.

He attributes his many talents to his family who impressed the notion of service to others and to his days at an all-boys boarding school in North Carolina. “It was one of the last all- boys’ Episcopal boarding schools in the country, cut out of the old Father Sill’s model at Kent School.” Colley added, “Christ School’s mission was to mold the total boy into honorable manhood—we milked cows, played three sports, acted in the plays, sang in the choir, and fought through Faulkner’s Absolum, Absolum.”

Over his career, Colley has worked in four other independent schools and served them in a variety of capacities. He was Director of Residence and Dean of Students in two of them, but he was first and foremost a teacher of U.S. and Russian history. He also taught Middle School History, History of the Civil War, Ancient History, and even Geography. His coaching resume includes varsity soccer, lacrosse, track and tennis. He also revamped school events such as graduation, because Colley will remind us, “School celebrations transmit important messages about the school.” One of Colley’s mentors added, “Colley has a great respect for the past; he is always teaching, with every step he takes, and with every move he makes, he preaches, he lectures, and he cajoles, in order that a school’s traditions, Lazarus-like forsake death, leave its tomb and walk about the land.”

Article by

Nancy Schuckert,

Director of

Communications

M


TowerNet: www.towerhill.orgVisit us and login to our new web site!

Celebrate our history with an online version of our school history book, Forever Green.

1. About Tower Hill • meet our Headmaster • our mission • facts and stats • faculty/staff directory • visit the school store Tower Togs

2. Admission • online viewbook • tuition and financial aid info • frequently asked questions • meet our admission staff • online inquiry

3. Teaching & Learning • it’s what Tower Hill is all about • look at programs in each division • athletic pages take you to scores, game schedules and photos

4. News & Calendar • the latest news and announcements • real-time calendars • photo galleries • archive of news stories

5. Alumni • reconnect with your classmates • giving and annual fund info • class notes updated, published • this fall, sign-up to be a mentor, online event regisration available

6. Parents & Friends • Home & School information • annoucements • photo galleries • resources from Tower Hill

7. Multimedia Library view our ever growing photo, mp3 and video collections

8. Login Password-protected access to your own personal “portal page”

Last August Tower Hill launched its new web site with the help of our friends at WhippleHill. We are now turning a significant corner, and with that we are introducing you to Tower Net.

Tower Net is the new name not only of our web site, but it is the school’s integrated database. There are new functions that have come online for both parents and alumni such as setting up your own personalized

web pages based on your interests and the information you would like to see. Also, you can create a group portal. Alumni can share upcoming events, class notes, photographs, class giving and more.

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9. Celebrate Our Past Watch our document, photo, video and mp3 archives grow!

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STEP ONE LOGINCentral to our new web site is the fact that you can enter a SECURE site. Only members of the

Tower Hill community may access this area of the site. You can also create your own PERSONAL

PORTAL PAGE and have relevant Tower Hill School information every time you login.

1. At any page, click your affiliation (alumni, parent, etc.)

2. Enter your USERNAME and PASSWORD in the upper left corner LOGIN BOX.

3. Click SIGN IN. If your Username/Password are not working, click “Help.”

4. You will be prompted to update your Password.

5. Please take a moment to review your PROFILE (address, phone, email, etc.) You may update it at anytime.

Alumni: Username=first+lastname+lasttwodigitsofyourclass(HenryClay78) Password =HomeZipCode

Parents: Username=first+lastname(HenryClay) Password =HomeZipCode

Students: Username=first+lastname+lasttwodigitsofyourclass(HenryClay78) Password =TowerHillID#

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STEP TWO PORTALCreating your own portal allows you to view Tower Hill information that is relative to your

interests. Here are six easy steps to get you started with making your own portal at Tower Hill.

1. The “School Portal” will appear whenever you login. “Welcome Henry” is displayed with a lock icon confirming you’re in a secure environment.

2. Look on the left hand side of the school portal and click “Create My Portal.”

3. Enter a name (i.e., “Henry’s Portal”) for your portal and click ADD.

4. Personalize your portal by adding your choice of CHANNELS we provide. Click EDIT.

5. Click the ADD CONTENT tab, and from the list, add the content you want to appear on your portal. You may click as many channels as you want.

6. Grab the letters on the channel headings and move them from one column (or cell) to another. This lets you design where you want your information.

Tower Hill’s GROUP PAGES (pg. 27) will give our online community a powerful building tool to ALL our constituents!

step two

Tower Hill’s

web site will include

even more features as

WhippleHill rolls out its

new software. Look for

those updates on

our web site!

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www.towerhill.orgLook for our web training sessions this fall for parents, alumni, past parents, grandparents— the whole Tower Hill community!!


In the midst of a discussion about the future of our curriculum, a faculty member announced, with some degree of frustration, “We’re college obsessed!” I am not sure what “we” was being referred to, but it is a big group. I would venture to say that a conservative approach would include a high percentage of parents whose children are between the ages of fifteen and eighteen and everyone associated with them. Given the limits of space and time, I want to mention just two aspects of this “obsession.”

I mentioned that this comment was made in a curriculum discussion, but let me go further. It certainly feels to us as though there is a movement to create a standard curriculum across the nation. For those students who are interested in college, the closest approximation of a “standard curriculum” is Advance Placement

courses. Colleges would then have a curriculum with known “quality” and a convenient way to compare college-bound students. From our perspective, AP courses are quality programs in most but not all cases. They can be quite limiting as students are preparing for a specific exam. Instructors at Tower Hill have responded by adjusting courses to create what I will call “AP plus” courses. Even so, there is a sense that one cannot stray too far and still prepare for the AP exams. The result, taken to the next level, is that some subject areas have abandoned the AP curriculum totally. As a college preparatory school, we must heed college entrance requirements, but not at the expense of giving our students the best education possible. Thus, we are having active conversations about whether to continue to offer AP courses or whether we follow other equally demanding college preparatory schools in creating our own courses that will better prepare our students for college

and life beyond. This is a real dilemma, as getting a good education and the college admissions “game” can be at cross purposes. We as educators want our students to receive a great education as well as compete successfully in the college admissions arena.

The other part of the obsession is one shared by parents and the school. Both groups can easily fall into the trap of looking at every school experience as “resumé building.” We push students to do more and more and fill their days with additional homework assignments, SAT prep courses, or activities that will “look good” on their college application or will give them a perceived advantage. As parents, we can lose the joy of watching them grow up as well as the chance for them to enjoy their youth. As a school, we risk losing the opportunity to encourage them to develop and follow their interests, to truly engage them in learning for the joy of learning, and to encourage and nurture personal qualities like integrity that we hope they will have as adults.

So what is part of the answer to this? I would suggest that we at school as well as parents must remember that in the end “our” children are still adolescents. For us, that means they need role models, encouragement, and structure that will help them develop those all-important values, while knowing that they are recognized as individuals. For parents, they need many of the same things. Encourage your children, discipline them when needed, but also enjoy them, as they will soon be moving on.

Article by

Harry N.

Baetjer III,

Head of

Upper School

UPPer SCHooL

Tower Hill School News


third and fourth grade parents what the children have learned, what we have learned from the children, and how that knowledge will help us as we respond to them.

Our fourth grade Cultural Explorers have worked diligently with faculty to select and to celebrate the literary and artistic gifts of their peers. Recently, a poem about hot chocolate was read to all of us while lunching in the dining hall. The town meetings provided opportunities for fourth grade students to organize a forum with faculty to present the contributions that lower school children make to enhance our program.

We completed this school year’s journey as a community of learners.

Tower Hill School News

Article by

Jacquelyn L.

Hamilton,

Head of

Lower School

LoWer SCHooL

MiDDLe SCHooL

Article by

John E.

Newlin III,

Head of

Middle School

This has been an exciting year in the Middle School in many ways. This year our “Signature Strength” program has dovetailed with our Octave elective sessions. The initial focus of the year was Curiosity, which coincided neatly with the screening of the new Curious George movie. Our students have exemplified that trait in the most positive sense, exploring many new areas of learning, adventure, athletics, and the arts, while honing their learning, study and output skills.

Early in the year, the fifth graders became more fully integrated into their new lives as “traveling learners” as they

Outside the 1919 Auditorium, one can hear children and teachers singing, “The more we get together…for your friends are my friends and my friends are your friends…” during the twice monthly pre-kindergarten and kindergarten gatherings. Pre-kindergarten continues to build on the gathering experience within the Lower School by sharing their creative work with the first grade throughout the school year. Our first grade students learn about service to the school community through the ongoing project of recycling newspapers and magazines. Providing opportunities for children to build community and to navigate comfortably within and beyond the school community is key in assisting them in the acquisition of those tools necessary for success as lifelong learners.

As we consider and plan for building community at Tower Hill, the word “respect” emerges. How does that relate to the ways in which children learn? As a faculty, we challenge ourselves to create environments that are safe, where trust

exists, where children have a voice and a place, and where the risk-taking that often accompanies learning can occur. Within these environments we want to see respect embedded in the dialogue as we help students to ask good questions, to value inquiry, to listen to one another, to develop the habit of thoughtful reflection—to learn and to grow.

This year, our second grade faculty has moved beyond the planning stages of a relationship initiated last year with the Eastside Charter School. In addition to making new second grade friends through a pen-pal relationship, we visited our friends at Eastside to work on a collaborative activity. We are also hosted Eastside second grade children at Tower Hill before the school year’s end.

Social cognition groups, or “Friendship Circles,” have begun in the third and fourth grade. Children have worked with Dr. Amy Cuddy, school psychologist, to strengthen skills in collaboration and social interaction, which will reinforce inter- and intra-personal development. Through our Coffee and Roundtable discussions we reported back to our

spent a glorious day at Sandy Hill Camp, bonding with one another and their advisors. The sixth graders followed suit weeks later, developing their range of cooperation and collaboration as they challenged themselves on the high ropes course, also at Sandy Hill. Finally, it was the eighth graders’ turn to live, work and play together for three days at Cape Henlopen, as they seined, had an archaeological dig, orienteered and sharpened their sensory observational skills. Later, the seventh graders ventured to the Aquatic Resource Center in Smyrna to see nature at work in a wild and beautiful salt marsh setting.

