TafT'S higheST honor - The Taft School

Summer 2012from the EDITORWhen the Taft Annual came out thisspring, on a page of reflections, my sonAlex answered the question “Why did youcome to Taft?” with: “Because it’s frownedupon to leave babies at the hospital.” Ofmy 24 years at Taft, these last four havebeen particularly memorable, watchinghim navigate the school in his own way.I have a newfound appreciation for mycolleagues as they took him under theirwings or inspired new interests. He wasespecially lucky to have experienced Latinclass with Dick Cobb, to study jazz fromT.J. Thompson for all four years, to havea devoted adviser in Ted Jewell for threeyears, and yes, to study math with hisfather, Al Reiff ’80 (which went far betterthan I expected). He had so many greatteachers; my only regret is that there are somany others here he had yet to see in action.Four years did not feel long enough.Alex and classmate Eliza Davis(daughter of Rusty Davis and LindaSaarnijoki) were voted the seniors “mostlikely to leave last.” Indeed, both (andmany other “fac brats” before them) havespent their whole lives here. I wonderhow different campus will feel for me thisfall, not just as an empty-nester (I adopteda puppy as a preventive measure) butalso without that current parent lens. Isuppose what I will gain is a greater senseof the young alumni perspective.That’s the thing about the Taftcommunity. We may wear different labels—parent,alum, teacher, grandparent,volunteer—and often several at a time,but what rarely changes is our love of thisschool and the people who make it.What teachers inspired you at Taft? Asalways, I want to hear your stories.—Julie ReiffOn the CoverTaft’shighestHonorMonsieurDenyerretiresTeam GovA graduationsecretv HeadmasterWilly MacMullen’78 congratulatesboard chairman RodMoorhead ’62, whowas honored withthe Horace D. TaftAlumni Medal onAlumni Weekend inMay (see page 7).Robert FalcettiCorrectionsOur apologies to English teacherJennifer Zaccara, whose name wascut off from the list of Taft Facultywho grade Advanced Placementexams for the College Board(“Test Makers, Test Graders,”spring 2012). Jennifer reads for theEnglish Literature exam.Tom Goodale ’55 corrected thehockey record on page 76 of thespring issue (“Mays Rink: Taft’sD-I-Y Project”). The team alsowon the Housatonic League in the1952–53 season, for a total of sevenTaft titles. Thanks, Tom.WWWTaft on the WebFind a friend’s address or lookup back issues of the Bulletinat www.taftalumni.comVisit us on your phone withour mobile-friendly sitewww.taftschool.org/mWhat happened at thisafternoon’s game?Visit www.taftsports.comDon’t forget you can shoponline at www.taftstore.com800-995-8238 or 860-945-7736Look up your classmateson the go! xPlease recycle this Bulletin.Summer 2012Volume 82, Number 4Bulletin StaffDirector of Development:Chris LathamEditor: Julie ReiffAlumni Notes: Linda BeyusDesign: Good Design, LLCwww.gooddesignusa.comProofreader: Nina MaynardMail letters to:Julie Reiff, EditorTaft BulletinThe Taft SchoolWatertown, CT 06795-2100 U.S.A.juliereiff@taftschool.orgSend alumni news to:Linda BeyusAlumni OfficeThe Taft SchoolWatertown, CT 06795-2100 U.S.A.taftbulletin@taftschool.orgDeadlines for Alumni Notes:Fall–August 30Winter–November 15Spring–February 15Summer–May 15Send address corrections to:Sally MembrinoAlumni RecordsThe Taft SchoolWatertown, CT 06795-2100 U.S.A.taftrhino@taftschool.org1-860-945-7777www.TaftAlumni.comThe Taft Bulletin (ISSN 0148-0855)is published quarterly, in February,May, August and November, by TheTaft School, 110 Woodbury Road,Watertown, CT 06795-2100, and isdistributed free of charge to alumni,parents, grandparents and friends ofthe school. All rights reserved.2 Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012

h MollyDavidson ’05poses in frontof Team USA’sCar 10 beforethe 2012 RhinoCharge.Rhino Charge 2012Picture yourself driving up the side of amountain with no roads or trails to reacha checkpoint at the top and then racingdown the other side—over cliffs andthrough riverbeds—to reach the next.Now picture all those trees as 17-foottallbushes with 3-inch thorns andimagine the ground is entirely sand.Such was the challenge MollyDavidson ’05 faced in Kenya in RhinoCharge 2012.“It was so hot and so challenging,” saysDavidson, “but it was such a rewardingexperience. Out of the 65 competitors,14 cars made it to all 13 checkpointswithin the allotted 10 hours. We completed9 checkpoints—placing us in themiddle of the pack. We were slightly disappointedat first that we didn’t finish all13 controls, but then we heard tale aftertale of catastrophes from the event.”Eight cars rolled at least once, teamsreached the edges of cliffs and wereforced to retire early, cars broke downor were totaled during the event, andpeople were hurt.“We began to realize that the 2012course was an exceptionally tough onefor everyone,” says Davidson, “and wegained solace in the fact that we weresafe, our car made it around the course,and we had a great time.”The best news came on Sundayat Prize Giving when her team receivedan award for the third highestcash donations raised for the RhinoArk Charitable Trust—about 4.2 millionKenyan shillings ($52,000) to help toprotect the African rhino.Rhino Charge raises funds to protectthe wildlife in the Aberdare NationalPark, located within the mysterious andmajestic Aberdare Mountain Rangein central Kenya. The park contains abroad range of climates and landscapes,from dense jungle to alpine tundra.This climate diversity allows the area tosupport a unique wildlife community,including the critically endangeredblack rhino. The Rhino Ark CharitableTrust was founded to protect this delicatemountain habitat.When I’m 64Michael McCabe ’07 made it throughrookie camp in May with the GreenBay Packers and Organized TrainingActivities (OTAs). A minicamp androokie training followed in June.At Holy Cross, McCabe, 23, wasa first-team All-Patriot League selectionand a first-team All-New Englandchoice in 2011, the third straight seasonhe earned all-conference honorsand the second straight he was namedall-region. He started all 11 gamesat left tackle as a senior, helping theCrusaders average 400.9 yards of offenseper game. McCabe played in 47career games with 36 starts along theoffensive line, including a streak of 34straight to end his college career. Hesigned a three-year free-agent contractwith the Packers in April.h Mike McCabe ’07with Packers offensiveline coach JamesCampen. Jim Biever/Green Bay PackersAlumni who played football forMike’s dad at Taft, likely know thatSteve McCabe was drafted by theRedskins out of Bowdoin. What fewmay know is that the Packers laterinvited him to try out. At that pointthough, Steve had already decided topursue a different path. Those luckyenough to have either Steve or Susanat the blackboard must be glad he did.www.packers.com/team/players.html6 Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012

