2015 Fall Hillside

The HillsideS o u t h K e n t S c h o o l M a g a z i n e | F a l l 2 0 1 5

The Hillside2015

Volume LII Number 1

Welcome to this latest addition of The Hillside. Here you will find articles about the School’s growing appeal to siblings, cousins, and grandchildren of current and

former students (a category we call “legacies”), the ever widening reach of the moral teachings of South Kent (particularly through the recent work of Zhen Lin ’12), and a well-deserved “Thank You” to Kai Chin ’67 for his tireless efforts on our collective behalf.

As I write this the weather is crisp and beautiful on the hillside. The branches are bare and their fallen leaves have already been cleared from the ground by Bruce Carlson and the rest of our dedicated maintenance crew. The library ground floor went through renovations earlier this fall. New classroom furniture was installed on the second floor of the Schoolhouse. The next new building at The Center for Innovation is in the beginning planning phase. All-in-all, things are moving forward in good order.

Mentioning all the campus improvement projects completed and underway brings to mind Alumni Weekend 2015, when so many folks commented to me on how beautiful and vibrant the School looked and felt to them on their return to the Hillside after many years away. This is gratifying to those of us who labor here year-in-and-year-out. It is important to us to be reminded how meaningful this school is in the lives of so many people, young and old. Listening as I did to the reminiscences from the Class of 1965, I was struck anew how the lessons learned here so long ago really did shape later lives. Especially interesting was to see and feel how truly important it was for those class members to have received the guidance and structure provided by so many caring adults, many of whom have now passed on. The Class of ’65 reminded me how important the work is that we who are here now are doing for future generations. The beat goes on.

In closing, I hope you will find a way to interact with South Kent at some point during the 2015-2016 academic year. Maybe it will be by attending an athletic contest near your area. Given the level of play and grand schedules of the soccer, hockey, and basketball teams, there is a good chance that if you live east of the Rockies, a South Kent team may be playing in your area. Also, we will be doing many alumni gatherings in various cities, so please keep an eye out for us visiting near you.

Regards,

Andrew J. [email protected]

Editor:Thomas JaveryCommunications Coordinator

Head Writer:Sarah PfefferCommunications Coordinator

Copy Editor:Mary Flemming Brown

Contributors:Carol-Ann BruenCheryl MooreFrank Esposito

Send address changes to: South Kent School 40 Bulls Bridge Road South Kent, CT 06785-1199 (860) 927-3539 x206email: [email protected]

South Kent School adheres to a long-standing policy of admitting students of any race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, and national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and other school-administered programs.

Mission StatementSouth Kent School is an independent, college preparatory school for boys. Since its founding, South Kent has maintained ties with the Episcopal Church. Three principles define the school: Simplicity of Life, Self-Reliance, and Directness of Purpose.

We offer, by living simply, an uncluttered environment for lively and rigorous learning.

We encourage our students to become self-reliant in order to develop competence and self-esteem.

We value directness of purpose: we want each student to welcome the challenge to focus his energies, to set goals, and to work to meet them.

South Kent School fosters these principles in a community, small in numbers, that provides a safe and supportive family structure. We embrace diversity and cherish honesty, courtesy, and compassion. In this energizing atmosphere, we provide leadership opportunities that develop a student’s sense of responsibility and service. We nurture in our students, regardless of belief or religious affiliation, a thoughtful engagement with spirituality.

• • • • •

Visit South Kent School’s website at

www.southkentschool.org

Printed on recycled paper

Head of School’s Report

Eyes on the Past –Vision for the Future

“Going to South Kent has really made me closer to my uncle and to my grandfather in that we now have so much more to talk about, ... they’ve even told me stories of how they used to have to sneak out in the middle of the night to meet the pizza delivery

man at a secret location.”see page 8

Volume LII, Number 1Fall 2015 The Hillside

8 24 284

inside

FRONT&CENTER

2 Missives

4 Prize Day

6 Committed to Excellence

8 SKS Legacy

12 Winter and Spring Athletics

28 Class Notes

32 On the Road

34 Alumni Games

36 Alumni Weekend

40 In Memoriam

Treasured Memories 22

Kai Chin ’67 reminisces on how his time at South Kent School totally changed his life and set him on his

path to success.

Here and Back Again24

Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy ’04 tells us of his journey to the top of the

world of tattooing.

ALUMNI

Dear Hillside,Enjoyed your piece “Dedication Ceremony

for the Admiral James and Sybil Stockdale Arena”. Very well done! I would asume that you’ve already received some mail regarding your identification of the naval officers in the photograph on page 4. The person you’ve identified as “Lieutenant Commander Kathleen Brady Lindenmayer ’79” may, in fact, be that person, but the stripes on her dress blues indicate she holds the rank of Captain. Not a significant error, by any means. But given the outstanding nature of the article as a whole, thought you would want to be aware.

I just retired after 40 years as a teacher, some of that time (a very short time) spent at SKS (winter 1971 to winter 1973). Sid Stockdale was a student in my English class. The one singular event that I was so fortunate to be part of, and represents, I think, what much of SKS is all about, occurred early in 1973 on the day we learned the first round of just-released POWs from North Vietnam were to land at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. On that evening, a small group of students, Sid among them, gathered in my apartment in what was then called the New Building, for no particular reason, I think, other than just to be with Sid. There was a variety of conversation, about a variety of subjects. It was the sense of understated, yet understood, rather matter-of-fact, undemonstrative, but sincere camaraderie that struck me the most. During that same time, one student, on his own volition, ran over to the chapel and rang the bell. I do not recall the reaction of the rest of the school to all this, but that episode is one that has served as more than just a fond memory for me. That was the SKS I knew, and I am privileged to have experienced this very small slice of it with Sid and that group of students gathered that evening.

Henry Milton, Teacher 1971-73

Editor’s Note: You are correct; we mistakenly listed Captain Kathleen Brady Lindenmayer as a Lieutenant Commander. Thank you for catching that, Henry. Our apologies to Captain Lindenmayer.

For digital back issues or to view The Hillside online, visit: www.southkentschool.org/magazine

inschoolMissives

Dear Hillside,I wrote the poem “the Big Boys” from the

Winter 2014-15 publication, and I am not Richard R. Cuyler ’48, although my name is exactly the same as his (and that’s another story). I am the son of Richard M. Cuyler, one of your founders who coached the First Team Hockey from the start of the school until the end of the 1940’s. I never attended South Kent but graduated from Westminster in 1954. And just in case some graduates may wonder, the names I use in the poem refer to some real students while others are made up, and they were all never on the same squad.

Dick Cuyler

Dear Hillside,Just received my copy of the winter Hillside

booklet. It’s a great piece of work! It was most interesting and really gave me a much better idea of what is going on in Pigtail these days.

Things have certainly changed, and would appear to be much for the better. A great looking group of young men in the class picture...I particularly like the ties, coats and haircuts!

You should be very proud of the school....a great job still in progress.

It’s hard to believe my classmates and I were heading toward graduating there some 67 years ago. The only sad part of the Hillside was the four deaths I had not known about.

Dick Crittenden was head prefect my first year, and he went to Yale after the army and we both graduated from there in 1952.

Robert Adams was the floor prefect on the 2nd floor of the Schoolhouse when I was first there in 1945. He was a first-class person and had a wonderful southern accent that reverberated through the halls. Never knew him well, but nice to be around.

Henrik Bull was my advisor and mentor when I first came in Sept. 1945. He was a good friend, very bright, a terrific skier and all-around nice guy. I saw him a couple of times out in San Fran in the sixties. He became a world class architect.

Bob Oakley was a good friend, and we stayed close for quite a while after SKS. We

To Reach Us...

Editor’s Note: We welcome any correspondence that you might be willing to share with us. Please email letters to the editor to:

[email protected]

You can also send mail to: Hillside Letters, South Kent School

40 Bulls Bridge Road, South Kent, CT 06785

All letters may be edited for content. Letters received by The Hillside will be considered for publication unless otherwise stipulated by the sender.

2 • The Hillside Fall 2015

To keep up-to-date with everything happening with the School, visit:www.southkentschool.org

roomed together on the second floor of the New Building during junior year. He was a fine football player, tireless hockey manager and a fine oarsman...and a great roommate and friend. We saw each during college and then he went through Navy OCS four months ahead of me; we crossed paths in Washington in 1953 and then he was off to Japan and I at sea duty for 3 years. We didn’t cross paths again until the mid-sixties in Saigon; he was in the embassy, I worked for a shipping line. Thereafter, not often, finally a couple of times in DC and up at SKS. He was a major league person with a great career, and I wish I has seen him more often in the later years.

So time passes on, and people with it. We are staying pretty close to home down here in Davidson; it is still good fun with good people. Trust you saw we took the A10 title this year.....we can always use a great 3 point shooter with 1400 boards. It is a great experience!Best personal regards,

Peter Murphy ’48

Dear Hillside,On the cover of the Winter 2014-2015

issue I noted a few problems that I hope can be fixed, at least on the dedication panels of the Stockdale Arena. A four-line quotation is attributed to Epitetus. Sorry: it’s Epictetus. But that’s not all. This apparent quotation is actually a conflation of passages from three distinct texts, one of which is probably not by Epictetus.

The first is from Epictetus (Discourses 4.12.12). The translation is fine, although something like “God has made me be one with myself ” might be a bit easier to understand than “God has entrusted me with myself.”

W. A. Oldfather, the editor of the Loeb Classical Library edition of Epictetus, relegates the second quotation to a section of dubious and spurious fragments. Stobaeus attributes this fragment to Pythagoras.

An accurate and idiomatic version of the last quotation might be: “Whoever wishes to be free should not desire or avoid anything

that depends on others.” This translation is by Prof. Christian Wildberg of the Princeton Department of Classics, whom I consulted on this particular text of Epictetus, which is from the Enchiridion, 14.2. Wildberg notes that to translate it as “a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things” is wrong linguistically and also in point of doctrine. He adds, “Freedom does not come from ‘depending as little as possible’ on external circumstances beyond one’s control; one has to emancipate oneself entirely from them.”

It might have been good to indicate the ellipsis of “but if he does, he is necessarily a slave,” as the passage goes on to say, by putting . . . . at the end of the quotation.

Thank goodness the last quotation on the dedication panel doesn’t begin with “The essence of philosophy is that . . . ”, as it often does in books of quotations. Yours sincerely,

John Logan ’62

The HillsideS o u t h K e n t S c h o o l M a g a z i n e | W i n te r 2 0 1 4 - 2 0 1 5

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Fall 2015 The Hillside • 3

Congratulations, Class of 2015! Prize Day Awards

Headmaster’s Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grayson William Tobin Makris and Abel Mickey WatsonJames S. Johnson Memorial Trophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joshua Stephan Boyko and Max McKinley EnisGeorge and Maggie Bartlett Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew James CreamerSSB Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sergey GoldobinMary Flemming Brown and Arthur Wood Brown Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ahmed Sanqer Al AmeriPaul and Terese Abbott Cup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aaron Wesley Carver and Christopher David WrightWilliam P. Gillette ’29 Trophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abel Mickey WatsonJohn C. Farr ’58 Trophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tyler Pearse HoadleyBartlett English Prize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tyler Pearse Hoadley Excellence in Creativity, Arts and Drama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lizheng Ge Language Prize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tyler Pearse HoadleyHumanities Prize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher David Wright Glennon Creative Writing Prize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sergey Goldobin George D. Knopf Science Prize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sergey Goldobin Mathematics Prize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Cipollone, Jovan Grujic, and Tyler Pearse Hoadley Most Improved Student in Mathematics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jameson Exil Art Prize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abel Mickey Watson Music Prize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lizheng Ge Scholastic Improvement Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew James Creamer Academic Leader of the Sixth Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sergey Goldobin Distinguished Service Award in Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taek Gi Lee Top Post Graduate Student in Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chao XuCall to Service All-Stars . . . . . Joshua Boyko, Benjamin Brady, Bryant Carbone, Sergey Goldobin, Jovan Grujic and Alexander Taliadouros Call to Adventure Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Benjamin Brady Call to Explore Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher David Wright

South Kent’s Class of 2015


PRIZE DAY 2015


Committed to Excellence

If you were told about a program that is one of the top in the country for college recruits in the USA Hockey U16 and

U18 League, you would likely imagine a huge, longstanding organization that has been churning out star athletes for many years. While the longstanding part is certainly true, South Kent School is anything but large.

Founded in 1923, South Kent is an independent, college preparatory school for boys in grades 9-12, with an option for a postgraduate year. The campus is home to around 180 boys, with an 85% boarding rate.

Ice hockey is an integral part of South Kent School. Whether boys are out on the frozen pond during winter months or hitting the ice in the brand new, state-of-the-art Admiral James and Sybil Stockdale Arena, all are welcome to participate in this wonderful hockey tradition. But, with the addition of three teams (U16 American, U16 National and U18 National), and two consecutive appearances from two of these teams in the USA Hockey National Tournament (U16N and U18 reached the Elite 8 this year), it’s hard to believe the Selects Academy at South Kent School only had its start four years ago.

This academic year, the tally of college commitments is up to 15 (14 Division I and

1 Division III). South Kent has recently graduated such names as Shayne Gostisbehere ’11 (2014 NCAA Hockey Champion from Union College, Philadelphia Flyer Third Round Pick) and Anthony Florentino ’13 (2015 NCAA Hockey Champion from Providence College, Buffalo Sabres Fifth Round Draft Pick). After winning the championship, Florentino said of the School: “I also need to thank South Kent for opening a door in my life and allowing me to find Providence as a home. I cannot describe this feeling I have, but I am very grateful to be a part of this program. This team is a group of guys that made it happen as one and as a family.”

