Coming Home
Anniversary Weekend to celebrate five-year anniversaries. Here they share their stories of reflection and reconnection.
Form of 1947 | 70th Reunion
Twelve members of the Form of 1947 – along with five spouses – returned to celebrate 70 years as alumni. They proudly headed the Parade, with Charlie Dodge (and wife Marylee) and Lou Pemberton (and wife Suzanne) pacing the marchers, while Frank Montross (and wife Louise) led in a golf cart. It was a wonderful weekend, filled with reminiscences not only of school days, but also of seven decades of camaraderie since that time.
It also proved to be a beautiful way to say farewell to Frank, who died a week later, on June 10. He was a devoted member of the form, serving most recently as main agent and achieving 100 percent participation in the 2016-17 Alumni Fund. He was a caring, compassionate, and tenacious man, who loved his family and friends.
Other attendees included Mellick Belshaw, Richard Burwell, Stu Cramer, Dwight Degener, John Greene, Len Jacob, Lizzy and Herb Poole, and Anne and Jeremy Whitney. Members of the form enjoyed cocktails and dinner in the Middle Dining Room on Friday night, alongside members of the Forms of 1952, 1957, and 1962, and a Saturday dinner at the Rectory with the Form of 1952. John Greene said singing hymns in the Chapel at the alumni service on Saturday morning brought tears to his eyes. Mellick Belshaw, former bishop of New Jersey, reminisced about his days skating on Lower School Pond and said he was grateful to return to the Chapel. He recalled that he had the privilege of wearing the hockey sweater of a young alumnus who lost his life in World War II.
“I always appreciated that,” he said. “It was an honor.”
(L. to r.), Dwight Degener, Jerry Whitney, Len Jacob, John Greene, Charile Dodge, Stu Cramer, Mellick Belshaw, Lou Pemberton, and Frank Montross, who died on June 10, 2017.
Form of 1952 | 65th Reunion
The 65th reunion was special. We marched all too near the head of the Alumni Parade and enjoyed the spotty applause as survivors. We enjoyed an intimate dinner at the Rectory and we had a chance to celebrate the achievement that 95% of our form contributed to the Alumni Fund, raising $84,871 and breaking the record for giving in the 65th Anniversary category.
Unfortunately, a number of formmates were grounded for health reasons. Joe Williams, Albert Francke, Phil Price, Asa Davis, and Hugh Magee were unable to make the trip. Nevertheless, 14 formmates showed up, including Truman Bidwell, Tom Brewster, Tom Charlton, Dick Duckoff, Bill Emery, Fred Hoppin, Bill Reid, Cory Reynolds, Stan Rinehart, David Sinkler, Peter Stearns, Peter Wells, Gordon Wilson, and John Witsell. Many of us brought our wives, which surely enhanced the weekend, and we were delighted that Carlin Scherer was there representing George.
Two community conversations were conducted by the Rector and Board President Archie Cox ’58 to answer questions and concerns regarding the recent report on “allegations of sexual abuse perpetrated by adults on students” at SPS. According to David Sinkler, about 75 alumni attended the two-hour meeting on Friday, and the audience was supportive of the practices of the School and approved of the releasing of the report in the interest of increased transparency.
On Friday night, we gathered in the Old Upper for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. We met at the Rectory on Saturday night and were able to chat with Phil Price (via FaceTime) and wish him well. We also gathered for a Skype conversation with Hugh and Yvonne Magee, who were in Scotland. Hugh pronounced grace and we went into dinner. Sitting next to Truman’s wife, Ludmila, Peter learned that the Bidwells have created a fund which will supply in perpetuity two eight-oared shells, one for the girls and one for the boys, another example of the extraordinary generosity of our formmates.
The following morning, we chanced to have breakfast with the Brewsters and the Wellses. As we were leaving, Karin Wells mentioned she was a portrait painter and, armed with her iPad, showed us a variety of beautifully executed portraits. Finally, we are happy to report that David Sinkler will be our form director for the next five years, and Peter Stearns will resume his role as form agent.
(L. to r.), row 1: Tom Brewster, Dick Duckoff, Tom Charlton, Bill Emery (holding photo of the late George Scherer), Peter Stearns, David Sinkler, Fred Hoppin; row 2: Cory Reynolds, Gordon Wilson, Truman Bidwell, Bill Reid, Stan Rinehart, and Peter Wells.
Form of 1957 | 60th Reunion
It’s fair to say that 1957 likes to have gatherings. We have an annual winter/spring dinner in Philadelphia, and we have had mini-and pre-reunions from Maine to Wyoming to New Mexico (and in between). Sandy Holloway, George de Man, and Bukk Carleton were the organizers of our 60th.
