THE GOLDEN TIGERSCLASSES OF ’37, ’42, ’47, ’52, ’57, ’62

DAVID P. HEMERYCLASS OF 1962

JAMES J. FITZPATRICK IIICLASS OF 1972, p ’04, ’12

PHYLLIS FROGEL RUBINCLASS OF 1957

thayer alumni recognition luncheon 2012

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order of program

Ted Koskores ’70, p ’10, ’13HEADMASTER

SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF THE GOLDEN TIGERS

CLASSES OF ’37, ’42, ’47, ’52, ’57, ’62

S A T U R D A Y , M A Y 1 9 T H , 2 0 1 2

wELCOME

THAYER TODAY & THE FUTURE

ALUMNI AwARDS

DAVID P. HEMERYCLASS OF 1962

JAMES J. FITZPATRICK IIICLASS OF 1972, p ’04, ’12

PHYLLIS FROGEL RUBINCLASS OF 1957

SATURDAY, MAY 19 TH, 2012 | C AHALL D IN IN G HALL

THAYER ALUMNI RECOGNIT ION LUNCHEON 2012

ThAYER ACADEMY’S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

wAS FOUnDED in 1881,

FOLLOwING THE GRADUATION

OF ThE ACADEMY’S FiRST

FOUR-YEAR CLASS.

THE PURPOSE wAS TO

“CHERISH THE MEMORIES AND

ASSOCIATIONS OF ACADEMY

LIFE AND TO PROMOTE THE

INTERESTS OF THE ACADEMY

AnD iTS ALUMni, in whATEvER

wAY MAY BE DEEMED BEST.”

In the fall of 1964 a family from Scituate decided to enroll their oldest son into Thayer Academy’s 5th grade. Jim and Joan Fitzpatrick brought their young son Jim to what was then still called Thayerlands. Later, they enrolled young Jim’s older sister Polly into the Academy’s Upper School. Polly was followed by her sister Joan, who was followed by her sister Nancy, who was followed by her brother Peter. In something akin to the biblical begets, these five siblings later enrolled their eleven children at Thayer Academy. Of this generation, seven have graduated (including our awardees’ older daughter Lucey ’04); two are members of this year’s graduating Class of 2012 (including our awardees’ younger daughter Audrey ’12); and two will remain on campus as members of the Academy’s Classes of 2013 and 2016. It is not clear what will happen to Thayer Academy when the last member of the Fitzpatrick clan leaves. With some luck and some good family planning, we might never have to find out!

But just as a young Jim Fitzpatrick showed his family the way to Thayer, he also has shown them, by incredible example, what it means to be an involved student, an active alumnus, and a caring parent. While a student at Thayer, Jim was a three sport athlete. He played football, wrestled (captain in his senior year), and played tennis (again, captain in his senior year). He was president of the Varsity Club and served as class president in his junior year.

After Thayer, Jim left for Maine and four years at Bowdoin, but he left his heart at Thayer. He returned to Boston and began working in the family business, Bearings Specialty, eventually taking over the company with his brother Peter after their father retired. In 1984 Jim

married Milton native Sally McDonald and before long, Sally probably knew more about Thayer Academy than she ever wanted to.

Over the years, Jim stayed in touch with the Academy and his friends from Thayer days. Early on he served on the Board of the Alumni Association, and as a class agent. In the days before caller ID killed the effectiveness of fundraising phonathons, Jim could always be counted on to make the calls that helped support the school. In 1998 he became a member of the Academy’s Board of Trustees, where he served for 10 years, many of which were spent as Chair of the Development Committee. Working with his fellow trustees, Jim helped raise the funds that allowed the Academy to complete many of the campus improvements our students enjoy today, including: the Center for the Arts and the renovation of Frothingham Hall; the creation of the turf fields on the South Athletic Campus; the addition of two biology labs to the Glover Building; the renovation of Main Building; and the construction of the Fish Center for Physical Fitness.

Since their daughters have been students, Jim and Sally have almost never missed a game, a play, a concert, a graduation or any Thayer event. They are always here, generally low-key, but ever-present parents. Jim can often be found at the Thayer tennis courts, watching his children, nieces, or nephews play the game he loves. He can also be found on the sidelines of the football game at Homecoming and he never misses a Reunion. Ten years ago, he was the driving force behind an effort that arranged a tribute in honor of former Thayer faculty member Bill Smith, who was also Jim’s

wrestling coach. Jim’s decision was motivated by friendship and loyalty to a sport and a coach he loves, but it also resulted in generating such strong financial support for the Academy from his fellow alumni wrestlers that the new wrestling center being built this summer will be named in honor of Coach Bill Smith.