Band and choral groups have displayed improved musical abilities with each

performance during the year, students have completed a wide variety of art projects, and teams have completed exciting sports seasons, with considerable success. Given the many activities, it is all the more pleasing to have seen our students work so hard and achieve many terrific things in their academic pursuits.


Ann Ashley will be retiring from Tower Hill to spend more time with her family. We are thankful for her 11 years of dedication as a Lower

School art teacher and wish her the best. We will miss you, Ann!


Projects include both two- and three-dimensional approaches using materials such as paints, clay, oil pastels, chalk, pencil, marker, wire and other building mediums.

While the classroom environment and discussions expose students to many different artists’ work and styles, children are encouraged to develop their own sense of aesthetics and rely on personal judgment as they find inspiration in the world around them and their own experiences.

Each child comes into the art room and expresses himself according to his individual background and experiences. Even though students have varied backgrounds and degrees of artistic talent, they are all exposed to all of the art Tower Hill has to offer. The Pierre S. duPont Art Gallery is open to all students, and tours are often part of class time.

In the third grade, with a continuation into fourth grade, we focus on Art History, which supports the third grade reading curriculum. Field trips have included the Barnes Museum and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The main message is that in art, there is no right or wrong answer…in fact there are infinite possibilities. Every child has the opportunity to succeed and we, as parents and teachers, need to encourage exposure and imagination in all of the arts, so that our children will keep these ways alive. The art room is where mind and spirit are unleashed, and caution—the enemy of art—goes out the window.

hat a joyful experience to witness the creative

minds of young children. Self expression coupled with

assorted mediums provides the pathway to visual outlet. Artistic license ensures the ride. Mess, noise and frenetic energy create the landscape of sense and sound. And, the smell of paint, glue and clay becomes the spark for lifetime memories of Lower School art rooms. Where else do small pairs of hands and raw materials amass infinite possibility?

The art program at Tower Hill strives to foster each child’s creative and imaginative nature while providing knowledge of techniques, visual concepts, and vocabulary. Lower School art projects are designed to stimulate awareness of artistic elements such as line, shape, color and texture. There is continued experimentation with a wide variety of mediums, encouraging self-expression and creative interpretation.

Caution is the Enemy of Art

Article by

Ann Ashley,

Lower

School Art

Teacher

W


TOWER HILL Annual Fund

Kevin Ruth received his BAs (French, German) and his MA (Comparative Literature) from the Pennsylvania State University and his Ph.D. (Comparative Literature) from Rutgers University. He first taught world literature, mythology, French, and German at Penn State before beginning his independent school career at Newark Academy in Livingston, NJ. He joined Tower Hill in 2001 as an Upper School French instructor. Currently Kevin serves as chair of the Classical & Modern Languages Department, associate college guidance counselor (through spring 2008), and teaches Upper School French and Latin. He has taken trips to Quebec, France, Spain, and Italy with Tower Hill students, and recently oversaw the launch of an exchange program with the Lycée St-Just in Lyon, France.

Since moving to Delaware in 2001, Kevin has also worked for the MBNA Education Foundation, reviewing grant applications from K-12 schools (public, private, and parochial) throughout Delaware, as well as working with Delaware teachers to prepare a number of grant proposals. He began to volunteer his time in the Development Office at Tower Hill in August 2006, specifically in the area of reviewing our past foundation grants as well as identifying potential relationships with new foundations. With an interest in planned giving, online auctions, and strategic planning for Development, Kevin will become the Development Officer for Planned Giving for Tower Hill on July 1, 2007.

Kevin’s other interests include travel, cooking, reading, archaeology, and farming. He owns a wine consultant business and can sometimes be found moonlighting at Moore Brothers Wine Company in Trolley Square.

Tower Hill’s New Development Officer for Planned Giving

Give every year...impact every day

Our outstanding faculty and students fill us with pride at Tower Hill. Behind their daily achievements are gifts each year to the Annual Fund that ensure the high level of excellence in education that Tower Hill has consistently provided.

After last year’s record-breaking year for the Annual Fund, we have set the bar high again this year. As we approach the end of the school year and our fund-raising for 2006-2007, we need your support—now more than ever. This has been a terrific year for the Tower Hill Annual Fund. With a $600,000 goal, we are very close to meeting and surpassing it!

Every gift is important—no matter what size. It’s the participation that counts!

Gifts to the Annual Fund play a critical role in funding Tower Hill’s budget, closing the gap between tuition payments and actual costs. Each gift contributes to the day-to-day excellence and future of our faculty and students. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, alumni, friend, faculty or staff, you can attest to the academic, athletic and artistic rigor that surrounds each student—the bedrock upon which the school was founded. You are the steward of an educational tradition that is distinctive when you participate in the Annual Fund.

If you have not given this year, we hope you will be inclined to give to the Tower Hill Annual Fund today. If you have already given, the entire Tower Hill community thanks you for your kind and thoughtful generosity.

The deadline for donating to this fiscal year’s Annual Fund is June 30th. We accept checks, credit cards and gifts of stocks and annuities. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Development Office at (302) 657-8353.

You may donate on line by going to www.towerhill.org, click on Alumni in the upper right corner, click on Gifts and then click Make a Gift. It is easy and secure.

Your tax-deductible donation will be evidence that those who share the past believe in the future.

Give every year...impact every student


Planned Giving

Planned/Deferred GiftsDeferred gifts are a wonderful way to contribute to Tower Hill School. Such gifts may be arranged through

trusts, annuities, and other estate planning vehicles. If you would like to learn more about these estate planning

ideas, please contact Kevin Ruth by email at [email protected] or by phone at (302) 575-0550 x236.

The Forever Green SocietyTower Hill School is dedicated to developing student potential in intellect, character and well-being through the four areas of

our school shield: arts, academics, athletics, and music. By remembering Tower Hill School in their wills and by making other

kinds of planned gifts, Forever Green Society members are providing leadership to the community and promoting a bright

future for generations of Hillers to come. The Forever Green Society honors them for their commitment, generosity, and vision.


Membership in the Forever Green SocietyThe Forever Green Society recognizes the alumni, parents and other members of the Tower Hill School community who establish a deferred gift arrangement with the school. Examples of planned gifts include:

• Outright gift of cash or securities

Deferred Gifts:

• Bequest (via one’s Will; Specific dollar amount; percentage of the estate; combination of the aforementioned; contingency benefit; codicil bequest into a trust)

• Life insurance policy

• Charitable lead trust

• Charitable remainder trust

• Real Estate (life tenancy or fractional interest)

A bequest intention or planned gift of any size qualifies a donor for membership in the Forever Green Society. Unrestricted gifts are usually added to the school’s endowment. Other gifts may be made to a variety of established funds, or the donor may wish to establish and name a new fund.

Naming opportunities may be discussed with the Director of Development (Edwina Bell, [email protected]) at the donor’s convenience.

Membership in the Forever Green Society is a testimony to a donor’s commitment to a quality Tower Hill education and perpetuates the donor’s legacy with the school. Providing for Tower Hill in this way serves to provide leadership in philanthropy and to extend such leadership to the greater school community, thereby sustaining the school.

BequestsOne of the easiest ways to join the Forever Green Society is to designate Tower Hill School as a beneficiary in your will. If your will is already written, you may add Tower Hill as a beneficiary by instructing your attorney to include a codicil to your bequest intentions.

You may specify that an exact dollar amount, a particular asset, or a portion or all of your residuary estate be given to Tower Hill School. You may also specify that part of your bequest be used to first provide a life income for a family member.

Life InsuranceAs a gift, life insurance can be flexible, private and confidential, workable into an annual or lifetime budget, and tax deductible for income and/or estate tax purposes.

Gifts of life insurance are relatively easy to make. There is no gift tax, and the donor’s estate will not be taxed on the value of the policy because it is payable to a qualified charity.

Retirement Assets Gifts of retirement plan assets to Tower Hill School may be particularly appealing because these assets are often subjected to several taxes: (1) federal income tax; (2) federal estate tax [upon the death of you and your spouse], and (3) state income and estate taxes. This kind of taxation may leave only 25 cents on the dollar available for heirs. There are several ways to give these retirement assets to Tower Hill School: (a) name Tower Hill School as the primary or secondary beneficiary of your retirement plan by contacting your plan administrator and completing a new beneficiary form; (b) take structured withdrawals from your retirement plan, beginning at age 59 1/2 or 70 1/2 and make outright gifts to Tower Hill School that produce a charitable deduction; and (c) set up a Charitable Remainder Trust in your will into which you transfer


any residual funds in your retirement plan at your death, naming your surviving spouse or children as income benefi ciaries for life or a term of years and Tower Hill School as the charitable remainder “person.” Tower Hill School, under any of these arrangements, will receive a full dollar for every dollar remaining in your retirement account

Charitable Remainder TrustsA Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) is a separately invested and managed charitable trust that pays income to you, or to benefi ciaries you name, for life or a term of specifi ed years. At the termination of the trust, the principal goes to Tower Hill School. A Charitable Remainder Trust provides remarkable fl exibility. You can use a variety of assets to fund it: cash, publicly traded stocks and bonds, closely-held stock, real estate, and, in some instances, tangible personal property. You can groom it to suit your needs: build retirement income, generate a higher income from assets you currently own, or provide for your spouse, family members or other benefi ciaries. You can name a bank, Tower Hill School, or yourself as the trustee.

