Alumni Horae ST. PAul’S SCHOOL FALL 2008 Independent Study Project: A year with Lucy Soderberg ’08 During the Sixth Form year, students are able to apply for an Independent Study Project (ISP), a term- to year- long project that explores one or more of the students' interests in intensive study beyond the classroom. Indepen- dent study projects are student-driven and emphasize the experience and understanding of one's self gained from working in an independent setting. Lucy Soderberg '08, a first-year student at Princeton, spent her Sixth Form year documenting each season at St. Paul's through black-and-white photography. The culmination of Soderberg's project came in the spring, when she displayed her work in an art show at the Gallery in Hargate. Alumni Horae Vol. 89, No. 1 Fall 2008 Features Alumni Horae INTERIM EDITOR 15 Portrait of an Unsung Civil War Hero Tina Pickering Abramson ’82 by Whitney Stewart ’77 ASSOCIatE EDITOR Jana F. Brown When the author’s stepfather presented her with a box of vintage DESIGNER documents, she uncovered a family connection to Abraham Lincoln, Cindy L. Foote and the inspiration for her latest children’s book. EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Jana F. Brown Alan N. Hall Michael Matros 18 Discovering Tea at the Heart of Modern China by Matthew de la Peña ’04 Alumni Association President Lured to Beijing by the Olympic Games, an alumnus finds a James M. Frates ’85 bustling city full of rich culture and hospitable citizens. Treasurer William T. Kennedy ’65 Clerk Chapin P. Mechem ’90 21 Organ Restoration Preserves School Executive Director Music Tradition Tina Pickering Abramson ’82 by Jana Brown, SPS Writer Executive Committee Laura C. Hildesley Bartsch ’86 The latest restoration of the School’s organ is a reminder that Erik B. Burke ’87 the instrument is a touchstone for the spiritual life of St. Paul’s. Samuel P. Cooley ’49 Sarah A.H. Cornell ’90 James M. Frates ’85 Natalie Ward Harris ’77 24 Defending the Black Warrior William T. Kennedy ’65 by Charles Scribner IV ’00 Shamika Lee ’98 William S. Malcom ’41 Chapin P. Mechem ’90 The author joins the fight to keep a 300-mile river in Alabama Mary A.H. Mitchell ’06 safe for recreation and drinking water. Amy Y. Nobu ’78 George S. Ross ’52 Helen Crane van der Voort ’80 Margaret Smith Warden ’93 Departments Published by The Alumni Association 28 Reviews of St. Paul’s School 2 Perspective And Sometimes Why 603-229-4770 3 Letters by Rebecca Johnson ’82 [email protected] The Classmates: Privilege, Chaos, ©Trustees of St. Paul’s School 4 Rector and the End of an Era by Geoffrey Douglas ’62 6 Updates VS. 7 Action by David E. Oprava ’91 ASP celebrates 50th, Security turns to Segway, 30 Community and local foods fill menu. ON THE COVER: Using natural materials such 34 Formnotes as sticks, reeds, rocks, sand, acorns, flowers, 10 Memories and leaves, fine arts students worked together 45 Deceased to construct installations of environmental art 12 Athletics throughout the grounds this fall. Adam Snow ’82 is one of polo’s best 54 ChapelTalk Photo by Colin J. Callahan, fine arts faculty (Oct. 2008) 1 PERSPECTIVE “It hasn’t changed a bit” . well, maybe a bit Recently I’ve been Flowers was last awarded in 1900, the patterns of thinking about Millville daily academic life for adults and students once past and present. One established were relatively unchanged for almost reason is my visit with 100 years. John Archer, retired Wholesome isolation was an important compo- head of the (then) nent of “going away” to school. Vacations were Modern Languages purposely limited. Even “going home” for Thanks- Department, master giving, for example, was limited into the 1960s to 1931-74. He shared boys living in the Boston area, who took a morning memories of the Thirties at SPS, then still a Victorian train to town and returned in the evening – every- school dominated by Samuel Drury, who became one else had turkey in a School dining room. And Fourth Rector in 1910, not quite a century ago. classes resumed the next day. Dr. Drury discouraged masters from having auto- After World War II isolation from “the real mobiles or smoking in public. world” became harder to maintain. Most changes The other reason is the arrival of the SPS came in barely sixty years and were brought “Academic Calendar 2008-09,” a 100-page book about by forces far from Millville—for examples, to guide Millville’s inhabitants through the year. the Thanksgiving holiday with the disappearance In contrast I have an item “younger” readers may of passenger railroad connections to and from recall: a copy of the one page “1967-68 