Forty years ago, one of Jim’s teachers wrote about him as follows: “Jim is a serious, responsible student with a good sense of humor and an easy, out reaching manner. He is a generous young man, popular with both students and faculty. He has good native ability, maturity, leadership, integrity, and intellectual curiosity.” We are here today to affirm those qualities and more, and to thank Jim Fitzaptrick for sharing them with Thayer Academy for more than 40 years.

you have been involved with the academy

in one form or another for most of your

life. you have served as a student leader

and athlete, active alumnus, class agent,

trustee, phonathon caller extraordinaire,

generous donor, and parent volunteer.

your energy and enthusiasm for all

things black and orange have kept you,

your classmates, and your family close to

the academy and to each other, through

good times and bad, and for that, the

alumni association honors you with this

loyalty award on the occasion of the

40th anniversary of your graduation.

JAMES J. FITZPATRICK IIICLASS OF 1972, p ’04, ’12

ThE LOYALTY AwARD iS ThE OLDEST OF ThE ACADEMY’S REUniOn RECOgniTiOn AwARDS. ESTAbLiShED in 1981, ThE AwARD RECOgnizES An ExTRAORDinARY

COMMiTMEnT OF TiME, EnERgY, AnD EnThUSiASM TO ThAYER ACADEMY.

A Braintree native, Phyllis Frogel arrived at Thayer Academy as a freshman in the fall of 1953, two years after her older sister Barbara had graduated with the Class of 1951. Phyllis was a well-rounded student who made the honor roll, played sports, worked on the newspaper and yearbook, and formed great friendships. Many years later, she reflected on her time at the Academy as follows: “I remember enjoying my four years at Thayer. As time goes by, I realize how terrific they were. It’s amazing that so many of us are still enthusiastic about getting together. It shows how special the 50’s were at Thayer”

After graduating from Thayer, Phyllis attended Goucher College, from which she graduated in 1961. She taught school for two years, and then turned her attention to her family - husband David, their three children, Jonathan, Pamela, and Lisa, and now seven grandchildren. By the way, although they are spread across the U.S. and regret that they couldn’t attend today in person, Phyllis’ children do send their best wishes and congratulations from afar. In fact, they volunteered that one reason we should be honoring Phyllis today as a humanitarian is that she has put up with all of them and their antics for the past five decades! Daughter Pam suggests that, if for no other reason, Phyllis should be awarded the humanitarian award for hosting all 13 of her children and grandchildren for one month every summer on the Cape and cooking them all a three-course dinner every night!”

While her family may have been her number one priority, Phyllis’ commitment to her community and the institutions that touched her life were a very close second. Over the years, this “super volunteer” committed her time, talents and, most likely, some amount of treasure in support of many organizations, including: the American Association of University Women where she served as President of the Taunton area branch; the Greater Taunton Day Care Center Board of Trustees; Co-President of her Temple’s sisterhood and, ultimately, the first woman to serve as the Chairman of its Board;

Area Chairman for the WGBH Auction; Goucher College Alumni Fund agent and, five years ago, a driving force behind the organization of the Class of 1957’s 50th reunion celebration which included raising nearly $60,000 to establish a Class of 1957 endowed fund that will forever support the mission of this Academy.

In 1981, Phyllis turned her volunteer experience into a paid position and became a Field Representative for the Massachusetts Easter Seal Society. Until she retired, Phyllis organized and ran many special events that raised funds in support of programs benefitting those with physical disabilities. In recognition of her commitment to family, friends, and community, the Thayer Academy Alumni Association is proud to honor Phyllis Frogel Rubin, Class of 1957.

on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of your

graduation from thayer academy, the alumni

association presents you with this humanitarian

award to recognize your many years of commitment

to family, friends, and community. you have shared

your time, your talents and your treasure in

support of others and for that, a grateful academy

thanks you. in the spirit of the thayer mission

statement, you have truly “risen to honorable

achievement and contributed to the common good”

PHYLLIS FROGEL RUBINCLASS OF 1957

ThE hUMAniTARiAn AwARD wAS ESTAbLiShED in 1994 bY ThE ALUMni ASSOCiATiOn TO RECOgnizE ExTRAORDinARY

CONTRIBUTIONS OR SERVICE TO HUMANKIND.