The long-distance award goes to Christopher Woodman, who came from Chiang Mai, Thailand. Other notable long-distance travelers included Tom Bartlett (San Francisco), Robby van Roijen (Fla.), and Peter and Rose Bartol (Colo). We were pleased that Maysie Starr and Lynn Petrasch joined us too.The week began in Boston on May 30. Bukk Carleton hosted a cocktail reception at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. After a delightful harbor cruise, dinner was held at Durgin Park. The next day began with a tour of the Museum of Science, followed by lunch at the Chilton Park, hosted by Lynn Petrasch. Those still standing went to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
After dinner at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, several went to the witness the antics of Blue Man Group. Thursday brought a Boston Harbor Duck Tour. Lunch at Sonsie’s, the Arnold Arboretum, Fogg Museum, and Glass Flowers tours followed. That evening, George de Man arranged a delightful dinner at the Harvard Fly Club.On Saturday morning, former “Choir boys” rehearsed and sang with current students at the Alumni Service. Robert Fuller reflected on the inspiration of organist Channing Lefebvre and the idea of Chapel eight times a week. He spoke of the camaraderie of a graduating form of 92, which regularly draws 20 surviving members for its off-campus events.
In the evening, we all repaired to the Holiday Inn to dress for our dinner at The Common Man. We had as our guests faculty members Toby Brewster (and wife Becca) and Dick and Cindy Muther, who provided insights into the School today. Said David Hunt, “It’s a wonderful weekend to highlight the permanence of the institution and the importance it had for all of us.”
(L. to R.), Row 1: Chris Woodman, John Pearce, George de Man, Sandy Holloway, Walter Groman; row 2: Bob Fuller, George Faison, David Hunt, Bill de Haven, and Tom Bartlett.
Form of 1962 | 55th Reunion
TAR Roberts and Forbes Tilghman roomed together in the drafty Old Upper, and were among the last to live in the building before it was torn down. Both gentlemen have returned to the School for reunions, and both agree that their St. Paul’s experiences still hold meaning.
“I was at a college reunion and I began to realize that my college actually meant less to me than St. Paul’s,” said Forbes. “I felt like I was a floater at college, but I really learned something [at St. Paul’s].” Members of the Form of 1962 (Toby and Jan Hall; Fifi Johnson and daughter Margot; Wick Rowland and Susan Tannenbaum; Mike Ransmeier; and Seymour Preston) met for two days of pre-reunion in New London, N.H. The group had great fun, traveling to several spots, including a tour of Augustus St. Gaudens’s intriguing sculptures and estate, and a four-hour trip down and back Lake Sunapee on a pontoon boat.
The eight were joined for at Anniversary by William Ducas, Chad Floyd, Rob Howard, John Loge, Ned Pratt, TAR Roberts, Will Taft, Forbes Tilghman, Alex Whiteside, Peter Whitman, and many spouses. After Saturday lunch, everyone gathered at the Ellerbe Cole memorial bench, installed near Library Pond. Will Taft provided a translation of the Greek inscription on the bench, the first line of Homer’s Odyssey: “Sing to me of the man, Muse.” The bench design and installation was the work of Stosh Thompson, Tip Schade, and the School.
At the class dinner at The Centennial Inn, we heard from our form director, Seymour Preston, with whose encouragement we elected TAR Roberts as his successor. We also heard from Fifi Johnson about a piece written by her deceased brother and classmate, Peter W. Johnson, called “Halo,” which she had published (with the help of Toby Hall) and distributed copies to all on hand.
(L. to R.), Row 1: Wivk Rowland, Ned Pratt, Mike Ransmeier, Seymour Preston, Chad Floyd; Row 2: TAR Roberts, Will Taft, Alex Whiteside, Toby Hall, Bill Tightman, and John Loge.
Form of 1967 | 50th Reunion
A four-day extravaganza began with cocktails on Lake Winnipesaukee at the Inn at Mill Falls in Meredith, N.H. Forty-five members returned to celebrate our 50th, the largest-ever turnout for our form, with more than 55 percent of the surviving members in attendance. Several traveled great distances to attend: Chris Pleatsikas from Australia; Sekison Lu and wife Kazuka from Japan; and Nick Le Sellier de Chezelles and wife Aymeline from France. Many came with wives or significant others, so that by Saturday evening the ranks had swelled to 80 for our gala dinner.
Friday morning began with a delicious breakfast in Meredith, hosted by Rector Mike Hirschfeld ’85 and Board President Archie Cox ’58. As a number of formmates had not been back to the School in 50 years, the Rector focused his talk on the many major changes that have occurred since 1967, not the least of which were co-education, the ending of the Lower School, far greater diversity in the student body, and significantly more autonomy and independence for students with far greater on-campus resources today. A significant majority spent the rest of Friday scaling major peaks in the area. On Friday night, the School bused all of us back for a lavish feast in the Upper, where we were joined by honored guests George Carlisle and his wife, Joanne.
We began Saturday with a memorial service for our nine departed formmates, led by Rev. John Branson. While waiting for the Parade to begin, John Stevenson recalled learning about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and gathering in Memorial Hall as a community to process it. He also remembered the British invasion of the Beatles during his time at SPS, along with pranks he and others pulled to pass the time in good fun (Chris Mandeville still recalls John and George Bermingham convincing him at 3 a.m. that he would miss the bus home if he didn’t run immediately, with his luggage).
