Views from the Hill | 2023 Issue 1

HOPKINS SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2023 ISSUE 1

Our Journey of

Growth and Progress

IN THIS ISSUE

Honoring 50 Years Since Historic Merger

A New Era: Transforming Lovell Hall

Retiring Athletic Trainer Don Bagnall’s Legacy

Campus Views: Classroom Collaboration

HEAD OF SCHOOL Matt Glendinning DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Dan Altano ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Jemma Williams Nussbaum CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Thomas Diascro, Jr. DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS Lauren Reichart

DIRECTOR OF LEADERSHIP AND ANNUAL GIVING Kimberly Portis

COPYEDITING Lyons Graphics PHOTOGRAPHY Jonathan Beckerman, 38–41, OBC; Eddie Daniels, 43; Johnathon Henninger, IFC, 2, 33, 34, 36, 37, 42, 44; Highpoint Pictures, 26–32; Peter Mahakian, 18, 19, 25; Zach Pelletier, OFC, 44; Jemma Williams Nussbaum, 20, 21, 22, 25, 35, 42.

Views from the Hill is published biannually by Hopkins School for the purpose of fostering ongoing engagement with and among alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of Hopkins. Hopkins School does not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or national origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarships, athletics, and other school-administered programs.

DIRECTOR OF ENROLLMENT AND STRATEGIC MARKETING Pamela McKenna EDITORS Dan Altano Donna Vinci Jemma Williams Nussbaum DESIGN Lesley Zurolo

Inside 2023 ISSUE 1

Seniors in the class of 2023 pose for their “Six-Year Club” photo. These students joined Hopkins as seventh graders in the Junior School.

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL A School in Constant Motion

Hopkins Honors 50 Years Since an Historic Merger How the Merger Came to Be In Their Own Words: A Look Back

5 8 10

Op-Ed: A Perception Changed Through Time and Progress

The Day Prospect Hill Scholarship Academic & Performing Arts Center to Usher in a New Era for Hopkins Reflections on Lovell Hall Leading with Heart: Don Bagnall’s Legacy Goes Far Beyond Sports Medicine

FACULTY & STAFF MILESTONES

on the cover : Students gathered to enjoy live music and improv by Peaches on the Big H during the Back to School Bash on September 23, 2022.

HOPKINS FALL FELLOWS Alumni Fellows Vinograd ’01 and Zelinsky ’02 Views Around Campus Fall Sports 2022 An Exciting Fall for the Arts

hopkinsschoolct

CLASS NOTES

hopscoresct

MILESTONES

facebook . com /H opkins S chool

linkedin . com / company / hopkins - school

IN MEMORIAM Bill Bakke ’60 hgs Hank Powell ’55 hgs

To read stories throughout the year, visit the Hopkins website news page at hopkins.edu/news

VIEWS FROM THE HILL | 2023 • ISSUE 1

above : During the 2022–2023 school year, Dr. Matt Glendinning has already observed over 70 classes to date. Pictured here, he enjoys a lab in the HARPS (Hopkins Authentic Research Program in Science) classroom.

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

A School

in Constant Motion

A s a candidate for Hopkins’ headship in the fall of 2021, I was amazed to find on the School’s website a historical reference to Katherine Glendinning (my wife’s name). See if you can follow the bouncing ball of history here, so to speak: In 1907, Katherine Glendinning founded a girls school in New Haven known as Miss Kate’s, which evolved into Mrs. Day’s School in 1916 and then the Day School in 1936. In 1960, that school joined another girls school (Prospect Hill, founded in 1931) to form the Day Prospect Hill School, which itself merged with Hopkins Grammar in 1972 to form the school we call Hopkins today. (Don’t worry: there won’t be a quiz on all this later.) I considered the coincidence of my wife’s name a providential sign, and today I am proud to serve as Hopkins’ Head of School as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of coeducation on the Hill. In reading some of the published histories of the School—e.g., Chronicles of Hopkins Grammar School 1660–1935 (Davis, 1938) or The Girls’ Schools of New Haven 1907–1972 (Benedict, Dawidoff, and Mulhol- land, 2011)—I have been struck by the dedication of those who led or taught at the various institutions, the level of engagement and intellectual caliber of the students, and the way the schools responded to constant change. I think the same holds true today. Hopkins in the year 2023 is a busy, dynamic, and vibrant place, where every day 712 students and 179 faculty and staff are in constant motion. Students shift between classes, clubs, and athletics, step up to the challenge of mid-year exams, and pour themselves into dramatic performances and service projects. Faculty and staff, committed to providing a world-class education, are constantly revising their curriculum and pedagogy to meet today’s needs and challenges (the advent of AI technologies such as ChatGPT being just the latest example). At Hopkins, we are all on a journey of growth and progress, striving to exceed what we once thought was impossible, both in ourselves and in our institution. It is with this sentiment that we present this issue of Views from the Hill . Here, we celebrate the evolu- tion of Hopkins School, the people who make up its DNA, and the joys and challenges that come with progress. In marking the 50th anniversary of the merger between Hopkins Grammar and Day Prospect Hill, we explore both the triumphs and the difficulties involved in blending two institutions with rich histories and different customs. Similarly, in sharing details about the new Academic & Performing Arts Center, we pause to remember the history and impact of Lovell Hall while also sharing excitement for the many ways our community will benefit from the new space. Within this issue, we provide a photographic glimpse inside Hopkins classrooms and share some of the ways the curriculum fosters a key 21st century skill: collaboration. We also honor current faculty and staff who are celebrating tenure milestones this year. And as always, Class Notes provide a glimpse into the current lives of those who walked these halls over many decades. We hope you find something that speaks to you in this issue, some reminder that the school you have known, in all its complexity, continues to honor its tremendous past while it prepares for an exciting future.