There are two basic types of Charitable Remainder Trusts:

(1) A Unitrust, which pays a variable income (typically between 5-7% per year) based on a fi xed percentage of the trust assets as revalued once a year.

One advantage of a unitrust is that your income can increase as the trust principal grows over time. Also, you may make additional contributions to the unitrust principal at any time.

(2) An Annuity Trust, which gives you the opportunity to choose to receive a fi xed dollar amount from the trust each year. Those donors who are interested in the security of a fi xed annual income often prefer the annuity trust. Additional contributions cannot be made to annuity trusts.

Charitable Lead Trust A charitable lead trust is a powerful way to make a future transfer of assets to your heirs at a signifi cantly reduced gift and estate tax cost. During a specifi ed number of years, an annuity or a fi xed percentage of the trust assets is paid to Tower Hill School. At the end of the trust term, the assets are passed to the named benefi ciaries. There are two types of lead trusts: non-grantor and grantor. In a non-grantor lead trust, the assets revert to one’s children, grandchildren, or other heirs. In a grantor lead trust, the assets revert to the donor rather than to his/her heirs, at the end of the term. A grantor lead trust may be useful if the donor wishes to accelerate future charitable deductions.

For people who have signifi cant assets, a charitable lead trust offers gift and estate tax relief. For example, a non-

grantor charitable lead trust has these advantages: (1) the donor receives a charitable gift tax deduction for the annual trust payments to Tower Hill School; and (2) the income earned by the trust is excluded from the donor’s gross income and is, therefore, not taxable to the donor (in effect, this produces a reduction of taxes over the trust term.); and (3) any appreciation in the assets during the term of the trust is not subject to additional gift or estate taxation. As a result, a donor can pass on to his/her heirs a larger estate after taxes than would otherwise be possible. A charitable lead trust can be funded with publicly-traded securities, closely-held stock, income-producing real estate, partnership interests or a combination of these. A charitable lead trust can be established during the donor’s lifetime as a testamentary trust under his/her will, or through a pour-over from a “dry” trust established during his/her lifetime. For more information on Planned/Deferred gifts and estate planning ideas, contact Kevin Ruth at (302) 575-0550 x 236. The aforementioned estate planning ideas, descriptions, and illustrations are provided as an educational service and should not be interpreted as fi nancial or legal advice. Please consult your own fi nancial and legal advisors for the plans and instruments most appropriate to your particular circumstances.

Article by

Kevin Ruth,

Development

Offi cer for

Planned Giving


FriDAy, oCtober 26

6:00 pm Tower Hill JV Volleyball vs. Sanford in the gym

7:30 pm Tower Hill Varsity Volleyball vs. Sanford in the gym

SAtUrDAy, oCtober 27

8:00 am Homecoming 5K Run/Walk: Free t-shirts for the first 150 who send in their registration Registration under the tent—Event starts at 8:30 a.m.

9:00 am Sue Johnson Tennis Round Robin Tower Hill Tennis Courts—All skill levels are welcome

9:30 am Alumni Soccer and Field Hockey games Come play on our new fields!

10:00 am School Tour Athletic fields, Playgrounds, Main Building, 1919 Auditorium Take a tour of the campus with Headmaster Wheeler

11:00 am Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey vs. St. Andrews—Richardson Field

12:00 pm Boys’ Varsity Soccer vs. Wilmington Christian St. Amour Soccer Field

Noon–2 pm Lunch under the Reunion Tent

12:30 pm Girls’ JV Field Hockey vs. St. Andrews—Richardson Field

2:00 pm Varsity Football vs. Red Lion Christian Academy DeGroat Field

5:30 pm Reunion Reception for classes ending in 2 and 7 Tower Hill Dining Room/Courtyard

SC

HE

DU

LE

OF

EV

EN

TS

O’er the earth our feet may wander,

Back we come at last …

True to Tower Hill

forever.

Tower Hill Homecoming & Reunion 2007Tower Hill School’s Homecoming and Reunion Weekend is October 26–October 28, 2007. Classes ending in “2” and “7” will be celebrating their reunion! Be sure to save the date and plan to attend.

On Saturday, October 27, Tower Hill has events planned for everyone. In the morning, join us for a 5K Run/Walk, participate in alumni soccer and field hockey games on the new fields and take a tour of the school to see the newly renovated areas, including the athletic facilities. Grab a bite to eat at our picnic lunch and watch athletic events in the afternoon. In the evening, mingle with other reunion classes at a cocktail reception on the Tower Hill campus.

A few classes have already begun to plan special dinners, parties, and brunches for their reunion. If you would like to join a committee, organize a dinner, or just offer suggestions, please contact Kathryn Warner in the Alumni Office at (302) 657-8353 or e-mail: [email protected].

Interested in helping with your reunion but don’t want to take on the entire responsibility? Just let us know and we will connect you with other classmates who are willing to help. Don’t be shy! The Tower Hill Alumni Office makes it easy for you. We will offer suggestions and provide sample letters that have worked best in the past. We will prepare and produce all letters, forms and questionnaires for you. And, we will pay for all postage.

It’s not too early. The best reunions are those that are planned well in advance. See you in October!


NAME/S CLASS OF

HOME PHONE E-MAIL

How many of you will be joining us for lunch?

_____ alumni/family _____ students _____ parents

_____ grandparents _____ faculty/staff _____ friends

How many of you will be joining us for the cocktail reception on Saturday evening, October 27?

NAME/S CLASS OF

SUE JOHNSON ROUND ROBIN TENNIS

NAME/S

NAME/S

HOMECOMING 5K RUN/WALK

NAME

o run o walk Relation to Tower Hill ____________ Age_____

t-shirt size: o S o M o L o XL

NAME



NAME



Det

ach

an

d m

ail

or f

ax t

o To

wer

Hil

l S

choo

l

Reunion/Homecoming Registration

Please mail or fax this completed registration form to: Tower Hill School, 2813 West 17th Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19806 Phone: (302) 657-8353 Fax: (302) 657-8373 www.towerhill.org

Tower Hill Homecoming & Reunion 2007

Waiver for Tennis and 5K: In consideration of this entry being accepted, I __________________________, intending to be legally bound, hereby for myself, my heirs, executors, and administrators, waive and release any and all rights I may have against the organization holding this event, its agents, representatives, successors, and assigns for any and all injuries suffered by me at said play/race.


ON THE HILL ON THE HILL1. Swim-team members cheer

on their fellow teammates!

2. Upper School Jazz band performs during the

Evening of the Arts in May

3. First/Second Grade Play

4. Spring Musical—Camelot: Mary Hobbs ’09 and John

Robinson, US English

5. Spring Musical—Camelot: Melissa Lynch ‘07

6. Arthur Ganson, a kinetic sculptor from Boston, shares one

of his 15 pieces with students during the Tower Hill exhibition

of “A Few Machines: Kinetic Sculpture” during March.

7. Tower Hill wrestler goes for the pin!

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8. Field Day—May 25, 2007

9. 5th Grade Kabuki drama performance—April, 2007

10. Grandparents’ Day— April 27, 2007. Trustee Charlie Gummey and wife Winkie Fairman Gummey ‘61 with grandson Harry Quimby ‘17

11. Homecoming 2006— Student eagerly watches sporting event

12. Upper School Orchestra performs during the Evening of the Arts

ON THE HILL ON THE HILL

Dr. S. Ward Casscells III ‘70 sent the following email in November 2006 to Tower Hill about his experiences stationed in Iraq. It is rare to have

such first-hand accounts of the war and conditions of Iraq.

40 Spring.Summer 2007 Tower Hill Bulletin

from BAGHDAD

to TOWER HILL

Tower Hill was honored to have Dr. Casscells speak on March 6 as a supplement to the Forum series on the theme of “Achieving Peace, Stability and Democracy in the Middle East.”

Dr. Casscells was appointed this spring as President Bush’s Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and is responsible for overall supervision of the health and medical affairs of the Department of Defense.

Wednesday, November 8, 2006

Dear Tower Hill,

I am in the last month of my tour of duty here in Baghdad as an Army reservist (medical corps). My job has been to advise our tireless United States Ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, on health policy.

These are very dedicated medical personnel here in Iraq, mostly from the United States but also Britain, Australia, Korea and other coalition nations. We have been shelled and shot at weekly. Just this week, my clinic manager was shot and an AK 47 round landed at my feet as I left church yesterday. Worse, they attack the clinics we build for them. Why someone would dress as a woman and come in and blow themselves up and kill patients including Iraqi women and children just to kill a few of us, or kidnap and torture a doctor (almost 200 Iraqi doctors) or a soccer coach of imam (a man who leads prayers in a mosque), to death, then do the same to those who come with a ransom, is beyond understanding.

It has been going on here for centuries, but it was not on our televisions until we arrived here. The problem is that it is like fixing an old house or car, or operating on a patient with cancer or abscesses: things get worse before they get better. You make costly mistakes that in retrospect look obvious but were far from obvious at the time.

Americans have trouble understanding that Iraqis are used to suffering and abuse and mainly respect strength. Fairness and compromise are signs of weakness, and the weak are made to serve or be killed.

This land where crops were first cultivated, the wheel invented, the first laws promulgated, that gave birth to Noah, Jonah, Job, and Abraham, has been subjugated for many centuries and is now poor and used to living on handouts from the government: oil revenues (those that remain after a few corrupt ministers help themselves) are used to buy foreign crops. They have not grown enough to feed themselves for decades!

Most Iraqis are so doubtful that things can ever improve, that they just do not want to work hard for long-term goals (“No one else is investing in our future so why should we?”). Most do not believe they can master technical things. The average Iraqi has a fourth grade education. Worse, those who stand out are marked for death. It is like when we had ghettos terrorized by gangs: fear and greed lead to killings and revenge killing (“honor”). Elderly and women Iraqis survive by laying low, young men by joining a gang or militia, middle-aged men by accumulating graft and bribes until they can emigrate. Also emigrating are the doctors and technical experts: “Those with get up and go, got up and went.”