“The 50th is reflective for many of us because we can remember as undergraduates at Anniversary that nobody could be that old and actually be marching, and here we are, marching,” said John. “I have warm memories of a supportive environment. I still feel in the bubble when I come back.”
A highlight came with the Boat Races on Turkey Pond. Such was the enthusiasm among former Halcyon and Shattuck rowers that we managed to fill two eight-oared shells. While there were major headwinds, all returned safely in time for our dinner back at Mill Falls. We presented David Rea with an engraved SPS chair in appreciation of his selfless 15 years of work and support as our form agent. Thereafter, by unanimous acclaim, Ham Clark was voted in as the next form agent, while John Landes became our new form director. The weekend ended in relaxed fashion, with Sunday brunch at the summer camp of Tom Beale and Laura Nash, overlooking Squam Lake.
(L. to r.), row 1: Steve Lines, Paul Hudson, Steve Barker, Jim Seward, Sekison Kubo, Abbott Reeve, Nick Le Sellier de Chezelles, Allan MacDougall, John Branson; row 2: Ned Holloway, Will Dick, Bill Lowe, Ham Clark, John Stevenson, Tom Beale, Pierre Irving, Cecil McKenzie, Harry Billings, Scott Phillips, Jim Marshall, David Parsons; row 3: Scott Muller, Bruce Curtis-McLane, John Goodwin, Carey Rodd, Neil Stevens, Hale Andrews, Tom Lincoln, Mark Spiegel, Bob Ewell, Dave Rea, Charles Storer, George Bermingham, George Pillsbury; row 4: Mike Moore, Rick Wheeler, Dick Hollister, Frank Van Dusen, Steve Hunter, Christopher Mandeville, Chris Pleatsikas, Dick Jaskiel, Ned Dukehart, Dave Reingold, Corky Moore, Bill Bohlen, Tony Kiser, and John Landes.
Form of 1972 | 45th Reunion
The Form of 1972 celebrated its 45th with its usual panache and a near-record turnout of 50 registrants. We also had our highest turnout of spouses and significant others. Some of the long-distancers included Skip Ordway, Pres Stone, and Charlie Bronson from the San Francisco Bay area, Jon Tait from near Seattle, Henry Laughlin from Colorado, Sandy Schwartz from New Mexico, Lin Giralt from Houston, Dawes Cooke and Eric Carlson from S.C. and N.C., respectively, Sally Carroll Keating from Minnesota, and David Holt from the Great White North. Chris Welles, Skip and Lou Borie are among those who had not been back for the longest times.
On Friday night, we celebrated with many other forms at the Athletic and Fitness Center, before repairing to our hospitality suite at the Fairfield Inn for late-night revelry. In the Parade, we stood out with our distinctive red polo shirts and black caps with the embroidered psychedelic “SPS 1972 Rock On” logo, complete with stylized Pelican.
While most of us spent the weekend in Millville, Howard Grace, Blair Scribner, and Julia Jordan Alexander made it up only for Saturday lunch, sharing their brief – but enjoyable – time with us. While Julia came up from Boston for lunch, Howard practiced bilocation by sharing his time with us and his Yale reunion classmates. Blair came up just for the day to go back Saturday night to grade exams at The Buckley School in New York, where he is director of the Middle School. At the Boat Races, a good number of us cheered on Halcyon Pres Stone, who found his way into a shell as stroke and made it back before dinner without too much Advil. Pres had not been back to SPS in 25 years, and was brought back to 1972 when he heard the chiming of the Chapel bells.
Saturday night, with our longstanding tradition, we once again seized Radio Station WSPS 90.5 FM for our reunion radio show. The original WSPS was built by our form. We played exclusively what was new music while we were at SPS – The Summer of Love and Woodstock, along with Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, and Motown. We started the program with a skit that sounded like the Prairie Home Companion meets Saturday Night Live, or maybe Firesign Theatre meets Chong without Cheech, and included Doug Chan, Jay Goodspeed, and John Henry Low, along with Mabry Sansbury ’19 and a special appearance from Rector Mike Hirschfeld ’85. The radio show provided the musical entertainment for our Saturday dinner at N.H. Audubon and after-party back at the hotel. In addition, a live music set was performed by Chris Welles, who plays around the Northeast and has released CDs, Tom Penahle, who has released an EP, and Al Frey, who appears on Public Radio in Portland, Maine. We were fortunate to have two of our SPS teachers, George Carlisle and Dick Sawyer ’48, join us at our Saturday dinner.
Bob Stockman, who also had four daughters attend SPS, said he has nothing but fond memories of his time at the School. “This was the central part of my life and has always remained that way,” he said, “so coming back to see my friends at this beautiful place is something I can’t resist.”