“We’ve become a focal point in the hockey community. Kids are looking from all over the world at our program,” Selects Academy at South Kent U18 Associate Head Coach Scott Gainey said. The diversity and skill-level was an adjustment for Sacred Heart University commit Austin McIlmurray ’15. “Coming in, I didn’t realize how great everyone else would be. It taught me how to work hard to prove myself and move up the line.”

With the School’s strong focus on excellence for boys - both in the classroom and in athletic endeavors - the Selects

Academy at South Kent program has brought this concept to the elite level. With a one-to-one iPad program securely in place and a 99% e-textbook adoption rate, South Kent students have access to their studies wherever they go. On-campus teachers are readily available for help outside of regular class hours. This has worked particularly well for the bright, talented student-athletes that have flocked to South Kent’s campus. Many of these student-athletes have earned academic awards at the closing of the school year.

“In Virginia, the hockey and school weren’t together,” Cornell University commit Alexandre Limoges ’16 said. “If I was doing well in hockey, my academics would drop, and the other way around. One of the major reasons I came here was because hockey and school were combined. With easy accessibility to my courses, I can ask teachers (since we are so close with them) what the work is, and I never fall behind.” SUNY Plattsburgh commit Evan Lindquist ’15 agreed: “Having the iPad, iTunesU [classroom portal], and coaches who took your academics seriously, made a huge difference for me. Being in the same school as people on your team helped; I could call and ask if they wanted to do the math homework, and we could work on it together.”

inschoolCollege Update


This is where the uniqueness comes in: most opponents come from teams made up of students from a variety of schools, or are “split season.” The idea of a unified school community dedicated to a top level education and offering Tier I youth hockey is a rare one. Many believe this unity to be also part of the program’s recipe for success. “The combination of private school education and full time elite level hockey has been a success,” Director of Selects Academy at South Kent School Devin Rask said. “It does not force the families to sacrifice one to the other. Everything they need is right here on campus: classroom buildings, dorms, cafeteria and brand new rink with weight room, all within in a few minutes’ walk.”

Many of South Kent’s committed student-athletes echoed these sentiments. “I have been able to work on my game year-round with the coaching staff, developing my skills to be ready for the next level. The boarding school environment prepared me because it is similar to college, but on a smaller scale.” University of New Hampshire (UNH) commit Joseph Cipollone ’15 said. University of Alaska Anchorage commit Aaron McPheters ’15 feels the same way about living at the school. “Living so far away from home

helped because I never had to live on my own before I came here.” In Stockdale Arena, athletes can practice throughout the entirety of the academic year. Quinnipiac University commit Matthew Creamer ’15 (and 2014-2015 Sacristan and Prefect) added, “Here, I can play hockey almost year-round. I can focus on my skills, gaining weight, getting better in the gym. The ice is open from 9am to noon weekdays, and I can go down whenever I have a free period.” University of Notre Dame commit Andrew Peeke ’15 (who also represented the U.S. on the U17 National team last summer) mentioned his use of the top-notch facilities. “Here, I was able to keep up with my academics, I had the coaches’ attention, and the weight room helped me to stay prepared.”

Selects Academy at South Kent School brings the rare combination of a training ground and a small, intimate community for aspiring young athletes. Simply stated by Colorado College commit Connor Sundquist ’15: “South Kent taught me how to take advantage of the great opportunities it provides.”

One of the major reasons I came here was because hockey and school were combined. With easy accessibility to my courses, I can ask teachers (since we are so close with them) what the work is, and I never fall behind.

Left to Right: Carter Long, Ben Pirko, Matt Allen, Evan Lindquist, Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup, Joel Farabee, Emilio Petterson, Joseph Cipollone, Austin McIlmurray, Aaron McPheters, Connor Sundquist, Alex Limoges, Matt Creamer, Andrew Peeke and Alexis Binner


SKS

insuccessionSouth Kent Family

LEG CY

1923

When a boy arrives at South Kent School, he is quickly bonded to his peers through a collective experience. He is nervous

about being in a new place; he is learning new rituals and traditions; he is adjusting to a new schedule; he is away from his familiar surroundings of home; he meets others from all over the globe; he hears new perspectives. This, along with many more factors that make up the “South Kent experience,” create what is often spoken of fondly as the “brotherhood.”

Now, imagine taking that one step further: you are the student, and you have a family member - whether older or younger - who understands the same experience. This is a South Kent legacy.

More than ever, South Kent is bringing in an influx of “legacy” students. A legacy is defined by two relatives who both are attending/have attended the School. For this issue of The Hillside, we interviewed several current students and their relatives who are SKS graduates, and asked them to talk about their connected journeys.


Stanford “Ford” Stratton ’17, grandson of Ambassador William Farish IV ’58 and nephew of William S. Farish III

’83, has found comfort both in the South Kent community and in his family this year. “My experience of being here has been better than I could have ever imagined. At my old school if I had to go home to visit my mom, even if I had just missed a day or two, I would have been behind on my work for about three weeks, but here they were way more under-standing,” Ford explained. “It really allowed me to be able to see my mom and be with her a lot more before she passed away. I don’t have a single doubt in my mind that coming to South Kent was not only the best thing for me, but it quite possibly could have been the best decision that I have ever made.” Ford added that being at South Kent actually helps him to stay in touch with loved ones. “It really helps me because I am able to keep in contact a lot more with my family here than I proba-bly would be if I was at home. Going to South Kent has really made me closer to my uncle and to my grandfather in that we now have so much more to talk about, such as how the school is looking, or how cold it gets in the winter; they’ve even told me stories of how

they used to have to sneak out in the middle of the night to meet the pizza delivery man at a secret location because they weren’t allowed to order pizza to campus.”

Although he is part of a legacy family, Head Prefect and Headmaster’s Cup winner Gray-son Makris ’15 came to South Kent because of a friend. He was set to go to Kent School when his best friend, Head Prefect and Head-master’s Cup winner William “Billy” Hoadley ’14, asked him to come to the South Kent School open house. Makris’ aunt, Elizabeth Tobin ’79, attended South Kent during the short time that it was co-ed. Still, even with a family connection, it was not until he spent a day at South Kent and “met a lot of cool people on campus, saw the close friendships and the friendly faculty,” that he knew he had to be part of it.

Hoadley, a legacy himself (cousin to Toby H. Kempe ’72, Harold H. Kempe ’78 and Toby N. Kempe ’01), took his influence be-yond friends and to family as well. His young-er brother, Tyler Hoadley ’15, learned about the School because Billy was a year ahead him, and “would come home and tell me all about SKS,” he explained. Tyler felt his over-all experience in the end was even better than

expected. In his Sixth Form year, he earned the John C. Farr ’58 Trophy for his dedication, hard work and sportsmanship as a student-athlete (in this case, on and off the Prep Soc-cer field). Fittingly, an annual student-athlete award was named after him as well: the Ty-ler Hoadley Most Improved Player Award. Another Hoadley brother, Simplicity of Life underform award winner Clay Hoadley ’18, began at South Kent last fall. “I think what drew me most to South Kent were the stories I heard from my brothers. They both empha-sized the small community and the friendly people,” Clay said. As part of a legacy fam-ily, there are advantages, but also pressures. “I felt I had high expectations to meet and I was afraid I would not be able to maintain such a hard burden. I have since realized that no one can do what my brothers have done, and I will make my own impact in the school.” The Hoadleys aren’t the only siblings who have graced the campus, though.

Retired Navy Captain Kathleen Linden-mayer ’79, was the first in her family to at-tend South Kent School. “My family knew several of the faculty from the town of Kent (I am a townie). Girls had been invited to attend a few years earlier, and they recom-

Ben and his father Kevin BradyBrothers Jacob, Billy, Austin, Tyler and Clay Hoadley


mended my sister Maureen ’83 and I con-sider the opportunity to blaze more trails,” she said. Capt. Lindenmayer’s brother, Kevin Brady ’82, started at the School a short few years later. “My sister was already attending South Kent when I entered. At that time, I got to board even though I lived 5 minutes away. It was the best of both worlds: being on campus most the week but having home-cooked meals on the weekend,” he said. After noting that while many things have changed, the principles have remained the same, Brady expressed his feelings about being part of a legacy family. “I’m proud that my son and I share the alumni SKS status.” Brady’s son is recent graduate, Benjamin Brady ’15. Unlike previously discussed legacies, Ben felt certain he wanted to attend South Kent before mak-ing his final decision. “South Kent was at the top of my list, looking at schools: I knew I didn’t want to go to public school, and also the legacy of my father and two aunts was important to me,” he explained. His family connections also helped him during difficult times. “I always had someone to turn to. I knew that they had gone through the same things and would always be able to help me.”

Similar to his classmate Ben, William

“Billy” Horton ’16 learned about South Kent from his father, Scott Horton ’80. Billy vis-ited campus as early as age six when he was shown his father’s favorite spots including his old dorm rooms. Like many others, though, Billy felt his experience as a South Kent stu-dent was better than he could have expected. “As a kid, I always thought boarding schools were like military schools. But work and free time is equally balanced here.” His father told Billy all about the potato farm that students used to work on, and “Potato Wars,” a game in which peers would throw rotten potatoes at each other. While “Potato Wars” no lon-ger exist, the Fifth Form takes part in “SKS Wars” – a paintball fight which re-enacts fa-mous battles in American History. Addition-ally, Billy pointed out, “Although we don’t have the potato farm, we have the Center for Innovation.” The CFI (built on the old Arno Farm adjacent to the main campus) is a pro-gram that teaches students sustainability, re-silience, and wholeness through the spheres of Sustainable Earth, Sustainable Design, and Sustainable Community. And believe it or not, potatoes will be growing there again soon.

Legacy siblings are Peter Curry ’17 and

older brother Private Patrick Curry ’14 of the U.S. Marine Corps, who both arrived on the Hillside with their mother, Director of Stu-dent Activities Cruz Zoeller. Upon becom-ing a student at South Kent, Peter was sur-prised by the accepting nature of the students and faculty. “What keeps me here are all the bonds and friendships I have created with my fellow students. They truly feel special in comparison to the friendships I developed in the past,” he said. “Before coming here, I was scared for how I would be treated; however, I realized that people did not care what you were, as long as you were a good person to be around.” Peter also has been able to lean on his older brother for support. “Pat has been through SKS, and when I have been down or needed help I have always decided to call him,” he recalls. “When I do this, he is always excellent at telling me how things are and to just look toward the long term. He’s truly in-spiring to me.”

Another set of brothers whose time at South Kent overlapped are Avery Steele ’15 and Sacristan Prefect William Steele ’16, who were both recruited for the Selects Academy at South Kent School hockey program. “As soon as I toured South Kent, I could see the close

South Kent Family

Brothers Giovanni and Andre Riello with their father. Calvin Frost with grandson John RevenaughBrothers Pat and Peter Curry


Terry Ayebare ’16Tevin Ayebare ’14 (Brother)

Detre Bell ’16Tahj Bell ’10 (Brother)Shakhai Trott ’13 (Cousin)Shaquille Trott ’11 (Cousin)

Benjamin Brady ’15Maureen Goldman ’83 (Aunt)Kevin Brady ’82 (Father)Capt. Kathleen Lindenmayer ’79 (Aunt)

Kevin Cafeo ’19Kyle Cafeo ’17

Paul-Andre Coulibaly ’18Abdoulaye Coulibaly ’14 (Brother)

Peter Curry ’17Patrick Curry ’14 (Brother)

Jacob Hoadley ’19Clay Hoadley ’18Tyler Hoadley ’15 Billy Hoadley ’14 (Brother)Toby N. Kempe ’01 (Cousin) No PhotoHarold H. Kempe ’78 (Cousin)Toby H. Kempe ’72 (Cousin)

William Horton ’16Scott Horton ’80 (Father)

Zihao Lin ’18Zhen Lin ’12 (Brother)

Colton Loomis ’16Cameron Loomis ’13 (Brother) William R. Cantus ’80 (Cousin)J.Reeve Cantus ’57 (Cousin)H.Hollister Cantus ’55 (Cousin)

Grayson Makris ’15Elizabeth Tobin ’79 (Aunt)

John Revenaugh ’17Calvin Frost ’59 (Grandfather)

Andre P. Riello ’15Giovanni Riello ’13 (Brother)

Nicholas Scott ’17Joseph A. Scott IV ’76 (Father)Joseph A. Scott III ’50 (Grandfather)

Haocheng Shi ’15Richard Coles ’81 (Uncle)

Avery Steele ’15William Steele ’16 (Brother)

Stanford Stratton ’17William S. Farish III ’83 (Uncle)William Farish IV ’58 (Grandfather)

Corson Sundquist ’17Connor Sundquist ’15 (Brother)

Kyoung Hoon Kim ’19Tae Hoon Kim ’12 (Brother)

LegaciesFamily connections of students who attended SKS during the 2014-2015 school year. Photos in the bands are in the order of the following list.

community. My tour guide, Chase Priskie ’14, knew everyone’s name no matter age or race, and that stood out to me the most,” Will said. Besides their South Kent “brothers,” be-ing with family at school was helpful for both boys. “If I ever needed help, I could always ask Avery to lend a hand,” Will said. “Whether that was getting a package I needed or even if I was having trouble in the classroom, it was always comforting knowing I could have my brother to help.” Avery agreed and also dis-cussed having his parents close in proximity (Vermont). “We were able to still have family time together since my parents came often to the School and watched our games,” Avery said. Of his two years at the School, he said, “I’ll have friendships that will last forever.”

