MiddlesexSpring 2015 The Mx2 Campaign: On Target MIDDLESEX SPRING 2015 i From the Head of School A Leadership Transition If one of the highlights of school life is that par excellence in the complex and changing every September brings a new beginning and setting of schools today. Most importantly, the opportunity for change, perhaps the other from my perspective, he has been a full part- end of that spectrum is that every June brings ner and mentor in the continual work of an ending and the inevitable change that helping Middlesex find its promise as a leader accompanies that closure. I rejoice in the new in secondary education and in making sure school we have every fall; and as we turn the that we do the very best work possible for our page each summer, I usually lament, at least students and their families. Pete’s patience, a bit, the passing of what has proven to be generosity, thoughtfulness, tenacity, and good. wisdom have been significant off-the-book This pring,s we face a changing-of-the assets for Middlesex during his tenure as guard as Board President Pete Olney ’66 hands Board president. As an English teacher, I the gavel to Steve Lari ’90. As I look back over cringe at the overuse of the platitude “count- Pete’s entire tenure on the Board, I see a leader less”; however, it is not possible to tally Pete’s whose Middlesex career—the one that began contributions on any score sheet. All I can long after his graduation—has taken every offer on behalf of the School are enormous possible shape of service to this school. Pete and heartfelt thanks. served as president of the Parents’ Committee As Pete graduates with the class of 2015, while his sons, Austin ’00 and Warwick ’00, Stephen Lari ’90 will assume leadership of Middlesex were students. His involvement on the Board the Board. We are thrilled that Stephen has Spring 2015 led to his work, with our wonderful late col- made room for this responsibility in his life; Head of School league Mary Ann Tynan, on the Strategic he has been a terrific member of our Alumni Kathleen Carroll Giles Directives the Board created after the centen- Association Board as well as chair of the Director of Development Heather Parker nial celebration—directives that greeted me finance and budget committee as a Middlesex Director of Advancement upon my arrival and set the early mandate of trustee. He brings a deep love of the School George Noble Editor “premier, small, boarding, national” that has and a sophisticated understanding of its Maria Lindberg guided much of our work for the past decade. strengths and its needs to his leadership; he Design As a leader, Pete is fearless in confront- is deeply invested in the School’s success in NonprofitDesign.com Photography ing (and leading others to confront) flaws the best ways. Having spent this past year Joel Haskell in infrastructure that threaten the stability working closely with Pete and with me, Stephen Robert D. Perachio Tony Rinaldo of the whole—whether those flaws are in the has already shown himself to be a fine leader. Letters to the Editor Letters to the School’s financial structure, physical plant, or So we will close the book on the 2014–15 editor are welcome and may be edited for clarity and space. Please send your governance structure. His scrutiny has been school year and open it next fall with renewed letters to Editor, Middlesex Bulletin, wide and probing, and he has committed excitement and special enthusiasm for the 1400 Lowell Road, Concord, MA 01742, or e-mail [email protected]. extensive time to strengthening this school. great things that lie ahead. Alumni News We welcome news from Pete has become an expert on pensions, con- alumni, parents, and friends of Middle- sex School. Please send your news and struction, finance, and bonds; an astute fund- labeled photographs to Alumni News, Middlesex School, 1400 Lowell Road, raiser and ambassador; and a risk manager Concord, MA 01742, or e-mail alumni@ mxschool.edu. Address Corrections Please notify us of your change of address. Write to Middlesex School, 1400 Lowell Road, Concord, MA 01742 or e-mail [email protected]. Parents of Alumni If this magazine is addressed to a son or daughter who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please advise us of his or her new address. Thank you! Contents Mission Statement Features 20 Being Present: Middlesex School is an independent, non-denominational, residential, Mindfulness at Middlesex college-preparatory school that, for With the leadership of Doug Worthen ’96, over 100 years, has been committed students and adults in the school community to excellence in the intellectual, are realizing the benefits of meditation in ethical, creative, and physical devel- reducing stress and improving performance. opment of young people. We honor the ideal, articulated