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e Hillside South Kent School Magazine | Winter 2014 Cuyler Rink Special Edition 1968-2014

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The HillsideS o u t h K e n t S c h o o l M a g a z i n e | W i n t e r 2 0 1 4

C u y l e r R i n k S p e c i a l E d i t i o n

1968-2014

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A

The Hillside2014

Volume LI Number 1

Proud History;Bright Future

As the conclusion of the 2013-2014 academic year nears, I find myself reflecting on not only the wonderful achievements of faculty, students, and alumni this year, but also over the last 90 years of South Kent’s existence.

To be sure, a lot has changed since 1923–styles, expectations, technology, and now, even our climate. As Head of School, an important task is to figure out how to position the School to move forward while also retaining our essential long-held traditions. Because of these changes, many exponential in nature, each boy today needs help finding his authentic path. He must learn to distinguish between a social network and a true community, to understand the difference between working a job just for money and crafting a meaningful career to find happiness. He must make time in his life for service to others and recognize that he is a member of a larger-than-human community.

Today, South Kent is a diverse, multitalented and multicultural school that fosters an atmosphere of unity, responsibility, and community. The ideals of Simplicity of Life, Directness of Purpose and Self-Reliance continue to resonate, but their vibrations need to be amplified and coded for today’s audience. As a community of learners, we understand better each year how to do this vital task.

Together, we move forward into the future. We are proudly a one-to-one iPad school with a 99% e-textbook adoption rate. Students are exploring at the Center for Innovation and learning hands-on how to solve the real-world problems of today and tomorrow. I am proud of our boys here, all of whom are striving for excellence and to become balanced, thoughtful, and creative leaders.

Many of our alumni come back to visit and I hear the same message: South Kent is on the forefront of educational technology, applied sciences, environmental stewardship and boys’ learning. Yet, we are still the same School that was founded in 1923 by Reverend Sill, Samuel Bartlett and Richard Cuyler. What a beautiful thing!

It has been a momentous year. The arts are flourishing here. Our rising Classical Music program is training incredibly talented artists such as Taek Gi Lee ’15, who just won the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition in London. Two of our elite hockey teams won both league and regional titles and earned spots at the National Tournament. Our Prep Soccer team won the NEPSAC title as well. We said goodbye to Cuyler Rink and the construction of a new, state-of-the-art rink is underway. Beyond these (and more) notable milestones this year, we look back at the last 90 years and are proud to be South Kent Cardinals.

We are honored to be part of this community and brotherhood. We are proud because of the School’s perseverance, passion and progression. We are confident because the next 90 years hold endless possibilities.

Andrew J. [email protected]

Editor:Thomas JaveryCommunications Coordinator

Head Writer:Sarah PfefferCommunications Associate

Copy Editor:Mary Flemming Brown

Contributors:Carol-Ann BruenAnthony CamardiCheryl Moore

Send address changes to: South Kent School 40 Bulls Bridge Road South Kent, CT 06785-1199 (860) 927-3539 x206email: [email protected]

South Kent School adheres to a long-standing policy of admitting students of any race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, and national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and other school-administered programs.

Mission StatementSouth Kent School is an independent, college preparatory school for boys. Since its founding, South Kent has maintained ties with the Episcopal Church. Three principles define the school: Simplicity of Life, Self-Reliance, and Directness of Purpose.

We offer, by living simply, an uncluttered environment for lively and rigorous learning.

We encourage our students to become self-reliant in order to develop competence and self-esteem.

We value directness of purpose: we want each student to welcome the challenge to focus his energies, to set goals, and to work to meet them.

South Kent School fosters these principles in a community, small in numbers, that provides a safe and supportive family structure. We embrace diversity and cherish honesty, courtesy, and compassion. In this energizing atmosphere, we provide leadership opportunities that develop a student’s sense of responsibility and service. We nurture in our students, regardless of belief or religious affiliation, a thoughtful engagement with spirituality.

Visit South Kent School’s website at

www.southkentschool.org

. . . _ _ _ . . .

Head of School’s Report

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“While living in our villages, it became quickly apparent how important an education is not only to each individual but also to the state of the nation.”

see page 6

Volume LI, Number 1Winter 2014The Hillside

8 22 406

inside

FRONT&CENTER

3 Board’s Report

4 The New Rink

6 Global Service

8 Fall and Winter Athletics

22 Cuyler Rink Memories

34 Alumnus Profile

38 Fossil Report

40 Class Notes

46 In Memoriam

Cuyler Rink Memories22

Alumni, faculty, students, and faculty children share stories and thoughts

on Cuyler Rink, along with a special recollection of the times before

Cuyler Rink.

The 49-Year Boy38

Paul Abbott tells us what has kept him at South Kent for all of these years and about the changes he has

seen on The Hillside.

ALUMNI

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To Reach Us...

Editor’s Note: We welcome any correspondence that you might be willing to share with us. Please email letters to the editor to [email protected]. You can also send mail to Hillside Letters, South Kent School, 40 Bulls Bridge Road, South Kent, CT 06785. All letters may be edited for content. Letters received by The Hillside will be considered for publication unless otherwise stipulated by the sender.

inschoolMissives

For digital back issues or to view The Hillside online, visit: www.southkentschool.org/magazine

Dear Hillside,We have enjoyed watching the changes at

The Center for Innovation. Congratulations, you should be pleased! We have walked the road connecting the two campuses – beautiful views!

Rosemary and Jerry Nahley P’86

Dear South Kent School,The last Hillside magazine was excellent,

as usual, and reflects very positively upon SKS and its values.

Walter Strohmeyer ’46

Dear Pigtail,I find myself transfixed reading the latest

e-mail document about Pigtail!So much “Wonderful Stuff ” going on!

“Wonderful Stuff ” that Sam Bartlett and Dick Cuyler couldn’t even have imagined when they began the school some 90 years ago! I frequently wonder how they would react to our 21st Century realities!

Stephen W. Rule ’54

www.facebook.com/SouthKentSchool

Keep up with the latest SKS

happenings by liking the SKS

Facebook page!

Dear Lads and Lasses of Yesteryear,(who are products of Jerry’s French and

Latin classes,)I was charmed with Cal Frost’s and Jack

Stevenson’s glimpses of Jerry’s theatrics while teaching.

Jerry never shared much with me about that side of his life, but I do know that when he got out of the service and wasn’t sure what to do - he went to the Stevens Institute for a career aptitude test. Much to our amazement - the answer came out - ACTING! Of course we thought that was not very helpful. NOW - I know that was right on.

I remember when we were invited out in the middle of the week, once, - Jerry said “No way! you don’t realize that I am on stage 5 periods a day.” NOW - I know the “dramatic” prediction was true! I loved these stories!

Fond memories to all,-Nancy Waller

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We have all heard the saying, “Things get better with age.” As we celebrate and look back at our 90-year history, I find it astonishing how much South Kent School has grown as an academic institution. Having recently completed our NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) accreditation, we were commended on our innovation in the classroom, our athletic programs and our Center for Innovation (CFI). We are at the forefront of education, and not many (if any) schools have accomplished what we have over the last 10 years since our last review.

In 2010, we set out to become the first New England school to integrate digital learning via tablets. We accomplished this and also ended up becoming industry leaders in digital curriculum adoption. In 2011, we launched the first phases of the CFI, an impactful curriculum that covers some of the most relevant topics currently challenging the world. We also took a bold leap in athletics. In 2011, South Kent partnered with Selects Sports to grow our Ice Hockey offerings for our student-athletes beyond the traditional Prep League. With two league and regional titles plus a trip to Nationals (as one of the top 12 teams in the country), I’d say what was once just a tiny seed of an idea is now fully coming to fruition. Now, the construction of The Admiral James & Sybil Stockdale Ice Arena is well underway, preparing to match the elite level of athletics with an equally high caliber rink.

The Center for Innovation offered 20 new classes this year, including Alternative Energy Solutions, Watershed Management, Practical Entrepreneurship, C++ Programming and more. This year also meant the growth of our music program, with a new Chamber Orchestra, the creation of tiered level music lessons and more. We saw one of our students accepted as a tenor in the All-State Chorus after scoring high in multiple auditions, and we had an

International Piano Concerto Competition winner in London.

When considering these accomplishments, one important facet of South Kent stands out to me: as a community, we are nimble and open-minded to new ideas. South Kent has always been creative and entrepreneurial-minded, going back to the beginning of the School in 1923. It’s in our DNA. After all, years ago, we were known as “Pigtail against the world.”

We have taken this attitude, with the help of all SKS constituents – faculty, administration, trustees, students, parents and partners – and we have grown SKS to meet the challenges of the 21st century while still maintaining our core values of Simplicity of Life, Directness of Purpose and Self Reliance. This is an incredible feat and continues today as we try new ideas and challenge ourselves to “think outside the box.” To borrow a phrase from Headmasters at SKS over the years – SERVANT, WELL DONE!

I would be remiss if I did not mention someone who has been here through much of our history. He is our longest tenured member of the South Kent faculty/staff: Paul Abbott. Paul announced his intention to retire this fall. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Paul for his 49 years of service to our great community. You will always be a special part of the South Kent family.

I am proud to continue as Chairman of the Board for another year and I look forward to watching SKS continue to grow and change this coming year.

Together, we are making history.

Jeffrey RosenbergChairman of the Board

The State of Being NimbleSouth Kent’s Chairman of the Board Jeffrey Rosenberg

Mr. Jeffrey G. Rosenberg, ‘80 (Chairman) Bila Family Partnership General Partner Mr. Lincoln Day, ‘83(President) Generation Marine Finance President Mr. Kai Chin, ‘67 (Treasurer) Wells Fargo Bank Mr. Andrew J. Vadnais (Secretary) South Kent School Head of School Mr. Harold W. Bogle, ‘70 Credit Suisse Managing Director Mr. Jeffrey Burke, ‘85 UBS Financial Services Vice President Prof. Rodney L. Burton, ‘58 Univ. of IL at Urbana-Champaign Prof. Aerospace Engineering Mr. Frederick K. Day, ‘78 SRAM Corp. Mr. McLean Erskine, ‘99 Mr. Christopher Farr, ‘84 The Shipley School Director of External Affairs Mr. Hani Farsi, ’86 Corniche Group / Mohamed S. Farsi Foundation CEO & Founder / Chairman Mr. John L. Garceau, ‘94 Thomas & Hutton Eng. Co.

Mr. Matthew Gardella, ‘87 Edwards WildmanPartner Ms. Susan Hecken Gardner, ‘80 Mr. James M. Garnett, Jr., ‘74 Citi Head of Risk Oversight Mr. Robert H. Hacker Mr. Jeffrey L. Heath, ‘71 Mr. Curtis Himy, ’84 PET/CT Imaging of Berkeley Mrs. Kathleen Lindenmayer, CAPT, USN (Ret). ’79 Mr. David Lyon, ’94 Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Mr. Fitz Robertson, ‘05 J.P. MorganAsset Management Mr. George H. Bartlett (Emeritus) Mr. Legare W. Cuyler, ‘58 (Emeritus) Mr. John S. Farber (Emeritus) Old Trails School Headmaster Mr. John Farr, ‘58 (Emeritus) Mr. Noble F. Richards, ‘49 (Emeritus) Dr. Charles P. Whittemore, ‘39 (Emeritus) Ms. Sally Wister(Emeritus)

The Board of Trustees

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inprogressThe New Rink

Introducing:The Admiral James & Sybil Stockdale Arena

South Kent School is proud to announce that our new state-of-the-art ice rink has been named The Admiral James

& Sybil Stockdale Arena. Not only were Admiral James and Sybil Stockdale important historical figures, but their sons Sidney ’73, Stanford ’79 and Taylor ’81 all attended South Kent School.

Admiral Stockdale ( James Bond Stockdale) was a highly decorated vice admiral in the U.S. Navy. He became the highest-ranking prisoner-of-war (POW) during the Vietnam War after his plane was shot down. He was in captivity from 1965-1973. During this time his wife Sybil co-founded the National League of Families of POWs and MIAs. Through this organization, she brought to light the mistreatment of the POWs and called on the President and Congress to openly acknowledge this reality. For her groundbreaking work, the Chief of Naval Operations awarded Mrs. Stockdale the Distinguished Public Service Award from the U.S. Navy Department.

Admiral Stockdale wrote seven books, including the highly acclaimed memoir

co-written with Sybil, In Love and War: The Story of a Family’s Ordeal and Sacrif ice During the Vietnam Years. During the 1950s while at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River base in Maryland, Stockdale tutored the “young Marine aviator” and future astronaut John Glenn in physics and mathematics. In 1976, President Gerald Ford presented Stockdale with the Medal of Honor “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while senior naval officer in the Prisoner of War camps of North Vietnam.” Additionally, Stockdale earned three Navy Distinguished Service Medals, four Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit with Combat “V,” two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars with Combat “V,” the Air Medal, two Purple Hearts and the Prisoner of War Medal.

Notably, Admiral Stockdale ran for Vice President of the United States on the 1992 Independent bid with Presidential candidate Ross Perot. South Kent is proud to honor these inspirational patriots, pioneers, leaders and parents with the naming of The Admiral James & Sybil Stockdale Arena.

Sybil and Admiral James Bond Stockdale

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1923

The new facility will feature:• NHL grade ice surface• A state-of-the-art training facility• 4 SKS team locker rooms• 2 visiting team locker rooms• 118 seats, as well as a raised handicap

seating area• A heated viewing area• A laundry room• Offices for team coaches• A first aid room• A skate sharpening room• Enhanced ice resurfacing capabilities

The new rink will:• Support a high level program with

improvements to the quality of the ice surface and locker room facilities at South Kent

• Enable year round use• Provide a comfortable game-viewing

experience• Support all of the SKS hockey teams• Allow for back-to-back games, thanks

to the two visitor locker rooms• Enable rental to outside teams and

organizations• Provide a place for athletic trainers to

assess and treat injuries• Improve the overall appearance of

South Kent School’s facilities, giving visitors a better impression of the school

About the New Rink

1923

SOUTH KENTS C H O O L

The combination of South Kent School’s innovative educational program and high level athletics continues to attract the type of high caliber, driven young men that South Kent has a reputation for educating. Through our partnership with Selects

Hockey Academy, we have placed boys in Yale, Cornell, Boston University and many other top tier Division I colleges. With this success comes a greater need that the aging facilities at Cuyler Rink are not able to meet. Construction will begin in March 2014 on a new rink, designed to meet our current needs along with expanding our capabilities for the future.

Winter 2014 The Hillside • 5

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inperspectiveGlobal Service

Many here on the Hillside know that South Kent School’s Cen-ter for Innovation (CFI) Farm

Manager-Educators Kasey Clark and Tonya Taylor spent some time in Africa while

serving in the Peace Corps. The two are a wonderful addition to the community,

actively participating in sustainability education and bringing special-

ized agricultural knowledge to students who yearn for this

type of hands-on, experien-tial learning.

Clark and Taylor met in Malawi, one of the ten poorest countries in the world. “We both lived in rural villages for two years with no running water or electricity,” Clark said. “While living in our villages, it became quickly apparent how important an education is not only to each individual

but also to the state of the nation.” Although elementary school

is free for children in Malawi, once students reach high school, they must pay fees to continue. With an annual household income of less than $1,000,

many families cannot afford this expense. “Upon our return to the United States, the importance of education and its part in breaking the cycle of poverty has never left our minds,” Clark explained. It is no surprise that with this passion for education in our global world, these individuals ended up on the Hillside. South Kent Head of School Andrew Vadnais often encourages students, faculty and staff to “follow your passion.” It can be surmised that this charge is one of the reasons this special community is comprised of so many positive, skilled and dedicated educators.

