Table Of Content

Digitized by the Internet Archive 2014 in http://archive.org/details/andoverbulletin9899phil ANDOVER Playing hooky A NPR'sBillLittlefieldrecallsasecretpleasure. What'syours? When Bill Littlefield '66 arrived at PhillipsAcademyfrom Upper Montclair, N.J., in his loweryear, he foundtheplacenothingshortofoverwhelming. "Therewastremendouspressureonstudentstoexcel,andIhadtoworkreallyhardtomeettheexpec- tations.EverythingatAndoverseemedtobeatahigherlevel. 1wasn'tagreatathleteandIwasn'tsocially verycomfortable. I wasagoodstudentstrivingtobeabetterstudent,buteverywhere 1 looked therewere peoplewithmoretalentthanme.Itwasprettytough,"hesays. ButthestarofNationalPublicRadio'sSaturday-morningsportstalkshow,"OnlyaGame,"foundawayof nurturinghisadolescentspirit. Duringa tentative exploration of the AddisonGalleryofAmericanArt, he hadstumbled upon"Eight Bells." WinslowHomer'smasterpiecewasnotonlybeautiful to look at; it repre- sentedatouchofhometoLittlefield,whoseparentshadaprintofthefamousworkhangingovertheirmantel. "I came back to see it every time I was homesick, and eventually I began looking at the other art aroundit. WithallthedemandsonmytimeatAndover, therewasadelicioussensethat I wassomehow playing hooky," reports Littlefield, a Yale graduate who frequents Boston's Museum ofFine Arts and recentlypennedacatalogessayforanMFAexhibitionontheOlympics. TheAddisonGallery'snewdirector,BrianT.Allen,suspectsmanypeoplewhohavepassedthroughPHillips Academyoverthe yearshaveafavorite image orunshakeable memoryabout theirrelationshipswith the museum'streasures.Andhe'd liketoknowwhattheyare."Objects,"Allensays,"especiallyworksofart,have theirwayoffillinghallowednichesinourmemoriesandevenshapingourlives.Sooftenwhenanalumnusor alumnacomestovisitthegallery,heorshewillsaytome,'IsthatManshipsculpturestillhere.?Irememberwhen Ifirstsawit....'"Tocelebratetherelationshipsbetweenpeopleandimages,AllenplanstomarktheAddison's 75thbirthdayin2006-07inpartwithaninstallationcalled75Favorites:TheAlumniChoose. Todoso, heneedsyourhelp. Heasksthatyouwriteore-mailhim ([email protected]) to tell him aboutyourfavoriteobjectsfromthecollection. Pleasesendnotonlythenameoftheobjectyou treasure, butalsoabriefaccountofwhyitwassignificanttoyou. Afewofthemostinterestingobjectsandmemories fromtheexhibitionwillappearintheAndoverBulletin. — 1 ANDOVER TheANDOVERBULLETINispublished FEATURES fourtimesayear,fall,winter,springand summer,bytheOfficeofCommunications aAtndPhoivlleirpsMAAc0ad1e8m1yO,4118601M.ainStreet, MainPAPhone978-749-4000 4 WHAT'S UP? C9h7a3n-g7e4s9-o4f2a6d9d;reaslsumanin.ddeathnotices: THE STUDENT AS CENTERPIECE [email protected] PhillipsAcademyWebsite: byTheresaPease http://www.andover.edu eBB-uullmllaeeittlii:[email protected] oIsrtthheeicroplalergeentasd?mCioslslieognespCrooucnesseslmiongreDisrtreecstsofrulJfoohrnstAunddeenrtsson PeriodicalpostagepaidatAndoverMA putsitallintoperspective. andatadditionalmailingoffices.Postmasters: Sendaddresschangesto:AndoverBulletin, PAIhnSidlSloNivp-se0rA7c3Aa5Md-e50m71y1,881108-04M1a6inStreet. 8 YOU'VE GOTTA LOVE IT VWoinltuemre29080/5Number2 Passionisthecommondenominatorthatlinkssixalumni Publisher invastlydifferent,satisfyingcareers. MichaelEbner'70 InterimSecretaryoftheAcademy Editor Getting intogeor: Paul Hochman '82 TheresaPease CInotmemriumniDciraetcitoornsofOperations Finding his shtick: Michael Savit '74 ArtDirector EDlilreenctHorarodfyDesignServices A heroinefortroubled teens: Abby Shuman '84 AssistantEditors JSilhlaCrloernkiMnagnuson A heritageofadvocacy: AlexSanger '65 PaulaTrespas ClassNotesCoordinator Going wheretheshooting is:John Berman '90 MaggieCarbone CToanntariSbhuetrimnganWriter Firstart, then medicine: Susan Lippold '81 DesignandPublicationsAssistant JenniferBarcza ProductionCoordinators SallyAbugov CHANGING COMMUNITIES LindaCapodilupo Photography:LionelDelevingne, THROUGH LITERACY MarkFlannery,EllenHardy, JonMahoney, J.D.Sloan, BethanyVersoy byBarbaraR.Bodengraven Allphotoscopyrighted Printedonrecycledpaper TheAndoverBreadLoafWritingWorkshophelpsLawrence, Mass.,students,parentsandteachersexpressthemselves. Cover: IllustrationbyEllenHardy DEPARTMENTS 22 WHO'S HOT? 2 MessagefromtheEdit< TOUCHDOWN TO SUCCESS 24 SportsTalk 26 NewsNotes byTanaSherman 27 AlumniNews H.G."Buzz"Bissinger72's1990book,FridayNightLights, 29 Time&.Treasure rockedapigskin-lovingTexastown.Now,ithitsthebig screenatatheatrenearyou. 