B U L L E T I N Taft Portrait of a Graduate - The Taft School

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Willy MacMullen ’78 Headmaster Class of 2003, do you recall your first day, perhaps just nine months ago, perhaps nearly four years You were sitting in a folding seat in Centennial Quad, nervous. In those opening weeks, you may have felt what my favorite poet, William Wordsworth, felt when he came to Cambridge as a young man at the turn of the 18th century. The similarities are many—like him, you came brimming with promise, and you entered a school of thrilling energy. Wordsworth wrote: I was the Dreamer; they the Dream; I roam’d Delighted through the motley spectacle…. For hither I had come with holy powers And faculties…. I was a Freeman; in the purest sense Was free, and to majestic ends was strong. There he is, a 17-year old from a small town in the Lake District, and he is crackling with excitement at this “motley spectacle,” as you no doubt were when you walked down the Main Hall bustling with students or sought to find your seat in the din of your first School Meeting. He feels a “holy power,” and who knows the “majestic ends” of which he dreams. You had such dreams. But above all, he feels free, and there he and you were alike on that unforgettable first day. You were free that moment—to reinvent yourself, to start anew, to discover new passions, and to face new challenges. Such a life-moment is thrilling, and frightening; and you may never again feel it as intensely as you did when you came here. You parents know what I mean by this; so many of you remarked on it at dinner last night: the girl or boy who walked into this Quad on that first day is gone. Someone else will be accepting a diploma. It would be a mistake to think that what distinguishes this class was what they did. What finally marked them singular was who they were. With them, you think less of talent and more of character. I think finally it was their humanity that marked them unique. One teacher said, “I know it’s an old-fashioned word, but they were just so darn nice.” We peered out on the world and saw international relations among too many nations too often marked by chilly impatience or arrogant xenophobia, relations among peoples marked by apathetic inaction or fanatical violence. We read of ethical violations at the corporate level that dwarfed even the stupendous wrongdoings in the late 19th century. We had daily reminders that this walled city on the hill, formed on timeless ideals of respect, service, and integrity, could not isolate itself. We were inextricably interconnected to the world. Here we were given hope for a better world, and it came from some 150 young men and women who treated each other, and their faculty, and the traditions of the school, with respect, humanity, and Peter Granquist Ryan Ahearn, center, winner of the Class of 1981 Award, with his family Commencement 2003 Cathy Marigomen and cousins 24 Taft Bulletin Summer 2003
understanding. They came from small towns and large cities, from America and a score of nations; they were black and white, far right and radical left. They had a mutual respect that led to robust, re- spectful debates in coffeehouses, School Meetings, electronic forums, classrooms and dorms. They had strong opinions and were anything but moral relativists— they were principled and often staked out lonely positions. But they listened to each other and treated each other as all the world’s religions advise: as we wish to be treated. There were many rooms in this house. We adults should do as well. Proud new graduate Henry Siemon Alexandra Peterffy with her family Taft Bulletin Summer 2003 25
Page 1 and 2: B U L L E T I N Northern Exposure t
Page 3 and 4: F E A T U R E S Satisfaction in the
Page 5 and 6: ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Alumni SPOTLIGHT N
Page 7 and 8: PETER FINGER ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Alumn
Page 9 and 10: “Over the 45 years of actively ma
Page 11 and 12: AROUND THE POND Why a Rhino How the
Page 13 and 14: AROUND THE POND Adam Bronfman ’81
Page 15 and 16: Faculty News Jonathan Bernon, schoo
Page 17 and 18: ANNUAL FUND REPORT Volunteers Raise
Page 19 and 20: S P O R T sport Spring 2003 Highlig
Page 21 and 22: S P O R T Coming off their New Eng
Page 23: PHOTOGRAPHY BY BOB FALCETTI Rear Ad
Page 27 and 28: all the way. You have been incredib
Page 29 and 30: James Blanchard ’03 Class Speaker
Page 31 and 32: Portrait of a Graduate Children oft
Page 33 and 34: Portrait of a Graduate academic dep
Page 35 and 36: Northern Exposure to Native Arts Su
Page 37 and 38: GRETCHEN SAGAN An exquisite basket
Page 39 and 40: Alumni Weekend began with a well-at
Page 41 and 42: Alumni awards, such as the Citation
Page 43 and 44: an evening dinner. The smiles on th

B U L L E T I N Taft Portrait of a Graduate - The Taft School

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