by our founding 24 On Target Head Master, of “finding the promise” Mx2: The Campaign for Middlesex is going in every student, and we work strong, completing the Residential Life Challenge together in an atmosphere of mutual and making great progress with the Bass Family trust and shared responsibility to Challenge to Benefit the Arts. help students bring their talents to fruition as knowledgeable, capable, responsible, and moral citizens 28 Farm and Function of the world. As a community, we The renovation of the Paine Barn—and the respect the individual interests, construction of a small, adjacent building— strengths, and needs of each stu- have provided the Facilities and Operations dent. We also value the rich diversity Department with a new home on Lowell Road. of belief and experience each of us brings to the School. We expect that each student will bring his or her best efforts to the Departments shared endeavor of learning and that the School, through its faculty, 2 Life 360 will engage and encourage each The Final Hub Lecture; A Morehead-Cain student’s growth, happiness, Scholar; March Travels; Three Sisters; Promoting and well-being. We aspire for all Education and Interfaith Cooperation; The Middlesex students to develop Children’s Play; C-Art Collaboration; Painting personal integrity, intellectual Machine; Coach Lang Enters Hall of Fame; vitality and discipline, and respect A New Speaker Series; Taking on Leadership for themselves and for others. We expect each student to engage energetically and cooperatively in 12 Middlesex People the life of the School, and we seek Trustee Transitions for Pete Olney ’66 and to inspire in all students the desire Stephen Lari ’90; Patrick Callahan ’97 Discusses to seek understanding of them- Diversity; Ryan Melia ’07 and PigPen Perform; selves and the larger world, both A Classical Cooper Concert now and in their futures. 16 Team Highlights Standout Seasons for Boys’ X-C and Soccer; On the Cover Alpine Skiing and Wrestling Set Records The Terry Room in Eliot Hall, photographed by Stephen Grant. 32 Upcoming Middlesex Events 33 Alumni Notes and News Class Notes; In Memoriam 48 Back Story Time Travel MIDDLESEX SPRING 2015 1 360° Life on the Circle become an astrophysicist, educator, writer, and social entrepreneur. Beginnings “From a young age,” Dr. Lightman began, “my passions were divided between science and art, and I have been fortunate to make a life in both.” Mesmerized by the sound and meaning of words, he wrote poems in child- hood and was amazed that intense emotions could be evoked by “black marks on a white page.” At the same time, he loved to build things and avidly conducted his own experi- ments. “When these projects went awry,” he continued, “I found fulfillment in mathe- matics.” He loved geometry, the abstraction of algebra, and solving for X through a logical process that would lead to an answer “as crisp and clean as a new $20 bill.” Dr. Lightman’s love of language was evident even as he described his passion for Established as a respected quantitative pursuits. Yet, he remembers astrophysicist and professor “The Hub” Ends on at MIT, a bestselling author, and deciding to delay his writing ambitions until an active social entrepreneur, Inspirational Note he was established as a scientist—a theorist Dr. Lightman had much to at that, given his many incendiary, failed discuss with students after For nearly a decade, an engaging lecture experiments. his talk. series known as “The Hub at Middlesex” brought intellectual luminaries from a variety Creative Breakthroughs of academic disciplines to campus, taking After graduating from Princeton, Dr. Lightman advantage of the School’s proximity to Boston relished his “first love affair” with original and its many distinguished institutions of research at Cal Tech—an exciting place and education and research. In addition to the time to be studying black holes. Having been inaugural address by former Poet Laureate given a thorny question to resolve, he strug- Robert Pinsky, talks were given by 21 other gled and considered quitting physics entirely. eminent guests, from Pulitzer Prize winners Then one morning, he suddenly viewed the like biologist E.O. Wilson and author Junot problem from a different perspective and Díaz, to McArthur Fellowship recipients like discovered a solution during “a creative, biochemist Angela Belcher and astronomer beautiful moment when I was alone with Sara Seager, to Nobel Prize winners like this problem.” physicist Frank Wilczek and economist He observed, “I have had the same Peter Diamond. sensation many times when I am having an in- On November 3, the series’ culminating sight about a character I am trying to create. lecture was appropriately delivered by its The sensation of creativity is the same for all founder, Dr.