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2011-2012

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“He stands out in my mind not primarily for his outstanding athletic

ability, but for the admirable qualities of his personality and character”

ThAYER ACADEMY’S bELOvED FACULTY MEMBER wARD DONNER

REFLECTING ON DAVID HEMERY

Right from the beginning, David distinguished himself as an athlete at Thayer Academy. Hewas a soccer co-captain, a leading scorer on the basketball court, and an outstanding memberof Coach Sawyer’s track team, serving as co-captain with classmate Randy Repass. At Thayer, David set school records in the low and high hurdles; broad jump; and the 60 yard, 180 yard, and half mile events.

After Thayer, David continued his studies at Boston University, receiving a BS in International Business Management in 1968. From Boston University, he went on to study Economics and Religious Education at Oxford for a year, and then returned to Boston to get a Master’s in Education from Harvard. He completed his PhD in Humanistic Education and Social Psychology at Boston University in 1983.

Of course, David wasn’t studying all the time. His track career moved right along with his academic achievements. He became a member of the British Olympic team and, at the 1968Mexico City Olympics, David earned a Gold medal in the 400m hurdles, setting a new world record. Again representing Great Britain at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, David scored a Bronze medal in the 400m hurdles and a Silver medal as a member of the 4x400 relay team. These Olympic accomplishments

were followed by a number of successful international competitions, including winner of the British Superstars of 1973 and 1976 and, in 1983 as a winner of the Past Masters Superstars. In recognition of all of his athletic achievements, David Hemery became one of the first members of the Thayer Academy Hall of Fame, to which he was inducted in 1993.

So, how does one make the transition from athlete to coach? In 1975, David published hisautobiography “Another Hurdle”, and in 1983 wrote “The Pursuit of Sporting Excellence”. This book was the subject of his doctoral thesis at Boston University and is based on interviews with over sixty World or Olympic champions from 22 different sports and a dozen counties. The study looks at what makes a winner and attempts to identify the factors important in fulfilling potential. This book was followed by “Athletics in Action” (1987) and “Winning Without Drugs”(1989).

David returned to the UK in 1983 and, after several years of teaching, began working for theNational Coaching Foundation where he developed courses, and did some public relationsand fundraising for coaching scholarships. In 1989, he started his own company, Pe r fo rmance Coach ing , which applied the principals of coaching to corporate management for many of the UK’s blue chip companies.

Since 1997, David has been a member of the British Olympic Association, serving as Vice Chair since 2004. He has been a key participant in organizing and preparing for the 2012 Olympic Games which will be held in London this summer. He is also a former

President of the UK Athletics Association and is involved with a number of different charities. In his most recent venture, David established a charity called ‘21st Century Legacy’ which developed school programs linked to London winning the right to host the 2012 Olympics. The program aims to inspire and empower young people by asking them to identify their dreams and establish a success map to reach them – challenging them to ‘Live Olympian’ in body, mind, emotion and spirit.

In 2011, David Hemery became the first Briton to be awarded the prestigious European Olympic Committees’ Laurel Award. The Laurel Award is given to a person from Europe who has achieved remarkable sporting merit and performed outstanding services for sport in their country. Today, Thayer Academy honors David Hemery who has shown us by example what it means to “Live Olypmpian.”

on the occasion of the 50th anniversary

of your graduation from thayer academy,

the alumni association presents you with

this achievement award to recognize the

important role you have played in the

world of athletics, coaching, education,

and personal growth. your commitment

to inspiring the youth of many nations

by hard work and example serves as a

testament to thayer academy’s mission

statement which encourages its students

to “rise to honorable achievement

and contribute to the common good.”

DAVID P. HEMERYCLASS OF 1962

ThE AChiEvEMEnT AwARD wAS ESTAbLiShED in1986 bY THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION TO RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING

CONTRIBUTIONS TO A PARTICULAR CAREER OR FIELD OF INTEREST.

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bRAinTREE, MA 02184www.thayer.org