Mercersburg Magazine - Spring 2008

MercersburgVO LUME 3 5 NO . 1 S P R I NG 2 0 0 8A magazine for Mercersburg Academy family and friends

page 12

Powerand Politics

You Should KnowHistory was made and holiday cheer was spread when Mercersburgwelcomed choirs and ensembles from James Buchanan High Schoolfor a joint concert in the Burgin Center’s Simon Theatre. Theschools are separated by less than two miles, but performed togetherfor what is believed to be the first time. A standing-room-only crowdenjoyed choral, orchestral, handbell, and a cappella selections. Pic-tured: Mercersburg singers (blue robes) join with their guests (greenrobes) under the direction of Richard Rotz. Photo by Ryan Smith.

Photo credits: p. 2 Chris Crisman; p. 3 (top)MattMaurer; p. 4 (Obama) courtesy XantheHilton,(Clinton) courtesy Ripal Shah; p. 5 (Morgan) DukeUniversity Photography, (Jones) Ryan Smith;p. 6 (Bennett) Bill Green, (Hughes) Tim Hyman, Maryland State Highway Administration; p. 7Renee Hicks; p. 8 (field hockey) Hicks, (football) John Hutchins; p. 9 (soccer) Hicks, (volleyball)Sandie Cubit; p. 10–11 Smith; p. 13–15 (all photos) Smith; p. 16 (Diller) Smith, (Model UN)Hillary Smith; p. 17–19 (all photos) Ryan Smith; p. 20–21 (all photos except Gore/Humphrey)Mercersburg Academy Archives, (Gore) Debra Collins, (Humphrey) LBJ Library Photo by YoichiR. Okamoto; p. 23 Ryan Smith; p. 24–25 courtesyMarion Sullivan; p. 26 Ryan Smith; p. 28 cour-tesy Jennifer Sobich; p. 34 Penne Laingen Yellow Ribbon Collection, American Folklife Center,Library of Congress; p. 38Will Dupuis.

Illustrations: cover, p. 12: Doug Jones.

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MercersburgA magazine for Mercersburg Academy family and friends

Power and Politics

1,031 WordsStopping by woods on a snowy afternoon. Page 10

Inside LookStudents tackle complex worldly issues—and adjust theirleisure reading habits—in an AP-level government course.Page 12

Presidents (and Vice Presidents) atMercersburgA glimpse at the Academy’s close encounters with commanders in chief and those a heartbeat away. Page 20

Mercersburg Profiles Academy alumni are serving candidates, cities, citizens,Bushes, and Clintons. Page 22

My SayOn a trip to the Middle East, a Mercersburg group discovers political meaning everywhere. Page 49

From the Head of School 2Via Mercersburg 3Athletics 7Alumni Notes 37

Mercersburg magazine is published three times annuallyby the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications.

Mercersburg Academy300 East Seminary StreetMercersburg, Pennsylvania 17236

Magazine correspondence: [email protected]

Alumni Notes correspondence: [email protected]

Alumni correspondence/change of address: [email protected]

www.mercersburg.edu

Editor: Lee Owen

Alumni Notes Editor: Jenn Flanagan ’99

Contributors: John David Bennett, SheltonClark, Tom Coccagna, Phil Kantaros, Pat Myers,Susan Pasternack, Jay Quinn, Chuck Roberts ’07, Allison Stephens, Lindsay Tanton

Alumni Notes Assistants:Jessica Glass, Carol Swinehart

Art Direction: Aldrich Design

Head of School: Douglas Hale

Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications: Heather Sullivan

Assistant Head for External Affairs: Mary Carrasco

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Building CommunityFrom the Head of School

Onefeature of boarding school life I have always loved is how fully we be-lieve in and engage in building and maintaining a sense of community.

Thirty-five years in the school world, though, have taught me at least two important lessonson this topic: community can be built in deliberate and intentional ways, but it is also ex-tremely difficult to hold on continually to that community. No matter how whole the com-munity can feel at any given moment, about every 15 minutes or so something comes aroundand threatens to punch a hole in that very wholeness. The duty of a fine boarding school,then, is to begin work immediately to repair the break and restore the wholeness, knowingfully that any positive results from those efforts will be ephemeral. Henri Nouwen, a writer and Roman Catholic priest, once observed, “A man can keep his

sanity and stay alive as long as there is at least one person waiting for him.” Those are not onlypoignant words but also wise and useful ones as we ponder the purpose of community in the

increasingly fragmented world in which we live. It presumes,of course, that human ties and connections are essential toour well-being and identity and that what we are as humanbeings is connected in a real way to our associations and interactions with other people. And Nouwen’s words areeven more provocative when we realize that we can be eitherthe beneficiary of that person waiting for us or the personwho is waiting to help and connect with some other humanbeing; comfort and obligation are rolled into the same idea.“One person waiting” for us in our community, our family,

our neighborhood, our place of worship, or our boarding school, offers at least some reassurance that we will not suffer unduly from the loneliness and isolation that can be characteristic of modern life. Those of us in boarding schools understand that we have chosen paths where we must

enter into the lives of others with genuine understanding and sympathy. One of my greatesthopes for graduates of this great school is that they will leave these gates knowing how important it is for them to be waiting for those human beings and those things of this worldthat will need and require their help, their understanding, their intellect, their training. Andjust as importantly, of course, I hope they will leave here with absolute certainty that there will always be at least “one person waiting” for them when they return to this good place.

Douglas HaleHead of School

“One of my greatest hopes for graduates of this great school is that they will leave thesegates knowing how important it is for themto be waiting for those human beings andthose things of this world that will need andrequire their help, their understanding, theirintellect, their training.”

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A roundup of what’s news, what’s new, and what Mercersburg people are talking about.

Dates to Remember

May 2 Spring Alumni Council Meetings

May 9 Spring Board of Regents Meetings

May 24 Senior Art Show Opening, 7 p.m., Cofrin GallerySpring Dance Concert, 8 p.m.,Simon Theatre

Jun 6 Baccalaureate, 7 p.m., Chapel

Jun 7 Commencement, 11 a.m.

Jul 4 National Bell Ringing Ceremony and Carillon Recital, 2 p.m., Chapel

Oct 16–19 Alumni Weekend

Service with a SmileSix Mercersburg students and twofaculty/staff members spent fivedays of their Thanksgiving break atthe Father Beiting Appalachia Mis-sion Center in Louisa, Kentucky.The group’s work included sortingand preparing donated merchan-dise for sale in the center’s thriftstore. Pictured (L-R): Laurel Schae-fer ’09, Magdelena Kala ’09, KyleeMason ’09, Mae (a store employee),Anne Carrasco ’11, Jordan Fox ’11,and Victor Paul Celani ’09.

It’s too early to get nostalgic for the usually desperate exclamation, “I lost my keys!”But in December 2007, Mercersburg imple-mented a keyless entry system that might makethe lost-key conundrum less stressful oncampus.“The beauty of this system,” says Maria

Kimsey, assistant head of school for financeand operations, “is that we can customizeevery fob to the person, giving access whenand where it’s needed.”The keyless devices—known as fobs—are

small hardware devices with built-in authen-tication mechanisms; to gain entry, the bearerwaves the fob in front of an access controlreader at a building’s entrance. (Individualrooms still require keys for access.)

Fobs can be programmed to meet individual requirements; the fobs can also bewiped clean and reprogrammed, allowing forrecycling. As of early 2008, security and tech-nology staff helped implement the system in all Mercersburg dorms. Academicand other campus buildings are wired or inthe queue.The security system also allows designated

Academy personnel to lock down buildingsvia the Internet and to monitor usage. Glessner Alarm & Communications installedthe new system.

—Heather Sullivan

What’s in a fob?

Security and efficiency

©iStockphoto.com/Spanishalex

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In the 2008 CASE District II Accolades Awards, Mercersburg magazine earned a Silver inthe independent school magazine category, while the school’s new viewbook captured aBronze; it was the only independent school viewbook to win an honor.Mercersburg’s Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications produced the publi-

cations, which competed against those from 700 independent schools, colleges, and univer-sities in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ontario,Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and West Virginia.CASE (the Council for Advancement and Support of Education) is the international

association for advancement and communications professionals in education.

Mercersburg Publications Take Home Awards

Above: Xanthe Hilton ’07 sums up the political culture of New Hampshirein one word: “contagious.” In her freshman year at Colby-Sawyer Collegein New London, New Hampshire, Hilton (third from right, wearing vest)worked as a volunteer for Democratic presidential candidate BarackObama, canvassing neighborhoods near campus and working atcampaign events—and rubbing elbows with one Oprah Winfrey, whoshowed up at an Obama rally before the January 8 primary.

Right: Ripal Shah ’03 served as regional coordinator for Hillary Clinton's2008 presidential campaign in the West End/Beacon Hill section ofBoston. (Clinton won the Massachusetts primary in February.) Shah, whograduated from Duke University in three years, also founded a chapter ofSouth Asians for Hillary. “As an economics major and aspiring physician, Ihave a specific interest in [Clinton’s] health care plan and her intentionsto bring our nation into a new economy,” she says.

Face Time

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DUKE-ING IToutBryan Morgan ’07 didn’t have to waitlong for a taste of college football.Morgan (above) started his first game asa true freshman for the Duke Blue Devils(against Connecticut September 1); 12games and more than 350 snaps later, hefound himself on the Atlantic CoastConference’s All-Freshman Team. Not tobe outdone, teammate and fellowMercersburg alum Vincent Rey ’06 ledthe Blue Devils and was fifth in the ACCwith 111 tackles.

Sankofa: Sharing Spiritual Wisdom

Lawrence Jones, in his second tour of dutyas Mercersburg’s school minister, is part ofa five-person group awarded a $14,000 grantfrom the College of Pastoral Leaders ofAustin Presbyterian Theological Seminaryin Texas. Members of the group have been prac-

ticing ministers for about 30 years, and willmeet two or three times annually for thenext two years in hopes of “distilling some-thing of what we have learned across the

last three decades and sharing it with thosewho are beginning on this journey,” Jonessays. The collaboration will produce aworking definition of pastoral excellence ina variety of settings—a definition that mightappear in a book, scholarly articles, or a seriesof workshops for those beginning a career inthe ministry.The group is calling itself Sankofa, a West

African word translated loosely as “it is nottaboo to go back to fetch what you forgot.”

Fine arts teacher Wells Gray and two classes of ceramics studentsfired up Mercersburg’s new Raku kiln in January. Raku is a 16th-century Japanese earthenware firing process in which a glazed ceramic piece is rapidly heated to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit and imme-diately placed into a container of combustible material and sealed.The unique look of Raku pottery comes from the post-fire-

reduction stage, which creates a carbon atmosphere, affecting themetallic nature of the glaze and affording a lustrous effect.

A welcome center on Interstate 95 near Laurel, Maryland, now bearsthe name of Harry Hughes ’44, who wasappointed Maryland’s first transportation secre-tary in 1970 and became its governor in 1979.Hughes (now 81 and living on Maryland’s

Eastern Shore) and Dick Thornburgh ’50[Mercersburg, summer 2007] served as governorsin the neighboring states of Maryland and Penn-sylvania, respectively, from 1979 to 1987.

In Case You Missed It

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Stephen Prothero, chair of the Depart-ment of Religion at Boston Universityand author of Religious Literacy: WhatEvery American Needs to Know—AndDoesn’t, gave the Schaff Lecture onEthics and Morals in September.Religious Literacy spent several weeks

on the New York Times bestseller list in2007. In the book, Prothero advocates amandatory academic study of world reli-gions in public and private schools alike.

Kwame A. Appiah, a professor ofphilosophy at Princeton University, delivered the Jacobs ResidencyLecture in December. Appiah, whose father was a Ghanaian politi-cian and mother came from a prominent British family, spoke onthe issues of identity, ethics, and cosmopolitanism (the subject of his2006 book, Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers).For more on Appiah’s talk, as well as a Chapel program by George

Mason University professor Richard Rubenstein, see page 17.

The Hot ListThree reads for a fresh spring day

The Trouble with Poetry and Other PoemsBilly Collins

In a sweetly irreverent romp,former U.S. Poet Laureate BillyCollins probes and nudges at theidiosyncrasies and small ironiesthat make daily life confoundingand livable. Go straight to“Traveling Alone” and “TheIntroduction.”

1. Goodbye to a RiverJohn Graves

Nominated for the National BookAward in 1960, this gentle memoirof a canoe trip on Texas’ Rio de losBrazos de Dios memorializes a river that would soon be dammed,whose might and disposition wouldbe altered forever. Graves’ medita-tions on the Brazos of his youth and the fascinating chronicles ofthe river’s recent and distant pastweave a peaceful concession, welcoming any reader who has ever lost a significant place.

English teacher and native TexanJohn David Bennettshares these novel and poeticsuggestions tocheck out while the sun shines andflowers bloom.

2. 3. My Ántonia Willa Cather

H.L. Mencken wrote of Cather’sclassic, “No romantic novel everwritten in America, by man orwoman, is one half so beautifulas My Ántonia.” Told in lyricalepisodes, the unlikely love storyis as provincial as its farmingcommunities and as sprawlingas its Nebraska frontier. Itconsiders, in the wake ofstruggle and disappointment,how lovely and fulfilling asimple wonder could be.

Stephen Prothero

Harry Hughes

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noon: baseball, softball, men’s tennis1 p.m.: men’s/women’s lacrosse

MAPL Golf Championships at Whitetail, all day

May 14 Pennsylvania Independent Schools Track & FieldChampionships (Pottstown, Pennsylvania)

For updated athletic schedules and results,visit www.mercersburg.edu

Dates to Remember

On a crisp October Saturday morning, LenaFinucane ’09 stood at the starting line andreadied herself to compete in the Pennsyl-vania Independent Schools Cross CountryChampionships. Mercersburg hosted the event, so Lena

was on home ground; but she had only runthe course a couple of times, because Lenais technically not a member of the BlueStorm cross country team. Instead, she holdsthe No. 1 spot on Mercersburg’s women’stennis team, and maintained her top rank-ing all season long.Lena, who was born in Sweden and is

fluent in Swedish, also lived in Sri Lankaand Indonesia until fourth grade, when herfamily returned to her father’s home inPennsylvania. She enjoys going to schoolwith her older brother, James ’08, eventhough he casts a long shadow. In Novem-ber, James captured the Mid-Atlantic PrepLeague individual cross country crown forthe second straight year, shattering thecourse record at Peddie School in theprocess. Lena credits James with helpingmotivate her to run on a regular basis, andthe two work together on race strategy.Lena finished third in the state meet with

a strong time of 20:13 on the 5K course, lessthan a minute behind the winner. But whenthe time came to accept her award, Lenawasn’t there; she was on a tennis court acrosscampus, battling Peddie’s top-ranked player.“It was hard convincing [varsity tennis]

Coach [Mike] Sweeney to let me run in the

Winning a No. 1 tennis match shortlyafter placing third in the Pennsylvania statemeet caught the attention of the [Cham-bersburg] Public Opinion, which namedLena its Female Athlete of the Week. BothLena and James are running winter track—and then, of course, comes spring track,which will likely be the last time the two siblings both run in the same program.Lena looks forward to her senior year in

2008–2009; she’ll be living on campus andwill no longer have to match her schedulewith that of her brother, as she did whenboth were day students with miles to run andmiles to drive.

meet,” she says with a smile. Despite someunderstandable fatigue, Lena won thematch in convincing fashion, 6–2, 6–0. Itwas, she says with certainty, her best tennismoment of the year; she also teamed withValerie Garcia ’10 to post a doubles victory.In September, Lena woke regularly at

5 a.m. for a five- or six-mile run before com-muting to school. October saw Lena run-ning at Mercersburg during free periods;some days, she ran twice while managing towork in a full tennis practice. Lena lovesplaying tennis, but playing only tennis hasnever been an option for her. “For me, play-ing on the tennis team is a lot more fun, butmy passion really is the running,” she says.

Extra Miles, Net GainsBy Phil Kantaros

Lena Finucane runsover foes on courts andcourses alike

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FallVarsity Athletics Roundup ccoommppiilleedd bbyy LLeeee OOwweenn

Men’s Cross CountryMost outstanding runner: James Finucane ’08

Most improved runner: Trent Woodham ’08

Charles R. Colbert Jr. ’51 Award (sportsmanship):

Lawrence Sohn ’08

Head coach: Betsy Willis (5th season)

MAPL finish: 5th

Highlights: Finucane won the Mid-Atlantic Prep

League individual championship for the second

straight year… he was named All-State and All-

MAPL, and also finished first in races at Hedgesville,

Landon, and against Martinsburg/Musselman… Ellis

Mays ’10 finished eighth at the MAPL champi-

onships… team was 12th at the Pennsylvania Inde-

pendent Schools Championships… Willis says that

100 percent of men’s and women’s team members

ran their personal bests at the MAPL meet.

Women’s Cross CountryMost outstanding runner: Annie Spencer ’08

Most improved runner: Sarah Duda ’10

Charles R. Colbert Jr. ’51 Award (sportsmanship):

Remy Wheat ’08

Head coach: Betsy Willis (5th season)

MAPL finish: 4th

Highlights: The team finished second out of 13

teams at the Pennsylvania Independent Schools

Championships… Lena Finucane ’09 and Mackenzie

Riford ’11 placed third and seventh at the meet, re-

spectively, to earn first-team All-State honors;

Spencer (a four-year letterwinner) was eighth and

garnered second-team All-State accolades... Spencer

finished third and Riford fourth at the MAPL

Championships, and both were named All-MAPL…

Riford was a [Hagerstown] Herald-Mail All-Area

selection.

Field HockeyCaptains: Laura Diller ’08, Mary Lancaster ’08,

Gussie Reilly ’08

Most outstanding player: Lancaster

Outstanding Contribution to Hockey Award: Reilly

Beck Improvement Award: Annie Birney ’09

Head coach: Gretchan Frederick (3rd season)

Record: 10–6 (2–3 MAPL)

Highlights: The Blue Storm’s 10 victories tied a

school record, and were the most in a season since

1979… wins over Hun (5–1) and Blair (6–1) were the

first over those schools in the program’s history…

Lancaster and Reilly were named first-team All-

MAPL, while Birney and Amelia Goebel ’09 received

honorable-mention honors… Diller, Lancaster, and

Reilly earned varsity letters all four years… Jane

Banta ’11 posted a 1.84 goals-against average and

stopped 76 percent of the shots she faced in goal...

the team scored 57 goals and posted 29 assists, up

from 23 goals and 15 assists in 2006.