(L. to r.), row 1: Anita Lippitt Rogers, Chip Haggerty, Cindi Mann Lermond, Clayton Prugh, Tori Reeve Spaulding , Sally Carroll Keating , Norty Knox, Dawes Cooke, Bob Stockman, Rick Miller; row 2: Bill Keegan, John Tait, Lin Giralt, Alan Frey, Julia Jordan Alexander, Charlie Bronson, Bob Shepley, Blair Scribner; row 3: Skip (Roy) Ordway, Tom Penhale, Chris Welles, John Chapin, David Holt, Henry Laughlin, John Henry Low, Pres Stone, Lou Borie; row 4: Sandy Schwartz, Ian Laird, Eric Carlson, Dierk Groeneman, Jeff Zellers, Ollie Wolcott, Howard Grace, Tom Hewson, and Jim Moorhead.
Form of 1977 | 40th Reunion
More than 65 showed up for our 40th and made sure we would be “Rock’n the Night Away” as advertised on our hip SPS sunshades – cool swag provided by Brett Lewis. Saturday began early with some hardy (or foolish) souls joining the 5K Fun Run through the woodsy XC trail (Liz, Cathy, Pam, Joan Mackay-Smith Dalton ’78). Then, once the old batteries were kick-started, it was over to the Chapel to tune up our voices and spirits. The Chapel’s soaring sanctuary still inspires, as did the memorial service, in which we remembered those dear friends we have lost. Facing each other in the Chapel pews still brings back forgotten emotions – first-day jitters, the thrill of surprise holidays, and the giggles from silly Mish skits. Several ’77ers joined the Choir to sing “O, Pray for the Peace,” which stirred up even more memories. Next, we marched to lunch, made merrier by our own juggling minstrel, Nick Newlin.
The shoreline of Turkey pond was filled with cheers as eight fearless ’77 souls jumped into an elegant Pocock to row a wobbly 1k. Half the seats were manned by some ragged – yet enthusiastic – novices, while the other half was guided by darned smooth oarsmen and a very courageous SPS coxswain, Justin (Brewer, Phil, Chris, Peter, Joan ’78, Charlie, Pam, and Matt).
Several went to chill at the dam, conserving energy for the party ahead. The capstone of the weekend was the music of the amazing Chonnying Mongies, led by Nick Newlin. This band never ceases to awe us with its great boogie tunes. Thank you, Nick, Dicky, Billy, Peter, Charlie, and guest singers Tina Pickering ’82 and Kate Thayer McCammond ’78 as well as the essential roadie, Warren. Our weekend was also highlighted by the presence of Sandy Kaynor’s son, Granville, who was visiting SPS for the first time and reminded so many of us of his father. It was a blessing to have him there. In closing, Liz Krengel said, “One of my favorite things about Anniversary Weekend is connecting with people I never connected with during high school. Our form shares a loving bond that transcends time, and a welcoming spirit to all who traveled the journey through SPS.”
(L. to r.), row 1: Matt Moore, Josh Gould, Cathy Lievens Gallagher, Annie O’Herron Burleigh, Carrie Delaney, Shelley Robinson, Bert Lewars, Nick Newlin, Whitney Stewart, Neil Atchley, Billy Schlosser; row 2: George Gurney, Earl Potts, Heather Potter McClelland, Meg Ziegler Ferguson, Alison Swift, Brian Murphy (former staff member), Jenny Bright, Betsy Armstrong, Connie Warren Gurney, Matt St. Onge, Peter Cassels-Brown; row 3: Granville Kaynor (son of Sandy Kaynor), Mitch Kelly ’78, Liz Maxwell-Schmidt, Doug Schloss, Harry Ferguson, Katherine Precht, DeeDee Look, Kim Henning, Liz Schein Krengel, Perot Bissell, Betsy McLearn Richards, Tracy Ball Greer, Charlie Finnie, Dick Soule, Royce Barondes, Matt Soule; row 4: Ned Mandel, Jamie Rose, Laurie Andrews, Warren Ingersoll, Bill Reynolds, Arthur Zeckendorf, Kira Higgs, Chris Willis, Phil Wallis, John Dickey, Pamela Scher Callahan, Al Hance, Charlie King, Sadler Ramsdell, Jim Tung, Brewer Stone, and Brett Lewis.
Form of 1982 | 35th Reunion
Steve Ruscus and Xi Chen came all the way from D.C. for the lobster. Adventurous souls Kim Carper Ramsey, Louisa Benton, and Jake Saunders talked about swimming at the dam and actually followed through, discovering that the water was about 20 degrees colder than anticipated. Bill Bateson went for a 6 a.m. swim in Turkey Pond, Julie Bohlen Perry, Steve Ruscus and John McGill represented us at the Boat Races, Clay Yonce and Rufus Clark participated in the alumni lacrosse game, while the fearless Justin Solomon was the MVP of the alumni baseball game, though he was the only one who turned up to play. Justin recalled that the alumni games at one time were played on Friday, prompting individual forms to endeavor to pull together entire Anniversary squads. “One time, we had eight out of our nine players back,” said Justin. “We tried to bring back our team year after year.” A funny story shared by Rufus Clark and Lou Adreani involved Rufus running down Clinton Street and Lou running toward him. Rufus wasn’t wearing his glasses and Lou admits he needs glasses. “We couldn’t see each other until we were two feet apart,” said Rufus.
