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another announced that this other teacher was from Hopkins; none of these distinctions made any sense to me past their historical reference.”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
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