Connor Sundquist ’15 and Corson Sun-dquist ’17 both came to South Kent to be part of Selects Academy at South Kent School. Although he is the older, and he was “usu-ally the one telling stories,” Connor did find comfort in having his younger brother with him at school. “It’s always nice to have fam-ily on campus while you are away from home. He’s always there to talk to and help.” Aside from the personal and athletic advantages, the excellent academics were a plus for Connor.

“I was a big fan of the smaller classrooms and the ability to pay attention more easily.”

Finally, a grandfather and grandson shared their own South Kent School memories with us. For John (“Jack”) Revenaugh ’17, whose grandfather, Calvin Frost ’59, also spent his formative years on the Hillside, the thought of attending South Kent was a little bit scary. “I knew this was where my grandpa went and that it was an all-boys school with a lot of dis-cipline,” Revenaugh said. “He told me that if they missed breakfast, they would have to run from the chapel to the crew dock in a certain amount of time.” While this particular prac-tice may no longer be intact, the things that brought his grandfather to the Hillside re-main the same. “When we visited, it just felt right,” he explained. Upon arriving, Jack “...didn’t know what to expect. It’s a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun; you meet great friends and make connections.” His hard work paid off: he was awarded the Top Student in Fourth Form English at the completion of the aca-demic year. Even Frost, who is now Chairman at Channeled Resources Group, was hesitant to attend. It was his “parents’ insistence” that brought him to the School. “I don’t think I had much choice in the matter,” he said,

laughing. Still, after a difficult adjustment to the academics in his first year, he began to adapt. “I attribute my success, my change in focus, my commitment to discipline and or-ganization to South Kent. I am forever grate-ful that the school and their wonderful team of teachers stayed the course and gave me the opportunity to mature and find my way,” Frost said. “We seek permanence, rocks in our life that don’t change. The rock for me and now Jack is South Kent and the principles of the school: simplicity, self reliance, and direc-tion of purpose.”

Brothers Colton and Cameron Loomis


CARDINALS

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Tennis

Basketball Golf

Crew


JV BasketballThe JV Basketball Program had a long

season of practices and games but ended on a good note.

Our primary goal for the JV basketball program was to get in as much scrimmage time at practice as possible and play everybody on the bench when it comes to game time. I do have to say, the games that we played brought out the best in all of the players throughout the season. Plus, the 20 players on the team brought out the best in me as a coach. We had kids from all over the world on the team.

There were two games, in particular, which stood out: in the middle of the season, we lost a very close game in overtime against Christian Heritage School. It was tied in overtime, but a player on the CH team scored a game winner as the clock ran out. Boy, that’s one game we won’t forget. To end the season, we won a game against Harvey School on OUR court, a team we lost to at the beginning of the season. A huge victory for us. We celebrated in the locker room after the game.

Two awards were given: Most Improved and Coaches’ Award. Basically, all of the players

improved in the program, but there was one player who stood out and that’s Young Woon Cho. The Coaches’ Award went to the two players I could always count on, and that was Hansen Ding and Tyejae Burchall.

As I said in the beginning ... we had a long season, but we kept our focus and drive to finish the season on a good note. We cared about how we played in each and every game, win or loss. As a result, we finished stronger than how we started. Mission accomplished.

Submitted by Coach John Funk

VarsityBasketballOur 2014-15 seasons started off with the

appearance of a very challenging year, and ended up as one of the most rewarding in my eight years coaching at South Kent. Let me expand on the rewarding point. All eight years have been rewarding, with a few years ending in championship seasons, others in runner-up to the champions. Every year it has been a privilege to coach at South Kent School. The challenging part is to coach a predominately new group of players to come

together and play basketball as a team. From day one, I knew this season was going

to be a unique season. We headed into the season with only

1-2 players with any recent organized basketball experience. The balance of the team comprised highly athletic soccer players, most with zero organized basketball experience. The challenge was to form these players into a basketball team. We started our season just after the Thanksgiving break and went 1-3 prior to the Christmas break, and the rewarding part started to take place. We competed well against everyone, and you could see they were starting to work together, performing offensive plays together, defending, and most important, the coaching staff could see that they were becoming a basketball team.

The remainder of the season we went 5-6, ending the season with a 6-9 record and winning a first round play-off game. We competed with everyone; even though some teams had more skilled basketball players, we had as much if not more athletic ability. We lost four games by 4 points or fewer, in very hard-fought games.

At the end of every season, the coaches of our league vote for All-Stars of our league. I am proud to say they voted for Chris Watts and Lazar Pavicevic as second team All-Stars. Congratulations to both. I also give out awards at the end of the season understanding that basketball is a team sport, and every player contributed to our success as a team. Everyone’s effort is greatly appreciated.

Chris Watts – MVPTahzeiko Harris – Most ImprovedAlexi Taliadouros – Coaches AwardLazar Pavicevic – Coaches AwardAs I say every year, it’s fun to win

championships, but if we as coaches do not get players to understand how to represent themselves on and off the court, we are remiss in our most important responsibility to our

Left to Right: Hansen Ding crosses over a Forman defender on his way to the basket; Chris Watts takes a free throw in the first half against Chase


student athletes. This team was extremely respectful of each other and their opponents, and represented South Kent School very well.

Challenging / Unique / Rewarding - great season, South Kent Varsity Basketball!!!

Submitted by Coach Gary Benz

Prep BasketballThe 2014-2015 Prep basketball season

started with a lot of promise. The team had depth and talent and size. And although the season concluded with an invite to the prestigious National Prep Championship tournament (which showcases the top ten teams in the country) and 19 wins, one can only wonder what could have been if the team had been healthy the entire year.

The injuries, which included cartilage in the knee, torn ligaments in the thumb, ankle injuries and thigh contusions, gave others the opportunity to step up when we needed them the most. Travis Atson, who came off the bench early in the season, took on a starting role and increased his offensive production when KJ Santos went down with a torn ligament in his thumb. Others who stepped up during the season included Shunto Murakami and Ryan Sweeney in the backcourt, and Jovan Grujic and Chris Wright in the frontcourt.

The team was led by fourth form sensation Tremont Waters. Waters led the team in scoring (22.34 PPG) and assists (5.34 APG). Waters was the guy that made the team go, but he had plenty of help. Aaron Carver seemed to be the team’s “Mr. Everything.” Carver led the team in rebounds (9.17 RPG), played multiple positions and always seemed to come up with the big play. Carver will play at Old Dominion University next year.

In the frontcourt, 7’2” Tyler Jackson was slowed early in the season with an injury. Fortunately, 7’0” Jovan Grujic and 6’9” Chris Wright were able to man the ship until Jackson’s return. Grujic, who will attend Stephen F. Austin in the fall, and Wright were assigned to protect the paint and guard the opponents’ biggest and strongest players. They did all of the dirty work and did it well.

The addition of Jackson in December gave the team another low post scorer with size. Jackson came on like gangbusters, averaging a double-double in points and rebounds the second half of the season. Jackson will attend UC-Santa Barbara in the fall.

This season the team had some major accomplishments. They remained a top ten team in the country for the entire year. For the second year in a row they were invited to the National Prep Championship tournament. Waters reached the 1,000 point mark in only his fourth form year. The most important stat this year is that the team attained its highest GPA in over seven years.

The 2014-2015 South Kent Prep Basketball team joins a list of other Cardinal teams to finish as one of the country’s top ten teams this year. Along with soccer, hockey and baseball, South Kent has a history of athletic success. Despite all of the setbacks the Prep Basketball team encountered this season, they persevered and had another superior year.

Submitted by Coach Kelvin Jefferson

Varsity Hockey Faced with a long season ahead of us, we

prepared ourselves for a competitive and extremely difficult year. Young and very inexperienced, the South Kent varsity hockey team had a profuse amount of work to put in in order to be successful. After a week of practice, we traveled to the Gunnery to play Shepaug High School. After a long game, Shepaug came out on top, beating us with a whopping score of 6-0. This game determined the mindset for all of our veteran players on the team and showed all the new guys just how hard it was going to be.

Over the next few weeks of the season, we worked hard in practice, developing the basics for all of our new players, and working hard to improve the overall strength of the team. We would later play Shepaug at the new Stockdale Arena; this game would be the first game ever played in the new rink. The odds were against us; many did not believe in us and felt bad that “the first game in the new arena would result in a loss.” After three periods and the final buzzer, the South Kent varsity hockey team came out on top with a 3-1 win against Shepaug. This was the first

Winter and Spring Athletics


game and first win in the new arena, a day that would go in the history books here on the Hillside. For us veterans, this was the most proud day of our high school career here at South Kent.

The team would go on to finish the season with 4 wins and 7 losses. The team lived up to the morals of what every South Kent hockey team lived up to that came before us. We are the Red Army, and we made that clear to every team that we faced this year. There was not a single minute that the team gave up or didn’t give it their all. We had players taking five minute shifts, sometimes seven. Everything was left on the ice every game we played. We are the Red Army and we showed every team we faced this year that giving up was never an option, whether the odds were against us or not.

Submitted by Coach Eric Soltys

U-16 AmericanThe Selects Academy at South Kent

School (SASKS) U16 American Team started the season just a few days into the school year with a trip to the Woodchuck Classic in Burlington, Vermont. We played the New Hampshire Monarchs in our first game on September 5th. We lost the game, but I felt we carried the play over the second half of the game and had the makings of a pretty good team. We ended up defeating the South Shore Kings and the CT Rangers in our next two games for a very good start to our season.

We traveled to Massachusetts the following weekend, winning all five games played to win the Boston Super Series. We received contributions from everyone while defeating Valley Forge,Team Maryland, NJ Jr Devils, Philadelphia Jr Flyers, and the Washington Little Caps. The very next weekend we competed in the Jr Bruins tournament in Marlboro, MA, winning two of three games. In October the team lost a tough game to the Rhode Island Hitmen. The last day of the tournament featured a rematch. Coach Pat Crowley was the acting Head Coach, and

the team played its best game of the season, soundly defeating the Hitmen to finish 3-1 on the weekend.

We competed in the Fall Beantown Classic and won the Fall Prep Showcase at the Berkshire School. The team won 18 games on the road the first two months of the season.

In mid-December we defeated Northwood 2-1 in overtime to open Stockdale Arena. It was an emotional game where we trailed in the third period but rallied late to tie the score and win it in overtime. We went on to win our first nine games at Stockdale Arena and finished the season with an 11-3-1 Home Record. We competed at a very high level and finished the season with a record of 33-17-1. We had fun, learned some great lessons and saw growth and development of each and every player.

Submitted by Coach Dave Peters

Above left to right: Aaron Carver drives to the hoop late in the first half against Northfield Mount Hermon as Tremont Waters watches on in anticipation; Grayson Makris (center) celebrates after scoring a goal against Shepaug High School with the aid of Bryant Carbone (left) and Ben Brady (right); Lucas Vanroboys battles for the puck in the corner as Kyle Cafeo waits at the point against Northwood.


U-16 NationalNew England Champions

USA Hockey National Quarterfinalists

The team started their fourth season on the right foot with an undefeated 3-0-0 performance at the Burlington, VT based Woodchuck Showcase, winning by a combined score of 24-1. But things were difficult after that. From September through December, the team was constantly on the road for both games and practices as the Admiral James and Sybil Stockdale Arena was being built. The boys travelled to the Jr. Bruins Shootout (where they failed to advance to the playoff round and defend their title from the previous year), to the Beantown Tournament where they got to the playoffs but didn’t end up winning the championship, and to the State Championships. In this vitally important State finals game, the SASKS faced off against their rival, the split-season all-star prep team CT Wolfpack. Though the game was tight and went back and forth for several periods, when the dust settled the U16N boys had won 3-2 and won States.

The New England Championship was next, and the boys were determined to retain their title at the event. The weekend got off to a shaky start as they tied the Rhode Island Saints 1-1. But the SASKS wouldn’t be deterred that easily. They won their next two games to finish second in the standings and pit themselves against the CT Wolfpack full season team in the semis. With only 2 minutes left, victory looked certain for the U16N boys, but their lead was snatched away on a power play goal by the opposition. Little did they know that the game was about to become a marathon. Three sudden deaths later, in the fourth OT period, Ben Pirko finally broke the tie with a hard shot from the blue line and advanced his team to the finals!

After the exhausting win, the boys had only a few hours to recuperate and face off against their familiar foe, the CT Wolfpack split-season squad. Not only were the SASKS boys

going into the game tired, but their opponents were coming in confident. The Wolfpack had just defeated the Rhode Island Saints, the very same team that the U16N boys tied in game one of the tournament, by a ridiculous 10-2 score. Yet, despite the disparity in situations coming into the game, the South Kent boys, inspired by buses filled with local fans that flocked to the rink, managed to win a tight 4-3 game with depth and strong goaltending from Bryce Mann. This meant going to another exciting trip to Nationals in March.

The next big moment for the boys happened before the tournament though. Upon arriving home, they found a new rink waiting for them. In December, the beautiful Admiral James and Sybil Stockdale Arena opened with expansive locker rooms, a built-in workout room, and all kinds of NHL level amenities. The new rink served them well, as the boys won their first three games on home ice and continued their impressive level of play for a 24-7-1 record for the remainder of their season.

The culmination of any successful season is Nationals and the boys were excited to be a part of the high-level tournament that featured 16 of the country’s best teams. They

showed they belonged on day one when they beat Victory Honda 5-3 with the young guns on the team getting 4 of the 5 SASKS goals. The intimidating number 1 ranked team in the country, Shattuck St. Mary’s was next. They asserted their dominance and won 8-0, but one game was not enough to eliminate the U16N team. They won against Amherst (with a record setting 10-0 victory) and because of the way the rest of the tournament played out, they placed second out of four in their division and secured a berth to the Elite Eight. They ended up losing in this quarterfinal round to Honeybaked, the second best in the country behind only Shattuck St. Mary’s.