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FootballCaptains: game captains selected

Most outstanding player: Ben Eaton ’08

Most improved player: Bond Stockdale ’09

Head coach: Dan Walker (5th season)


Highlights: The team finished the season

ranked No. 21 nationally among prep schools by

MaxPreps.com… wins came over Lawrenceville, Hill,

Bullis, Kiski, and St. Albans; Mercersburg was the

only team to beat St. Albans this season… Trevor

Smith ’09 threw for 1,556 yards, and Collin

Stevens ’08 had 626 yards receiving and averaged

35.65 yards per punt… Eaton had four 100-yard

games on the ground, and led the team defensively

with 70 tackles… Eaton, Stevens, and Bill Campi ’08

were named first-team All-MAPL, and Smith and

Tyler Mort ’08 garnered honorable-mention honors.

Men’s SoccerCaptains: Ethan Strickler ’08, David Strider ’08

Most outstanding player: Valentin Quan Miranda ’08

Most improved player: Josh Rosenblat ’08

Schweizer Cup (hard work/determination): Strickler

Head coach: Peter Kempe (12th season)

Record: 8–6–2 (2–3 MAPL)

Highlights: Quan Miranda and Strickler garnered

first-team all-conference honors, and both played

in the annual Public Opinion/Herald-Mail Senior All-

Star Game… Strider (the team’s leading scorer with

10 goals) was named to the Public Opinion’s All-Star

second team, and Rosenblat earned honorable-

mention honors… Andrew Reichardt ’08 recorded

five shutouts in goal… 90 percent of the Blue

Storm’s goals and 70 percent of its assists came

from seven seniors… the team went 3–0 to capture

the preseason Cape Fear Kickoff Classic in Wilming-

ton, North Carolina.

Women’s SoccerCaptains: Emily Carl ’08, Lauren Dobish ’08, Rachel

Greenberg ’08

Most outstanding player: Dobish, Jenn Dillon ’09

Most improved player: Paige Harry ’10

Hendrickson/Hoffman Coach’s Award: Carl,

Greenberg

Head coach: Heather Reichhart Dugan (5th season)

Record: 6–5–5 (1–4 MAPL)

Highlights: Dillon and Dobish were named first-

team All-MAPL, while Carl earned honorable-men-

tion honors… Tatiana Duchak ’10 led the team with

seven goals and nine assists… Dobish either tied or

gave the Storm a lead in the final minute of three

different contests… the five losses were the lowest

total in the program’s history, and the team’s 1–0

win over Hill was its first ever… three of the five

matches that ended in ties were shortened due to

weather or no overtime period.

Women’s TennisCaptains: match captains selected

Most outstanding player: Lena Finucane ’09

Most improved player: Lucia Rowe ’09

Head coach: Mike Sweeney (4th season)


Highlights: Finucane garnered honorable-mention

all-conference recognition, posting a 5–7 mark at

No. 1 singles… Rowe and Kelsie Bittle ’08 each went

6–6 at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, respectively… Bittle

was a combined 8–3 in doubles matches with part-

ners Rowe and Valerie Garcia ’10… team victories

came against Hun, Blair, Notre Dame, and Cumber-

land Valley.

VolleyballCaptains: Cree Riley ’08, Laura Willwerth ’08

Erin Carey Memorial Award (most outstanding

player): C. Riley

Most improved player: Taylor Riley ’10

Head coach: Eric Fleming (2nd season)

Record: 8–9

Highlights: Team won the Mercersburg Invitational

for the second consecutive season… Cree Riley was

named the tournament’s most outstanding player,

and played in the Younger Toyota All-Star SpikeFest

(an all-star game for area standouts) as a member

of the Potomac Team… she recorded 170 kills and

52 blocks for the season… Taylor Riley also made

the Mercersburg all-tournament team… a victory

over Martinsburg in the home finale was the year’s

top highlight.

1,031 Words Winter came ahead ofschedule at Mercersburg this year, creating thisfrosty panoramic postcard. Some of autumn’s finestbrown and orange hues were still hanging aroundto enjoy the early-December snow.

InsideLOOK

AN AP POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT CLASS HELPSSTUDENTS LEARN TO READ THEWORLD

BY HEATHER SULLIVAN

The textbook, Introduction to Comparative Politics (Fourth Edition)—admittedlynot the sexiest title—may begin to answer some of these questions. But that’s not whystudents are pumped about AP U.S. Government & Comparative Politics, taught byPhil Kantaros, with guest appearances by co-historian and political junkieChristopher Tompkins, who doubles as assistant head of school for enrollment.(Many refer to the class as “Comparative” for short.)

How can we interpret the politics of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?

What’s the significance of Democrat John Edwards’ populism?

How can a career in British Parliament be stymied by district reassignment?

What are the advantages of a quango (quasi-nongovernmental organization)?

PHIL KANTAROS

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EEmmiillyy WWeeiissss ’’0088 nnootteess tthhaatt ““tthhiiss iiss tthhee ffiirrsstt mmaaggaazziinnee II’’vveeeevveerr hhiigghhlliigghhtteedd,, bbuutt II ccaann’’tt ggeett ppaasstt ffeeeelliinngg lliikkee II’’mm mmiissttrreeaattiinnggtthhee mmaaggaazziinnee wwhheenn II ddoo tthhaatt..”” BBootthh NNaatthhaann SSttaannffoorrdd ’’0088 aannddCChhrriiss MMccCClliinnttiicckk ’’0088 ccoonnvveenniieennttllyy rreemmeemmbbeerr ttoo bbrriinngg tthheeiirrccooppiieess ttoo eeaacchh ccoolllleeggee--aaddmmiissssiioonn ooffffiiccee tthheeyy vviissiitt.. AAnnnniieeSSppeenncceerr ’’0088 eevveenn hhaadd aann ““OOpprraahh mmoommeenntt”” dduurriinngg oonnee ccoolllleeggeeiinntteerrvviieeww;; sshhee aaddmmiitttteedd ssuuffffeerriinngg ffrroomm ““EEccoonnoommiisstt aannxxiieettyy ddiissoorrddeerr,,”” aa ddrreeaaddeedd ppaanniicc tthhaatt bbuuiillddss aass hhaallff--rreeaadd iissssuueess ppiillee uupp..((TThhee iinntteerrvviieewweerr aaddmmiitttteedd tthhaatt sshhee sshhaarreedd tthhee ddiissoorrddeerr aass wweellll..))

II,, ttoooo,, hhaavvee ffoouugghhtt tthhrroouugghh tthhee ppaanniicc.. SSttiillll,, iitt’’ss ccoommffoorrttiinngg ttookknnooww tthhaatt tthhee nneexxtt iissssuuee iiss ccoommiinngg ssoooonn..

——PPhhiill KKaannttaarrooss

Understanding others—why viewpoint mattersThe duo teaches two sections of the AP course, which is oneof more than 40 AP and honors courses at Mercersburg. The31 students from seven U.S. states and six foreign countries(Canada, El Salvador, Taiwan, Korea, Poland, and SaudiArabia) gather to talk politics; they use the college-level text-book, which delivers the mechanics of the governments ofsix countries. Required reading of the Economist—intro-duced this year—as well as referencing online and othersources, adds texture to the text. On occasion, students mightalso enjoy a custom PowerPoint presentation, complimentsof Kantaros (a.k.a. Mr. K) and sure to include an unexpectedparallel between “real life” and politics. “Mr. K forces students to think outside the box. He allows

us to tap into a different way of thinking by posing questionsand theories,” says Chris Freeland ’08, of Frederick, Maryland.“Studying various forms of government and political

cultures is incredibly important in today’s interconnectedworld,” says Magdalena Kala ’09, of Przystajn, Poland. “Itgives a larger perspective and enables comprehension ofwhat’s taking place around the world. Knowledge of othersystems—the comparative aspect—also helps in acquiringbetter understanding of home politics.”“I love that terms and concepts I learn in my textbook

come up in the articles [we read]. Students apply their class-room knowledge to actual events and trends around theworld,” says Steve Kim ’08, of Busan, Korea. “I can nowanalyze a graph of Japan’s GDP [gross domestic product]change over the previous years and understand when anarticle talks about the PPP [purchasing power parity] of differ-ent countries to compare levels of economic development.”“Reading the Economist has released me from the so-

called ‘bubble,’” says Laura Diller ’08, of Chambersburg,Pennsylvania. “I am aware of how little I do know about theworld and how much I have to learn from it.”

In conversationKantaros and Tompkins hold no offi-cial salon—but they did invite theirstudents over to watch the NewHampshire and Super Tuesdayprimaries and share chips and salsaand homemade brownies.“We’ve discussed many interesting

aspects of the 2008 presidential race,”Kantaros said in a January interview,

The students love theslightly surreal Economistjob postings, such as

“Wanted: president ofsmall Balkan nation.No Keynesians,please,” or, “SeekingExecutive Manager ofEarth, NorthernHemisphere Branch.”

“including the populist message of Edwards,the lack of a Reaganesque conservative front-runner, or how [Barack] Obama’s candidacymay begin to end our society’s preoccupationwith perpetuating distinctions based on race. “We get kids to think about whether

doubling the minimum wage is necessarilythe best thing for workers because of the possi-bility of outsourcing. We want them to under-stand beyond slogans and knee jerks. Thereality is always deeper and more complexand not as simply obtainable as people wouldthink.”Some years, he continues, students follow

politics so closely that they can correct himon occasion. This year, he has smart“sponges,” he says. “They are seeing how theworld works, and it’s intense. We give themtwo-minute writing drills: define a subject—say, the devolution of the House of Lords—and discuss its relevance and background.“We’re not studying trends or social issues.

We’re studying the politics and economics of

our nation—and of nations that are verydifferent from ours,” he continues, refer-encing young, affluent Iranians—aconstituency that wants nuclear weapons andsupports its president—and, in contrast, thelargely working-class and older-women votersin America who are speaking for HillaryClinton and for whom she must speak.“Kids are really digging into what makes

politicians tick, or the role of the Interna-tional Monetary Fund—and they’re a littlesurprised that it’s appealing,” Kantaros says.“This information is so accessible—but therearen’t many opportunities to access it in a formal setting. This information is too rarely taught.”“It can be viewed as history versus social

science,” Tompkins adds. “Anybody canargue that reading Gilgamesh is valuable—as literature, it is exceptional for its historyof the Middle East. “But what we’re doing in class is equally

important. We take that history and parlayit into a meaningful, in-depth understand-ing of the Middle East today. Good socialscience and a strong background in historygo hand in hand. And the diversity of ourclassroom adds vitality to every conversation.”“Part of what we’re doing is working with

students so they can develop the skills to beable to access the wealth of information thatis all around them. And if both teachers andstudents succeed,” Kantaros says, “thenstudents will develop a lifelong interest inaccessing the information that will help themcontinue to understand the world at a moremeaningful level. “So in addition to picking up Cosmo or

Sports Illustrated at the airport, a studentmightalso pick up the Economist. In addition tochecking out the most popular videos onYouTube, a student might also check outAhmadinejad’s most recent speech or watcha pro-democracy rally in Moscow.”

Emerging perspective“The countries we study vary greatly,” Kalasays. “We analyze the United States andUnited Kingdom—consolidated democra-cies; Mexico, Russia, and Nigeria—transi-tional democracies; and China andIran—authoritarian regimes. We see consid-erable representation of the major politicalsystems around the globe, all of them alsoexperiencing compelling developments thatmay change the course of history. “I have been anticipating the part dealing

with Russia the most, as I have been

“Knowledge ofother [political]systems helps inacquiring betterunderstanding ofhome politics.”

—MAGDALENA KALA ’09

MAGDALENA KALA

CHRIS FREELAND

fascinated by this country—its twisted poli-tics and unique position in the global arena.Russian government and society are verydistinctive. They are nothing like their Amer-ican counterparts.”“Before spending time with Mr. K, I had

very little interest in political news,” Freelandsays. “Now, I find myself seeking out the head-lines, and I can make connections betweenseparate news stories and keep up with someof the best political critics.”“The countries we focus on are all key

players in today’s foreign affairs,” says JoshBowling ’08, of Lake Charles, Louisiana,“whether as antagonistic figures, as with Iranand Nigeria; or developing democraciesexpected to join the upper internationalechelon, as with Russia and Mexico; or asmodels of a fully functioning democracy—in this instance, Britain. If you were to pickup a newspaper on any given day, you wouldsee at least three of these countries mentioned. “With the [Bush] administration’s attempt

to stabilize the Middle East through militaryforce, Iran is becoming an increasingly impor-tant state that we need to understand in orderto prevent any [future] rash action that wouldinstigate what Bush calls World War III.”

Model United Nations is a simulation ofmeetings and actions of the UN GeneralAssembly and related organizations. Anestimated 400,000 students worldwideparticipate each year; Mercersburg ishome to a decorated and active ModelUN group. The following timeline juxtaposes

Mercersburg Model UN events (in blue)with real-world UN actions (in black)from the past decade.

COMPILED BY CHUCK ROBERTS ’07

Model UN at Mercersburg

CURRENT EVENTS:

LAURA DILLER

Model UN membersat a 2007 conferencein New York

MMEERRCCEERRSS BBUURRGG MMAAGGAAZZ II NNEE SS PPRR II NNGG 220000 88 17

Big pictureConflict resolution may be one of the most important rolesof politicians, diplomats, and international organizations inthe decades ahead. The AP government class is not a polit-ical theory class—but discussions of stories in the Economistand other sources offer compelling “texts.” In December2007, Richard Rubenstein, scholar and author of Aristotle’sChildren: How Christians, Muslims, and Jews RediscoveredAncient Wisdom and Illuminated the Dark Ages, spoke to theMercersburg community about Aristotelian philosophy andhow the Greek philosopher might manage modern conflicts,including America’s culture wars. “Through conflict we learn; through conflict we grow,”

Rubenstein said. “In almost any conflict, it is difficult to iden-tify aggressor and defender.“Beliefs themselves don’t cause conflict. It’s more

accurate to say that people become aggressive when theirbasic human needs are not being satisfied.” He added that abreakdown of the boundaries between public and privateactions and agendas can intensify this divisiveness.Immersed in their survey of nations, some students desire

change in domestic government. Bowling would change theisolation of policymakers in the executive branch. “They

2001After a hiatus, Model UN isreintroduced under theguidance of history teacherEmily Howley

The first UN peacekeepingtroops arrive in Afghanistanfollowing Security Councilapproval of the multi-national force

2002Delegation attends statewideconference in Harrisburg…larger membership and newstudent leadership underCarl Gray ’05

Switzerland officially requeststo become the UN’s 190thmember… UN weaponsinspectors return to Iraq aftera four-year hiatus… NorthKorean officials threaten toexpel UN inspectors

2003Delegation travels to nationalconference at Javitz Centerand UN Headquarters in New York City… more than 40 students attend initial fall meeting

UN sanctions againstMoammar Gadhafi’s regimein Libya are lifted after 11years… ironically, Iraq isscheduled to head UNdisarmament organization…the International AtomicEnergy Agency (the UN’snuclear watchdog) condemnsIran for 18 years ofclandestine nuclear programsand warns against furthernoncompliance

2004Delegation representsEcuador at New Yorkconference; issues discussed

include diamond conflicts inwestern Africa and harnessingthe Internet to grow economicdevelopment in third-worldcountries

UN agencies airlift suppliesinto eastern Chad and westernSudan (Darfur) to help 600,000affected by fighting… Japan,India, Brazil, and Germanylobby for drastic UN reforms,including Security Councilexpansion to includepermanent seats for theirambassadors

“I can now analyze a graph of Japan’s GDP [grossdomestic product] change over the previous years.”

2001

2002

2003

2004

—STEVE KIM ’08

STEVE KIM

have scores of experts and academic specialists but no incen-tive to listen to the American public,” he says. This academic year, students also heard professor and

novelist Kwame Appiah, the author of Cosmopolitanism:Ethics in a World of Strangers.Appiah said that cosmopolitanism, the idea that the entire

world population belongs to a single global community, hasbeen made especially relevant by globalization. “We haveto know about the lives of others, because we are able to affect them,” Appiah said. “We can give people elsewherein the world new technology, anti-retroviral drugs, and othergood ideas, or things that cause harm—viruses or air-borne pollutants.”“The cosmopolitanism that Dr. Appiah espouses is fine

when applied on the micro-level,” says Bowling, “[but] Istand by the right of a nation to determine its own form ofgovernment, so long as that government follows humani-tarian law.”

Life after Comparative Alumni of the course include Christian Gallon ’03, whoworks on Capitol Hill as a staff assistant to CongressmanTodd Platts of Pennsylvania; Gallon told Tompkins that the

2005Delegation represents SouthAfrica and discusses UNreform (including SecurityCouncil expansion) andnuclear disarmament atconference in New York

World leaders gather toreassess the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, a key toolin nuclear arms control… UNreports that more than 40million people worldwide areHIV-positive

2006Delegations representingEritrea and Denmark attendnational conference in NewYork, garnering awards for

discussions on the HIV/AIDScrisis in sub-Saharan Africaand the right todevelopment… recordmembership uponannouncement of plans topromote internationalawareness among studentbody

Newly independentMontenegro becomes the192nd UN member… SouthKorean Foreign Minister BanKi-moon appointed UN’seighth secretary-general…Security Council votes toimpose sanctions on Iranfollowing decades of nuclearnoncompliance

2007As his senior project, ChuckRoberts ’07 chairs the firstMercersburg Model UnitedNations Conference, whichwelcomes middle-schooldelegations from threestates… Mercersburg occupiesthe coveted Security Councilseat held by the United States,in addition to various seatsassigned to Eritrea, at the NewYork conference, bringinghome awards for work onissues such as Darfur andeconomic globalization…under the leadership of AnnieSpencer ’08, student forumsare scheduled on VenezuelanPresident Hugo Chavez andfree trade

UN officials and African Unionleaders meet in Libya tofurther address Darfur

2008In February, a delegationattends the Ivy League ModelUN Conference inPhiladelphia, representingCanada on committeesaddressing Security Councilreform and the role ofglobalization in relievingpoverty

Model UN at Mercersburg

CURRENT EVENTS:

2005

2008

2007

2006

JOSH BOWLING


knowledge of government he gained in class here was a“tremendous benefit.” Chuck Roberts ’07, another alumnus and former leader

of Mercersburg’s Model United Nations, heads to ColumbiaUniversity in fall 2008 to major in political science. Currentclass members are committed to keeping the Economist andother hard-news sources as their bedtime reading; Freelandsays that he no longer reads the sports page first.“I feel an increased annoyance with U.S. news that

isn’t Bloomberg Financial or the Wall Street Journal,” Bowling adds.

