FAVORITE MEMORIES OF WILLIAMS

Whit Stoddard’s Art 101-102 class I’ve returned to time and again. By senior year, when I took the class, he’d revamped the course to require less memorization of countless artists and their works. Instead, we focused on key artists representative of a period—Giotto, Rembrandt, Picasso, etc. This opened my eyes to emphasizing depth rather breadth and proved to be an invaluable model for my curriculum work in schools and publishing

CURRENT INTERESTS, PASSIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS

Kathy and I are committed to supporting organizations in Lawrence, Mass., a mill city on the Merrimack River. With high unemployment, Lawrence (over 80 percent Dominican) has many challenges but is on the rebound. My work with an after-school program at the YMCA has led to connections with public and charter schools, Lawrence History Center, senior center, and Groundwork Lawrence. Kathy is organizing a 2022 event for Merrimack Valley organizations that will include singing, visual arts, and courageous conversations about race and equity.

LIFE SINCE GRADUATION

On the eve of her new unit, a despondent 4th grade science teacher divulged that her shipment of live specimens hadn’t arrived. Years back, this wouldn’t have been a problem—science teaching was textbook-based. But we’d overhauled the curriculum and ditched the text in favor of hands-on, discovery learning. The next morning, fortunes turned around when a 5th grader burst up the stairs, leading a parade of jabbering classmates straight into the science classroom. With a smile coursing his face, Will presented Cheeseburger Eddie, his pet crayfish and a grade 4 vet. Specimen ranks swelled when Julia arrived with 10 crayfish she’d plucked from a muddy stream the night before—after homework and choir rehearsal. With students crowding around Will and Julia and their splashing crayfish, I was witnessing what principals strive for: a committed community of learners. Here it was in the flesh and shell.

Fresh out of Williams with an economics degree, I’d hoped to teach high school history, but a job was a job and I signed up for 5th grade English. Stepping into a dark classroom, I found a stack of books dumped on my desk. So much for professional development. And my vision of an open classroom vanished upon discovering that one of the old guard displayed a wooden paddle over his blackboard. My energy instead went into directing classroom plays and coaching the beasts of the 70 lb. football team. A student named Brian set me on a new path when he became completely flummoxed reading aloud, stumbling throughout. I wanted to learn how to teach dyslexic students, so headed to Boston to become a reading specialist.

A few weeks before completing my degree, I dropped by John Malcolm’s farm and chanced to meet Kathy Broderick. I left that weekend unable to write my name. (Check John’s log). Kathy left her New York life to join me in Boston, where she worked for years as a paralegal. She’s provided a beautiful balance to my turbulent days as a school administrator. More than anything, I treasure what she’s taught me about life. Miraculously, with us both working full-time, we raised two children, Molly and Sam. Amidst the blur of playdates, lacrosse games, and takeout pizza, a favorite distant memory is of spying them walking outside after a rain, pausing the line of yellow slickers at a puddle to see who could make the biggest splash. The perks of being a principal.

Peace-shattering phone calls at home used to be about recess bullying or ski-trip accidents. Now they’re robocalls. Retirement means finally having time to enjoy what’s been here all along, such as the early-morning sun warming the stone wall and white pines in back. Out my desk window I see emerging hobbies. A wire arbor bends under the weight of green beans. Next to it weeds reign—I’ll need Ramar of the Jungle to reach the raspberries. Behind me on bookshelves rest decades of artifacts from Shady Hill, educational publishing, and Pike School. The 4th grade social studies text was a labor of love for three years. Photo albums show teachers from eight countries attending reading workshops I ran in Kenya and Pakistan. The most recent additions to my floor clutter are two plastic crates filled with lessons guiding 8th grade Hispanic students through the gauntlet of high school applications. I was sorry to let this last gig go, but now it’s time to really act retired. I’m grateful that Molly and Sam are thriving in great spots for Kathy and me to visit, LA and Denver. With camera and sun hat in hand, I’m excited for western adventures and connecting with life-long friends.

I’ve been blessed.