MATT GLENDINNING , Head of School

VIEWS FROM THE HILL | 2023 • ISSUE 1

Hopkins Honors 50 Years Since an Historic Merger

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hopkins’ gender-inclusive campus may feel natural today, but half a century ago, the decision for two institutions to buck tradition and inch closer to inclusivity through a merger was seen by many as revolutionary.

In these features, we look back at how the merger between Hopkins Grammar School (HGS)—then an all-boys school— and the all-girls school Day Prospect Hill (DPH) came to pass and hear from several of those who experienced this moment firsthand.

How the Merger Came to Be

by thom peters, hopkins archivist

T he 1960s and ’70s were a turbulent time in our nation’s history in terms of social change. In particular, traditional roles of gender were questioned, and one arena in which this struggle was played was education. As Banning Repplier, President of the DPH Board of Trustees at the time of the merger, pointed out, “Education was experiencing major changes, but most of these simply reflected the changes that society itself was undergoing, including different perceptions of male/female roles and relationships.” Private single-sex schools such as Hopkins Grammar School and Day Prospect Hill were forced to reexamine their assumptions about the virtues of single-sex education in the face of growing cultural and economic factors that began to weigh in favor of what was referred to then as coeducation. The economic factors included the need to continue to attract strong student applicants when “the secondary-school generation was no longer willing to

left : The graduating class, 1974.

VIEWS FROM THE HILL | 2023 • ISSUE 1

accept the validity of reasons once offered for all-male or all-female schools,” according to Repplier. In addition, both schools at the time were looking to expand their physical plant and programs, and a merger promised to aid in that process. “Day Prospect Hill needed space, and Hopkins needed diversification,” felt Shirley Krug ’40 DAY, who served as DPH Director of Admissions during the merger. Different metaphors have been offered to describe the merger. Lisa DeAngelis ’73, one of the first graduates of the mixed school, described it as a birthing: “It was a difficult time, but like any birthing, the final result seemed to diminish the pain.” a slow march toward merging Tentative steps toward cooperation had begun earlier in the 1960s. A joint drama production of The Winslow Boy was put on in 1967. A DPH senior took German at Hopkins in 1968. The Hopkins Grammar Student Council planned a student exchange program with DPH in 1969–70. In 1969, the two heads of school began informal discussions about other ways of cooperation, and several other joint committees of trustees and faculty emerged over the coming years to examine various aspects of working together. But after several alternatives were explored and ultimately abandoned, it wasn’t until the fall of 1971 when the merger took its first strides forward. In September of that year, Hopkins set seventeen conditions for a merger with Day Prospect Hill. Despite some tense moments of negotiation, the Hopkins Committee of Trustees eventually voted in November 1971 to approve the merger contingent upon the sale of the DPH campus. On February 17, 1972, the Hopkins Committee of Trustees voted to approve the merger of the two schools, and on February 29, 1972, the DPH Board followed suit.

President. Allen Sherk, the Headmaster of Hopkins Grammar School, was to be the first Headmaster of the new school, dubbed “Hopkins Grammar Day Prospect Hill School” (the School began referring to itself as “Hopkins School” in 1990). In September 1972, the School opened with a new, hastily constructed building named the Day Prospect Hill Building to house the Junior School, and a student body of 200 “ladies” and 367 “gentlemen.” “tumultuous” first year In her recollection of the first year of the merger, the Student Council President in 1973, Lisa DeAngelis, described it as a “tumultuous” time: Previously anticipated with great excitement, it [the merger] no longer seemed as fun or hopeful as when it existed in speculation alone. Instead, many of us felt cheated and betrayed... we felt as if the world had been pulled out from under us. We had to move to their campus, have their headmaster, use their schedule. Our students and faculty alike were outnumbered two to one; we were swallowed up. For the boys... we were unnecessary intrud- ers in their inner sanctum. They had to cope with sharing their athletic fields, establishing a lower school, and making their school name totally unmanageable. They felt dispersed; their unity had been shattered. There seemed only one option available to any of us: resistance. The struggles played out over issues such as the structure of the student government, the DPH class ring ceremony, caps and gowns versus white dresses for graduation, access to athletic facilities, and the names of student organizations. An HGS student, Philip Mancini ’73, recalled his experiences working on the yearbook. It was decided at the beginning that the book would have a new name altogether different from either of its predecessors, but “[t]he real battle came over the dedication and how it was to be decided. In the end, it was decided not to decide, and there was no dedication in our first yearbook.” For the boys,