Though Nationals eluded them, even getting to the tournament of only 16 teams is an enormous accomplishment. They did so with hard work all season and championships in both their state and the entire region of New England. It was a successful season that showed the undeniable brotherhood of the SASKS team who came together in the toughest of times, through all the travel and adversity to be a nationally relevant hockey program.

Submitted by Coach Devin Rask



U-18 NationalUSA Hockey National

Quarterfinalists The 2014-2015 season was one of

high-expectations, unrelenting will and determination. The roster was composed of 4 returning U-18 members, 12 U-16 National team members, and 6 newcomers who had an immediate impact. The season started off with an incredible 16-2-2 run that only snagged slightly with a couple of losses at the Beantown Fall Classic. It didn’t take long to rebound. The New Regional Tournament, two weeks later, was the start of that recovery. The boys won five games in a row to secure a spot at the New England Regional Finals, where they met their long-time rivals the CT Wolfpack. The eventual U18 National champion Wolfpack got out to an early lead, one that the SASKS boys couldn’t recover from. The Wolfpack won and secured an automatic berth to the Nationals. But there was still hope for the Selects Academy to get to Nationals through a USA hockey granted bid. Only four of these bids are available every year, and getting one requires an immensely impressive record and a near-top ten in the

country finish.The boys were determined to attain this

elusive bid. And they fought for it from that moment on. After the deflating loss to the CT Wolfpack, there was some trepidation. The boys split their next four games, but after a couple more losses, they realized that there was only way to deal with the bumps in the road. Fight back harder. And that’s just what they committed to do. Their very next game was a 10-1 victory against the Colorado Thunderbirds, which was the start of a 3-1 weekend in Chicago. After that, losses were rare.

The SASKS went on an unprecedented run after that. In the next 3 and a half months, the boys put forward immense effort and went 31-2-6. The amazing performance was enough to have USA Hockey grant the boys a much-deserved berth in the National Tournament. Out of the 140 teams competing for the final 16, SASKS proved themselves against all odds. Sadly, one of the two losses the boys endured during this run was at the National Championships in the Elite Eight, and proved to be season-ending.

Though the loss at the Nationals was disappointing, the season was far from it.

The boys set program records with their outstanding play in 2014-2015. The SASKS U-18 program had never made it to the Elite Eight prior to this year, never peaked higher than rank #6 in the country and won a record-shattering 54 games while only losing or tying 17. The character of the young men on this team was something to behold. Not only had they bounced back from a devastating loss at the hands of their rivals that crippled their Nationals berth, but they dealt with the tumultuous travel schedule and the construction of their home rink which left them on the road for even simple things like practice. To acquire even the chance to compete for the National Title is something few boys can do every year. Only 16 teams make it to Nationals. If each team has a 30-man roster, that means fewer than 500 boys in the entire country get an opportunity to play for the championship. Our boys were among them. The potential for this organization to win a National Title has never been so close to being realized, and it makes the future look remarkably promising. Building off this foundation for the 2015-2016 season leaves us all optimistic.

Submitted by Coach Matt Plante

Right to left: The U-16 National Selects Hockey team poses for their championship picture after winning their second straight New England Tournament title; Bryce Mann in goal anticipating a play on net; Will Steele skating up ice in pursuit of the puck; U-16 National Selects rush the ice after scoring in overtime to clinch their second straight New England Regional Tournament title qualifying them for Nationals; Stephen Elser skates around the Springfield Pics defender on his way to the net; Dominic Dockery takes a shot from the circle. Ethan Bassile takes a face off against a CT Junior Rangers player; Austin MacIlmurray, Ethan Bassile, Brady Pfaff, Joey Cipollone, Tyler Augustinsen, Evan Lindquist, Josh Boyko, and Dominic Dockery after their final game on the hillside; Alexis Binner looks to move the puck as Ethan Bassile waits behind [and Goaltender Josh Boyko looks on from his net on the far side of the ice]; Alex Limoges (right) and Matt Creamer (left) tap gloves after a good shift



TennisSouth Kent finished its 2015 tennis season

with a record of 9-4. From the very first match of the season, in which we defeated Watkinson 6-3, it was clear that we would be very competitive in the HVAL league. The challenge this year, as in previous years, was to consistently play the strongest line-up. Four of our top six players were hockey players who were unable to play in almost half of our matches. Thanks to the team’s depth and long roster, we were able to overcome this and compete in the HVAL Championship match against Harvey. In this final match, we were defeated by a very solid Harvey team match 3-5.

Nevertheless, it was a successful season. Players continued to develop and should put next year’s team in a good position to be competitive again in the HVAL. Team awards went to Joao Burti, who earned MVP and Remi Selerier who was the most improved player. Lastly, our captain Yu Wu has earned the Coach’s Award.

Submitted by Coach Stan Vylet

GolfWe started the 2014-2015 varsity golf

season with high expectations given the fact that six players from last year’s squad returned this year to compete for another HVAL title. Very early on in the season it was evident that this year’s team was much improved over last year, and they were ready to compete at the highest level.

Battling the sometimes frigid weather that is characteristic of New England in late March and early April, the team posted some impressive individual and team scores to easily defeat both Forman and Chase Collegiate in two separate matches to begin their quest for an eleventh consecutive HVAL Championship. Joe Cipollone, Aaron McPheters and Marco Cavalleri posted low scores in the first three matches even with the tough conditions and spent the first couple weeks of the season vying for match and individual SKS medalist honors. Also competing throughout the season were Matt Creamer, Logan Hinton, Derek Hamelin, Austin McIlmurray and Alex Limoges, all major contributors to the golf team and championship.

Even with the strong start to the season, the team steadily progressed throughout the year. We opened the season with a team scoring average of 218 and incrementally improved, recording a team-best aggregate score of 195 by mid-season. With the HVAL championship well in hand three quarters of the way through the year, the team set its sights on winning matches against some of the larger Founders League schools. The SKS team scored impressive victories over Salisbury, Millbrook, Canterbury, and near victories over Hotchkiss, Trinity Pawling and Gunnery.

This year we honored co-MVPs, Joe Cipollone and Marco Cavalleri. Impressively, Joe played in every match this year, recording a scoring average of three over par 39. Although playing in fewer matches, Marco recorded the most SKS and match medalist honors of anyone on the team. We look forward to another great season next year with the return of the some young talent as we try to once again repeat as HVAL champions.

Submitted by Coach Richard Chavka


CrewThe spring 2015 rowing team was a

completely novice group. This allowed everyone to compete in the same events and grow together. The rowing team this spring had 2 crews – novice A and B. The line-ups for these crews varied slightly through the season but were generally consistent. The late spring thaw was upsetting but did allow for thorough preparation before the competitive portion of the season began. The crews raced locally against traditional prep school rivals and travelled as far as Worcester, MA, and Burlington, NJ, as well. The competition was always intense, and there were a number of close finishes. Being a novice team, the learning curve was extremely steep, and improvement was evident in every practice. With a strong fitness base from their respective winter sports, the rowers were able to master rowing technique in the boat and post impressive scores on the ergometer. Most importantly, the roster this spring was young, and the team anticipates even more success in 2015-16.

Submitted by Coach Tim Henderson

Junior Varsity BaseballThe 2015 JV Baseball team had another

outstanding year. Building on the success of the 2014 season and a solid returning core, the team came out strong. The goal of learning the game and helping develop talent for the now 3-time HVAL Champion Varsity team were top goals for the squad. This year we were happy to see a few players get called up to not only dress, but also contribute.

The team came together quickly and forged a bond and chemistry many opponents respected. With solid leadership from the captains, Adam Peck ’16 and Connor Marshall ’16, the players rallied and worked hard supporting each other. With true South Kent spirit, this international group of student-athletes represented the Hillside well in all their games.

The season ended with an outstanding record (4-1-1 in competition). There are many highlights to the season, great plays, amazing camaraderie and fun. Without a doubt the biggest highlight was the teams finish and celebration of the self made championship,

The Chipotle Burrito Bowl. (Not officially recognized by Chipotle, but it was tweeted!)

The squad is looking forward to the 2016 season with yet another strong core of returning players and a very talented group of new recruits.

2015 Award Winners:• Corson Sundquist - Most Valuable Player • Dominic Dockery - Silver Slugger• Bobby DeFriest - Most Improved Player• Connor Marshall - Coach’s Award• Masaki Naganuma - Cy Young• Adam Peck - Golden Glove• Sanghyun Kim - Rookie of the Year• Griffin Cain - Social Media All-Star

Submitted by Coach Gonzalo Garcia-Pedroso

Above left to right: Samir Fryatt takes a backhand shot as Slava Browning watches on during a doubles match; Joey Cipollone stares down a putt on the second hole at Bull’s Bridge Golf Club; Parker Ford, Van Lupardi, Nick Scott, Alexis Binner, Carter Long- South Kent crew rowing on Lake Waramaug; Corson Sundquist pitching against Rumsey Hall as first-baseman Bobby DeFriest looks on


Varsity Baseball

HVAL CHAMPIONS Varsity Baseball had another successful year highlighted by winning the HVAL for the third year in a row and by making the New England tournament for the seventh year in a row.

If you were to have predicted that the Cardinals would go 12-2 despite losing their projected number one and number two starters at the beginning of the season, people would have assumed you were crazy, but that is just what the Varsity team achieved. The Cardinals started hot and won all of their conference games. We were able to add some games against some tough competition toward the end of the season. We earned a great victory against Kingswood-Oxford at home on Father’s Field. The boys did not lose until a tough game at Cheshire Academy. They rebounded well to win the conference and earn a bid to the New England tournament. Unfortunately, the team could not get past a good King team in the New Englands, losing 4-1 at home in the tournament.

Freshman pitchers Matt Stephan and Joel Farabee stepped up in crucial situations to help guide the Cardinals to their third consecutive league championship. Stephan pitched, and won, both the semi-final and the championship game for the HVAL. Ultimately, Evan Lindquist earned the Duane Stone Cup for best pitcher after allowing one UNEARNED run over fourteen innings, while recording twenty-seven strikeouts! Cardinal pitching allowed 37 runs in 14 games. Together they recorded 70 strikeouts while only allowing 29 walks. The team ERA was an astounding 1.72!

The offense was strong this year, led by Silver Slugger, and Prefect, Grayson Makris. Makris recorded an On-Base-Percentage of 0.632 and a batting average of 0.588. His OPS was an amazing 1.337! Grayson was clutch in so many ways, accounting for 9 RBI on the season. Overall, the Cardinals scored 88 runs in 14 games, struck out 30 times, walked 31 times, and batted 0.334 as a team.

The defense was lead by MVP and catcher, Paul Dobies. Dobies caught every game of the season despite a nagging groin injury. It is important to note that Paul also calls his own game. In an era where coaches call most of the pitches, Paul is a rare talent who truly knows how to work a battery. Dobies also had 43 plate appearances on the season, the most of anyone on the team as he served leadoff all year. Paul recorded 12 hits and walked 10 times while scoring 13 runs. Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup won the Golden Glove for his homerun-robbing catch against Kingswood-Oxford. Overall, the team committed 30 errors on the season and recorded a fielding percentage of 0.899.

Pitcher and third baseman Matt Stephan won the Coach’s Award for his great play and winning attitude. Matt recorded a 1.38 ERA and played a fabulous hot corner after some early miscues against Millbrook. Of note, Matt also drove in eight runs and had an OPS of 1.051.

Left fielder Zach Schullery won the Most Improved Player Award for his great play in the outfield and for his amazing development at the plate. Zach became an offensive force by the end of the year and recorded the only

extra base hit for the Cardinals in their season ending loss to King.

We say goodbye to Seniors Max Enis, Evan Lindquist, Grayson Makris, Brady Pfaff, and Ryan Sweeney. What a legacy for the boys, especially Grayson who was with us for four years. Three championships in his time, not too bad at all.

The Cardinals have a lot to look forward to in 2016. Ace Kyle Warren returns as do the talented crop of 3rd Formers. We won our league for the third time despite numerous injuries and setbacks. I think this year’s championship is a testament to the quality of our student-athletes and to their intestinal fortitude. We have established a Championship mindset on the team and we see no reason why we cannot win a fourth conference title in 2016.

Submitted by Coaches Phil Darrin, Walter Moore, and Ray Pennucci



Varsity LacrosseHVAL CHAMPIONS The South Kent Cardinals’ lacrosse season ended in exciting fashion! The laxers entered the HVAL playoffs as the number four seed, but that placement was not an indication of the talent or fight left in these players at the end of the season. Three one-goal losses to conference foes Harvey, Forman, and Chase Collegiate may have put the team in the often difficult position of playing two higher seeds on the road, but the close regular season defeats also gave the team confidence that, with all hands healthy and on deck, a different outcome was within reach!

The semi-final game against Forman was a beautiful display of desire and teamwork coming together. Josh Boyko literally played his way to exhaustion, setting the pace with goals. Logan Scarlotta fought through an ankle injury to demoralize the Forman zone, and the defense led by Colton Loomis, Alden Grayson-Funk and Greg Panor withstood a late Forman charge to send the Cardinals to the championship game.

The title game against Harvey was a classic.

The Cardinals broke out on top with a great goal from Khari Smart. Then the Harvey squad came back to take the lead. Soon enough however the game would be ruled by the Cardinals as Mickey Watson won literally every face-off, giving the team a possession after every goal. As the game grew longer, the Cardinals’ domination and lead did as well. The defensive efforts of Tyler Hoadley and Jackson Nahom prevented Harvey’s offense from even getting started in the second half. As the final minutes ticked away, the outcome had been decided. The HVAL lacrosse trophy would once again reside in South Kent, CT!

