Judy Mccormick
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
February 9, 2010 The Loomis Chaffee School, Windsor CT Volume XCII, No. 6 In Loving Memory of Judy McCormick by The Loomis Chaffee Community Judy McCormick, known to many made all students, regardless of at LC, I was very homesick, so I you get that cute sweater? It is so recent as our last meeting was, I as the “Mail Room Lady,” arrives their race, gender, social class, checked the mailroom for letters lovely!” Her compliment made me should be able to recall our final at 5:30 AM to begin her daily ritu- athletic ability, or academic suc- twice a day. Stopping to talk with so happy.— Monica He ‘12 words to each other. Stepping al. Through sorting mail and pack- cess, feel equal and I first met Judy back, however, I realize that every ages, rectifying laundry mistakes, special. She so when she was in conversation with her reaffirmed and completing whatever miscel- embodied the the midst of her the essential care and optimism laneous tasks await her, Judy is al- values we trea- second bout with that characterized her life. She ways one of the first to arrive and sure in our com- cancer. She re- knew that life is too short, and the last to leave. Despite the end- munity. —Anon- turned to campus she lived her life accordingly. In less envelopes and the strenuous ymous for an afternoon the context of thousands of cheer- task of sorting laundry bags, Judy The day that to catch up with ful interactions, the details of our remains undaunted; she never Judy died, I friends. Her hair last words are insignificant, inso- misses a chance to smile at a stu- waved goodbye had fallen out far as I’m sure that they were as dent or make a kind comment. No to her as she left but even in her loving and compassionate as all matter how many sleepless hours in her car. We weakened state, the other words we shared in our a boarding student may endure, were on our way her raw energy friendship.—Keller Glass Judy McCormick’s infectious ami- to town, and she and optimism Recycling is my workjob, and cability never fails to brighten a passed us while were plainly vis- my favorite place to recycle is gloomy day. we were walking ible. She inquired the mailroom. Mrs. McCormick It’s been said many times over on the bridge. about my life in always would run over and help the past few days how much Judy She honked and the same welcom- me. Then she would smile and say, was a mother to our students, par- smiled at us, and ing manner that “There’s too much today; you only ticularly our boarders. But I think we waved at her, Judy McCormick smiles in the mailroom. has comforted have to take out half!” Her warm she was so much more than that. I returning her generations of stu- smile and even warmer heart al- think of Judy’s mailroom as a safe smile. I know that dents, and upon her ways made me feel better, and I place of refuge for so many kids Loomis will never be the same Judy always made my day. When- return to work, called me by name will miss her cheerful greetings who may have struggled to fit in, without her.—Victoria Johnson ever I was sad, Judy gave me a hug without prompting. whenever I go to the mailroom.— who were homesick, or who just ‘12 and asked me to teach her Chi- I cannot remember the last Savannah Gray, ‘12 needed a non-threatening adult Judy was the nicest lady I ever nese. I remember once when I was thing we said to each other, and Mrs. McCormick is one of the to talk to. Some looked to her as met, and I love her very much. wearing a pink sweater, she excit- this has bothered me ever since I first faces a new boarding student a mother, others as a friend. She During my first three months edly said, “Oh my god! Where did heard about her death. Surely, as encounters. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 Maas Encourages Sweet Dreams Celebrating King by Alex Lafrance by Meaghan Reid While Loomis Chaffee has had an remain awake during the speech. discussing the medical risks of Loomis Chaffee students per- by Loomis Chaffee students. array of interesting convocation This clip along with similar clips sleep loss, the doctor concluded formed in a special PRISM- The following day, Dr. Clay- speakers in the past, no speaker of half-asleep teenagers illustrat- with the presentation of a witty, sponsored ceremony commemo- borne Carson came to the Is- has captivated the audience’s at- ed how even pre-high-school stu- yet poignant summation: “Sleep rating the life Dr. Martin Luther land to speak about King’s life. tention as Dr. James Maas did on dents have been affected by sleep deprivation makes you clumsy, King Jr on January 18. Carson, a history professor at Friday, January 22. Maas, former