CMCommonwealth School Magazine Fall 2015 The Pause That Refreshes Writing and art by Commonwealth alumni/ae Also: Moving Staircases and Other Wonders Captain America Why I Made It Captain America By Christopher Gleason ’15 alking around Salem close to Halloween, I took a lot of pictures of people in costumes. Most of them were rushed and not very Wwell composed, and this one was no exception: the entire right-hand side of the photo showed the father of this little Captain America from the waist down. But I liked the image of the kid; I liked the angle of the wall and the way the boy looked. I spent a few class periods using Photoshop to make it look as though the wall extended. It was difficult and time consuming to copy and match the style of the brick-patterned wall, but mainly, it was boring. After I had worked on it for a while, Rusty asked me, “What do you want to do with this photo?” I told him I wanted to fix the background to make the wall look natural. “No, he insisted, “What do you want to do with this photo?” I thought about it. I liked this picture because the kid looked like he was in his own world. He seemed to believe he was Captain America, a hero in his own mind. I told Rusty that I wanted to bring the idea of playing pretend to the foreground. First I gave the boy laser eyes. Then I began making a fantasy world around him. The fantasy enhanced the image (and solved the problem of the right side of the photo). I added all the colors and one big rainbow, and it was done. Though I originally liked the part of the shot showing a child dressed as a superhero, by using my imagination I was able to bring the whole picture to life. With simple photo-manipulation, I turned an unusable photograph into a piece of art that I felt had meaning. FROM THE EDITOR “ wish we had more space,” I found myself saying over and over as I compiled alumni/ae writing and art for this issue of CM. With so many terrific examples of both—so much more work than CM I The Commonwealth School Alumni/ae Magazine would fit—choosing was difficult. In the following pages you’ll find, Issue 9 we hope, a satisfyingly broad mixture of styles and subjects both Fall 2015 in the texts and in the visual works accompanying them. We hope Headmaster most of all that these selections will prompt you to take in more art William D. Wharton and writing (and performance, and scholarship) by these and other Editor alumni/ae as well by as our current students. Tristan Davies ’83 [email protected], (617) 266-7525 x290 “I wish we had more space”: also one of the reasons we decided to go through ambitious renovations at the school. With no ability Design Jeanne Abboud to expand outward, upward, or downward, devising the best use Associate Editor of the space contained within our walls became the only way to Rebecca Folkman improve our facilities. You can read more on the project in this issue, Class Notes Editors or by revisiting the updates posted during the summer at www. Grayson Palmer commschool.org/renovation. Drew Oliveira To watch the renovation unfold was an extraordinary experience Contributing Writers Contributing Artists for me. First, demolition revealed fascinating details of nineteenth- Alisha Atlas-Corbett ’01 Georgia Adamson ’18 Christopher Gleason ’15 Elise Friedman ’15 century construction. Later, I was amazed by the scope and Alina Grabowski ’12 Liza King ’69 coordination as numerous large projects played out simultaneously. Robert Johnson, Jr., ’67 Don MacDonald ’90 Jazmin Lantigua ’17 Anne Morgan Spalter ’82 Carpenters, masons, plumbers, electricians, and many others danced Don MacDonald ’90 Emma Porter ’17 a steel-toed ballet as they worked among and around each other. Our Ottessa Moshfegh ’98 Sara Press ’92 Chris Norris ’85 Brandon Stoloff ’91 site managers demonstrated impressive tenacity, constantly coping Rebecca Steinitz ’82 Meg Turner ’03 with unexpected discoveries, from rotted floor joists to stubborn Will Whelan ’01 engineering problems. Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps We didn’t cross the finish line quite when we’d planned: we spent commschoolalums the first few days of school in rented spaces off-site. But seeing our lovely school updated and improved, while still retaining its historical @commschool charm, has been nothing short of magical. commonwealthschool Tristan Davies ’83 CM is published twice a year by Commonwealth School, Director of Communications, Editor 151 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02116 and [email protected] distributed without charge to alumni/ae, current and for- mer parents, and other members of the Commonwealth community. Opinions expressed in CM are those of the authors and subjects, and do not necessarily represent the views of the school or its faculty and students. We welcome your comments and news at common- [email protected]. Letters and notes may be edited for style, length, clarity, and grammar. Printed on recycled paper. Please recycle. Correction [Recycle/FSC graphics] In the spring issue, we erred on Jane Cutter’s class year LOGO MUST BE INSERTED (“The New Civil Rights Movement,” page 8). Jane graduated BY PRINTER AT TIME OF PRINTING in 1981. We apologize for the mistake. 