The Lovett School Golden Lions Reunion
The night after the 50th reunion of the 10th-grade-class I’d taught, I attended the reunion of all of us alums from The Lovett School, who had graduated 50 years or more ago, named the Golden Lions, after our mascot, the Lions. Twas much fun to see people from high school, share memories, and remember to not say things out loud that memories were calling forth in our minds. And to imagine it ain’t so when we see how gray-haired we’ve become — but fortunately, still young at heart.
Our class, the first graduating class of 1962, did turn out in part, but I wish more had come. We still have lots of heart: Frank Walsh, Carol Penn, Mickey Land, Carrol Jones, John North, Ellen Hyman, Brock Timmons, Jean Lyon, Johnny Hitchens, and Charles Arp.
Congratulations to Lara Kaufman and Starr Pollock, who organized this event and the ’69 reunion the night before. Seemingly effortless, which is a good sign of an event well planned.
I had the pleasure of speaking again with the new head of school, Meredyth Cole. We discussed teaching – the class she is teaching and what her hopes are, and my classes there (see my blog post from May 2018), and the possibility of doing it again. She’s doing a fine job, has both experience and vision, and is sustaining the tradition of intellectual inquiry and educating the whole person.
I have included a picture from last year, since it shows Charles Arp, who’s married to Yetty Arp. He’s one of my best friends ever — since the 6th grade. We all have friends you can be with just a few minutes, and you’re in sync — or who with a word or two or a certain look, knows exactly what you mean, while others haven’t a clue.
As my friend Hampton Morris said Friday night, it’s about friendships. And they do live on.
With Meredyth Cole, head of the Lovett School
L-R, Me with Wawa Hines (my former student); Charles Arp; Cindy Glover’s husband; Hampton Morris (former student); Cindy Glover (former student); Yetty Levenson Arp (friend and wife of Charlie).
With one of my best friends, Charlie Arp.
Ray Crim, key alumni leader at Lovett, friend, and fellow Vietnam vet
Frank Walsh, friend since kindergarten, and me
With Ellen and Barry
Jo Phelps, my friend and former colleague at the Atlanta History Center.
Meredyth Cole addresses alumni about her first year and the future.
George W. McDaniel, Ph.D., is President of McDaniel Consulting, LLC, a strategy firm that helps organizations use history to build bridges within itself and to its broader constituents. The company’s tag line, “Building Bridges through History,” is grounded in McDaniel’s personal beliefs and his experience in site management, preservation, education, board development, fundraising, and community outreach. Rather than using history to divide us, he strives to help organizations use history, especially local history, to enhance cross-cultural understanding and to support local museums, preservation, and education. Dr. McDaniel led volunteer efforts with Emanuel AME Church and historical organizations in Charleston to use historic preservation to enhance racial reconciliation and healing. McDaniel is also the Executive Director Emeritus of Drayton Hall, a historic site in Charleston, SC, owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He retired from Drayton Hall in 2015 after 25 years of distinguished service.
A frequent writer, speaker, and facilitator about such issues, he can be reached at gmcdaniel4444@gmail.com or through his website at www.mcdanielconsulting.net.
Header Image: The Lovett Golden Lions – L-R, Seated: Carol Penn, Mickey Land, Charles Arp, Ellen Hyman, Brock Timmons. Standing: Frank Walsh, John North, John Hitchens, Carrol Jones, Jean Lyon, and me
All images courtesy of the author unless otherwise noted.
McDaniel Consulting LLC is a strategy firm that helps organizations use history to build bridges within itself and its broader constituents.