Vocalist Tina Pickering rocked the mic at the Holiday Inn, with Sam Daume, Jake Saunders, Louisa Benton, and Lou Adreani in attendance. Mark Eichorn and James Houghton were resourceful enough to change a conference room into a birthday cake/bar bash room after being kicked out of the Hampton Inn lobby. And, finally, Brian Murphy (a.k.a – “Murph”) kept Julie Bohlen Perry, Cynthia Griffin Ferris, John McGill, and Lou Adreani entertained at Saturday lunch for 45 minutes. The legacy of his “paternal” approach to discipline is better than a big stick. Just an FYI – he knew the flashlight was on.
(L. to r.), row 1: Chuck Doucette with his children, Cynthia Griffin Ferris, Rudy Scarito, Lou Adreani, Julie Bohlen Perry, Jane Petzold Enterline, Chris King, Kim Carper Ramsey; row 2: Craig Coleman, Bill Bateson, Greg Lee, Mark Eichorn, Lilea Stockwell Simis, Alice Rodd Coogan, Clay Yonce, Louisa Benton, Steve Ruscus; row 3: John McGill, Chris Harris, Justin Solomon, Sam Daume, Gus Wilmerding, Jake Saunders, Rufus Clark, James Houghton, and Ernie Scalamandre.
Form of 1987 | 30th Reunion
It is always too many years between reunions, and too short when they happen, but we had another memorable SPS weekend. It began sedately enough at the new gym, which will always be the new gym for us, with all other reunion forms. There’s a certain intensity when walking into a crowd of SPS alumni; the eyes connect and you see faces that are the same, but different, people who were close find that they are still close, while those who weren’t that close find a match, maybe even a deep one. A certain realization goes down like a welcome drink: People are getting nicer as they grow older – and more empathetic, and suddenly everyone is goofy with each other, and youthful memories get tangled with the present.
We then hit the downstairs bar at Cheng Yang Li in Bow. It was loud and full of locals – and 1987 was digging it. Many stayed up until before dawn, which apparently proved a challenge for Saturday’s 11:30 a.m. Parade start time. It’s not clear everyone made it to the School grounds from the hotel as naps were in order. But smiles bubbled up everywhere, and the campus looked beautiful. Since we are now closer to the front of the line, someone called it the “march of death,” which introduced a somber element, but the sheer fun factor of being back on campus with formmates kept everyone buoyant. We cheered for Lexy Funk, Sayles Livingston, and Sue Lee Bershtein as they rowed with an alumni crew.
Our form is so lucky to have Bethany Tarbell graciously host our Saturday-night dinner at her home – reunion after reunion. And, once again, Mill Brook Gallery was the perfect setting to be together. Sayles did an amazing job transforming the tent, with help from Jenny Khan and Annie Hager. DJ Peter Elliman ensured people got out on the dance floor with his music choices. And, continuing his “streak,” Hersh hit the dance floor and did not disappoint.
(L. to r.), row 1: Jim Barker, Jolly Stamat, Lori Huneke, Mehri McKellar, Lillian Bamberger; row 2: Angela Grove, Bethany Tarbell, Mindy Duryea, Henry Watts, Alberta Neilson, Don Pillsbury, Melanie Shaw MacMillan, Jenny Kahn, Annie Hager; row 3: Bill Kessler, Nick Paumgarten, Mona Mennen Gibson, Kiff Gallagher, Michele Maney, Tom Hershenson, Sayles Livingston, Peter Elliman; row 4: Zeki Funk, Lexy Funk, Eric Chehab, Brittain Stone, Minot Maser, Nick Hourigan, Tim Clark, Jerome Goubeaux, and Tiel Arnot.
Form of 1992 | 25th Reunion
We gathered for a joyous 25th reunion, as more than 60 formmates returned, along with spouses and nearly 50 kids. On Friday night, Rector Mike Hirschfield ’85 graciously hosted the form for cocktails and dinner at the Rectory. We were joined by Rich and Peggy Davis, Theresa Gerardo-Gettens, Colin Callahan, and Terry Wardrop ’73. To everyone’s delight, Kelly and Priscilla Clark were also able to attend, accompanied by their daughter, Annie. Our form was the last of the Clark Rectorship, and the Clarks have always held a special place in our hearts. Kelly has celebrated many marriages for us and baptized many of our children over the years.
Nearly 25 years ago, a small group of 1992 formmates buried a time capsule of sorts in the woods off the Lower School Pond, and vowed to exhume it at the 25th anniversary. It was an inauspicious effort from the start – the items were buried, largely unprotected, in a thin styrofoam box, and the group promptly lost the map to the burial spot. There was little hope of finding the capsule. Undaunted, and guided by an astonishing memory (or, some say, preternatural forces), Jay Truesdale led the group on Friday night to a small rise deep in the woods, where they began digging. A short time later, remnants of the capsule emerged and the group unearthed the main prize; a now-antique bottle of Glenmorangie, which was brought back to the rest of the Form and added to the mirth of the evening.
