Spring 2014 Achievement Asheville School Alumni Magazine New Testing Shows Students Mastering Critical Writing and Problem SolvingAchievement • Spring 2014 1 Achievement Spring 2014 BOARD OF TRUSTEES An Education For An Inspired Life Ms. E. Parce Ainsworth 1983 Published for Alumni & Friends of Asheville School Mr. Harris M. Baker 1974 by the Advancement Department Mr. Marshall T. Bassett 1972 Asheville School 360 Asheville School Road Mr. John A. Boland III P ‘99 Asheville, North Carolina 28806 Mr. Gregory R. Close 2003 (Associate) 828.254.6345 Mr. Peter J. Covington 1971 www.ashevilleschool.org Mr. Walter G. Cox, Jr. 1972 P ‘06 Editor Ms. Ann Craver P ‘11 Bob Williams Mr. D. Tadley DeBerry 1981 Assistant Head of School for Advancement Ms. Ayla Ficken P ‘09 John Thorsen 1987 Mr. William G. Francis 1964 P ‘96 Writers Vice Chairman Bob Williams Mr. Robert T. Gamble 1971 Sheila Steelman Tom Marberger 1969 Mr. Peter L. Hellebush 1964 Travis Price Tish Anderson Ms. Mandy K. Helton 2000 (Associate) Ms. Charla A. Hughes 2004 (Associate) Proof Readers Tish Anderson Ms. Jean Graham Keller 1995 Bob Williams Mr. Richard J. Kelly 1968 Travis Price Ms. Marilyn Higi Kincaid 1991 Printing Mr. Lee McGriff III 1970 Lane Press Dr. Gregory K. Morris 1972 Photographers Mr. Alexander G. Paderewski 1968 P ‘06 ‘08 Blake Madden Bob Williams Mr. Laurance D. Pless 1971 P ‘09 ‘13 Sheila Steelman (ex officio) A special thanks to the 1923 Memorial Mr. Oliver G. Prince, Jr. 1971 P ‘00 Archives for providing many of the archival photographs in this edition. Chairman Mr. James A. Rice II 1972 Asheville School Mission: To prepare Ms. Mary A. Robinson 2002 our students for college and for life Ex officio Alumni Association and to provide an atmosphere in Mr. Walter A. Ruch III P ‘08 which all members of a diverse, engaged, and purposefully small Mr. Michael H. Stoll 1968 school community appreciate and Dr. Frederick Wherry 1990 strive for excellence – an atmosphere that nurtures character and fosters Mr. Jonathan Winebrenner P ‘15, ‘16 the development of mind, body, Ex-officio Parents’ Association and spirit. Mrs. Rebecca Winebrenner P ‘15, ‘16 Ex-officio Parents’ Association Asheville School does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, sex, or ethnic background in its admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, educational policies, P - Parents of Alumni and athletic and other school administered programs. Spring 2014 In Memoriam Table of Contents 62 John L. Compton ‘45 and John L. Lantzius ‘49 62 Robert S. Webb, Jr. ‘49 Features 64 In Memoriam 06 CWRA Testing Shows Mastery of Problem Solving 08 O’Sullivan ’87 Works to Make Space Travel Efficient Profiles 11 Pope Foundation Renews Support for Humanities 16 Faculty Profile: Pam Reid 12 Pickering ’84 Connects Cultures Through LEAF 20 Student Profile: Zan McPherson 2014 24 New Global Studies Partnership to Benefit Students 16 Alumni Profile: Charla Hughes 2004 26 Troubled Times Amid Rugged Mountains 52 Alumni Profile: Dick Hayes 1951 Departments 56 Alumni Memory: Ray Magyar 1965 01 From the Associate Head of School Campus News 40 Alumni Events 55 School Wins Grand CASE Award For App 51 Board Welcomes Five New Trustees 56 Exceptional Activity Supports Dream of Pro Cycling 59 AS Students Win 11 Scholastic Art Awards Class Notes 59 Two Seniors Advance as National Merit Finalists 38 1936-1979 60 Civil Rights and Science Event 40 1982-1993 61 Comptuer Science Courses Advance Student Skills 42 1994-2005 44 2005-2011 46 2012-2013 Achievement • Spring 2014 3 Alumni Weekend 2014 April 25 - 27 • April 24 - Founders’ Day Convocation - 7:15 p.m. Henry Petroski, Professor of Civil Engineering at Duke University • April 25 - Beer/wine and hors d’oeuvres for all followed by class dinners - 6:00 p.m. Cocktails/dinner at the Fall House for Old Guard classes 1929 - 1964 - 6:30 p.m. • April 26 - Don’t miss your class pictures from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on the Mitchell porch. All-alumni dinner and dancing in Sharp Hall begins at 6:30. Register online at ashevilleschool.org/alumniweekend 1,000 Strong, Two Years in a Row When asked how hard it was to repeat as NCAA champions, legendary UCLA coach John Wooden remarked that “plenty of teams have won one championship in a row….” As hard as it is to achieve something once, doing it again may be even harder. Last year 1,012 alumni sup- ported Asheville School by making a gift to the Cody Annual Fund. Let’s not be a one-year wonder. Let’s prove it was no accident last year and have 1,000 or more alumni supporters again this year. When you make a gift to the Cody Fund, you are making your school a better place. You are telling the current students and faculty that you value and respect what they are learning and achieving here. You do make a tangible difference in the life of our school. - Tom Marberger ‘69, Director of Cody Annual Fund To give online, visit — ashevilleschool.org/makeagift. 