Looking aheadPolitics and economics—especially if you’re Federal ReserveChairman Ben Bernanke looking at the subprime mortgagedebacle—are no joke. But there’s also a lighter side to Mr. K’sclass. “We had a competition to determine who was sexier ormore alluring than Margaret Thatcher,” Bowling says.“Mr. K is great. Class flies by like a comical conversation,”

says Remy Wheat ’08, of Richmond, Virginia. “Somehow weleave class knowing everything there is to know about theBritish Parliament, yet we don’t recall it being introducedformally. He’s brilliant, and tricky, in that he covers otherwisemonotonous material in a captivating manner.”“I am amazed by the passion [of Kantaros and Tompkins];

they pass enthusiasm on to the students,” Kala says. “It is some-thing more than just teaching, and we as students sense it.”“It’s exhilarating to be able to be the one filling my dad in on

current events,” Wheat says.Beyond the stone walls of Lenfest Hall, home of the History

Department, the school is paying close attention to students’understanding of the U.S. and its relationship to the rest ofthe globe. Developing global perspective is one of four areasin which the school is benchmarking student performanceand developing methods to increase knowledge and experi-ence (www.mercersburg.edu/afg). This spring, all students took the Global Awareness Profile

(GAP), an assessment designed by J. Nathan Corbitt that meas-ures knowledge of international politics, economics, and geog-raphy. The assessment will be repeated regularly to gaugecross-cultural fluency on campus.The adults in this story are, of course, also making discov-

eries: “I’ve learned more from teaching Comparative thananything else I’ve taught in 15 years,” Kantaros says.

“It’s exhilarating to be able to be the onefilling my dad in on current events.”

—REMY WHEAT ’08

REMY WHEAT

CHRISTOPHER TOMPKINS

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BUCHANAN

CARTER

TAFT

PRESIDENTS(AND VICE PRESIDENTS)

at Mercersburg


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COOLIDGE

HUMPHREY

WILSONGORE

Mercersburg Profiles

ccording to the United StatesGeological Survey, there are 3,141counties in the United States. A mere 36of those have produced U.S. presidents,and Franklin County, Pennsylvania(home to Mercersburg), is one.James Buchanan, the nation’s 15thpresident, was born in 1791 at

nearby Cove Gap. Seventyyears later, after Buchanan left

office and with the Civil War raging nearby, dormitories on thepresent-day Academy campus served as hospitals for woundedsoldiers. Given the borough’s history—and its proximity to thenation’s capital (Washington), its birthplace (Philadelphia), and itslargest city (New York)—it’s little surprise that so many MercersburgAcademy alumni are working in government, politics, public service,and related fields. Mercersburg alumni—Democrats,Republicans, and independents alike—have served in Congress andas governors, have worked in the White House, and have played keyroles in political campaigns at the federal, state, and local levels.They hold positions in polling, advertising, and media relations, andas journalists keeping tabs on the successes (and failures) ofgovernment. Mercersburg’s mayor is an alumnus; not surprisingly,he is far from the first graduate to hold that office. An alumna ismaking District of Columbia neighborhoods more livable. Andamong the countless alumni to serve in uniform are three sonswhose father was taken hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Iran. Withthis historic election year upon us, you’re invited to extend your civicduty by enjoying these profiles.

A

Beneath the watchful glow of a neon signin a small New England downtown, KelleyKeeler ’91 began her political career.

The sign, a standard-issue “OPEN”window light found in all-night diners andcoffee shops everywhere, adorned the frontwindow of then-Senator Bob Dole’s state pres-idential-campaign headquarters as the 1996New Hampshire primary churned toward thefinish line.

Keeler, with a degree from the Universityof New Hampshire nearly complete, volun-teered with the Dole campaign in the monthsleading to the primary. After she became thehead of volunteers in the state, the campaignasked Keeler to move to the capital, Concord,to serve as full-time manager of the state headquarters.

It was there, on the overnight shift, beforeemail became commonplace, that real pressclips were clipped from newspapers, tapedonto sheets, and faxed to Dole’s national head-quarters in Washington. Battle plans werehatched. Strategies for grabbing the GraniteState were cultivated. “We were just open,”Keeler says—“24 hours a day nearing the end[of the campaign].”

And then Pat Buchanan dealt Dole asetback in the traditional “first in the nation”primary. But as the campaigns cleared outand headed south to other delegate-rich states,Keeler went too. She traveled in front of Doleas part of his press advance team, helpingcoordinate media logistics for the growinggaggle of reporters following the eventualRepublican nominee. In August, with therace heating up, the campaign added a secondplane just for members of the media.

Dole failed to halt President Bill Clinton’sre-election bid that fall, and Keeler workedfirst in Boston and later in Washington forpublic-relations firms Arnold Communica-tions and Hill & Knowlton. “It took me a littlewhile to figure out, ‘Where do I go fromhere?’” she says. “It was an honor to work forthe senator, and I was young and had neverdone anything like that before.

“But then I didn’t know what to do. So Igot some really solid PR experience [with thetwo firms], and I also did some volunteer workfor then-Governor [George W.] Bush.”

In August 2000, after Bush emerged as theRepublican nominee for the White House,Keeler got a call from the campaign. DickCheney would be announced within days as

Bush’s running mate. Would she go on theroad and work for Cheney’s staff?

So Keeler obtained a leave of absencefrom Hill & Knowlton, packed her suitcaseagain, and crisscrossed the country as amember of Cheney’s advance team. She gotreacquainted with those familiar electoralhotspots—the swing states—for the secondtime in four years. “I can’t tell you how manytimes I’ve been to Michigan,” she says—“andOhio… and Florida… and Pennsylvania.”

On that historic too-close-to-call ElectionNight, Keeler found herself in Austin, Texas,with a president- and vice-president-elect whocouldn’t officially celebrate for weeks. “Every-one kept telling me that I couldn’t go backto Washington because they needed me tostay there and staff,” Keeler recalls. “It wasvery emotional. I was on the transition team…but everything was in limbo for a while.”

Keeler returned home to D.C. for the firsttime since before Labor Day, and had finallyunpacked when she took a call that initiallysummoned her to Florida, before thecampaign decided it needed her to stay inWashington. Once the election results werecertified, Keeler became Vice PresidentCheney’s deputy director of advance, whereshe managed day-to-day event operations.

“It was all really amazing,” she says.“Having worked for Senator Dole and VicePresident Cheney, I feel like I’ve reallyworked for two great veterans of Washing-ton—two statesmen. It was a real honor anda unique experience.”

In August 2001, Keeler was named direc-tor of media relations for newly appointedSecretary of Housing and Urban Develop-ment Mel Martinez. “It was really cool,” shesays. “I was the spokesperson for the depart-ment on policy and political issues. I basicallymanaged regional and national press opera-tions for the department, and then I’d prep thesecretary for any interviews he needed to do.

“One of our biggest initiatives was promot-ing home ownership, and so we had a big

MattersPressing

Kelley Keeler has experienced political history from the inside

B Y L E E O W E N

Continued on page 24

push centered around that. It was anawesome opportunity, and it was a greatlesson for me in crisis communications.”

In 2004, she decided she “wasn’t in itfor the second term,” and left HUD, even-tually finding her way to the public affairsoffice of the Associated General Contrac-tors of America (AGC), just across thePotomac River in Arlington, Virginia.Keeler serves as executive director of publicaffairs for AGC, the leading national tradeassociation for the construction industry.

“It’s great. It’s PR—there’s no typical day.I like where I am. I can still dabble in poli-tics, and I don’t need to hit the campaigntrail again,” she smiles. “It was a thrill bothtimes, for different reasons, but I don’t knowthat I need to do it again. I’ve had anamazing career, and I feel really lucky.”

Keeler, who is engaged to marry AustinShort this June, is one of 13 members ofher family to graduate from Mercersburg.Her grandfather’s uncle, Carl Lewis Nolde,died during his senior year at the Academyin 1909; Nolde Gymnasium on campuswas named in his memory and constructedthrough a gift from his father, Pennsylva-nia industrialist Jacob Nolde.

“Mercersburg made me a stronger personand helped me develop into who I amtoday,” Keeler says. “It’s such a unique andwonderful experience. It gave me inde-pendence and helped me to grow, and Icarried all those things through college andinto my career.”

Erdman-Keeler Scholarship FundKeeler’s grandparents, Carl ’33 and CarolynErdman, established the Erdman FamilyScholarship Fund in 1990 in memory ofCarl Erdman’s parents, Lee Erdman andElla Nolde Erdman. It was renamed theErdman-Keeler Scholarship Fund in 2000.The fund supports academically qualifiedstudents with financial need, with prefer-ence given to residents of Berks County,Pennsylvania; New Hampshire; or othercounties in Pennsylvania.

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Primary RolesSiblings Richard and Marion Sullivan

share key involvement in ’08 campaigns

B Y S H E LT O N C L A R K

The frenetic nature of political life isfamiliar to Richard Sullivan ’82 andhis sister, Marion ’84. Their father,

Richard ’59, served in the South Carolinastate legislature and is a prominent figure inDemocratic circles there; an uncle was aUnited States Attorney under President John F. Kennedy. Early political awarenesscoupled with a Mercersburg education madenearby Washington, D.C., a natural desti-nation for both Richard and Marion.

The siblings worked for nearly a decade inWashington politics and education. Today,each lives in North Carolina and is marriedwith children. As might be expected in a familywhere political activism is in the blood, eachis spending 2008 in support of a candidate—one on the national level, one on the statelevel—whose hoped-for success would havehistorical implications.

Richard, an attorney with Lovell, Mitchell& Barth, lived in Washington from 1987 to1997 and worked in politics full time afterearning a law degree at Georgetown. He wasa fundraiser for Richard Gephardt’s 1988 pres-idential campaign and national finance direc-tor for the Democratic National Committeefor two years during Bill Clinton’s presidency.He also worked for a pair of government-rela-tions firms, The Washington Group andCapitol Counsel.

During the current election cycle, Richardhas served as southern finance chairman forSenator Hillary Clinton’s presidentialcampaign. In the third quarter of 2007, Clintonraised more money in the Tar Heel State thanany presidential candidate, Democrat orRepublican. The Clintons’ visit to a mid-December event there raised $300,000 andfortified her campaign just in time for the high-octane 2008 primary season.

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“I enjoy playing a role in the political processand helping support the type of folks I’d like tosee running the government.”RICHARD SULLIVAN ’82

“I enjoy fundraising—the networkingaspect of it, the opportunities to make newcontacts and new friends,” Richard says. “Ienjoy playing a role in the political processand helping support the type of folks I’d liketo see running the government.”

The historical implications of Clinton’spotential to become the country’s first femalepresident, he says, are not his raison d’être. “It’sjust helping a person who would do the bestjob as president in an important time,” he saidin an interview this winter. “Now more thanever, we need a competent presidential admin-istration—and I think Senator Clinton is atthe top of the field.”

Marion, who lives in Charlotte, says that asa child, she affixed a lot of stamps to envelopesat Democratic Party headquarters. “In fact,when I was a student at Mercersburg,” she says,“I interned one summer for Dick Riley, whowas running for governor. [Riley won, servedtwo terms as South Carolina’s governor, andlater became President Clinton’s secretary ofeducation.] That was when I was 15.”

Today, Marion is a senior adviser to NorthCarolina Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue,who is seeking to become the state’s first femalegovernor this November.

“Mercersburg’s proximity to Washingtonwas definitely appealing,” Marion says. “It wasjust like, ‘Wow, what a new rose to smell.’ Itopened up a whole new world to be able togo to Washington with Mercersburg friends

TOP: Richard Sullivan and his wife, Caroline, withPresident Bill Clinton BOTTOM: North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue, Democratic activist Judy HarrisonBerry, Marion Sullivan

whose families were involved in foreign affairsor government. Mercersburg gives you thisjewel of a campus, where you can exist and benurtured, but then you’re so close to the work-ings of democracy in America [in Washing-ton] that it makes you so much morecomfortable when you become a little olderand live and thrive and work there.”

Like her brother, Marion refuses to give into cynical notions of politics and politicians.She cites a favorite quote of 20th-centuryanthropologist Margaret Mead: “A small groupof thoughtful people could change the world.Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Working on the staffs of Congressmen SamFarr of California and Jim Bacchus of Floridagave Marion an idea of how politics can betterpeople’s lives. “What was incredibly apparentto me, both in the political and in the policyprocess, is the incredible impact you can haveaffecting lives of well-meaning citizens withreally even small amounts of effort,” she says.“You can wake up every day and know that,when you’re out campaigning for someonewho’s going to create policies that are going to

positively impact people—whether it’s the envi-ronment, food, agriculture, or children’s healthcare—you can support leaders who can makethose differences happen.

“Not just creating legislation or getting billspassed, because that takes a long time. Butwhat you can do, because you’re working forthe United States Congress, you can pick upthe phone, you can identify problems, you canidentify players, and you can help put solu-tions into place that can so dramaticallyimprove someone’s life.”

Moving to North Carolina changedMarion’s focus from policy work to politics.She served on the campaign staff of MikeEasley (now in his second term as the state’sgovernor) before going to work for Perdue.

“North Carolina people take a couple ofthings seriously: one of them is basketball, theother one is politics,” Marion says. “And manypeople do view politics as a sport here. Peopleknow the history, and it’s a lot of fun. Becauseof the size of the state and the incredible sortof demographic changes occurring with amassive population increase, the governor’srace is a pretty intense race.

“I am personally driven by seeing morewomen elected to public office. I think itcreates much more family-friendly policies,and I think women have done really terrificjobs in elected office. I’d love to be a part ofhelping forge history in North Carolina byelecting the first woman governor. That’sthe driving force for me; my hope would bethat doing so would open the door to allow alot more women who might be in the statesenate or in the state house to say, ‘I can doit, too.’”


Coming from a school renowned for sendingstudents all over the world in search of excit-ing opportunities, Jim Zeger ’65 didn’t have totravel far to find what matters most to him:home.

Zeger, a Mercersburg native and mayorof the borough since 2003, holds both thetown and the school next to his heart.

“I’ve lived here all my life, my wife [Linda]has lived here all her life… it’s a great placeto bring up a family,” Zeger says with theenthusiasm of someone who might, well, runfor mayor.

The Zegers live on a quiet street just astone’s throw from campus. At night, the lightsfrom the Academy gleam through spacesbetween the houses on the other side of thestreet. On placid spring and summer evenings,Jim and Linda can sit on the roomy porch oftheir two-story brick home or tend to garden-ing as bells ring from the Chapel.

It is, as George Bailey [a characterfamously played by Jimmy Stewart ’28] discov-ers at the end of the celebrated Christmasmovie, a wonderful life.

It is also a life filled with serving ratherthan taking. The linchpins in Zeger’s life arefamily and community, cohesive elementsthat have sustained him over a lifetime thatincludes a 38-year marriage, successful chil-dren, and a community service résumé thatwould need a ream of paper to do justice.

“One thing I really like about Jim,” notesMercersburg Police Chief Larry Thomas, “is

Meet the Mayor Jim Zeger is the Mercersburg borough’s chief executive

B Y T O M C O C C A G N A


that he is very active in the community. Helikes to help anywhere he can.”

Some learned at an early age about Zeger’sinvolvement. Josh Meyers, Mercersburg’sBorough Council president, recollects his first“meeting” with Zeger—about 27 years ago.

“It was in the early 1980s, and one year I was the poster child for Easter Seals,” Meyersrecalls. “Jim was the master of ceremonies at the awards banquet, and we had our picture taken together. We laugh about it now.I still have the picture, and we are still working together.”

Community responsibility is central forZeger. In addition to teaching math andsupervising teachers at Maryland CorrectionalInstitution–Hagerstown, he served on theTuscarora School Board for 22 years. Andafter chairing various committees in Mercers-burg, he was elected mayor five years ago,even though “between the Lions Club andchurch, I didn’t need another thing to do.

“The beauty of a small town is that youcan be involved. It’s a little harder in a citybecause you’re more distracted and not every-body knows their neighbors. But here, thecommunity is like an extended family. Theyknow me, and I know them.”

Zeger’s wit and self-effacing style serve himwell in small-town politics. However, don’tmake the mistake of confusing “small town”with “small measure of importance.”

“In a small town, the issues are the sameas they are in the cities,” Zeger explains. “You

may not have the numbers in a small townthat you do in a city, but you’re still dealingwith trash collection, sewer, growth, cableTV issues. People don’t always realize thatlocal government is the most importantgovernment they have. You can make a dailydifference in local government.”

Zeger tried to take his involvement in localgovernment a notch further last spring whenhe ran for Franklin County commissioner.However, that plunge into larger-scale poli-tics was foiled when he could not emergefrom a crowded Democratic primary ballot.

“I don’t consider myself a good politician,”Zeger says with a smile before adding, “andthat’s borne out by the campaigns I’ve lost.”

The value of education has never been ahard sell for Zeger, either. His experiences atMCIH serve as a poignant reminder of whathe cherishes most.

“There are some people in there whowhen you say ‘family’ don’t even know whatyou’re talking about,” says Zeger, who willsoon complete his 39th year at the prison.“But I guess if you took me as an 8-year-oldand put me on the street, I might’ve turnedout like that, too.”

Instead, Zeger was brought up with strongfamily values, which he has passed on to histwo daughters, Holly and Heather. Althoughhis father and two brothers have passed away,his mother, Gertie, remains spry at 88, servingcustomers at Modnur Pharmacy.

His father, Lawrence ’34, became a

believer in the Academy when he attendedas a postgraduate student.

“It was my father’s desire that his sons goto Mercersburg Academy,” Zeger says, “andall three sons attended for four years each. Myfather was the best PR man for the Academy.”

Older brother Dennis ’63 (who later servedas a Franklin County commissioner) was thefirst to attend. Jim, whose classmates, appro-priately, bestowed the nickname “Townie”on him, followed, and younger brother Chris ’68 graduated three years later.

“My older brother was a little more studiousthan I was—he graduated second in his class,”Zeger confesses. “The younger one was a littlelike that, too. I was the normal kid.”

“Normal” in Zeger’s case is far fromtypical; he helps the community, whileencouraging other members to serve as well.

“Wherever you choose to live, you wantit to be paradise,” Zeger says, “so you have topitch in to make it that.”