On Saturday morning, the form gathered at the edge of Lower School Pond for a ceremony to remember three dear formmates, who are no longer with us: Sarah Devens, John Schlesinger, and Chessy Drew. Blair Linen Demers and Trevor Patzer led the ceremony and offered their recollections and prayers. We were joined by members of the Schlesinger and Devens families. Many formmates shared memories of Sarah, John, and Chessy, and released flowers of remembrance to drift on the pond’s waters.
Saturday afternoon saw formmates competing on the athletic fields and on Turkey Pond. Doug Trafelet and Sandy Sanders played in the alumni lacrosse game. At the Boat Races, coxswain Jason Andris assembled a men’s eight, combining a diverse group of former Division I rowers with hapless novices. Despite their youthful enthusiasm, they were outmatched by the still-more-youthful talent of the Form of ’97 boat in a 1,000-meter sprint.
On Saturday night, we gathered for dinner and dancing at the Grappone Center. The highlight of the evening, and maybe the entire weekend, was the reunion of classic early 1990s band Uncle Sam and the Uprising. Will Aldrich (guitar and vocals), Hugh Eaton (bass), Sandy Sanders (guitar), and Landon Nordeman (drums) killed it, reprising their greatest hit, “Memories of May,” and performing covers of “Hard to Handle,” “I Know You Rider,” and “Fire.” Many mingled and danced well into the night, and many children stayed up long past their bedtimes, dancing and laughing with their newfound friends.
(L. to r.), row 1: the children of alumni; row 2: Sandy Sanders, Jamie Cheston, Eric Stahura, Jan Pirozzolo-Mellowes, Anne Lampert Favre, Adam Ronzoni, Mark Smith, Charlotte Relyea, Alexis Palmer Juneja, Leigh Anderson, Leslie de Haven, Peter de Haven, Cortney Johnson Stanley, Cat Goodrich Carlson, Doug Asano, Charley Dane, Dan Kearney, Todd Mackay, Roger Walcott, Julian Cheng, Fonzy Serna, Will Aldrich, Liz Confer Firmender; row 3: Matt Lash, Trevor Patzer, Jeff Brown, Connie Cocroft Brown, Jeff Demers, Landon Nordeman, Jay Aston, Jennifer Howard, Ellie Wadsworth, Gwyn Gallagher, Michelle Auerbach, Jenny Duran, Joanne Fredericks-Saintelus, Clifton Gray, Melissa Martin-Mollard, John Arnot, Lock Steele, Jason Andris, Gracyn Shaw, John Dillon, Jay Truesdale; row 4: Alex Blake, Doug Trafelet, Ben Moyer, Blair Linen Demers, Sarah Rulon-Miller Dennis, Max Federbush, Alexander Saint-Amand, Sarah Morris Wadsworth, Jon Auerbach, Fred Stanton, Townsend Baldwin, Hughie Eaton, Rufus Gifford, Scott Fossel, Jared Shaw, Haydn Shaw, and Samantha Sparks Ekstrand.
Form of 1997 | 20th Reunion
Perhaps, it’s that the wedding years have died down, the 40th birthday celebrations have yet to start, and our kids are all pretty much at an age where they are perfectly fine without us for a couple nights. Whatever the recipe, the Form of 1997 seemed in the perfect sweet spot to crush reunion weekend. We kicked off festivities with a rising crest of energy at the Barley House and an incredible turnout of 50 alumni, 20 spouses, and 15 kids. Over chicken wings and beer, old friends caught up and spent time meeting formmates’ family members. Reliably, the evening ended up at the Best Western, with many of us sitting in a circle singing Alanis Morissette.
Saturday was a whirlwind of long walks (in the Parade and to the boat docks), visits to the Upper to remind ourselves that, when we were 17, we had daily access to a full-service omelet bar with Belgian waffles; drop-ins to our old dorms; and trips in town to stock up on our favorite “In a Pinch” sandwiches and treats. By Saturday evening, we were in full swing and ready for a big night. The form (children included) gathered for a beautiful night at the Colby Hill Inn in quaint nearby Henniker, where we fed goats, feasted on BBQ, and danced like teenagers to the best hits of the 90s. At 10:30 p.m., we piled into a yellow school bus and headed to Tandy’s in Downtown Concord for one last dance party, before returning to the Best Western. The next morning was a blur, but all agreed that there is still a strong bond among members of the Form of 1997, and this 20th reunion is officially the new best one to beat.