Nevertheless there are some Iraqis who care about the whole country, not just their tribe or religious sect. Of these, some have great courage, wisdom and patience and commitment to a long struggle (“You Americans have all the watches, but we have all the time.”) I do think that we will leave here having shown them that civilized people can be tough but fair. They are proud of the Saddam trial (as I, the day I spent there in the courtroom). Now they have a free press, an elected government, and they all have cell phones, Internet and cars. We are learning how to protect from sabotage the water, sewers, roads, electricity and oil pipelines. Once these are rebuilt, Iraq will be a rich country, and eventually peaceful and just. Most of us think that will take a generation or two, as it did in India, Northern Ireland and Vietnam.

I think we will be out of here as soon as they have a police force that is not controlled by the militias, but that call is above my pay grade. As for me, I leave after Thanksgiving. There are four redheads waiting for me in Houston, and even though I have gone completely white-haired over here, I think they will recognize me.

With gratitude for 14 years of Tower Hill,


Colonel (Dr.) S. Ward Casscells

Spring.Summer 2007 Tower Hill Bulletin42

Samuel Ward Casscells, III was born March 18, 1952 in Wilmington, DE. He received the B.S. in biology cum laude from Yale in 1974, and the M.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School in 1979, winning the Reznick Prize for his research with Nobel Laureate Bernard Lown, M.D.

His residency in medicine was at the Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Community Health Plan, and his cardiology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, with a Kaiser Fellowship in clinical epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.

From 1985 to 1991, Dr. Casscells served in the Cardiology Branch at the National Institutes of Health, followed by a sabbatical year at Scripps Institutes of Medicine and Science in La Jolla, California working under Nobel Laureate Roger Guillemin, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Casscells is primarily involved in patient care, teaching and research on vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque (detection and prevention of heart attack and stroke) with James T. Willerson, M.D. He was the first to identify influenza as a cause of heart attacks. In addition, he is known for his work in growth factors, web-based health education, disaster medicine, and the costs, ethics, and policy implications of new technologies.


S. Ward Casscells, M.D.Biographical Sketch

The founding chairman of Defense Of Houston, which won the 2002 Best Practice Award from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Casscells also leads the US Army’s T5 program (Texas Training and Technology against Trauma and Terrorism). He and his team have assisted in many major disasters from the Oklahoma City bombing and Tokyo sarin gas attack to Hurricane Katrina. In January 2005 he organized a tsunami relief effort and conducted a technology needs assessment in Phuket.

A Colonel in the US Army Reserve, Dr Casscells was mobilized in 2005 and assisted in the Army’s response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, for which he was awarded the Army Achievement Medal. For guiding the Army’s avian influenza preparedness, he received the Meritorious Service Medal. For his service in Baghdad from August – December 2006 he received the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device. Based on its annual poll, The Washington Times named him one of the top ten ‘Nobles of 2006.”

He and his wife Roxanne Bell Casscells, a leader in historic preservation, have three children, and are members of Christ Church Cathedral in Houston.


1. Attendees of the Spring Social enjoy one of the Labrador puppies during the Silent Auction

2. Betty Richardson, Athletic Director 1951–1996 returned to Tower Hill for the Spring Social

3. Parents, Terry Murphy (Spring Social Treasurer) and Elaine Freibott (Silent Auction Chair) savor the moment when the evening finally arrived

4. Mike Castle ‘57, State Representative and former Governor of Delaware

5. Jack Holloway, Athletic Director, was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening

6. Guests dance to the Boulevard Band

7. Chris Morrow, Athletic Trainer, and Stu Markley, teacher and coach from 1985–2002

8. Co-Chairs of the Campaign for Athletics—Brad duPont, Linda Boyden and Fred Freibott

Tower Hill Spring Social

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9. Upper School Choral Ensemble performs for guests in the P.S. duPont Arts Center

10. Patti Isken and Liza Morton, Co-Chairs for the Spring Social

11. Headmaster, Chris Wheeler

12. Jodi Keller and guests celebrate the coming together of the Tower Hill community

13. Guests watch an evocative video presentation produced for the Campaign for Athletics

14. Delicious hors d’oeuvres and cocktails were served during the Silent Auction

15. Over 130 items were on display at the Silent Auction

16. John Pierson ’59, Sr. Development Officer, and Mehmet Oz ‘78, well-known heart surgeon, pay tribute to past and future athletes, highlighting the much needed athletic renovations

17. Nancy Greenberg, Kathy Trapnell and Lesley Nicholson

18. Alice Saunders, Chris Saunders and Lelia Nutting

19. Black Labrabor puppy in the Silent Auction

20. Silent Auction included vacations/getaways, jewelry, sporting events, entertainment, student artwork, original Tower Hill locker doors and Headmaster of the Day/Lower School Head of the Day.

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Tower Hill Spring Social


Alumni Highlightst o W e r H i L L

Ellen Jamison Kullman ’74

Once a foul-prone center on the basketball team, balancing athletics and academics, today she is one of the leaders at a Fortune 500 company, balancing the demands of business with family and personal life.

Ellen Jamison Kullman’s journey to the executive suite at DuPont has been influenced by what she learned at Tower Hill and not just in the classroom. Ellen received a BS degree in mechanical engineering from Tufts University (where she also played basketball) and a MBA from Northwestern University. After a few years in marketing/business management at GE, she returned to Delaware to join DuPont.

In 1995, Ellen became DuPont’s first woman to run a major business unit. In 2002, she was named Group Vice President of the Safety and Protection products, DuPont’s fastest growing and most profitable business. In her current position as Executive Vice President, she is also responsible for DuPont’s Coating and Colors business, Marketing and Sales and Safety and Sustainability organizations, and manages products and services in health care, protective apparel, construction

and environmental solutions (bullet resistant Kevlar®, contamination proof medical packaging, Corian® countertops and Tyvek® housewrap). Ellen is a member of various boards—General Motors, Tufts University and the National Safety Council. In 2005 and 2006, Fortune named Ellen to its 50 Most Powerful Women in Business List. She is also the winner of the prestigious 2004 Aiming High Award. She juggles a rigorous work schedule with raising her family—Maggie and twins Stephen and David, who all attend Tower Hill. As you can imagine, this makes for a hectic but rewarding life.

According to Ellen, “My experiences at Tower Hill prepared me for what has happened since then. Teamwork we learned on the hockey and lacrosse fields and the basketball court is so important in life. The broad-based education enabled me to do things I never anticipated being able to do. I never thought of attending engineering school until pushed by my advisor, Ed Hughes. The lifelong friendships I formed provide the personal grounding that is so necessary.” Even the tough times were learning experiences. “Whether it was a tough chemistry test or a disappointing defeat in sports, I learned that you have to bounce back more determined than ever. You learn humility quickly after experiencing the stern glare of Miss Marshall after fouling out of a big basketball game,” she says with a laugh. “In many ways Tower Hill has changed, but in many ways it’s stayed the same. The expectations are that you are involved in many things and learn how to ‘play your strengths’ which has served me well in life.”

by Wiz Montaigne Applegate ‘79

Chandlee Johnson Kuhn ‘80

“It is a given that at Tower Hill you will receive a strong education. You have opportunities before you that support you academically as well as your character development.”

What Chandlee Johnson Kuhn remembers best and most is her athletic involvement, as her athletic involvement gave Kuhn a challenge and sense of independence.

Kuhn recalls one of her favorite sports memories as the time Coach Patty Marshall took the 1979 girls’ basketball team to the finals in the state tournament. She is quick to state that she was not “a starter or the star” and humbly calls herself a “utility player.” Nonetheless, she felt privileged to be a part of a team and a winning team at that.

Kuhn’s mother, Sue Johnson, also fostered the team approach. Johnson coached girls’ tennis at Tower Hill from 1981-2002. Johnson was passionate about tennis and coaching and proved to be a role model for the girls, building their self-esteem and giving them a sense of self. Johnson’s support of these girls has proven to be inspirational for Kuhn.

Today, the basketball uniform has been replaced by a judge’s robe and Kuhn is no longer a “utility player.” Kuhn continues to work within a team as the Chief Judge of the Family Court for the State of Delaware. Kuhn works passionately in collaboration with the judicial system and the city of Wilmington to create policies that offer support for youth and at risk youth, with a special focus on girls. Kuhn’s passion is very much similar to her mother’s—just on a different playing field.Enjoying spring break! Ellen Kullman with her

husband Michael, daughter Maggie ‘08 and twin sons David and Stephen ‘12.


1942 65th Reunion YearFrom the class of ’42, reports come that Bob and Joan Wuertz hosted a mini-reunion on May 15 at their home in Sharpley for lunch and chatter. Present were Barbara Glover, widow of Rolfe (’42), and Lloyd Thoms. Barbara has been house and child sitting recently in Park City, Utah. This summer Bob and Joan will be attending the concerts by the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood in the Berkshires, and Bob writes that he is already looking forward to their 65th class reunion in 2007.

1946Anne Winchester Perriman writes that she is sorry to have missed her mini-reunion but finds herself fondly remembering two former teachers who “made a difference”, the “ferocious” Julia Jones and the much-loved Eleanor Potter. They certainly made a huge difference in the lives of many of their students back then.

1947 60th Reunion YearSally duPont Cahill and her husband George have published Baldy, The Life and Times of Ellen Baldwin, Tower Hill athletic coach and teacher from 1918-1942. It is great reading for those who may remember her either from her Tower Hill days or from when she ran Camp Baldy near Bangor, Maine. The Cahills have generously donated a copy of the book to the growing Alumni House library of Books Written by Hillers, and you may purchase

Many past Hillers attended the 90th birthday celebration of Robert M. Brown ’34 on July 9, 2006.