Bring on the BrassFormer Vice Chairman of theJoint Chiefs of Staff General JamesCartwright came to Taft this springunder the auspices of the Rear AdmiralRaymond. F. DuBois Fellowship inInernational Affairs.Cartwright was both a naval flightofficer and naval aviator. In 1983,he was named Outstanding CarrierAviator of the Year and went on tocommand Marine Aviation LogisticsSquadron 12, Marine Fighter AttackSquadron 232, Marine Aircraft Group31, and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.Cartwright graduated with distinctionfrom the Air Command and StaffCollege, received an MA in nationalsecurity and strategic studies from theNaval War College, completed a fellowshipwith the Massachusetts Instituteof Technology and was honored witha Naval War College DistinguishedGraduate Leadership Award.Unique among Marines,Cartwright served as commander,U.S. Strategic Command, before beingnominated and appointed as theeighth vice chairman of the JointChiefs of Staff, the nation’s secondhighestmilitary officer. During hisfour-year tenure as vice chairman,across two presidential administrations,Cartwright became widelyrecognized for his technical acumen,vision of future national securityconcepts and keen ability to integraten General James Cartwright was this year’sDuBois speaker. U.S. Air Force photo/MelanieRodgers Coxsystems, organizations and people inways that encourage creativity andspark innovation in the areas of strategicdeterrence, nuclear proliferation,missile defense, cyber security andadaptive acquisition processes.Treehouse leads to BirchesWhen the Independent StudiesProgram awards were announced thisyear, a huge cry went out for Oliver Salk’13 and his film Birches [see the trailerat tiny.cc/birchesisp].“I have been making short films atTaft every year,” says Oliver, “and myconnection with Mr. Doyle and theTreehouse grew [in the course of theISP] along with my skill as a filmmaker.”In addition to his work in theTreehouse, Taft’s video editing studio,Oliver had worked with acting/videoteacher Rick Doyle on summer film tripsto Montana in 2010 and Maine in 2011,where Oliver also produced a short filmof his own.“This year I decided to step up mygame,” adds Oliver. “I wanted to write,direct, and edit a feature length ‘big-budget’movie at Taft made by and starringTaft students.” It is the story of a boywho attempts to find himself amidst thechaotic and overwhelming environmentof a New England boarding school.Embarking on the project throughthe Independent Studies Program gaveOliver some time off from sports and allowedhim to focus his time on the film.“The result was astounding,” saysOliver. “Because I was able to give myproject lots of energy, many other actorsand crew started to volunteer theirtime to help and support me. By theend of the project I had producers, extrawriters, supporting actors, assistantdirectors and more by my side helpingproduce this film.”“It is amazing the kind of supportOliver was able to solicit from hispeers,” says Doyle. “The kids reallywanted to see him succeed. He’samazingly talented, and they see that.”“Most of what I learned was verytechnical and related to film theory,” saysOliver, “but I also believe my skill as afriend and as a student at Taft improvedas well. As a director, communication isyour number-one skill set.”Other recipients this year of theDavid Edward Goldberg MemorialAwards for outstanding independentwork were Christopher Browner ’12for his project “Learning the Art ofTheatrical Direction and Design”;Everett Brownstein ’12 for his “GalleryShow and Installation”; and JackyZheng ’13 for his work on “ThePathophysiology of Human Disease,”which also won him second place at theConnecticut State Science Fair.

around the PONDIn a Good LightTaft continues to rack up the designawards! The Moorhead Wing project receivedan Edwin F. Guth Memorial Awardfor Interior Lighting, Regional Award ofMerit, from the Illuminating EngineeringSociety of North America (IES).After winning the regional award, theproject was advanced for internationaljudging. International awards will be announcedin November.n Halo Award nominees Chris Hylwa ’14, Christopher Browner ’12, Will O’Meara ’12,teacher Rick Doyle, Max Flath ’13, Jillian Wipfler ’13, Blake Joblin ’13 and Emily Nelson ’12at the Palace Theater in Waterbury.Fearless TheaterIt was a tremendous year for the arts at Taft, with students winning accoladesin galleries, concert halls and on stage. It was an especially grand year for theater,with extraordinary performances of the classic shows Beauty and the Beastand Harvey, and the original play Roomies (see page 18). All three were recognizedthis spring with Halo Award nominations.Now in their ninth year, the Halo Awards recognize excellence in highschool theater. More than 30 area schools compete for the honors. Taft wasnominated in 17 categories, and took home three awards. The full list of nomineesis posted at www.taftschool.org/news.q Best Comic MalePerformance in a Musical:Max Flath ’13 as Gaston,Beauty and the Beast (tie)q Best StandoutPerformance by a Male Actorin an Ensemble Production:Chris Hylwa ’14 as Julian,Roomiesq Fearless Award (Play) –Language and subject:RoomiesOther Arts RecognitionEarned During the spring term:Alicia Wang ’15, first place(tie), Schubert Club AwardsNatalie Tam ’14, secondplace, 2012 HudsonPhilharmonic OrchestraPiano ConcertoTae Young Woo ’12,concertmaster, IrvineYoung Concert ArtistsCaitlin Morton ’12, firstprize – student category,32nd Annual PhotographyExhibition, New CanaanSociety of ArtRobert FalcettiIn the GalleryThe Mark W. Potter ’48 Gallery hosted a special show for the 50thReunion class: John Foltz ’62 exhibited an eye-catching collection ofhis photography, and Kit Youngs ’62 shared a number of paintings.“Both man and nature provide a lot for us to observe,” saysFoltz, who seeks out the often overlooked beauty all around. “Itend to see things on a smaller scale; thus I’m seeing small areas ofbeauty within a larger scene. Abstracts come out of the many waysnature paints and forms abstract shapes, as well as from architectureand sculpture.”For a complete list of gallery shows for the 2012–13 school year,visit www.taftschool.org/pottergallery/markpotter.aspx.n Sand and Rock Composition, Fotos by Foltz14 Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012