Despite the boys’ difficult regular season, the team was able to overcome adversity and stay focused on what was ahead, thanks in great part to the leadership of Sam LaCour and Mickey Watson. With close to one-third of the roster being brand new to lacrosse, the difficult teams faced and the one-sided outcomes many other teams would have been demoralized, but not a group on a hero’s journey! The perseverance, competitiveness, and dedication demonstrated by so many made this a very rewarding season for all.

Many of the young men were recognized with post-season awards for their efforts.

Sam LaCour received the team’s MVP and was selected first-team midfielder for the HVAL as well as first team midfielder for the New England Division II private school coaches association. Sam also won a scholarship provided by the Western Connecticut Lacrosse Officials Association. Jackson Nahom, a first-year player, won the team’s Most Improved Player award, leading a number of people who could have won the award, with his outstanding defense in the championship game. Clay Hoadley, a third former with limited lacrosse experience as a youth, was given the Coaches’ Award for his hard work and willingness to play four different positions during the season, all with a big smile on his face! Josh Boyko and Colton Loomis were also recognized as first-team HVAL players; Logan Scarlotta earned HVAL Honorable Mention recognition.

With a great deal of now-experienced players returning for the 2016 season, South Kent lacrosse should once again be exciting to watch!

Submitted by Coach Paul Burke

Evan Lindquist swings for the fences as catcher Paul Dobies watches on from the bench; The Varsity Baseball team poses for a team picture after winning their 3rd straight HVAL title; Matthew Stephan delivers a pitch; Zach Schullery camps under a fly ball in left field; Kyle Cafeo hustles into third base. The lacrosse team poses after their 3rd straight HVAL title; Alden Grayson-Funk looks to move off the ball to get open on offense; Chris Wright looks down field anticipation his plan of attack towards goal; Tyler Hoadley stick handles to avoid the defender; Mickey Watson cradles the ball running down the field as Sam LaCour and Tyler Hoadley join the rush.


Each student arrives on the Hillside for a unique purpose. Sometimes, it’s because his parents have sent him;

other times, he follows generations of family to attend; in other instances, he has a specific track for his life that he wants to follow at South Kent School. Now, as he departs from the School’s Board of Trustees after 10 years of service, Kai Chin looks back on his journey to and through South Kent.

Chin, who spent the most recent seven years as the board treasurer, originally learned about South Kent after he joined the Boys Club of New York. “I grew up in the lower East Side of New York City, a poor section with many immigrants from Eastern Europe and Puerto Rico. My father worked in a laundry factory, and my mother made cottage jewelry,” he explained. “I grew up with my brother Michael ’73, who also attended SKS, and my sister Sally.” As an active member of the Boys Club for some time, Chin was invited to test for their educational program. There, a small number of candidates were selected for boarding schools, and as a rising Third Former, Chin was chosen. “SKS was one of the schools selected for me and after visiting the school, I decided to enroll because it looked like a nice, friendly New England village on a hill. I received financial aid both from the Boys Club of New York and SKS, for which I am forever grateful.”

Growing up in New York City, sports were not readily available to him, but at South

Kent, he played football, hockey, and baseball. Additionally, much like in the Call to Explore which now flourishes at the School, he expressed his creativity in the photography club, art club, Roaringhams glee club and the yearbook. “I had a wonderful experience at SKS. It was an eye-opener for me as I grew up in a very traditional Chinese culture. Going to chapel, eating with a knife and fork, and with so many table settings – what a new experience and a new world!” he exclaimed. “I now had a room with a roommate. Before, I slept on a couch in the living room of a slum apartment building. Just having a room was so precious. It all came down to where I came from, so SKS was luxury living. I made some very good friends; we are still in touch and remain close friends.”

Beyond the cultural changes, Chin also learned the values at South Kent School which are still very much alive today. “The School gave me a sense of direction, purpose and the moral conviction of knowing what is right and wrong. SKS taught me good sportsmanship, humility, a fighting spirit, competitiveness, fairness, honesty, integrity, respect for others and kindness. I learned these virtues from the caring and loving SKS faculty. Growing up under the guidance of dedicated teachers was absolutely the best.” It was his positive experience at South Kent - which he said made him “a better person” - that led him to return and give back. “For these reasons and memories, I was more than happy to serve on

Treasured Memories: Kai Chin ’67 Retires from SKS Board after 10 Years

inthanksAlumnus Profile


the Board,” he said. His tenure on the Board has marked some of the biggest growth years South Kent has seen, beginning in a time when the School was struggling, traversing through the recent recession, and coming out on the other side with new programs, buildings, campus expansion, elite athletics, flourishing arts and full enrollment. “With the present board, administrators, and faculty, I believe SKS has a bright future.”

After graduating from South Kent in 1967, Chin continued to Wabash College, where he completed his

history degree and religion minor in 1971. He served 10 years in the US Navy, leaving as a Lieutenant Commander. “I graduated from Navy Officer Candidate School and have a Mandarin language certificate from the Defense Language Institute,” he added. “While in the Navy, I served in Panmunjom, Korea, with the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission in the Armistice Affairs Division. The job involved meetings with the North Koreans and Chinese delegates.” Beyond his bachelor’s degree and military service, Chin also earned his Masters of International Affairs degree in Banking and Finance from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in 1978.

This led to his successful career in banking, starting at Chemical Bank of New York as an International Banker, which he did for 19 years. Chin went on to work at Bank of

Hawaii, the International Bank of Asia, Fubon Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, and now, Sunflower Bank where he is the Commercial Business Development Officer for Northern Colorado. Although this South Kent alumnus has settled in Colorado, his work has taken him all over the world including: New York; Seoul, Korea; Taipei, Taiwan; Jakarta, Indonesia; Manila, Philippines; Honolulu, Hawaii; Hong Kong; and Colorado. “I feel privileged to have served my country in the Navy and I was very lucky to have worked in world-class banks in international circles. The exposure to different cultures and the opportunity to work in foreign lands was most rewarding.”

Chin now lives with his wife Charlotte in Louisville, Colorado. Their son Justin also lives in the state and works at a law firm there. With all of the paths that his life has led him, and as he now completes his successful time on the South Kent School Board of Trustees, Kai Chin knows his Hero’s Journey took flight on the Hillside. There, he “gained self esteem, confidence, directness of purpose, self-reliance, and learned the meaning and power of faith, tenacity, and respect for others.” When asked if he had any advice for current and future South Kent boys, he urged them to do just what he did. “Explore and try the various school activities. Try something totally different and something you may not think you are good at. Make some good friends and listen to their ideas. Define your values, try your best, and don’t give up on your dreams.”

Kai cycling in Colorado with his son Justin

Class of 1967 Yearbook Staff: Kai Chin, Mauri Kotila, Robert Sauers, Charles Merrill, James Denham

Kai with his wife Charlotte in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Class of 1967’s 45th reunion: Back Row: Peter Thompson, Phil Walker, Henry Farrington,Front Row: Mauri Kotila, Kai Chin, Jim Denham


HERE AND BACK

AGAIN

From New York all the way to Hollywood, he’s known as Bang Bang. Here on the Hillside,

however, we call him Keith. Since his days at South Kent School, Keith McCurdy ‘04 has become a professional tattoo artist to celebrities such as Rihanna, Katy Perry, Adele, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Cara Delevingne and more. Recently, he returned to speak to current students about his “Hero’s Journey.” This transformational experience is a vital foundation for the curricula here at South Kent, led by Head of School Andrew Vadnais and inspired by the works of Joseph Campbell.

Now, 11 years after the Class of 2004’s Prize Day, Keith received his diploma in a ceremony back where it all started. South Kent School had the chance to catch up with him as part of the School’s Alumni Profile series.

ininkAlumnus Author

Bang Bang: My Life in InkBy Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy ‘04

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My name’s Bang Bang, and I’m a New York City tattoo artist, and I’m here to talk to the students this week.

Thank you so much for coming and talking to us. Can you introduce yourself?

How does it feel to be back?

Tell me a little bit about your background.

Let’s talk about your departure from South Kent. What happened?

It feels cool to be back. It’s hard to imagine all the time that’s passed in between. It’s cool to see what hasn’t changed, and it’s cool to see what has. I was in chapel a minute ago, and my gut was to put a book under a kid’s butt ‘cause we used to do that, ‘cause I’m still 14 years old [laughs]. Some of those memories are really cool. It’s also unique to see a tree bigger than I remember it, so I’ve caught a couple of cool things so far.

I’m from Delaware, and I grew up a child of teenage parents, and a single mom. She was a dancer my whole life. We were really poor and I did really bad in school growing up. In middle school, my father - who I didn’t spend a ton of time with growing up, but who had started to make some money - I told him I wanted to go to boarding school because I thought it would be good for me to stop running around with girls and stop getting in trouble. I wanted to try to take myself seriously and give myself a chance. We toured a bunch of schools on the East Coast and I wound up picking South Kent. This place had the structure that I never got growing up, so I did well here–although I was kicked out twice.

I got kicked out in 9th grade, and I can’t even remember for what, honestly. Then I was like, “Well, all right, that’s what I’m good at.” But, I knew that I wanted to come back, and they gave me the opportunity to come back if I did this summer program. It’s like a wilderness boot camp for kids. It’s 28 days and they take your pants and your boots at night so you can’t run away. It’s in the middle of the mountains, you hike every day, and it’s hell. You start your own fire with your hands. It’s designed to break kids into conforming. So, I did well and I got back into South Kent and ironically enough, my parents agreed to let me get a tattoo in 10th grade if I made honor roll. So, my first report period here, I got straight A’s and B’s. I did really well, so I got a tattoo. I came back in 11th grade and I was on a short leash from being kicked out in 9th grade. So, in 11th grade, I cheated on a Spanish test. They were really lenient with me in some ways - they let me get out of sports so I could work on my art in my junior year as I focused on college applications. They were great, but they weren’t lenient about cheating on Spanish tests. So, I got kicked out for the final time in 11th grade.

SKS:

Keith (far right) and classmates during his time on the Hillside.

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Can you tell me about your life and career path after you left SKS?

What was your overall experience like at South Kent?

It was great. It was very indicative, for me, of what I would turn into in life. I had a struggle conforming and had issues with structure, and I just – I felt unique when I was here. I liked that they encouraged that in students. I didn’t feel like I got taught one archetype. I felt like I got taught, like - Keith - you know? I loved my experience here and although I wasn’t stoked to be kicked out twice, I’m back. There’s no other school I would visit.

I always had the ability to create art in a lot of different ways: I could draw, I could sculpt, I could create, I could imagine. I always had that thought process, but to be inspired to actually create it, finish it and do the time that it takes to see it through didn’t really happen until about 11th grade here when they let me sit in the art room instead of playing spring sports. And then it was like - I’m sculpting all day! I’d realize I would lose 6 hours of my day on this sculpture, but then when I finished it, it was something I was so proud of. That was the first time I realized that I wanted to create things.

Alumni Author

I’ve realized that what South Kent does is that they give you what you need . . . What I needed was to get kicked out, and I didn’t know that at the time. So, I’m grateful.

When I left South Kent, I went back to public school in Delaware for 12th grade and I didn’t do well. I went from reciting Chaucer, reading October Sky and building bottle rockets to doing vocab tests with an 80 year-old teacher from a 25 year-old textbook. I was smart enough to realize how stupid that was, so I didn’t give it much effort. It became pretty clear that I was going to drop out and I wasn’t going to continue. I was a busboy at Red Lobster and I had just bought myself a tattoo kit on the internet. I had been teaching myself to tattoo in my mom’s kitchen and after about 3 months of that, I got a job as a tattoo artist. It sounds awesome, but it was outside of a trailer park in Delaware. In hindsight, it was not the best opportunity, but it was the one I had and I made the best of it. Two months after getting that job - so, 5 months into tattooing - I tattooed guns on my neck with “Bang-Bangs” - kind of symbolic of, like, “No one will hire me now, so I have to become a great tattoo artist.” So, I made the jump and said, “I’m going to do this.” For about a year, I worked there, just learning my craft. I moved to New York when I was 19. My first job in New York City was attached to an adult toy store and also a hot dog store with roaches in the basement. Again, not glamorous. For about 3 years, I worked in some of the worst tattoo shops in New York City - dirty, gross places where you worked til 5:30 in the morning. Really not glamorous jobs, but I just worked hard, stayed focused and just kept taking little steps. When I was 23, my daughter was born, and I worked, and I worked, and I worked. At 26, I became one of the best tattoo artists in New York. Now I’m 29, and I own the best tattoo shop in the world.

Bang Bang, returned to the Hillside, working on his book and reminiscing on how SKS helped put him on his Hero’s Path.


At South Kent, I learned that I was a leader in this place. When I got kicked out, everybody refused to go to school the next day. I didn’t see it, but from what I’ve heard, they hung pictures of me all over the place. That taught me that I’m really liked by my peers. There were also teachers who were sad to see me go, just like how there are teachers who are happy to see me come back. I realized my social skills and from that, I got a little bit of confidence in myself. To do something like tattooing takes a lot of confidence in yourself and your ability...to be able to ease someone who is nervous. For me, I think confidence is the biggest thing I learned.

I remember little things about this place. I remember hitting a game-winning shot. I remember goofing off with my friends. I remember little things that are really endearing. It’s cool to come back and just remember all that. It’s playing like a movie in my head. Every time I look in a direction, I remember an event.