The first meeting of the joint Board of Trustees was held on March 13, 1972, where Louis Martz of Hopkins was elected to be

lisa deangelis ’73

philip mancini ’73

dana blanchard ’63 hgs

heidi dawidoff

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Mancini recalled, “[t]he year began full of optimism and anticipa- tion... It was a year of much confusion brought on by a sudden influx of the opposite sex... Friendships, romances, and alliances took shape quickly...” legacy of the merger As time passed, more and more individuals in the school com- munity understood the benefits of the merger. When the tenth anniversary of coeducation at Hopkins Grammar Day Prospect Hill (HGDPH) rolled around, many were caught off guard. From the perspective of a Hopkins Grammar School alumnus, teacher, and Director of Admissions at HGDPH, Dana Blanchard ’63 HGS, the controversy about the merger seemed “like a puff of smoke.” After ten years, the merger appeared as “the only natural thing that could have happened.” In that period, beginning with DeAngelis in 1973, three girls had been elected to serve as Student Council President. By 1989, the first woman headed the Hopkins Committee of Trustees, Noreen Haffner. The administration of the school underwent a new invigoration. The concept of a working Board of Trustees with specified terms was a legacy of DPH brought over to the new school, as was the understanding of the value of a full-time fundraiser, hired by HGDPH in 1974. DPH’s Mary Brewster Thompson Scholar Award continued to be the highest academic honor the combined school granted (and still grants), and the DPH trophy for sportsmanship became and remains a testament to the strength and values of the girls schools. DPH faculty member beginning in 1960 and then HGDPH faculty member Heidi Dawidoff reflected after twenty years of coeducation that perhaps the two programs that benefited to the greatest degree by the introduction of coeducation were the arts and athletics. Since both became required at the new school, many stereotypes were challenged. She wrote in 1992 about new opportunities for boys in what had traditionally been regarded as the “feminine” province of the arts, while in athletics, “[b]oys don’t have to be and girls comfortably can be hot-shot athletes.” Dawidoff wrote elsewhere: I firmly believe that the merger gave two schools a chance to improve. I also firmly believe in coeducation, not just because I believe there’s a male point of view and a female point of view, and it’s nice for people to get together and trade views. If that’s all there were to it, regular newsletters or telegrams would suffice. We live in a coed world: we’re intended to and it’s in our interests to get along with each other, to have relationships with our own and the other sex. Apart from that, coeducation is simply more fun— it complicates life, but it’s more fun.

above and left : Scenes from the 1973 production of Guys and Dolls.

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mixed emotions For some, the changing of traditions came as a disappointment. At the boys school, for example, uniforms were mandatory. Students stood when their teachers walked into the classroom. When the schools merged, uniforms went away as did some of the formalities, to the dismay of some boys in the upper classes. Likewise, those coming from Day Prospect Hill saw their beloved tradition of participating in a ring ceremony as juniors phase out over time, as did a perk for seniors who were allowed to study and socialize in the headmaster’s school house at the back of school. This caused many to feel a sense of loss. wendy read cusick ’77 referred to the merger as “chaotic,” citing bullying and teasing by the boys as what stood out to her. Some, like Sara Glaser Dumont, decided not to come over to Hopkins altogether, and graduated elsewhere in 1973. Dumont says she did not want to attend the merged school “for a variety of important and negative reasons having to do with how the merger was established.” She was also concerned that DPH’s “unique culture would be canceled out by HGS, which indeed happened.” For many, however, the in their own words: A Look Back In preparation for our coverage of this historic merger, the Hopkins Communications Department, in conjunction with the School’s Advancement Department, welcomed all alumni who were present before, during, and briefly after the merger to offer their experiences. As the responses came in, and in the in-depth discussions that followed, one thing became clear: T here is no one story of the merger .

excitement of being a part of a new experience was the prevailing emotion. This may have been due to the fact that many already felt a familiarity with the Hopkins campus before day one, thanks to “merger days” held by both schools a year prior. On these days, students attended classes together and mingled socially to become acclimated with the curriculum and each other. This also allowed students to become familiar with their potential teachers. willa perlmutter ’76 recalls being “elated” when she learned of the merger. She was familiar with the campus, having worked on a junior school musical at Hopkins, but enjoyed the experience even more when she was able to “expand the pool of potential new friends,” several of whom she stays in touch with today. Then there are the stories that pull on one’s heartstrings, like how wendy parente ’75 (then Wendy Florentine) initially met her future husband, oscar “ ozzie ” parente ’75 , on one of the merger days and began dating him when the schools officially merged. Parente, who now works in the Hopkins business office in Hopkins House (coincidentally in the exact same room where she attended classes along with her husband) fondly remembers coming to Hopkins as a sophomore after attending DPH. Despite a few frustrating elements (she loved to golf but was not allowed to join the all-boys golf team), the merger represented an exciting new chapter for her and her fellow classmates. gail brundage ’76 called her experience “completely positive” due to what she perceived as a stronger academic course load. “I am a math/science type over humanities, so the switch to Hopkins for high school with its much stronger math/science curriculum was a life saver for me,” she recalled. a new “family” jonathan goldberg ’77 entered Hopkins from a New Haven public school in the fall of 1971, the start of the final school year of the all-boys class. He has vivid memories of the formal nature of school before the merger, which extended to the lunchroom. “Students were assigned to tables in the cafeteria, each one headed by a teacher. Food was passed around family style, and no one ate

