Puer Viri Pater Est

Alumnus Francis O'Shea '97 spoke today of an inscription found in the center of the bookcases of the Gordon Library, 3rd floor: "The Child is the Father of the Man." Francis recalled noticing this on a recent visit to the school. It resonated deeply. Although the saying is much older, a recent usage can be found in a poem penned by William Wordsworth in 1802 entitled The Rainbow:

                        My heart leaps up when I behold
                        A rainbow in the sky:
                        So was it when my life began;
                        So is it now I am a man;
                        So be it when I shall grow old,
                                     Or let me die!
                       The Child is father of the Man;
                        I could wish my days to be
                        Bound each to each by natural piety.

The experiences of childhood, both positive and negative, create impressions that become deeply etched in our minds. This became evident, again, in listening to Francis today. Francis' recollections of his childhood experiences within the walls of Saint David's left a powerful and lasting impression on him--one, he said, that gave him his positive outlook on life. Childhood should be "a rainbow in the sky" for all children--the Child is father of the Man. Our children too teach us. We should listen.

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OLIVER!

This morning our fifth graders continued a great year-end tradition at Saint David's, The Fifth Grade Musical. The boys performed Oliver! and they were fantastic, providing impressive performances and demonstrating great vocal ability. They have been mastering the dialogue and musical numbers for weeks, and clearly gave it their all. Congratulations to the cast on a job well done, and to their Producers/Teachers James Hubbard and Jamie MacNeille, Director Phyllis Clark, Musical Conductor Jeff Moore, and the Parent Committee of Cynthia Chapman, Susan Kissane, Tara Neumann, Joyce Restituto, and Ann Roberts. Musical theater is alive and well at Saint David's!

Fascinating Art Talk by Michelle Marder Kamhi at Grandparents Event

Yesterday evening, independent scholar and critic Michelle Marder Kamhi ( www.mmkamhi.com ), co-editor with husband Louis Torres of Aristos , an online review of arts; author of Who Says That's Art? A Commonsense View of the Visual Arts ; and grandmother of two Saint David's boys, gave a thought provoking talk on art for our grandparent community. An advocate of objective standards in arts scholarship and criticism, Ms. Kamhi focused her talk on the ways in which art critics such as Clement Greenberg promoted the shift from representational art to abstraction. Kamhi argues that the abstract and post-modern art prevalent today, which often requires explanation by docents in order to be understood, goes against art's purpose. Taking issue with Greenberg's contention that representation is an expendable convention of painting, she quoted the late art critic John Canaday: "Art is the tangible expression of the intangible values that men live by." ...

NE Patriot Tom Brady at Saint David’s

Last night, Saint David’s was honored to have one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, four time Superbowl champion and three-time MVP winner Tom Brady, as the guest speaker for our Alumni Parents Council Lecture Series. Tom, who is the father of one of our Saint David's boys, addressed a standing-room-only audience in Hyman Hall comprised of our eighth graders, alumni, alumni parents and faculty. Friendly, introspective, witty, and wise, he directed his talk to the delighted eighth graders in the front of the room, and focused on the topic of leadership. “You are the young men and leaders of Saint David’s,” he noted. Tom debunked the perception that leaders are born not made, and credited his leadership abilities to “standing up to and facing fears” and to “cultivating a mental strength,” which he cited as “more important than being physically strong.” He also stressed the importance of working hard, honoring teamwork, believing in oneself and being a good lis...

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