“In a small town, the issues are the same as they are in the cities… Peopledon’t always realize that local government is the most important governmentthey have. You can make a daily difference in local government.”—JIM ZEGER ’65

MayoralNo fewer than four Mercersburg alumni have served as mayor of the borough the Academy calls home:

JJoohhnn ““MMaacc”” MMyyeerrss ’’2233 ((11998811––11998844))HHeennrryy SStteeiiggeerr ’’4422 ((11998866––11999933))TToomm RRaallssttoonn ’’6600 ((11999944––11999988))JJiimm ZZeeggeerr ’’6655 ((22000022––ccuurrrreenntt))

ROLL CALL

Jennifer Cutshall Sobich ’88 has found aperfect niche in the volatile and some-times cutthroat arena of politics.

As a member of former President George H.W. Bush’s staff, Sobich enjoys therewards of an active political life. Shemanages scheduling and speaking engage-ments for the former president, enabling herto keep a finger on the pulse of Washingtonpolitics.

And in an arrangement envied by workingparents everywhere, she works mostly out ofher home in Fairfax County, Virginia, allow-ing more time for her three young daughtersand her husband, Peter (a former staffmember in the current Bush White House).

There’s a saying that once politics getsinto the bloodstream, there is no antidote.To be able to feed that fire and essentially stillbe a stay-at-home mom is, relatively speaking,like discovering gold in the backyard.

Sobich knows how grinding politics canbe—grueling road trips, long days, little sleep,waking up and having to think hard toremember what city you’re in. Exhilarating?Yes. But exhausting? Indeed.

“She came back a few times and spoke tomy classes about life on Capitol Hill,” saysfaculty member Frank Rutherford ’70. “I’dhave her tell kids about her daily schedule—getting up at 5:30 to listen to the news,researching and preparing before the dayeven begins, and then getting home at 10 or11 at night and having to listen to the latenews to prepare for the next day.”

For a while, that itinerary was fine withSobich, who, after graduating from Mercers-burg, fed her love of politics at Indiana Univer-sity, where she double-majored in politicalscience and psychology. She put graduate

school at Georgetown University on hold in1992 to take a job in the Office of PoliticalAffairs in the first Bush White House.

“It was really exciting because it was anelection year,” Sobich recalls. “I got to seewhat politics was like firsthand, and I learneda lot about the machine and how it works. Itwas exciting most of the time. I never foundanything about working in the White Houseto be mundane at all.”

After Bush lost the ’92 election to BillClinton, Sobich returned to Georgetown,where she earned a master’s degree innational security. She also did graduate workin broadcast journalism at Stanford Univer-sity and worked briefly for the CBS affiliatein San Francisco before becoming press secre-tary for Richard Lugar, the longtime Repub-lican senator from Indiana. Her White Housebackground proved valuable when Lugar ranfor president in 1996.

“He was chairman of the AgricultureCommittee, and he later became chairmanof the Foreign Relations Committee,” Sobichexplains. “As communications director for acommittee chairman, it’s always a challengeto stay on top of the issues.”

After leaving Lugar’s staff, she worked forthe CIA in communications and public relations for a short time.

Through it all, Sobich has discerned howmuch of a paradox politics can be: invigor-ating and irksome at the same time. It canget downright nasty, with people competingfor favor and not caring how they get it.

“I’ve come to learn that in party politics,when you have competing agendas nothinggets done,” she says. “There’s a saying thatpeople in Washington have sharp elbows,and that’s true.”

But Sobich has never been one to shy awayfrom competition. “She was wonderful as astudent and as an athlete,” says Rutherford, whowas also her track coach. “She would doanything you asked and not complain about it.”

Sobich competed in the pentathlon, whichincludes the 100-meter low hurdles, shot put,long jump, and 400- and 1600-meter runs.In fact, her family sponsored the CutshallCup, which was once an annual competitionin the discipline among Mercersburg femaleathletes. There are hopes of the Cutshall Cupbeing revived in the near future.

“She was very competitive,” says her basket-ball coach, faculty member Karl Reisner. “Shewasn’t a superstar but she was a starter. Sheplayed hard, practiced hard, and was a goodteam player.”

Those qualities have served her well inpolitics, which often draws comparisons toathletics because of the competitive traitsneeded for success in both. Mercersburgplayed a big role in helping her develop thoseattributes, and she can thank her late father,Bill Cutshall ’63, for that.

“My dad always said [attending Mercers-burg] was a turning point for him,” Sobichsays. “I grew up hearing lots of stories aboutit; even as a young child, the Academy was abig part of my life. At age 9, I was involved insummer camp there. I just love Mercersburgso much.

“I always enjoyed hearing stories aboutalums who had gone on to be successful,whether it was [actor] Jimmy Stewart ’28,[former Pennsylvania governor] Dick Thorn-burgh ’50, or others who had gone on to greatthings.”

COMBINATIONA WinningHandling a former president’s scheduling

from the comforts of home

B Y T O M C O C C A G N A

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Jennifer and Peter Sobich and daughters Samantha and Sophia withPresident George H.W. Bush and and First Lady Barbara Bush


Geraldine Gardner ’96 is the Districtof Columbia’s associate director ofneighborhood planning. She has

lived and worked in New York City, Berlin,Los Angeles, and Washington, and sand-wiched an urban-planning fellowship inGermany between a bachelor’s degree inmetropolitan studies from New York Univer-sity and a master’s from UCLA. Read on fora peek into the nuts and bolts of urban planning on two continents.

MM: Do you think where you grew up had any effect on what you chose to do professionally?

GG: I think that all of the places where I havelived, studied, and worked have influencedmy career path and my interest in how“place” affects people, the economy, the envi-ronment, and transportation. As a kid growingup on Cape Cod, I witnessed this connec-tion every summer when my town wouldtriple in size with summer residents andtourists. Our economy, residents, naturalresources, public services, and physical spaceswere all influenced, positively and negatively,by the ebb and flow of people. As an urbanplanner, I look at similar issues of managinggrowth and harnessing change.

MM:How did Mercersburg set you on a coursetoward what you’re doing now?

GG: Aside from the positive academic experi-ence, I was influenced by the physical spacesand places of Mercersburg and rural Penn-sylvania. When it came time to apply tocolleges, I really wanted the opposite experi-ence, so I applied to schools in cities—Boston,New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta. When Ivisited New York University, I just knew it wasthe right place for me.

GG:One of the things that drew me to urbanor metropolitan studies was the idea that youcould examine multiple academic subjectsthrough the lens of the city. Every subject isat play—economics, housing, urban planning,architecture, public policy, public health, trans-portation—so you have a wide range of subjectsto study. The city really becomes your labora-tory and fieldwork is a big part of the major.

MM: What did going to Europe [on aGerman Chancellor fellowship] and study-ing in Berlin do for your education and career?

GG: Berlin is a fascinating city, and I feelreally lucky to have been there when the citywas changing so rapidly. Berlin is one of thefew world cities that has had to reinvent orre-imagine its identity, reconnect physically,and reposition its economy. Those publicpolicy and planning decisions (or lack thereof)have major consequences both now and yearsinto the future. I still reflect on those lessonslearned when dealing with urban develop-ment and growth in my current job. Andwhile I worked really hard during my year inBerlin, it was also a good year personally,because I met my husband, Bernd Wilke.

MM:How did you develop an interest in yourfield and in urban planning?


CITY CONFIDENTIAL: Q & A with

Geraldine Gardner ’96

Pictured at right: Gardner (center) leading a smallgroup session for the D.C. Office of Planning

GG:Urban planning is such a dynamic field,because even within it there are many differ-ent specializations. I focused my graduatework on economic development—specifi-cally, how cities compete and position theircore industries to attract new development,jobs, and growth. My interests have evolved,especially since working in D.C. What wasmissing in my studies and previous jobs wasthe connection to the public process. Top-down planning without community engage-ment just doesn’t work—and it fosterssuspicion, distrust, and anger among resi-dents. Planning should be a positive experi-ence, and I like the challenge of gettingresidents to envision development in a positive way.

MM: Is it an exciting time to work in Washington with all the redevelopmentgoing on in different parts of the city? Whatdoes your position entail?

GG: D.C. is another city in the midst ofchange, and I’ve really enjoyed being partof that process. I manage a team of eightneighborhood planners who work withvarious stakeholders to prepare plans. A plantypically contains an assessment of currentconditions, a market study to measure poten-tial for new residential and commercialgrowth, and then a plan for where and howthat growth should occur. It also includeshow the impact of new development ontransportation, public services, and resourcesshould be balanced. With each plan, thereis an intensive community engagementprocess that often requires night andweekend meetings. This is a tough, butnecessary, step in the process.

GG: Lately our plans have also included a“green” component—ways to improvepublic transportation access, reduce storm-water impact, and encourage green build-ing. And this part of the process is especiallydynamic and exciting for me.

—L E E O W E N


A2003 newcomer to Louisiana’scapital city of Baton Rouge, news-paper veteran Jan Moller ’87 had

seen a couple years’ worth of “politics onsteroids”—as Moller refers to the state’sdramatic history—before Hurricane Katrinatore through the Gulf Coast region andcreated a humanitarian disaster of incal-culable proportions.

“People have a tendency to look at poli-tics as a kind of Kabuki theater that has verylittle relevance to their lives,” says Moller,a Baton Rouge-based reporter for NewOrleans’ daily newspaper, the Times-Picayune. “But what Katrina brought hometo people of New Orleans is the incredibleimpact that government can have on theirlives.”

The Times-Picayune won two PulitzerPrizes for its Katrina coverage; no small feat,considering the newspaper’s own logisticalproblems in the days after the storm.

“The newsroom started taking on waterthe day after Katrina, and so the staffers whohad stayed behind literally got on news-paper trucks and evacuated New Orleans,”Moller says. “It was, especially in the earlydays, pure service journalism, just givingpeople the basic information that theyneeded about their neighborhoods and whathad happened. And you realized there was

this incredible hunger for it. In the BatonRouge bureau, our job was to man the stateemergency-operations center, where thefederal, state, and local authorities weresupposed to be managing this. So, for a brieftime, we really were the eyes and ears of thepaper.

“Those first few days, we were deliveringthe news by sending emails with whateverinformation we could gather up to our Wash-ington bureau, and they would post it on thewebsite,” Moller adds. “The staff that hadevacuated to Houma [a city southwest of NewOrleans] were mocking up pages and puttingPDF versions of the newspaper online. So we were technically getting an official versionof the paper out there. It was touch-and-go journalism.”

Moller, a native of Pittsburgh, had differ-ent journalistic aspirations when he arrivedas a student at Mercersburg. “As a kid, I’dalways wanted to be a sportswriter,” he says.“I was a newspaper reader before Mercers-burg, but Mercersburg got me exposed to theWashington Post on a daily basis.”

His taste for politics whetted, Mollerenrolled at American University, where aprofessor helped him land an internship withmuckraking columnist Jack Anderson, whosesyndicated “Washington Merry-Go-Round”was the proverbial thorn in the sides of Pres-

Keeping tabs on America’s political hotbeds with reporter Jan Moller B Y S H E LT O N C L A R K

and HurricanesHigh Rollers,

High Stakes,


ident Richard Nixon and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, among others. Moller’sinternship turned into a full-time reporter’sjob for Anderson that lasted eight years (from1991 to 1999).

“It was like getting your Ph.D. before you finished your bachelor’s degree,” he says.“One of the first people I interviewed as anintern was [then-Vice President] Dan Quayle’schief of staff. I was in D.C. for most of theClinton era, which was an interesting timeto be there, certainly.”

Moller decided that being a Washington“lifer” was not for him and that he wanted towork for a daily newspaper. “I had an editorwho had worked in Las Vegas in the 1970s,and she told me it was the worst place to livebut the best news town she’d ever seen,”Moller recalls with a chuckle. “So I appliedwith the Las Vegas Review-Journal and got the job. It turned out to be an okay placeto live, but it definitely was a wonderful news town.”

Katrina’s effect on Louisiana and itspolitics—on January 14, 2008, thestate inaugurated Bobby Jindal, a

36-year-old Ivy League-educated, Republi-can Indian-American, as its new governor—have made for interesting times for Moller.“Louisiana has a long history of kind of being

amused by politics… and these colorful,larger-than-life characters, going back to HueyLong,” he says. “The public has loved that.But, especially since Katrina, the state hasseemed almost ready to turn a corner fromits past, which a lot of people around herewould argue has haunted it for decades—going back to the Great Depression.

“In New Orleans, people are now acutelyaware that it was the federal government’sbadly built levees that led to the flooding, andit was the state government’s poorly executedevacuation plan that made things worse. Localgovernment had a series of failures, and allthree levels of government were responsiblefor not having good communications systemsso those first responders could talk to eachother. These were all preventable things thathelped deepen people’s misery in the daysafter, and so the result has been a wave ofcitizen activism and a group of readers whoread the paper much more closely and are

“It was like getting your Ph.D. before you finished your bachelor’s degree.”—Jan Moller ’87, on working in Washington as a young reporter

very acutely interested in having us holdgovernment’s feet to the fire.

“Every newspaper reporter has heardthese reader surveys where people, if youask them generically what they want, say,‘Well, we want more good news in thepaper,’ and ‘Why are you constantly beingso critical of everybody?’ But in NewOrleans, people are very interested inholding public officials accountable, sothat’s kind of gratifying. And you see it inthe form of more emails—a much moreinvolved readership, and again, it’s evolvedsince Katrina. [Right after the hurricane]people just wanted to know if their housewas standing. But now, people are still veryinterested in what goes on in Baton Rouge,and in New Orleans, and in the federalgovernment.”

Jan Moller

Messaging


Maureen Sheffler ’92 is a vice pres-ident of New York City-basedMercury Public Affairs, a high-

powered firm that describes its location as “theintersection of business, government, politics,and media.”

The same could be said for both Maureenand her twin, Eileen Sheffler Prugh ’92.

Both used Mercersburg as a springboardinto the fast-paced, behind-the-scenes worldof political work and issue advocacy; Eileenspent seven years at McCarthy MarcusHennings and helped create one of the mosteffective television advertisements of the 2004presidential campaign, while Maureenmanages her firm’s public opinion researchoperations for clients that have ranged fromcandidates and campaigns to corporations.

“Between our mother [Marcella] andMercersburg, I think an important work ethicwas instilled in us,” Maureen says. “We’ve bothworked for really small companies, and youspend the hours and do what you have to dountil it’s done. So I think that kind of motiva-tion—being there, doing it, getting it right,making sure it’s right before you send it to aclient, and covering all your bases—to puteffort and the pride into your work is some-thing that we learned young.”

Maureen spent all four years of her high-school career at Mercersburg; Eileen beganwith her 10th-grade year. (Younger sister Brittdidn’t attend Mercersburg but would laterdeepen the family connection by gettingmarried in the Irvine Memorial Chapel.) Bothare adamant that their experiences on campusled them to success.

“I had great opportunities that came frommy education there,” says Eileen, who spenta year in England as an English-Speaking

Union scholar after graduation and, as a juniorat the College of the Holy Cross, studied inMexico. “I had taken Spanish before, but [atMercersburg] I really began to enjoy thelanguage and understand how it could be agreat influence on my life,” she says. Later, asa producer creating television advertisementsfor political candidates, she would oversee theSpanish-speaking talent and translators workingwith her firm.

“Within my career and community service,knowing Spanish has been a wonderful tool,”she says. “And it also became a great way forme to get to know my neighbors in [the Wash-ington neighborhood of] Mount Pleasant.”

“I loved it [at Mercersburg],” says Maureen,who later graduated from Franklin & MarshallCollege. “I think in most of the classes, notjust English, there was a lot more writing thanyou get in public school. It prepares you forcollege in a lot of ways and helps you honeyour writing skills—which I use all the timein my survey work.”

In 1996, the twins landed separately inWashington. Maureen served as an internfor that year’s Republican National

Convention. Through her sister’s connections,Eileen went to work for political consultantRick Davis (John McCain’s campaignmanager during his 2000 and 2008 runs forthe White House).

Eileen moved to McCarthy MarcusHennings, an advertising and strategic-commu-nications firm, in 1997. When she began thereas a production assistant, the firm had onlyone full-time producer on its staff; as sheearned promotions to production managerand producer, she helped create more than

100 television, radio, and print advertisementsfor political and corporate clients.

“It was a tremendous learning opportunity,”she says. “I had terrific access and exposure toleaders on the statewide and national levels. Itwas exciting, it was challenging, and I was learn-ing more about the issues that mattered bygoing to different states and interviewing people,listening to them, and figuring out how to posi-tion our candidates in a way that they were trulyspeaking to their constituencies.

“Political work was our bread and butter,but we also did a lot of issue-advocacy work.These days, people interested in pushing acertain agenda in D.C. need more ‘guerilla’advertising—they need people who can under-stand the issue and articulate it in a conciseand quick manner. The trend is away from‘traditional’ advertising and more toward anoverall media strategy.”

In 2004, Eileen worked with the firm’s pres-ident, Larry McCarthy, on a television ad forthe 527 group Progress for America. The adtold the story of Ashley Faulkner, a teenagegirl from Ohio whose mother died in the WorldTrade Center attack, and of Ashley’s chancemeeting with President George W. Bush.According to the firm, the ad ran right beforeElection Day in nine key states and wasdiscussed on every major cable news program.One of Democratic nominee John Kerry’s keyadvisers, Bob Shrum, was quoted as saying thead “probably cost [Kerry] the presidency.”

Instant )))

Campaigns and businessstrategies are shaped by behind-the-scenes work oftwin Mercersburg sisters

B Y L E E O W E N

“It was exciting to work on such a pivotalad—and then to watch how it really helpeddetermine the outcome of the election,”Eileen says.

Fatigue following the grueling 2004 elec-tion cycle led Eileen to head west withWyoming native Greg Prugh, whom shemarried in October 2007; the couple met atthe wedding of Alex Pollinger ’89. “I was kindof burned out, and wanted to come out hereand snowboard and relax for a while,” she says.While she continued freelancing for McCarthyfrom Greg’s hometown of Jackson, Wyoming,she left the firm in 2006. Today she splits hertime between serving as marketing director forher husband’s company, Prugh Real Estate,and assisting the Jackson Hole Wildlife FilmFestival and Jackson Hole Therapeutic RidingAssociation with educational programming,outreach, and marketing.