wendy read cusick ’77

willa perlmutter ’77

gail brundage ’76

jonathan goldberg ’77

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until all were served. I believe we said grace before eating. Again, we stood until told to sit,” he recalled. Goldberg recalls the build- up to the merger from the perspective of his fellow classmates, which he says was a time of “great anticipation.” rick shannon ’72 , a member of the last male graduating class, says the merger seemed “so natural,” and that his brothers who attended school after him had “even better experiences post merger.” Although Shannon’s classmate gary pantaleo ’72 also just missed the integration, Pantaleo says he benefited years prior as some female teachers came over as part of the early blending experiments. His only regret, he says, is “not being there for the long-needed integration.” Then there are those who came to the merger without precon- ceived notions or biases. irwin gelman ’76 , who joined the merged school as a freshman via Hebrew Day School, referred to his experience positively but also called it “odd.” “The ‘oddity’ was akin to marrying into a family, only to learn at the first Thanksgiving that (of course) there was history and baggage between groups of family members. I distinctly remember students underlining that such-and-such a teacher was from DPH, whereas another announced that this other teacher was from Hopkins; none of these distinctions made any sense to me past their historical reference.” Despite the varying perspectives, the common denominator among many of those who offered their opinions was the ease of being able to name several impactful teachers and administrators who helped shape them in their adolescent years, a testament to the high standards of academic excellence that remain intact today. Many also were quick to note that despite its early obstacles, the merger was necessary and ultimately worthwhile. While full progress did not happen overnight (for example, the first female Head of School, Barbara Riley, did not assume the role until 2001), today’s vibrant and inclusive community stands as a realization of the merger’s promise 50 years ago.

top : Student Council, 1973. middle : Harmonaires, Cantabiles, 1973.

left : Wendy Parente ’75 (then Wendy Florentine) and Oscar “Ozzie” Parente ’75 at their senior prom in 1975.

rick shannon ’72

gary pantaleo ’72

irwin gelman ’76

Interested in sharing your perspective of the merger? Throughout the spring, we will be sharing more stories on our website and social media channels; please send your perspective to communications@hopkins.edu.

VIEWS FROM THE HILL | 2023 • ISSUE 1

A Perception Changed Through Time and Progress

by connie frontis ’67 dph

When I was attending the Day Prospect Hill School (DPH) between 1961 and 1967, I was glad to be going to an “all-girls” school. I firmly believed that single-sex schools were where we could best thrive academically. We didn’t have to worry about being too intellectually serious as students—the concern being that boys might not like us if we were too smart. Instead, we could be ourselves; we could excel, not be intimidated by boys, and not worry about how we looked. The teachers at DPH were an eclectic lot; most of them had not trained as teachers. They had gone to excellent colleges and were quite passionate about their respective fields whether it was French, Latin, English, History, Art, Modern Dance, or even Field Hockey. Some were young with spouses in graduate school and some had been teaching for decades, but all were very devoted. The lower school for grades 7 and 8 was in a beautiful old building on the other side of Prospect Street. It had been a private home with fireplaces, a rotunda, huge bathrooms with tubs, and an attic filled with Broadway costumes donated by our drama teacher who was married to an actor. Basketball and modern dance were in the old garage. The upper school building was mid-century with no architectural interest whatsoever. DPH was a place where we were encouraged to be serious students with almost no emphasis on our becoming “young ladies” although I do recall some walking with books balanced on their heads and I was once severely chastised for my unladylike behavior because a friend and I had been rolling down the hill on campus in our kilts. We lived in a world quite apart from boys aside from Glee Club choral concerts and mixers. Mixers involved our being transported by school bus to some distant prep school for dinner, dancing, and meeting boys. Once a year we had a dance with Hopkins boys but, being nearby, they were deemed much less interesting.

taught to write well. My papers always came back with lots of ink, many notations, and cross-outs, but decades later, whether writing a brief or a settlement proposal or drafting legislation, I recall Mrs. Tate, a formidable English teacher who helped me appreciate the importance of being precise, the possibility of persuasion, and the power of language. Decades after my graduation from DPH, our two children attended Hopkins between 1998 and 2007. I have also chaired a committee—the Distinguished Alumni and Fellows Committee— which brings me to campus a few times a year for the day. I see a school with outstanding faculty that remains serious about academics and where the female students show absolutely no reluctance to demonstrate their formidable intellectual capabilities. Young women assume many school leadership posts, including head of student government. Frequently, in assembly, many of the questions posed to speakers come from female students and even younger female students make announcements at assembly with confidence and enthusiasm. In classes I’ve attended, female students are fully engaged, asking questions, arranging follow-up contact with a visitor, etc. I see young women who demonstrate absolutely no concern about how the males in the school will view them; they do not worry about being too smart. I was sad when the schools merged, thinking that something important was lost. I have come to appreciate that the merged school is a much healthier place where young men and women can interact with each other in all sorts of settings on a daily basis. Today’s Hopkins students share a broader world view than we did. They are not only knowledgeable about and engaged with what is happening in the world, they are imbued with a strong sense that they have an important role to play and contributions to make. In addition to being an alum, Connie Frontis is a class correspondent, a past parent, and a dedicated volunteer for 20-plus years as head of the Distin- guished Alumni and Fellows Committee. Frontis is also a former member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