Pictured from left to right are: Elizabeth Brown Pierson, Corbin Pierson Woods, Barbara Nowland Allison, Tucker Pierson, Rob Fenimore, Mary Turner Brown Guler, Renee Dobbs Biery, Rob Brown, Jay Pierson, Isel Brown Dulken, John Pierson, Glenn Brown, Anne Dobbs Genova, Lonnie Brown Dobbs, Susanna Brown Fenimore, Dick Dobbs

one by contacting them at [email protected]. Picking up from Nina duPont Curran’s fond memories of the middle grades in the last Bulletin, she noted, “we were a difficult class and naughty.” Didi Marvin Grant and John Edinger agreed that they were so ill behaved that teacher John Cooper had to move with them from fifth to sixth grade. Better homeroom control was cited. Kurt and Joan Wassen have left Kiawah Island and moved into a life-care facility on Jones Island. Kurt is still active playing and officiating tennis plus taking his two grandchildren to tournaments.

1949Mary Whiteside Dewey writes that since her husband died she has begun painting again. She and five others took a trip to France last September and painted for seven days in small, delightful little towns along the Loire.

1952 55th Reunion YearWord comes that Joe Mosbrook was inducted into the Radio/Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame in Ohio. Now retired after 35 years with NBC News in Cleveland, he is still doing a weekly jazz history radio program for Cleveland’s NPR station and writing books and articles.

1959Sandy Smith retired as Vice President in the Wealth Advisory Department of Wilmington Trust Company after 41 years of service. He and wife Sallie are happily living in southern Alabama near their grandchildren.

1960Pam Theisen Morss writes that she had a great reunion in DC with Sydney Robertson Jimenez and Bill and Linde Mullis last winter. It was so much fun that they are planning another this winter. An added note is that the Mullises are now Tower Hill grandparents and will be significantly involved with the current Capital Campaign for Athletics as Grandparent Co-Chairs.

DO YOU LIKE READING ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS AND CLASSMATES? I suspect the answer is yes, and for that to happen you really need to write about what is going on in your life. I can now see the need for ongoing communication and recently filled out a college questionnaire for the first time in many, many years. It’s easy to do, by email to me here at Tower Hill ([email protected]), by filling out the recently-received questionnaire, or by including your information on your class website page. It’s great to read about marriages, births, new jobs, and weddings. Please let us know what’s going on in your life so we can share it with other Hillers.

John Pierson

F r o M t H e D e S K o F

JOHN’S NOTES


Some of her good friends there are former Hillers Libbi, Peter, and Barbara Bours. Sometimes they connect with Washingtonians Randy Urmston and Bobby Gamble and their families. Lee continues to do well in her artistic endeavors, specializing in creating jewelry utilizing shibuichi. Her work was published in Japanese Patinas by Eitoku Sugimori and was purchased by and shown at the Seattle Art Museum. It seems that Lee has had a busy but rewarding year!

1967 40th Reunion YearSusan Hanke Warren and husband Rusty celebrated two graduations last spring—daughter Catherine from Wellesley Middle School and step daughter Sarah from Boston School of Design. Susan continues to do international marketing and currently is Chief Business Officer of an Israeli bio-medical start-up.

1968Dr. Gary Emmett writes from Philadelphia that he is now a professor of podiatrics and still teaching and practicing at Jefferson Medical College.

1969How could anyone be more on top of what is going on than Chuck Durante! His letter to his classmates in May was a thorough compilation of

1961The 45th Reunion at Homecoming was defined by quality, not quantity. Toby Hoopes, Julie Patterson Hart, Meg Gummey Lenher, and Gale Pierson McNish shared dinner after a full day of activities at school, and lots of updates of classmates came forth. Millard Gamble and his wife Joan were unable to attend because she was competing in the US Nationals in the Western Pleasure category with her Arabian horse in Louisville, KY. Faith Hentchel, their most academically renowned classmate, was giving a paper at the annual Board Meeting of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology in Dallas. Dick Joyce wrote that he is still working at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory as a scientific staff member, resulting in a fair amount of travel to conferences and reviews. When Ron Strickland was in his area a couple of years ago, they took a hike up the mountains around Tucson. Janet Abernathy Robertson’s husband died suddenly about a year ago, and she saw Martha Repman at that time. Janet keeps up with Tower Hill news through her brother Hank and his wife Pam (Mendolia) who live nearby, and she visits her mother in Wilmington regularly, often working in a meal at the Charcoal Pit. Mic Fleming reports that he and his wife are enjoying a more relaxed pace of life in Portland, Oregon after living in San Francisco. It seems the news from the class of ’61 has quality AND quantity.

1962 45th Reunion YearDeedee Metzger Blane has enjoyed trips to Albania, Ecuador/Galapagos Islands and rafting in the Grand Canyon this year. She would love to see classmates back in Knoxville and show them beautiful East Tennessee.

1963Tillie Laird and Hunter went on several vacations during 2006. In May they went to Ecuador, the mainland and Galapagos Islands, and then in October to London and Malta, sailing on the “Sea Cloud” to Sicily and Tunisia, then back to Sicily. November found Tillie returning to London.

1965Lee Rumsey Haga enjoys her life in art-friendly Portland, Oregon with her daughter and grandson.

news of most of the class, and we will lift most of it to include here. The 35th reunion in 2004 featured Jim Baird, Bill Christens-Barry, Susan Cates, Barry Cobb, Chuck, Susan Furber Mair, Charlie Kiesling, Drew Knox, Rob Kraft, Anne Marvin, Jo Porter, and Don Williams. At the Friday night dinner at Catherine Rooney’s, Anne Marvin brought a striking enlargement of a class photo from Lower School. After a day’s activities at the school, they dined at Mezzanotte on Saturday night. Family or work obligations detained some. Phil Gudaitis, Neil Keen, Elva Nickle, and Christine Kane Plant were visiting their children on parents’ weekend. Phil Gudaitis was taking exams to enable him to teach English as a second language. Jeff Brokaw and Tom Wolf had previously scheduled vacations but will be back for their 40th. Robin Layton was hosting fellow environmentalists. Frank Jamison had a football weekend planned at UVA. “Understandable,” replied Jim Baird. “It’s the first time in a century that they are any good.” It was the 28th anniversary for George Hazzard, who felt a strong desire to reach 29. Ed Mongan returned home Saturday from Shenzen, China where he was representing a Little French Paint Company. He was kind enough to call us at dinner before flopping. Jo Porter came from Albuquerque where she has lived for the last

Class ’66 Reunion—Seated Front Row: Ann Oldach, Mark Hedley, Margretta Bredin Brokaw. Standing Front Row: Mary Lunger McKay, Nancy Anderson, Ellis Jones, Alice Morse. Barbara Bours Brady, Debbie Jones, Phoebe Craven, Dan Krapf. Standing Second Row: Wheeler Neff, Roger Arrington, Bruce Roberts, Ginger Smith, Mina Marvel Austin. Standing Third Row: Georger Trapnell, George Ward, Steve McClelland, Jim Travers. Last Row: Ed Weisbrod, Pete Hayward.

JOHN’S NOTES


13 years. She has applied her legal background for public policy advocacy, most notably for the League of Women Voters. Her daughter Suzanna is finishing at University of Colorado. She stated, “ As I bemoan the current state of political/world affairs, I am so reminded of our last few years in high school and the turbulence and uncertainty. But then I smile at what fun we had.” Dave Monet has been located! On the staff of the U S Naval Observatory in Flagstaff since 1984, he received his Ph.D. in astronomy in 1979. “I can extend an invitation to those who leave the East and come out here to Civilization, even if just on holiday, to stop by, say hello, or similar. Flagstaff is on the way to the Grand Canyon, and almost everybody has a relative or parent who has retired to the greater Phoenix area. Contact me at [email protected]. Jim Baird has moved back to Wilmington but maintains a NY office for his business, Gotham Capital Advisors. A Bussard trying to beat Williams? Luke Bussard, Don and Joan’s son, is assistant football coach at archrival Amherst, which almost upset his father’s alma mater in the fall of ’05. Steve Taylor is the Delaware Supreme Court administrator. The Richmond Times-Leader mentioned a million dollar verdict that Tom Wolf earned for a client. Lee Howard and Neil Vosters’s daughter Ashlee, a freshman, helped Richmond’s tennis team to the Atlantic 19 title. Surprised? Barbara Forney welcomed home a graduate from Richmond in May; a younger sibling attends Sanford. Barbara has devoted her training as a scientist and veterinarian to writing for the

past ten years, including Understanding Equine Medication and portions of another book. Susan Cates moved to Roanoke Island on the Outer Banks in 2003, now enabling them to have more than a three-day-a-week marriage. Beth Bowen is a physician in Union City, Georgia. Don Williams works for the Delaware Department of Finance. Bill Pease is a business analyst at Wilmington Trust, where Don MacKelcan has forged a career in business development. Having finished his State Department tour in Brazil in late 2004, followed by four months at the UN and a month in Ashgabat, Roman Wasilewski is back in DC. Ed Mongan was quoted in early 2006 by Senator Jim Jeffords because of Ed’s position as DuPont’s director of energy and environment. Our best to Frank Jamison who is rehabbing after his second hip replacement. Jay Allison’s study of radio history led him to develop This I Believe’s series of essays on “ belief” for NPR. After 37 years the class of ’69 has another all-state athlete: Ned Hughes was retroactively selected to the cross country all-state third team. And in 2005 Sydney Scott, daughter of Sidney Scott, made first team all-state in cross country in her first year in the sport.

