Page 25 - Alumni Horae: Vol. 93, No. 4 Summer 2013

For about 20 of us, Saturday morning
commenced with a roundtable titled
“What I Learned after Leaving SPS.” We
agreed that school had been a search for
independence, followed by years of learn-
ing about interdependence. Mentors were
applauded in a sink-or-swim world. Giving
back was a common theme. A number
expressed the importance of being part
of something larger than oneself.
The Alumni Memorial Service at the
Chapel of St. Peter and St. Paul was packed.
Familiar prayer and song filled our hearts,
with a sad and long list of departed mem-
bers perfectly read. In the center of the
Chapel, a splendid mobile held steady in
the midst, reminding me of Bill Abbe’s
delight at the springtime opening of Calder’s
mobile barn on Nantucket. As I looked
around, I saw tears of memory welling.
Ohrstrom Library had a magnificent
display of Pictorials , one with the famous
cover shot of Form Director Ames kicking
a winning goal during an undefeated
soccer season. I am sure this made the
rounds of more than Chapin, Foxcroft,
and Dana Hall.
Eight eager 1963 Halcyons and Shat-
tucks mustered on the crew docks at 2 p.m.
Saturday. Looking for battle against any
and all form challengers, 1963’s crew
rowed under a novice but valiant coxswain
in 10-year-old Julia Livingston. Rowing
members of the crew – Hawkins at stroke,
Reigeluth 7, McLaughlin 6, Gould 5,
Thorne 4, Radcliffe 3, Livingston 2, and
Gagarin at bow – were apprehensive, but
compliant. After negotiating a life jacket
for the cox, being assigned the oldest boat
in the boathouse, and promising the head
coach that none of us would have a heart
attack, we got underway. We entered into
a spontaneous race with a spunky 40th
reunion boat. Always a keen competitor,
Peter Gagarin cried out, “Let’s get going if
we are going to win.” The crowds erupted.
I wasn’t sure whether it was cries of sur-
prised family or broader school astonish-
ment at our length lead, which was rapidly
diminishing at the finish line.
We negotiated a perfect landing with
guidance from the coach. Some of us
could only roll out of the boat, unable
to stand. Then it was time to throw the
coxswain over the side. She was so eager,
little effort was required. Good thing –
little effort was available – and many just
fell in the black, surface-warm water of
Turkey Pond. Steve Gould said that if he
could attend another reunion like this one,
he would come back every year. I thrust
our fundraisers immediately upon him.
Saturday evening, amidst some direc-
tional confusion, the class convened at
the Kimball-Jenkins Estate. A large cock-
tail party followed by a sumptuous Com-
mon Man dinner led to electric piano music
by Jack Radcliffe. He brought the house
down with Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Ray
Charles, etc. Lee Scarbrough joined him
on the sax, and the floor soon filled with
dancers. Among our guests were Louise
(Adams) Vanderlip, attending with her
daughter Isabelle Adams; our guest of
honor, Alan Hall; and Jerry Yang, a Third
Former from Beijing, whose father had
generously provided each member with
a large box of organic green tea from
mainland China.
About 20 members were able to spend
time with Alan Hall, who likened his 60
years of teaching to conducting a sym-
phony orchestra: “There are many musi-
cians with many skills to be aware of and
kept in time with others, all likely to be
temperamentally difficult because of age,
sense of self-importance, differing skills,
indifference to performing. It’s a challenge
for the conductor.”
Of course, he wasn’t talking about us!
See everyone again soon.
JANA F. BROWN
LOUIS H. FOISY
PETER FINGER
Form of 1963 rowers
Jacquie and Lee Scarbrough (c.) with Cara
and John Groman
Members of the Form of 1963 parade together 25