In September 2013, Clark and Taylor helped students raise chickens in their Sustainable Agriculture class and brought the question to their students of where the profits from bird sales should go. “Having heard our stories, many students suggested we take the money with us to Malawi,” Clark explained. The two had been planning and saving money to return to the country in January 2014, and this was a perfect way to take something back with them.

Once in Malawi, Clark and Taylor got to work right away. “We did a bit of groundwork in Wimbe village, Kasungu district, organizing a village committee that named themselves ‘The Friends of South Kent.’ The committee was tasked with

CFI Educators Make a Difference in Malawi

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Far Left Page-Clockwise: Rich Chavka, “Friends

of South Kent” and Tonya Taylor; Tonya Taylor and

students; Tonya Taylor and Kasey Clark on safari;

Kasey Clark with students and committee members

at the school

Right Page-Clockwise: Richard Chavka on his ride

to Wimbe Village; Tonya Taylor on safari; Kasey Clark

outside WBR; Kasey Clark and Tonya Taylor with WBR

Zambia Director Brian Moonga

identifying local students who were both promising and in need of help for paying school fees,” Clark said. Meanwhile, the two traveled to the airport to pick up CFI Director and Associate Head of School Rich Chavka, who joined them for 10 days. “We returned to Wimbe Village with Mr. Chavka and interviewed 16 students,” he said. “All made favorable impressions, though we didn’t have quite enough to send them all to school.” Although one student was able to find sponsorship from another party (leaving 15 candidates), there were still too many students based on funds raised. “The three of us decided we could not tell any of these deserving youths that they would not be attending school, so we put down about a third of the cost out of pocket and were happy to be able send all 15 students to school next year.”

Clark, Taylor and Chavka spent the following days traveling through the greater community to meet with headmasters in order to secure places at each school for the sponsored students. After some free-time activities such as going on a safari (and being charged by elephants!) and spending time with friends, Clark and Taylor visited World Bicycle Relief (WBR) in Zambia in order to deliver half of the donations they had brought with them to the organization.

WBR was founded in 2005 by alumnus F.K. Day ’78 and his wife Leah. South Kent has a history of partnering with World Bicycle Relief, participating in multiple fundraisers over the years.

Now back on the Hillside with classes in full swing, the CFI pioneers have new experiences and perspectives to bring back, both in teaching students and planning for what’s next at the School’s innovative and creative lab. South Kent is proud to have faculty members like Mr. Clark, Ms. Taylor and Mr. Chavka, who help continue this community’s growth as a global learning environment.

About World Bicycle ReliefIn response to the Indian Ocean Tsunami,

the organization is dedicated to providing access to independence and livelihood through the Power of Bicycles. Since its inception, WBR has put over 100,000 specially designed, locally assembled bicycles in the hands of students, healthcare workers and entrepreneurs in developing countries around the world. By increasing their mobility, WBR has likewise increased their lives’ possibilities.

Winter 2014 The Hillside • 7

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CARDINALS

inuniformFall and Winter Athletics

Basketball

CrossCountry

Hock

ey

Soccer

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Cross Country

Hampered by injuries and lacking experience, the cross country team endured a long season that nonetheless saw great individual improvement by several members of the team. The season began well enough with a fifth place finish (out of 15 teams) at the Oakwood Friends Invitational–a meet for small schools–but then the injuries began to kick in, with the team rarely fielding a healthy top seven. In this respect, one promising fourth former, Zach Schullery, was not able to run over the last month because of a knee injury, and sixth former and team captain Pat Curry was unable to run in the league and New England Championships because of a possible stress fracture. Even so, there were some highlights, such as the Cardinals’ third-place finish in the South Kent Invitational on Fall Family Weekend (despite missing two runners from the squad’s top seven).

At the end of the season, South Kent came in sixth place in the HVAL Championships, hosted by Chase Collegiate at Bucks Hill Park in Waterbury, CT. While disappointed by this finish, the team could take pride in

the improvement of the runners who had stayed healthy. Exactly one month before, South Kent had run in a league meet on the same course, and every Cardinal ran faster in the championship race--some dramatically. Sixth former and captain Cheng Chi improved by nearly a minute, fourth former Fei Hu improved by nearly two minutes, and fourth former Xingwen Wei improved by more than two minutes. In the Division IV New England Championships, hosted in Thompson, CT, by Marianapolis Preparatory School, South Kent finished 25th out of 30 teams.

After the season, the team’s coaches, Father Steve Klots and Mr. Keenan Sheridan, were pleased to award the Anne Funnell Cup for the Most Valuable Runner to Pat Curry, and the Arthur W. Brown Cup for the Most Improved Runner to Xingwen Wei.

Submitted by Steve Klots

PHOTO

Patrick Curry runs on the hillside during a cross country race at South Kent School.

Winter 2014 The Hillside • 9

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PREP SOCCERNEW ENGLAND CHAMPIONS!!!

Fall and Winter Athletics

Many already know that South Kent School’s prep soccer team won their sixth New England Championship in the last eight years, and their fifth Class B title in the last six by besting the number one seed Lawrence Academy on penalty kicks in the finals. But what people may not know about is the bumpy road of perseverance the team took to the championship this year.

The JourneyTeam captain Abel “Mickey” Watson ’15

was part of the team last year and reflected on the importance of this season. “After losing in the first round last year, we all knew that we needed to bounce back this year,” he said. Head Coach Owen Finberg also noted the loss as an important lesson on refocusing for this season. “One of the reasons why this title was so special was that we didn’t win

it last year. Before that, we had won four championships in a row. Not having won it last year made us really appreciate how difficult it is to win it,” Finberg explained.

For Finberg, it was essential to start this season right. He brought back alumni from previous championship teams: Sean Weir ’08 and Mike Garzi ’09 to help coach and to inspire the current student-athletes. Weir played at University of Connecticut and Garzi played at Colgate University and is currently a professional player with Rochester Rhinos. “Before this year’s tournament, they held their New England trophies and talked about what that meant to them,” Finberg said. Finberg worked to bond the team together through various preseason activities including trips and community service projects like attending alumni matches and partnering with the

local chapter of Rebuilding Together.The early season began strong, but the

team began to feel the pressure from a tough schedule, with extensive travel and the high quality of opponent teams. “One of the biggest obstacles we faced as a team was developing the ability to trust one another,” student-athlete Newton Tsang ’14 said. “At the height of our season, some players were fatigued and others were mentally drained from the competition and travel.” Noting that communication is key, he continued, “We held several team meetings in the locker room to talk it out. The first few weeks into our season were difficult, but as we bonded, we grew as a team and were able to accomplish our ultimate goal: to win a New England Championship.”

Injuries to several players were also an obstacle for the team. “Guys stepped in and

10 • The Hillside Winter 2014

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PREP SOCCERNEW ENGLAND CHAMPIONS!!!

picked up the slack,” Finberg said. “Injuries happen to every team every season; handling those setbacks is part of being a successful team and a successful program.”

The Playoffs and the ChampionshipFinberg knew that the team needed to

maintain its focus. “I knew we could win it but at the same time I knew we could go out at any one of the rounds as well,” he said. The team would need some inspiration.

“On Friday, before we went up to Worcester, I showed them the TED Ed talk from Angela Lee Duckworth called, ‘The key to success? Grit,’” Finberg explained. “Grit is passion and perseverance. It’s how badly you want it and how hard you’re going to work to get it done.” In the TED talk, Duckworth points out that there is a difference between natural ability versus hard work and perseverance. “Talent doesn’t make you gritty,” she says.

Watson latched onto Duckworth’s concept. “With all of the obstacles in the playoffs, from injuries to excessive travel, we were still able to come out with a win,” Watson said. “We were able to overcome by sticking together and being gritty.”

This idea of grit certainly came into play during the semifinal match against The Rivers School. South Kent’s opponent had beaten them 3-0 earlier in the season. The Cardinals showed their strength but went into overtime with a 1-1 tie. After two overtime periods with no goals on either side, it came down to penalty kicks. “It’s so pressure-packed and so intense that it’s an unbelievable experience for the guys,” Finberg said. And an unbelievable experience it was for the South Kent team, who brought home the win with a score of 4-2.

South Kent battled for the championship with undefeated Lawrence Academy. After a full match with a score of 0-0, the tie brought the teams into two 10-minute

overtime periods. It came down to individual players from each team taking turns with penalty kicks.

Lawrence scored twice, but then Matias Correa ’14 scored the first goal, followed by Christopher Watts ’16. Goalkeeper Richard Glemawu ’16 came up with an outstanding save. Next, Lawrence scored, but a shot by Aaron Laranetto ’14 tied the match at 3-3. “This set the stage for Newton Tsang to be the hero and win the match,” Finberg said. And Tsang did just that, sealing a 4-3 victory. The Cardinals’ victory marked the first time the highly powered Spartans had been shut out all year.

“Coach Finberg has done everything in his power to make us successful. All the hours that the coaching staff put into the little details to making this season successful did not go unrewarded.” Tsang said. The credit belongs to the team and coaches for making this season possible. The moment we lifted the trophy, we lifted it as a team…as a community.”

Finberg believes that South Kent’s resolve was, in fact, the winning factor this season and in the playoffs. “In the end, it was down to their determination to succeed that was the difference between the two teams,” he said, admitting, “Lawrence Academy may have been more talented, but I think we wanted it more.”

Winter 2014 The Hillside • 11

Left: The Prep Soccer team celebrates after winning the Class B New England Championship at Loomis Chaffee School. Top to bottom: Mickey Watson raises the championship trophy as the rest of the team surrounds him in celebration; Matias Correa shoots on net against St. Andrews in home opener. (also in photo Newton Tsang); Raul Chamale makes a diving save; Jeff Charles sets to cross the ball during a match; Marc Almeida dribbles at a defender during a match.

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VARSITY SOCCERHVAL CHAMPIONS!!!

Fall and Winter Athletics

When the 2013 Varsity Soccer season began, the coaches had no idea that a simple phrase habitually uttered by Head Coach Lou Pereira would ultimately turn into the perfect way to sum up the team “ATTA-BOY!” Coming off their second consecutive HVAL Title (Housatonic Valley Athletic League) the mighty Cardinals had one thing on their minds: Three-peat! As the season began, the team looked at Captain Samuel Lartey to lead them to glory. The fascinating thing about this team was the difference in the level of players it had. All forms were represented this season, as well as all levels of playing ability. The team ranged from first timers all the way to future All-State candidates. Even more fascinating was the fact that all forms (and players included within those forms) received significant playing time, and each played

a part throughout the season. “I wasn’t too worried about the difference in playing ability that we had,” said Assistant Coach Brian Newsome (class of ’08). He went on to say, “In my playing experience, it is rarely the 11 most talented players that will win a championship for you. It is the gentlemen that will work hard and play with heart for ninety minutes that will win you games, and we had that all year.” The Cardinals’ began their season with three goals in mind: Undefeated Season, HVAL regular season champions, and a third consecutive HVAL Title.

The Cardinals were soaring to begin the season, winning their first 4 games and scoring 23 goals while only allowing 1 against. However, as hot a start as the Cardinals were having, the wind was briefly taken out from under their wings. As they

entered their first HVAL game, the Forman Lions came out strong against the Cardinals, scoring the first goal. Forman showed that they knew how to stop the Cardinals’ power. After their goal, the Lions sat in with eight defenders begging the Cardinals to shoot from distance. With only ten minutes left in the game (and around twenty shots later) fifth former Jackson Nahom finally found the back of the net on a thirty yard blast to the top of the corner. Unfortunately this late goal was not enough to push the Cardinals to victory. The game resulted in a 1-1 draw with the Cardinals in second place in the HVAL behind rival Christian Heritage.

It seemed that this trip-up was exactly what the Cardinals needed to push them for the remainder of the season. The Cardinals came together in order to win seven out of their next eight games (a 2-2 draw against

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VARSITY SOCCERHVAL CHAMPIONS!!!

HVAL rival Chase Collegiate) flying straight into the HVAL playoffs, having achieved two of their three preseason goals: an undefeated season, and HVAL regular season Champions. The Cardinals ended their regular season with a record of 11-0-2, a record that ultimately gave them a free pass to the Semifinals and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The rules of the Hillside state that no athlete in academic trouble will be eligible to play the first week of a new marking period. The Varsity Soccer team lost a total of eight players to this rule. The team would now turn to their two MVPs, third former Tyejae Burchall and fifth former Tyler Hoadley to help them achieve victory.

For the semi-final game, the Cardinals would face the Forman Lions once again. Immediately the Cardinals were all over them, scoring in the first ten minutes and never letting up. The final score was 5-0. The Cardinals now found themselves one win away from another title.

Then the Cardinals faced yet another setback. Team Captain Billy Hoadley (Head Prefect) would be missing from the lineup against Christian Heritage due to a college interview. This left the Cardinals with only 11 players against their most challenging competitor yet. “It will be a battle, this game won’t be easy for us. Play with heart and never give up,” said Assistant Coach Marcus Cooper (class of ’06). What Coach Cooper did not anticipate was a twenty-five yard, left-footed strike off the foot of Zach Pereira to lead South Kent to an early 1-0 lead.

The game was not an easy one. In order to finish as strong as they started, everyone had to play a part. The Cardinals managed to find support from a bench player. This player was none other than Yu (Charlie) Wu, this year’s Most Improved Player. At times Yu would fall to the ground, but he never quit. “I can’t believe that amount of heart Yu showed during the final game” Head

Coach Lou Pereira said later. He went on to say, “Even though he made the assistant coaches and me think that he might not survive the game, he never stopped. Yu has the biggest heart on our team.” Just when all players seemed too tired to continue, hope was restored. Captain Billy Hoadley returned from his meeting, changed into uniform, and sprinted onto the field.

With a late goal scored by MVP Tyler Hoadley, the Cardinals were able to pull through, winning their third consecutive HVAL Title. “I am so proud of the players that we had that faced adversity and overcame it. I am honored to say I coached such outstanding young men,” said Coach Lou Pereira as he commented on the quality of the team he had this year. This team of Cardinals flew straight no matter the strength of the wind.

Submitted by Coach Brian Newsome

Winter 2014 The Hillside • 13

Left: The Varsity Soccer team celebrates after winning their third straight HVAL championship. Top to Bottom: Tyler Hoadley and Alden Grayson-Funk celebrate after scoring a goal; Samuel Lartey and Billy Hoadley holding the HVAL championship trophy; Chao Huang making a move on a defender during a game; The Varsity Soccer team thanking their fans during a cool-down jog after a game; Coach Lou Pereira talking to his players during a game. (in photo are Jackson Nahom, Samuel Lartey, Zach Pereira)

Page 16: The Hillside

Fall and Winter Athletics

Prep Basketball

The Prep Basketball team had its best start ever, racing out to a 14-2 record. With its unique brand of small ball (the team had three players under 6’0” tall), they were able to be a mainstay in the nextuprecruits.com top-ten rankings. A combination of unselfish play and hard work was the key reason for this season’s success.

The team was led in the post by second-year big man and Binghamton-commit Dusan Perovic. Perovic, a second-team All-League selection, was one of the top post players in the NEPSAC AAA. Perovic led the team in rebounding (8.1rpg) and was second on the team in scoring (15 ppg). His leadership will be missed.

