AROUND THE PONDCommunity Service<strong>Taft</strong>’s fourth annual Community Service Day followedclosely on the heels of last year’s event, whichhad been postponed until April. <strong>The</strong> debate on campusremains whether to hold the event in the fall orspring, or whether to increase the school’s opportunitiesfor service by holding it twice a year.Many local groups welcomed the efforts of <strong>Taft</strong>students including Flanders Nature Center, YMCA,Watertown Parks and Recreation Department, as wellas local schools and community centers. One of the dozens of crews set to work across thegreater Watertown area on the school’s annual CommunityService Day, this group cleared a grove of treesat a local school. From left Al Reiff ’80, Katie Franklin’03, Charlie Baker ’00, Tim Shaheen ’00, TeddyMcCarthy ’01, James Cavazuti ’02, Thomas Smythe ’00,Matt Aleksinas ’02, Lisa Ehrlich ’00, Christine Maddock’01, and Ben Smith ’01.<strong>The</strong> BobsOne of the added benefits of CommunityService Day in Septemberwas an evening concert during studyhall to make up for the lack of homeworkthat night. Students andfaculty were entertained by <strong>The</strong>Bobs, a four-member a cappellagroup “known for their incrediblelive show, witty, tuneful, originalmaterial, and outrageous covers ofclassic songs.” Richard Bob Greene,Matthew Bob Stull, Amy BobEngelhardt, and Joe Bob Finetti havebeen together since 1981 and havesold out venues around the world,released nine albums, been nominatedfor a Grammy, scored movies,produced commercials, been themusical commentators on NationalPublic Radio, and have built themselves“a legion of adoringfans”—especially at <strong>Taft</strong>.Visitors From VietnamMr. Doa Thien Khai, head of the Hanoi Amsterdam High <strong>School</strong> in Hanoi, Vietnam,came to <strong>Taft</strong> in September, along with Nguyen Thi Ngoc Minh, a memberof the English Department there. While on campus, they were taken on tour byformer student Khiem Do Ba ’00, and visited classes with Ha Tran ’01, who arrivedat <strong>Taft</strong> this fall from Hanoi Amsterdam. Pictured from left, Lance Odden,Ha Tran ’01, Mr. Dao Thien Khai, Khiem Do Ba ’00, Ms. Nguyen Thi NgocMinh, and Ferdie Wandelt ’66.26 Fall 1999
Video NewfoundlandVideo teacher Rick Doyle traveled to new parts of the globe last summer with ten<strong>Taft</strong> students (and one alumnus) in search of the perfect location for the next“Treehouse” production. <strong>The</strong> crew established base camp in Branch, Newfoundland,a small town somewhat bewildered by the youth of these filmmakers. <strong>The</strong>cast and crew included Eric Hansen ’99, Rachel Holmes ’00, Ryan Burns ’01,Victor Chu ’01, Tim Dzurilla ’01, Joshua Fine ’01, Cordy Wagner ’01, ThomasKeidel ’02, Dennis Liu ’02, Angrette McCloskey ’02, and Scott Britell ’98. Dennis Liu ’02, Rick Doyle, and Scott Britell ’98 on location in Newfoundland.Current Parents’ Committee Meet In New York CityMore than 60 current parents met at <strong>The</strong> Sky Club on Wednesday, September 15, for a lovely dinner hosted by the newchairmen, Joan and John Goodwin P’00. Although the winds and rain from Hurricane Floyd made travel challenging, all theparents arrived safely and spent an enjoyable evening with the Oddens and the Goodwins.Catherine Farmer P’01 and Sarah BrameP’00,’02John Goodwin P’00 and Richard AdlerP’97,’99,’01Joan Goodwin P’00 and Sherri StephensonP’01 Tom and Mary Holmes P’92,’00 and Videen and Chris Bennett P’00 (middle left) Catharine Sturgess P’02, Peggy Toce P’98, ’01, and Mary-BethMcCormack P’00, ’02 Larry Uhlick P’00 and Lance Odden<strong>Taft</strong> Bulletin 27