The Psychology of Sporth Sportspsychologist BobRotella with thevarsity girls’ teamon the links. RitaCatherine O’Shea ’14Renowned sports psychologist, authorand golfing guru Dr. Bob Rotella spent aday at Taft this spring. He dined with thegolf team, inspired students and coachesduring an evening presentation and evenshared tips and insights on the links atthe Watertown Golf Club.Widely recognized as one of theworld’s top sports psychologists, Rotellahas worked as a personnel consultant forthe NBA, NFL, Major League Baseball,NASCAR, PGA Tour, LPGA Tour,Senior Tour, U.S. Olympic Ski Teamand the U.S. Olympic Equestrian Team,as well as the New York Yankees, SanFrancisco 49ers, New Jersey Nets, andTexas Rangers. And now—thanks toKristine and Tom Gordon, parents ofHeather Gordon ’14—Taft School.Rotella spoke to Tafties about visualization,self-confidence and the powerof mental preparation. And a part ofthat preparation, Rotella says, is developinga meaningful routine. In the end,however, the most powerful messagewas not about stroke mechanics, chipshots, or where the ball lies, but aboutwhat lies within.“The idea that resonated most with mewas about not being fearful and havingconfidence,” said girls’ golf team cocaptainAli Eleey ’12. “From now whenI’m on the course I am going to trust myselfand know that I have worked hard andpracticed my game a lot, so there is noreason to be scared. I learned a lot fromwhat Mr. Rotella said and it motivated meto continue working on my game.”New Head MonitorsBetsy Sednaoui and AndrewCadienhead will serve as co-headmonitors for the Class of 2013.“I am more than humbled tohave been elected to the head monposition,” Betsy said. “We have a wonderfulgroup of school mons for nextyear; we work well together and are alwayslooking for new ways to improvethe ways in which we lead. And I’m soexcited to be working with Andrew.We are a cohesive duo and are bothproud to be leaders of our class. I lookforward to enhancing the communityin any way I can, and continuing touphold the pride and tradition thatmakes Taft what it is today”During her time at Taft, Betsyhas played soccer and golf. She wasco-captain of the JV tennis team thisspring, and will be co-captain of thegirls’ hockey team this winter. She hasbeen a dorm monitor, a member ofImprov and a peer tutor.Andrew is a varsity squash playerand two-year team captain. He hasserved on the Class Committeeof 2013 since freshman year, is amember of the Admissions Council,and recently joined the ButterflyCatching Club.“I’m very honored to have beenelected as one of the head monitorsof the school. Next year, I plan onworking diligently to better the Taftcommunity. The head mon positionis very challenging,” said Andrew,“but I know that Betsy and I will pushourselves to be the best head mons wepossibly can be. I’m very pleased thatn Head monitors Andrew Cadienhead andBetsy Sednaoui ’13. Peter Frew ’75Betsy is my co-head mon. I think she’sgreat, and I’m looking forward to servingwith her for our final year at Taft.”Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012 17

around the PONDThe OtherWesMooreThe SummerReadingCommittee announcedthat thisyear’s all-schoolread is The Other Wes Moore: OneName, Two Fates, by Wes Moore.This fascinating nonfictionwork tells the story of twoboys growing up in inner-cityBaltimore, two boys living only afew blocks from each other, eachcoincidentally with the samename, but two boys who end upliving very different lives—onevery successful, one ending in lifeimprisonment. When the authordiscovered the existence of hisalter ego, he decided to try to learnwhy their lives were so different.His book is the result of severalconversations with “the other WesMoore” and his research amongneighbors, friends and family.What makes the difference in howa life turns out? This book offerssome thought-provoking answers.Author Wes Moore willvisit campus in the fall as thePaley Lecturer.In addition to The Other WesMoore, students are reading a secondbook selected from a list offaculty recommendations. (Checkout the list at www.taftschool.org/students/readinglist.aspx.)“Of course, we hope thatstudents will read several morethan just these two books,” saysChaplain Bob Ganung, a memberof the committee, “because readingexpands one’s perspective onlife, besides being entertaining.And we hope the list of facultysponsoredbooks will providemany options and ideas and createan opportunity for many discussionsin school and beyond.”n Visiting poet Taylor Mali gives a reading inLaube Dining Hall. Peter Frew ’75Visiting Poet Taylor MaliWell-known poet and YouTube sensationTaylor Mali was this year’s visitingpoet, bringing his craft and wit to campusin May.One of the best-known authors andperformers to emerge from the poetryslam movement, Taylor Mali has publishedtwo books, The Last Time As WeRoomiesThe spring production of Roomies:One Year at a Time brought currentsocial issues to the forefront inTaft’s Woodward Black Box Theaterthis spring.An original play written anddirected by Taft theater and filmteacher Rick Doyle, Roomies “isabout compassion, redemption, forgiveness,tolerance and acceptance,”says Doyle, “even more than it isabout gay and lesbian students at aboarding school. It’s about love andbeing ‘human’ to one another.”Based on real events, the playcaptures the humor and drama thatplay out for the featured charactersduring the opening month of anew school year through a series oftopical vignettes.Are and What Learning Leaves; he hasalso recorded four spoken-word CDs.His life, words and mission speak of inclusion,not exclusion, which makes himan unexpected force among dissimilarwordsmiths. He claims to be one of thefew people in the world to have no otherjob than that of poet.Mali is a vocal advocate of teachersand the nobility of teaching, and spentnine years in the classroom teachingeverything from English and historyto math and SAT preparation. He hasperformed and lectured for teachersall over the world, and his New TeacherProject is working to attract 1,000 prospectiveteachers to the education fieldthrough his personal “poetry, persuasionand perseverance.”In 2001, Taylor Mali received a NewYork Foundation for the Arts grant todevelop Teacher! Teacher! a one-manshow about poetry, teaching and math;the show won the jury prize for bestsolo performance at the 2001 ComedyArts Festival.Roomies was recognized withtwo Halo Awards and five HaloAward nominations. (See “FearlessTheater,” page 14)n Sam Stamas ’14, as Carl, and TristanSmith ’14, as Eli, navigate the challengingwaters of dorm life in the original playRoomies. Rick Doyle

