Monthly Musings
REVERENCE FOR GOD AND THE HUMAN PERSON
RESPECT FOR LEARNING AND ORDER
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SHARED EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNITY LIFE
This is the thirteenth in 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 2004: The sun was shining on Sunday, May 23 as 79 Sixth Formers in the Class of 2004, received their diplomas and said farewell to Portsmouth. Valedictorian Jerome Igle'04 reminded his classmates to honor the diversity and spirit of Portsmouth and to "Stay far from timid. Only make moves when your heart's in it and live the phrase 'sky's the limit'." Commencement speaker, Josiah Bunting III, superintendent emeritus of Virginia Military Institute and former Lawrenceville School Headmaster, asked the Class of 2004 to hold onto the Benedictine teachings of the Abbey and to avoid the temptations and superficialities that pervade college life. Click here for a complete list of graduates, or visit the Photo Galleries for pictures of this momentous occasion.
Dr. DeVecchi Thanks Retiring Faculty: At Commencement, Headmaster, Dr. James DeVecchi recognized 3 outstanding faculty members who will be retiring this summer. Jim Garman recently completed his 39th year of teaching at Portsmouth Abbey (and Priory) School. Jim is a highly respected local historian, having published 5 books on the subject to date and as Varsity Cross Country coach at Portsmouth, amassed over 400 career wins. Jim has been Chair of the History Department and an intellectual leader on campus and will live on as an essential element of the history of Portsmouth. Kathie Crellin has served as Director of Finance and Treasurer of the Corporation (the Order of St. Benedict). She will be retiring this summer after 21 years at Portsmouth. Though behind the scenes, Kathie's work has been crucial to the many initiatives that the School has successfully undertaken in recent years. Louise Appleton is retiring after 19 years of service to Portsmouth as School Registrar and English Teacher. Dr. DeVecchi called Louise's painstaking attention to detail in the Office of Academic Affairs, as Registrar and in the classroom, "a God-send to our school." Good luck to all of this year's retirees.
95 Awards Earned on Prize Day 2004: 95 individual athletic, special and academic achievement awards were presented to 73 different students in a beautiful ceremony on the Holy Lawn on Saturday, May 22. Congratulations to all award recipients. For a description of some of the awards and winners, read The News on the Portsmouth Abbey School Website.
Springfest a Blast!: The entire school community came together on Sunday, May 16 to celebrate another wonderful year at Springfest 2004. The carnival featured a climbing wall, a pillow jousting arena and live music, as Forms competed against each other in football, volleyball, ultimate-Frisbee, obstacle course relay, and of course, a pie-eating contest! Surprise, the Sixth Formers won again! Photos from the fun in the sun are available in the Photo Galleries of the Portsmouth Abbey School Website.
New Play Festival: Portsmouth Abbey Drama and creative writing departments delighted audiences, on May 15th, with the collaborative New Plays Festival. Six charming plays were developed by the schools creative writing department and brought to life for the first time by Abbey Drama students. The plays explored the themes of love, fame and the effects of Pop Culture in America. Congratulations to all involved in another outstanding production!
Spring Sports Soar: The spirit of Abbey athletics was exhibited this spring as many programs reached new heights. More importantly, Portsmouth Abbey received the annual Sportsmanship Award from the SouthEastern New England League (SENE), which is voted on by peer schools Moses Brown, Providence Country Day, Wheeler, Lincoln and Marianapolis, and denotes spirited and fair competition throughout the entire year. The boys' varsity golf team rounded out its season with an impressive 11-5-3 record. Ravens Softball completed a banner season with a 7-6 record, winning the first-ever SENE softball championship in dramatic fashion at Marianapolis. Varsity Baseball ended their '04 campaign with an impressive 12-7 record, which featured key road victories over St. Georges and Pomfret, and a season sweep of Moses Brown. Boys' Lacrosse finished with a 10-7 record, which included a hard-fought sweep of Wheeler and girls' lacrosse ended the season at 8-7-1 with big victories against Falmouth Academy and Wheeler. Ravens tennis swept St. Thomas More and finished with an outstanding 7-3 record. For individual highlights and all award recipients visit the Athletics Page of the Portsmouth Abbey School Website.