We all join Chuck in his personal and tender memories of some departed favorites. “Ed Hughes died last summer. Don Bussard, Jim Baird, and Don Williams represented us at his services. His passion, empathy, intellectual zest, and public service were remarkable. As our ninth grade homeroom advisor, he seemed to pay attention to even the shyest of us. M. Lousie Kelly, one of

the great women on the faculty, died last fall. After raising two daughters, she brought her Rutgers degree to the math department, taught superbly, and advised even better. Also passing in the past 18 months were Jim Baird Sr., Mary Gee, Ed’s mother, Octavia Breden, and our ninth grade English teacher Jean Morton.” Chuck, thanks for so many personal and pertinent comments about the class and some offspring and special people.

1973Cheryl (Rusty) Rusten, on their 19th anniversary in October 2006, had a formal commitment ceremony with her partner Meg. In attendance were Kate Edgar ’73 and Rusty’s family. Jeannette Brokaw Lindvig reminds her classmates that their 35th reunion is coming up in 2008. She remembers the great time everyone had at the 30th, with dinner at the Mendenhall Inn and brunch at Adele and Dave’s house. “Let’s keep in touch using Tower Hill’s new web site. Be sure to update your contact information. I know I have lost track with many of you due to changes in your email addresses.”

1974Earlier this year David Kozinski’s poem “So Little, So Much Time” was nominated for the Pushcart Prize by the Schuylkill Valley Journal. SVJ has accepted another poem for the autumn issue. Kozinski’s drawings, collages, and assemblages will be exhibited for the first time when he is the featured artist in the September, 2006 show by the Manayunk Artists’ Co-Op at the Manayunk Art Center in Philadelphia.

Photos Needed...Aswerefurbishthepicturesinthehalloutsidethelockerrooms,wehavefoundthatwedonothavesomeoftheneededpictures.Theprintorthepaperusedbackinthe1976and1977yearsmusthavebeendefectiveinsomewayasseveralofthosepictureshavesimplydisintegrated.Doyouhaveanyofthese?Theyweremainlythespringsports,andtheoldyearbooksdidnotprinttheteamsfromthespringseason.Ifyouhaveone,wewouldlovetocopyitsowecanreplaceitonthewall.Thanksverymuchforyourhelp.

NEEDED……1976Girls’Tennis 1977Boys’Tennis 1976Baseball 1977Soccer 1977Girls’Tennis 1977Track

John Williams ’94 provided this picture when he heard about the capital campaign to renovate the athletic facilities. The watercolor was done by his father, David N. Williams ’53, as an eighth-grader in 1949 and shows the “old gym” under construction. The original watercolor, given by the art teacher to his grandmother Edith Williams, hangs today in her kitchen in Naples, Florida.

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Authors WantedWe are beginning a shelf (hopefully soon to be shelves) for published alumni in the new reading room of the Golding Alumni House. We know several of you who have published books and will gladly accept copies to house there. Our hope is that that room will become more of a gathering place for alums, and having copies of your works will be a signifi cant part of the refurbished space. You may send them to John Pierson here at school (2813 W. 17th, Wilmington, DE19806).

Thanks in advance.

her traveling has been related to her career when giving lectures in Tokyo, fi ve universities in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Brisbane and London. Her 13-year-old son is into music and tennis, and Pat’s husband has been promoted to a general and is now stationed in Bangkok. She is vice president of the YMCA and a vice dean at the graduate school. Her daunting responsibilities this year are to run all the activities as they celebrate their 30th anniversary at the school. It is great that she keeps in touch with the Savages in this part of the world!

1978Linda Lagarde Drapeau is the new women’s lacrosse coach at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts.

1980Wasyl Szeremeta, MD, was named the Interim Chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Szeremeta joined the full-time faculty in 1996 and currently is an Associate Professor at the Temple University School of Medicine. He was awarded his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in 1989 and following his residency in otolaryngology at Henry Ford Health System he completed a fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. In 2002 he was awarded an MBA degree in Health Care Management and an MS degree in

Health Care Finance from Fox School of Business at Temple University. Since coming to Temple, Dr. Szeremeta has been instrumental in building a viable pediatric otolaryngology service and has been a leader among the medical staff. He is an active and profi cient educator at all levels and has made numerous national presentations in his fi eld of interest. He also serves as the Program Director of the Otolaryngology Department.

1983Michael Spence writes that after attending Harvard and Wharton, he is an Associate Principal of a consulting fi rm and enjoying the world in his work. “After moving from Paris to Manila where I met my wife Ruth and then from Manila to Kuala Lumpur, we are again contemplating moving or at least, changing what I do for a living. Current options range from buying and turning around a resort in the Philippines to turning around an ailing automaker in south east Asia to buying an island with white sand beach and palm trees with fi shing and lots of summer…stay tuned.” Alexander Kirifi des completed the 4-year program in Obstetrics and Gynocology at the Christiana Medical Center and has joined the private practice of Dr. Beth Schubert located at the Medical Arts Pavilion in Newark, Delaware. He married Kathy Zinas from Virginia Beach, Virginia (see Weddings) and they now live in Hockessin, Delaware. Kathy is presently practicing dentistry in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.

1985Carl Backman checked in recently by email and said he has been in Vermont ever since he went to college at University of Vermont. He became a public school math teacher in 1994 and has been at South Burlington High since 2001. In response to my comments about our athletic capital campaign (which includes two turf fi elds) he said that he is at the only public high school in the state with a turf fi eld—“It’s wildly popular!”—and this year he will be building an on-campus snowboard park. Snowboarding in Vermont is a high school sport!

1986David Santiago was the visual effects supervisor on “The Ant Bully”, an animated feature from Warner Brothers. Lisa Toner Gioffre stopped teaching after 15 years and is now a stay at home mom

AFS Student, Pat Srisilapanan ’75, with her 13-year-old son and her husband.

1975Todd Tyson hosts Crossroads, a program of traditional and contemporary folk, bluegrass, gospel and blues music on Sunday mornings from 6 to 10 on The Point, Vermont’s independent radio network. Ernie Savage recently received a long letter from Pat Srisilapanan, the AFS student for ‘75 who lived with the Daudons. He remembers how she struggled with English while at Tower Hill and took Middle School English classes as a senior. Pat wrote about her travels, impressive responsibilities with the Chiang Mai YMCA and her family. Most of

JOHN’S NOTES


taking care of Will (6) and Alex (4). She said she has loads of great Tower Hill memories, particularly of sports and parties. She and Bill continue to live in Newark. Karen Hancock Shuler wrote a wonderful note of thanks to those who contributed to the Habitat for Humanity House, which was a fundraising project for all of Tower Hill last school year. Karen’s house is 30 miles from Lake Charles, LA, an area that took a direct hit from Hurricane Rita, but she was so glad to see the Tower Hill house go to Mississippi since that was a “forgotten part of hurricane Katrina.” The generosity (of Tower Hill) is overwhelming; “One cannot express the amount of gratitude that would be commensurate with such an act, especially after experiencing such devastation…. It would have been easy for you to give in to Katrina and hurricane fatigue and move on to the next big Tower Hill event, but you didn’t. Instead you incorporated the Habitat project into those big events and you did something that I am sure none of you thought possible at the start of the project. You built a house!!! I applaud you. I want you to know how much it means to the family that received it, to me, and to this region. Your efforts have made me prouder than ever to be an alumnus of Tower Hill.” Wow! That is so well said, Karen, and it should make the Hillers who were involved equally proud.

1988Andrew Dickson and Anna have an almost-three year old son, Samuel Atticus Dickson.

1989Tony Lunger and his wife Jennifer have been living in Wilmington since 2000 and actively keep up with a number of fellow Hillers in the area. They have two daughters, Anna (age four) and Elsa (nine months).

Guests attending the wedding of Amanda Golding ‘94 and John “Chip” Riegel, Jr. ‘90

Children of Alix Hyde Rorke ’89, Kelle Doherty Sanchez ’89, Brooke Doherty Thaler ’92, Hillary deLeeuw Spruance ’92. From left to right: Lilly Rorke, Maggie Rorke, Will Thaler, Nate Thaler, Sophie Sanchez ’18, Max Thaler, Olivia Sanchez ’20, Jude Rorke, Jake Spruance ’19 and Matthew Spruance.

1990Ashley Altschuler writes that he is still living in NYC and works as an associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, practicing corporate litigation. He was married in October 2005, in the Hamptons to Shoshana Menu, also a NYC attorney. Hillers attending the celebration parties were Walter Rowland, Edward Richards, Richard Sutton, Jacob Schutt, all from his class, and Samuel Hyland ’89, Elizabeth DelDuca ‘89, and Nicole Liarakos ’86. Ash also sees from his class Trina Salva, Stephanie Wolfson, and Susan Kristol either in NY or in Wilmington. Further he saw Geoff Donoho during a visit to Virginia to celebrate the (at that time) upcoming nuptials of Ed Richards (who was married in July 2006). Ash’s biggest news, however, came more recently when he told us that Lily Hayes Altschuler was born Nov. 12, 2006 at Mt Sinai in NYC. Kiki Fikioris Vargas had a boy, “Taddy” Dimitrius Vargas on March 29, 2006.

1991

Thomas Hanna writes that he and Lexie had another son on October 6, 2006. “Bo” and big brother Tommy (now 16 months old) are enjoying brotherhood.

JOHN’S NOTES


1993Jennifer Mundy Brasko was married in July and recently moved to Hellertown, Pa. Tucker Pierson and husband Travis Elliott continue to live in Portland, OR, and their son Turner has a new playmate, sister Odile, born on September 13.

1995

David Larned, along with wife, Sarah, and their studios have migrated twenty minutes north to an old farm in Downingtown, PA. The animals will surely follow.