2012 ClassAgent Awards*Snyder AwardLargest amount contributedby a reunion classClass of 1962: $1,244,221(includes Annual Fund and capital)Class Agent: Fred NagleGift Committee Chair:Rod MoorheadChairman of the Board AwardHighest percent participationfrom a class 50 years out or lessClass of 1962: 63%Class Agent: Fred NagleGift Committee Chair: Rod MoorheadMcCabe AwardLargest amount contributedby a non-reunion classClass of 1974: $117,215Class Agent: Brian LincolnClass of 1920 AwardGreatest increase in dollarsfrom a non-reunion classClass of 1974: increase of $21,815Class Agent: Brian LincolnThe Romano AwardGreatest increase in participation from anon-reunion class less than 50 years outClass of 1999: 41% from 25%Class Agent: Lindsay Tarasuk AroestyYoung Alumni Dollars AwardLargest amount contributedfrom a class 10 years out or lessClass of 2002: $8,780Class Agent: Peter HafnerYoung AlumniParticipation AwardHighest participation froma class 10 years out or lessClass of 2011: 44%Class Agents: Nick Auer and SaraGuernseyThe Spencer AwardLargest number of gifts from classmateswho have not given in the last five yearsClass of 1987: 9Class Agent: Cinda Goulard LordGift Committee Chair: George Moore*Awards determined by gifts and pledgesraised as of June 30, 2012We would like to express our appreciationto all Taft families who contributed to the 2011–12 Taft Parents’ Fund.We also wish to express a special thanks to the Taft Parents’ Committee whoworked so hard to connect with parents about the importance of participation.Contributions totaled $1,458,685 and participation reached 92% for the year.Thanks so much to those who participated and we hope to see everyoneparticipating next year!Sincerely,Don and Maris PascalParents of Laurel ’12 and Hayden ’132011–12 Parents’ FundChairsMaris and Don PascalCommitteeJan and Eric Albert ’77Michelle AndrewsHeidi and Andrew Arthur ’81Rachel and William BrannanAnne and Toby BrownConstance and Michael CarrollLynn and Ed CassadySheilah and Tom ChatjavalIrene and Albert ChengLouisa and Edward ChengStasha and Mark CohenJane and Jack CooneyLilo and Tom CunninghamKathy and Brian DaigleJohn Davidge III and Deborah LottLaura Delaney-Taft and John Taft ’72Jacqueline and Christian ErdmanDoone and George EsteyLinn ’82 and Robert Feidelson ’82Melissa and Trevor FetterLibby and Terry FitzgeraldKristine and Peter GlazerColleen and Peter GrantNicky and Jamie GrantAnne and Randy HarrellJean Marie and Douglas JamiesonBarbara and David KnowltonVal and John KratkyKathryn and John KuhnsJuliette and James LeeLisa and Joe LoveringAlice and Albert MaChristiana and Ferdy MasucciLisa and Jay McDermottSawnie and Jim McGeeRose and Paul McGowanLaura and Frank MichnoffWendy and John Motulsky ’74Regina and Dennis OlmsteadNan and Tim O’NeillEllen and Bill OppenheimJacqueline and Harry PierandriMadeleine and Frank PorcelliLee and Michael ProfeniusElizabeth and Frank QueallyKim Gassett-Schiller and Philip SchillerStaley and Carter SednaouiKaren and Rick SheaGigi and John SheldonChris and James SmithPatty and Bill SnyderClaudia and Allen M. SperryMimi and Marc TabahDenise and John TrevenenKimberly and Michael TucciSarah and Bob UnderhillCissy and Curt ViebranzBeverly and Mark WawerRod WestmorelandDiane Blanchard WhitingSusan and John WilsonElizabeth and John WoodsWon Hi Yoo and Kyung Ae SongPeter and Jo Ziesing ’78

Piping theseniors intothe quad for theceremonybIna Kosova,Mai Nguyen, DimaYankova and ThuyTranmValedictorianKristenShakercAssociate Dean ofFaculty Jennifer Zaccarainducts this year’s CumLaude Society members,including class speakerLindsay Karcher.I have been asked to reveal many times over thecourse of the past four years here at Taft.Let me begin with the truth. I graduated froma day school in Baltimore whose motto is palmanon sine pulvere or, “reward is not without work.”When I delivered remarks to my own classmatesI was very focused on success. I challenged myclass to continue to push themselves, to be bold,to work hard, and save the world. I had notthought about the concept I’m asking you to considertoday—how to begin to construct a life thatis fulfilling and purposeful and not simply aboutchasing other people’s definitions of success.My parents are both educators and while Ihave always loved school and have an enormousrespect for educators, I did not imagine that Iwould have a career in education. I took a jobteaching history, coaching lacrosse and runninga dorm right out of college because I wanted togive back before I moved on to “bigger and betterthings.” As you know now, I never left. Perhaps Ihad unwittingly, and luckily, embraced the ideathat it is better to serve than be served.In many ways things are more difficult for youthan they were for me. There is more pressure tobe really great (or even exceptional) at absolutely everything you do. Andheaven knows, each time you filled out a college application this year youwere faced with the reality that it was not simply good enough to distinguishyourself as a student. So I know you know pressure. And at times I bet thisenormous pressure caused you to doubt yourself.I do not intend to stand before you today and present a message of doomand gloom. Rather I would like to present another way of approaching life.One where you make choices first and foremost that open doors, rather thanclose doors. That you do not try to do it all or have it all, but rather that youfigure out the few things that matter most in your life and focus on makingthem happen. The challenge should not be about mastering many things,but rather about mastering the things that matter.The real challenge is to construct your individual definition of success.What actually makes you happy? What if we were to dispense with the wordsuccess and instead seek a life that was purposeful and fulfilling? I think thatHorace Taft was hoping to inspire this way of thinking when he wrote: “Agreat advantage of boarding school is that it gives opportunities for studentsto get out of themselves. They must work for others.” For me personally,Horace Taft’s words have rung true.So now we get to the secret part and how knowing what matters anddoing it well pays off. My guess is that more members of the class of 2012know me as the mom who shows up with the “brookies” than as the momwho is head of Miss Porter’s.For those of you who have not had a brookie, they are a little piece ofbrownie/cookie heaven. These treats are my way of connecting with Jack28 Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012

cAurelianAward winnerChristopherBrowner.KwadwoAsamoah-Duodu,Anthony Gaffneyand JacksonMcGonagleRed and blueare popular colorsfor the day.and his friends. It is my way of saying thank you to the coaches and teachersfor taking care of my son. They are my way of being a mother when my sonis away at boarding school.Brookies are not complicated and they don’t really take a lot of time.They are so easy that Jack’s dad is willing to be the baker more often than Iam. But let’s face it, because I am the woman, I get the credit. This is the perfectexample of how being really good at one thing works. It also illustrateshow a simple gesture can create and strengthen the connections betweenpeople. I just needed to perfect a single recipe and repeat it. And in doing soI’ve been able to connect with many of you.Now the last game has been played and Jack has moved out of the dorm,we will take our brookies to a new campus and leave the recipe with you.And here it is, the little bit of magic: one bag of sugar cookie mix and a boxof brownie mix. It is simple, it is sweet, and it is complete.So what is your recipe, I ask?It does not need to be complicated, in fact the simpler the better. Butit does need to be complete and the proportions matter. Remember theingredients that have been so masterfully delivered to you here. They beginwith Horace Taft’s expectation that graduates be prepared to serve ratherthan be served. They include the bonds you have developed with each otherover the course of the past four years. It is not only the people who make theplace, I would argue, but also the people who ultimately make your life. jRead or listen to all of the remarks, or view Commencement Day photos,at www.taftschool.org/graduation.“The challengeshould not beabout masteringmany things,but rather aboutmastering thethings that matter.”Walter Yoobubbles overwith enthusiasmfor the day.Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012 29