I value the education I received at DPH. Our teachers emphasized the importance of critical thinking and we were

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the day prospect hill scholarship Supporting Excellence, Preserving a Legacy

The year 2010 was a special one for Hopkins. The School was marking three-and-one-half centuries as an institution of learning, and celebrations were ongoing both within and outside its walls: Hopkins School banners flew on lampposts around the New Haven Green, the New Haven Museum hosted an exhibit chronicling Hopkins’ history, and the School had been awarded the Seal of the City. As with any milestone, 2010 was also an inflection point— a time to reflect on who we were as a School and how we got there. It goes without saying that one of the most consequential moments in Hopkins’ history occurred in September 1972, when the all-boys Hopkins Grammar School merged with the all-girls Day Prospect Hill. Despite a rocky start, the union preserved the legacies of both schools. “In taking the measure of today’s Hopkins School,” wrote Faculty Emeritae Heidi Dawidoff, Elizabeth Bradley Benedict ’40 DAY, and Marillyn Mulholland in The Girls’ Schools of New Haven , “every alumna can discern that the ruling principles of progressive attitudes that adolescent students need for sound moral and emotional growth, combined with the intellectual rigor that grow- ing minds require, flourish at Hopkins—a gift from Day Prospect Hill that breathes life into Hopkins, as Hopkins keeps those girls schools alive.”

What better time to acknowledge that gift than the momentous occasion of Hopkins’ 350th year? In 2010, a lead gift from Day School alumna Prudence Fairbrother Meehan ’58 helped establish the Day Prospect Hill Scholarship Fund to “provide scholarship assistance for bright, highly motivated female students and to perpetuate the names and values of Hopkins’ precursor girls schools, Day, Prospect Hill, and Day Prospect Hill School.” “I felt that the women’s schools sort of got lost in the shuffle,” said Meehan during a recent interview about the HGS-DPH merger. “The scholarship helped put emphasis on the women’s schools, and I was grateful to my husband (Peter Meehan ’58 HGS), who made it possible for me to give a lead gift that helped to establish the scholarship.” Countless other alumni from Day, Prospect Hill, Day Prospect Hill, Hopkins Grammar, and Hopkins School have generously supported the DPH scholarship since 2010, and the fund has so far provided support to five highly motivated Hopkins students, each of whom embodies the values of excellence, leadership, and service that defined the women’s schools. “The students who have been selected have been outstanding,” said Connie Frontis ’67 DPH, who has steadfastly supported the scholarship since it was established. “It is a wonderful way to memorialize the Day Prospect Hill School and preserve its legacy.”

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Academic & Performing Arts Center to

Usher in a New Era for Hopkins

A t a friday morning assembly this past October, Head of School Matt Glendinning stood before the Hopkins community and opened a PowerPoint slide deck. Matt knew that slide #8 would break the story that the School would be transforming Lovell Hall into a new Academic & Performing Arts Center (APAC), but what he didn’t anticipate was how the audience would react.

“I think we were expecting applause,”

over several generations, serving as an incubator of creativity, a locus of artistic expression, and a hub of communal life at the School,” said Glendinning. Today, with over 700 students filling the campus, the plan for APAC—which was reflected in the School’s strategic plan set forth by the Board of Trustees in 2019—will be a 26,000 square foot renovation. It will feature a 350-seat theater including a full orchestra pit and significantly enhanced acoustics, lighting, and climate control in addition to large gathering spaces and 10 multi-purpose classrooms. The enhancements will allow for improved performing arts productions as well as the expansion of innovative programs across all disciplines as extra space is freed up across campus. The project will begin in the spring of 2023, with com- pletion anticipated in the fall of 2024.

remembers Glendinning through a smile. Right before revealing slide #8, which included a stunning rendering of the highly anticipated building, Glendinning asked the crowd for a drumroll. The rendering then appeared on the screen, and what followed wasn’t applause. It was a collective audible gasp. “I was shocked and excited to be able to spend my future years in the new building,“ remembered Ripley Chance ’26, who has already participated in several theatrical productions in her time at Hopkins. “This new building will help facilitate the spread of kindness and enthusiasm from the theater to the rest of the Hopkins community.” Perhaps a gasp was the most appropriate response, as anticipation for a renovation has been building for longer than most can remember. In fact, Hopkins has been contemplating this project for decades—through several design iterations—as the storied building has remained mostly unchanged since its construction in 1959. Built to serve as both a performance venue and a dining hall for 300 students, with the auditorium holding just 135 seats, Lovell Hall charmed its way into becoming a cornerstone of the Hopkins campus.

While the size and scope of the building will evolve, not everything will change.

