Page 53 - 1998 Wardlaw Hartridge

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When I asked some of you what you were most proud of about your class, several of you mentioned how close knit you have been. Others of you said that your academic achievements were particularly noteworthy; as we shifted our conversation to the merits of Jim i Hendrix, Beethoven and Bach or I remembered your spirited debate about AndrewMarvell'sTo His CoyMistress oryourexplicationofSassoonpoetry,Iwasremindedthattheintellectual breadth and depth of your class is even more impressive than your academic accomplishments. You each think and you question. Another told me that this is a special class because it is the first with which 1had shared all four years of high school, and 1agree with you.
One of you mentioned that you are the first class to give senior speeches, naturally, you did not "give" them; many of you mesmerized all in the AP Room with your genuine direct communication of your feelings: about working in Emergency Rescue, about discovering your interest in drama, about working in Germany for the summer, about your grandfather. And you did the same even when it was not your senior speech day. Who can forget the Blood Drive, Coat Drive, Can Drive, Swimming practice — "Oh, and don't forget to turn in your tennis money" announce­ ments — or the "1 know more than 50 of you want to come to a semi-formal; this is ridiculous" exhortations — or the mellow bass extolling "Well, the Thought Club will probably focus on free will vs. determinism today, but I'm not sure yet. We may go a different direction" — or our "spirit ball of fire" leader opening the first meeting with music and at later meetings urging "attendance at the Friday Film Club. The movie might be Glory. Oh, and we still need a chaperone ..." Or the cheerleading/BCA/Key ClubA/^olleyball announcements ("And we will meet — where will we meet? What time are we leaving?"). Or, one of my favorites, "Will the Judiciary Committee be meeting today? Oh ... Sure."
I focus on Morning Meeting because your class understands the notion of community, the importance of commu­ nication, and the power of words. You work very effectively independently; yet you care about each other, know there is a world out there to care about, and know that you sometimes need each other to make the most impact. You did not simply take on the senior speech as a necessary evil; you set a standard for the classes that follow you: be genuine, care, make a connection, think through the issues, be provocative, make a difference, find what mat­ ters to you.
All-State Singers, brilliant academicians and authors, enthralling actors, athletes who set records as swimmers and basketball players and wrestling champions (How many conference championships did you win? And remember inthefallofyoursenioryearwheneveryvarsitysportwasrankedinthetoptenbytheStarLedger?),talentedartists and designers and musicians, a Division One gymnast, state champions, star gazers one of your challenges will be to decide how best to focus and share your many talents. I hope that you have learned that giving your best is what matters most — as Rattie Fettibone wrote after one leg of the Whitbread Race (in case you forgot those Morn­ ing Meeting announcements ...). Don't be so concerned about winning that you forget that.
I will miss not only the music that you made in so many ways during your years here — the close harmony not sim­ ply of your choral groups, or the way you willingly accompany each other or pass to the open player, but also 1will miss your close harmony as a class. As you commence into the larger world, gain strength and confidence from the melodies that you have played together here — and keep coming back to share your songs.
THE WARDLAW-HARTRIDQE SCHOOL