By Bonnie Blackburn Penhollow ’84Meilleurs VoeuxPhotos from the Leslie D. Manning ArchivesLe meilleur professeurde français! Il m’a faitcomprendre le subjunctif.Il m’a rendu employablepar le service linguistiquede l ’ONU. Vous êtes lemeilleur!!!—Susan Isko ’03One of the greats.The beret made class feelauthentic. 33 years ofteaching teens French—wow.Bonne chance, Monsieur!—Cameron Dauler ’90Great teacher, greathuman being. Toujoursenthousiaste, toujoursjuste. Que tous les profssoient comme lui!—Andy Winchell ’86I may have been the worstFrench student to passthrough those doors inthe last 33 years. ButMonsieur Denyer nevertreated me or any otherstudent with anything lessthan the utmost respect,patience and kindness.—Chris Pollock ’93the image one may have of Brian Denyer, the retiring French teacher, coach andmentor, may be one of a serious, somewhat balding man, with big black eyeglasses,head bent studiously as he gently corrects a student’s awkward French phrasing.Or perhaps the image is of Denyer, his remaining hair flying behind him as heraces down a field, whistle dangling around his neck, calling plays or fouls on thesoccer and lacrosse fields. Or perhaps he was knocking on a dorm room door,giving a customary “one-one thousand” pause before opening said door to ensureno mischief was at hand.Or perhaps you’ve seen the artistic side of Brian Denyer, one that creates perfectrhymes in colloquial French or paints lush landscapes in oils and watercolors.All these and more make up Denyer, who retired at the end of the spring term2012 after more than three decades at Taft. Charismatic, warm, inviting, gracious,tenacious—these are the accolades that poured forth from former students and colleagueswhen asked to describe their views of Denyer.And they are all accolades he would probably shrug off, being as he is a selfeffacingman who has never sought the limelight.“There is just an innate goodness and gentleness and caring in him,” saidHeadmaster Willy MacMullen ’78. “This is a school that values men and women whocommit to serve the school. I’d be hard-pressed to think of someone who has done somore generously and with less fanfare and no interest in accolades than Brian Denyer.It’s not just that he’s been an incredibly dedicated French teacher who is absolutelycommitted to the classroom. Not only did he do whatever was asked, he volunteeredto take things on outside the classroom.“He is the absolute team player.”Denyer was born in Shawford, England, and grew up in Scotland, spending timein Carnoustie and Edinburgh before moving to the United States to attend AmherstCollege. Though his emigration was many decades ago, he still carries a hint of aScottish lilt in his voice. He and his wife, Valerie, came to Taft in 1979 after spendingnine years at King School in Stamford, Connecticut.Retired French teacher Gerard LeTendre recalled hiring Denyer after beingimpressed with Denyer’s command of the language.“For someone originally from Scotland, his spoken French was devoid of aScottish accent,” LeTendre remembered. “Brian has done an excellent job as ateacher of French.”Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012 31

Meilleurs VoeuxTaft was a perfect place for the Denyer family, which grew to include three daughters:Karen ’88, Heather ’96, Emily ’99. The family lived on CPT 3. MacMullen livedjust down the hall from them when he was a rookie faculty member.“He was one of the very first people I met when I came to Taft. I ended up livingon his floor and we were both soccer coaches. I was a bachelor who didn’t knowhow to cook, so I was always in their apartment. He and Val could not have beenmore gracious, warm and inviting,” MacMullen said. “I probably hung around likea puppy at their door.”The Denyers spent eight years in CPT before moving to their home on NorthStreet, not far from the soccer fields. During that time, Brian moved from coachingvarsity soccer to developing the less-experienced players on the junior varsity soccerteam, coaching and molding players just as he did in the classroom.“Brian was the assistance coach my first year on boys’ varsity soccer (fall of 1980)and also the head of my dorm (CPT 3) my uppermid and senior year,” recalled JonWillson ’82, who is now dean of academic affairs for the school as well as a historyteacher. “What I remember most clearly about him from my days as a student andan athlete here are the same qualities which I have valued in him as a colleague forthe past 16 years: his warmth, caring and kindness. Thirty years ago, he was a highenergy,ever-smiling and encouraging, long-haired (despite a bald spot on top!) anddark frame glasses-wearing benevolent presence on the soccer pitch and on corridor.I remember him warming me up for practices (I was goalkeeper) and offering thegentlest of constructive criticism as he did.”“Brian was one of the best coaches I’ve ever had,” recalled Rob Madden ’03. “Hehad the light, fun-at-heart style that was indicative of his personality. Practice was thebright spot in all of our days. Coach Denyer demanded a lot of us as a team and asindividuals. He would not stand for players carrying their bad days to the pitch andwould often pull kids aside during a drill because they weren’t playing with respectfor teammates or as hard as possible. This authority and being able to stand up forwhat he believed was the way soccer should be played and earned him the respect ofall who took the field for him.”Madden, who later worked alongside Denyer in the language department as aSpanish teacher, said Denyer’s mentoring was invaluable.armth ~caring ~kindnessI remember Brian whenHE was new to Taft—adeeply courteous, warmand cheerful colleague andfellow corridor masterin CPT. Retirement isgreat, Brian. Perhaps ourpaths will cross again.—Roger F. Stacey,former facultyI have enjoyed so verymuch the pleasure of yourcompany and wise counselas your Summer Schoolcolleague these pastseveral years. Enjoy yourretirement, Brian, butdo hang around SummerSchool for a while longer.—Jack Hill ’61Je me souviens d’un MidYear examen oral pour lelivre Les Voleurs, lorsqueM. Denyer me regarda,secoua la tête et dit: “Votre accent est merveilleux,mais votre grammaire?Quel dommage!”Je n’oublierai jamaisça! Merci d’être unmerveilleux professeur,M. Denyer!—Brett Valenstein ’9232 Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012

Meilleurs VoeuxHow thankful I am to havebeen on his wing in CPTwhen I first came to Taft,he really looked out for me.Thank you, Mr. Denyer.—Lanny Baker ’85grammar and vocab, Mr. Denyer was granting me confidence and courage as a youngman. Mr. Denyer was showing me through literature the complexities of the humancondition and its strange beauty.”Susan Isko ’03 said her love of the language—inspired by Denyer’s teaching—helped her prepare for her current career in freelance translation for the UnitedNations. And it helps in her daily life, as she is based in Geneva, Switzerland.“I depend on French every day of my life, both for communication in the citywhere I live and for my professional livelihood. (I interpret from French andRussian into English.)” she said. “I would not be able to live as I do had I not studiedwith him. Looking back over the past 15 years of French study, it is hard tothink of any teacher that has been more influential in fostering my passion for thelanguage than Mr. Brian Denyer. What was special about him was his way of teaching,his enthusiasm and dedication, his willingness to give extra time and attention,to make French seem useful even in Smalltown, Connecticut. This is what madethe language come alive for so many of us.”Faculty members shared their memories of Denyer as well. Spanish teacher andlanguage lab director Kevin Conroy described him as “a colleague, neighbor andfriend. On several occasions, he has invited me over for un peu de vin rouge so wecould share, vent, visit or attempt to solve the problems of the world. With timelycompassion he tightens the reins of friendship, especially when you find yourself inneed of a friend willing to listen. We have shared successes and hardships, trips toart museums, mini road trips for a quick break from the bubble, countless ideas forteaching language, and above all else a sincere and lasting friendship. So quietly hedoes so much; his absence will be felt by all of us.”Retired faculty member Jol Everett described Denyer as “one of those peoplewho have made Taft into the wonderful school that it is. Brian has always workedhard as a teacher, coach, and, in my last years at Taft, as a lacrosse referee who madealumni lacrosse games possible and enjoyable. He did all of this and much more in aquiet way, never seeking the limelight, but always doing what was best for the wholeTaft community.”orning ~noon ~nightBrian Denyer, who taughtmy older brother, hadalready become a householdname with the Garciasbefore I attended Taft.One Parents’ Day,I joined my parents in ameeting with Mr. Denyerand became acquainted withhis gentle, charismaticand good-hearted nature.Once a student I found itparticularly special howpersonable and encouraginghe was. He took histeaching well beyond itsrequirements, becoming amentor and a real friend.The Taft communityhas been bettered withhis tenure.—Daniela Garcia ’09Mr. Denyer is a fantasticteacher whose enthusiasmfor his subject inspiredme and all his students.His classes were ahighlight of my fouryears at Taft, and hisinfectious love of Frenchlanguage and literaturehas remained with mesince and always will.—Katharine “Kit” Thayer ’0734 Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012