Along the Road to Santiago: On May 17, Mrs. Ann Pelletier, widow of former faculty member Richard Pelletier, a long-time Spanish teacher at Portsmouth Abbey, presented a slideshow tour along the medieval pilgrimage road to Santiago, Spain. Mrs. Pelletier taught Spanish for numerous years in summer school at Portsmouth Abbey, and was a high school Spanish teacher at Portsmouth High School for a number of years before retiring. She described some of the myths and legends of El Camino and Santiago de Compostela and recounted stories pertaining to the relics of St. James. Mrs. Pelletier also discussed how religious conflict between Muslims and Christians also helped shape these myths and legend of the pilgrimage. In 2002, Roberto Guerenabarrena, Portsmouth Abbey faculty member and Modern Languages Department Head, took a group of 11 students to Santiago, where they walked part of the pilgrimage and learned first-hand about the legends of El Camino and Santiago de Compostela. For pictures of Mr. Guerenabarrena's trip in 2002, visit the Photo Galleries on the Portsmouth Abbey School Website.
Dr. Jonathan Kurtis'85 Returns to Portsmouth to Speak to Biology Students: On Friday, May 21, Dr. Jonathan Kurtis'85, Assistant Professor at Brown University Biomedical Center and Director of the International Health Institute, returned to speak to Biology students about his work in Africa and the Philippines. Dr. Kurtis' lecture entitled "Vaccine Development for Malaria," explained how by applying the techniques of molecular biology, immunology and population biology to identify vaccine candidates for both malaria and schistosomiasis, and analyzing the relationship between specific immune responses and naturally acquired resistance in endemic populations, new vaccine candidates are identified and characterized. His current interests include the modulation of protective immune responses by nutritional and developmental factors in the human host. To see photos of this and other events, please visit the Photo Galleries on the Website.
2004 Rhode Island Reception: Over 100 alumni, parents and friends of Portsmouth attended the 2004 Rhode Island Reception in the Winter Garden in late April. The evening was highlighted by an address by long-time faculty member and Chair of the History Department, Jim Garman, who will be retiring this summer. Mr. Garman gave the audience a glimpse into his 39-year tenure at Portsmouth by sharing personal accounts of his experiences as teacher, coach and mentor. Photos are available in the Photo Galleries of the Portsmouth Abbey School Website.
Development/Annual Fund Update: Down to the wire . . . Having surpassed $800,000 raised, the 2003-04 Annual Fund has reached a milestone. With your help, there's more to come in the days ahead. The $900,000 goal is well within reach. For those who have not yet contributed, Portsmouth Abbey needs your participation. For those who have participated, an additional contribution would be sincerely appreciated. The Fund closes June 30 and gifts must be received in the Development Office by that date. The secure and easy on-line giving feature located on Portsmouth's website is an ideal tool for aiding the cause. A call to the Development Office (800-883-8637) is also a quick and convenient means of making a credit card gift. Thanks for making Portsmouth Abbey a beneficiary of your philanthropy!
The Answer to the May Musings Question: What do these people have in common: Peter G. Fitzgerald'78, Dr. Fay Vincent, Dr. Andrew H. Card Jr., John Gregory Dunne'50, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and William D. Ruckelshaus'51." They have all spoken at Commencement!
The June Question of the Month: What year saw the arrival of the tuck shop, or "candy store", on Portsmouth Abbey campus? Please email answers to communications@portsmouthabbey.org
If you have questions, comments, or ideas, please contact Tony Klemmer tklemmer@portsmouthabbey.org or Jim De Vecchi jdevecchi@portsmouthabbey.org. We welcome the opportunity to communicate with you.
Tony Klemmer '73
Assistant Headmaster
Institutional Stewardship |
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Jim De Vecchi
Headmaster |