(L. to r.), row 1: McColl Russell Hazen, Cynthia Cummings, Kelsey Cummings, Chris Sporcic, Molly Perencevich, Alan Kurd with children Morgan and Gus, Alex Beale Schumm with children Victoria and J.J., Kevin Cummings, Jr., Catherine Ruedig Hunter with children Lucy and Morgan, Lauren King Frazier, Pierce Pollak, Meagan and Peter Chan with daughter Madeleine; row 2: Boomer Hazen, Tom Russo, Amanda and Brian Kim with daughter Sloane, Ali Handy Robins, Emanie Cummings, Sarah Stehli Howell, Jacki O’Brien, Sam Adamo; row 3: Nazneen Mehta, Ben Friedell, T.J. Leonard, Puck Wheaton, Stuart Russell, Marley Russell, Farah Kaiksow, Lily Daniel, Em Dwinnells, Siobhan Corish Niklasson, John Rudy, Brian Kim, Clemie Feau Drackett, Arthur Sheehan, Cornelia Henning Van Amburg, Brad Aston, Anna Pollak; row 4: Dave Brown, Kevin Cummings, Jamie Funk, Dixon and Asher Oates, Kate Watson, Daniel Momont, Lisa Kostur, Kendy Krause, Austen Earl, Alex Yin, Grayson Schaffer, Katie Tenney, Barrett Baer Braithwaite, Oli Haslegrave, Amy Sykes Singer, David Walton, and Pete Pollak.
Form of 2002 | 15th Reunion
There was great excitement in returning to campus, especially for a few who had not been back in 10 – or even 15 – years. Revisiting such formative spaces – dorms, playing fields, boat docks, wooded paths, classrooms, the Upper – was an amazing experience 15 years on, and reminded many of how very special SPS is, and how lucky we are to have attended such a school.
Many of us gathered on Friday night at Margarita’s in Concord for drinks and laughs. A special nod to Will Dunn, who, through a local, discovered Penuche’s, where we all had a blast until last call. Let’s hope it’ll still be there in five years. Saturday offered the real meat of the Memory Lane portion of the weekend, as we walked in the Parade, explored the renovations to Hargate (now called Friedman Community Center), and continued to revisit old haunts. The campus looks simply amazing these days. The unanimous feeling was that SPS has done an outstanding job of preserving the spirit of the grounds, while also adding, renovating, and repurposing many spaces around campus. This sense of continuity, in spite of many necessary changes – quite an achievement in itself – allowed our form to feel a strong connection to the physical place where we spent such formative years. We are grateful for that, and say “bravo” to those who have been involved in these decisions.
On Saturday night, we all caught up at the 19th Hole at Beaver Meadow Golf Course and continued our stroll down Memory Lane in conversation. Big things have changed, and little things have changed, but the smell of the Chapel and the smell of the Upper make many of us feel extremely nostalgic. We reminisced about swimming at the boat docks, taking walks in the woods and climbing trees, late nights in the dorm. Many of us miss being in such a beautiful place with all of our friends, seeing each other 24 hours a day and being part of a community where there are so many extraordinary people.
(L. to r.), row 1: Liz Groeger with daughter Anna Mace, Toby McDougal, Dana Powers-Klooster, Livia Carega, Lizzie Owens, Isa Widdowson, LeeLee Robinson Duryea, David Foxley; row 2: Chuck Culp, Katie Fleishman with daughter Isabel Blevins-Fleishman, Kristen Deane Campbell, Ginni Chen, Virginia Russell, Catharine Morgan; row 3: Katie MacCallum, Matt McLane, Will Dunn, Ashley Miller Dunn, Macy Radloff, Charlotte MacAusland, Sarah Bates Johnson; row 4: Alex Hearne, Kirby Bryan with son Jackson, and Jeff Thompson with son Sebastian.
Form of 2007 | 10th Reunion
Overall, we had more than 70 people attending the 10th from as far as South Korea and Germany. It was amazing how easy it was to reconnect, even though it had been so long since we’d last been together. While it was wonderful to be on campus with the entire school for the organized activities, some of the best activities were more intimate, whether it was Peter Harrison leading a group of us from Cliff Nyquist’s Memorial at the soccer field to Donny Dickson’s grave to remember two we’ve lost from our form, or our form dinner at the Barley House on Saturday night, which went far into the night.
Talk has already been underway about reunions across the U.S. (and I think someone mentioned the Bahamas?) in between now and the next time we’re back in Millville, to which many of us are already counting down. Ellen Greer and Lydia Williams, once roommates in Con/20, have set a good standard, reconnecting almost every spring for a girls’ trip with some others with whom they were close at SPS. Ellen pointed out that “we grew up together here” and “we started high school half our lives ago,” so those days at the School were a turning point toward adulthood. Lydia, who is a busy medical resident, marveled at how it always seems like the form has never been apart, when we are all back together. Standing by the Chapel before the Parade, Ellen and Lydia talked about using the Chapel bells as their alarm clock, which woke them up and sent them scurrying across the road to morning Chapel four times a week. “St. Paul’s is like no place else,” said Ellen. “It’s a world all its own. I was very happy here. It feels like family.”