“The most important part of Lovell is the community of students who gave and give the building life,” said Hope Hartup, Drama Instructor, who directs several of the School’s productions. “It is their curiosity, their excitement, their inclusiveness, their wild sense of humor, their love of the theater, their willingness to challenge themselves and grow along with me, as well as their willingness to teach me as much as I teach them that makes Lovell so special. And I have no doubt that in the years to come those same qualities will animate our new theater,” added Hartup.

left : A rendering of the new 350-seat performance space. above : Slide #8 in Matt Glendinning’s assembly presentation showed a view of APAC from the outside.

“Despite its age and space limitations, Lovell has played an important role in the lives of thousands of students

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A C loser L ook

D esigned by the architecture firm S/L/A/M C ollaborative , who has worked on several buildings at H opkins , the new building ’ s exterior will blend with the existing G eorgian R evival style prominent across the S chool ’ s campus . T he interior will feature a great deal of natural light , house art galleries and events , and provide casual space for congregating . W hen completed , the C enter will include many sustainable features .

The auditorium is well proportioned and appointed to support a variety of functions, including plays, concerts, films, speakers, assemblies, admissions gatherings, public events, and more. Audience members will enjoy comfortable seats, excellent sightlines, and superb acoustics.

performance hall

The new facility includes a welcoming lobby and a wide, open gallery on the upper level for audience members to gather before or after performances, or enjoy intermission. Gallery seating will also serve as a destination for students looking to gather, collaborate, or study.

gathering spaces

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Filled with abundant natural light, the 10 classrooms will feature the latest in teaching technology together with flexible seating that can be adapted for a variety of different courses and pedagogies.

classrooms

The Center will also include many environmentally friendly features such as a conscious selection of furnishings, HVAC, and plumbing systems, as well as the use of energy efficient daylight- and motion-detecting LED lighting. Additionally, adaptive reuse of some elements of the existing building will reduce embodied carbon emissions compared to an entirely new construction.

sustainability

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R eflections on L ovell H all

The announcement of the improved building has sparked many to reflect on the magic and charm of Lovell Hall, which has played host to unforgettable moments of creative achievement and expression for so many. Here, we feature some of those reflections from the people who have experienced Lovell Hall firsthand, from current teachers and students to alums who eagerly shared their memories.

Mike Calderone D rama I nstructor and D irector of S everal H opkins T heatre P erformances each year

Ellie Welby ‘24 “Lovell was my comfort place on campus. Every D block, I would go sit at that old and rickety table outside of the girls’ bathroom. It was a quiet place to study—isolated from distractions and noise. If I needed to just take a break, that table in Lovell was my go-to spot. No idea where that table went, but I do miss going there during my free periods.”

Alison DeSimone ‘03 “It’s a little hard to talk about a space that I haven’t set foot in in many, many years, but the theater was a home away from home to me while I was at Hopkins. I spent countless hours there—onstage, backstage, and in the audience. I remember every step that it took for me to walk there from the other buildings on campus. It was the most welcoming place for me during my four years of high school; while you’d think a drama department would have. . . drama. . . it never felt like that to me.”

“For me, the charm comes from hints, notes, layers of past shows that have seeped into the walls, the stage floor, and backstage for sure. I’ll see paint from a past show that didn’t need to be painted over and still exists backstage; or when accidentally pulling up literal layers of paint on the stage proper: one can actually see the growth of the program like tree rings. Every facet of the building: its smells, its nooks, its sounds are very familiar and comforting. Like the reverberation that happens between the auditorium walls, Lovell echoes.”

Students in the 1994 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Students on the Lovell stage in 2003.

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Elizabeth Roberge ‘09 “Lovell Hall is my favorite place on the Hopkins campus. It never quite seemed like it was meant to be a drama building, but the weird array of rooms and that funky little auditorium that Hope and Mike skillfully transformed into whatever it needed to be will always be so special to me. My friends and I spent nearly every free period after lunch playing improv games in the lower level. We filmed video projects there, we practiced every- thing from Shakespeare to Monty Python there, I kissed my first boyfriend there (not that I con- done that sort of thing at school. . .), we laughed, we cried, and we hung out because we were comfortable there.”

Michael Fasano ‘98 “Lovell was my second home, honestly. It reminds me of Judy Magoveny sewing costumes and cackling. It reminds me of dreaming about going to theater school and becoming a profes- sional actor. It was a safe space for me when I felt I didn’t fit anywhere. It’s where I got the theater bug that would propel me into the life I live now—I actually am writing this from a dressing room at a theater in Florida! Lovell was my class- room, and I’ll never forget it, or the wonderful teachers who filled it, and the transformative magic within its walls.”

Silas Webb ‘24 “Around the beginning of my sophomore year, I auditioned for my first-ever play at Hopkins. This was not only my introduction to Lovell but my in- troduction to a space that would impact my high school experience tremendously. Throughout the past year and a half, I have shared moments and memories inside Lovell that heightened my love for the building as well as the program it bears. Lovell in that way made me feel safe, a quality which has guided me through so many difficult days and weeks, and as I prepare for my final two performances on the Lovell stage, will continue to assist me in mysterious ways throughout my future.”