“Learning from the best in the business wasexciting,” Eileen says of her time spent atMcCarthy. “I was constantly learning whileeffecting change on a local, national, andglobal level. It was an incredible opportunity.”

Following the 1996 election, Maureenworked in communications for thenonprofit Private Sector Council and

in public affairs for the American Associationof Health Plans before meeting Greg Strim-ple, a partner at Mercury Public Affairs,through Eileen. He needed help at his fledg-ling firm in New York; when she started, thecompany employed just seven people.

One of Strimple’s partners at Mercury isKieran Mahoney, who is noted for his workwaging successful Republican campaigns inthe traditional Democratic strongholds of NewYork (former Governor George Pataki and ex-Senator Alfonse D’Amato) and Oregon(Senator Gordon Smith).

“What we found [at Mercury] was that ourapproach to getting Republicans elected in‘hostile’ areas is an approach you can take inbusiness as well,” Maureen says. “Find thecenter of the electorate—which is fiscallyconservative and socially tolerant—and focuson the issues that will align them with you. We’ve taken that survey approach andpolitical approach to help organizationsachieve their goals.”

While confidentiality agreements prohibitmany of the firm’s clients from being identi-fied publicly, those working with the firm haveranged from political candidates to technol-ogy companies, regulated industries, and evenforeign governments looking to improve theirimage in America.

“A lot of the work deals with issue advocacyand public affairs,” Maureen says. “As muchas our company was developed on our politi-cal experience, campaigns right now are notour whole focus. There’s some crisis-commu-nications stuff; some of our folks out in Cali-fornia were involved in strategic counsel forthe Writers Guild of America strike.

“Much of the time a client comes to usand says, ‘We’re concerned about a certainissue in this city, because we’re concerned it

will affect our sales and people won’t wantto buy our product.’ We’ll go out and doresearch, see what people are saying, and testhow that issue is thought of in the environ-ment. We’ll do all of it—the survey ques-tionnaire, the research, and we’ll figure outwhat the message can be and the argumentsof both sides. We’ll present the client with astrategic plan and key findings.”

From a polling perspective, discussion isincreasing about whether traditional surveyresearch and sampling accurately representdifferent age groups, many of whom preferonline communication and are increasinglyless likely to own landline phones. Thoseconcerns might be exaggerated.

“We still do most of our actual survey workthrough phone calls,” Maureen says. “In mostcases, our research revolves around theopinion of likely voters—and in many cases,we’re sampling smaller universes than anational audience… focusing only on anonline audience won’t work, since there areage issues and income issues that wouldprohibit you from collecting the best data.Telephones still work well.”

If behind-the-scenes political work were afactory, the Shefflers could stand next to oneanother on the assembly line.

“What I do is what then Eileen would takeand make into her messages, her ads,”Maureen says. “I’ve always thought it wouldbe kind of fun, when we’re older, to worktogether; I could do the research and she’d dothe messaging.”

(L-R): Britt Sheffler Thomas,Eileen Sheffler Prugh, Maureen Sheffler



Three sons in the United States Navy.Thirty-eight years in the Foreign Service. Oneenduring symbol tied around an oak tree. And444 days in captivity.

That’s some of what the Laingen familyhas given the United States of America.

Ambassador L. Bruce Laingen, a WorldWar II naval veteran who grew up on a farmin southern Minnesota, met his wife, Penne,while working in Washington for the U.S.Department of State (in between assignmentsin Iran and Pakistan). All three of their sons—Bill ’78, Chip ’79, and Jim ’84—came toMercersburg and later served in the U.S.Navy. (Bruce served on the school’s Board ofRegents from 1982 to 1994, and remains anhonorary member.)

“My dad gave us all the desire to serve ourcountry,” says Bill, who did a postgraduate yearat Mercersburg after graduating from TheBullis School in suburban D.C. “He alwayswanted us to be men of peace, and I thinkmaybe he would have liked us to go into theForeign Service. It’s interesting that none ofus did—but we all went into the military.”

There are inherent risks involved innational service, of course. In 1979, Bruce,fresh off a two-year stint as U.S. ambassadorto Malta, agreed to serve as the chargé d’af-faires at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. SinceAmerica was without an ambassador to Iran(the Ayatollah Khomeini rose to power thatyear during the Iranian Revolution), Brucebecame the senior American diplomat in thecountry. On November 4, militant Iranianstudents seized the embassy, taking everyoneinside hostage (including Col. Tom Schaefer ’49). Bruce and two associates wereat a meeting at the Iranian Foreign Ministrywhen the embassy was overrun; they wouldbe held there for most of the crisis.

An American family of fiveprofiles in courage

BY LEE OWEN

andYellow

Red White & Blue

PICTURED ABOVE: Penne and Bruce Laingen with thefamous yellow ribbon

Where they wereBill, in his second year at the U.S. NavalAcademy, was on the varsity sailing team.Weekends often meant an overnight sail onthe Chesapeake Bay, and this one was nodifferent. He had heard that the situation inIran was becoming more unstable andvolatile by the day, and upon arrival back atAnnapolis was implored by his companymates to get to a television immediately towitness the crisis unfolding.

“I called my mom [at home in Bethesda,Maryland], and asked her what she washearing,” he says. “That’s when it all started.”

Chip was a freshman at the University ofMinnesota, and remembers thinking backto the students briefly occupying the embassy(for six hours) on Valentine’s Day, in themidst of the Revolution, and that it wouldbe another short incident. “For ForeignService families, life is a rolling adventure,”he says. “So when you hear about this sortof thing, part of you says, ‘It’s just anotherexample of them trying to make noise.’ It wassort of incredulousness at first, and it tookabout two weeks before it sunk in that thistime it was really different.”

Jim, in eighth grade, was unique amongthe boys as the lone son at home with his mother.

“I didn’t really have a good sense of whatwas going on at first,” Jim recalls. “I may not

“You hear about problems and these thingsgoing on around the world—and we were

yanked right into the middle of one.” —BILL LAINGEN ’78


have realized what kind of danger he wasreally in; initially, I thought we should havegone in there and kicked the door down andinvaded the place and all those things. Butover time I came to realize that this was along-term thing. As the only boy at home, Ikind of saw the range of emotions my momwas going through… I think we all supportedher pretty well through all that.”

During the crisis, Penne wrapped a yellowribbon around an oak tree in the family’s yard.It became a symbol of hope for both the fami-lies of the 52 remaining hostages and an entirenation. (Fourteen of the original 66 hostageswere released within two weeks of the stand-off’s beginning.)

“Initially, there was fear, of course,” Billsays. “But over time it turned into almost asense of fascination on top of that fear. Youhear about problems and these things goingon around the world—and we were yankedright into the middle of one. There was apicture taken at the National Cathedral of aprayer service [during the crisis], and sittingall in a row are the president [Jimmy Carter],the vice president [Walter Mondale], thesecretary of state [Cyrus Vance], and Jim.”

Weeks turned into months, winter turnedto spring, and in April 1980, an attempt byU.S. forces to rescue the hostages failed inthe Iranian desert, killing eight American

CCAATTCCHHIINNGG UUPP WWIITTHH.. .. ..

Arthur Glenn Andrews ’27,who turned 99on January 15, 2008, is the oldest living for-mer United States congressman. Andrewsrepresented his home state of Alabama as aRepublican in the U.S. House of Representa-tives from 1965–1967. A postgraduate stu-dent at Mercersburg, Andrews graduatedfrom Princeton University and was a bank-ing and advertising executive before running an unsuccessful campaign as a Democrat for a seat in the Alabama Houseof Representatives in 1956. He switched parties and won election in 1964 to the 87thU.S. Congress, but lost his re-election bid in1966. After a failed campaign to return toCongress in 1970, he was appointed as atrustee in bankruptcy court by PresidentNixon (1973–1985).

In October 2007, Congress extended an ex-isting moratorium on state and local Inter-net taxes for another seven years. It was avictory for Internet users everywhere—andfor Laura Linderman ’91, who is senior manager of federal government affairs for T-Mobile in Washington. Linderman, who directs the T-Mobile Political Action Commit-tee, is responsible for directly lobbyingmembers of Congress on key tax issues, in-cluding Internet taxes and Universal Servicereform. While serving as manager of federalaffairs for AT&T Wireless earlier this decade,Linderman helped spearhead the deploy-ment of a $2.5 million wireless network inthe Capitol office complex. A graduate ofLehigh University and Johns Hopkins Univer-sity, she is a Mercersburg class agent andserves on the Alumni Council’s executivecommittee.

Jason Huntsberry ’96 worked in the WhiteHouse under George W. Bush as associate di-rector of political affairs, and served as west-ern regional political director for JohnMcCain’s presidential campaign until July2007. He holds a bachelor’s degree from theUniversity of Virginia and a master’s fromThe George Washington University.


an airborne early-warning squadron at PointMugu, California.

In April, he assumes leadership of theCarrier Airborne Early Warning WeaponsSchool (or CAEWWS) at Fallon Naval AirStation in Nevada. CAEWWS is theadvanced-tactics school for the E-2 Hawkeye,and the sister school to the more-famousTOPGUN.

“Both my brothers did one year at Mercers-burg, and I did three, but it still impacted allof us the same,” Jim says. “We all feel thesame way about it—that it was a very posi-tive influence and excellent preparation forour careers in the Navy and beyond.”

In 38 years with the Foreign Service, Bruceserved abroad in West Germany, Iran (twice),Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Malta. He andPenne continue to make their home inBethesda, with the same oak tree in the frontyard. The former president of the AmericanAcademy of Diplomacy and executive direc-tor of the National Commission on the PublicService, Bruce is a sought-after speaker on world affairs, frequently on the topic ofIran. A book of his dispatches and journalentries while in captivity, Yellow Ribbon: TheSecret Journal of Bruce Laingen, waspublished in 1992.

And the famous yellow ribbon, whichrepresented the faith, hope, and persistenceof one American family during a time ofcrisis, is today safe as part of the AmericanFolklife Center at the Library of Congress.

“My dad really instilled in us thepower of optimism. Deep down,

I think we all really believed it would end well.”

—CHIP LAINGEN ’79

Chip, Jim, and Bill Laingen

understand and take into account a ship-basedenvironment—perfect for a former Navy man.(McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeingin 1997.)

“Part of the training of our engineers inship suitability is taking them aboard ships,”says Bill, who works in the St. Louis area.“About every couple of months, we go out tosea with a group of engineers to a carrier andteach them and show them how it all works.”

Chip, who was active in Naval ROTC atMinnesota, earned a bachelor’s degree in1983. He spent 21 years on active duty, includ-ing cruises to the western Pacific, the Adri-atic Sea, and the Persian Gulf, and four years(1997–2001) at the Pentagon as a speech-writer for Secretary of the Navy John Dalton,with whom he traveled around the world; healso served three years as commanding officerof a helicopter training squadron.

Today, Chip lives in St. Paul, Minnesota,and works as communications director forMinnesota Wire & Cable. He also runs thenonprofit Defense Alliance of Minnesota,which is the state’s defense-industry network.

Jim has been deployed to the Persian Gulffive times; his most recent service there endedin September 2007. He and Chip were in thesame battle group during Operation DesertStorm. Jim’s career includes stops in Japan;at Fort Meade, Maryland, during a stint withthe Defense Intelligence Agency; onboardthe USS Eisenhower, USS Independence, USSConstellation, and USS Midway; and mostrecently as commanding officer of VAW-117,

soldiers. “That’s what really sticks out to me,”Jim says. “I remember feeling such shockand anger toward Iran, and a sense of shamethat we couldn’t pull [the rescue] off.”

“In our case,” Chip adds, “my dad reallyinstilled in us the power of optimism. Deepdown, I think we all really believed it wouldend well, and it was just a matter of time.”

Ronald Reagan defeated Carter in the 1980presidential election that November. But thehostages spent their second Thanksgiving,Christmas, and New Year’s in captivity beforethe Algiers Accords of January 19, 1981,secured their release. The next day, thehostages walked out to freedom six minutesafter Reagan was sworn in as president.

“The homecoming [at West Point] wasoverwhelming,” Jim remembers. “Thecountry just went nuts, even way more thanwas reasonable, really—and since, therehasn’t been anything like it.”

Where they are nowBill graduated from the Naval Academy in1982 and worked as an aviation maintenanceofficer, primarily aboard aircraft carriers witha squadron. The onset of rheumatoid arthri-tis forced him to take medical retirementfrom the Navy in 1986, but with a degree inaerospace engineering, he’s been able to keepboth hands in the field of aviation. He joinedMcDonnell Douglas in the advanced designarea for the F/A-18 Hornet before movinginto a discipline called ship suitability, whichworks to ensure those designing airplanes

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’37Ed Powers

[email protected] Smith

[email protected]

Bill Harris and his wife, Jessie, cele-brated their 65th wedding anniversaryNovember 28, 2007, with their family athome in Paso Robles, California.

’38Oliver Oldman retired from teachingin March 2007.

’43John Gregory writes that he read thewinter 2007–2008 issue of Mercersburgwith great interest, since it had a themeof global citizenship. John has traveledthe world extensively while in the U.S.Navy, during his business years, andnow in retirement. In March 2007, Johnvisited Egypt with his three daughters.He says that a camel driver offered him52 camels for one of his daughters, but

he turned him down because it wastoo expensive to feed all of them andbring them back to Erie, Pennsylvania.(The girls didn’t think it was funny.)

’48Hugh Miller

[email protected]

Lucian Leape, an adjunct professor ofhealth policy at the Harvard School ofPublic Health, aims to make apologypart of full-disclosure policies at hospi-tals nationwide. He says this would bea critical step in ethically managingmedical errors that kill an estimated98,000 patients each year.

Hugh Miller received the 2007 JamesMarston Fitch Preservation EducationLifetime Achievement Award. Since1969, Hugh has taught preservationtechnology and supervised theses inthe historic preservation master’s pro-gram at Goucher College; he has alsotaught at Middle East Technical Uni-versity in Ankara, Turkey. While workingas an architect/planner for the NationalPark Service, he organized and pre-sented programs for managers, profes-sionals, and trade mechanics in archi-tectural conservation, landscapepreservation, and cultural resourcemanagement subjects. He also ledcourses, seminars, and workshops inthe U.S. and internationally (including atMercersburg). Hugh will be profiled inCRM: The Journal of Heritage Steward-ship, and has authored many articlesfor the journal—some of which can befound online at crmjournal.cr.nps.gov.

’51Bert McGann

[email protected]

Bill Buchheit splits time between residences in Germany and the UnitedStates.

Robert Moos has been retired for 10years, and spends his time advising hissons in the family business. He has 36grandchildren and five great-grand-children, and is in his 30th year as president of the synagogue of Annecy, France.

’53Members of the Class of 1953 spent aSeptember weekend in Holland, wherethey were entertained by hosts Bettyand Fred Morefield, who have a sum-mer residence in the small, rural townof Luttenberg. The weekend included amanual demonstration of woodenshoemaking, a tour of the renownednearby Kröller-Müller Museum and itsample collection of Van Goghs, and nu-merous sumptuous meals in the More-field home and in the home of theirLuttenberg friends and neighbors, Theoand Mieke Ibes. Emeritus DevelopmentDirector Don Hill and his wife, Linda,were invited guests.

AlumniNotes

Submit alumni notes and photographs online or by email [email protected] or your class agent. Submissions mayappear online or in print. Mercersburgreserves the right to edit submissionsfor space or content, and is not respon-sible for more than reasonable editingor fact-checking.

John Gregory ’43 and his daughtersin Egypt.

Members of the Class of ’53 in Holland (L-R): Chris King, Howie Abrams, Bill Baldwin,Fred Morefield, Lew Biegelsen, John Ross, Don Harper, Nick Taubman, special guestDon Hill, Walter Burgin, Stu Horner, and Harry Moorefield.

Last fall, the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts inHagerstown, Maryland, featured "Americana Roads," anexhibit of photography by former Mercersburg Regent

Robert M. Kurtz Jr. ’52. In September, the school hosted aleadership donor reception at the museum that

included a meet-and-greet with the artist.

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’55Raz Zirkle

[email protected]

George Jocher retired in October 2007after 48 years of work around the worldfor the U.S. Navy.

John Reinhardt retired last June as ex-ecutive director of the Madison County[New York] Industrial DevelopmentAgency, and as the county’s economicdevelopment administrator. He repre-sents the city of Oneida on the MadisonCounty Board of Supervisors and serveson the board of directors of Rome Savings Bank.

’58Francis Lawrence, son of Barbara andJohn Lawrence, directed the filmI Am Legend,which grossed $77 millionin its opening weekend in theaters—an all-time record for a movie opening in December.

’61Bill Thompson

[email protected]

In January, Lou Bertrand was sworn in asmayor of Hiram, Ohio, which is 45 milessoutheast of Cleveland. Lou served onHiram Council for 28 years before step-ping down in 2006, and was councilpresident in his final term. Lou hasserved 10 years as special legal counselfor the city of Tallmadge, and has beena practicing lawyer in Ravenna for thepast 40 years. He is a board-certifiedcivil trial lawyer, a fellow in the OhioState Bar Foundation, a former assis-tant county prosecutor, and former president of the Portage County Bar Association.

’63Gene Homicki

[email protected] Millstein

[email protected] Sommerville

[email protected]

’64Mike Radbill

[email protected]

Irene and Sumner Bagby visited PaulSommerville ’63 and his wife, Ann, attheir home in South Carolina. The Bag-bys traveled to Kenya and took a cruiseto the Seychelles in November 2007.

Alan Brody writes, “Governor Chet Culver appointed me as 2007 Chair ofUN Day in the state of Iowa. In October,I gave a keynote address at the IowaStatehouse in Des Moines to 220 stu-dents from 15 high schools around thestate whowere participating in UN Daydebates, and gave lectures and photopresentations on Millennium Develop-ment goals and on my work withUNICEF to combat HIV and AIDS. I alsoenjoyed being a keynote speaker at afunction given by the Council for Inter-national Visitors to Iowa City, and welcoming 40 writers from around theworld participating in the 40th anniversary of the Iowa InternationalWriting Program. Mary and I are enjoy-ing our new phase of life, the intellec-tual and artistic stimulation of our com-munity of Iowa City, and the time for me to write.”

’66Stan Westbrook

[email protected]

Serge Grynkewich serves on the boardof directors of the American Chamberof Commerce of the Philippines, whichis the oldest American chamber abroad.He was also elected chairman of theboard of trustees of the American Association of the Philippines. Sergehas previously served on the board of

the association and is honored that hisfellow directors have chosen him for theposition. The organization is more than50 years old, and has served underprivileged and indigent Americancitizens in the Phil ippines since its inception.