deprivation. stupid, unhealthy, and it shortens The Loomis Chaffee Jazz En- Stanford University, hitchhiked chairman of the psychology de- Another clip depicted world your life.” semble performed first, followed to attend the famous March on partment at Cornell University, representatives at a pivotal meet- The results of a study at Deer- by Dance Company One, per- Washington at the age of nine- recipient of the American Psy- ing regarding the control of nu- field Academy showed the ben- forming to “Half-acre.” Anisa teen. He claimed jokingly that it chological Association’s Distin- clear weapons in the 1980s; each efits of sleep. In the experiment, Knox ’11 then recited a poem was “the most important thing guished Educator Award, and representative was dozing in his students were allowed extra time called “Lost Ones,” adapted from I’ve ever done without tell- frequenter of news programs, in- or her chair after the long flight. for sleep and were required to a song by Lauren Hills. Pianist ing my parents.” Carson heard cluding NBC Nightly News, wear sleep-monitoring Samson Chow ’12 played “Set in King’s “I Have a Dream” speech Good Morning America, The devices called “Zeos” Stone,” a song he had composed on a hot day in the middle of a Oprah Winfrey Show, and that measured the length for the event, and Liyah Wash- crowd after having heard many The Today Show, arrived of REMs and other sleep ington ’10 read “A Look Within: other speakers, and he drolly at Loomis Chaffee with a cycles. The study showed Some Words to Live By.” Later described the feeling of the day presentation concerning that students who got 17 in the performance, Dance Com- in terms that would surprise a subject very close to the minutes more sleep than pany Two performed a version of anyone who has listened to hearts of many Pelicans: their peers performed the song “Ooh Child” mixed with King’s brilliant rhetoric: “Back sleep. Maas’s address to the an average of one letter excerpts from King’s speech “I’ve then, I was excited when King school involved the science grade higher, and vis- Been to the Mountaintop,” which came up not because of who he of snoozing and featured a its to the infirmary de- he gave the night before he was was or the speech he was about wide variety of data from creased significantly. assasinated. Rapping sensation, to give, but because he was the numerous studies, as well Maas also underlined Nick Sailor ‘13 performed a lyri- last speaker.” Now, however, as some comical videos, the benefits of more cal rap that he had written him- King’s speech holds a deeper truly compelling accounts sleep by detailing the self, and was followed by Daisy meaning for Carson as well as from famous athletes, and success of the Orlando Song ‘10 and Kara Krakower ‘10, for the whole world. In truth, an omnipresent droll sense PHOTO BY MarY FOrrESTER basketball team, Lance who both danced to the song Carson did not fully under- of humor. Dr. Maas talks to students and faculty after his Armstrong, and the New “Two Worlds Collide.” Sharene stand King’s message until he From the start, Maas made speech about the power of sleep. York Jets. Maas believes Hawthorne-Rene ‘10 read a poem traveled in India where he was his point clear: high school that attaining the proper she had written called “Do It For able to see the effects of Gan- and college students on average Maas also showed brain scans amount of sleep was essential to Yourself,” and Christine Huang dhi’s similar nonviolence mes- have a sleep deficit of two to three that illustrated the conversion these athletes’ success. ’11 and Sirena Huang ’12 per- sage on India. While Dr. King hours a night. He also pointed of short-to-long term memory Maas finally called attention formed the theme from “Schin- and Ghandi came from vastly out that sleep deprivation is not during a period of crucial REM to easy solutions that optimize dler’s List.” The Loomis Chaffee different backgrounds, they just limited to teens; in fact, sleep cycles which are often missed. sleep time, including maintain- Chamber Singers finished the understood the importance not deprivation affects people of all These cycles, as well as images ing regular sleep habits, limiting beautiful event with “Turn the only of equality for all, but also ages. One clip featured a mid- of the specific brain wave activity caffeine and alcohol intake, exer- World Around,” a Caribbean- the importance of attaining that dle-school student who had the that aids motor functions, helped cising later in the afternoon, and inspired tune that added an en- equality through strictly non- once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to to show how health deteriorates replacing old, worn-out pillows.