Elizabeth Roberge ’09 in the 2009 production of Chicago.

Michael Fasano ’98 on the Lovell stage in 1998.

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Wendy Poincelot Ott ‘94 “Lovell Hall wasn’t just a building to me, it was my home for four years. Throughout my residency there, I found my forever friends, I found my talent for acting, I found a mentor in Hope, and, above all, I found a place where I belonged. I spent as much time as I could there—Lovell housed my learning, my life, my love. I remember everything about it. . . right down to the specks of dust swirling and swaying slowly in the radiance of a spotlight. I will look back on Lovell with the fondness of a childhood home. I still dream about it sometimes. I suppose I always will.”

Julia Murphy ‘23 “There’s something sacred about the physical space of a theater, how it holds so much more than the physical. Each show is only about two months of work, but everyone pours their heart into them, and by the end we not only have created something we’re incredibly proud of but also strengthened and gained friendships. Lovell is the tangible connection we have to all that love; it has housed French revolutions and fairy tales and now a 1950s mansion, but it has also been the center of so much love and trust. It is a place I know I can always find some- one to support me, whether that’s Hope, Mike, or a friend; it is a place I know that I belong.”

Lucie Ledbetter ‘11 “Above all else, it was a home where I felt seen and cared for in a place that—though wonderful—could be stressful and overwhelming as we tried to figure out who we were, and who we wanted to become.”

Wendy Poincelot (Ott) ’94 in Marvin’s Room with classmate Chris Sauska.

Seniors in the 2015 production of Gypsy.

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Alex Dillon ‘13 “It’s strange to look back on a place and realize that it more than anywhere made you who you are. Even stranger when core memories involve proudly showing off how odd and haphazard things were. Lovell was absolutely that place for me. I felt such ownership over that building; its gross nooks and odd-smelling crannies, often full of props or paint or some strange collection of things I would be called upon to find at least once, but probably many times. Lovell showed me everything that a theater is (homey, idiosyncratic, always a little more flexible than you thought it could be) and everything it doesn’t need to be (clean, purpose-built, sensible). It taught me to love and take care of something not because it was perfect but because it was mine.”

Aisha Nabali ‘23 “From the boisterous debates in the Mac Lab to mid-rehearsal rooftop excursions, Lovell has been bustling with life. I’ve come to love every chip and dent in the stage, every old layer of paint hidden by the new, every carving on the wall. Walking down the hallowed halls of Lovell Hall and seeing all the posters of shows past, I think about the years and years of love that have been poured into this building and all the memories made.”

Evan DeCarlo ‘12 “Now, a decade removed from high school, I can remember still even the strange little details— the staircase leading out to the parking lot, the claustrophobic prop room squirreled away un- derground, a roaming mannequin dummy we had nicknamed Captain Ugly, the awkward vestibule before the video lab, the tempting hallway piano, how many posters filled with faces receding, foot by foot of yellowish wall, into our collective theatrical past.”

The cast of the 1985 production of Our Town.

Evan DeCarlo ’12 and fellow cast members in the 2012 production of The Servant of Two Masters.

VIEWS FROM THE HILL | 2023 • ISSUE 1

Leading with

Heart

Don Bagnall’s Legacy Goes Far Beyond Sports Medicine

I n the small shared office at the back of the athletic training room, Don Bagnall—who has served as an athletic trainer at Hopkins for 41 years—pulls out a large cardboard box from his top drawer and places it on his desk. Having just announced that he will retire following the 2022/2023 school year, Bagnall is finally starting to pause and reflect on his time here.

“These are a few letters and cards I’ve been sent over the years,” he explains.

Bagnall is being modest as always. There aren’t just a few notes. There are so many of them that they’re spilling out from all sides. All handwritten from students and parents, some of the ink on the pages has faded from over four decades of wear. Each note tells a different story but shares the same sentiment: Thank you, Don. “My gut says it’s time to retire, but my head and my heart will argue until the cows come home,” he says.

“These get you through the difficult parts of the day,” says Bagnall.

It may be hard for many in the Hopkins community to imagine an athletic competition without spotting Bagnall walking up and down the sidelines, the strap to his medical bag thrown over his shoulder as he patiently surveys the field. It may be strange for students and returning alums next year to not spot him in the hallways of the athletic center cracking a dry joke or asking a student how they’re feeling. Bagnall is also having a tough time imagining it himself.

“My gut says it’s time to retire, but my head and my heart will argue until the cows come home,” he says.

In his tenure at Hopkins, Bagnall has become much more than an athletic trainer on the sidelines. This past December, on the day his retirement was announced across the School’s social media accounts, a flood of comments rolled in from alumni of all ages, congratulating Bagnall on his renowned career. Many added anecdotes, inside jokes, and memories of injuries and sore muscles that Bagnall tended to through the years. Many were also quick to mention the seemingly endless roll of medical tape that Bagnall always had handy. Most of the words of appreciation stored within the cardboard box and in the digital space, however, have nothing to do with physical injuries. They speak to Bagnall’s role as a listener and a provider of emotional safety during the difficult adolescent years. While an injury may have brought students to Bagnall’s medical table, they often returned for additional support, whether it be to voice frustration around their recovery timeline or something completely unrelated to sports. Bagnall’s approach in those moments has always been to listen but also to know when it’s time to encourage them to move forward.

