Monthly Musings
REVERENCE FOR GOD AND THE HUMAN PERSON
RESPECT FOR LEARNING AND ORDER
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SHARED EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNITY LIFE
This is part of an ongoing series of informal communications with Portsmouth Abbey School's constituents. Current parents, alumni/ae, past parents and friends have all expressed an interest in hearing more about our school, more often. It is meant to be one element among a number of activities designed to keep you better informed about the School, the Monastery and our community.
Commencement 2007: On Sunday, May 27, under clear blue skies and unseasonably warm temperatures, the Portsmouth Abbey community saluted the graduating Class of 2007 and bade them farewell as 100 Sixth Formers headed off to new challenges and adventures. Under a large white tent on the Holy Lawn, Headmaster Dr. James De Vecchi, Prior Administrator Dom Caedmon Holmes and Chairman of the Board of Regents David Moran presented the graduates with their diplomas and wished them well.
Dr. De Vecchi recognized the Class of 2007 for their compassion for others and their support of each other: "Your leadership, positive attitude and achievements both in and outside the classroom have been exemplary, and you now sit here as equals in the eyes of the Portsmouth Abbey community." He encouraged the students to "...get to know at least one (college) professor well. It will not be easy to duplicate your Abbey student/teacher relationships in college--indeed, it may be impossible--but it would be well worth your efforts in trying. As you move on, you will appreciate just how special and fundamental the deep relationships with your Portsmouth Abbey teachers and Monks have been...these relationships have helped you grow in faith and reason, the principles on which your Portsmouth Abbey education is based."
Dr. De Vecchi acknowledged the contributions of retiring Abbey faculty members Susan Wells, John Fulweiler and Tom Kennedy, and thanked them for their many years of service to the School community.
Commencement speaker was The Rev. F. Washington Jarvis, an Episcopal priest who for 30 years was headmaster of the Roxbury Latin School in Boston, the oldest school in continuous existence in North America. Rev. Jarvis challenged the graduating class: "...you are an accomplished group with considerable promise. It is up to you to decide whether you will choose to live life to the full. Life has only one certainty: we shall all die. The only issue, then, is this: what will you choose to do with your one and only life? Who you will be is your choice...will you decide that you want to be known as someone who did great things for others, as someone who cared about others, as someone who might even give your life for others?"
Class Valedictorian was Brendan Kinnane '07, who was elected by his classmates to give the address. He acknowledged the special nature of Portsmouth Abbey: "The sense of belonging and tradition found here at the Abbey makes this School very special...we are all truly blessed to have been part of this family. We are not just graduating from high school, we are graduating from a tight-knit, loving community. We have accomplished much, suffered and laughed together, learned and grown. We are equipped with the knowledge and tools...the future is ambiguous, but the possibilities are endless, and we are ready. This represents the conclusion of one tale and the start of another. Go out and tackle the future with confidence, determination and compassion. We have made it. This is our day."
A full write-up of Commencement will follow in the Summer 2007 Bulletin. For the list of graduating Sixth Formers, click here. Please visit our photo galleries for photos of Commencement Day.
Prize Day: On Saturday, May 26, Portsmouth Abbey recognized and honored the students who had distinguished themselves, both in and outside the classroom, during the 2006-7 School year. Click here for a full list of the 2007 Prize Day recipients and photos of the day.
The Annual Fund Needs Your Gift Today! There are less than three weeks left to make a gift to the 2006-2007 Annual Fund. Every dollar makes a difference in the many lives that make up the School Community, from the classroom to the playing fields to weekend activities. The School needs your participation in order to reach its $1,300,000 goal. If you have not already done so, please make a gift today. You may contact Polly Carter at 401.643.1204 with questions regarding your Annual Fund donation.
Spring Athletic Awards Assembly Salutes Winning Spring Season:
The Portsmouth Abbey Ravens enjoyed a stellar Spring 2007 season, with teams winning 70 percent of their games and taking home five SENE league championships, in Boys' and Girls' Track, Baseball, Boys' Golf, and Tennis. Athletic Director Al Brown congratulated the athletes and paid special recognition to departing varsity Sixth Formers, saying, "you have left a lasting legacy" at Portsmouth Abbey School.
Al also acknowledged the tireless work of all Ravens coaches, not for just their successful seasons, but for "their day-to-day dedication, leadership and enthusiasm they demonstrated in their practices and interactions with their teams." He said the entire Portsmouth community looks forward to joining the EIL beginning next fall, where the Ravens will be able to showcase our School and our athletic talents to a much wider audience.
Special thanks were given to departing Assistant Athletic Director and Girls' Varsity Lacrosse Coach Becky Swissler, who led the Raven Girls to an impressive 39-5-4 overall record over the past three years, and to this year's Sixth Form, Three-Varsity-Sport Athletes.
For the full list of Portsmouth Abbey students recognized at the Spring Athletic Awards Assembly, click here.