’68Charles Alter

[email protected] Ford

[email protected] Kemmler

[email protected] Kopen

[email protected] Youngs

[email protected]

’69Rick Fleck

[email protected] Seibert

[email protected]

Harry Apfelbaum has two sons, Marc(26) and Aaron (25); both graduatedfrom the University of Pittsburgh. Harryis a veterinarian in Mifflinburg, Penn-sylvania, and very happy. Occasionally, hecalls a classmate and enjoys talking fora few minutes. “It's funny,” he says,

“because everyone thinks I'm calling toraise money for the school. Everyone inour class should call someone once in awhile; it really makes you feel good.” Healso shares a memorable Mercersburgexperience: “the time I called my girl-friend back home during study hall fromthe basement of Swank Hall, and Mr.[William] Howard caught me; all he saidwas, ‘Hi, Harry.’ The next night, duringstudy hall, he caught me again—thistime, from the pay phone in Keil Hall—and this time, he said, ‘Tell her I said hi.’Those were the days.”

Bill “Skip” Averell is an EPA grants plan-ner with the Kentucky Division of Water.He lives in Frankfort, Kentucky, and ismarried to the lovely Ashley Randle.Their son, Randle Meigs, is 19 and at-tending Lexington Community Collegeen route to a bachelor’s in constructionmanagement. The family lives in ahouse that Skip’s father built in 1954and sold to Ashley’s father in 1968—which he then bought back in 1985 (sothey have never really left home sincechildhood). Skip is a graduate of CentreCollege and holds a master’s degree inpublic administration from the Univer-sity of Tennessee. He hasn’t had contactwith anyone from his class since gradu-ation, but he has followed a lot of hisclassmates’ successful careers.

Jim Bell and his wife, JoEllen, have beenmarried for almost 19 years and havethree kids. Their son, Andrew, a senior inhigh school, is on the varsity golf, bas-ketball, and track teams, and has beenaccepted at the University of PittsburghSchool of Engineering. One daughter,Kristen, is a sophomore and on the var-sity volleyball and softball teams, andtheir other daughter, Katie, is in eighthgrade, plays basketball, and is their socialbutterfly. The family moved about twoand a half years ago from their largeturn-of-the-century, finally completedfixer-upper in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylva-nia, to a midcentury brick-and-stonerancher in nearby Kingston that had ex-tensive upgrades in the mid-1970s (likepurple shag carpeting and orange-and-gold flecked wallpaper, so it also neededa bit of work). Jim continues at the same

architectural firm and has been involvedwith many local projects—and quite afew at his college alma mater, SyracuseUniversity.

Bob Cooley writes that Dave Owen livesvery near him in western Massachu-setts, and that they have met severaltimes for baseball, music, and the like. InJanuary 2007, Bob was in Mercersburgfor a funeral service for his aunt; duringthe visit, Bob saw Dave Tyson and ad-mired the magnificent new buildingson campus. (Bob’s grandfather,Wilmarth I. Jacobs, taught at Mercers-burg for many years and served as as-sistant and acting headmaster duringhis tenure.) He remembers several tripsto Lakeville, Connecticut, where he spentmany delightful hours with formerheadmaster William C. Fowle. This Au-gust, Bob and his wife, Vera, will cele-brate their 30th anniversary. He is in his35th year of teaching English, Greek, andLatin, and running the mediation pro-gram at Northfield Mount HermonSchool. His three kids (Karin, Jessie, andRyan) graduated from there; Bob has ledstudent groups overseas to Egypt,Greece (twice), and Italy (2005). “Lots ofgood stuff going on,” he writes. “I hopeto read more notes from the Class of’69—a special group, to be sure.”

Val Deininger lives in South Carolina,and about a year ago had a bad accidentwhile driving a small Volkswagen. Hecould not speak, but saw the ambulancearrive in his rearview mirror. Oddly, theemergency technicians got out of theambulance, and instead of going to aidhim, they leaned up against it andstarted talking and smoking. Finally, oneof them said, “Okay, let's get this overwith.” So they walked toward Val's car,and when one of the emergency responders looked in, he yelled, “My God! He's alive!” They worked fast and furiously to get Val free; Val is doing fine now.

Bill Garofalo writes, “Life in the dentalworld is still a grind. There is really noth-ing new to report since the last reunion,except that I am now a step-grandfatherfor the ninth time. Best wishes and hopeto see you all again soon.”

Sarah Judith and Christopher William, twins born August 9, 2007,to Christopher Carbone ’82 and his wife, Wendy.

Sean Michael, bornSeptember 18, 2006,son of Sara PlantzBrennen ’88 and herhusband, Michael.

Jack Hollister, bornOctober 10, 2007,son of AlexPollinger ’89 andhis wife, Sarah.

Fiona Gael, born December18, 2006, daughter ofDiana Eichfeld Morgan ’92and her husband, Anthony.

Megan and Zack Gipson ’93 withtheir son, Griffin Costello, bornSeptember 6, 2007.

Seth James, son of AaronDeLashmutt ’94 and hiswife, Casey, born January10, 2008.

Born June 29, 2007, to NathanVink ’94 and his wife, Mariah: ason, Colin McKee.

At the 2007 Georgia Music Awards: Bill Carey ’72 (right) presents the Mary TallentAward to musician Freddy Cole, brother of Nat “King” Cole.

Births

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Granville “Pud” Smith lives in Toledo,Ohio, and works for Owens Corning.His middle child, Crystal, is getting mar-ried this April (which makes two chil-dren married and one more to go). Histhird child, Andre ’05, is a junior atKeene State College.

’71Joe Rendina

[email protected]

Bob Jacobius and his wife, Esther, soldtheir staffing agency, and plan to enjoyearly retirement with winters andsprings in Scottsdale, Arizona, and sum-mers in the Chicagoland area. Bob andEsther are heavily involved in severalimportant not-for-profit Chicagolandorganizations.

’72Tom Hadzor

[email protected] Scoblionko

[email protected]

Bill Carey serves on the board of the St.Louis Symphony, and is opening to in-vestors another fund that invests in

Chinese antiquities. The antiquities thatcomprise his first fund are all scheduledfor exhibition in major U.S. museumsthis year.

Fred Kleinwas elected to the prestigiousAmerican College of Real Estate Lawyers;its first meeting was the same week-end as his 35th reunion, so he was un-able to attend. Fred has done signifi-cant pro bono work for Mercersburgover the years on gifts of real estate tothe school.

Charlie Lyons is one of the producers ofthe film The Water Horse, which was re-leased in December 2007. He was an ex-ecutive producer of The Guardian (star-ring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher),A Lot Like Love (featuring Kutcher andAmanda Peet), and Firewall (starringHarrison Ford).

Doug Mendelsonworks for URS (an en-gineering firm) and oversees the demo-lition and remediation of the old Sta-pleton Airport in Denver, Colorado. Heoften heads to the Rockies to surf thepowder with Greg Harp, Tom Harp ’73, orDick Cosgrove ’73 and enjoys dining withMargie and Jeff Steel ’73. Doug and hisex-wife, Joellyn, try to travel around theU.S. and world at least once every othermonth, if not more. They paid a visit to

To Julia McMillan-Jones ’88 and her husband, Simon: a son, QuinnLyle, on March 22, 2007.

To Megan George Herold ’98 and her husband, Jerry: a daughter,Kalea Antoinette, December 11, 2007.

To Laura Bushong Weiss ’00 and her husband, Stuart: a daughter,Madeline McKinley, December 23, 2007.

Born May 25, 2007, toScott Sides ’95 and hiswife, Kelley: a daughter,Meredith.

Yoo-Chan, son of J.P. Shim ’95 andhis wife, Monica, born January 5,2008.

Lily Grace, born December 7,2007, daughter of MatthewBaran ’97 and his wife, Kelly.

Born September 24, 2007to Kirsten Goerl Becker ’97and her husband, John: ason, John Charles Jr.

Jonas Lendo, born Septem-ber 19, 2007, son of SavinaRendina Cupps ’99 and herhusband, Regan.

Agnes Rose, born Octo-ber 27, 2007, daughterof former faculty mem-ber Joe DeMerit and hiswife, Karen.

Dara Frankel, Eric Scoblionko ’72, Peggy Jarvis Ferrin ’72, Martha Snyder Byron ’72,Jeff Frankel ’72, and Herm Mellott ’72.

An anonymous group of friends from the Class of 1974 purchased Restless Sky #52, apainting by Stephen Flanagan ’74. School Archivist Jay Quinn (left) and Dean of Stu-dents (and Flanagan classmate) Tom Rahauser ’74 receive the painting on behalf ofthe school in this photo.

Births


Paul Stamets ’73 and his wife, Dusty,outside of Olympia, Washington, andenjoyed a tour of Paul's mushroom king-dom. Doug invites anyone to come ski,raft, bike, camp, climb a mountain, orride an ATV at 12,000 feet.

John Pagenstecher and his wife, Angela,own Carolina Coastal Adventures in Car-olina Beach, North Carolina. They takefamilies, groups, and school field tripsinto the marine environment via fishingcharters, kayak tours, or specialty pro-grams to experience a marine habitat,learn the history of Cape Fear, and to enjoy some of the accompanying folklore. They also run summer campsthat help children learn to fish, surf, and kayak.

Eric Scoblionko accepted a position withthe Miami Foundation as senior devel-opment officer at Miami Dade College.The school has 165,000 students onnine campuses, and is home to the nation’s largest student population. Ericwrites that the school is embarking ona major fund drive aimed at providing financial aid to increasing numbers of students.

’76Jane White Yocum

[email protected]

Steve Stuempfle is executive director ofthe Society for Ethnomusicology, whichis based at Indiana University in Bloom-ington; Steve is also an adjunct profes-sor there. He spent the past 12 years aschief curator of the Historical Museumof Southern Florida.

’77Lindley Peterson Fleury

[email protected]

Craig Amaral married Jeanne Marie Albanese April 22, 2007, in Annapolis,Maryland; the couple lives inCrownsville, Maryland. Craig’s class-mates John and Sue Nelson attendedthe ceremony.

’78Heidi Kaul Krutek

[email protected]

’79Carol Furnary Casparian

[email protected]

Rick Little invites those interested in theprogress of his yearlong sailing trip[Alumni Notes, winter 2007–2008] tovisit his blog and leave comments atsailingeyesoftheworld.blogspot.com.

Judy Russell Purman started acompany, The Purman Group, and ispublishing a book on greenhouse gas inventory.

’80Dave Dupont

[email protected]

Chris Greene is a senior vice president atSunTrust Bank in Atlanta. His son, Collin ’11, is in his first year at Mercersburg.

’82Todd Wells

[email protected] White

[email protected]

Peter Greene’s son, Parker, attendedswim camp at Mercersburg last sum-mer. Peter is executive vice president ofreal estate acquisitions and develop-ment for TravelCenters of America; heand his family live in Avon Lake, Ohio,a suburb of Cleveland.

Philip Hoffman attended law schoolin Brisbane, Australia, where he lob-bied for the Australia-United StatesFree Trade Agreement in Washingtonand Canberra, Australia. Philip hasmoved back stateside to become a U.S.trade lawyer where, pending passingthe bar, he will be admitted to practicelaw in both the U.S. and Australia.

Ray Liddy has joined the complex civillitigation section of the California At-torney General's office.

’83Mark Pyper

[email protected] Ricciuti

[email protected]

’84Rachel Haines Bowman

[email protected] Quinn

[email protected]

Commander Jim Laingen completed histour as commanding officer of the VAW-117 Wallbangers at Point Mugu,California, after a six-month deploy-ment to the Arabian Gulf and westernPacific. His squadron completed mis-sions in support of Operations IraqiFreedom and Enduring Freedom. “It wasa challenging tour, especially for thefamily, but it certainly was the pinnacleof my career,” Jim writes. “We are look-ing forward to more home time now.”Jim, his wife, Hope, and three children,William, Christopher, and Bonnie,moved to Fallon, Nevada, in December2007; Jim is head of the Carrier AirborneEarly Warning Weapons School there.(Read more about Jim and his family onpage 34.)

’85Susan Corwin Moreau

[email protected]

Catherine “C.C.” Gachet married Dr.Peter J. Ouellette September 2, 2007, inWashington. In attendance were Mer-cersburg faculty member FrankBetkowski and his wife, Bambi, whoboth attended Georgetown Universitywith the bride. C.C. works as an inde-pendent marketing consultant forclients throughout the D.C. area; Peterspecializes in internal medicine andworks as a hospitalist at Virginia Hospi-tal Center in Arlington.

Peggy Raley and her father, Bob, openedNassau Valley Vineyards in 1993 on afamily farm site just outside Lewes,Delaware. The winery has won severalinternational wine competitions, andwas featured in a November 2007Delaware Today story, “Uncorked.”

’88Susie Lyles-Reed

[email protected]

Rob Bertrand is a director with Pricewa-terhouseCoopers in Washington. Helives in Falls Church, Virginia, with hiswife and two children.

Philip Hoffman ’82 (left) with Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

Duncan Mark, son of Lt.Cmdr. Malcolm Mark ’89, onHalloween.

A Mercersburg mini-reunion in Spain with Maria de Toledo ’91, Victoria de Toledo ’89,her daughter, Victoria, and Lizzie Mascola ’91 and son, Lucas Mascola Martin.Maria and Victoria contacted Lizzie through Mercersburg magazine, since all threelive in Madrid. Victoria has two daughters, Victoria (20 months) and Blanca (fourmonths); Lizzie’s son, Lucas, is eight months. The reunion was the first time theyhad seen each other in 18 years. Contact everyone at [email protected](Maria), [email protected] (Victoria), or [email protected] (Lizzie).

Janelle Denny married Brian JamesFlinn September 16, 2007, in Golden,Colorado; the couple honeymooned inTelluride. The entire Flinn clan spentThanksgiving in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Kelley Keeler and E. Austin Short III areengaged, and will be married this Junein Reading, Pennsylvania.

’93Danielle Dahlstrom

[email protected]

Amer Al-Nimr is in his chief-residentyear of internal medicine and pedi-atrics at Case Medical Center/RainbowBabies & Children's Hospital in Cleve-land, Ohio. While the pace is hectic andthe stress is high, he says he immensely enjoys teaching the newinterns and medical students. Rima,his wife of two years, is an OB/GYN di-etitian, and they occasionally slip awayfrom it all for coffee or lunch. He looksforward to two upcoming trips for theRainbow Center for Global Child

Health, and will be teaching a disastermanagement course in Beirut next De-cember and in Saudi Arabia the monthafter. Paul Royer and Rob Pitts keepAmer and Rima company wheneverthey visit the nation’s capital.

’95Max Merrill

[email protected]

James Barnes is an advisory softwareengineer at IBM in Raleigh, North Car-olina. He had most recently worked asa senior Internet technology engineerat MetLife. "I realized I enjoyed what Iwas doing at IBM, so I had to go back,”he says. “Jennifer and I also learned wereally do belong in the South."

Meredith Glah Coors caught up withclassmates Max Merrill and LornaWrightwhile they were in Denver for aconference; they visited Meredith’shome for dinner and met her family.“Max is even dating one of my sororitysisters from Cornell—small world,”

Meredith writes. “It was nice to see oldfriends.”

Jung-Hwan “J.P.” Shim is happy to report the birth of his first child, Yoo-Chan, on January 5, 2008. J.P. livesin Seoul, Korea, with his wife, Monica,and is a market analytics manager for Pfizer.

Los Angeles-based newspaper Enter-tainment Today named the JamieWollrab-directed play, Feeding theMonkey in Hollywood, as one of thetop-10 plays of 2007.

’96Lori Esposit Miller

[email protected] Gardner

[email protected]

Stephanie Shepherd Ragland receivedan MBA in quality management andorganizational development from Up-per Iowa University in May 2007. Shehas opened an Edible Arrangementsstore in Chambersburg.

Since December 1993, Andrew Saulnierhas lived in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with hiswife, Michele, and their two kids, Han-nah (12) and Nick (10). He is a home in-spector and learned to water-ski a fewyears ago. Andrew is restoring a 1987CRX, and says he recently got his "poster"car—a 1987 Porsche 928 S4 (fortunately,it doesn't need to be restored). He invitesanyone to contact him and catch up.

’89Zania Pearson

[email protected] Prentiss

[email protected]

Gregory Oberfield is a senior networkengineer with AT&T in Hoffman Estates,Illinois.

’91Helen Barfield Prichett

[email protected] Linderman

[email protected]

Bill Thompson ’61 to Sandra LeeThompson Cooper, October 20, 2007.

Craig Amaral ’77 to Jeanne MarieAlbanese, April 22, 2007.

Colton Partlow ’97 to VictoriannMastrapa, May 19, 2007.

Catherine Wahl ’99 to Chris Bove,November 17, 2007.

At the wedding of Amy Clippinger ’99 to John Santa Barbara, June 9,2007: Amy (second from left) with cousins June Marquiss ’01, JohnMarquiss ’97, Jenni Marquiss ’95, and Stephanie Turner ’06.

Janelle Denny ’91 and Brian JamesFlinn on their wedding day, September 16, 2007.

At the wedding of Eileen Sheffler ’92 and Greg Prugh, October 13,2007: (L-R) Laura Linderman ’91, Maureen Sheffler ’92, Eileen andGreg, Bert Murray ’92, and Allison Felley ’92.

The wedding of Matt Gallon ’97and Diana Blazar, August 5, 2006.

At the wedding of Gina Cianelli ’98 toMatthew Vernoga, July 8, 2006: TomCianelli ’71, Gina and Matthew, andMary Cianelli.

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Marriages


managing her own clients and runningher own projects, and is testing to be-come a registered architect. Jess andher boyfriend, Chris Pickering, boughttheir first home, in Mansfield, Pennsyl-vania. She notes that it is a fixer-upper,but that “we're slowly making progressturning it into our home.” In May, shegraduated from Rensselaer PolytechnicInstitute with a master’s in building con-servation architecture and spent a weekduring the summer in California, climb-ing mountains and exploring the winecountry and Pacific coast.

’00Kevin Glah

[email protected] Horst

[email protected] Miller

[email protected] Reeder

[email protected]

Michael Galey is an associate at the firmof Mitts Milavec in Philadelphia.

Josh Gallon lives in Wheat Ridge, Col-orado, and works with thin-film solartechnology in a physics lab. Josh gradu-ated from Colorado School of Mines in2005 with a degree in engineeringphysics, and is pursuing a master's inphysics there.