For the Good DaysWhen Todd McGovern ’92 and Amanda Costanzo ’93 got married, life threw them a curve ball.By David McKay Wilson“I figure I have about 60 really bad days a year.That leaves 305 good days,And it’s what you do with those good daysthat make your life.”36 Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012

Todd is fueledby his beliefthat recreationis key to helpingbattle cancerTaft seniors Charlie Garcia and Eric Metcalf ’12present Todd and Amanda with the resultsof their fun run for Seas It.In 2004, Todd McGovern ’92 was living his dream.The competitive spirit that brought him stardom in hockeyand baseball proved a boon in the business world, where hefound great success placing executives in top corporate jobs.Love had found him too. He’d reconnected two years earlier ina Jersey Shore bar with Taft classmate Amanda Costanzo ’93,they’d fallen deeply in love, and were married that May.But six weeks after returning from their Caribbeanhoneymoon, McGovern’s dream lurched dispiritingly offcourse when he was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer.That meant the cancer had moved to a second organ and wason the march to kill him. An oncologist told the 30-year-old,known by his friends as Gov, that he had six months to live.McGovern, now 38, understood the reality of mortality:we all die someday. What infuriated him that fateful day in Julywas the fact that his life would end far too soon. His life withAmanda, and all that it promised, had just begun.“I got angry that I had an expiration date,” he says.McGovern’s cancer changed his life. It changed Amanda’stoo. A fifth-grade teacher at the French American School inNorth Cambridge, Massachusetts, when they were married,she quit the job to support Todd after his diagnosis and subsequenthospitalizations.A year later, she founded a nonprofit called Seas It to helpyoung adults with cancer, and their families who care for them.The name comes from the comfort that the Atlantic Ocean hasprovided during the McGoverns’ journey, and their belief thatadults with cancer need to seize the day, for it could well be theirlast. The nonprofit has provided grants to 50 caretakers andcancer patients looking for opportunities to get healthy, thinkpositive, and take control of their lives. Seas It provides grants of$400 to take golf lessons, buy a bike, learn yoga or go camping.McGovern, who played soccer, hockey and baseball at Taft,finds movement and recreation to be restorative— for bothhis body and mind. He turned to running during his bout withcancer, mustering up the energy to run four marathons in arelay team with Amanda in 2008, 2009 and 2011.Working with two Taft students, Seas It raised more than$8,000 through a series of fund-raising events on campus,including two separate 5k runs on Alumni Weekend. This willfund more than 20 grants to cancer patients and caretakers.“There’s nothing more rewarding than telling someone we’vegiven them a grant,” says McGovern. “You’d think we’d giventhem a million dollars. I like talking with them. At times, there’sno one to talk to. Having cancer can be the loneliest experience,ever. I like to deliver the good news. For too many people withcancer, all they hear about are the statistics of death.”Eight years after his doctor gave him six months to live,McGovern continues to defy the odds. In 2010, his oncologisttold him there was nothing left in their medical toolkit to haltthe abdominal tumors that refused to stop growing, despitefour surgeries, and scores of rounds of chemotherapy and radiation.Once more Todd McGovern was told that his days wereshort, very short.v Summer 2004, the battle beginsTaft Bulletin SUMMER 2012 37

In Watch Hill, RhodeIsland, for Ian andLindsay StanleyMcConnel ’93’sdaughter’s baptismAt Taft, circa1992, whereit all began.Todd and Amanda atthe Seas It 5k in 2009,Allenhurst, New Jersey.Yet again, McGovern survived. He did so with the help ofa new medical regimen, undying support from his wife andfriends and a healthy dose of optimism, fueled by his belief thatrecreation, as well as the new chemotherapeutic concoction,would win the do-or-die battle with the tumors that relentlesslyreturned to the center of his being, in his gut.“When you feel good, you forget how bad it was,” saysMcGovern with the smile friends remember in its fullnessfrom the days when he’d lift his hands upwards after scoring agoal. “I figure I have about 60 really bad days a year. That leaves305 good days, and it’s what you do with those good days thatmake your life.”Their Taft family of friends has gathered round for both thebad days and the good days. Tina Jennings, the mother of SaraSutton Fell ’92, opened her home to Amanda and Todd duringhis three months of treatment and recuperation in Pittsburgh in2005. Amanda’s brother, Eric ’92, a critical care pulmonologist,has been their sounding board on medical issues. Lindsay StanleyMcConnel ’93 has supported Amanda through Todd’s illness andserves on the board of Seas It, the nonprofit founded by Amandato support cancer recovery through recreation. And John Kennedy’92 has shown up regularly to be at his Taft roommate’s side.McGovern was best man in Kennedy’s June wedding in Florida.Kennedy says McGovern’s refusal to accept his diagnosis wasthe latest manifestation of the irreverent spirit his friends knowquite well. It’s the irreverence that McGovern displayed at Taftwhen he refused to accept the conventional wisdom that hewas too small to play Division III hockey and baseball at ColbyCollege. He played both and captained Colby’s hockey team.“Todd was an undersized guy, and that’s part of what motivatedhim,” says Kennedy. “Now the cancer is trying to kill, andhe won’t let it. He’s fighting to stay alive, every hour of every day.”Todd and Amanda welcomed a visitor one foggy Friday morningin late May to their Corlies Avenue home, a block from theAtlantic Ocean in Allenhurst, New Jersey. Todd came downstairswith a special pillow for his wife, who was eight months pregnantwith their twin boys and had a day off from her job in Manhattanat Cartier, the French jeweler and watch company, where shecommutes 60 miles each way to serve as a client services manager.He had just completed his 135th round of chemotherapy,and #136 was scheduled for Tuesday. He smiled when reportingthat he felt stronger.It wasn’t the strength that he once knew—that explosive legpower that sent him streaking past the blue line at Cruikshankwith the puck on his stick, or helped him flag down a long flyball in centerfield.But in Todd McGovern’s world, a two-mile walk alongOcean Avenue with his black Lab, Kingsley, was a definite win.A week earlier, he couldn’t climb the stairs at their home. He’djust returned after a month in the hospital, after his gastrointestinaltract shut down.It hurts when your gastro-intestinal tract shuts down.“It’s like getting stabbed in the side for ten seconds, andthen someone takes barbed wire and drags it through where38 Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012