Dom Paschal Publishes Again: Fr. Paschal Scotti, whose book Out of Due Time: Wilfrid Ward and the Dublin Review received such accolades as "magnificently written" and "a valuable compendium of important writing and thinking" in highly regarded book reviews, has three entries ("Cardinal Manning," "Atheism/Agnosticism" and "Eric Gill") in a new two-volume reference work (Encyclopedia of Catholic Social Thought, Social Science, and Social Policy) that will be published later this month. Reviews of Fr. Paschal's entries in the Encyclopedia will be published online in our Monastery Notes section. For full reviews of Fr. Paschal's book on Wilfrid Ward, visit Monastery Notes on our Web site.
Abbey's Beacon Staff Takes Home Journalism Awards: The winners of the 2007 Scholastic Journalism Competition for Rhode Island High Schools have been announced, and The Beacon and its staff have come away with several awards and honors. The annual contest, sponsored for the 23rd year by The Providence Journal in cooperation with the University of Rhode Island Department of Journalism, is a school newspaper competition open to all R.I. high schools and middle/junior high schools. The hard-working Beacon staff garnered some well-deserved honors:
3rd Runner-Up, Best High School Newspaper Overall
3rd Place, In-Depth Reporting - Naseemah Mohamed '08 for her article, "Sleep No More, The Abbey Doth Kill Sleep"
2nd Place, News Story - Sara Munda '10 for her article, "The Saga of Sit Down"
1st Place, Sports Writing - Micaela Adams '08 on her article, "Come Sail Away," about the sailing team
1st Place Photojournalism - Alex Walgreen '08 for his layout on Art at Portsmouth Abbey
According to Beacon faculty advisor Laureen Bonin, winning these awards "...is especially impressive since The Beacon is put out by our students who spend their free time to do it, unlike other schools that have the (newspaper) class built into the curriculum. I'm really proud of them." Congratulations to the award winners and the entire Beacon staff!
Abbey Garners Conservation Award from Garden Club of America: Portsmouth Abbey School and Monastery has once again been honored for its conservation efforts, this time by The Garden Club of America. The organization's 2007 Conservation Award was presented at the annual meeting of the Newport Garden Club on Wednesday, May 16, at Carnegie Abbey Club. Representing Portsmouth Abbey and School were Deborah De Vecchi, wife of Dr. De Vecchi, and Fr. Damian Kearney '45, who received the award before approximately 70 members of the Garden Club. After accepting the Garden Club's 2007 Conservation Award, Fr. Damian explained to those in attendance that since the founding of the Monastery, the monks have considered themselves to be stewards of the land, wanting to preserve open space and the historic character of the land as the site of the 1778 Battle of Rhode Island. Portsmouth was chosen to receive the award from a number of submissions by local garden clubs. The award is the most recent of several recognitions given in the past two months to the School and Monastery for its renewable energy initiatives.
"Black Comedy" Delights Audiences: Black Comedy, another great Abbey Players production, played to delighted audiences on the weekend of May 18-19. Directed by Br. Joseph, with Mr. Jay Bragan acting as technical director, the talented cast turned out stellar performances, taking the audiences through the uproarious one-act play, set in a London flat, with one comical misstep after another. Max Klietmann '07 (playing struggling artist Brindsley Miller) and Emily Pederson '08 (playing Brindsley's fiancé Carol Melkett) kept the laughs coming, scrambling to return furniture "borrowed" from Brindsley's unsuspecting neighbor, antique collector Harold Gorringe (amusingly played by Mike Gorman '07), before Brindsley's bombastic future father-in-law, Colonel Melkett (perfectly played by Jonathan Hughes '08) and Gorringe caught on to his scheme. Julia LeBouvier '07 (as elderly neighbor Miss Furnival), Sebastian Clarkin '10 (as repairman Schuppanzigh), Nicole Biewenga '08 (playing the fetching, duped girlfriend Clea), and Lucas Zipp '07 (as the wealthy art collector Georg Bamberger) rounded out the capable cast, sending audiences home with terrific performances that made for a most entertaining evening.
Kudos to the entire Abbey Players cast, support crew, and Mr. Bragan and Br. Joseph for their tireless efforts in turning out another memorable Abbey production! For photos of "Black Comedy," visit our photo galleries.
Summer Trip to Spain: This summer, 12 Abbey students will spend a month in Salamanca, Spain, in an intensive undergraduate college language and culture program for which the students will earn eight college credits. Salamanca is home to one of the oldest universities in the world and, according to trip leader and Modern Languages Department Head Roberto Guerenabarrena, it is a tranquil city full of history, art and literary traditions. The students will be immersed in Spanish life, language and culture. In addition to Salamanca, the students will also travel to Santiago de Compostela, León and Segovia. The students will live with a host family, with two students staying with each family. The students participating in this year's trip are Micaela Adams '08, Liz Childs '08, Philipp Clasen '08, Kaitlyn Dempsey '08, Christina Horton '08, Jonathan Hughes '08, Kathryn Hughes '08, Catherine R. Kennedy '08, Elena McCarthy '09, David Ruhfel '08, Susan Skakel '09, and Katherine G. Strong '08.