TOP: Bagnall’s box overflowing with thank you cards, notes, and memorabilia. BOTTOM: Bagnall’s weathered medical bag has traveled many miles with him, even around the globe.

“The training room was an area of refuge and meditation,” remembers Brock Dubin ’90. “Don was able to not only get us

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healthy and back on the field but was always the comforting hand on our shoulder to let us know that we were capable of handling the rigors of achieving success at Hopkins,” he added. The more visible side of Bagnall’s role as Athletic Trainer is when he runs onto the field to tend to an injury. In those moments, the Hopkins community gets to see him at his best: calm and measured even during moments of heightened uncertainty. An eternal optimist with an empathetic but direct approach, Bagnall seems unflappable in moments of crisis. “No matter what the injury is, it can be devastating to the kid and their parents. In those moments, you have to be clear and direct about what’s going on and what they can expect from their recovery,” explains Bagnall. The next step after dealing with the initial incident is the process of rehabilitation where athletes continue to see Bagnall in his office as they heal. “Don made you feel seen and cared about, and as a teenager, that meant so much more than a good grade or strong test score,” says Gigi Clark ’08, who played field hockey at Hopkins. Clark recalls a story that encapsulates Bagnall’s attentiveness. “Visiting Don’s office was a must after school, before practice. He always had either a funny zinger or a snack stashed away. Don diagnosed my freakishly cold hands as Raynaud’s Syndrome on the spot and always checked on my frigid digits in cold weather afterwards. I didn’t even know I had a syndrome, but he was paying attention to what I was complaining about and looking for a gentle solution. He always did caring things like this—going above and beyond what was asked of the athletic trainer simply because he cared.”

ABOVE LEFT: Bagnall at work on the football field. ABOVE: Bagnall always has medical tape at the ready in the athletic training room in the Walter Camp Athletic Center.

His ability to be the rock amidst chaos especially came in handy during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he played an instrumental role on the School’s COVID-19 task force. 109th Head of School Kai Bynum spent a good portion of his tenure at Hopkins working with Bagnall closely during the most heightened moments of the pandemic. “Don is a trusted colleague, advisor, and friend. He was always our leader for health and medical issues facing Hopkins, and this became even more important as we were navigating the COVID crisis,” said Bynum. “For me, however, his guidance extended beyond the medical world. He truly cares about people and he understands the School. We talked about life and what we value, and he helped me believe in the idea of hope that brought so many of us together,” Bynum added. Since arriving here in the early 1980s, Bagnall’s warm disposition has created an open door for students who look to Don as a mentor and friend. According to the people who experienced his care firsthand, this is his true legacy at Hopkins. Although it’s never been part of his job description, Bagnall says being there for his students at all times is paramount. “There aren’t a lot of things more important in life than caring for kids when they need it most,” says Bagnall. "You are dealing with people at a stage in their lives when they face a lot of challenges, so taking the time to give them space, an ear, or a pat on the back is crucial.”

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AN ACCOMPLISHED RUN A prolific long-distance runner with several marathons under his belt (all accomplished after the age of 60), Bagnall is uniquely qualified to apply running metaphors to his own life and career. We have all heard people say, “Life is a marathon, not a sprint,” but when Bagnall says it, it rings true. Bagnall has earned many honors in his career’s marathon. As an Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Division Volunteer, he has worked at all three U.S. Olympic training centers, several international Pan American Games, and the 2004 Athens Para- lympic Games. He has acted as clinical supervisor for Southern Connecticut State University and Quinnipiac University interns, and has served on numerous professional athletic training and sports medicine committees at the state, district, and national levels. Bagnall has also served as liaison to the Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine & Fitness, among many other roles, including his time as an EMT volunteer, as well as multiple summers spent working in physical therapy and orthopedic offices. “A few people have described me as a jack of all trades, master of some,” jokes Bagnall. As the credentials have stacked up, Bagnall says others outside of the school world periodically ask him why he didn’t go and work in higher education or professional leagues like the NFL, as some of his peers in the sports medicine industry have. “I stayed because of the free lunch here,” says Bagnall with a warm grin. Jokes aside, Bagnall says the real reason he stayed at Hopkins was the respect he has been given since the first day he walked onto campus. According to Bagnall, the role of the athletic trainer has always been taken seriously at Hopkins, and even in the early years, he was looked upon as an expert. Bagnall has also gained respect outside of Hopkins. As one example, in January 2023, he was inducted as a member of the Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association (EATA) ’49 Club, the highest recognition that can be achieved in his district. The award, which places Bagnall in the EATA Hall of Fame, recognizes those whose district, state, and EATA contributions demonstrate sustained service and leadership.

TOP: Bagnall has run several marathons over the age of 60. CENTER: Bagnall’s volunteerism has brought him to three olympic training centers. LEFT: Bagnall is inducted into the EATA Hall of Fame, flanked here by his son Will ’12 and daughter Rebecca ’09.

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