I think I’m going to cry because I always felt so bitter that I got kicked out. Not now that I’m an adult, but growing up, I felt really bitter because I felt like I just wanted another chance, and I didn’t get it. But, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that what South Kent does is that they give you what you need. Right? They give this student what that student needs, and they give this student what that student needs, and they give this student what that student needs. What I needed was to get kicked out, and I didn’t know that at the time. So, I’m grateful.

I have so much advice. I have a lifetime worth of advice. Today, in chapel, Father Klots was speaking about not falling into the crowd...not fitting the mold, trying to think for yourself. If I had to give someone advice, it’s just to be yourself and let that true self carry you wherever you’re supposed to go in your life. As long as you’re really you in what you do and what you believe, and you trust in your gut, you’re going to go exactly where you’re supposed to go.

What was the main thing you took away from your time at South Kent?

How do you think you’ll feel receiving your diploma from South Kent School?

Do you have any advice that you would give to current and future South Kent boys?

His Work:

Talking to the boys about the importance of being your true self and finding your own path

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intouchClass Notes

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BIRTHANNOUNCEMENT ?

1950Peter PirnieI retired from the U.S. Agency for International Development last year (4/30/14) and in August 2014, my wife Carolyn and I moved to Woodstock, Georgia. (We built a new house.) We remain in good health (A few aches and pains here and there!). We also remain very busy with a variety of activities with family and friends.All the best to SKS !!

1954Stephen W. Rule61 years out and still kickin’! Am still very busy here in The Villages, “Florida’s friendliest hometown,” despite being the world’s largest retirement community.

1962Sukehiro HasegawaWe are happy to announce that our 3rd grandchild was born in January, 2015.

Lead us, Holy Spirit, in the way of peace;Help us walk together so that wars shall ceaseBreak down our divisions, overcome our fears,Help us heal the wounded, stem the flow of tears.

Help us work together; let our conflicts cease;Lead us, Holy Spirit, in the way of peace.

At the font you make us members of God’s Son,Members of Christ’s body, out of many one;Let the life you give us, like a healing tide,Bring new life to all those for whom Jesus died.


You have poured upon us every gift and grace,Called us now to serve you in this time and place;Teach us how to care for water, land, and air;Help us to preserve it; teach us how to share.


Give us all a vision of a world remadeIn which none are hungry, homeless, or afraid;Open eyes now blinded by our selfishness;Show us what is needed; what we offer, bless.


1949Christopher WebberA Hymn for Peace, written by Christopher, won the Macalester Plymouth United Church of Saint Paul, Minnesota’s 2014 hymn contest. The contest was a search for a hymn that celebrates God’s presence in current social changes and changes in the church. Christopher Webber is an author and a priest of the Episcopal Church who has written hymns included in a number of American and Canadian hymnals. He has written over thirty books ranging from The Beowulf Trilogy to a ground-breaking study of marriage. His most recent books are an important addition to black history titled American to the Backbone, the biography of James W.C. Pennington, a fugitive slave and leader in the abolition movement, and Dear Friends: St. Paul’s Letters to American Christians. Webber has climbed Mt. Fuji in Japan as well as the highest peaks in New York and New England. He is currently on the staff of the Church of the Incarnation in San Francisco and serves as Adjunct Professor of Liturgics at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. He and his wife, Margaret, have four children and four grandchildren. For more information on Mr. Webber visit www.clwebber.com.

A Hymn for Peace65.65 D with refrain

ST. GERTRUDE

Copyright 2014 © Christopher L. Webber. All rights reserved.


1963Tom BurgherTom has been appointed as a Commissioner to the Advisory Board for Parks, Recreation and Beautification by the City of Pismo Beach. “I am honored by this appointment, “ says Mr. Burgher, “and look forward to helping to continue the good work initiated by those who have preceded me.” Ever since they acquired Seaside Gallery, Tom and Sherie have worked to fulfill their vision to help establish and develop a Public Arts Program that will beautify the City, attract new visitors to Pismo Beach, access the talents of the best local artists, and reflect the taste and interests of its citizens. Seaside Gallery offers fine art by renowned painters and sculptors from SLO County, throughout California, and from across the United States. Seaside Gallery is a multiple artist, fine art gallery exhibiting original paintings, limited edition gicleés, fine art photography, and sculpture. Visit their website: www.theseasidegallery.com

1967Tom HollingerRetiring in June after 41 years in independent schools, 27 of those at, can you believe it, The Gunnery!

Mauri KotilaDuring 2014 I was promoted to Managing Director in The Risk Investors Group, Trade and Structured Finance, Cargill, Inc and relocated to London in Dec 2014 to open our new office and head up the TSF team with global responsibilities for the Americas, Africa, Central Europe, former FSU, Middle East and Asia. Last six months of business travel have taken me to Ukraine, Poland, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Brazil.

1968John ZilboorgI am spending my time in Madrid and Boston. I finished my last 4 years teaching at The American International School in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I am retired now living with my partner Beth Boyer. She has just retired after 30 years as a labor lawyer. No pets, No children, a good life!

1976Thompson GerkeIn November 2014, I transitioned to a new job in the Pentagon working on the joint staff as an exercise planner.

1980Patrick SlavinJoshua Kafusha Fitzgerald Slavin was born at 7:03 AM on December 23, 2013 at Med-Cross Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. His proud parents are Patrick and Kalumba Slavin. Patrick also completed a Communications for Development course in August, organized by UNICEF, Ohio University, and the University of Witwatersrand (Wits), including a two-week “face-to-face” training at the Wits campus in Johannesburg, South Africa.

1983Hugh PoolThe New York Blues Hall of Fame recently recognized Hugh as a Master Blues Artist. “Hugh Pool’s songs hark back to the 1960’s rock that was steeped in the blues. His repertory extends from rolling-and-tumbling slide-guitar boogies to neo-psychedelic jams to reflective, down-home hymns that recall The Band.” -Pareles (New York Times)

1987Benjamin (Jamie) LeesonCome visit Taos! Special SKS rates for our rental. Go to VRBO, Arroyo Seco, Little House.

1995Samuel J. CorriganKristin E. Alley and Samuel J. Corrigan were married February 28, 2015 at Stevenson Ridge in Spotsylvania, VA with Rev. Cara Spaccarelli officiating.The bride is the daughter of the Rev. Mark and Wendy Alley of Dover, NH. Kristin grew up in Cumberland, ME; is a graduate of Hobart and William Smith

Colleges, and is employed by the Kimpton Hotel Group. The groom is the son of Sylvia Corrigan of Westport, CT and the Rev. Michael Corrigan of Colrain, MA; Sam is a graduate of George Mason University, earned an M.A. from Harvard University, and is employed by Charles Schwab. Sam is a 1995 graduate of SKS, and his dad, Michael, is a 1964 graduate. The couple resides in Washington, DC.

Joshua Kafusha Fitzgerald Slavin

Samuel J. Corrigan and Kristin E. Alley


2004Andrey Uryadov This fall Andrey, along with his wife Elena, moved from St. Petersburg Russia back to SKS, to become part of the faculty and the coaching staff here on the hillside. Andrey will proceed to work in the Math Department, and will also help coach the Selects Hockey Program at SKS.

2005Todd GenningsNew Fourth Form English Teacher and Varsity Hockey Coach Todd Gennings ‘05 and wife Allie welcomed their second child, Jack Thomas, on Monday, July 13, 2015. Baby Gennings arrived weighing 8 pounds 12 ounces. “All are happy and healthy,” says Todd. Congratulations to Mom, Dad, and big sister Maya!

2010Branislav Adam Came back to the Hillside during August 2015. Because of his time here, Branislav, or Bronco as he is known by his friends, was able to secure success to the point where

he was able to bring his family to visit America. Though they never got to see South Kent or even any part of the United States while Branislav was attending the school, his family was lucky enough to go on a tour of the entire East Coast that culminated with an exciting 3 day cruise through the Bahamas!

2011Andrew JansenThe B.A. from from McGill University is complete! Now off to Queen’s for the Master’s. Another step of the hero’s journey awaits!

Tyler Wilson-MentingWas named a member of the The Eastern College Athletic Conference National Invitational Rowing Championship Stewards All-Academic 2015 team along with five other members of the Hobart College rowing team. To receive All-Academic honors, a student-athlete must have reached sophomore academic standing at the time of the regatta and be a varsity letter winner with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.35. Wilson-

Menting won a gold medal with the varsity four at the Liberty League Championships, sitting in the stroke seat. He also rowed with the varsity four at the Knecht Cup this spring. At the ECAC-NIRC, Wilson-Menting rowed with the fourth varsity eight in four seat, winning the petite final of the third varsity eight event by seven seconds.

2013Anthony Florentino Anthony helped his team win the NCAA Division I National Men’s Hockey Championship. The Providence Friars won in a thrilling 4-3 finish versus Boston University. It was Florentino who scored Providence’s first goal in the final game of the Frozen Four, garnering excitement from fans both in the rink and on social media. Florentino is also a 2013 NHL Draft selection by the Buffalo Sabres.

Class Notes

Andrew Jansen at his graduation from McGill University

Branislav and family along with Andrew Vadnais, Nancy Lyon and Tae Lyon-Vadnais

Todd and Allie with baby Jack and big sister Maya

Andrey and Elena Uryadov – June 2015, Paris, France

Florentino celebrating winning the Championship with the Friars


2012Zhen LinIt only takes one person to make a difference around the world. The South Kent community is certainly bringing this concept into action across the globe.

Alumnus Zhen Lin ‘12 took his own “Call to Service” to his home country of China. Lin held a fundraiser at his father’s hotel, the Charming Holiday Hotel in Zhuhai, China, in partnership with World Bicycle Relief (WBR). WBR was founded in 2005 by fellow South Kent alumnus F.K. Day ‘78 and Leah Missbach Day.

Lin was inspired by “the power of transportation” when he heard Mr. Day speak at South Kent. “He quickly signed up for the next Africa Rides, which empowered him to continue spreading the word through this awesome charity event which had over 100 attendees and raised a whopping $17,000 USD,” WBR’s website states. Sharing the importance of providing bicycles for children’s transportation to school, Lin also talked about his own Africa Rides experience. “Africa Rides was an impressive trip, and Zambia is an absolutely beautiful country,” he said. “I want to do more to make this world a better place in the future.”

South Kent has a history of partnering with World Bicycle Relief through participation in multiple fundraisers over the years. Now, the connection has gone beyond Lin or even school-sponsored events. This year, the First Congregational Church of Kent, which multiple South Kent School faculty members attend, has chosen to donate to World Bicycle Relief.

As a founder of WBR, Ms. Day believes that these contributions from SKS constituents such as Lin are far-reaching. “The ripple effect you carry with you since graduating from South Kent for WBR is reverberating for rural school children’s access to education in southern Africa...When school children who receive bicycles learn that young adults, recent graduates of school, are supporting their education to reach that high, they are inspired to strive,” she said.

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intouchOn the Road

Head of School Andrew Vadnais, Chief Operating Officer Nancy Lyon, and their son Tae Lyon-Vadnais visited South Korea and China over March break. They attended gatherings and dinners, meeting with current students and families as well as accepted students, alumni and consultants.

Pat Pedraja ’13 and Andrew Vadnais at the SKS reception at the Bel-Air Bay Club, Hosted by Maida and Wallace Hastings ’52

Andy and FK Day ’78 at the international bike show

Jamie Butts ‘85, Claire and Pete Addison ‘54, Richard Martin ‘49 and Pinnie Martin at The Duke Mansion, Charlotte NC

Curtis Himy ’84 and Head of School Andrew Vadnais visit Golden Gate park at the San Francisco Alumni Gathering.

Peter Bartlett ’77, Andrew Vadnais and Taylor Stockdale ’81 at the Webb Schools

Taylor Walker ‘84, Jon Guss ’03, Andrew Vadnais , Peter Headington ‘83, hosted by Perry Butler ’60 at Perry’s on the Embarcadero


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Alumni Weekend June 17-19, 2016

ALL ALUMNI ARE WELCOME TO COME JOIN US HERE ON THE HILLSIDE!

Campus and Center for Innovation Tours

Alumni Hockey Game in Stockdale Arena

Class Dinners • Alumni Reception and Dinner

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Contact Priscilla Loomis [email protected]


1923

Alumni Soccer 2015 SKS Golf Tournament 2015

inmotionAlumni Games


Alumni Basketball 2015 Alumni Hockey 2015


Class of 1950 Swarms Hillside, Reclaims Elite Private School

Five determined if misguided alums, backed by three doubting wives, stormed the Hillside for Alumni Weekend on June 12, charged into the Common Room reception, forks drawn and demanded caviar in the oth-erwise unfortunately ordinary hors d’oeuvres.

“Boys School Reunion,” not the comedy film but real life, was beginning. It fell to the five members of the Class of 1950 to establish the style and set the pace for the School-wide gathering. They were led by Tom and Fran Molnar and staffed by Joe Foote, Neal and Barbara Peirce, David and Joan Powell, and Joe Scott.

Team ’50 moved as a pack, meeting for coffee early each morning at the small but clean and neat Newbury Inn (a mere 36 miles from South Kent), planning the attack for that day, moving in convoy for the trip up Route 7 to Bulls Bridge and thence over the Hill to South Kent School.

“Cut! Cut!” shouts Director Molnar from his boom chair high above the Old Building courtyard. “This is not working. Play it again, straight!”