2 CM CMCommonwealth School Magazine Fall 2015 Contents Why I Made It 1 Captain America 4 News 4 9 Moving Stairways and Other Wonders Knickpoint 7 Alina Grabowski ’12 1964 9 6 Ottessa Moshfegh ’98 What Does “Mom” Mean? 15 Jazmin Lantigua ’17 Machiavelli 16 Don MacDonald ’90 You Ain’t Never Lied 19 Robert Johnson, Jr., ’67 Smells Like Words 23 Rebecca Steinitz ’82 21 Class Notes 25 The Alumni/ae Association 31 On the cover: “Release” from the 2015 spring student art show. This exuberant Alumnus Perspective: My Guilty Top Five 32 two-by-three-foot painting by Georgia The secret shame of Chris Norris ’85 Adamson ’18 perfectly illustrates the irrepressible creative energy of our school’s students and alumni/ae. CM 3 NewsCOMMONWEALTH Moving Staircases and Other WONDERS his summer Commonwealth completed the first phase—and the majority of the work—of a major renovation. Overall, the goal is to bring the school in line with current teaching, technology, and facility requirements, while T preserving the welcoming, home-like atmosphere and the historical integrity of our buildings. Major elements of the first phase included: Renovated Science Labs The removed chemistry and biology labs. The newly renovated chemisty and biology labs. Completely rebuilt biology and chemistry rooms on the first floor include new moveable furniture that allows for quick and easy reconfigurations of the spaces to accommodate lecture classes, laboratory classes, or small-group work. Between the two classrooms a suite of offices and prep areas have replaced the previous open basement stairwell. 4 CM New Stairway and Lobby Connection he narrow link between the Commonwealth and Dartmouth lobbies, always a bottleneck, has been expanded to include the area once occupied by two restrooms. Besides providing more room to move, Telegant sightlines, and better light, the passage now serves as the upper entry to a new basement staircase. A mermaid- emblazoned window set into the wall brings in natural light. n n n Equally important, albeit less visible, Commonwealth now has its first school-wide heating and cooling system, based on high-efficiency heat pumps. New exterior windows on the lower level and first and second floors, and renovated windows on upper floors, will prevent those sweeping winter drafts many of us remember so well. Phase two of the renovation primarily focuses on installing an elevator in the prepared central airshaft. For more details and photos of how work progressed over the summer (you’ll be amazed), check out the updates posted at Two students prepare to go down the new staircase. www.commschool.org/renovation. The newly renovated chemisty and biology labs. Tristan I need your help with this spot!! Artwork????? CM 5 6 CM By Alina Grabowski ’12 Knickpoint EMY RETURNED HOME because her father went missing. “I “That’s because I’m not done yet.” Her mother rose, laying her know you’re busy,” her mother said on the phone. “But it’s sketchbook on the swing. “You look good,” she said. your dad.” “Thanks.” Remy borrowed the Jeep of the boy was she was dating “Your hair’s different.” Rand left campus a few hours later. Finals had ended, but they were “I got bangs.” both staying at school for summer research. They stood for a moment, scraping the bottoms of their shoes “Do you want me to come with you?” he asked when she got in against the splintered porch. “Well, give me a hug.” the car. She hadn’t realized quickly enough that he was one of those Remy leaned into her mother’s open arms, which hooked boys so nice that they turned you mean, as though it was your job to quickly and tightly around her back, as though to anchor her there. prepare them for the realities of the world. “I missed you,” her mother whispered. “It’s easier if I go alone,” she said. She’d told him that her aunt “Me, too,” Remy said, the easiest lie she’d ever told. was in the hospital with a rare stomach infection. Her mother stepped back, leaning her head to one side. “You “Well.” he poked his head through the open window of the front look so much like him.” She sat back down.