1996

Melissa Bennett and Tim Sebel were married in Atlanta on May 28, 2006. Mel owns Play More Music, a private music lesson studio for all

Theresa Collins ’97 married Charles Case ’97 July 28, 2006. Pictured left to right: Devin Johnson ’97, Theresa Collins ’97, Charles Case ’97 and Elizabeth Jennings ’97.

instruments, and Tim is a project manager at a start up company. There is lots of news from the 10 year reunion class which Lindsay Wise Tonderys helped coordinate. Nikki Roeberg recently moved to L.A. Chappie Wright recently finished his thesis and is preparing to defend it; he and wife Aubrey will be moving to Johns Hopkins from Philadelphia soon. Andy Carmine is currently in law school at Widener; he and his fiancée Lindsay live in Philly and are planning a New Year’s Eve wedding next year in N.C. Sacha Deringor Azamar and her husband Trey just moved from Dover to Milford. After completing his MBA at Duke (where Cecil Cohn and Wendy Oppenheimer were in his class), Greg Kaufmann was married in November and then headed on a five-month honeymoon to travel the world. Jon Carney and his wife Julie live in San Francisco where he is currently attending school for his MBA. Nina Owczarek just moved to D.C. and may bump into Dave Colbourn who has been there for the last few years. Stephen Karakasidis is a biochemist in Wilmington and still helps his family’s business as much as he can. Aleni Pappas was married November 4 to Anthony Kyriakakis, and she now commutes from Philly to New Jersey (“as always”) to work in the family juice business. Her husband is an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Jesse Ehrenfeld is a doctor, currently living in Boston. Meredith Hershey Perney just started her final internship in her physical therapy program at University of Delaware. They live in Centreville.

There were several from the class who did not make Homecoming, but Lindsay sent news about loads of them, too. Jessica Berlin was married on Sunday, October 22. Josh Cabel is currently living in Vermont but getting ready to move to Montana before leaving in March for the Peace Corps in Morocco. Abby Dobrzynski Caram and her husband Bill live in Bend, OR where they enjoy getting outdoors as much as they can. Claire Ikeda-Thew and her husband moved in August to London after Claire finished her MBA at Wharton. Kelly Farnan is an attorney at Richards, Layton, and Finger in Wilmington. Jane Edell is in NYC just beginning her MBA at Columbia. Kelly Janairo Root and her husband Joseph are both teachers in NYC. Brett Levy is in graduate school at University of Michigan. Shanna McCann is an

attorney clerking for a judge in Philadelphia. Sarah Rappolt, a stylist in NYC, missed Homecoming because she was in LA at Fashion Week. Nick Bonny and his wife live in Richmond where he is currently at Darden working on his MBA, and Darden must be a popular place as Luke Semple is finishing his MBA there. He and his wife currently live in Charlottesville but will move to NYC in the summer. Emsy Tepe continues to further her career in singing, currently in Sweden. Her CD was released this past summer and can be found at ivasound.com. It is great to hear so much from a class that has been out of Tower Hill for ten years; as expected weddings, grad school, and moving are fairly common right now.

1997 10th Reunion YearLauren Hoelzer graduated last May from Washington and Lee School of Law and is living in Dover while clerking this year for Chief Justice Steele of the Delaware Supreme Court. Elizabeth Jennings, still working for Coca Cola in Atlanta, has already been in touch with Kathy Warner here in the Development Office about your reunion next fall. She added that she was in Wilmington in October for Sarah Carter’s wedding and had the chance to hang out with Molly Goeller, Anita Nabha, Madeleine Bayard, Ashlee Lukoff, Matt Reigler, Bobby Downing and his wife, Ryan Schultz, and the Cases, Theresa Collins Case and Chuck. Heather Weymouth has moved to Melissa Bennett ’96 and Tim Sebel

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Emily McConnell Arthur ’00 and Ari Kayne ’00 at his recent graduation from Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base (Del Rio, Texas). Ari will be going to Oklahoma for six more months of training and then will be stationed, for the next three years, in Okinawa flying KC-135 tankers. Emily and her husband, Todd, are stationed in San Antonio, texas. Todd is an instructor pilot and Emily is a scientific analyst for the Air Force.

Former Tower Hill football player and wrestler inducted in Johns Hopkins Hall of Fame

Stu Markley, Jr. ’89 was one of six individuals Johns Hopkins added to their Athletic Hall of Fame during induction ceremonies on Saturday, March 24. The first dominant defensive player in the recent era of successful football at Johns Hopkins, Stu Markley left a mark on the Blue Jay football program that may never be matched. His efforts under a young head coach named Jim Margraff helped turn around a program that had fallen on hard times before they both arrived in 1990. Hopkins posted winning records in 1990 and 1991 after winning a combined total of nine games in the four years before Markley arrived.

Markley starred as a linebacker in 1990, 1991 and 1993 (he missed the 1992 season with an injury) and graduated as JHU’s career leader in tackles (467). He led the team in tackles in each of his three seasons with a school-record 164 as a senior. He earned Third Team All-America and Second Team Academic All-America honors as a senior, when he was also awarded a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. At the time he became the first Hopkins football player to earn an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship since 1977 and he remains the only football player in school history to earn All-America and Academic All-America honors.

Markley became the first Johns Hopkins football player to earn First Team All-Centennial Conference honors three times, grabbed All-ECAC South honors as a senior and is believed to be the only three-time captain in school history. He was a finalist for the NACDA/Disney Scholar Athlete Award in 1994 and earned the C. Gardner Mallonee Award as the top senior male athlete at Johns Hopkins.

Markley was also a member of the Johns Hopkins wrestling team during the 1992-1993 season.

Colorado Rocky School near Aspen, CO after being in Simsbury, CT for a couple of years working in the Admissions Department of Westminster School. (We recently received an article from a New Jersey newspaper recalling the events immediately after 9/11 and how Heather fled NYC and stayed overnight with a couple she had never met before in Morris Township; some life-long connections were made then for her—and for thousands of others also, undoubtedly—and the article was reuniting her and her hosts on the five-year anniversary.)

1998

Brian Smigielski received his Master’s Degree in Physics in June 2005, and is now on his way to his Doctorate at the University of Washington. His Physics research paper will be published in the Physical Review D Journal. The paper entitled, “Generalised parton distributions of the pion in partially-quenched chiral perturbation theory”, was co-authored with William Detmold of the University of Washington, Seattle and approved by Jiunn-Wei Chen, Department of Physics and Center for Theoretical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

2000Aileen Heiman writes that she has started a six-year program at the Reconstructionist Rabbincal College in Philadelphia, studying to be a Rabbi with a concentration in education. Ari Kayne and Emily McConnell Arthur continue their careers in the Air Force. Ari recently graduated from Pilot Training at Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, Texas; from there he has gone to Oklahoma for six more months of training and then will be stationed in Okinawa for three years flying KC-135 tankers. Emily and her husband Todd are stationed in San Antonio where he is a flight instructor and she is a scientific analyst for the Air Force.

2003

Irene Tobias will graduate from MIT in June with a BS in Material Science and Engineering and staying on for another year working towards a Masters of Engineering degree in biological engineering. Amanda Schuckert graduated Cum Laude from Boston University in May with a degree in Biology. While applying to veterinary school, she will be working for the Back Bay Veterinarian Clinic in Boston as a vet technician.

Johns Hopkins Hall of Fame

JOHN’S NOTES


Deaths John Backus ’42 on March 20, 2007

Dorothy Carpenter Joynes ’38 on March 2, 2007

Alfred duPont Chandler, Jr. ’36 on May 9, 2007

William R. Chandler ’41 on November 12, 2006

John S. Edinger ’47 on May 2, 2007

John B. Evans ’63 on January 9, 2007

Mary Fenn Raley ’45 on February 4, 2007

Martha Gordon ‘37 May 9, 2007

Virginia Howell Speairs ’40 on November 17, 2006

Leslie Kitchell Bullock ’62 on September 12, 2006

Mary McGrew Lee ’62 on September 6, 2006

Renee Potter Sieglaff ’57 on September 18, 2006

William B. Ranken ’37 on January 8, 2007

Katherine (Katedulwe) Reynolds ’58 on December 25, 2005

Barbara Robinson Aaron ’59 on December 12, 2006

Michael A. Sheehy ’02 on March 14, 2007

C. Judd Stewart, Jr. ’44 on January 21, 2007

Barbara Stine Cruice ’42 on March 21, 2007

Anne Warner West ’28 on November 10, 2006

William E. Wright ’61 on April 16, 2007

Former Faculty William G. Chase on August 6, 2006

Weddings

1942 Mary Nash Kudarauskas married Robert O. Preyer on October 9, 2006

1983 Alexander Kirifides and Kathy Zinas on January 14, 2006

1994 Amanda Golding married John “Chip” Riegel, Jr. ’90 on September 23, 2006

1996 Aleni Pappas married Anthony Kyriakakis on November 4, 2006

Melissa Bennett married Tim Sebel on May 28, 2006

1997 Theresa Collins and Charles Case on July 28, 2006.

It’s a Boy!1986 Brody Maxmin to Ray and Tori Maxmin Gravuer on August, 2007.1988 Cooper Martin to Owen “Brett” Jones and Meredith Jones on October 26, 20061990 “Taddy” Dimitrius to Kiki Fikioris and Jaime Vargas on March 29, 2006 1991 “Bo” to Lexie and Thomas Hanna on October 6, 20061994 William Mysell to Nicholas and Moley Karas Evans 1995 Zair to Heather and Dr. Zubair Hamir on May 7, 2006

It’s a Girl! 1989 Elsa Margaret to Jennifer and Tony Lunger in February, 20061990 Lily Hayes to Ashley Altshuler and Shoshana Menu on November 12, 2006 1991 Emma Victoria to Paul Bowen and Isobel Spence-Bowen on April 11, 2006 1992 Campbell Scott to and Carter and Jamison Abbott on December 29, 20061993 Odile to Tucker Pierson and Travis Elliott on September 13, 2006

FacultyThe Ten Broecks and Savages got together in July to have lunch and share stories at the Savages’ summer home in New York. Jim Ten Broeck and Ernie Savage were important members of the faculty until retiring during the 1980’s. Stu and Jane Markley continue to live in St. Petersburg, Florida and travel on occasion to see their two grandchildren in Baltimore. Stuart Jr. has two children, two and a half year old Kellen and five-month old Skyler. Former school nurse Madalyn P. Schultz Petit was presented an award-winning poster on evidence-based allergens and air pollutants policy which she developed while she was at Tower Hill. Richard Neunherez, faculty from 1960-65, recently returned to the school and we learned that he is now retired and lives with his wife, Meghan, in Washington. They have two grandchildren. Peter Rust, Upper School Science, and his wife, Meghan, became the proud parents of Wendy Breslyn Rust on September 5, 2006. Feffie Barnhill, Assistant Girls’ Lacrosse Coach, was inducted into the U.S. Lacrosse National Hall of Fame at ceremonies on November 11, 2006, in Baltimore. An outstanding player at Ursinus College (record of 42-2-1), she was an assistant coach for the World Cup team in 1989 that won the gold medal. She coached at the College of William and Mary from 1982-1998 and was chair of the U.S. Lacrosse Board of Directors from 2000-2002. For the past six years, she has assisted Wiz Applegate with Tower Hill’s varsity teams. We are lucky to have her expertise and passion.