School Concord and the cancellation of the SPS Christmas Calendar” topped by a Bill Abbe´ linoleum cut of “special” train to Grand Central Station in New an eight-oar shell in action. York City before “the Game” at Madison Square Both reasons indicate that SPS is changing more Garden. The development of the interstate high- rapidly in its second century than it did in its first. way system brought those “evil urban centers” To quote the title of a book once required for fac- and their suburbs (and the parents) within easy ulty reading, Future Shock continues. driving distance of Millville. The increase of air Graduates at Anniversary looking around some- travel permitted a greater student diversity that times remark, “It hasn’t changed a bit.” Senior began in 1949 with the arrival most notably of faculty members have heard similar comments Minoru “Ben” Makihara ’50 from Japan. as former students approach with hands out- With the arrival of New Hampshire’s bright stretched in recognition, intent in the search for high school juniors for the summer Advanced that lost time. Studies Program in 1958 and the arrival of girls Millville has of course changed physically, to the “winter school” in 1971, Millville would mentally, even spiritually. Dr. Shattuck’s famous never be the same again! words – “green fields and trees . are educators” I’m for change in Millville. But, I must say in – indicate his romantic dream world for educating conclusion: Dr. Drury’s stand against autos and youth in the mid-19th century security provided cigarettes seems pretty modern today; the new by his summer home in isolated, rural Millville. multi-page calendar has a year’s list of activities Here, under the guidance of Henry Coit and later (artist/organization/team/time/place) not very his brother Samuel, youngsters could live a simple different from my old Bill Abbe´ calendar. life communing with a pure Nature that was dis- Hmm, I believe the French have a term for appearing in the jungle of urban industrial blight Millville’s changing situation: plus ça. ? feared by affluent parents in the Northeast that most boys called home. A safe, supervised life (including regular worship) appealed to parents, who rewarded the school that provided it. Alan N. Hall, Master 1950-92 Although the prize for Best Collection of Wild Former editor of Alumni Horae 2 LETTERS We love hearing from you in response On p. 7 [of the Spring 2008 issue], I won- Endearing Tribute to stories we have published in Alumni der who bought the rare books or docu- Horae or in response to alumni matters. ments the School auctioned. It would be I loved that tribute As space permits, we will print your nice if they found a home at a place like to Jim Robbins ’60. letters. Please keep writing to: The Editor, Houghton or Beineke, Harvard’s or Yale’s He led us through Alumni Horae , 325 Pleasant St. Concord, rare-book libraries, or possibly even New the worst of times. NH 03301 or to [email protected]. Editorial York Public Library. Jose´ worked on the guidelines are available from the editor at George Rice School’s archives, which were saved from the above addresses. Munson ’55 the flood waters in the nick of time. Hartford, Conn. “Praying for Good Grades . .”, p. 13: the June 16, 2008 Bravo Alumni Horae School of the 50s, under the strict but fair leadership of Matthew Warren, wasn’t The Spring ’08 Horae is staggering! all that different from school in the 30s On par with Vanity Fair. Clearly further under Samuel Drury (the late SS Drury; expanded. A Fair Assessment his son, I think, was in my form). It might Glad you covered Jim Thompson. I’ve have loosened up a bit and I don’t remem- I read with much pleasure, and excite- been to his house in Bangkok and met the ber blue suits on Sunday; but it was still ment, the last issue of the Alumni Horae, clairvoyant who came to sniff the jungle a monastic existence (no coeds yet) run the first of the newly designed version. to find what happened. Can we file a under School Rules everybody obeyed, I meant, at the time, to write you a note Freedom of Information claim to see what or else. Eight chapel services a week; of warm congratulations and support on the CIA knows? I enjoyed these in the beautiful New the success of an effort that was, in fact, Chapel, and Dr. Lefebvre’s organ recitals probably long overdue. after Evensong. Business attire, not suits The arrival today of the latest issue has necessarily, for most everything except impelled me to make up for my lapse. This sports, afternoon study hall or Saturday is not your father’s Alumni Horae, and evening buffet dinner and a film.