Brewsterconnections - Brewster Academy

HOOPLAby Matt HoopesBeyond the BallotAlumni in Public Policy PositionsHere in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, we’ve just held an electioncovering all 58 inhabited islands. It took a total of 90 days from openingcampaigning to final voting. Nowadays, campaigning in the United States seemsalmost non-stop. Although elections are over, the work goes on and this workincludes that of our alumni, many from behind the political scenes.In the election year that was, Connections editors were curious about how manyalumni might have careers in politics. After an extensive search, I discoveredthat currently Brewster doesn’t have any alumni holding elective office atthe national or state level. If my sleuthing was faulty, and I missed a possiblefuture senator or president, I sincerely apologize. Please do let me know and Ipromise to contribute to your next campaign! I know we did have office holdersamong our alums, but they’ve all retired. They were all of one party, however, andI was a little nervous that some of my faithful readers of the ‘other’ party mightcry foul, but no worries there now.Evan Shone ‘83, founder of San Francisco Motor Sports, shipped this 1964 MorrisMinor to Matt Hoopes in the Bahamas 12 years ago. Here Hoopes chauffeursbrothers Tim ‘91 and Dan ’93 Smith and Dan’s wife Inese around Eleuthera.Since Brewster alumni do work in politics and public affairs, though, we decidedto profile those in non-elected positions. While I assumed that a great deal ofhard work and endless hours were logged by those paid and unpaid staffersI’m always searching for topics for this column, so please get back to me withyour suggestions: islesman@batelnet.ba or reply to one of my postage paid pinkpostcards that hopefully find their way to your mailbox.supporting the office seekers, it wasn’t until I started hearing the following battletales that I fully understood the extent of their expertise and devoted labor.Wishing all ‘Aldebest,’Again, the usual appeal – please keep in touch. I’m always interested inhearing from all alumni who have ‘tales to tell’ of their work or adventures.Matt Hoopes was a faculty member from 1975 to 1996. During this time he and his journalism students founded The Brewster Browser and the Outcroppings literarymagazine. Since his “retirement” from the classroom in 1996, Hoopes has worked as the alumni correspondent from his hilltop banana farm on the island of Eleuthera, TheBahamas, helping to keep the alumni connection alive. In each issue he brings life-after-Brewster stories to the pages of his Hoopla column.28 BrewsterConnections – Fall 2012