Lista Lincoln, Middle School Computer Coordiantor, married Joseph Peter Coleman on December 24, 2006

Our condolences on the death of John L.K. Jenney. The previous issue inadvertently listed the deceased as John L.K. Jenney, Jr. ’61.

Tower Hill Information Corner FOCUS NewsletterTo view FOCUS, the monthly publication of the Home and School Association, go to towerhill.org, click on Parents & Friends and scroll down to Download FOCUS.

Summer Internships For information on summer employment at Tower Hill, contact Colley Bell at 302.657.8358 x235.

Green and White Club

The mission of the Green and White Club is to support and enhance athletic experiences for Tower Hill students by generating spirit, raising funds, providing services and organizing and sponsoring activities that require resources beyond the financial and professional means of the school. To join the Green and White Club and receive information updates by email regarding athletics, go to towerhill.org and download the form or contact Fred Freibott at [email protected] or 302.633.9000.

JOHN’S NOTES


When I went to Amazon.com searching for a book to use with seventh grade students for the Marine unit, I had no inkling where the book I discovered would lead me. The Eye of the Albatross, a poetic and deeply moving work written by Carl Safina, inspired me to volunteer at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, a setting for part of the book. I spent seven weeks in a dream place that defies easy description: a 1,550 acre wildlife refuge that is at its highest twelve foot above sea level and encircled by the protective arms of an ancient reef; a refuge with an airport that is a significant emergency haven for planes crisscrossing the Pacific; a refuge that is 2,800 miles from the mainland; a refuge with several endangered species, hundreds of thousands of nesting seabirds and many buildings in various states of repair and disrepair; and a refuge with a rich, critically significant WWII military history.

The pilot said, “Here is Midway, want to come see it?” I did. I looked down at a speck, a speck that was winking a green light at me through velvety darkness. We landed and I thought, “Where are the birds?” And then I saw them, lined up raggedly along the taxiway like soldiers after a battle. After deplaning, I breathed in warm, pungent, moist air and met numerous people whose names immediately fell into a pile in my head. I found myself giving a goodbye hug to someone I had only just met. “Friendly people,” I thought.

Soon I was in a golf cart and ordered to drive. Drive? Where? How? I can’t drive—I’m too busy absorbing new sounds, smells and sights. I drove and there were birds everywhere. Cute birds. Big birds. GOONEY BIRDS! (“Gooney” is an old name given to albatrosses because of their clumsy maneuverings on land. In flight, their effortless looping ballet with the wind is dazzling.) I drove to the place that would be my home, a home with one official human roommate and dozens of nonhuman others—mice, geckos, centipedes and cockroaches. When I arrived, there was one final instruction and it was, “Go up this road to get to breakfast in the morning.” The next morning I looked out and saw a bewildering array of small roads. I wondered, “How do I get to breakfast?” After finding it, I walked in and introduced myself to the first person I saw and said, “I don’t know what I’m doing here, can you help?” He helped and I heaped my plate, sat down with a friendly young man and then asked, “Who did I just meet?” He laughed as he replied, “Frans Lanting -- world famous wildlife photographer.” “Brilliant start, Lamborn,” I thought.

Seven Weeks at Midway

Soon I was planting, transplanting, cloning and putting identification bands on birds and taking some off; putting transmitters on birds and taking some off; flipping dead birds with a stick to check for identification; picking up a sickening and kaleidoscopic array of intact light bulbs, nets and plastics of every size shape and function; pulling exhausted birds out of the sea; mourning the many, many birds who didn’t live long enough to feel the winds cradling them; taking pictures; driving around a BBC photographer; snorkeling with sharks; marveling at the constantly shifting blue-green palette of the sea; and loving every minute.

On center stage at Midway, in front of seventy or so of us who were lucky enough to be there, was the fundamental struggle for life: the dance between life and death. Each day nature tested and probed for vulnerabilities. When they were exposed, the outcome was inevitably harsh. While cruel and unforgiving, the results of this selection process were spectacular. The inextinguishable spark we call “life” throbbed and pulsed relentlessly through vibrating bodies of terns, albatrosses and fishes so exquisitely sculptured as to bring me to my knees in homage.

Observing the raw spectacle that unfolded daily at Midway helped me peel away unnecessary layers and unearth what I believe is most important in my own life. Artifice, dissembling and wasted time are even less welcome than they used to be; rich, deep, honest and caring relationships are even more welcome. I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned with my students.

By Kathy Lamborn, Middle School Science Teacher

Kathy Lamborn, Middle School Science Teacher, traveled last summer to Midway Atoll, situated near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian Islands archipelago. Following is her account of her seven-week adventure.

JOHN’S NOTES


In MemoriamJohn Warner Backus . 1924–2007

John Backus, whose development of the Fortran programming language in the 1950s changed how people interacted with computers and paved the way for modern software, died at age 82 in Ashland, Oregon.

Backus was born in Wilmington in 1924, graduated from Tower Hill in 1942 and attended the University of Virginia for several months. After being drafted into the Army, Backus studied medicine but dropped it when he found radio engineering more compelling. He finally found his calling in math, and he pursued a master’s degree at Columbia University in New York. Shortly before graduating, Backus toured the IBM offices in midtown Manhattan and came across the company’s Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator, an early computer stuffed with 13,000 vacuum tubes. Backus met one of the machine’s inventors, Rex Seeber—who “gave me a little homemade test and hired me on the spot,” Backus recalled in 1979.

Prior to Fortran, computers had to be meticulously “hand-coded”—programmed in the raw strings of digits that triggered actions inside the machine. Fortran was a “high-level” language that abstracted work and let programmers enter commands in a more intuitive system, which the computer would translate into machine code on its own. “It was just a quantum leap. It changed the game in a way that has only happened two or three times in the computer industry,” said Jim Horning, a longtime programmer who co-chairs the Association for Computing Machinery’s award committee.

That organization gave Backus its 1977 Turing Award, one of the industry’s highest accolades. Backus also won a National Medal of Science in 1975 and got the 1993 Charles Stark Draper Prize, the top honor from the National Academy of Engineering.

“Much of my work has come from being lazy,” Backus told Think, the IBM employee magazine, in 1979. “I didn’t like writing programs, and so, when I was working on the IBM 701 (an early computer), writing programs for computing missile trajectories, I started work on a programming system to make it easier to write programs.”

Known as a maverick who preferred jeans to IBM’s buttoned-up, conservative style, Backus stayed with the company until his retirement in 1991. Among his other important contributions was a method for describing the particular grammar of computer languages. The system came to be known as Backus-Naur Form.

—by Lloyd Thoms, Jr. ‘42

William G. Chase . 1938–2006

Bill Chase attended Lawrenceville School and Yale University, where he was an all-American swimmer in 1960 and 1961. At Tower Hill, he taught physics and physical science from 1969 to 1999 and served for many years as Chair of the Science Department.

At his memorial service, a friend and colleague noted that while Bill’s courses were designated “science”, what they were really about was integrity. Bill held himself and his students to the highest standards, both in learning the material and in performing at one’s personal best, no matter what was being attempted. At times this could be difficult, even painful, but no better life lesson could ever be taught.

Bill was passionate about his profession and near the end of his career would still arrive at school early in the morning to rehearse his lessons for that day. During the early days of the IT revolution, Bill felt the school was not acting quickly enough to network the classrooms, so he and colleague Michael Chupa came in during evenings and weekends to install the wiring so that students and faculty could remain as current as possible with good teaching practice. Bill won many teaching accolades and took intense pride in the accomplishments of his former students. He stands in the company of the most formidable intellects to teach at Tower Hill.

Bill had a remarkable range of interests outside his classroom. He was an avid traveler, climber, bicyclist and hiker. After graduating from college, he spent a year hitchhiking through Africa, from Cairo to Cape Town. He walked a number of well-known long-distance hikes in England and the United States and was an active member of the Wilmington Trail Club. He was also an officer of the Wilmington Branch of the English-Speaking Union, read extensively and enjoyed outings to the opera in New York and performances of the Philadelphia Orchestra. His range of interests and intellectual curiosity made him a delightful companion on any kind of expedition or occasion.

Bill is survived by his wife, Dr. Susan Mulchahey Chase, a noted historian of Wilmington. Gifts in Bill’s memory may be made to Tower Hill where they will be earmarked for scholarships.

—by Ellis Wasson , History Department Chair

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