To the Grand Class of 1969:
I had no doubt that the reopening of the Academy during a pandemic would be newsworthy, but I initially hesitated to write because I thought that there would be little of interest about the Class to report. When I looked back at my emails and texts, however, I realized that there was more than I thought, including some news about Classmates who continue to make their mark.
News of the Academy
For those who may not have attended the Town Hall, here is what I noted:
- Since July 30, the Academy administered nearly 16,000 tests and succeeded in containing positive cases to a handful
- Before school re-opened the Academy reconfigured dorms so that every boarding student lives in a single and made other physical alterations in order to enforce social distancing
- Class sizes were reduced, and eight teachers were added to handle the additional sections
- The school has incurred approximately $8 million in incremental costs as a result of the pandemic but contributions have been robust, and the endowment now totals over $1 million per student
- In order to further insulate the campus, the day students will have the option of learning remotely or living on campus for the Winter Term
- The annex of The Deerfield Inn has been sublet for COVID space, and Ephraim Williams, which housed the alumni office, is being repurposed temporarily to serve as as a dorm
- A new "dining pavilion" is being constructed adjacent to the Dining Hall so that sit-down lunches in two shifts can be re-instituted
- A skating rink is being constructed behind the MSB where the Great Tent had been set up for outdoor learning
- While school is out until the first week of January, a so-called "D-Term" will run from December 7 - 18. The D-Term is being billed as a remote-learning and community-building experience that will include virtual School Meetings, virtual "sit-down meals" and other events
- Applications remain strong, albeit without campus visits
Also of note this term is that the Academy's architecture is now the subject of an excellent 200-page guide published by Princeton Architectural Press. The Academy is one of only three secondary schools in the series. Advancement sponsored a webinar last month which featured presentations by the author and another architect, both of whom are alumni. What I found most interesting was the explanation of the way in which today's buildings relate to each other without there ever having been a central plan and how the more recent construction makes architectural allusions not only to existing buildings but also to antecedents - such as Dickinson High School and Plunkett - that are long gone. Parenthetically, the Civil War Memorial and our role in its restoration is noted in a walking tour of Deerfield and the broader community.
News of the Class
For the historians in the Class, AC Starkey has maintained his laser-like focus on the good life as I first pointed out in my 2015 Fall Term Report Card. This fall he treated himself to a low mileage Maserati ragtop for trips to the local McDonalds' in Vero, once again proving that "living well is the best revenge". His fellow Veronian, Rusty Young, has lined up performing artists and venues for the upcoming concert season, but hasn't yet released tickets for sale.
Neil Jacobs is now spending half of his time managing 3Point Foundation which he founded ten years ago and which he described to us at the 50th Reunion. If you are thinking of what you might support on Giving Tuesday, I encourage you to consider 3Point which is committed to remedying the inequities in opportunities to learn and develop that affect life outcomes of economically disadvantaged urban youth.
The new technology we adopted this year has enabled Dick Prokesch - who is based in Georgia - to cover for another infectious disease specialist in Nebraska from time to time. Robert Clough, when he wasn't at his summer cabin in Maine culling the fish from Moosehead Lake, assisted the Millennial surgeons in the Bangor ME and did some performance reviews. He and Jo are scheduled to arrive in the Florida Keys on December 1 where the tarpon await them.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
DWS