Alec Harris works in commercial real estate in Boston and likes helping Mercersburg with area events.

Lauren Wallace earned a bachelor’s de-gree in accounting from the Universityof Maryland in 2004. She finished lawschool there in December 2007, and livesin Baltimore’s Federal Hill neighborhood.Lauren planned to take the Marylandbar exam in February and has acceptedan offer to work at Venable LLP in Balti-more. She hopes to work on mergersand acquisitions and the like, or busi-ness transactional work; she was a sum-mer associate there in 2007.

Ivy Wilson completed her graduatestudy in public health with a focus onepidemiology and maternal health. Sheis a clinical research associate at theUniversity of California, San Francisco.

’01Heidi Anderes

[email protected] Bliley

[email protected] Schreiber

[email protected]

Carson Higby-Flowers blogs at thedai-lycannabinoid.blogspot.com. He says theblog is mainly articles he sees at work,but don't often get seen by people out-side California—and that some of his

Anna Wright graduates from the Uni-versity of Arizona’s Rogers College ofLaw this May, and will begin work forthe Colorado Public Defender’s office.

’99Tom Dugan

[email protected] Flanagan

[email protected] Malarik

[email protected]

Rachael Bairdworks on the Urban For-est Project in conjunction with theTimes Square Alliance in New York City.Tilt Studio Foundation Inc. is her non-profit organization; she discovered theUrban Forest Project when it ran inNew York last fall. The project will be in-troduced to Baltimore this spring, andthe organization is looking for partners.The project aligns 200 artists and de-signers, 100 businesses, and 40 city of-ficials to produce a visual story basedon the sustainability of trees. The sto-ries will be transferred onto bannersthat will be spread out on streets lead-ing to five city parks; the program runsfrom April through June. “It should be agreat opportunity to share in the green-ing of Baltimore,” she writes.

Trevor Budny is a partner in a newbar/restaurant, José Pistola’s, in CenterCity Philadelphia. The restaurant is on15th Street between Locust and Spruce,and specializes in Belgian beer andLatin cuisine.

Nicole Johns received an M.F.A. in cre-ative writing with a concentration innonfiction from the University of Min-nesota; she has been published in var-ious literary magazines and has pro-cured an agent for her first book. Nicoleworks at the American Academy ofNeurology in St. Paul as a health policyspecialist, where she specializes in ad-vocacy and medical economics. Whennot writing or working, she enjoys ex-ploring the hinterlands of Minnesotawith her boyfriend, Brady Johnson.

Jess Malarik had a busy year in 2007.She moved back to Pennsylvania andstarted a new job in January at Wood-house, The Timber Frame Company.She is the only intern architect there,and with that job came a lot of re-sponsibility. She enjoys the challenge of

’97Emily Peterson

[email protected] Senker

[email protected]

Matt Gallon married Diana BlazarAugust 5, 2006, in Newton, Massachu-setts; former school minister Paul Galeyofficiated. Both Matt and Diana aregraduates of Bowdoin College inBrunswick, Maine. Following gradua-tion, Matt worked for the Smithson-ian’s National Museum of Natural His-tory, and is now a Ph.D. student inarcheology at the University of Michi-gan. The couple lives near Bangkok,Thailand, where Diana teaches in a private school and Matt works on hisfield study.

Gabe Hammond was featured in “Bye,Bye B-School,” an article in the Sep-tember 16, 2007, business section ofthe New York Times. The story exam-ined Gabe and others like him who de-cided to forgo an MBA because, theysaid, it’s “a waste of money and time—time that could be spent making

money.” In 2004, Gabe started a hedgefund, Alerian Capital Management,which manages $300 million out ofoffices in New York and Dallas.

After clerking for a South Carolina trialjudge last year, Rob Littlewas hired inSeptember as an associate at a lawfirm in Georgetown, South Carolina.

In December 2007, the DiscoveryChannel aired an hourlong show onAphrodisias, the archaeological sitewhere Leah Long has worked for sixyears. Leah was interviewed for theshow and reported that she was “really excited, but nervous to seewhat I look like on TV.”

After graduating from SusquehannaUniversity with a bachelor’s degree inpsychology, Greg Mardirosianmovedto Oakland, California, to attend theCalifornia College of Art, and receiveda master’s in creative writing in 2003.While in school, he worked as a hip-hop DJ in the East Bay and the SanFrancisco area under the moniker “DJManiac Magee.” He taught Englishand deejayed in Yonago, Japan, beforereturning to the U.S. and co-foundingRHT Entertainment to serve as a pro-motional tool for independent musicartists. Today, he is working toward aPh.D. at Florida State University, wherehe majors in popular culture, minors infilm studies, and focuses on the artand culture of the hip-hop commu-nity. (He is also pursuing a certificatein world music from the FSU School ofMusic, and teaches a multiculturalfilm course.) For more information,visit www.roughhousetactics.com orwww.myspace.com/djmaniacmagee.

Colton Partlow married VictoriannMastrapa May 19, 2007, in Jupiter,Florida; he says they hope to take ahoneymoon eventually. Colton issoutheast Florida division managerfor Heartland Payment Systems; hehad previously been a territory man-ager covering Palm Beach County.

’98Liz Curry

[email protected] Hosgood

[email protected] Pniewski Bell

[email protected]

Gina Cianelli married MatthewVernoga July 8, 2006, at CentervilleEstates in Chico, California; they livein Durham, California. In attendancewas the father of the bride, TomCianelli ’71.

Beth Pniewski married Quin Bell August 18, 2007, in Lexington, Ken-tucky. Paul Galey officiated; JillPniewski ’02, Abby Russell, and LizCurry were in attendance. Beth andQuin live in Manhattan.

The wedding of Catherine"C.C." Gachet ’85 and PeterOuellette, September 2, 2007.

Jess Malarik ’99 and her boyfriend, ChrisPickering, atop Mt. Rose in California.

writings will appear there eventually.Carson was promoted to dean of ad-missions at Oaksterdam University.

’03Nate Fochtman

[email protected] Youngs

[email protected]

Joe Ambrose attends law school at Villanova University.

Ashley DeMeza is studying film and tel-evision in Australia for the next two years.

Christian Gallon is a staff assistant to Congressman Todd Platts, who represents Pennsylvania’s 19th district.Christian graduated from Davidson College in May 2007 with a degree in history.

Afif Kulaylat graduated summa cumlaude from Dickinson College with a de-gree in biology. He was inducted intoPhi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa,and Scroll & Key. Afif continues his studies at the Penn State College ofMedicine.

Timothy Wong lives in California withhis uncle, and is learning the insurancetrade.

’04Katherine Keller

[email protected] Mellott

[email protected]

Amy Brucewill graduate from the U.S.Naval Academy and be commissionedin May. She will then begin training asa naval flight officer.

Douglas Hummel-Price is taking a leaveof absence for the 2007–2008 aca-demic year to focus on his music. Hesings with the Yale Whiffenpoofs, thenation’s oldest collegiate a cappellagroup. As the “Whiffenpoof Song” goes,he enjoys his weekly visits to the tablesdown at Mory’s. He looks forward to the three-month, six-continentworld tour that the group will take this summer.

Katherine Proudman is in her final yearat the University of Vermont and willgraduate with a bachelor’s degree inwildlife biology. She will travel throughEurope before moving to New York Citynext fall. She writes, “I have become in-volved on campus with the planningand promotion of comedy and otherentertainment, and I want to continuethis interest in events or entertainmentmanagement in New York City.”

’05Carl Gray II

[email protected] Hartung

[email protected] Imler

[email protected] McBeth

[email protected] Ventresca

[email protected]

John Dawes loved working at Mercers-burg this summer, and headed toEcuador and New Zealand to kayak.

Tammy McBeth received the JamesBoyd Hartzell Memorial Award in Eco-nomics at Gettysburg College. Theaward is presented to a junior eco-nomics major for outstanding schol-arship and promise in the field.

’06Sam Carrasco

[email protected] Hartz

[email protected] Larson

[email protected] Thomas

[email protected] Turner

[email protected] Wilde

[email protected] Yeatman

[email protected]

Alana Hill says she loves Boston; shehas declared history as her major atBoston College.

Sophomore forward Alex Tyler led theCornell men’s basketball team to itsfirst Ivy League championship andNCAA Tournament appearance in 20years.

’07Dusty French

[email protected] Gottlieb

[email protected] Hilton

[email protected] Kang

[email protected] Polak

[email protected] Roberts

[email protected] Trudeau

[email protected] Wiley

[email protected]

Tracey Bruce graduates in May from theNaval Academy Preparatory School inNewport, Rhode Island, with an appointment to the U.S. Naval Acad-emy’s Class of 2012.

Kathleen Fleck writes, “Since gradua-tion, I've been working at The HunSchool of Princeton (Mr. [Chip] Hortonwill find that amusing, I’m sure) andStarbucks. My family and I have alsohosted two exchange students: onefrom Germany and one from Switzer-land. I see Whitney Davis from time totime, and try to keep in touch with peo-ple via email. I hope everyone is havinga great first year away from the ’Burg.”

Evan Harris’ parents, Bill and Anita Harris, report that Evan is very well pre-pared as a writer, and that he just gotthe best grade on a paper in a seminarat Vanderbilt University. Evan attributeshis success to Mercersburg.

Chuck Roberts is taking a gap year before heading to Columbia University.He received a scholarship from the English-Speaking Union to study for ayear at Oswestry School, and blogs atwww.mercersburg.edu.

Faculty/Former FacultyAmy Dickerson Mohr was inducted intothe Denison University Athletics Hallof Fame in October. A 15-time All-America and Academic-All Americaswimmer, she held Denison’s schoolrecord in the 100-yard butterfly foreight years, and was a three-time all-conference honoree and a member offour top-eight relay teams at Division III national-championship meets. P.J.Schaner ’86 is also in Denison’s AthleticHall of Fame.

The Journal of Athletic Trainingpublished “Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultra-sound and Pulsed Electromagnetic Fieldin the Treatment of Tibial Fractures: A Systematic Review,” an article by Nikki Walker.

Victor Cahn performed his original play,Sherlock Solo, this winter at New York’sKirk Theatre.Jacob Hunka ’03 with one of his classes

in Taipei; Jacob teaches English to children ages 5–14.

In San Francisco: Nigel Sussman ’01,Carson Higby-Flowers ’01, and ColinMarsh ’01.

Joe Ambrose ’03, Virginia Newcomb ’03,and Nate Fochtman ’03 in Philadelphia.

Enjoying the 2007 Army-Navy football game in Baltimore (L-R): Midshipman AmyBruce ’04, Captain L. Hart Sebring Jr. ’72, Midshipman Candidate Tracey Bruce ’07.Hart is commanding officer of the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport,Rhode Island, where Tracey is a student.

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Obituaries’25

John T. Montgomery, October 25, 1999.

’27Francisco Figueroa, February 21, 2007. (spider football) Francisco graduatedfrom Tulane University Law School and Havana University Law School, andwas past president of Tulane’s alumni association. He practiced law in Havanafrom 1938 until 1960, when he was appointed professor of law at MercerUniversity in Macon, Georgia. In retirement, he lived in Key Biscayne, Florida.He was predeceased by his brother, Carlos ’39, and is survived by his brother,Luis ’45, who lives in Coral Gables, Florida.

Aram Y. Lawson, February 21, 1995.

George C. Wilt, August 5, 2007. (Keil, Marshall, KARUX Board, tennis) He grad-uated from Haverford College and had more than 50 years’ experience incorporate accounting with General Electric, Bendix, and Coastal Tank Lines, andretired from Continental Wire and Cable as manager of accounting. He wasa U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was preceded in death by his wife of63 years, Harriet Boyd Wilt, and is survived by a daughter, a granddaughter,and two great-grandchildren.

’28T. Owen Potts, August 19, 2007. (Irving, Stony Batter) During World War II,Owen took part in the invasion of southern France at San Tropez with the FirstAirborne Army. He was a retired employee of the electrical department atBethlehem Steel. For more than 50 years, he acted in Harrisburg Commu-nity Theatre productions, and served on the group’s Board of Directors for adecade. He was preceded in death by his wife of 35 years, Marian, who diedin 1980. Survivors include his son, Thomas ’68.

’30Sylvan H. Bank, May 20, 2006. (Marshall, orchestra, Blue and White Melodians)

Arthur B. Marshall, December 27, 2006.

William T. Piper Jr., August 24, 2007. (Marshall, Glee Club, track) Bill, the scionof the aircraft family that made the Piper Cub world famous, joined thecompany (founded by his father) upon graduation from Harvard Universityin 1934. He became the company’s president in 1968; in 1970, he was namedchairman of the board. At that time, Piper had manufactured more than86,000 planes, many used as “spotters” of enemy artillery positions duringWorld War II. Preceding him in death was his first wife, Margaret Bush Piper.Survivors include his wife of 26 years, Elizabeth, three sons, and four grandchildren.

Frank Schilling, November 27, 2006. He was a pilot for the Department of Commerce after serving as an Army pilot during World War II.

’31Richard K. Newcomer, December 11, 2006. (Irving, orchestra) Dick attended theDrexel Institute of Technology and Strayer’s Business College. He retired in1975 from Fairchild Aircraft after 33 years of service. He was predeceased byhis wife of 59 years, Ada Shockey Newcomer, as well as a sister and two broth-ers. Survivors include a daughter, a son, four grandchildren, seven great-grand-children, and two great-great-grandchildren.

Burrell A. Wilson, December 18, 2005. (Marshall, orchestra, band, Blue andWhite Melodians) He spent 40 years as metal division sales manager for theContinental Can Company.

’32Herbert B. Joyce, January 14, 2008. (Marshall, swimming, spider football, StonyBatter, Glee Club, KARUX, News Board, Class Day Committee) Herb gradu-ated from Windsor Business College in Ontario. During his business career, heworked in sales and management for a number of Michigan-based auto-motive suppliers. He returned to campus for Alumni Weekend 2007 as thesole representative of his 75th reunion class. There was not a scheduled dinner,reception, or athletic event he missed; it was, in his words, “a completely enjoyable weekend,” and his elation was equally enjoyed by those around him.Herb was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Betty Deckard Joyce; survivorsinclude three daughters, a son, and four grandchildren.

’33Charles E. Smoyer, August 31, 2007. (South Cottage, Irving, NewsBoard, ChapelChoir, Glee Club, Camera Club) Charlie graduated from Yale University, and wasa U.S. Navy officer in World War II. During his business career, he was managerof business systems, services, and data processing for the Westinghouse Elec-tric Company. He was predeceased by his brother, Winston ’28. Survivorsinclude his wife, June Semler, to whom he was married for 65 years; a son,Charles III; and a brother, Stanley ’30.

’34Irving Goldbert, January 29, 1997. (Marshall, YMCA, Cabinet)

Elliott Small, November 29, 2006. (Marshall, football, wrestling, baseball) A graduate of Lehigh University, he volunteered for the Navy during World WarII, where he piloted anti-submarine patrols in the South Atlantic. In his busi-ness career, he supervised a 10-factory division of Hickory Springs Inc. He issurvived by his wife of 59 years, Kathryn Layser Small, a son, a daughter, andfive grandchildren.

Ralph A. Van Orsdel, August 26, 2007. (Irving, Glee Club librarian, track teammanager, Marshal of the Field) Van received his degree in political sciencefrom Dartmouth College in 1938. He was an officer on destroyer-escort convoyduty in the Atlantic and Mediterranean in World War II. His career with Amer-ican Factors (Amfac) spanned 43 years; he was a past director, president, andCEO of the firm. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Evelyn, two daughters,a son, and six grandchildren.

Charles S. Wilder, November 19, 2007. (Irving, baseball) A graduate of Wash-ington & Jefferson College, Charlie served in the U.S. Coast Guard duringWorld War II. For 30 years, he was a senior group life-insurance agent forAetna. Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth Abelson Wilder, two sons, a daugh-ter, two step-daughters, five grandchildren, and two step-grandchildren.

’35Thomas B. Steiger, December 8, 2007. (Irving debater, The Fifteen, NewsBoard,soccer, wrestling, baseball) He had an outstanding athletic career at Haver-ford College, where he was a goalie on the 1938 Middle Atlantic IntercollegiateChampionship soccer team and was the Middle Atlantic States high-hurdlechampion. While completing his law degree at the University of Pennsylva-nia Law School, he enlisted in the Navy. Upon completion of his degree work,he was assigned duty aboard several destroyers in the Pacific theater, expe-


’39Robert R. Blair, December 3, 1993. (Marshall, football, baseball)

William M. Boreman, May 15, 2004. (Marshall) A graduate of Allegheny College,Bill served 16 months as a flight officer in the Army Air Corps in the China-Burma-India Campaign, and received the Air Medal. He was a senior manufacturingcost analyst for Lockheed Martin, retiring in 1983. He was predeceased by hiswife of 53 years, Glenna Logan Boreman; survivors include two daughtersand three grandchildren.

Sterling G. McNees Jr., June 13, 2006. (Keil, Marshall, KARUX Board, CameraClub) He graduated from Allegheny College, and took his first employmentin radio research at Harvard University. Throughout his career, he was involvedin the field of high-power-generating vacuum tubes typically used in lasersand radio transmission. He retired in 1990. In 2005, several of the productshe developed were selected as basic tools for a significant project in world-wide energy development. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary Lee KingMcNees, and is survived by a son and a daughter.

Thomas B. Reifsnyder, November 21, 1992. (Laucks, Marshall, soccer, wrestling,Radio Club)

Aaron Thal, October 29, 2007. (Main, Irving declaimer, Stony Batter stagemanager, cheerleader, NewsBoard, track, wrestling) He attended Union Collegebefore joining the Army Air Corps during World War II. When the war concluded,Aaron became the owner and operator of the J.P. Allen store in Atlanta, Georgia.Over the years, the Thal Company owned women’s specialty stores through-out the eastern states. Survivors include his wife, Nancy, a daughter, a step-daughter, and four grandchildren.

Robert P. Whipple, February 11, 2007. (South Cottage, Irving president/debater,Chemistry Club, Les Copains, NewsBoard, Senate, baseball, football, AurelianCup, class president) After graduating from Lehigh University, Rob joined Fire-stone Tire & Rubber Company as patent counsel. He later became chief legalcounsel for Dart International. He established Whipple International EquityCorporation, an international licensing firm. During World War II, he served inthe South Pacific as a lieutenant junior-grade in the Navy. Survivors includehis wife of 63 years, Elinor, as well as two sons, two daughters, nine grandchildren,and a great-grandson.