Christian Foxen and Albert Christensson were also solid contributors all season in the front court. Foxen came on strong the second half of the year, starting the last 18 games of the season and averaging 9 rebounds per game over that period.

Guard play was the team’s calling card. Despite our small size, we were able to use defense and our ability to create offense with the dribble to score points in bunches. The

backcourt was led by Iona-commit Schadrac Casimir. At 5’10” Casimir, a second-team All-League selection, led the Cardinals in scoring at 17.4 ppg. A dynamic scorer, Casimir had games of 36 points versus Brewster Academy and Northfield Mount Hermon and 32 versus St. Thomas More.

Casimir’s backcourt mate was third former Tremont Waters. Waters, an All-League Honorable Mention selection, showed his worth all season.Waters was third in scoring (12.7 ppg) and first in assists (3.2 apg) for the Cardinals.

Casimir and Waters had a lot of help in the backcourt from Jordan Strawberry and Arell Hennings. Starters on most teams, Strawberry and Hennings were major contributors off the bench for the entire season. Binghamton-commit Romello Walker was another major contributor on the perimeter. Walker consistently used his length and athleticism to become the team’s best defender.

The Prep Basketball team concluded its season with an invitation to the National Championship Tournament, cementing its place in the top eight teams of the nation.

Submitted by Coach Kelvin Jefferson

Varsity Basketball

The 2013 / 2014 Varsity Basketball team experienced a lot more success than our record suggested.

The boys were competitive in every game but were always one talented player away from finishing games with more victories. What I was most impressed with was never noticing the team giving up; they fought hard to the end of every game. To never give up when you see the outcome happening is an honorable quality, and part of how these boys earned my respect the entire year.

One of the highlights of this season was Joel Garcia making the All-League second team. Congratulations to Joel; he had a very good season averaging over 20 points per game.

Do we look to the future, to getting back to being the dominant team in our league? Yes, we do, but above and beyond wins and losses is how the team represent themselves on and off the court.

To the parents of this year’s team, you can be very proud of your boys; they were extremely courteous and respectful everywhere we traveled. There were two

14 • The Hillside Winter 2014

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occasions where patrons of the restaurants we were in came up to me and expressed how polite this group of boys were. I as their coach was very proud to be associated with these fine young gentlemen.

I wish our graduating team members good luck next year in college and look forward to November for the beginning of another year of Varsity Basketball.

Submitted by Coach Gary Benz

Junior VarsityBasketballThe 2013-2014 JV Basketball season was

a fun-filled and successful one. The team finished with a record of 9-4 and played a schedule that allowed for different lineups to suit different skill levels. There were many tough, hard-fought victories within those 9, but the one that stood out was a hard-nosed 37-34 grind-it-out win over Salisbury School. It is those kinds of wins that make you smile as a coach–knowing your guys put everything out on the floor to win the game in front of the home crowd.

With the JV program having so many

players playing at different skill levels, it was difficult at times to get them all to understand plays that we ran, but it was great to see their effort day-in and day-out to try and get better. Every one of the players got better throughout the season. It was great to have a few games in which players who did not normally get a lot of playing time could play and gain experience in game situations. Coach Funk and I had a great time working with the 19 players we had throughout the season, working with each one to improve his skill. Some came into the season not having played basketball at all before this season. The goal of the JV program is to get everyone involved and have a good time. I believe that Coach Funk and I have done so this season, as not one player was left out of any drill or activity that we conducted. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the guys played together. The team chemistry they were able to develop while playing every day was great, and it really showed in games when the ball was getting moved around; players knew where their teammates were on the floor, and that kind of teamwork is what is needed to succeed. Unfortunately the season had to come to an end, but it

ended on a high note with a victory over Forman in the last game at home. We will be bidding farewell to six students this year in Billy Hoadley, Cheng Chi, Tian Zhang, Yuhao Liu, Bohan Chen, and Shihao Hu. However, the great thing about this year is that we will have many players returning next year, as there was a great mix of forms on the JV Squad this year. There will be 12 players returning from this year’s team, so the chemistry will still be there. Coach Funk and I had a great time coaching together this year and can not wait until next winter to get this group back on the court. So until then, SOUTH KENT on three….ONE … TWO ….THREE…. SOUTH KENT !!!!

Submitted by Coach Anthony Camardi ’08

Far left to right: Romello Walker skying toward the hoop in a Prep Basketball game against Coastal Academy (also in picture are Albert Christensson, left, and Arell Hennings, right); Joel Garcia fighting through defenders while Samuel Lartey hustles back on defense in a Varsity Basketball game against Storm King (also in picture Coach Gary Benz); Yuhao Liu drives to the basket in a home JV Basketball game against Forman (also in picture Cheng Chi)

Winter 2014 The Hillside • 15

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The season kicked off Labor Day weekend with a tournament in Marlborough, MA. We went 7-0 and captured the championship at the first event of the year; this was a good sign of things to come. The U16N team consisted of 9 returning players and 12 new additions to the School. To a coach, it is always unknown on how a group will gel or come together as a team, especially with so many new players in the fold. The team continued to have success and won their second championship of the year, winning the JR Bruins Shootout and continued on a 21-game winning streak. The championship game versus Team Comcast saw U16N coming from behind 1-0 late in the game to win 2-1. It was apparent to the coaching staff at this point that the team was coming together and there was something special about this group.

The next big event for the U16N team was the Beantown tournament, which showcased teams from all over North America including top ranked Chicago Mission and Little Caesars. U16N went 6-0-1 and captured their 3rd championship of the year, including a 1-0 win over top-ranked Valley Jr Warriors in the Quarterfinals, a 2-0 win over York Skipjacks, and an exciting 3-2 win in the championship game versus Cape Cod.

Next up was the New Englands to see who would advance to the National Championships in Green Bay. The team finished first in New England league play and would be the top seed at New Englands. We went 2-0-1 in round robin play and would face the Stamford Sharks (a team comprised of top players from other prep schools including Gunnery, Kent,

Westminster) in the semi-finals. In a close game, U16N came out 1-0 victors to advance to the finals to play the CT Wolfpack (a team comprised of top players from prep schools such as Loomis, Gunnery, Salisbury, Avon). With some great goaltending from Josh Boyko and an overtime goal from Tyler Augustinsen, in front of many South Kent School supporters U16N would advance to the Nationals. Coach Rask on the victory: “This is a big step for our program; being able to advance to the Nationals in only our second year eligible is fantastic. I’m so proud of this group as they put the team ahead of their individual goals; that is why they are having so much success.” Coach Rask on the crowd at the Berkshire rink: “No question the fan support from fellow South Kent School students and staff, along with U18 cheering them on, helped lead us

SELECTS ACADEMY U16 NATIONAL

NEW ENGLAND CHAMPIONS!!!

Fall and Winter Athletics

16 • The Hillside Winter 2014

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to a victory.” Later on U16N would be able to watch U18 capture the New England Championship and advance to Nationals!!!!!!

Coming off the heels of the New England Championships, U16N would play 6 league games heading into Christmas break. The team went 6-0-0 and finished 40-3-3 as players went home for a much deserved Christmas break.

Returning in January, U16N picked up right where they left off and continued on their winning path as they won the next 4 games heading into the annual Legacy Elite Invitational South Kent School tournament. The tournament would consist of top 20 ranked teams Wilkes Barre/Scranton Jr Knights, Long Island Gulls and the host Selects Academy at South Kent School (ranked #8). U16N started the tournament with a tough loss to the Long Island Gulls, losing 4-3. On Saturday U16N would beat the CT Oilers and tie Wilkes Barre/Scranton Jr Knights. In the semi finals U16N faced the Long Island Gulls, and the result was a 3-0 win, rebounding from their earlier loss. U16N went on to win the tournament in front of a loud home crowd, beating Wilkes Barre/Scranton Jr Knights 4-3.

Last up before Nationals would be the USPHL playoffs with the championship games being held at Merrimack College. U16N finished the regular season in 1st place with a league record of 29-0-0 and would go on to beat York Skipjacks, Islanders Hockey Club and Jersey Hitmen 5-3 in the finals to capture the league championship and finish undefeated in league play 32-0-0.

Next up were Nationals in Green Bay, starting with players returning early from spring break to practice. Both U16N and U18 headed out to Green Bay on Monday, March 31st and would start game action on Wednesday. First up for U16N was Number 1 ranked Honeybaked. In a back-and-forth game Honeybaked took the edge in special

teams and went on to win 4-1. Next up for U16N was TPH Thunder, and behind strong team play, U16N won 6-3. In the final game of round robin against the Buffalo Regals it was a win or go home situation for both Buffalo Regals and Selects Academy at South Kent School. In a tight hard fought game, both teams exchanging leads including a 3-2 lead for U16N with less than five minutes remaining, the game would eventually head to overtime and then end in a shootout. Buffalo would eventually go on to win, needing extra shooters to advance.

Coach Rask: “It was a tough way to end the season, but some days you don’t get the bounces. I’m so proud of this group; they have accomplished so much this season and should hold their heads high.”

Team Highlights:• Labor Day Classic Champions• Jr. Bruins Shootout Champions• Beantown Champions• New England Champions• Legacy Elite Invitational South Kent

School Champions• Regular Season and League

Champions• Team Record of 65-6-4, finishing

with the most wins in the country• 21-game winning streak• 19-game winning streak• 29-0-0 USPHL regular season record• 32-0-0 in USPHL playSubmitted by Coach Devin Rask

Left: U-16N team celebrates after winning 2nd Annual Legacy Elite Hockey Invitational at South Kent School. Top to bottom: Goaltender Josh Boyko eyes the puck in the corner of Cuyler Rink during Championship game in Legacy Elite Hockey Invitational against Scranton/Wilkes Barre Junior Knights; U-16N team raises the trophy after winning the Legacy Elite Hockey Invitational; U-16 National Selects Academy New England Championship banner; Andrew Peeke getting ready to take the ice after intermission; U-16N players on bench waiting during a home game; U-16N players begin celebration after buzzer sounds in Legacy Elite Hockey Invitational Championship; Aaron McPheters controls the puck during a game.

Winter 2014 The Hillside • 17

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The 2013-’14 season was one of high expectations and accomplishments. The 23-man roster was a balance of six returning members of last year’s U-18 team, nine members who moved up from U-16 National, and eight newcomers from various programs throughout the world.

Unfinished BusinessOur goal this year was to earn the New

England Regional Championship that we had been so close to winning the season before; however, it didn’t come without overcoming some adversity. In the first tournament this year, The Labor Day Faceoff Classic, we got off to a fast start winning our first five of six games. We started out that championship against Boston Advantage Black with a 2-2 tie halfway into the third period. A penalty call on us put Boston on the power play where they scored the

winning goal with 26 seconds left. The very next weekend was the

Woodchuck Classic Showcase. We played three games in the span of 19 hours so we had our challenges with regard to rest and fatigue. We set the tone early with a big 6-2 win over the Boston Jr. Bruins. We followed up with two more wins, 6-2 over the New Hampshire Monarchs and 5-4 over the South Shore Kings, to go undefeated at the Woodchuck Classic.

The next big event was the prestigious Boston Jr. Bruins Shootout. We started out the tournament with a 5-1 win. After spotting a 2-0 lead in the second game we rebounded to take that game 5-2. The next morning we won 3-2 in a shootout. On the final day of this tournament you had to win three 30-minute mini games to win the whole thing. We started out the quarterfinal game by winning 5-1. Up next in the semi-

final game of the tournament we won 1-0. It was our turn to play Comcast’s U18 team in the tournament’s championship game. We gave a dominant performance, holding a territorial advantage in play all game and walked away with a 3-1 win going 6-0 and winning our first championship together. It was a tremendous feeling in the locker room and we finally got over the hump together.

We rode this momentum to a 17-0-2 run, winning a season-high 17 games straight during this stretch and besting the previous U18 winning streak of 11 straight wins the season before. This stretch lasted from the 3-2 loss in the Labor Day Classic Tournament Championship game on September 2, 2013 against the Boston Advantage to the East Coast College Cup quarterfinal game where we fell to the #2 ranked team in the country, Detroit Belle Tire U18, 2-0 on October 20, 2013.

SELECTS ACADEMY U18 NATIONAL

NEW ENGLAND CHAMPIONS!!!

Fall and Winter Athletics

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Next up was the Beantown Fall Classic. After a 3-2 win in the first game and a 5-1 win in the second, we faced the 2013 National Champions, the Neponset Valley Riverrats in the first round playoff game, defeating them 2-1. Up next was Detroit Belle Tire who struck first to take a 1-0 lead. Down a man as we were called for a penalty with less than two minutes to go, Chase Priskie picked up the puck, casually weaved through defenders to their goal line at an off angle and ripped a highlight reel shot. Three overtimes and a shootout later we fell to Belle Tire 2-1.

At the New England Regional Tournament we started off with a very sloppy 0-0 tie, and then dropped a 3-1 loss. With our backs against the wall we went out and dominated in our next game, winning 4-0. In the semi-final game we faced off against the 2-seeded New Hampshire Monarchs. We scored first, and then on a 5-on-3 power play New Hampshire tied the score at 1-1. Some late game Anthony Siderio heroics put us up 2-1 which we managed to hold to win it. Mid Fairfield Yankees were next and came out swinging; luckily for us Al Rogers made several highlight reel saves in the first five minutes. Finishing up the game, Anthony Siderio buried two goals and helped lead us to our first New England Championship and our first bid to the National Championship Tournament. It was a remarkable team effort; with our backs against the wall we won 3 straight games and surrendered only 1 goal in that span.

Our goal was to win the Triple Crown, the New England Regional, the USPHL and the National Championships. We got 2 out of 3 this year, falling short in Green Bay, WI at the National Tournament. We won 2 out of our 3 games out there, defeating Detroit Belle Tire 4-3 and the Los Angeles Jr. Kings 2-0, but falling to Detroit Victory Honda which created a three-way tie in our

bracket. Unfortunately our season ended on a tie-breaker as Detroit Belle Tire had a goal differential two points better than ours. Regardless it was a great showing for our boys, and we proved that we can compete at a national level.

Our chemistry as a unit was unprecedented; brothers pulling for one another, this year is one that these young men won’t forget. I know that I won’t, and I want to thank them all for giving me one of the best experiences of my life and for all the memories that go along with that. I especially want to thank the nine pioneers of this program: Chase Priskie, Brenden Walch, Karl El-Mir, Joe Delandro, Nico Silva, Jimmy Meyer, Anthony Siderio, Al Rogers, and Roberts Smits. These nine players took a chance on this program three years ago with the first U16 at South Kent. These guys are leaving South Kent and the Selects Program better than when they arrived, and I don’t think anyone could have done a better job. It is only fitting that U18 closed the doors to Cuyler Rink forever with a USPHL regular season title-clinching 6-0 win over Suffolk PAL.

I am very proud to have been a part of it and I am very proud of this team and how they represented South Kent and the Select Academy program. We wish the players moving on and their families the very best and hope for bright and prosperous futures. We also hope they won’t be strangers and will come back to South Kent at various alumni events to see the growth and prosperity of their school and hockey program as they were the foundation to its success.

U-18 Head Coach, Matt Plante Left: U-18N team poses for picture after unveiling of their New England Championship banner; Top to Bottom: Chase Priskie and Jeremie Lintner share a laugh on the bench during a game; U-18N New England Championship Banner; Al Rogers observing his team during a U-18N home game; U-18N team line up at the blue line during their final home game at Cuyler Rink.