Class of 1950 Convenes at SKS Reunion A South Kent day. Sun shining bright and

warm, bucolic countryside, nobody running to the tracks, no terrified 2nd Former jump-ing out of the path of a hard-eyed 6th Former, no sightings of a crazed chef in bloodstained apron swinging a massive meat cleaver, no spine-tingling cries of “Mackayyyy, Mack-ayyy” echoing across campus. Just another quiet, lovely, June day at the School, just the way the five members of the Class of 1950 remembered it.

The School buildings, lawns, playing fields, and giant hockey rink were resplendent in af-ternoon sunshine. Even the Old Man would have trouble finding something out of place, like maybe a blade of grass, or something wayward, like a boy thinking about a girl.

That first evening, five members of the Class of 1950 and three wives convoyed to Gifford’s in Kent for a snazzy dinner offered

on a menu printed just for us! Trouble is, much of it was in French and …well, Barbara, Fran, and Joan graciously translated while Doc Henry, wherever he is, covered his eyes in despair. It was a great dinner with much time to get caught up.

Saturday, June 13, the Class met for coffee at the Inn before the run up to School to hear Head of School Andy Vadnais deliver a barnburner of a State of the School address. The School enjoys maximum enrollment, great placements in higher education, a fantastic record of graduates in professional sports, and a balance sheet that shows a profit.

Alumni presentations down Memory Lane included Neal Peirce’s vignette that cap-tured much of the educational experience at SKS. Coached by Sam Woodward, Neal had reached the State Finals in a debate competi-tion. As he launched into his delivery at the Finals, Neal then went off track, speaking forcefully and well but off the wrong part of his script. He looked at Sam in desperation, but Sam simply nodded approvingly and sig-naled keep going, move back on script, keep going, keep going. Neal regained his voice, eased back on script, finished under time, and won the contest. Life Lesson = Keep Going.

After a fun and satisfying Welcome Back Lunch in the School dining hall, Saturday afternoon offered several opportunities. Most of Team ’50 chose to walk over meadows and through the woods to view the School’s Hatch Campus, where students help run a farm and learn the food chain from seed and egg to the dining table.

Saturday evening was a high point, first at the Alumni Memorial Service in St. Mi-chael’s Chapel, where the names were read of all members of the Class of 1950, and all

other classes, who have passed on. Then our entire entourage gathered for an Alumni-wide reception, cocktails, and dinner – our Class seated at one large round table – in the cavernous Brown Gymnasium. White table cloths, wait staff in black tie, appetizers, bar, and trophy banners of championships won by South Kent teams hanging on the walls. Year after year of huge, intimidating banners, as the Cardinal & Black pounded its opponents into submission. The Class of 1950 produced college-quality varsity crew members, ski jumpers, and other athletes, but we sent no-body to the NBA.

And so, on Sunday, the time had regretfully come for the five newly informed alums to re-turn to their respective lives and homes with warm memories of a trip back to an earlier day, a simpler time, a shaping and grounding time, with an appreciation for the value of those days and the friendship they brought.

-Joe Foote

Class of 1950 - 65th Reunion

Class of 1950Tom Molnar, Dave Powell, Joe Scott, Joe Foote, Neal Peirce

intouchAlumni Weekend


Class of 1955 - 60th ReunionReflections After Sixty Years

June 12, 2015 was a significant day for seven members of the South Kent School class of 1955 gathered at the Cornwall Inn to celebrate life in the sixty years since gradu-ation from South Kent. For the statistically minded we represented 43.75% of the surviv-ing members of our class. Attending were our three Prefects: Don Hart, Bud Daly and Bob Lee. Joining them were, Bob Gibbons, Rich Puffer, Bill Taylor and Foster White.

After the usual exchanges of happy greet-ings – some of us have been in contact over the years – at the 25th 50th and 55 reunion years but some had not been in contact for sixty years conversations of substance began. Our universal observation was that much had changed over the years, and yet the School has maintained connection with Twenty-first Century skills and demands. We also know that the basic focus at South Kent still re-mains on each individual boy’s “Hero’s Jour-ney,” and the emphasis remains on “Simplic-ity of Life, Directness of Purpose and Self Reliance.”

Over the weekend we learned that current governmental regulations no longer permit boys to perform “KP” duty under direction of the likes of Bill Healy or clean toilets in the School House. South Kent students still per-form extensive service to the community of South Kent and the general area. They volun-teer to assist the elderly with home improve-ment projects, assist the homeless at Church Street Eats in Hartford and maintain a most effective and income producing (donated to charity) recycling program at the School.

While we reflected on our days on the Hill-side, we recalled that many firsts took place during our days at SKS. In our early years construction commenced of the alumni wing of the Chapel; with students providing the manual labor to dig the footings and remove rocks (remember this is Connecticut). Dur-ing this same period, work commenced on the Eastburn Athletic field, again with stu-dents providing assistance in removing rocks and other debris from the nearly completed field. Commencing in 1953, football and

baseball games took place on this new facility. During our sixth form year, con-struction also began on the new Martin Henry Library. It was also noted that the task of mov-ing the books from the top of the “Old Building” to the new library fell upon the shoulders of the Class of 1956.

During our four or five year stay at South Kent (it was noted that none of us required six years), we also witnessed the end of ca-reers at South Kent. Amy Lyons retired and was replaced by Miss Woodruff in the Infir-mary. Bill Healy, who was the chef and also taught us how to peel potatoes and onions, was replaced by Kai Sorenson. The most significant change was the appointment of Wynne Wister as Assistant Headmaster and Acting Headmaster in our fifth form year. We were also the last class to graduate from South Kent School while the “Old Man” was the Headmaster. Each of us, in our own in-dividual way, truly loved the “Old Man”. He positively impacted the life of each boy that attended South Kent School; we will never forget his gift to each of us, and we will also never be able to render significant thanks for his gift to each of us.

We also noted that significant athletic accomplishments occurred during our days at the School. In 1952 the Kids Baseball team (Coached by Dr. Whittemore) won the Housatonic League Trophy. The baseball team in 1955 won the Connatonic Baseball Team Championship; three members of that team, Daily, Lee and William Taylor, were in attendance to celebrate sixty years after graduation.

Our discussions also noted that during our fiftieth reunion we were introduced to the concept of the Center for Innovation at South Kent School. As we returned ten years

later, we were happy to see the progress and the development of the “North Campus”. The CFI has added substantial depth to each boy’s opportunity to grow, learn and progress on his individual path on his “Hero’s Journey” at South Kent School. We were pleased to learn that most, if not all of the fresh vegeta-bles served at the alumni dinner on Saturday evening were provided by the CFI. This fact also stimulated memories and conversation relating back to the initial farm at the School, and football practice being replaced by pick-ing potatoes, and potatoes and other produce being stored in the root cellar (Now the Recy-cling Center). A visit to the CFI and observ-ing the four pigs used as a part of the learning process also recalled “fond” memories of eve-ning meals that featured “pigs’ parts.”

A visit to the Stockdale Arena and the alumni hockey game also evidenced a substantial advancement in the School’s athletic program. It has been a long journey from hockey played on Hatch Pond with 12” boards and a delay of game penalty if you hit the puck over those boards into the lake. This facility is truly a significant investment in the future of the School that is remembered and appreciated by so many of those who received the benefit of life at South Kent School.

In conclusion, it may well be said that the Alumni Weekend 2015 was an emotional, historical and educational success!

Class of 1955Bill Taylor, Bud Daly, Bob Lee, Foster White, Bob Gibbons


Class of 196550th Reunion

Even though the scholars of the Class of ’65 have, of course, never forgotten CPW’s dictum that events become history after 50 years, they carried on through this alumni weekend with an animation that belied this ponderous label. A hardy few even arrived on bikes Friday afternoon.

Friday evening we got a chance to survey the ravages of time on our fellow classmates. As dusk settled on the courtyard of the Old Building and refreshments were poured, we surmised that these ravages were not so bad, were, in fact and after a few more refreshments, all right.

This optimistic assessment was definitely buoyed by the sparkle of the old School itself. We stayed in the elegant Gilder Hall. We got a fascinating and detailed tour of the farm program – new farm buildings and an ark of animals coming to life from the beat up old place the school acquired just a couple of years ago. We watched more recent alumni playing hockey at a skill level that equaled the wonder of having ice in June.

Altogether, nearly half of the class made it to the reunion weekend. Because there are so many, I think it accordant to reason not to tell you all of their condition. I can say that we were all glad that we made the pilgrimage.

Class of 1990Ray Burton

Class of 1975Philip Lloyd

Class of 1976Tim Mitchell, Jeff Conover, Thom Gerke

Class of 1970Eric Stoll

Class of 1965Back row: Mark Johnson, Starr Barnum, Jack Thayer, Shipley Mason, Bill Colen, Bill Walker, Chip Hollinger, David Ward, Eddy Corey; Front row: Fred Merriman, Doug Denham, Rob Leighton, Ran Glennon, Kim Brown, Jeff Withers, Bill Brown

Alumni Weekend


Class of 1979Tim Martin

Class of 1980Ned Anderson, Miguel DaCruz, Tom Winter, Chris Widing, Peter Renehan, John Papps

1945Allen Perrins, Peter Carpenter

Class of 1985John Ellsworth

Class of 1995Gonzalo Garcia-Pedroso, Gary Palumbo, Marco Magliulo, Geoff Palmer, Thomas Clayton ’97, Ben Miller, Patrick Welch

Class of 1956Terry Moody


Joel S. Lawson, Jr. ’41, Senior Scientist with the US Navy passed away at his home with family at his side, on August 31, 2015 at the Kahala Nui Retire-ment Community in Honolulu, Hawaii. As a result of his many contributions, Mr. Lawson was awarded the Meritorious Ser-vice Award and in 1967, the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the highest award that the Secretary of the Navy can confer on a civil-ian employee. He was born July 3, 1924 and grew up in the Smithtown area of Long Is-land. He left college in 1943 to join the US Navy as a pilot dur-ing the Second World War. He was honorably discharged in 1945 and married the Grace C. Rumbaugh on January 6, 1946. They were married for over 44 years. After Grace passed in 1990, Mr. Lawson married Ann Libby, who died in 2013 after 21 years of marriage. Mr. Law-son earned his degree in Phys-ics from Williams College, then earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Illinois and continued at the University until 1958, teaching and work-ing on Defense Department related projects. Between 1958 and 1984 he worked at various government related jobs. He retired in 1984 and moved to Hawaii. Mr. Lawson was elected both a Fellow of the American Association for the Advance-ment of Science and an Active Member of the New York Acad-emy of Sciences.

John Butterworth ’45, devoted husband of the late Elsie Whel-en Butterworth, died July 8, at Beaumont at Bryn Mawr, his home for the past 13 years. He was 87 years old. Born in 1927, Mr. Butterworth was the son

of James Ebert Butterworth and Dorothy Caroline Gardner. He grew up in Philadelphia, attended South Kent School (’45), Princeton University (’49) and University of Pennsylvania Law (‘53). He served in the U.S. Army during World War II on leave from Princeton. He prac-ticed law for forty years with Townsend Elliot & Munson in Philadelphia which merged into Reed Smith Shaw & Mc-Clay in 1977. In 1954, Mr. But-terworth married Elsie Whelen Large. He spent over 50 years treasuring time with family and friends in the Adirondack Mountains at their home in Keene Valley, NY where he en-joyed fishing, golfing, hiking, cross country skiing, and ten-nis. Mr. Butterworth was ac-tive in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. He contributed to his community in leadership roles with the White Williams Foundation, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, United Hospitals, the Adirondack Trail Improvement Society, Keene Valley Neighborhood House, Ausable Club, Princeton, and others.

Theodor Oxholm Jr. ’50, of Yarmouth Port, MA, died March 8, 2015, at Epoch Se-nior Healthcare in Brewster. He was the husband of the late Barbara K. (Cole) Oxholm who died in 2008. They had been married for 50 years. Born in Kingston NY, Mr. Oxholm was raised on an apple farm in Eso-pus, NY, and attended a one-room school for eight years. He then went on to the South Kent School in Connecticut. He was a 1954 graduate of Trinity College. Mr. Oxholm served in the U.S. Army during the Kore-an Conflict and was honorably discharged as a Specialist Third Class in 1956. Mr. Oxholm was an insurance writer and a risk placement specialist for sever-

inmemoriam

They will be remembered as we knew them in the full freshness and vigor of their young manhood. And as the years roll on and the seasons come and go, each evening the school will gather here for its few minutes of worship, prayer and praise. And each morning some will be here to celebrate the great sacrifice which carries with it the hope of the world.-Samuel S. Bartlett, 1952


al major insurance companies throughout the Northeast. He and his wife raised their family in Wellesley and after his retire-ment in 1997, he migrated to Kings Way in Yarmouth Port. Golfing was a favorite pas-time, and he enjoyed playing on the Kings Way course with his friends. He was a 30-year cancer survivor, and he spent his final years enjoying fam-ily gatherings, bridge nights, friends, seafood and, of course, any baked treats. His son Tom recalls, “My father talked often about his times at SKS and re-mained life-long friends with several SKS classmates, includ-ing Bill Gardiner.” The officiant at Theodor’s service was Rev. William B. Heuss SKS ’60.