Remission triptake 2, Italy 2007Amanda withWilliam Todd andAndrew Todd“I hope our boysDaddy Gov, equippedwith “diaper dude” bagand chemo fanny pack,takes boys to their firstdoctor’s appointment.take aftertheir father.”you’ve been stabbed,” says McGovern. “You lie in a fetal position,counting the seconds between the convulsions. Andthrough it all, you’re vomiting.”At one point, McGovern’s doctor told him there wasnothing else to do but hook him up to a device that pumpednutrients through a port that was inserted into his bicep, whichmeant he’d be walking around with a 20-pound backpack, alwaysworried about infection, for the rest of his life.But here he was in late May, without the TPN device.He’d been drinking smoothies chock-full of tofu and bananasthat Amanda whipped up. She found the recipe used by theJapanese national Sumo team to bulk up its wrestlers. Toddhad gained two pounds since leaving the hospital—he’s up to128 pounds—which gave him a reprieve from the TPN device.“I’m not working up a sweat out there, but I’m moving,” hesays. “Exercise has been such a part of my recovery. The bodywants to heal, and if you give it time, it will. Sometimes youhave to listen to your body more than your mind. Amandapushes me too. She wants me to remain active.”The impending birth of their twins has added a new twist tothe McGoverns’ lives. While dating, they talked about havinga family, and after they were married, assumed that childrenwould be coming soon. But Todd’s diagnosis put that dream onhold. In 2005, Todd was in remission, and they explored invitrofertilization. But the time didn’t seem right.Six years later, Todd’s health was on the rise. Amandahad turned 36.“We were walking on the beach one day, when Todd wasfeeling good,” Amanda recalls. “Todd had a hang-up abouthis mortality, and didn’t want to leave children behind, but hehas come to terms with that. One of my hang-ups was that Icouldn’t imagine raising children on my own, without Todd.But it is what it is. It was now or never.”She got pregnant, and now, the tables are turned. On June16, Amanda gave birth to their twins, Andrew Todd andWilliam Todd McGovern, just in time for Father’s Day. Toddhas become the caregiver to Amanda and the twins. She’s takinga three-month leave from Cartier, but will return to work,as she is the family’s breadwinner, and holder of the all-importantfamily insurance policy.Todd will be a stay-at-home Dad, sharing child-care dutieswith friends and family while he shuttles back and forth forhis chemotherapy treatments. The McGoverns are embracingtheir new life—with babies offering the promise of the familyTodd and Amanda dreamed of in 2004.“We’ll live for today, we embrace the present,” he says.“We’ll get through it.”Amanda shares the optimism that has brought them this far,on a journey neither imagined.Says Amanda: “I hope our boys take after their father.” jDavid McKay Wilson, a columnist at The Journal News inWhite Plains, New York, writes regularly for alumni magazinesaround the country.Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012 39

alumni weekend 2012Photographs by Robert Falcetti,Additional photographs by Phil Dutton and Peter Frew ’75That was then…year19371At the 30th Reunioncelebration, hostJon Willson,Joy RosenbergHorstmann,Jill Bermingham Isenhartand Max Feidelson2At the Old GuardLuncheon on Friday inthe Choral Room3Lawn games entertainthe family at theHeadmaster’s Supper onSaturday.years ago75presidentFranklin D. Rooseveltaverage costs$4,100 home$762 car$.10 gaseventsAmelia Earhartdisappears; Hindenburgburns; Golden GateBridge opens;Disney releaseSnow White and theSeven Dwarfs#1 song“One O’Clock Jump” byCount Basie40 Taft Bulletin SUMMER 2012headPaul Cruikshank

1515Mary Murphy Conlin ’82and goddaughter Greta(Heath Kern Gibson ’82)march in theAlumni Parade.161992 classmates LibbySeibert, Timoney O’BrienDunlap, Sarah FrechettePotts, Todd McGovern,Amanda CostanzoMcGovern ’93, Jen HolmesPinney, Justin Bette withwife Rachel and son Alex17Three generations ofthe Offutt family: JaneScott Offutt Hodges ’87,Bill Offutt ’57 and TalleyHodges ’151825th Reunion classmatesRob Boardman, AlisonJahncke and Amy WilsonJensen—Alison traveledfrom Hong Kong forthe occasion.That was then…year1987years ago25presidentRonald Reaganaverage costs$92,000 home$9,312 car$.89 gaseventsIran-Contra Affair;Black Monday;Prozac released#1 song“La Bamba”by Los LobosheadLance OddenThat was then…year2012years agoTodaypresidentBarack Obamaaverage costs$171,250 home$30,000 car$3.85 gaseventsQueen’s DiamondJubilee#1 song“Sexy and I Know It”by LMFAOheadWilly MacMullen ’7819Paul Ehrlich ’62 listensto a panel of currentstudents talk about theirexperiences at Taft today.20Alumni and their familieshelp dedicate the girls’varsity soccer field inmemory of Katie JacksonMorrison ’92 with afriendly game.21Peter Frew ’75 greetsreunion chair SarahBedford ’92.22Loren Wright Luddy ’92and husband Jeff checkout old yearbooks atthe combined reunioncelebration on Saturday.23Kicking off the Seas It 5Kon Saturday afternoon