By The NumbersAfter clinching the New England Regional Championship and earning a berth to the National Tournament here is a list by the numbers of our U18 team’s accomplishments this season:

• Labor Day Face-Off Tournament Finalist

• Boston Jr. Bruins Shootout Champions• East Coast College Cup

Quarterfinalists• Beantown Fall Classic Quarterfinalists• Connecticut Hockey Conference

Champions: 5-0-1 Record• New England Regional Champions• USPHL Regular Season Champions:

24-3-0 Record• USPHL Tournament Champions• 17 Wins Straight• Tier 1 Toyota/USA Hockey National

Championship Tournament Participants: 2-1 Record

• Overall Record: 52-10-5

Player Honors:• USPHL Defensive Player of the Year:

Chase Priskie• USPHL Offensive Player of the Year:

Karl El-Mir• USPHL Most Valuable Player: Karl

El-Mir

Winter 2014 The Hillside • 19

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Selects AcademyU16 American HockeyThe U16 American 2013-’14 squad

started out the season in late August with 23 student athletes never having met as a whole. The boys were anxious but truly showed the coaching staff a competitive club pulling together right out of the gate who found the way to the playoff round in the prestigious Labor Day Classic. Day by day and practice by practice, it was apparent that this group of young SKS student-athletes were starting to grow and gel as a team. The team plowed forward and continued to find winning ways through our independent schedule, racking up a solid record over the first couple of months. Entering the East Coast College Classic, the Selects were determined to keep the run alive. Another check mark for this group, this time finding their way to the semifinals. Our team made up of boys born in 1999 and 1998 were competing on a weekly basis against teams mainly composed of boys born in 1997 and 1998. Winter break was soon upon us, and

a well deserved break was necessary for the this young squad. Reassembling in early January, the club found its way through a winter blizzard to the Martin Luther King Showcase at Merrimack College. It was here that the true colors of our group shone through. Playing a schedule of teams in the USPHL U16 National division, our athletes were determined to continue to make South Kent proud and battled to the silver medal, losing only one game vs a team from Canada with a roster of mostly 1996 birth years. The long winter months crushed New England with snow and cold, but the boys never blinked and continued to march together as one. Sadly, late February was upon us and our team was down to its final exam, defending our Hillside in the U16 American Legacy cup showcase. Battling against solid competition, the U16 American found themselves in a must-win, goal differential situation on what would be the last South Kent game played ever at our Cuyler arena. Holding true to form, it was one of the coldest days in the old barn, and the U16 American team was on a mission to be sure it was a memorable one for all alumni who had laced up the skates on our

home ice. Checkmate! The boys finished the chapter with pride and won the showcase and the last game ever to be played at Cuyler. A remarkable 39-14-2 record, a feeling of brotherhood, and a hard-working season was finished by a group of young men that will always be remembered by its coaching staff.

Submitted by Coach Eric Soltys

Varsity HockeyThe 2013-2014 Varsity Hockey team’s

season was a hard-fought battle right from the start. Each member of the varsity team came down the hillside and cherished every last minute on Cuyler’s surface. The Cardinals were light on numbers due to a busy winter schedule but they were led by sixth form captain Tristan Elliott. Elliott is a three-year boy and made sure that everyone kept his head up, game-in and game-out. Elliott will be graduating at the end of the year and heading to Assumption College. Coach Crowley stated, “We never had to worry about anything on the ice when Tristan was out there, and it will be hard to find as good a leader for next year.” He had the help of a close friend, Grayson Makris,

Fall and Winter Athletics

20 • The Hillside Winter 2014

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To get your hands on all the latest SKS gear, visit:

store.southkentschool.org

Men’s and Women’s

SKS Branded Apparel

Vintage Pigtail Against the World Tee

who will be joining the Cardinals for another season next year. The two of them led the team in points and made sure that everyone stayed positive both on and off the ice. Between the pipes, Zach Schullery did a nice job of guarding his net. Colton Loomis was another strong advocate for the team’s success. When it came down to it, each of the Cardinals brought something different to the table. We were a team of all different sizes, styles, and skill levels but one thing is for sure: each member of the team grew and became a better player. “Throughout the season, the team became stronger as a whole unit, and that’s exactly what every coach or captain is looking for,” stated Elliott. Each member of the team was there for each other, and it showed in the way they not only learned from but taught each other along the way. Liam Delehanty is somewhat new to the sport of hockey, and it was nice to see a kid take every chance he could to better himself. He truly embraced every second of his ice time both in practices and in games to learn as much as he possibly could. Coaches Crowley and Soltys said on Delehanty’s behalf, “Liam is one of the first kids on the

ice and is always one of the last kids off the ice. He has the drive to continue to be the most improved player each time he steps off that ice.” Coach Soltys and Coach Crowley worked with the team on all aspects of the game, but most importantly taught them to be a composed team and keep their sense of sportsmanship. The team was also lucky enough to have the help of Coach Pinchevsky, Coach Henderson, Coach Haig, and Mrs. Capobianco along the way to assist in any of the Cardinals’ needs. Lastly, the team is extremely thankful to have the help and support from the School and the parents, especially Mrs. Brady. Thank you for everything along the way and keep those cookies coming!

Submitted by Coach Pat Crowley ’08

SOUTH KENTS C H O O L

S T O R E

Ties, Belts, Hats and More

Kitchenware,Mugs and

Glasses

Far left to right: Kyle Warren scores a break-away goal against Rothesay in a U-16 American Selects Hockey game; Grayson Makris scores a goal against Forman on a rebound from Christopher Richards in a Varsity Hockey game.

Winter 2014 The Hillside • 21

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Memories

2010sAndrew Peeke ’16

I just have one memory I’ll never forget that happened to me in Cuyler Rink. My freshman year of school at South Kent on the U14 team, we played Hillside School. It was the loudest Cuyler has ever been, since I attended school. We ended up winning in a shoot out, and that game was just so intense I will never forget that one game in Cuyler.

Dominic Costello ’15I will never forget winning the legacy

tourney. All the times in the locker room with my pals.

Connor Sundquist ’15Cuyler was the place to go and clear

your mind, playing the game you loved. Championships were won, and great friendships were made at Cuyler Rink.

Roberts Smits ’14I have had the privilege to call this my

home rink for the past three years. I have a ton of great memories that I will never

forget. Anything from winning, the awesome crowd, the struggles we have overcome playing at home, and just having a great time at practice. I will always remember this rink as one of my homes and it will always be in my heart as one of the big reasons these past three years have been so good and so much fun.

Anthony Florentino ’13I have too many memories to count. All I

know is that Cuyler will forever be my home. I have never enjoyed hockey as much as I did when I suited up in red. There is nothing in life I am more proud of than to say I played for and went to South Kent.

Nicholas Malone ’13As a recent graduate of South Kent, it

is hard to see this Cuyler Rink’s journey coming to an end. Although I spent a single year at South Kent, Cuyler Rink became very special to me. Throughout my hockey career I have laced up the skates in hundreds of rinks, but Cuyler is by far the most memorable.

1990sDuncan Berry (Faculty ’96-’01)

My children all learned how to skate in Cuyler Rink. My son, Matthew, learned how to play hockey in Cuyler Rink and the Kent School rink. I opened and closed the rink on the weekends when I was on but never got to resurface the ice. ( John Farr or the maintenance staff did that.) My fondest memories are the days when my sons and I had the rink to ourselves (one of the perks of being entrusted to opening and closing in season), and the occasional times I did the scoreboard for the local youth league. I am glad that South Kent School is moving forward.

Sumner Crawford ’99I grew up on a farm in Virginia, so playing

ice hockey wasn’t exactly on my radar. When I went to South Kent in the fall of 1995, I assumed I’d play basketball in the winter as a sport, but when the season came I decided to try out for ice hockey instead. I remember thinking to myself that even while walking, I have a stunning ability to trip or fall over

inrecollectionCelebrating 46 Great Years

As we said good-bye to Cuyler Rink this year, we all honored this special facility in different ways: by taking the final photos on the ice, through a chapel service of thanksgiving, and perhaps most effectively, in the

sharing of memories. We were happy to hear from many alumni, faculty, stu-dents and faculty children who each commemorated Cuyler Rink in his or her own way. Here, we take a few moments to remember together. Enjoy!

22 • The Hillside Winter 2014

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almost nothing so I was eager to put pads on first, skates second. After getting geared up, I met Mr. Brown who was the Leagues Hockey “coach” and by “coach” I mean, he’d supervise a bunch of kids who knew nothing about skating or playing hockey and try to give us pointers while we fell, or if we were unable to stop, hit the wall. I usually did both at the same time. Eventually I learned, slowly, but I learned to the level where my fifth and sixth form years I played on the JV team; this may not seem like much, but it was a major victory to me and a major headache for my parents.

My time on the hillside gave me many fond memories in Cuyler Rink. I loved to sit on top of the concrete walls and bang the plexi-glass while we screamed Cardinal cheers during varsity games. I still remember scoring my first-ever goal in that rink. It was a shot from our D-man on the point, which the goalie kick-saved, but when rebound came right to me; I shot it in. Hauling around the fire hose with Mr. Simmons to help put the ice down was a favorite memory of mine, knowing hockey season was just around the corner. The memory I hold closest to me is that Cuyler Rink was where I learned to play hockey, a sport I absolutely love and still play today, even way down here in Charleston, S.C. I’ll certainly miss Cuyler Rink, but I am glad to have had the chance to play there. Servant, well done.

Josh Dwyer ’98I have too many memories to name, but I

will say that I had a friend who went on to play in the NHL state that Cuyler was his favorite rink to play on.

Kris Walleyn ’98My memory of Cuyler Rink was in 1996-

97 season when we played Kent. We beat them in OT; this is the biggest memory for me as I scored the game-tying goal and the game-winning goal in OT. One of the best moments at SKS.

Molly Simmons(Faculty Child on the Hillside from ’78-’98)

I wrote this poem when I was a senior at Taft, in 1996.

“My Father Floods the Rink”As the fall season comes to a close and the

bitter November transition sets in,My father gets a familiar gleam in his eye as

the hot steam from the past eight monthsClears to introduce an icy path towards his

passion.

The pipes are turned on,The sprinklers are strategically placed over

the rough sand, andThe powerful f ire hose is unrolled and once

again, reduced to the embarrassing spit of water pressure.

The delicate tissue paper is cut to regulation size,

Boldly assuming the responsibility of governing the massive force of blades and sticks and pucks.

The paint cans are pried open with cautionAnd lathered onto the ice as frosting on a cake(evenly dispersed, not a bit wasted,

disguising the underneath).

Those who come to volunteer their service and share his passion,

Disregard the wind or homework or Saturday night dance.

The faster this gets done, the earlier they can step onto the ice,

Smell the sweat, coldness, and brilliant energy of the rink,

Feel the rush of the self-induced wind,Hear their souls pushing their bodies to

physical limits.

So it is done,Under the meticulous, wire-framed eyes of

my fatherCarrying the faithful love of a game.And when it is f inished,The product is a canvas for daydreams and

aspirationsthat have been imprisoned during the

eternity of seasons with unbladed shoes.

Right to Left: Cuyler Rink from above; Nicholas Malone takes the ice before a game; Anthony Florentino skates down the ice in a game against Hill Academy; Sumner Crawford’s Sixth Form photo

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Howard “Howie” Brande ’93I guess my earliest memories of Cuyler

Rink date back to going up to watch games when my brother Rich ’88 was attending. It was unlike any rink I had ever been to in my life. The wooden beams, the bubbles on the ends, the fieldhouse, a penalty box with no door. A few years later I started skating in the rink during my own time on The Hillside.

I transferred into the Third Form right after Thanksgiving in 1989. Hockey players returned earlier than the rest of the students, so we could get on the ice. Because of this, I actually had my first hockey practice at SKS before I attended my first class. Over the years I surely had moments to remember. South Kent vs. Salisbury was our biggest game of the year, and the rink would be packed to capacity and then some. I was a goalie, and you could say my fifth and sixth form years were re-building years for the program. My sixth form year I did have a big win over Berkshire at home in front of a pretty packed Cuyler Rink.

Yet the two things I will always remember about Cuyler Rink did not occur during games. The first happened during practice one dark winter night. We had the late night practice slot after dinner; the Hillside would be pitch black at night back then. We got on the ice and started stretching and a couple of lights blew out. That was strange. So we began our warm-up skating drills, and

more lights started going out. By this time about half the lights had gone out, so Coach Simmons headed off to investigate what was going on and instructed us to start warming up the goalies. It was the usual: line up in each corner, skate out above the face off dot, pass from the corner, shoot. So Brian Peake, a PG goalie, was in net and Chris Jennings ’93 who had a cannon of a shot skated out, circled the dot, received the pass, let a slap shot go. Right at that moment, the rest of the lights blew out and it went pitch black in Cuyler Rink. A split second later, we all heard that unmistakable sound of a puck slamming into a face mask, followed by a scream and some cursing. That shot in the dark nailed the goalie right in the face, and with the lights having gone out, it could not have been scripted any better. There had been a fire in the roundhouse that knocked out some of the electricals.

My other memory isn’t one of a specific day, or practice or game. It is of the Saturday nights and Sunday mornings, just going down to Cuyler Rink and playing pick-up hockey, mucking around, throwing my goalie gear on a classmate who had never been on the ice before so we could pepper him with shots. Afterwards just hanging out in the locker room, talking about what boys in boarding school talk about. It was those times on the ice and in the locker room where bonds and friendships were made. Those are not only my fondest memories of

Cuyler Rink but of my entire time on The Hillside.

Ruth Abbott-Greenberg ’84My earliest memories of Cuyler Rink

include learning to skate there as a little girl under the watchful eyes of my mom and dad as I pushed a small chair in front of me. As a preteen I practiced jumps and twists as I had dreams of being a figure skater. As a faculty brat we would often go down late at night skating under the star filled night at a time before the rink had a roof. New Year’s Eve was often celebrated under those stars. As a student I will never forget those games where we battled Salisbury. The students were packed around the rink and up on the snow banks screaming out for the boys on the ice. I even briefly tried to be a member of the junior leagues, trying my best to play hockey, one girl with a whole pack of brothers.

Chris Farr ’84I am a Cuyler Rink orphan...My father,

John Farr, was the self-appointed rink caretaker from the day the rink was built until the time I graduated (1984). He has probably spent more days and nights down at that rink than any human alive. Many people also know that his specialty was “ice resurfacing.” He drove, repaired, and coddled the first ice-resurfacing machine at SKS (aka - the Husky) through many

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brutal years of hard labor. Until the late ‘80’s there was no roof on the Cuyler Rink, and the ice resurfacing machines (now known as Zambonis) did double-time to clear the snow and rain off the ice. Despite the fact that Cuyler Rink diverted many moments of my father’s affection away from his wife and children, it became the home away from home for many of us faculty brats. It kept us out of trouble (mostly), it kept us in good shape, it kept us tired, and it bred many passionate hockey players. I will never forget the big games against teams like (then-arch-rival) Salisbury when the entire school would come down and line the boards to cheer on the teams. So many wonderful memories. I am sure that the new rink will provide the same!!!

Tom Prescott ’80The last time I skated on Cuyler Rink, it

had no roof, so it’s been a while. I remember how magical it was to play hockey while it snowed on that rink, and how cold your feet could get taking your shift to put in the ice in the middle of the night (but that made skating on it that much sweeter).