33 ClassNotesand AlumniProfiles 82 InMemoriam IBC AndoverBookshelf A Message from the Editor — Bulletin survey yields reader insight and some terrific suggestions. age, gender and other demographic The overwhelming majority of criteria. Surveys were returned by respondents ranked the frequency some 350 recipients, a statistically (82.1 percent) andsizeandcontent significantsampling. (78.5 percent) of the Bulletin as Whom we heard from "justright." About67percentofrespondentssaid Ranking the values they return to campus at five-year From a more detailed menu, alums reunion intervals or more often. were asked to specify what articles Askedabouttheirfeelingofconnect- were most important to them. Not ednesstotheschool, 54percentsaid surprisingly, 93.8 percent ranked they feel "somewhat connected." Class Notes as "important" or 1 Another 20 percent said they feel "extremely important." Othercate- "very connected" and an additional gories identified by 80 percent or 12percentsaidPhillipsAcademyisa more as "important" or "extremely "majorfactor" in their lives. About important"werefeaturesonfaculty, 12 percent reported feeling no con- alumni,studentsandcurrentacade- Did you ever wish, like poet nectednesstotheschool. mic and extracurricular programs, Robert Burns, to see your- First, the good news as well as historic and nostalgic selfasothersseeyou? The most important—and happi- pieces. These were closelyfollowed People in the magazine pub- est—news we derived from the sur- by messages from the head of dliosihnigngthbiussifnreossmmtaimkeetaoptriamcet.icLeasotf rveeaychreisnugltasluismntih.atOwneareqaulelsytiaorne schooAltantdheothbeortatdomminiestnrdatoorfs.the spring, the Office ofCommuni- about Bulletin readership, 93.9 per- "importance" scale were stories on cations sent out a survey to alumni cent said they read either "all or controversial and world issues, aacnaddeamliuemsnateooffinPdhiolultipshoawndweAlblbwoet n"emaorsltyiaslslu"esi"ssu(e1s8.(575p.e4rcpeenrtc)e.ntO)nloyr sepvoerntsthaensde fwuenrde-rnaaimsiendgbnyewas.heYfetty aredoing at engaging their interest. 5.9 percent said they read some 45 percent or more as "important." To avoid preaching only to the issues, and just one respondent In fact, we seem to be carryingjust converted, we did not print the reportedreadingnoissues. aboutnoitemsthealumnibodywas surveywithinthemagazine. Instead, When asked what they typically willingtosetasideasunimportant. the Boston consulting firm Maguire read, 97.6 percent said Class Notes, OK, CAUL US NAMES! fAsosromciattoesamarialneddoamlseypargaetneesruartveedy fwrhoimchClwaassseNxoatcetlsyaansdexIpnecMteemd.orAipaamr,t GediivtoernialacloisntteonftadojfetchteivBeusllaetbionu—tatnhde swoBtuiahuletmrlhpellatitiilshnntue.gmcsnoAopinfrfis2binu,rogb5md0siey0esdsquwiuetenehdlonailfttvitidiahntuneaamtllAiesynrrsdramioolssvroeenoodgrff fta(e7hla6eu.tm8unmriopees(rts6ct5eo.pnr6otip)peuesralcnaoedrnntfc)Ae.aanttdeugoroevresitreosritewosedoraeny ww"proeeipxtucltleiaelsrnlt,eecd"nhtoa""ililctneosfsoor"wrtsemsrtaeoot,dfigviycne"h"oo—riadctenerhds,e,,"mfwaelorlasolsmt-, 2 — "predictable." About 25 percent also add comments, was the most Like nearly all school-funded publica- thoughtwewere"politicallycorrect" intriguing to read and is the most tionseverywhere, we hold it aspartof (whichafewnotedwasgoodin their difficult toencapsulate in thissmall our mission to keep alumni feeling estimation). We're happy to report space. Among 337 responses, there informed about and inspired by things thatalmostnoone thoughtwe were were many unique comments and goingonattheschool,partlytogenerate theirongoingsupportand involvement. stodgy,timidordull. only a few repeats. Those thoughts The academy needs such support to From a similar list of adjectives that were expressed multiple times sustainitsexcellence.) about the visual appearance ofthe arenotedbelow. magazine, the top choices were •Finally,thewrite-insofferedcomments "ritgahstt.e"fuTlh,"ef"oauprptehaclhionigc"e,acnirdcl"ejdubsyt y•ouM.aTnhyerBeualllleytilnikleiktesheyoBuu,llteotoin..)