500 Current Alumni Donors 4 Achievement • Spring 2014 Spring 2014 From the Associate Head of School Dear Friends of Asheville School: There is a great deal of excitement as we head into Spring Break with American Studies scholars preparing to dance the Charleston to Founders’ Day Convocation - 7:15 p.m. a live jazz band in downtown Asheville and travel to DC for the culminating American Studies experience sponsored by the Pope Foundation. Henry Petroski, Professor of Civil Engineering at Duke University Head of School Arch Montgomery and wife, Phyllis, have been traveling on a long-awaited leave to visit sites around the world. They have been in London and Africa, and will be heading to New Zealand before returning to campus mid-April. You may follow the Montgomerys’ adventures on Beer/wine and hors d’oeuvres for all followed by class dinners - 6:00 p.m. the following link: http://montgomerya.wordpress.com. Cocktails/dinner at the Fall House for Old Guard classes 1929 - 1964 - 6:30 p.m. Don’t miss your class pictures from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on the Mitchell porch. Looking back on the seasons just completed, our winter athletic teams enjoyed great success. The Boys’ Swim Team finished third in the States, All-alumni dinner and dancing in Sharp Hall begins at 6:30. their highest finish since 1998. The Girls’ Swim Team finished tenth. Seven school swim records were toppled in the process with Joey Kriegler 2015 finishing as the runner-up in the 500 Freestyle. Conor Fenn 2016 earned a second place finish in his weight division at the state wrestling tournament. Fall teams performed, by and large, better than in prior years, with boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams again winning conference championships, while the girls’ field hockey team earned a trip to state. Our students’ results on the College Work Readiness Assessment (CWRA) continue to suggest that Asheville School’s curriculum and programs, as well as the close relationships between teachers and students, make a difference in student mastery of critical thinking, critical reading, critical problem-solving, and critical writing skills. Math Department Chair Mike Hill and Director of Academic Technology Varghese Alexander joined CWRA officials at the National Association of Independent Schools annual conference in February to showcase how we are using the results of the test to understand more fully what we are doing well and what we might be able to improve. What we do know: Asheville School students are demonstrably ready for the rigors of college—and our students in the class of 2014 continue to be accepted at top-tier colleges and universities, including Northwestern, Georgia Tech, Columbia, Wake Forest, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and University of Virginia. Our math teachers are engaged in redesigning our math curriculum so that all students who arrive as Third Formers will have an opportunity to take either Calculus or AP Statistics by the Sixth Form year. Combined with the AP Language requirement for all Sixth Formers in American Studies, all Asheville School students are positioned to graduate with two AP credits—an indication of the academic rigor of our program and a distinctive distinguisher of our students as they apply to colleges. We have embarked on a partnership with Students Shoulder to Shoulder, an organization that allows for service learning opportunities abroad and domestic, the fulfillment of part of our strategic planning in foreign languages: to create a sustainable International Program, in keeping with Asheville School’s mission, that incorporates elements of service, a homestay experience, and linguistic enrichment. Our initial student and faculty members will embark this summer. As we head into summer, faculty members will be working with a CWRA team on campus to address issues connected to assessment and the development of the academic skills necessary for success in college—and in life. Work will continue to take place to renovate our athletic fields; we will resurface the field hockey field this summer. Please enjoy this edition of Achievement. It reflects the energy and success that are the markers of life at Asheville School. Thank you for your interest and support. Sincerely, Jack W. Bonner IV Achievement • Spring 2014 5 Associate Head of School Asheville School Students First to Take CWRA+ Test Results Reveal Students Mastering Critical Writing and Problem Solving Dr. Mike Hill, chair of the Mathematics Department at Asheville School, says he’s encouraged after seeing how far Asheville School seniors have come academically since taking the CWRA+ as freshmen. By Bob Williams (CAE), the New York-based creator of the Montgomery saw the CWRA+ as an op- Editor CWRA+.