Jamie Funnell ’79I have many fond memories of Cuyler

Rink, the earliest riding around the rink on the Husky with my grandfather while Victor Deak drove. As a kid, years of playing Kent Youth Hockey there and cheering on

childhood heroes like Sid Stockdale and Lawrence Smith. As a student, coming down the hill for the Saturday night Salisbury game in a torchlight parade, kerosene soaked socks blazing on the ends of broken hockey sticks. The most vivid memories, though, are from hiking back up the hill after late-night Senior Leagues games on frigid January nights, trading war stories from meaningless games, our freshly-showered hair frozen stiff.

Peter S. Bartlett ’77I’m sure that several from my era will

recount this occurrence, but in the event that they don’t, I wanted to make sure that it “made the book.” We were playing Salisbury in a Saturday night game, mid winter. We were well into our warm-ups when it became increasingly obvious that none of our fans had arrived for the game. As both teams completed their pregame routines and were collecting at their respective benches, you could hear chants coming from up the hill, from in front of the chapel to be exact, and as I looked up that way I could see a column of torch light making its way down the hill towards the rink - it was amazing. As the noise grew, and the fans and torches filed in to surround both sides of the rink, I remember feeling completely overwhelmed with pride and excitement for the game that we were about to play - I can’t even remember the result, but the feeling of watching the students come down that hill is

pretty well etched into my memory banks.

Thompson Gerke ’76As for most South Kent School boys in

the 1970s, Cuyler Rink was an integral part of my prep school experience. I learned how the ice is manually installed in a skating rink...who can ever forget the bone-chilling cold as we ice laying tyros assisted the “old hands” in spraying water out of a fire hose to create layer after layer of ice. Our job entailed nothing more than the ignoble task of holding the hose across our shoulders to keep it off newly freezing ice layers. Of course, manhandling the end of the fire hose as an upper classman was indeed a badge of honor. When I attended SKS, once we entered the winter sports season learning to skate was a sink or swim matter. Though I’d been on skates since a small boy, I never truly became proficient at skating until I took to the ice on Cuyler Rink. It was there that I learned to skate backward! Many of my fondest memories are of free skating periods on the weekends. The memory most etched in my mind is the time we were chasing each other through the tangle of skaters making their way more slowly across the ice in an easy circuit of the rink. I’ll never forget my sense of horror when I attempted to overtake a skater and upon swerving ahead of them ran full force into Mr. Fowle. My shoulder made solid impact in his torso sending both of us to the ice. I offered my apologies

Left to Right: 1993 Varsity Hockey Team, Back, left to right: Mr. Richards, Walker, Folli, Bartholomew, Merrick, Dumont, Garceau, Kosecki, Mr. Simmons; Front, left to right: Brande, Neil, Gunderson, Staples, Patton, Jennings, Paxton, Ouellet, Giruzzi, Tobani; John Farr operating the ice resurfacer (Not Pictured: His family); Senior League 1979 Back Left to Right: Ives, Crawford, Applemans, Gallagher, VanRhyn, Mills, Prescott, Ryan, Funnell, Hickox, Ossorio, Lewis; Front Left to Right: Higbie, Speeler, Rosenberg, May, Dann; Uncredited photo from 1976

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and asked if he was OK, and he bravely resumed skating as did I, and under much more control the rest of the afternoon. It wasn’t until later that evening at dinner that I learned he’d broken one or two ribs! I felt horrible. However, in typical teenage fashion, I was back on the ice the following weekend, skating faster and more wildly than I knew I should.

Reed Martin ’76I close my eyes and I am there-• Being part of the all-night crew that

made the new ice in late-November, and being among the first to skate on it. Then using No-Doz to stay awake for class the next day! To be able to be a part of that activity again!!

• Eagerly and attentively listening to Sid Stockdale ’73 as he let third formers know that the most magical skate was when you had practice on a cloudless moonlit night when the temperatures were below 0; he was right!

• Being sadder than sad when a winter rain meant shutting the rink down, which meant tremendous repair to the ice surface once the front had passed. The rink lived and breathed.

• The old Husky–John Farr and crew keeping that machine running, truly a labor of love!

• SKS 2-Westminster 2, winter of 1973

• The entire school surrounds the rink. Westminster had crushed us earlier in the season but NO ONE beats a team with 160+ brooms!

• Ma Brown as ref for J.V. and Third Team games. Does it get any better??

Yup, I close my eyes and I am there again; for these and SO many more memories!

Hayward Chappell ’71My first couple of years, if you wanted to

play hockey, you went to Hatch Pond. As I remember, when the ice finally froze enough, we got a day off or at least half a day and all went down to shovel off the lake. We all formed a line with some kind of squeegees and skated around behind one another pushing off the snow to make the basic rink. Then the boards were put up. These were fashioned out of two by fours and chicken wire and staked into the ice. Our “Zamboni” was ingenious- a tracker pulling a giant water tank that emptied into a long horizontal pipe with holes that spread the hot water over the ice. I know of no other school we played that did not have a rink.

Cuyler Rink was built during my fifth form year (I think) and we felt we had hit the big time. We did not have a roof in those days, so there still was shoveling and sweeping involved. Part of the rink facility included new locker rooms which also were used for football and other sports so this was quite a luxury. The rink seemed to be used all

the time. Of all the sports I played at South Kent, I enjoyed hockey the most- even the practices. We had four teams so everybody got a chance to play if they wanted to, and there was time on the weekend for messing around.

When we went to support the various hockey games, all the fans stood around the outside of the rink. Because there was no roof, these events had a very open feel to them which I think made them very lively. No school supported their team like South Kent- home or away. We had the best fans- hands down. After the games, we hit the showers and then walked up the hill to an after-game “tea” with the other team, which consisted of cake and a beverage. These were highlights, especially when you won.

George S. Ledyard ’70I am Class of SKS ’70, so I was there when

the rink was first constructed, before roofs or any such luxuries. My first year or so we still skated on the pond. I have to say that black ice was amazing, as was the wind chill coming down that open expanse of ice. It certainly was far more beautiful than the rink with the artificial ice, but I have to say we felt in the lap of luxury when we had the new rink. The location was far more sheltered which was a blessing for the fans if not the players. We all had an investment in that rink.. The whole school turned out to shovel the sand over the pipes once they

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were laid down. When it went into operation we felt that SKS had really hit the “big time.” I have fond memories of screaming myself hoarse down there by the boards. Have to say it makes me feel old to hear there’s a new rink coming... Am I really old enough to have outlasted our old “new rink?” Guess so.

Eric Stoll ’70Skating on Hatch Pond was a great source

of pride back in the day. We were clearly tougher than those schools with artificial rinks. Then came the Cuyler Rink. An artificial rink at SKS! No Zamboni for us; we had a Husky (maybe that wasn’t the best plan...). At any rate, the day came for the first skate on the new rink. The whole school was there, ready to skate on this new marvel. I tied on my skates and awaited the signal when we could hit the ice...we were finally given permission. Over the boards I go...fortunately there was so much activity few noticed that I still had my skate blade guards on and promptly fell down several times before I noticed. I casually removed them (praying that no one saw me) and skated away. After my initial stupidity, I loved that rink and have many fond memories of the night intramural games. No roof then, so we could still have some of that Hatch Pond “we’re tougher than you” attitude.

Duane Stone ’69

I entered SKS in the fall of 1966 as a 4th former. Come wintertime the only sport available was hockey, and everyone was required to play no matter what your level of skill. Being a novice I played on the Tri-Pods (aptly named for needing two legs and a hockey stick to stay upright). Back then the Tri-Pods played on Hatch Pond with a rink consisting of 2 x 10 planks.

The varsity rink had full-size boards made of 2 x 4’s and chicken wire. The black ice on the pond gave SKS a distinct advantage over other schools that weren’t accustomed to playing on such a surface. The entire school would attend the varsity games on Hatch Pond, whereupon in-between periods we would all take brooms to sweep off the surface...no Zambonis there.

I believe my 6th form year was the first year for Cuyler Rink. Although there was no roof, compared to the previous year, we thought we were playing at Madison Square Garden. I played Senior Leagues that winter where our games were played after dinner under the lights. We couldn’t wait to get down there. My team was called The Puckhandlers, and we played others such as Bell’s Angels, and Rabbit’s Raiders. If there was a wind, which there always was, the team skating against it was at a distinct disadvantage, but what great fun we had.

I remember that winter a great blizzard that closed the school for the day actually filled Cuyler Rink to the top of the boards

and took all day to shovel out. Since then I have attended countless games and witnessed the development of many fine players. I will miss Cuyler but cherish the many memories it has blessed me with.

Left to Right: 1971 Second Hockey Team Back, left to right: Manager Bernard, Bushman, S. Mitchell, W. Mitchell, Putnam, Dingman, Smith, Dowling, Cross, Quinn, Coach Abbott; Front, left to right: Anderson, Eadie, Michel, Chappell, Brockway, Carter , A. Smith, Andrews; Un-credited photo from 1970; Duane Stone’s Sixth Form portriate

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BCefore

uyler

SKS is to have a new skating rink! This news caused great excitement and a look to the future. It also caused some

of us to look to the past.I remember the Cuyler Rink when it

was new and the excitement it caused both because it was one of the first artificial rinks in the area and state-of-the-art – at that time – also because it changed winter at SKS in a very significant way.

Joe Brown and I came to SKS in the fall of 1947. We had heard that hockey was a very popular sport here – which was fortunate as at the time it was the only winter sport. The first winter turned out to be a most unusual one as it snowed so heavily very early in the season that Hatch Pond could not be used. All the skating that year was on the so-called “Chapel Rink” (now the tennis courts). It was a lot of work keeping good ice here even in bitter cold and often involved school boys taking turns flooding through the night. However, it was very convenient for spectators.

After that year, skating was on Hatch Pond where maintaining good rinks involved ingenuity and a lot of work. On the rather rare occasions when the lake froze without snow, a large expansion of black ice made everything easier and we all enjoyed it. Skating over the entire lake on black ice is a wonderful experience and the greatest fun as anyone who has done it knows. Snow did add a complication.

There were always several rinks as there were three teams plus the “tripods” (beginners who relied on a hockey stick to hold them up). The varsity rink had pride of place in an area quite near shore, which stayed as shady as possible.

Every afternoon all able-bodied school boys and a number of faculty members – coaches plus others – gathered at the lake. Everyone worked on the rinks but still had time to hone skating skills and have team practices. On very cold days when it was also very windy, being there was a challenge. But most days it was lovely there and everyone was too busy to worry about the cold. The lower team rinks just had low boards (2x4s or some such) but they still had to be swept and often flooded. To accomplish the latter, holes were drilled in the ice, a pump inserted and a hose attached.

The varsity rink required higher maintenance through the same flooding technique. When the weight of snow shoveled to the side became so heavy that it was a strain on the sides of the rink area, Joe would bring out a machine which looked a bit like a hand-pushed plow. This had a motor plus a large, very sharptoothed saw blade in the front. He would push this around the perimeter of the rink causing the rink ice to rise up. There was no guard between the operator and the blade but luckily there were no mishaps. This rink also had high boards made of some sort of

inrecollectionNow and Then

Celie Brown WhittemoreFaculty ’58-’87

Celie Brown Whittemore & Joe Brown

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“turkey wire” – not solid because of the wind. During a game, between periods, there was of course no Zamboni. Instead there was an army of school boys armed with brooms who swept the rink with remarkable efficiency. (I was once in the coffee room in time to see a “Fuller Brush Man” with somewhat glazed eyes listening as eager coaches explained that they needed really sturdy brooms suitable for sweeping rinks).

Also during games there would be “goal judges.” Some faculty members would be assigned to stand right behind each goal with no protective gear. It was their job to decide if a goal had actually been scored if the puck went in and bounced out. This was not an enviable job.

During games there was always a large group of enthusiastic cheerers for our heroes. Visiting teams usually parked on the road – players then put on their skates on the shore and skated across the lake to the rinks. I do remember one time when there was actually beautiful black ice on the rink, and the coach of the opposing team complained that it was too difficult to see the puck.

There were a few mishaps though all had good endings. John Deak often drove his tractor on the lake to help with the work. One day by some mischance the ice gave way, sending John and his tractor under water. He did get rescued promptly and made a good recovery but never went near Hatch Pond again. Later after the ice melted,

a group of volunteer divers came with the proper equipment and managed to bring up the tractor. This was not easy in murky water. To thank them, the school had a dinner for them at the beginning of the next vacation. They proved a lively group with colorful stories of past rescues they had made.

My children all learned to skate on Hatch Pond, and we would enjoy watching practices and of course get excited at games. The low board rinks were sometimes quite close to each other – enough so that whistles could be confusing. I remember that Joe, a hunter, used to bring his duck call down and use that instead of a whistle on one of the rinks.

The first year Cuyler Rink was in operation, winter at SKS was indeed very different. Everything was easier and more efficient, and all the refinements were much appreciated. I am sure both home and visiting teams, especially, welcomed having locker rooms in which to store their gear. There were still plenty of enthusiastic cheerers, but now teams practiced at different hours, and never again did most of the community work together in that united project. So, as with many changes, much was gained, but also something was lost.

The photos on this page are of hockey on Hatch Pond, from before Cuyler Rink was built.

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When I was growing up in Minnesota, we skated outdoors all the time: local ponds, town-

maintained skating rinks with a set of boards in the middle, streams and creeks. By the time I started playing organized hockey (at 11 or 12), we had moved to the Kenwood neighborhood of Minneapolis. Our house was two blocks from the skating rink on Lake of the Isles. Every day, a city snow plow would creep out onto the ice and drive around in ever-increasing circles, pushing the snow and ice to the perimeter. There was indeed a hockey rink set in the middle of that large area, and at the north end there was a long loop they also plowed. Not only was that used by speed skaters for practice, but it also offered a nice diversion from skating on the rinks themselves. There was a large wooden warming house on the west bank where we changed in and out of our skates and warmed ourselves by the coal-burning pot-belly stove in the center of the building. You could buy a soft drink (or “bottle of pop,” as we called it in Minneapolis in those days) and a candy bar from Big Al or Big John, the city employees who manned the place.

I cannot recall a Thanksgiving when we were not able to skate on Lake of the Isles. We would skate over there every day after school until it was time to head home for dinner. And then, most nights, we would go back down and skate until 8:30. Weekends meant we could be there all day Saturday and Sunday. Games were usually pick-up games: throw the sticks in a pile, and some-one would split them in half. The goals were either a pair of boots or chunks of snow. No jerseys. No coaches. No whistles. Very little equipment. Some guys wore hockey gloves, but most of us simply sported leather “choppers,” blue jeans, a sweater, and a wool hat. And the game was on. I am not so sure we kept score. And there certainly were not many traditional rules, as we paid little attention to off-sides or icing. There were ‘infractions’ but those were either ignored, or – if it were one of a more egregious nature

– an argument or a quick fight would ensue. Most times, the two ‘combatants’ would settle their differences alone, away from the group, as the game kept going.

When I got a little older, organization crept in. The peewee team had one practice a week (Wednesday nights) and then a game or two on the weekends. Uniforms: red and gold jerseys with ‘Kemps Ice Cream’ stitched across the front. Coaches. All of the games were played outdoors on other city-maintained rinks. When I moved from peewee to bantam, it got even more organized in that we played more games and traveled further afield – into the suburbs like Edina and Bloomington and Wayzata and St. Louis Park and Richfield. Once in a while, we might play a team from St. Paul. At the end of that year, we qualified for the state tournament, which was played at the Wakota Arena – ‘The Cow Palace’ – in South St. Paul.