John Hall Woodward ’53, be-loved teacher, noted historian, expert fisherman and devoted father, passed away May 25, in Kent, CT, due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. He was 80 and lived in South Kent, CT. Mr. Woodward was born December 5, 1934, the son of Samuel Austin Woodward and Elizabeth Hall Woodward. His father was the first Busi-ness Manager at South Kent School where John and his sister Allie grew up. Mr. Wood-ward graduated from South Kent in 1953; he earned a BA degree in History from Trinity College and a Master’s in His-tory from Boston University. In 1965, Mr. Woodward joined the faculty of The Hill School in Pottstown, PA, where he be-gan an illustrious tenure that would span 34 years. On the occasion of his retirement in

1999, The Hill School created the John H. Woodward Master Teacher Award and, to mark his 70th birthday, the school dedicated a history classroom in his name. He spent sum-mers away from the classroom in Chatham, MA, on Cape Cod. He was an accomplished fish-erman of Nantucket Sound for modest catch, while hooking larger game out of Rock Har-bor. In retirement, Mr. Wood-ward returned to his roots in South Kent, CT. For a number of years he would meet weekly with the Fourth Form at South Kent School when they were studying the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. History teacher Nancy Lyon remem-bers fondly, “He would spice his lectures with interesting and colorful tid-bits on the people behind the events to make those people come alive--Richard the Lion-Hearted, Oliver Cromwell, Charles II, for instance--and also some cap-tivating details about famous battles of the Hundred Years War, including the naval Battle of Sluys and Agincourt. His wealth of knowledge and dry sense of humor made those lectures memorable. He would also bring a bag of Hershey’s miniatures to each class and sparingly dole out candy to the boys who answered some of his tougher questions. There would be some classes where no one would earn a choco-late reward, to the great dis-appointment of the boys.” Mr. Woodward is survived by his wife of almost 54 years, Diane Whitely Woodward; a sister , Al-ice W. Funnell of Orleans, MA; a daughter, Caroline W. Grant of Westborough, MA; a son, Gor-don H. Woodward of Bedford Corners, NY; and four grand-children. Mr. Woodward was predeceased by his son, Henry C. Woodward.

Dr. James R. Lovell, M.D. ’55, of Marquette, entered eternal life on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at Marquette General Hospital after a courageous battle with Pulmonary Fibro-sis. Jim was born on March 30, 1937 in Montclair, New Jer-sey, and was raised in the East Coast area. He was a graduate of South Kent School, then en-rolled at Cornell University and later transferred to the General Motors Institute, graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He was then ac-cepted into Medical School at the University of Michigan, graduating in 1966. He served his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Beaumont Hospital in Birmingham, Michi-gan. Jim started practicing medicine in the U.S. Air Force in Clovis, New Mexico, before moving to Marquette in 1972. While practicing medicine, he delivered over seven thousand babies across the Upper Penin-sula during his career of almost fifty years. In his spare time Jim spent many hours in his base-ment engineering shop, creat-ing and inventing. He and his wife Pam married in 1991 and loved traveling on his Harley Davidson Motorcycle yearly to the Door Peninsula. He was an avid hockey fan and player, still playing in the “Old Timers Hockey League”.

Franklin Alexander Sever-ance ’57, died December 31, 2014 in Brunswick, ME. Alex, known in his youth as Sandy, was born in New York City and grew up in New Canaan, CT. After graduating from Har-

vard he taught high school in Nigeria for two years. Subse-quently he taught at Green-wich Country Day School, was Head of the Middle School at Friends Seminary in New York City, Principal of the Middle School at Abington Friends in Pennsylvania, and finally Assis-tant Head Master at North Yar-mouth Academy in Maine. In a second career he earned de-grees from the Muskie School of Public Service and was em-ployed by the State of Maine Department of Professional & Financial Regulations. In his spare time he did volunteer work and always enjoyed com-munity theatre wherever he lived. He was predeceased by his father Frank A.F. Severance, a former SKS trustee.

Joel B. Kennedy ’63 died at North Hawaii Community Hos-pital on June 23, 2014. Joel was born September 2, 1944 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He and his twin were the youngest of five brothers. Joel married Ann McWayne Kennedy on June 9, 1968. Joel attended Iolani School and Hawaii Preparatory Academy, and graduated from South Kent School in 1963. He went on to earn a BA from Col-orado College. After serving in Vietnam, he returned to Hono-lulu and soon began working in public relations. He spent most of his career at Hawai-ian Telephone Company and The Queen’s Health Systems and late in his career served as Communications Director for the Hawaii State House of Rep-resentatives. Joel retired to Ha-waii in 2005 where he was ac-


tive in leading the community newspaper and fundraising for the local library.

Thomas S. Krake ’64, of Farm-ington, NM, passed away on December 18, 2014. He spent his early years in Bethlehem, CT. He graduated from South Kent School, attended Ste-vens Institute of Technology, graduated from Waterbury State Technical College and served in the U.S. Army. He and his family moved west in 1980, eventually settling in the Farmington area. Tom was a gifted woodworker who also loved the outdoors, sailing and camping. He was a longtime employee of Western Technol-ogies Inc. in Farmington.

Van Rensellaer Richards ’76 died unexpectedly at his home in Riverton, NJ. January 31, 2015. He was 57. Mr Richards was a graduate of New Canaan Country School (CT), South Kent School (CT) and Alleghe-ny College in Meadville, PA. He taught elementary students in several schools, United Day School (Laredo,TX), Moore-stown Friends (NJ), Chapin School (NJ) St. Peter’s (Phil-delphia, PA). Most recently, he worked at the Quaker School of Horsham (PA), where he was the director of develop-ment, wrote grants, and was in charge of alumni relations. He also organized the fundraising,

public relations and “refilling the towel dispenser.” Van loved fires, clearing brush, cats and slapstick comedy. He was the go-to person concerning DVD players, cable connections, programming appliances and trouble-shooting chainsaws. He lovingly cared for a 1946 A Model Farmall tractor. Wher-ever he lived, he made friends and was known for his gener-osity of time, humor, money and effort. He was a talented Tex-Mex chef and, most re-cently, discovered cairns and built several dozen of the stone structures for love and (some-times) money.

Eugene “Gene” G. Cannon ’84, of New York City, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday, August 21, 2015, in the Reading Hospital. Born in Bronx, NY, on April 23, 1966, he attended Trinity Lutheran Church and Grade School in Robesonia. For his secondary education, he attended and graduated from South Kent School and later was a gradu-ate of New York University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. After graduating from NYU, Gene obtained all secu-rity licenses which entitled the holder to register as a limited representative and sell mutual funds, annuities and insurance products. Gene worked as a financial adviser for several in-vestment firms that were ac-quired by Citibank, giving him several years of service there; he then transitioned to JP Mor-gan Chase. Gene always stayed busy and active in the com-munity. He attended Madison Ave. Baptist Church, where he served as a night watchman during the winter months. Dur-ing this time, he was responsi-ble for caring for the homeless to ensure they had a warm and safe place to sleep.

Mary S. Richards died peace-fully, surrounded by her chil-dren on Sunday June 7, 2015 at the age of 87. She would have been pleased to know that the peonies and roses were in full bloom, the birds were singing and the sky was picture perfect blue. Mary was born in New York City in 1927 to Samuel and Caroline (Mead) Bartlett. She spent her formative years at South Kent School in South Kent, Connecticut and North Eastham, Massachusetts. Mary attended St. Mary’s School and then Wells College, graduat-ing Cum Laude in 1950. Mary then pursued her Master’s of Science in Nursing degree at Yale University, graduating in 1953. Mary married George S. “Rip” Richards ’46 in June 1953. Mary and George moved to New Hampshire and joined the faculty at Holderness School. She began her nursing career at Sceva Speare Memorial Hos-pital in Plymouth, New Hamp-shire, where she worked until she and Rip started their fam-ily. She liked to find ways to enrich her children’s lives with trips to visit grandparents on Cape Cod and Philadelphia, road trips to Florida, picnics to Squam Lake’s Dog Cove, and hikes in the White Moun-tains around home. When her youngest child was school

age, Mary returned to nursing at Holderness Central School. Mary constantly looked for ways to be helpful; she was a leader in Girl Scouts, organizer for the Pemigewasset Valley Pony Club and Welsh Pony So-ciety, and spent winters at the Tenney Mountain Ski School desk. After Rip retired from Holderness, they moved to a farm in North Pomfret, Ver-mont and embraced an agrar-ian life. Mary worked at the Dartmouth College Infirmary, “Dick’s House,” and joined the North Pomfret Ladies Circle. Mary and Rip grew vegetables, harvested hay, raised chickens and beef cows and tended to aging livestock. In 1996, she and Rip moved to Sterling Springs in Wilder, Vermont. Mary accepted people for who they were, never judging or finding fault, and she listened in a way that made you feel like you were the most impor-tant person in the room. Ever thankful, she quickly brought a balanced perspective to any conversation, often pointing out that “things could have been worse.” Mary loved to spend time in her garden, knit for her family, and try new reci-pes. Mary is survived by three sons, Sam, Tom and Rock, her daughters Kirk and Sara, a flock of grandchildren, and one great grandchild, as well as four siblings: George, Pogo, Syd and Rocky.

Obituaries

Family, Faculty, and Friends


Cecile Kelly Brown Whitte-more, born February 26, 1922, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, CT, November 1st, 2015. Celie visited her maternal relatives in Belgium every summer until age 14 and spoke only French before entering kindergar-ten. She attended The Buffalo Seminary and graduated from Foxhollow School and Smith College. In 1944 she married Jo-seph J. “Ma” Brown, Jr. who was the brother of her best friend at Foxhollow. During WWII Celie worked as a volunteer nurse’s aide while Joe served as a paratrooper and earned a Purple Heart. Following the war they resided in PA and had two children. In 1947 they moved to South Kent School to join the faculty. Another son and two more daughters completed the family. In 1958 she started her 29-year-long career as a teacher of French and Biology, as well as coach-ing the JV tennis team. She was the first female teacher to work at South Kent. For 10 years, Celie tirelessly cared for her husband Joe, who had a number of strokes and who died in 1986. In 1987 Celie re-tired from teaching, and a year later she married a South Kent colleague, Charles P. Whitte-more. This began a happy time

of travel all over the USA and the world. As she once com-mented: “I tell Charlie what everybody knows and he tells me what nobody knows”. Celie and Charlie moved from Kent to Noble Horizons in 2003. Post-retirement, Celie greatly enjoyed being a volunteer at both The Audubon Center in Sharon and in the recovery room at the Sharon Hospital, along with being a Eucharistic Minister in the Catholic Church. Celie was a remarkable person in every respect but also a very modest and unassuming per-son. She was a talented athlete, an accomplished equestrienne and figure skater, a prolific knit-ter of beautiful sweaters, hats, socks and mittens, and in later years, she transitioned into needlepoint. Celie also was famous in many circles for her chocolate chip cookies, choco-late cake and watermelon pick-les. Adjectives which capture her essence are kind, consid-erate, curious, optimistic and generous (with both resources and praise). She was thrilled by the accomplishments of her children and grandchil-dren no matter how modest! Celie is survived by her loving husband Charlie; her five chil-dren: Joseph J. Brown, III, Anne B. Mason, William Kelly Brown (Beep), Cecile Harmar Brown (Harmie) and Juanita Brown Howland (Nita), as well as their husbands, wives, and her grandchildren. Suffice it to say that Celie would be mortified by even this abbreviated ac-count of her life and her many achievements. She will be greatly missed by all who were lucky enough to know her.

Sybil Bailey Stockdale, a long-time friend of the school, died Oct. 10 at a hospital af-ter suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Mrs. Stockdale was the wife of the late Vice Adm. James Bond Stockdale, for both of whom our new hockey arena was named. She found her calling after her husband’s plane was shot down during the Vietnam War in 1965 and he was taken prisoner. The U.S. government at the time discouraged military wives from speaking up about the mistreatment of the prison-ers of war. Nonetheless, Mrs. Stockdale organized military wives who demanded the U.S. government pressure North Vietnam to abide by the Ge-neva Convention. She helped found the League of American Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, and she served as the organi-zation’s first national coordina-tor. She made appearances on television, met regularly with then-President Richard Nixon and confronted a North Viet-namese delegation at the Paris Peace Talks. Mrs. Stockdale also worked closely with the CIA to be able to write secretly encod-ed letters to her husband, who was tortured by his captors. The military credited Stockdale

with helping secure the safe re-turn of her husband and other POWs in 1973. “Sybil’s selfless service and sacrifice fighting for American prisoners of war, those missing in action, and many who are still unaccount-ed for has left an indelible mark on this nation that will never be forgotten,” Sen. John McCain, a fellow POW in the Hanoi Hilton with Stockdale’s husband, said in a statement to the newspa-per. The Navy awarded her its Distinguished Public Service Award, whose citation reads: “Her actions and her indomi-table spirit in the face of many adversities contributed im-measurably to the success-ful safe return of American prisoners, gave hope, support and solace to their families in a time of need and reflected the finest traditions of the Na-val service and of the United States of America.” Stockdale later co-authored “In Love and War” with her husband about their experience. Until the end, she continued to meet at her home monthly in Coronado with the wives of POWs and those missing in action. She leaves behind three sons, Jim, Sid ’73, and Taylor ’81 Stock-dale; and eight grandchildren. The Stockdales‘ legacy of hard work, perseverance and integ-rity will stand as an inspiration for the boys here at South Kent School for years to come.


The Pigtail, October 15, 1965

inretrospectReflections


Thank you!

As we look to the future of South Kent School, we do so with optimism, and thank the members of the South Kent family who help us fulfill its compelling mission in today’s challenging times.On behalf of the faculty and staff, we thank you for your continued support and involvement, and look forward to the many successes ahead for South Kent! We believe that the gift of a South Kent education is among the greatest gifts you can give a boy.

South Kent School 40 Bulls Bridge Road South Kent, CT 06785-1199860-927-3539

1923

Parents of alumniIf this publication is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the alumni office of a preferred mailing address by calling (860) 927-3539 x206 or emailing us at [email protected]. Thank you!

Documents

2015 Fall Hillside