Friday, June 01, 2012

Spring Term Report Card - 2012


To the Great Class of 1969:

News of the Academy

School let out for summer vacation today.  As has been the pattern for some years, the senior class has been long gone, having received their diplomas last Sunday at Deerfield’s 213th Commencement.

The year-end issue of The Scroll reported that more than 50 members of the Class of 2012 will be moving on to Ivy League schools in the fall.  For the class as a whole, the most popular universities were Yale and Princeton, each of which will matriculate ten graduates.  The most popular liberal arts college was Davidson which attracted six graduates.

On the Lower Level this spring, Boys Varsity Lacrosse compiled a 14-2 record, the highlight of which was an overtime victory against Salisbury, the only all-boys team on the schedule and the fifth best team nationally.  The losses, each by a single goal, were at the hands of Trinity-Pawling and Lawrenceville, neither of which, judging from their records, measured up to Deerfield.

News of the Class

Neil Jacobs took up residence in Hitchcock House this term and taught courses in Ethics and Virtue, two related subjects which date back at least to Socrates.  Neil joined Hale & Dorr, the predecessor of WilmerHale, in 1977 where he specializes in employment and labor law.

Ed Grosvenor, the editor in chief of American Heritage Magazine, also returned to Deerfield this term.  In his case, it was to receive the annual President’s Award from the Historic Deerfield museum for his work supporting and promoting an interest in and the study of American History.  Ed muses that the reason he was admitted to Deerfield was that the Headmaster’s favorite history teacher at Amherst was Prof. Edwin Grosvenor for whom Ed was named. 

Steve Esthimer, who joined the faculty of St. Mary’s School in Raleigh, NC after completing his Masters in 1979, received the school’s Teacher of the Year Award.  Steve is Chair of the Humanities and Social Sciences Department and, in his spare time, a guitarist in the band When Cousins Marry.

The Alabama Tourism Department launched “The Year of Alabama Food” in January.  The culinary campaign cites the pimento cheese sandwich on sun-dried tomato bread at Savage’s Bakery in Homewood as one of “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama before You Die”.  Van Scott, who has owned Savage’s Bakery since 1978, talked about his business in this video interview in March. 

Christopher Beach continues to enjoy success as President and Artistic Director of the La Jolla Music Society where he has managed to balance the budget while expanding offerings.  In April the LJMS announced an ambitious program for the 2012-13 season which will include performances by three of the most famous ballet companies in the world, an expansion of its core chamber music program, and a series featuring up and coming pianists.

Rusty Young’s new venture MusicWorks Entertainment is off to a fast start, having already booked more than 20 live music events since its founding less than a year ago.

Trivia Question

As everyone knows, Frank Henry is one of the longest serving members of the Deerfield faculty.  Who else in the Class besides Neil Jacobs has worked at Deerfield?

Money Matters

Imagine Deerfield moved $8 million closer to its $200 million goal this term, and now stands at $113 million according to the website. 

For those members of the Class who contribute to Annual Support each year but who have not done so yet, please remember that the fiscal year ends on June 30th.  I have been told by John Kjorlien that we are well short of our participation goal but I know, based on past experience, that we can meet expectations with a strong finish.  Here’s a link for the well-intentioned which will spare you a follow-up e-mail or call.

Time to fire up the BBQ and enjoy the summer.  Classes begin again on September 10th.

Best wishes to all.

DWS