I attended Blake School, at the time an all-boys, K-12 day school in Hopkins, another suburb of Minneapolis. When I started at Blake, they maintained three hockey rinks, all natural ice, of course. So, when the school built a fully-enclosed arena with the machinery to maintain artificial ice, it was a very big deal in 1965. There were few indoor arenas in the Twin Cities at the time, and for a school to have its own was even rarer.

I have taken the time to set the stage, if you will, for the hockey scene at South Kent School in the mid-60s. My family moved from Minneapolis to Philadelphia in 1966, right in the middle of my IV Form year at Blake, and we realized early on there were hardly any hockey options in the Philadelphia area at that time. The Flyers were part of the NHL expansion in 1967-1968, so if I wanted to continue playing, I would have to look farther afield. My mother’s brothers had gone to SKS in the early 40s, and since we knew virtually nothing about eastern schools other than what we had from personal experience, she called the school and made an appointment

inrecollectionCuyler Rink 1968-1998

By Sam Simmons ’68

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for a visit in the spring of 1966. We drove up from Philadelphia, met with Art Smith (who was the Director of Admissions) and Wynne Wister (then the Headmaster) for a few hours in the afternoon. And it was settled: I would start in the V Form in September.

The rinks at SKS at that time were down on Hatch Pond. Typically, there were three: two with low boards (2”x12”) for the lower teams and ‘leagues’ (intramural teams) and one with regular boards (as regular as one might call boards made with ‘turkey wire,’ a heavy-gauge mesh material stretched tightly over frames made of 2’x4’s, which were anchored to the ice. The boards were constructed in this manner because were they made of some rigid material (e.g., wood planks or plywood), they would have been blown down or away by the wind howling down the valley. Please know that the athletic options in those days at SKS were much more limited than they are now. Everyone in school played football in the fall, and everyone played hockey in the winter. We made some choices in the springtime: baseball, crew, or tennis. To me, the idea of everyone playing hockey, no matter what his skill level might be, was like dying and going to heaven. That we were expected to scrape the ice after practice, shovel the snow when it accumulated on the rinks, put

up with soft ice on warm days, or realize there would be days when we could not skate at all went with the territory. While the students supplied the muscle, the coaches and other faculty and staff members provided the expertise. Noble Richards, John Farr, George Bartlett, Joe Brown, and Paul Abbott were ably assisted by Victor and John Deak operating the heavy-duty Gravely snow blowers, tractors, plows, the ancient power saw to cut the ice, the plane, and the “Gooseroni,” a Rube Goldberg-like contraption that was pulled behind a tractor and used to flood the ice with hot water. The expression “it takes a village” just may have grown from the School’s remarkable efforts to maintain these rinks under the cliffs along the west side of the pond.

The reality of it was not necessarily so sentimental. While there are hundreds of terrific stories about the rinks on the lake (and the efforts to maintain ‘land rinks’ earlier, between St. Michael’s Chapel and the Garfield House, on the tennis courts between the Chapel and the Bartlett House, on the fields below the Brown Gymnasium, to name a few), it was a tough battle every year, and when the temperatures were too warm or there was too much rain, there was little to be done. The First Team in 1966-1967 played thirteen games and practiced

Left: 1967 First Team, Back Row left to right: Coach Richards, Dalton, Townsend, Church, Mason, Rose, Coach Farr, Front Row left to right: Manager Hollinger, Wetherell, Simmons, McCoun, Raymond W, Raymond K., Hereford, Clapp; Below: Pond hockey in 1967

To me, the idea of everyone playing hockey, no matter what his skill level might be, was like dying and going to heaven.

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several evenings on the Nadal Rink at Kent School, which had artificial ice making equipment and was covered but had no ends or sides. Of the schools we played that season (Canterbury twice, Hotchkiss, Darrow, Kent, Hopkins Grammar, Westminster, Millbrook twice, Gunnery, Salisbury, Berkshire, and Lenox), two were covered but did not have refrigeration systems (Millbrook and Salisbury), four had artificial ice but no covers (Canterbury, Hotchkiss, Westminster, and Gunnery), two had covers and ice making equipment (Kent and Berkshire), and three were skating on natural surfaces without covers (Darrow, Hopkins, and Lenox).

When the SKS Board of Trustees made the decision to build a rink with artificial ice making equipment, the original plans included a cover (these drawings are included in an old issue of the South Kent Quarterly); the fact was there was enough money for the refrigeration systems, but the cover would have to wait until the 1985-1986 season. The construction was completed in late December of 1967, and we were able to use it when we returned from Christmas vacation in early January of 1968. If I am not mistaken, the first person to skate on the aptly-named Cuyler Rink was Andy Richards, the youngest son of long-time faculty members, Noble and Liz Richards. Andy’s first strides on the smooth ice surface marked a new beginning for SKS hockey. Those first years of the new rink were still awfully rudimentary: the Wister Field House was not built until later, so players changed in the Field House and walked down to the rink to put their skates on, either on the benches or in the Round House, where there was plenty of room, as the first ice resurfacer - a Tennant Husky - did not arrive until later. The rink did have a scoreboard (given to the school by the family of Ted Church ’67, a wing on that last team to play on Hatch Pond). The scraping and shoveling and planing, as well as the flooding and painting, were done by the students and faculty members. If indeed this was still an

example of taking a village to complete a most worthy task, I would also offer that it was a labor of love and great pride, as some of the latter stories well bear out.

As was written in the 1968 SKS Yearbook, “The (1968) hockey season proved to be a period of radical change for South Kent as well as one of rewarding success. There was none of the seemingly interminable days of midwinter thaw this year thanks to the addition of the Richard M. Cuyler Rink, which provided a beautiful sheet ice sheet despite various inclemencies of New England weather. Another major change from the norm was the team’s participation in the Lawrenceville Tournament during December, which presented to the players on the squad (an) excellent experience and fine competition.”

The new rink did indeed provide a much more consistent sheet of ice. The lights allowed for evening practice, which were necessary because all five teams were skating on the Cuyler Rink. Even with a rotating schedule of practices times, there were skaters on the rink until 10 o’clock most nights. When the School eventually purchased the first ice resurfacer, the maintenance of the sheet became much more efficient. The Tennant Husky could pick up the water when it rained, but the snow still had to be blown off with the Gravely machines and lots of shovels. I can recall one January when we had a massive blizzard the day before we were scheduled to host Avon Old Farms. John Gardner, the Avon coach, had called the night before the game, graciously offering to switch the contest to their rink, which was completely enclosed. I thanked him for the offer and told him I would let him know at 12 noon the next day. Early the next morning, John Farr and I met at the rink to assess the situation. The snow was so deep and had drifted so much overnight that we could not see the tops of the boards or the benches; only the screenings at each end of the rink were visible. We decided we would give it a shot and so fired up the two snowblowers

and went to work. It was awfully slow going, but we were making some progress. Through the course of the morning, waves of students would show up during their free periods and man the shovels. By lunch time, the rink was completely clear of snow, so I called Avon to let them know we would be hosting the game on the Cuyler Rink. The boys had also shoveled the walk from the parking lot to the Fieldhouse, cleared off the benches, and the entry way to the lower level. When the Avon bus arrived at 1:30, they could not believe the work that had been done. The piles of snow surrounding the rink provided excellent viewing for the spectators that afternoon.

There were indeed some spectacular afternoons and evenings on the rink before the cover was added. Brilliant sun, pristine snow drifts, and starry nights, however, were mixed with howling winds, driving rain, and bitter cold. The sun and warm temperatures made keeping the ice a real challenge, and there were times when we were compelled to postpone games and cancel practices because the ice was not usable. By the late 70s, SKS was the last school to be using an uncovered rink. Millbrook and Salisbury had added refrigeration systems, Canterbury, Gunnery, and Westminster had covered their rinks, Hotchkiss had built a new facility, and Darrow, Hopkins, and Lenox no longer fielded hockey teams. Through the 70s and 80s, as the SKS schedule included more teams, many of them farther away, it was becoming more and more apparent that no matter how quaint the uncovered rink may have been, no matter how many magnificent nights we were able to enjoy skating under the stars, it was still a real challenge to keep a decent sheet.

The School made a commitment to start the construction of the roof, aiming to have it ready for the 1985-1986 season. The foundation work to tie the concrete abutments together had been in place since the rink itself was installed in 1967. The laminated wooden arches arrived on huge trailers and were lifted into place by a

Cuyler Rink 1968-1998

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massive crane. Once the arches and beams were bolted together, the 2” pine decking was nailed and the shingling began. The translucent ends could not be installed until the walls were in place, so we began the 85-86 season with just the roof in place. The masons and other contractors would work through January to finish the project, and finally the rink was completely enclosed. But the boys on that First Team that year (Matt Dickson, Chris Pinkerton, John Amico, Sarge Luke, Rob Young, Jeff Moore, Paul Pechmann, Brian Cosgrove, Rich Wood, Paul Young, Doug Pinkerton, Doug Wunder, Ford Draper, Rick Hart, Peter Johnson, Henry Brownell, Larry Miano, and manager Sam Dickerson) will never forget the first time it rained during an evening practice and we did not have to leave the ice, we did not get wet, we could continue the practice session. We stopped practice that night and had a little ceremony at center ice. Lying on our backs, we pointed our upraised sticks to the roof, and offered a prayer of thanks to St. Maurice, the patron saint of rink roofs.

The Cuyler Rink, in its present form, has been the site of tremendous growth and expansion of the hockey program at South Kent School. The words written in the ’68 yearbook were prophetic, weren’t they? The ‘radical change’ and ‘rewarding success’ through the years have been remarkable. The evolution and improvements of the facilities – from the land rinks to those on Hatch Pond to the artificial ice without the cover to the present rink – have allowed the hockey program to grow in ways that may seem hard to believe. But as I put my six decades of involvement with the sport into perspective and think back to my own exposure to and involvement with its evolution – at SKS and everywhere else – I see that the time has come for a facility that can meet the school’s needs.

When I look back on the two years I was a student at SKS and then the twenty years when I served as a faculty member and hockey coach, I know I shall retain the memories I had working on the pond rinks,

and flooding and painting and planing and shoveling and snow blowing the Cuyler Rink, and later driving the Zamboni for what seemed like forever. We could not have done it without the effort and support of the rest of the “village.” But, now, those memories, many of which have been rekindled as I have worked on this piece, are indeed quite nostalgic. Those efforts were an important part of my life at the School, and they are right where they ought to be: ensconced in my memory.

As I prepared to gather these thoughts, I spent hours looking through the yearbooks of the years I was directly involved, and fondly recalled SKS boys and games and opponents and fellow coaches, all too numerous to mention. It seemed as if it were almost yesterday that we were getting ready to play one more game at the rink or pack our bags and load the vans for another away game or tournament.

And along with the memories of the players on those SKS teams and the games played through the years, I have been able to dig out so many others associated with the Cuyler Rink: Sparkle and Flax, the Richards’ faithful Yellow Labradors, fetching the pucks shot out of the rink and bringing them back to the bench; faculty broomball games at Christmastime; driving home on South Kent Road from Kent, and coming around the corner along Hatch Pond and seeing the rink lights aglow in the winter sky; leaving the ice between periods of a Gunnery game to be told that Charlie Whittemore and Celie Brown had announced their engagement, and who but Rusty Funnell would just happen to have a bottle of champagne chilling in his refrigerator; Allie Funnell at her same spot along the boards at the southeast corner; building the raised team benches on the north side and modeling them after those in the Montreal Forum; and the list goes on and on.

I can only assume that the new rink will provide as many wonderful moments and memories for the players and coaches and spectators in the years to come.

Above: Students and Faculty clear the ice before the rink had a roof; Below: The first beam goes up for Cuyler Rink’s roof

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inpersonAlumnus Profile

At South Kent School, it is both the diversity of heritage and of talents that make our student body and

multi-faceted group of alumni so unique. While some of our alumni/ae are known for their entrepreneurial ventures, some for their athletic achievements and some for their artistic endeavors, all share something in common. Every student who steps foot on the Hillside, whether as a day student or a boarder, walks out of his comfort zone and into a new way of community living. He takes on challenges and is encouraged to take appropriate risks. He grows, learns and moves on to his role in the world with the tools he has gained alongside a band of brothers.

Our students, who come from all over the United States and the world, have varied stories of how their paths led to the Hillside. One such alumnus, John Pollard ’82, grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but ended up over 650 miles away from home in rural South

Kent, Connecticut, at the start of Fourth Form. Looking back, he says that, “The whole experience of leaving home at 15 to go live with a bunch of strangers is stepping out of a comfort zone in its purest sense.”

So what brought Pollard here? With both of his parents gearing up for sabbaticals in Asia as University of Michigan faculty members, they hoped for a more stable experience for their son in boarding school in the United States. Similar to many alumni, Pollard found and enrolled at South Kent School at the suggestion of a family friend.

Pollard described his experience at South Kent School as “overwhelmingly positive, mostly because of the people, the place and its traditions.” He reminisced on some of the School’s traditions, recalling that he can remember most of Geoffrey Chaucer’s prologue to The Canterbury Tales, and that he can get “all the way through Come, Labor On.”

Joh

n Po

llard ‘82

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Fast-forward almost 35 years, and Pollard has a successful career in technology, having spent time at large companies like Microsoft and in entrepreneurial pursuits as well. He resides in Seattle, Washington, with his wife of 22 years and two daughters, ages 16 and 19. Pollard received a BA in History from Kenyon College, which he attended “mostly because I fell in love with the place, and perhaps a little because Paul Abbott [49-year South Kent faculty veteran and current Senior Master and Alumni Secretary] went there; he always seemed like a pretty smart guy.” Now launching his own social sports app, Sprio, Pollard came back to speak with South Kent and reflect on his personal journey.

Surprisingly, Pollard was a History major when he got his first taste of the tech arena at Kenyon College, a private Ohio liberal arts college about 60 miles northeast of Columbus. “I was on a lot of loans and needed work-study money, and I ended up being a student manager in the Computing Center on the late shift for my junior and senior years,” he said. This led Pollard to enroll in several computer programming courses, which piqued his interest and allowed him to attain a Computer Science minor. Still, his path to success was not always straightforward, particularly early on in his college and post-college years. Thankfully, he was not new to challenges, such as making a new home at South Kent and learning how to work with different types of people at the School, whether peers, students or coaches.

A college senior in 1986, Pollard took interest in the Foreign Service. After spending a summer abroad and passing the entrance exam, he interviewed and the outcome was not what he had hoped. “I got crushed, mostly because I was just young and a bit, well, undiplomatic,” he admitted. Pollard then decided to go in a completely different direction, moving to Boston with a college friend and working at a global public health think tank at Harvard University. Although this did not end up being the right

path for him either, this Boston connection would bring him further than expected.

“Not long thereafter, I was in a bar in London (no, really) and met a Boston guy who worked at a very cool systems integration company called Cambridge Technology Group,” he said. “We hit it off, and my career in tech was off and running. I worked there for two years, went to business school at University of Michigan, and then got recruited out to Seattle by Microsoft in 1993.”

Microsoft was an exciting company to work for in the early 90s, “growing wildly, with crazy projects every which way you looked,” Pollard said. There, he started building a consumer business and then went on to work in the “massive” business of Office. Starting in 1996, Pollard saw the trend in web businesses and jumped on board, starting at Yelp-predecessor Sidewalk.com and then Expedia.com. In 2001, Pollard wanted to work in mobile phones and decided to go back to Microsoft because he thought it was the place to innovate in this area. He realized after some time that this was a large corporation with great people, but they were stuck in “gridlock.” He left to start his own business because it would give him the freedom to create without the obstacles of the large corporate structure.