Geoffrey T. Hellman, Class of 1924Longtime New Yorker Columnisttales of a TAFTIEBy Julie ReiffGeoffrey Hellman was “one of the most diverse,stylish, accurate, inquisitive, softhearted, multifriended,pretense-puncturing, droll, high-tonecontributors that The New Yorker has ever had.He was also by all account most prolific—eventorrential. No one wrote more for this magazine,and it seems safe to say that no one ever will,”wrote editor Gardner Botsford.A wonderful example of Hellman’s pretensepuncturing is his 1950 column, “Does MuskratCall For a Claret or Sauterne?”:Members of the Sports Afield Club have theirchoice of Ecuador Swordfish steak, AustralianJack Rabbit, African White Guinea Hen….Is the Australian Jack Rabbit any tastier thanhis domestic cousin? Is the Ukrainian Grouseany more pleasing to the palate than theSands Pointe Grouse? [Some of their offerings]sound like the sort of thing the peopleof Paris ate during the siege of 1870, in theFranco-Prussian War, when they consumedthe contents of the Paris Zoo, but of coursethey thought they were roughing it… Wildlifeconservationists have a new foe on their hands.I recommend that Mr. Fairfield Osborn, presidentof the New York Zoological Society, takea sharp look at his cages and moated enclosuresbefore he goes home for the night.Hellman wrote for The New Yorker for 47years and in that time produced 74 “Profiles”of the city’s most prominent denizens (LouisAuchincloss, Frank Lloyd Wright, Tom Stoppard,Frank Capra, Victor Borge, Alfred Knopf,Dorothy Schiff, Igor Sikorsky) and hundreds andhundreds of articles for “Talk of the Town.”Hellman wrote extensively about New Yorkinstitutions, such as the Metropolitan Museumof Art, the Metropolitan Opera, the Museumof Modern Art, the Museum of Natural Historyand the Pierpont Morgan Library. He was alsothe magazine’s connection to New York society,reporting on parties, local clubs and societiessuch as the Grolier Club, the Explorers’ Club andthe American Geographical Society, as well asexclusive restaurants, from which he collected animpressive number of menus.“He was fascinated by the upper reachesof society—not as a snob but as an explorer, achronicler of how it all worked. It was a world hemoved in easily,” added Botsford.Born in New York City in 1907, he was theson of writer George Hellman. Young Hellmancut his teeth as an editor of Taft’s literary magazine,The Oracle, and later at the Yale Daily News,Yale Record and Yale Literary Magazine.He wrote briefly for the New York HeraldTribune’s Sunday book supplement thanks to arecommendation by Thornton Wilder. Then, asHellman tells it:“I joined the staff of The New Yorker inMarch, 1929, when the magazine was barelyfour and I was barely twenty-two. I had offeredmy services, as a book reviewer, in the mail,enclosing samples of my work…. I was givenan interview with the managing editor, RalphMcAllister Ingersoll…. He pointed out that TheNew Yorker already had a book reviewer, DorothyParker, but he hired me.”Some “Talk of the Town” pieces are signedcollectively as The New Yorkers. OccasionallyHellman’s snippets shared a byline with JamesThurber or E.B. White, as in this 1931 “Comment”:Hourly spreads the fame of our magazine. Weare six years old this issue, and a trifling incidenthappened during the week illustrating thefruits of hard work and intelligent effort. Wewere riding uptown on the bus, holding in ourlap a large envelope bearing The New Yorker’simprint. Gradually we became aware that theconductor was staring at the envelope; seeinghim thus, we experienced a pardonable feelingof pride. “A reader!” we thought to ourself.Then the conductor summoned his courageand spoke. “Is it still hard to get seats for thatshow?” he asked.Alistair Cooke took the opportunity to have alittle fun with Hellman in a 1959 “Departmentof Amplification” column, in which he parodiedthe writer and his style. “Hellman is a man ofwide culture and discerning professional habits,”writes Cooke. “He rarely takes an assignmentthat does not include a dinner of five courses,two wines, and free Upmanns No. 30…. Heweighs 208 pounds in the summer, when professionaldinner engagements are hard to come by,and 218 at the height of the journalistic season.”From 1936–1938, Hellman was associateeditor of Life Magazine, “long enough to realizethat I was foolish,” he once commented. DuringWorld War II, Hellman wrote for the Office ofInter-American Affairs, the War Department andhelped to write a top-secret history of the OSS.His books include: How to Disappear for anHour and Mrs. DePeyster’s Parties, which wereprimarily composed of New Yorker pieces, andBankers, Bones, and Beetles and The Octopus onthe Mall. In addition to his pursuits as a writer,Hellman was also an enthusiastic butterfly collector.He died in 1977 at the age of 70.Perhaps this writer shouldn’t be so kind toMr. Hellman, who twice wrote about the TaftBulletin, and not in the most favorable terms.Having some fun with the list of “Lost Alumni”printed periodically, he wrote a piece for The NewYorker called “Mother Taft’s Chickens” in 1940,with a sequel in 1955. His familiarity with the SocialRegister and New York society came in handy as helocated 14 lost Tafties in as many minutes.“Comparatively few Taft men come from NewYork,” he writes with not a little irony, “and perhapsfor this reason a number of alumni have managedto conceal themselves right on Park Avenue.”I wish we could say there were no lost alumnitoday, but at least we did learn a few things fromour savvy New Yorker. We know better than topublish the list. jNB: Hellman married twice—in 1941 to Daphnevan Beuren Bayne and in 1960 to Katherine DrexelHenry—and had a daughter from each marriage:Daisy and Katharine. His stepson Matthew Cowlesmarried actress Christine Baranski, and their daughtersgraduated from Taft: Isabel ’02 and Lily Cowles ’05.Sources: www.newyorker.com/archive; Gardner Botsford, Obituary, The New Yorker, October 10, 1977;Alden Whitman, “Geoffrey T. Hellman Dies at 70; Versatile Writer for New Yorker.” New YorkTimes, September 28, 1977; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York UniversityLibraries; www.En.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_T._HellmanPhoto: Leslie D. Manning ArchivesWhat successful Taftie, no longerliving, would you like to see profiled inthis space? Send your suggestions tojuliereiff@taftschool.org

from theARCHIVESEleven ofPotter’s brilliantwatercolorstudies are onview in theHulbert Taft Jr.Library untilOctober 15.Potter’s Hidden CluesWhen Armstrong Dining Room opened in1959, the windows were adorned with stainedglass panels designed by art teacher MarkPotter ’48, who taught at Taft for over 40 years.In the recent rebuilding of our diningfacilities, the glass panels were carefully savedand are now incorporated in the windows ofLaube Dining Hall and the East Dining Hall.They carry on the school’s tradition ofart glass begun in 1930 with the windowsof the Choral and Faculty rooms in CharlesPhelps Taft Hall, and continued in 1978 withthe fused glass panels by local artist PriscillaPorter (cousin to Leslie “Beezer” Manningafter whom the archives are named) hangingin the library windows.The athletic panels in the lower dining room,now in Laube, were a gift from the Class of 1960.Potter also designed the stained glassdepicting different extracurricular activitiesand school clubs that are now part of the EastDining Hall.All of the Potter designs were executed bythe J. and R. Lamb Company, one of the oldestand foremost stained glass studios in thecountry. Several members of the Lamb familyattended Taft.In some of his pieces, Potter paid tribute toa few of Taft’s revered coaches and athletes.The name Fitch on the tennis racquetrefers to Headmaster Paul Cruikshank’swife Edith née Fitch, whose father was ofthe famous Abercrombie & Fitch sportinggoods store, and the chevron—or sergeant’sstripes—on the can of balls is a nod to thenvarsity tennis coach Len Sargent.The track sprinter sports a German T,acknowledging longtime coach John Small,who taught German.“Patrick” on the golf ball is a nod toLivingston Carroll ’37, who coached golf andwas known as Pat.In the football window, 24 is the numberBob Poole ’50 wore as a Yale football star.Longtime basketball coach Jim Logan is rememberedwith initials on the opponent’s bib.—Alison Gilchrist, Leslie D. Manning ArchivesTaft Bulletin SUMMER 2012 47