Abbey students apply to Mr. Guerenabarrena for acceptance into the program. While in Salamanca, Mr. Guerenabarrena also attends conferences. In previous years, he has had the opportunity to meet prominent Spanish-speaking writers, including Alfredo Bryce Echenique and Luis Mateo Diez. This summer he will attend a conference with well-known writer Rafael Chirbes.
A full report of the summer trip to Spain, along with the Summer Humanities Rome Program and the School's two trips to Lourdes, will follow in an upcoming Musings.
2007 Haney Fellowships Awarded to Four Students for Independent Summer Study: Four Portsmouth Abbey students have been awarded Haney Fellowships for independent study this summer. The coveted fellowships, created in 1998 by Bill Haney '80 in honor of his parents, Irene, and the late William Haney, Sr., long-time Abbey teacher houseparent and coach, fund summer independent work for qualified Fifth Formers. The Fellowships are awarded on the basis of submitted proposals, which are reviewed by Irene and Bill, and provide a unique summer educational experience.
The Fifth Form students selected for this year's Haney Fellowships are: Marisa Edmonds, who will attend the Independent Schools Study Abroad Consortium "Peace in the Modern World" program, at the International People's College in Elsinore, Denmark, in July; Katie Hughes, who will participate in a hands-on program at the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, in Atlanta, Georgia, to study with social and health scientists about water-related diseases among the world's poorest populations; Emily Pederson, who will travel to Cusco, Peru, for one month as part of the non-profit organization United Planet to live with a local family while assisting street children with English, school work and life skills; and Kevin Walsh, who will attend the Berklee School of Music to participate in three summer programs for music entrepreneurship, production and performance. Congratulations to these students, and we wish you an informative and fun learning experience.
Upcoming Events:
Wednesday, June 13, 4pm - Dom Joseph Byron to Address Rhode Island House of Representatives -- Brother Joseph has been invited to address R.I. state legislators in the State House Chambers regarding the success of the Abbey's wind turbine, the beginning of the wind energy movement in Rhode Island, and the turbine's importance to Rhode Island's economy, health and environment. We'll have a full report in the next issue of Monthly Musings.
Sunday, July 1 - Westport/Little Compton Summer Reception
Hosted by Red (John) '63 and Paula Cummings P '83, '84 and the Westport ~ Little Compton Reception Committee at the Acoaxet Club, Westport Point, MA. Sunday, July 1, 2007: 6-8 pm. Contact Fran Cook at rsvp@portsmouthabbey.org for more information.
Friday, September 28, 2007 - Seventh Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament
Carnegie Abbey Club, Portsmouth, RI
Sponsorships and foursomes available. Contact Kate Spinella at rsvp@portsmouthabbey.org for more information.
Reunion '07: Mark your calendar for October 12-14, 2007! Classes ending in '02 and '07 and everyone celebrating 50+ years graduated from Portsmouth Abbey School. Golf and class dinners on Friday ~ All-day events, athletics and Reunion cocktails and dinner on Saturday ~ Reunion Mass and Brunch on Sunday. Bring your family and return to campus for reminiscing and fun! Log on to register or for more information at www.portsmouthabbey.org/reunion.
Answer to April Question of the Month: In the '40s and '50s, Portsmouth had a farm, originally established to provide food for the School during WWII. In addition to an orchard, vegetable garden, pig farm, chicken farm and dairy, the School had an apiary for honey and sugar production. Who was the School's resident beekeeper in the '50s? We had a lot of fun with this one. Answers ranged from Dom Hilary to Dom Bede to Dom Peter Sidler, and one alum thought we'd asked who our bookkeeper was in the '50s...but a number of you got it right--the honor fell to Dom Damian, then a novice at the Monastery. D. Damian describes his task: "It involved checking the hives, periodically, extracting honey which we consumed or gave away, and getting stung many times." For those of you who thought the resident beekeeper was Dom Hilary, he was busy herding the monastery's flock of sheep and running the 250-hen chicken farm, which turned out 50,000 eggs a year in the '40s.
May Question of the Month: What auspicious event took place on the Abbey campus on June 1, 1960? Please email your answers to communications@portsmouthabbey.org.
We Welcome Your Input: If you have questions, comments or ideas for Monthly Musings, please send them to the School's Communications Department at communications@portsmouthabbey.org .
Editorial Note: This summer, we will be making some changes in the way we present our Monthly Musings in order to streamline our presentation of School news. Please let us know what you think when your Summer Musings arrives via email in several weeks. Send your comments to communications@portsmouthabbey.org.
Have a safe, enjoyable summer!
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Jim De Vecchi
Headmaster |
Annual Archive
2003-04 Musings
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