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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2023 • ISSUE 1 | VIEWS FROM THE HILL
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