(L. to r.), row 1: Pete Harrison, Callie Wentling, Hayley Duus, Beth McDaniel, Carrie Read, Maddy Evans, Helen Burdett, Mary Gamber, Kaye Verville, Kat Greenbaum, Chloe Squires, Loni Pisani, Ki Hong Kim, Eliza Crater, Laura Eshelman Peterson; row 2: Nellie Ruedig, Will Gruner, Sarah Clark-Hamel, Nolan Jennings, Dan de Sa, Steph Quaye, Laura Kinson, Lizzy Maybank Winters Ronaldson, Daneeka Abellard, Anne-Louise Meyer, Lydia Williams, Jenny Lee, Leigh Brunelle, India Laughlin, John Sides; row 3: Tyler O’Brien, Frank Brisebois, Katelyn Gettens, Amanda Schloss Decker, Annie Yu, David Walters, Grant Gendron, Quincy Darbyshire, Perot Bissell, Karl Schoch, Annie McFadden, Sam Cooley; row 4: Charles Vennat, Peter Child with son Ben “Jet”, Forrest Van Dyke, Tobi Olopade, Kyaira Holmes, Emily Jacob, Helena Bonde, Ellen Greer, James Saraidaridis, Ethan Davison, Jessica McKenzie, Kristen Kenney, and Alix Dana.
Form of 2012 | 5th Reunion
The Form of 2012 had a fantastic turnout, with upwards of 70 formmates returning to celebrate and reconnect with one another. With the majority of the form graduated from college, we had friends flying in from across the country and the world (from nearby places such as Massachusetts and New York to locales farther afield, such as Utah (George Hill), Hawaii (Josh Dickman), and Hong Kong (Christina Wong and Dominic Kwok).
The reunion provided a fantastic opportunity to catch up with old friends and see what they’ve been up to post-college, including beginning first jobs and studying for graduate school. Ella Branch (medical school) and Browning Platt (law school) are two among us who are busy preparing for graduate school entrance exams. Also, while impressed – and somewhat jealous – by the new Friedman Community Center (in the old Hargate), many of us mourned the loss of the Tuck Shop. Highlights from the weekend included our large gathering of formmates (along with a handful of faculty special appearances) at our event at The Draft and revisiting favorite haunts, such as Beijing & Tokyo.
It seems that those who were able to return for reunion agree that, while it’s been five years since this many of our group have gathered together in one place, it seemed like only yesterday that we were back in Millville, rushing to Chapel or swimming at the docks. Maisie Kiser returned for our fifth, accompanied by her father, Tony Kiser ’67, who was celebrating his 50th. Maisie said she grew up hearing about St. Paul’s, but it wasn’t until she stepped on campus that she knew it was the place for her. “I speak for my form, and possibly my dad’s, that we are all really happy to be back,” she said. “For me this will always be home.”
(L. to r.), row 1: Aaron Weiss, Mac Keyser, Jimmy Wyatt, Harry Nicholas, Michael Kim, Bart Mackey, George Hill, Sophia Jannetty, Lucia Petty, Kay Rusher, Laura Gullett; row 2: Jacob Washkurak, Mike Ippolito, James Corbett, Trent Holmes, Tucker Burleigh, Amelia Dickinson, Emily Daniels, Tayler Donze, Mia Guild, Margot Littlefield, Elspeth Huscher, Carolyn Parrish, Ellie Hamilton, Katie Beck, Maggie Murray, Luke Hatton; row 3: Quinzel Perry, Tarik Smith, Christina Wong, Ella Branch, Tricia Woodcome, Zach Radford, Rosie Reinacher, Anna Richardson, Aubrey Rugo, Brittany Marien, Gabrielle Bates, Maddy Harris, Luke deWilde, John Clow, Brad Smelstor; row 4: Elle Heitmiller, Carter Smith, Ellie Kennedy, Maisie Kiser, Katherine Borst, Eric Nieminen, Arbor Dykema, Alexis Wilson, Nina Peluso, Emily Belshaw, Josh Dickman, Brodie McCusker, Taylor Casey; row 5: Kyle Garland, Will Berry, Martie Curran, Woodworth Winmill, Andrew Winn, Dominic Kwok, Ricky Granados, Izamar Rodriguez, Carrie Kissick, Browning Platt, William Denman, Riley Silbert, John Parker, and Cam Wrigley.
Form of 2017 | Graduates
Graduating Form Makes Its Mark
At the June 4 Graduation ceremony of the Form of 2017, Student Council President Lane Letourneau ’17 told her peers that they should be proud of their resiliency. “You are resilient when you believe in something,” she said, “and you don’t keep fighting for something you don’t believe in.” Collectively, the Form of 2017 completed more than 12,000 hours of community outreach, guided faculty and students in the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes march in Downtown Concord, and led the nation’s high schools in fundraising for cancer research. They also excelled academically, with members of the Engineering Honors Program interning at some of the most prestigious institutions in the world.
Members of the Form of 2017 applied to 184 colleges and universities and will matriculate at 72 different schools. Most popular destinations include seven each at Brown, Cornell, and Georgetown; six at Dartmouth; and five each at Harvard, Penn, and Yale. A complete list of Graduation award recipients can be found at www.sps.edu.