John and classmates from the Class of 1982 at their 30th reunion

The gift is that at the most important period of character development you’re in a relatively safe place to be challenged, listen to feedback, and grow – across a lot of facets.

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This venture into entrepreneurial territory was the beginning of Pollard’s company, Jott. “Our idea was that you should be able to press a button on your phone, speak, and have transcribed text put anywhere you want: in a To Do list, into Google Calendar, a text message, etc.” Sound familiar? That’s because, as Pollard explained, “It was a precursor to Siri. We had some interesting patents and sold the company to Nuance in 2009, where I spent several years building a messaging business.” Although the innovator decided to move on and leave Nuance in January 2013, Pollard still looks back and sees this period as truly valuable, calling Jott “easily the best professional experience of my life to date.”

But with a mind like Pollard’s – always looking to the future of cutting edge advancements – his creativity and ideas are coming to fruition in fresh ways now more than ever. Enter Sprio, an original app created by Pollard, his Jott co-founder Shree Madhavapeddi and Facebook’s first Seattle employee, and chat-engine creator Ramesh Vyaghrapuri. According to Pollard, Sprio is “an app with a simple but powerful mission: to help foster amazing team life.” He describes the goals and future of the program: “We want coaches, players, parents and team fan/followers to be able to 1) have an incredibly easy time connecting and sharing content during the season, and 2) be able to look back and easily re-experience all the many teams and people. In-season it’s a powerful tool for communication and content sharing. At other times it’s a network of your sports life. We think there are about a billion people who would like using it. We’re just getting started and have amazing plans.”

With a clearly successful and prolific career, Pollard got the support and encouragement he needed during a vital time to launch him into the world. And this influence is quite clear today, with South Kent being featured prominently on Sprio’s website and also as one of the primary beta testers for the program. “South Kent School

was a great growth environment, whether in sports, in the classroom, in Chapel, or in the many hours just being with people I trusted and who knew me uniquely well,” he said. “The gift is that at the most important period of character development you’re in a relatively safe place to be challenged, listen to feedback, and grow – across a lot of facets.”

Pollard thrived while on the Hillside, but he has also taken the principles he learned with him throughout his life. “SKS honors hard work, discipline, honesty and focusing on the essentials. Those are good things to live by,” he said.

And what can current South Kent students learn from Pollard? He suggests watching Steve Jobs’ Stanford University commencement address on YouTube. Beyond that, Pollard urged, “Make the most of your time on the Hillside – it goes by quickly.”

CHECK OUTwww.sprio.net

Alumnus Profile

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Alumni Weekend June 13-15, 2014

ALL ALUMNI ARE WELCOME TO COME JOIN US HERE ON

THE HILLSIDE!

For more info, visit:www.southkentschool.org/reunion

Schedule of EventsFriday, June 13 • Early Arrivals

• Reunion Dinners (arranged by class)

Saturday, June 14

8:30 a.m. • Registration in the Dining Hall

• Continental Breakfast

9:30 a.m. • Campus Tour – meet in the Courtyard

• School Store Display and Sales on ground floor of Old Building (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

10:00 a.m. Presentation: State of School and Alumni Presentation: “In My Day...” Head of School Andy Vadnais will discuss highlights of the 2013-2014

school year. Immediately following, the members of the Class of ’64 will lead returning alums in a lively recount of their memories of their time here on the Hillside.

11:45 a.m. Ceremonial Ground Breaking for the The Admiral James & Sybil Stockdale

Arena

12:30 p.m. Welcome Back Lunch in the Dining Hall

*If you are interested in rowing on Hatch Pond in the afternoon, please let us know so that we will have a crew shell ready for you.

2:00 p.m. Center for Innovation Open House - Buses start leaving from courtyard at 1:30 p.m.

3:00 p.m. Cardinal and Black Softball Game

6:00 p.m. Alumni Memorial Chapel Service in St. Michael’s Chapel

6:30 p.m. Reception, cocktails, dinner and dancing in the Brown Gymnasium

Sunday, June 15

9:00 a.m. Chapel (Communion Service)

9:30 a.m. Brunch

Friday ArrivalsFor those of you arriving Friday evening, a dormitory room assignment sheet will be posted in the Dining Hall. Refreshments will also be available in the Dining Hall. Please make yourselves at home.

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In May of 1965, on a glorious sunny Sunday morning, Terese and I drove for the first time up the old road by the

football field. The new entrance was recently completed, but I had not been back to South Kent since my visits while a student at Mill-brook in the mid-1950s and I did not know much about it. We had come to interview with the Headmaster, Wynne Wister, about a possible job teaching chemistry and third form science. My father had watched the South Kent/Millbrook baseball game with Doc Whittemore the previous Wednesday, and Charlie told him Wynne was looking for someone like me.

Married less than a year, with a 2-month-old daughter, we were living on Long Island and I was teaching at Uniondale High School. It was not a fun situation for Terese. She had already related to the kind of life my parents had as long-time faculty members at Millbrook, and, when she realized we could do likewise at South Kent, she became very enthusiastic about the move.

We went back to Long Island and closed down the school year, coming to the Hillside formally in August. Forty-nine years later we are still here! We never expected that the place would become our focus for a lifetime. Although we have lived in our own home in Kent for the past twenty-three years, South Kent School has been my real home. This June will be my last month as a member of the faculty, and although I have mixed emotions, I am very much ready!

As this is my last fossil report, I am going to answer two questions often asked of me. The first is how have I managed to do the same job all of these years? The second is what changes have I seen at South Kent in response to changes in the outside world? Let’s begin.

The answer to the first question may surprise you. Although I have never left, my job changed often and in many ways that makes the progress of my career much more diverse than most jobs in the “real world.” Thus, I never got into a rut that many folks do. A short list of examples will show what my life has actually been. I have taught biology, ecology, and physical science, and a 4th form religion course on St. John’s Gospel! I have coached hockey, football, and crew. I was a dorm master in Bartlett. I have been Director of Activities, Dean of Students, College Counselor, Dean of Academic Affairs, and believe it or not, Business Manager.

My final task here in the Development Office as Alumni Secretary is certainly fitting as I know so many of you! I have reinvented myself many times as the needs of the School required, and I guess I fit the Old Man’s definition of how to handle a school master: hire him and let him make his own job. Each of these tasks was the right task for me at the time I did it.

The second question is more complex. The academic world as well as the social framework for our country has changed tremendously in the last 50 years. When I first came into teaching, we were in a “brain race” with Russia to get into space. Science was king but we did all of our calculations on a slide rule. To be honest with you, many

involvedThe Fossil Report

THE

4 YEAR BOY9

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of the issues we discussed in graduate school still are with us but the technology we can bring to bear now is extraordinary. Today’s young men have many more tools to use. The key issue is still making the world a better place for our own lives and future generations. Although we talked about ecological issues in the 1970s, South Kent is now really offering ecology work, through the CFI experiences, that prepares our young men to make a difference.

When we arrived, life on the Hillside was very Spartan and, in many ways, very dull. We had a drawbridge mentality that manifested itself in the famous phrase “Pigtail against the World.” We were right and everyone else was wrong. It certainly made tasks simpler, but it was not a lifestyle that prepared boys for college and beyond. I remember one young man who called me from college upset because his bike had been stolen. I asked him if he had locked it. He said, “No.” He never had to worry at South Kent, and he was only at the library. In all fairness, the lifestyle of South Kent in the period preceding 1970 worked, but when the social changes in our culture began, things needed to be different. With all the coming and going we now have for the boys, it is hard to imagine a life with no extra food, no TV, and no trips to Kent!

Today, South Kent is an extraordinarily busy place. The extensive academic program

is enriched by special courses in the CFI and the three Affinity Groups. The Prep Basketball and Soccer teams and the Selects Hockey Teams create real challenges for time-management. Many different extra-curricular activities round out the day. You can even have pizza delivered to the courtyard, and we have a snack bar where you can buy a hamburger in the evening. Obviously, some things have had to change to make room for all of these activities, but the bottom line is the School has never had so many really comfortable and supportive students. It is working.

Let me end by assuring you that the sense of community and the relationships forged with faculty and fellow students is still very much a part of our culture. The bonds that tie us all together are stronger than ever. We have learned how to change and grow without losing the important things that really matter. The place continues to amaze me, and I know I am leaving it in good hands.

Terese and I look forward to seeing you at Alumni Day in June.

Paul L. AbbottAlumni SecretarySenior [email protected]

Paul and his grandson Corey Greenberg ’14

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1945Ray Anderson I fondly remember playing on the “Ham ‘n Eggers” on the land rink behind the chapel in 1943.

1948Richard R. CuylerI am keeping fit, juggling and performing Dickens when called upon at picnics, fairs and festivals.

Bill ReynoldsThanks to my 5 classmates who attended our 65th reunion in June, 2013! I will make plans to see you all again in 2018 for our 70th!

1949Frazer CraneAt 84 still enjoying good health - Playing tennis twice a week, even in the hot summer months when it was almost 110°. Active in several clubs here in our retirement community, in nice, sunny, warm Florida. Our new Anglican Church will close on five acres of land to build a new church building on the grounds of our school.

Noble Richardsand Chuck EverettWe are helping out as the class agents for our class. Come join us for our 65th Reunion. Alumni Weekend is June 13-15, 2014. For more information visit: www.southkentschool.org/reunion

1952William (Rusty) FunnellAllie and I prosper on Cape Cod where shellfish are plentiful and SKS friends even more so: Goddard, Bartlett, Cuyler, Richards, Dingman, Worthington, McClenahan, Woodward clans; SKS families.

1953Anthony CrossleyAs we begin our 11th year, Including Kids is about to sign a contract for our own building, formerly a Kelsey Seybold clinic. With 1 child in 88 being classified as autistic, it is indeed a scary situation.

1954Alan GreenerI am helping out as the class agent for our class. Come join me for our 60th Reunion. Alumni Weekend is June 13-15, 2014. For more information visit: www.southkentschool.org/reunion

Stephen W. RuleYou may rest assured that my calendar has been blocked out for Alumni Weekend, June 13-15, in anticipation of my 60th Reunion. I will be there - even if I must hire special people to take care of me!My very best wishes to Andy, who has, in my humble opinion, been the best thing for SKS since we began coloring the lard - that’d be almost 60 years ago!

Hank SteeleThe real estate business is slowly improving here in the Coachella Valley - Yea!And our strengthening economy here means that things are improving elsewhere - Yea!

intouchClass Notes

Please remember to send in your class notes by mail, or emailCarol-Ann Bruen [email protected]’t forget the picture!

MA

RRIA

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BIGMOVE

RETIREMENT

NEW

JOB

JUST CHECKING IN ALU

MN

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ET-T

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We’d love to hear from you!

BIRTHANNOUNCMENT ?

Noble Richards and Chuck Everett will be on the Hillside for Alumni Weekend; will you?

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1955Ernest CadyErnest is doing well, although physically disabled. He is enjoying his days playing cribbage and still is an avid fan of football, baseball, golf and tennis. He also loves music and enjoys local concerts.

Peter WiseI only attended SKS for a single year - 2nd form, 1951-1952. Mr. Bartlett told my mother that I was not college material. I now have 5 college degrees and an honorary D.D. I am an avid environmentalist and own 160 acres in the woods of South Oregon. SKS helped me in ways too numerous to mention. Thanks to all.

1962David ChamberlainEverything is going well in Durango. We will be having a 3rd grandchild in February – very exciting! Our new Bichon Frise will be 2 in January and travels everywhere with us – a great companion. My very best to all my friends and classmates in our 52nd year. The School looks great!

1964Warren Bicknell I am helping out as the class agent for our class. Come join me for our 50th Reunion. Alumni Weekend is June 13-15, 2014. For more information visit: www.southkentschool.org/reunion

Samuel Coes, Jr.Finally retired in April 2013. I can be found on the ocean on “The Belle” during summer or in my wood shop in winter. Looking forward to seeing all in June for our 50th.

1965Joe Neuhaus Still living in Houston and still a Financial Advisor, I spend part of my time at Morgan Stanley.My wife, Lisa, and I have two married daughters, ages 27 and 30. Our oldest has an 18-month-old daughter Annabelle who, you can see from the picture to the right, is a Baltimore Ravens fan.I hope that all is well on The Hill.Regards,Joe

1967Rob BauerRemembering JFK’s death: I was a 3rd Former living in the Field House with the original 8 members of the class of ’67. My father had died 6 days before, and I had just returned to school after his funeral. I remember the whole school gathering in the large class room on the 1st floor of the Schoolhouse, where the School’s only TV was. Classes were cancelled, and we sat transfixed watching Walter Cronkite talk us thru a national tragedy. There were many rivers of tears among even the tough 6th Formers. We were many days returning to normal as was the nation, and soon we were on our way to live our lives in a world where Camelot would only exist on TV or Broadway.I have been the general manager at Beals Lobster Pier in Southwest

1960Bill Ainley

Joe Neuhaus’ granddaughter Annabelle

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Harbor, Maine, for the past 3 years. 30 boats unload 1 million lbs a year of lobster here, and we service 25 restaurants with lobster and other items during the tourist season as well. Would like to retire, but daughter’s wedding and high health insurance deductibles have put that on hold for a while. Medicare is only 6 months away. Halleluiah! Hope I live to see it. Kids are great, grandkids are greater, and have been married now for 42 years to the greatest woman on earth. Lucky to have a lawyer son and daughter-in-law doctor, jazz trumpeter youngest son and great actress daughter who is married to a great guy who is a teacher in the Bronx and has fantastic health insurance!

Peter RamseyAfter 17 years as Secretary of the Academy for Phillips Academy, I am stepping aside to work with a group of key benefactors. During this time Andover raised more than $570M from alumni, parents and friends.

1969Duane Stone I am helping out as the class agent for our class. Come join me for our 45th Reunion. Alumni Weekend is June 13-15, 2014. For more information visit: www.southkentschool.org/reunion

1974Bennett M. CorneliusThe Delaware River Port Authority hired veteran Amtrak and private railroad manager Bennett M. Cornelius as assistant general

manager of the Port Authority Transit Corporation commuter rail line. Cornelius, who began his railroad career in 1976 as an Amtrak train attendant, was a manager in Philadelphia, New York, and Washington during his 30 years with Amtrak. From 2009 to 2013, he was senior operations manager for Keolis Rail Services, a French company that runs the Virginia Railway Express commuter service in northern Virginia and Washington.

1977Betsy Provost-MastinI was living in Rome, Georgia, and taught Elementary Art for 16 years, in a public school. Currently I am starting my 6th year teaching art at Tupelo Christian Preparatory School, in Tupelo, MS. I am married to Nathan, a minister. I am currently working on my second doctorate in Bible studies, through Covington Theological Seminary, out of Chattanooga, TN.

Joseph (Jay) SwanI left McKinsey and Co. Consulting in September to take an IT Engagement Manager position with Pathways Consulting Group. Enjoy working from home. I still continue to be a youth lacrosse coach during the spring months.