(Thank wthealtcoemvoekieddeaasfpolretfuhtourraeoifsseuevso.cativeand justoverone-quarterofparticipants, • Several asked us not to get too Get your pens poised was "conservative." However, focused on the Web; they still want The kudos, comments and com- several alumni took the trouble theirpapercommunications. plaints proffered will inform our in the free-write section ofthe futureeffortsat puttingtogethera survey to let us know that magazine that entertains and conservative was a compliment. We are ^instituting informs you. We've already They asked us not to get too hatchedsomestoryideasbasedon "modern"or"flashy." Letters to the Editor. the kinds of things alumni Letters must be in response reportedtheyliketoread.Inaddi- We're in good company to an article in a recent tion, weatereinstitutingLettersto Asked to name their four the Editor. Letters must be in favoritemagazines, 25 percent Bulletin, and those selected response to an article in a recent hugely out in front of every for publication may Bulletin, and those selected for — other title listed The New be edited for length, publication may be edited for yYoorukert.hiTnhkisabiosutinttehreesitnitnegl,lewchtueanl grammar and clarity. lengtWhi,lglramtmhaerreandbeclariaty.major level, article length and limited revision ofthe magazine.7 More use ofphotos and color in The probablyaslowevolution.Drastic NewYorker.Ourreadersread. • Afewnotedthatwetendtoshowthe change is not an immediate Two out of three surveyed schoolatitssqueaky-cleanbest,lumines- likelihoodtortworeasons: 1)Weare ranked the Bulletin as better than cent in its perfection. They proposed undergoingatransition inleadership or equal to their college alumni that maybe the—mirrorshould show an as theacademypreparestowelcome magazines in editorial content occasional wart a student whogets in anewsecretaryoftheacademyanda and in visual appeal. trouble, aprogram that tried-but-failed, newdirectorofcommunications;and Ideating the future coloronottkhroeouvtleirkfseo.ira(lPitonoitpenirtcests.at)kienng.sWteor'ilelsboenonmotrhee o2)urTthaergreetsurletasdoefrsthhiepsiusrnvoeytslhoookwinugs Given theability toadd new things for massive change in the Andover to the Bulletin, almosthalfsaid they • Several wished theirclasssecretaries Bulletin. would likeustorestoreLetters tothe ccoovuelrdagfeintdowaallysmetmobgeirvseomfotrheeecqlausasl. Whether or not you were Editor, and just over a third would (You'll be happy to know the Class selected to participate in this like tosee more pictures.Just about SecretariesCommittee ofthe Alumni random survey, we invite, nay, 23 percent said they'd like more Councilisworkingcloselywithusinan beseech you to send us your colorphotography. attempttoimprovethatsituation.) commentsandideasanytime. — Fromaneditorialviewpoint,the • Two or three alumni termed the ThetesaPease,editor free-write section ofthe survey, in Bulletina"fund-raising"tool.(Well,yes. [email protected] which participants were invited to WHAT'S UP? College counseling Director john anderson The Student as Centerpiece mong high school students, particularly among those in the top-level boarding and day schools, there are few topics more stressful than college admis- sions. The process, which looms large in the 1 1th and 12th grades, can at itsworstseem to representalmosta referendum on a student's value, achievement and future potential. Since coming to Andover two years ago, DirectorofCollegeCounselingJohnAnderson hasworkedwith hisfivecolleaguestoshepherdAndoverstudents through this emotional and exciting developmental step. Here, he speaks with Andover Bulletin editor Theresa Peaseaboutsomeofthechallengeshefaces. What'supinthecollegecounseling Howdoyou measuresuccessin DoestheambitionlevelofPA office? thisarena? studentsandtheirparentsmake What's up is an interesting combi- It's not easy to prove quantitatively thisparticularlychallenginghere? nation ofpursuingsome new initia- that we have accomplished our mis- When 1 interviewedforthisjob,one tives and maintaining the mission sion each year. We rely more on commentIheardoverandoverwas, andphilosophythathaveguidedthe anecdotal evidence to help us figure "Watch out for the Andover par- academy's college counseling efforts out whether we are doing our job ents. Theyareatoughgroup."They foryears.Thoseincludehelpingstu- well. Ifstudents feel they made a are ambitious for their children, I dents identify theirstrengths, weak- goodmatch, thatisonewaytomea- was told, and sometimes try to be nesses, interests and tastes and sure success. What I can say is that helpful tothepointwheretheytake providing them with information everystudentwhoappliedtocolleges the process over. What's more, if about a range ofschools to deter- in 2004 got into at least one school they are unhappy with the process, mine where they will be mostcom- where he orshe would be likely to theyalwaysmakethatknown. fortableandsuccessful. succeed, and so far we've heard no I decided early on that, instead complaintsaboutthecollegechoices. ofwishing they would just go away A