Editors: David C. Bogle Linda Maxwell Stefanelli ’62 PRINCETON DAY SCHOOL JOURNAL Vol. 15 No. 1 1983 Contents 1 Letter from the Headmaster, James W Gramentine 2 Hosting an AFS Student, by Pat and Quinn McCord The joys and heartaches of sharing your home Page 4 3 AFS in Your Country or Another, by Lindsay McCord '82 Living and academic experiences abroad 4 Et In Arcadia Ego, by Marcus Herbert '83 The American experience by an E-S U student 6 My Year in America, by Alex Avila ’83 PDS as seen through the eyes of a Paraguayan student 7 PDS Approves Five New Trustees Page 12 8 A Family Tradition A photographic record of alumni families 11 Alumni Association Reorganizes 12 Alum ni Day 1983 14 Lower and Middle School Final Assemblies 15 Com m encem ent 1983 16 An Education for Freedom, by A. Bartlett Giamatti, President of Yale University. A renowned educator and author addresses the senior class 19 College Choices, Class of 1983 2 0 Alumni Children 21 Princeton Welcomes Gramentines All constituents have various opportunities to meet the new Headmaster and his wife 21 Former Faculty Page 16 2 2 Sports 2 4 Princeton Day School Honors Three Retirees, by Barbara Johnson. Sally Paterson, Mag Gilbert and Mike Merle-Smith 2 6 Development Report 2 7 PDS Annual Fund 1982-1983 3 3 Alumni News 5 2 A Tribute to Moyne Smith, by Connie Sayan Ban ’68 Photo Credits: Eileen Hihmuth p 1.6, 7,8.10,11,14,15, 16. 21, 24, 25. Alana Firesterp 12,13. Princeton Day School is a K-12, coeducational institution which admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities accorded and made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national nor ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, scholarship programs, athletic and other school- administered programs. LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER by Jim Gramentine It is time for me to see Princeton Day School live. For eighteen months now I have read about it, heard it described, asked questions, and even had glimpses of it operating, a few minutes of a sum­ mer session class here, the Lawrence- ville hockey game there. Schools are wonderfully complex in­ stitutions, and, until one’s life has merged with the fabric of the school, one probably would be well advised to avoid generalizing even in private, much less in print. Nonetheless, it may be interesting for me to review my strongest impressions, with emphasis on those shaped largely since my arrival here in July. These are thoughts that come to mind one week before Labor Day and after seven weeks of adjusting to New Jersey and its climate. The students, parents, and alumni of PDS have all impressed me. While of Who would not be impressed by the logical reasons. Many people. I dis­ the major constituencies these are the school’s plant, grounds, and facilities? cover, do not realize that in general ones which to date I know least well, There are limitations, e.g., the lack of independent school salaries lag well their consideration for us has been ap­ even a primitive student center, and below those of public schools, nor do preciated and is surpassed only by their classroom space is tight indeed, but many of our people recognize that PDS apparent loyalty to the school. An im­ comparatively we are blessed. Ours is a salaries are not in the upper echelon of portant goal of mine is to improve com­ campus of great beauty, and that does the independent schools. It seems to me munications with and involvement by wonders for the soul. that a school that aspires to greatness alumni and parents, especially concern­ Among my most notable, early, and can not long countenance this. ing what the school is doing with and for positive impressions has been the Yet I have almost equal concern for students. strength of the fine arts at PDS. notably our high tuition, which does approach My sense of the faculty is based on the Lincoln Center Program, which Ray the “ upper echelon.” and its effect on considerably more evidence. From the and I spent a memorable July 19th the quality and quantity of our enroll­ outset I hypothesized that they were visiting. Also unusual are the Middle ment. It has long seemed to me that probably the school’s most valuable and School’s values program and the Upper students learn at least as much from impressive resource, and my experience School’s Peer Leadership Program, each other as they do from their this summer, meeting with them mostly which I hope we can assist to become teachers and parents. We therefore one by one. has only strengthened this even more effective. In my view. PDS is need to expose them to the richest impression. After twenty-five years in absolutely right to regard student values possible mix of peers, friends as diverse the business, I fancy I can tell a great as central to its concerns. These are but in their backgrounds as they are uniform teacher after an hour of talking shop. If two examples of the school’s full pro­ in their merit. This is. of course, a Uto­ so, PDS is blessed by a remarkable pro­ gram, the breadth of which is remark­ pian goal, but lack of attainability has portion in that category or nearly there. able for an institution this size. It does never been sufficient as a reason not to Pity, though, that so many are as long not surprise me that some describe the strive. of tooth as I and thus at the top of our pace of life at PDS as frenetic or that The school's purpose is its students; pay scale. What we need are more great many of my colleagues worry about ex­ we must never lose sight of that. Central teachers with no experience! cessive pressure on students. to the purpose, of course, is the What I like most about the admin­ Others, indeed sometimes the same academic program. It must be excellent. istration, even more than their sensi­ people, are concerned that the program To me there is no contradiction between tivity for my family and me, has been lacks rigor, that academically the school that statement and the suggestion that the fact that they do not consider is only good rather than excellent. we should be equally concerned to grad­ themselves administrators. They view Examples are given: the paucity of uate students who are tough minded themselves as primarily teachers, even school days, senior projects, exams but but also compassionate and tolerant, those few who do not currently teach. once a year, a grading system that lacks disciplined and creative, healthy in body Clearly they are strong, capable people adequate discrimination. With me the and generous in spirit. In the long run, and absolutely committed to PDS. jury is still out on these and related we deserve to be judged not by the Together we enjoyed a two-and-a-half questions. beauty of our campus, or even the ex­ day retreat at Blair Academy in early It is not “ o u t" concerning my assess­ cellence of our faculty but by how much August, for me an invaluable ex­ ment of PDS salaries. They are, quite we contribute to our average student. perience. simply, inadequate, for a variety of 1 HOSTING AN AFS STUDENT by Pat and Quinn McCord Some years ago, our family was sex? What sort of student would best fit he joined in all our family activities asked to participate in the short term ex­ in our family? What were our interests? joyfully. In the spring, he spent many change program for AFS by hosting a And did we care if our student shared week-ends doing AFS activities; Lind­ student for ten days in the spring. When them? Finally, we were interviewed to say claimed it was to avoid helping with Victor came, from Costa Rica, he was make sure we understood what was in­ the housework, a family chore reserved the first of a long line of exchange volved . W hat were the back-up systems? for week-ends! In July, we said a tearful students to become a part of our family. What would happen if it just didn’t work good-by, and sent him off on his own Victor had spent his year in the U.S. in out? We felt sure that the support bus trip, knowing some other loving a small industrial city in Pennsylvania, system was strong enough to help us family would ease him over those emo­ as unlike Princeton as it is possible to be. solve any problems that might come tional days of leave-taking before going His “family” was a large, happy one, up—and so the wait began. home. but one which could not travel much, After he was gone and we had re­ and Victor might have gone back to covered a bit from our own emotional Costa Rica with quite a limited idea of jolt, we assessed the year. It hadn’t life in America. He had a great time at always been easy; rearing children is not PDS —loved every minute—and we all easy! At the beginning, when Hans was loved talking with him about his own on his best behavior, (first phase—feel country and about his impressions of like a guest.) our own children thought ours.