Gents,
It’s Autumn, and the whining buzz of the leafblower is heard across the land…
Veterans’ Day
November 11th was Veterans’ Day. A salute and heartfelt thanks to all of you who served!
Do you know whom of your classmates also served? I urge you to poll your constituents to be sure you have a complete list, including those who may have passed away. Please be sure to let the school know. Veterans don’t expect a big fuss, but it’s nice to be acknowledged on our day each year.
249 Years
And November 10th was the 249th anniversary of the founding of the Marine Corps (in a Philly bar, fittingly). Happy belated Birthday to all Leathernecks (it’s a Marine thing)! Semper Fi!
All Saints’ Day
On Saturday, November 2nd, several boys gathered to clean and restore the gravestones at St. Michael’s Chapel Cemetery in honor of All Saints’ Day. This has become an annual tradition, and holds special meaning for the South Kent community, connecting students with the school’s past and commemorating the lives of former students, faculty, and staff who have shaped the South Kent legacy.
Fr. Steve Klots commented, “…during what might be called the octave of All Saints’ Day, we still pray in St. Michael’s Chapel by name for all former students, faculty, and staff members who have passed on to their eternal reward. Each year, we also honor and remember those buried in the chapel cemetery by cleaning up the cemetery and their gravestones. In part, this is a mark of our gratitude for the school they have passed on to us.”
The cemetery clean-up is a meaningful reminder of South Kent’s dedication to tradition and stewardship. The School instills gratitude through both words and deeds, linking past and present generations to the Hillside.
Wildfire
Many of you are probably aware how terribly dry it’s been here in the East this Summer and Fall. A couple of weeks ago our new Director of Communications, Sarah Chase, sent this photo of the smoke from a wildfire burning in Dover, NY, taken from the top of Spooner Hill. The fire burned for more than a week.
Reunions
It’s not too early to start thinking about reunions for the next few years. Of course you know that the emphasis is typically on decades (40th, 50th, 60th, etc), with attention also given to the “fives” (ie. a class’s 55th). Next year will be the five- or ten-year anniversary for classes that graduated in years ending with 0 or 5.
It’s traditional that reunion classes make some sort of gift to South Kent. This might be in the form of funding a specific project, or simply cash. An easy solution is to set a target based on the anniversary year (ie. $60K for your 60th year). For older classes where the numbers are dwindling, perhaps you might combine forces with other classes. For instance, the 70th anniversary class of ’55 might propose joining with ’50 (75th) and ’60 (’65th) to muster up a substantial showing. Don’t be bashful – reach out to your fellow Class Agents to talk over the possibilities!
May I suggest you take the time to gauge your classmates’ sentiment on this, and guide them accordingly? All techniques, including overt appeals to emotion and Rah-Rah, “Let’s Go Big Red!” cheerleading, are appropriate.
New York City Get-Together
Speaking of reunions, there will be a gathering for all South Kenters on Thursday, December 5th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, at the Racquet and Tennis Club at 370 Park Avenue. Please let your constituents who live in the NYC area know about this, and urge them to attend. For questions or to RSVP, please e-mail [email protected]
Legacies…
By now you all should have received SKS’s Annual Report of Donors 2023-2024 in the mail. Your generosity as individuals stands out. Along with the rest of our fellow Alums, our ongoing contributions to Annual Giving are what pays most of the bills, and makes it possible for Brian Sullivan and his team to provide an inspiring and challenging introduction to life for the boys.
One category in the report is the St. Michael’s Society, which lists donors who have made provisions in their wills for legacy gifts to South Kent, and formally advised the school that they have done so. It’s possible that one or more of you, or members of your classes, have made such a provision but not yet told SKS. If this is you, I encourage you to tell the school of your plan; it won’t change the fact of your generosity and will enable the folks on The Hillside to factor it into forward planning. It’s a sensitive topic to bring up with your classmates, but it’s part of what we really need to get a handle on as Class Agents.
Of course not all of us are in a position to leave a legacy to South Kent. But with due regard for the ongoing and in many cases recent generosity of many of you and your classmates, there’s no time like the present! We’re all undeniably getting older! If you or one of your classmates are unsure how best to do this, I suggest you/they consult with an estate planning professional, or reach out to Carol-Ann Bruen at school ([email protected]). Let’s recognize the difference South Kent made in our lives in a direct and useful way now.
Thanksgiving
I’m sure we all have memories of Thanksgiving at South Kent. Because my family lived close by I was permitted to go home for the day, but one year I stayed on campus. There was a special quality about dinner that day that sticks with me down through the years…
Please accept my very best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving!
Pig Tail Against The World!
Warm Regards,
Peter
Peter M. Thompson ’67
Alumni Engagement Associate
(571) 331-8143
“All things splendid have been achieved by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance.”
Bruce Fairchild Barton
1886 – 1967
Co-founder and first president of the iconic Madison Avenue advertising firm Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn (BBD&O)