1979Sarge Pickman I am helping out as the class agent for our class. Come join me for our 35th Reunion. Alumni Weekend is June 13-15, 2014. For more information visit: www.southkentschool.org/reunion

1980Patrick SlavinKalumba Veronica Chisambisha and John Patrick Slavin were married on August 30 in Lusaka, Zambia. Mrs. Chisambisha-Slavin, a communications and marketing consultant, graduated from Roma Girls Secondary School of Lusaka and holds two degrees in Communications from Kuban State University of Krasnodar, Russia. Mr. Slavin graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was co-captain of the men’s rowing team, and holds a Master’s of Science degree from the New School University. He was a foreign correspondent based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from 1990-93 where he worked for the Washington Post, Newsweek, Miami Herald, Newsday and CNN, among many others. His travel writing has appeared in the New York Times and the Washington Post. Patrick has worked for the United Nations since 1995, currently serving as UNICEF’s Chief of Communications in Lusaka after completing postings in Haiti, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Rwanda.

Class Notes

Above: Newlyweds John Patrick Slavin and Kalumba Veronica Chisambisha. Right hand page, clockwise from top to bottom: Beth, Nate Lusk and newborn Riley Susannah Lusk; Two photos of newlyweds Drew Yarwood and Christine Nava: Ritchie Bros. General Manager and Regional Sales Manager Chris Edwards on left with associates.

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1982Tim DodgeRenovating a 114-year-old antique house and adding a new second floor, master suite is keeping us busy. We should be ready to move back in by early spring. However, full completion will likely be early summer. We are looking forward to having a real kitchen sink again. Doing dishes in a tiny ½ bathroom sink is getting old!

1983Bradley HastingsResiding in Boston area with my wife Stephanie the past 20 years. I started WOOF LLC dba Crate Escape in 2004, which provides climate controlled play space for dogs to roam off leash in the city. Our locations are essentially private dog parks for well-mannered, social dogs. Today we employ 55 people with locations in Boston, Cambridge and Belmont MA. It’s been an amazing experience witnessing the growth of this company first-hand and of myself as a business owner. SKS instilled in me some great work ethics and people skills necessary to be successful in business.

1984Chris Farr and Curtis HimyWe are helping out as the class agents for our class. Come join us for our 30th Reunion. Alumni Weekend is June 13-15, 2014. For more information visit: www.southkentschool.org/reunion

1986David SpeckJust wanted to say hello to the Hillside and to announce to my friends from the class of ‘86 that I’ve finally gotten married. On the 3rd of July, I married Ane Kristine Bell (Copenhagen) in a ceremony on the island of Oahu. Brother Mark (SKS ‘88) was Best Man. We’re now back living in Tamarama, Australia and looking forward to a trip back to the Hillside sometime in the summer of 2014.

1987Chris EdwardsIn my 21st year of living in Asia, I am happy to have been General Manager of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers in China and leading Ritchie Bros. to becoming the first ever wholly foreign-owned auction company to receive such a status from the Chinese government and to conduct auctions here.I have been living here in Beijing since 2005 and was lucky to have spent two years in Beijing while fellow SKS alum Alan Williamson and his wife were based here in ’05-’06.

2001Nate LuskBeth and Nate Lusk are proud to announce the birth of Riley Susannah Lusk on February 21, 2014. Beth (a Patriots fan) and Nate (a Broncos fan) have been living in the Denver area but expect to be moving back to New England sometime this year.

2003Drew Yarwood Drew was married on November 9, 2013, to Christine Nava. Drew and Christine live in Denver, where he works for Peak Environmental, a small environmental company. Drew expects to go back to school this fall for a Masters in Psychology from Naropa University.

2004Steven BruenI am helping out as the class agent for our class. Come join me for our 10th Reunion. Alumni Weekend is June 13-15, 2014. For more information visit: www.southkentschool.org/reunion

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2007Sergiy SorkolatSergiy is engaged to be married this July to Anxhena Azo. The wedding will take place in Pogradec, Albania (where Anxhena’s family hails from), but afterwards the couple will return to live near White Plains, NY. Since graduating from Manhattanville College, Sergiy has worked for a company in White Plains that serves the banking industry, and he is the proud owner of ShuttleMe, a door-to-door transportation service between Westchester County and the New York airports.

2008John MillerI graduated in June with a BA in Communication from the University of Washington, and I was recently promoted to Account Executive for KOMO4, the ABC affiliate in Seattle. I enjoy working in this industry that I am passionate about. For one fun fact, my first experience in broadcasting was with AMG at South Kent. In my free time, I am playing men’s league lacrosse for Coopers, a team my dad (Steve Miller ‘78) helped start back in early ‘90s because of his love for the game that he learned to play on the Hillside. In the fall, I am coaching Ballard Junior Football (the program that taught me to play football when I was growing up). I am keeping busy and staying healthy, and I look forward to visiting the Hillside once again soon.

2009Jesse Bruen I am helping out as the class agent for our class. Come join me for our 5th Reunion. Alumni Weekend is June 13-15, 2014. For more information visit: www.southkentschool.org/reunion

2010Fabio PereiraFabio has signed with the MLS Team, the Seattle Sounders. “I’ve worked so hard all my life for this moment, and I am extremely blessed for it,” Pereira said. “I want to thank all my friends and family who have helped me get to where I am and tell you that this is just the beginning...in fact, now is when the real challenge begins!”

2011Shayne GostisbehereShayne helped bring his team, the Union Dutchmen, the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship as well as being named MVP. He has also officially signed to the NHL team, the Philadelphia Flyers.

2012Devin GarrisonDevin continues to thrive at St. Michael’s College and was the only freshman to make the varsity golf team! He continuously conveys his great respect for South Kent and all that the faculty and staff did for him during what he calls the “most important year” of his life.

Former facultyDuncan Berry My daughter, Alison (BFA Moore College ‘11) was engaged to Kevin Castaldo (BFA, Philadelphia Arts ‘10) in August. The wedding will take place on September 8th, 2014 in Beacon,NY. Alison is employed as a graphic artist by Federal Jeans in NYC. While I’m on the subject of the Berry kids: Matthew is finishing his BS in game program design at Full Sail University, Jen is an illustration major at Rhode Island School of Design, and Brian just started at Bergen County College as a computer science major. My wife, Beth, is a grocery manager with Stop and Shop... I’m starting my 12th year at Saddle River Day School. Part of my heart will always be on The Hillside.

Cecile Whittemore I am now a great-grandmother. My daughter Nan’s son, Benjy and his wife Katrina have a little girl, born November 13, 2013. Her name is Seren Cecile Mason. We are thrilled!

Class Notes

Left, Top to Bottom: John Miller, during his internship with KOMO4 TV, interviewing his SKS classmate Isaiah Thomas ’08, who was then a basketball star at the University of Washington; Fabio Pereira scoring his first goal with the Seattle Sounders; Shayne Gostisbehere with the NCAA Ice Hockey National Championship Trophy

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inprintAlumni Author

Fortune Found by John Bridwell Severance ’54recounts the adventures of a part-Shawnee Indian lad,

Nate Taggart, as he travels from backwoods Virginia to the goldfields of California via the Ohio River, the Mississippi, and Panama in the middle of young America’s 19th century. On his journey, Nate sees much of the new nation’s ethnic diversity and learns some significant lessons before finding his fortune.

John B. Severance has published young adult biographies of Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein. He is also the author of Skyscrapers: How America Grew Up and Braving the Fire: A Civil War Novel.

Recently published? Please let us know, and please consider donating a copy of your book to The Martin A. Henry Library’s “Alumni Authors” collection. Not only will our students be impressed by the scholarly and literary accomplishments of alumni, but we will gratefully list your publication on the SKS website’s “Alumni Authors” page! All book donations are considered gifts-in-kind to the School. Please visit www.southkentschool.org/authors to see a more complete list of alumni authors’ works as well as purchasing information.

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Wallace C. Murchison ’37, died on June 2, 2013 at his home. He was born Oct. 27, 1919, one of five children of David Reid Murchison, M.D., and May Carmichael Murchison. He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University in 1941, his J.D. degree from the University of North Carolina in 1946 and an L.L.M. from Harvard Law School in 1947. He served in the Navy during World War II in the Pacific theater. Mr. Murchison was co-founder and partner in the Wilmington law firm of Murchison, Fox and Newton, now known as Murchison, Taylor & Gibson, PLLC. Mr. Murchison served on the boards of numerous civic, community and professional organizations. He was a devout member of St. John’s Episcopal Church and served faithfully on the vestry for many years. He also served in a number of positions with the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina and its Foundation.

Very Rev. William Manning Hale ’43, of Marlborough and MacMahan Island, ME, died April 4, 2014. He was born in New York City, July 12, 1925, son of Rev. Whitney and Sara Elizabeth Hale. He graduated from South Kent School in 1943 and Brown University in 1949. Enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1943, he received his wings and commission as an officer in 1944. At the age of 18, he flew 37 missions (17 as lead bombardier) in the Southwest Pacific, becoming a 1st lieutenant at age 19. After the war he taught English and Latin for two years at The Park School in Brookline, MA., before entering The General Theological Seminary in NYC. He was ordained deacon in June 1954 and priest in December of the same year. In 1955 he married Helen Houston Frost at All Saints Church in Worcester, Mass. Throughout the years he served the church in many capacities in the Northeast. His passions included sailing and cruising with family and friends along the coast of Maine and spending time with his children and grandchildren.

James Marshall McHugh, Jr. ’43, beloved husband of Caril D. McHugh, a resident of Manhattan, NY and former resident of Washington, DC, died on August 9, 2012 at St. Luke’s Hospital.

Robert F. Melville ’47, died peacefully on May 25, 2012 in Falmouth, ME. Raised in Westport, CT, he attended South Kent School and then Harvard University. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War. In 1953 Robert married Louise. Together they had three children. Louise died in 1962. In 1965 he married Doris. In 1976, he married Barbara, and moved to Maine. He began his career as a staff reporter for the Boston Post and the Boston Herald. In 1962 he incorporated the Silver Lake News in Pembroke, MA. He was editor, publisher and editorial writer there for 13 years. He continued his career at the Journal Tribune in Biddeford, ME.

Roger Sprague Gilmore ’48, The beloved sports editor died Oct. 22, 2013. Gilmore’s life began in Chicago, but he spent much of his youth in his beloved Vermont before serving in the U.S. Navy, where he wrote for the Green Cove Springs Naval Station newspaper. Gilmore attended the University of Florida in Gainesville and just a few days after graduation was hired by the DeLand

Sun News. Gilmore’s final 21 years of sportswriting were spent as sports editor of The Beacon. He typed his last story much like he did his first: with two speedy fingers, on a typewriter, not a computer. Gilmore was devoted to local sports and had at least one key to the city, and a DeLand Little League field named in his honor.

William “Buck” Haeseler III ’48, died October 25, 2013. Buck began working in Certified Finance in North Tonawanda with his father, William Haeseler Jr. and ran the business. In 1970 he established Certified Travel, which he ran for 30 years, and led tours all over the world with his wife Gloria. Buck traveled to over 150 countries on all seven continents and documented his life’s work and experiences in his book My Whole Life was a Vacation.

Nicholas Reese Leeming ’57, of Tucson died on March 13, 2010. Nick was born in Peekskill, NY on November 27, 1939. Nick graduated from South Kent School in Connecticut and attended Hobart College. He worked as a stock broker in New York and

inmemoriam

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California; a hotel manager in New York; a restauranteur in Nantucket, San Francisco, and Wellesley, Massachusetts; a green grocer in Woodstock, Connecticut and San Francisco; a landscaper in Bordentown and Tucson; and as a caterer everywhere he lived. He was a great gardener and cook, those activities being the two loves of his life, loves that reflected his nurturing nature and his respect for creation in all of its aspects.

Robert B. Waldner ’58 passed away on March 11, 2013. Bob was born in New York on May 2, 1939. He attended South Kent School and graduated from Princeton University. He completed his Masters Degree at Cornell University. Bob was a management consultant and specialized in rail and transit. He loved nature and was committed to land conservation in Massachusetts and Maine. Bob was a participant in volunteer organizations including the food pantry, Dinner Bell, and the Rotary and Lions Clubs in Ipswich. Bob spent summers at his house in Hancock Point, Maine, where he was active in various organizations.

Stanford Baker Stockdale ’79, It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Stanford Baker Stockdale on April 7, 2014. Stanford died peacefully at Tri City Medical Center in Oceanside, California surrounded by the love of his family and friends. Born Dec. 6, 1959; son of Sybil Stockdale and the late Admiral James B. Stockdale, Stan and his family moved to Coronado in 1962 when he was three years old. Stan never lacked for friends, as he had natural charm and charisma as well as a fun-loving streak that he shared with all. As a happy kid growing up on “A” Avenue, he could be found playing Little League or Pop Warner football, riding his skateboard down the block, surfing at North Beach, or just hanging out with his good friends enjoying a childhood life in Coronado to its fullest. Stan spent summers with his family on Sunset Beach in Branford, Connecticut with his maternal grandparents. He attended South Kent School, then spent four years at Colorado College, graduating in 1983 with a Bachelors degree in Geology. He later received his Masters in Education from Wesleyan University. While skiing in Aspen, CO, Stan met his wife Brenda Carlson, and together

they raised two daughters, Lucy and Belle. They were married for 18 years. Stan worked as a math and science teacher at Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, CA; Dean of Students at The Blake School in Minneapolis, MN; Head of the Upper School at Graland Country Day School in Denver, CO; and most recently the VP for Development at The Army and Navy Academy in Carlsbad, CA. Stan also coached football, one of his favorite pastimes. With his gregarious personality, Stan spread good fun and spirit wherever he went. We will remember his infectious laugh and smile, and his twinkling blue eyes. Beneath the jovial exterior, however, Stan battled alcoholism and ultimately succumbed to the disease. Knowing Stan as we do, we believe he would want us to share this reality so that others might learn from his struggle with addiction.

Frank W. Wroniak ’09, of Windham, passed away on Jan. 10, 2014. Frank was born in Hartford on May 13, 1991, the son of Gina Aszklar Wroniak of Ellington and

Thomas Wroniak. He loved animals, especially his dog Jade, his dirt bikes and his hockey. He played hockey from the age of 3, recently with the Boston Junior Blackhawks.

Roger Bert Levin, PhD, born May 14, 1942 in Manhattan, New York, passed away on January 3, 2014. He graduated from Phillips Academy, Andover in 1960 and, after some time out in the San Francisco Bay area studying at the University of California, Berkeley, he graduated from Harvard. He held a Masters Degree in Psychology from the New School for Social Research in New York and a Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology from the Saybrook Institute in California. His psychotherapy practice, located in New Milford, which he ran for over three decades along with being the South Kent School counseler, gave loving help to countless individuals and couples. Roger was also the counselor at South Kent School for many years. Roger had a very devoted relationship with his wife, MaryAnn Walker.

Norma Dorothea Weidner, of New Milford, CT died Saturday November 2, 2013 in New Milford at the age of 83. She was born June 13, 1930 in Brooklyn, NY. Ms. Weidner had lived in Carmel, NY before moving to New Milford in 1980. She was an RN and worked for the Visiting Nurses Association in New Milford and then as a nurse for South Kent School.

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The Pigtail, June 5, 1964

inretrospectReflections

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The SKS Alumni App Is Here

www.southkentschool.org/alumni-app

Features:

• A map of alumni near you

• Alumni event information

• A searchable alumni directory

• News from campus

• Instant access to South Kent School’s social media channels

• LinkedIn Networking

It’s easy to download, secure, and best of all FREE!

Available on iPhone, iPad, or Android Device

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South Kent School 40 Bulls Bridge Road South Kent, CT 06785-1199860-927-3539

1923

Parents of alumniIf this publication is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the alumni office of a preferred mailing address by calling (860) 927-3539 x206 or emailing us at [email protected]. Thank you!