’40Robert R. Sterrett, September 25, 2007. (Marshall, Les Copains, Concert Band,football) Bob graduated from Princeton University with a degree in engi-neering, and served as a junior Navy officer in the Iwo Jima, Okinawa, andFormosa campaigns. He received the World War II Victory Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the Navy Occupation Service Medal, the China ServiceMedal, and the American Campaign Medal. He started his civilian career atNew Jersey Bell Telephone Company, and then spent 35 years with AT&T, retiring in 1984. Survivors include his wife of 28 years, Joan, two daughters, anda granddaughter.

’43Robert C. Oliphant, January 13, 2007. (Irving, News, Camera Club, Gun Club,soccer) Bob owned and operated Oliphant Washington Service, and was aresident of Waterford, Virginia. Survivors include three daughters, a son, andfive nephews.

riencing sea combat across the Pacific from Saipan to Truk and the Mari-anas, the Philippines, and Okinawa. He returned to Mercersburg after the war,and was engaged in the general practice of law—alone at first, and then inpartnership with his son, Thomas ’66, and Shawn Meyers ’86. He was a pastpresident of the Franklin County Bar Association. His was a lifelong com-mitment to his clients, his community, and the profession of law. He was varsitysoccer coach at Mercersburg from 1947 to 1975, with a record of 147–100–33.He also served on the Alumni Council for 21 years and was a Regent for 16years. He contributed many hours of pro bono work to the school. He waspredeceased by his wife, Katherine Tippetts Steiger (daughter of Charles S.Tippetts ’12, Mercersburg’s third headmaster). In addition to his son, he is survived by three daughters (including Victoria Olin ’68 and Susan Klann ’71), seven grandchildren (including Thomas Steiger ’11), a great-grand-son, and a sister, Jane Wingerd.

’37Dwight Goldthorpe, September 24, 2007. (Main, Irving, News Board, LesCopains, track, tennis) He was a graduate of Amherst College and HarvardBusiness School, and served as an officer in the Navy during World War II.

Robert T. Henry, June 20, 2007. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Chemistry Club,Concert Band, Gym Leaders Club) A graduate of Catawba College, he wasan officer in the Navy during World War II. He was awarded the Purple Heartand the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three stars.Following the war, he obtained his degree in veterinary medicine at the Uni-versity of Pennsylvania. Survivors include his wife, Evelyn, three daughters, ason, and six grandchildren.

Robert A. Rock, January 27, 2007. (Marshall, football, track)

John R. Sutherland, August 14, 2007. (Marshall, Les Copains, football, wrestling)Jock graduated from Carnegie Technical College (now Carnegie Mellon Uni-versity) and earned a master’s degree from the University of Dallas. He servedin the European theater during World War II, where he was captured andimprisoned in a German oflag in Poland on June 6, 1943. He was among theinitial 150 American officers imprisoned; that number grew to 1,400 untilthe camp was liberated in January 1945. He was awarded the Bronze Star andthe Purple Heart. Following the war, he conducted studies on Army ord-nance and munitions quality at the former Army Munitions and Engineer-ing Training Agency, retiring in 1972. Survivors include two sons, a daughter,five grandchildren, and three great-grandsons; his wife of 59 years, LorraineFearing Sutherland, died two months after her husband, on October 15, 2007.

’38Joseph B. Condron, October 18, 2006. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Gun Club, LesCopains, YMCA, football, track, Class Day Committee)

Nicholas L. Shields Sr., November 22, 2007. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall vice pres-ident, Chapel Choir, Glee Club, Senate, football, track, wrestling) A major inthe U.S. Marine Corps, Nick served as an aviator in the Pacific theater in WorldWar II, and as an infantry commander during the Korean War’s Inchon invasion.He worked for IBM on the Saturn V and Safeguard missile defense programs.In “retirement,” he worked with several realty companies, including Frank &Stevenson, Coldwell Banker, and Premier Realty. His performance as a memberof the undefeated Mercersburg wrestling team under Coach Frederick Kuhnwarranted mention in the 1938 senior class history. He served as a memberof the Alumni Council from 1988 until 1995, and was its president from 1988to 1990. He was chair of several class reunions. Nick was predeceased by hisfather, Ralph (1908), and his brother, George ’34. He is survived by his wife, JoAnWilson Shields; two sons, including Nicholas ’61; two daughters; seven grand-children; and seven great-grandchildren.


’44Frank D. Bittner, January 1, 2007. (South Cottage, Marshall, choir, tennis, track,Glee Club, Stony Batter, KARUXBoard) He was an Army veteran of World WarII. A graduate of Muhlenberg College, he was retired president of Bittner-Hun-sicker Company, a wholesale dry goods and notions firm in Allentown, Penn-sylvania. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Janet Romberger Bittner, twodaughters, and four grandchildren.

Shaw Livermore Jr., October 21, 2007. (South Cottage, Irving debater, Senate,Chemistry Club, Les Copains, baseball, soccer, Higbee Orator, Cum Laude) Shawgraduated from Harvard University and earned a doctorate in American historyat the University of Wisconsin. While teaching at Princeton University, he wroteThe Twilight of Federalism. In 1964, Shaw moved to the University of Michi-gan, where he taught American history for more than 40 years. Survivorsinclude his wife, Nancy Brewer Livermore, a daughter, and a granddaughter.

Malcolm C. Sawhill, December 11, 2007. (South Cottage, Marshall, News busi-ness manager, Chapel Usher, El Circulo Español, soccer, Class Memorial andClass Day committees) Mac served in the Navy as a pharmacist’s mate, earningthe Victory Medal. A graduate of Lehigh University, he was a labor relationsnegotiator with PSE&G for 30 years. He was predeceased by his wife of 52 years, Janet Kohut Sawhill. Survivors include two daughters, a son, twobrothers (including Robert ’43), and four grandchildren.

’45Foster D. Boice, March 12, 2006. He graduated from Bentley School of Accounting in 1949, and served in the Army during World War II as an auditor.He was director of the auditing department of Berkshire Life for 40 years, retiring in 1990. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, the former BarbaraLaschky, and a daughter.

Randall B. Buchanan, September 26, 2006. (South Cottage, Irving, tennis assistantmanager) Randy entered the Army Air Corps and was a B-29 gunner during WorldWar II. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he worked in a retail lumberbusiness in Altoona until 1984, when he purchased an established travel agency;he ran that business for more than 20 years. Survivors include his wife, NancySwope Buchanan, three sons, a daughter, and nine grandchildren.

William L. Cunningham, November 30, 2007. (South Cottage, Irving, choir, GleeClub, Chemistry Club, Caducean Club, football, baseball, wrestling, Class Prophet)Bill attended Harvard University before earning both bachelor’s and medicaldegrees from the University of Pittsburgh. A third-generation physician, hepracticed general surgery for more than 30 years. Survivors include his wife, JudithDallaglio Cunningham, three daughters, and five grandchildren.

Richard I. Strasser, January 14, 2007.

’46George S. Crawford Jr., December 6, 2005. (Irving, Glee Club, Gun Club) A veteranof the Korean War, George received the Army Commendation Medal whileserving in an intelligence unit in Korea. A successful realtor for 36 years, heand his wife, Sally, were nationally known antiques dealers. He was prede-ceased in death by his first wife, Sophia Emmons Crawford. He is survived byhis wife of 36 years, Sally, five daughters, three sons, and 12 grandchildren.

James Van Wagoner Tufty, January 11, 2006. (Marshall) Jim was a retired advertisingexecutive who held memberships in the National Press Club, Overseas PressClub, and Advertising Club of Metropolitan Washington. He was a graduate ofMichigan State University and a veteran of the Korean War. Survivors includehis wife, a son, and two daughters.

’47Dale W. Baldridge, January 21, 2006. (South Cottage, Irving, baseball, football,wrestling, Glee Club) He was retired from the B.F. Goodrich Tire Company.Survivors include his wife, Ruth Robbins Baldridge, two sons, a daughter, andeight grandchildren.

Tedford E. Fike, April 10, 2007. (Colonial Cottage, Irving, Memorial Committee)Ted served in the Navy during World War II, and was a graduate of Franklin& Marshall College. He owned Fike Insurance Agency in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.Survivors include his wife of 57 years, A. Elaine Fike, two sons, two daughters,five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Edward S. McConnon, October 29, 2007. (Keil, Irving, Caducean Club treasurer,Radio Club, cheerleader, track) He graduated from Washington & Jefferson Collegeand Atlanta Law School, where he was valedictorian of his class. He served inthe Korean War as a high-speed radio operator. Survivors include his wife,Shirley, three sons, a daughter, and three grandchildren.

’49Grayson R. Bowers, October 13, 2007. (Marshall, Concert Band, Blue and WhiteMelodians) He graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in agriculture, andserved in the Army during the Korean War. He was a dairy farmer, Holsteinbreeder, program director for the National Holstein Friesian Association ofAmerica, and editor of the Southeastern Holstein News.He was also a realtysales representative and an agent for Prudential, Guardian, and BaltimoreLife Insurance Company. Survivors include a son, two grandchildren, a sister,and a brother, Martin ’49.

Thomas E. Fickinger, November 16, 2006. (South Cottage, Marshall, Chem-istry Club, Caducean Club, Gun Club, football, track) Tom was a longtimefuneral director in Coudersport, Pennsylvania.

Robert K. Mericka, May 10, 2006. (Marshall, football) Bob graduated from theUniversity of Kentucky and served two years with the Army in Korea, earninga Purple Heart, Combat Infantry Badge, and the Bronze Star. In 1967, he movedto Atlanta and founded Custom Enterprises, a specialty manufacturer of in-dustrial plastics. Survivors include three sons and five grandchildren.

Forest R. Scholpp, September 3, 2007. (Marshall, Glee Club, Chapel Choir, StampClub, track) Forest was a graduate of Stanford University and a retired lieu-tenant colonel in the Army Reserves. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Joyce,a son, and a daughter.

’50Richard L. Linkins, February 12, 2006. (Marshall, Glee Club) He was a com-mercial real estate appraiser for more than 40 years. He was predeceased byhis wife, Margaret, and is survived by two daughters.

’51John H. Kerr, May 10, 2007. (Main, Marshall, NewsBoard, LitBoard, The Fifteen,Les Copains, Paideia Club) John was a graduate of Yale University, and servedin the Army for two years. Following his military discharge, he was in FirstNational City Bank’s overseas training programs; he was connected with theU.S. committee for UNICEF in New York. In 1967, he was appointed consul tothe U.S. Foreign Service by President Lyndon Johnson and assigned to Madras,India, as the cultural affairs officer. Following that diplomatic posting, hebecame director of education for the National Endowment for the Arts, re-tiring in 1984. During his last two decades, he lived a life of quiet contem-plation as a Roman Catholic oblate of the Order of Saint Benedict. He issurvived by three sons.


John D. Minich, January 4, 2000. (Marshall) He worked in communications forthe Navy during the Korean War. During his career, he worked as a nationalbank examiner for the Treasury Department.

’53Michael M. Byrnes, January 25, 2000. (Irving)

Reginald R. Kearton, August 23, 2007. (Irving, Jurisprudence Society, Gun Club,soccer)

Robert L. Miller, October 28, 2007. (South Cottage, Irving debater, KARUXBoard, The Fifteen, Les Copains) He had an early fascination for the mannerin which glass prisms refract light, and the way in which mirrored surfacestransform the refracted effects. He designed scores of intriguing exhibits forSan Francisco’s Exploratorium; his most renowned work, “Sun Painting,” whichwas supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, can stillbe viewed there.

’54Noel M. Borden, August 13, 2006.

’55James O. Beaver, May 19, 2006. (South Cottage, Irving, Student Council, ElCirculo Español, Chapel Usher, Stony Batter, Gun Club, football) Jim was agraduate of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylva-nia. He was vice president of Manbeck Bread Company and later presidentof Burger Castle of Maryland. For the last 20 years, he was general managerof the food service division of M.S. Johnston Company. He is survived by hiswife of 23 years, Deborah; a son, Matthew ’79; three daughters; and seven grandchildren.

Robert C. Lovingood, June 15, 2007. Bob graduated from Babson Institute, andalthough he studied civil engineering and business at Babson and later at HarvardUniversity, he became an educator in several schools in the Lehigh Valley. Sur-vivors include a sister and many cousins.

Fred R. Schmucker, August 20, 2007. (Main, Marshall, football/baseball manager)Born in Painesville, Ohio, he relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the mid-1960s,where he was manager for internal affairs of the United States Jaycees. Hemoved to Tallahassee, Florida, in 1968 to serve as administrative assistant toGovernor Claude R. Kirk. Prior to his retirement, he was commercial fleetmanager for Champion Chevrolet in Tallahassee. Survivors include his wife,Nancy Ericksen Schmucker, two sons, and two grandchildren.

’57William W. Dryfoos, October 1, 2007. (’Eighty-eight, Irving, track, wrestling) Agraduate of American University and Harvard University, Bill was a busi-nessman and boat broker, and son of the late Henry Dryfoos ’27. Survivors includea daughter, Kirsten Dryfoos Thompson ’87, and a son; three step-children; abrother and sister; and six grandchildren.

’61George F. Hetfield, March 12, 2007. (Main, Marshall, El Circulo Español, Ju-risprudence Society, Caducean Club, Christian Service Group, Stamp Club,swimming) A graduate of the University of Wisconsin and the Seton HallUniversity School of Law, he was a partner with Hetfield & Hetfield for morethan 26 years. Survivors include his son, a brother, and a sister.

Jay R. Moore, December 15, 2006. He was educated at The Citadel, and received his law degree at Rutgers Law School. He was admitted to the NewJersey State Bar Association in 1969, and was a partner in the firm of Mann,Moore & Cavagnaro in Vineland, New Jersey. Survivors include his wife, TrudiHoyer Moore, two daughters, and three grandchildren.

’62James L. Patterson, February 12, 1994. (Marshall)

’65Peter B. Hessler, February 27, 2007. (Main, Irving, Chapel Usher, El Circulo Español,Engineering Club, Stony Batter, Glee Club, Varsity Club, football, track)

’66John D. MacConnell III, December 13, 2005.

’69Hugh E. Teitelbaum, April 24, 2007. (Marshall debater, WMER, Stony Batter, Lit,soccer, fencing) He earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston University and alaw degree from George Mason University, where he was editor of the LawReview. Much of Hugh’s career was spent as an attorney and administratorworking in health care, nonprofit organizations, corporate law, military law, and private practice. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, a daughter, and hisbrother, Bruce ’72.

’99Christopher R. Borst, November 9, 2007. (Fowle, Irving, Stony Batter stage crew,Debate Club, football, lacrosse) He was a counselor with Camp Horizons inHarrisonburg, Virginia. Survivors include his parents; his sister, Mistie McElroyWitt ’88; his grandparents; and several cousins.

Former faculty/staff/friendsMary Ida Amspacher, widow of Preston Franklin Amspacher (faculty emeritus),October 25, 2007.

Margaret Curran Dovey, last surviving child of Mercersburg coaching legendJimmy Curran, September 30, 2007.

Edward B. Lowans, husband of former School Matron Edith Fry Lowans and fatherof David L. Lowans ’69, December 20, 2007.

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November 29, 2007: I have come to realize that here in Israel, our verypresence in this place and time, whether we intend it or not, possesses politicalmeaning; furthermore, for the people who live in Israel, every ordinary decision oftheir lives—like buying a cup of coffee or shopping at a market—is a political choice.

My Say

I wrote this in my journal after

almost 24 hours of travel fol-

lowed by another full day of

conversations designed to give

our group of six Mercersburg

students and three faculty

members a wide-ranging,

multi faceted view of the

Middle East, particularly the

Israeli/Palestinian question.

Thanks to the hard work

of James Snyder ’69 [Mercers-

burg, winter 2007–2008], our

group spent two full days in Jerusalem prior to the Peace Symposium

in Muscat, Oman. Jim arranged for our students to meet with

groups that included Israeli high-school students of mixed back-

grounds, young Foreign Service workers at the American Consulate

in Jerusalem, lobbyists from the organization Peace Now, and, most

notably, the Turkish and American ambassadors to Israel (the latter

having returned from the Annapolis Peace Conference just three

hours before sitting down to dinner with us). Each individual and

organization spoke passionately on behalf of its ideology and con-

stituency. We were both fascinated and somewhat horrified by the

divergent variety of analyses of the situation in the Middle East and

the meaning of the meeting at Annapolis as well as of the role of the

United States in the region. Even our more relaxed moments of

tourism emphasized to us the singularity of existence in Jerusalem—

where, when traveling in the city, one must be aware of the invisi-

ble boundaries separating neighborhoods and peoples.

The last thing that Jim and his wife, Tina, said to us prior to

our bus departure to Amman, Jordan, was, “Oman is totally differ-

ent.” (It is impossible to fly from Israel to Arab states—like Oman—

that do not recognize its right to exist.) We arrived in Muscat jet-

lagged, disoriented, and with their words ringing in our heads.

Immediately, we were introduced to another type of division, as

Omani security directed males

and females into separate

lines. Males headed through

typical metal detectors, and

females through curtained

private booths staffed by

female attendants in hijabs

(the traditional head covering)

and various forms of attire

ranging from casual western

clothing to the full black

burqa. In one situation, the

males in our group wandered

widely through a small rural village, while the females, with bared

shoulders and knees (by our best estimate, tantamount to attending

the opera in a bikini) were restricted to “the women’s market”

unless accompanied by a male chaperone. We further donned

headscarves out of respect during our tour of Oman’s exquisite

Grand Mosque.

While these events were novel in the range of our experience,

once again the political implications of our visit struck us with full

force when a student group from Israel could not attend the Peace

Symposium without official recognition from the Omani govern-

ment as a diplomatic delegation. Furthermore, as a result of an

incident in Sudan in which a British teacher allowed a teddy bear

to be named “Muhammad,” Oman’s Ministry of Education sent a

representative to audit the conference to ensure that no such

transgressions took place.

December 11, 2007: Our journey has taken us many miles

beyond our travels.

A faculty member since 1987, Allison Stephens (above, second from

right) is head of the History Department. She and her husband,

fellow faculty member David Holzwarth ’78, have two children,

Wynn Holzwarth ’10 and Zack Holzwarth.

BY ALLISON STEPHENS

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Mercersburg Magazine - Spring 2008

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