The Blog

“Change” a presidential slogan and a switch to “The MEN of New Cottage.” Owen A., is our dorm president and is accompanied with his “sidekick” Andrew I., We welcomed students from various grades. Graham C., Konrad H.,Jinwoo C., Jonah H., Kevin H., Kori A., Taewon K., Duante H., Keene C., and Alex L. “You know” was heard often. Lots of activities and energy this year and of course lots of bacon! Gas is $3.71. Steve Jobs dies and Queen Elizabeth celebrates her Diamond Jubilee.

Girls are back and Heidi returns as our Dorm President. The school welcomed Mr. Viva and his visible enthusiasm as Head of School and he starts a “yearly message” in the yearbook. Sheila continues as our other dorm parent and Tess returns Others go to a senior dorm.Two leave and we get two midyears. New Cottage responded to the tragic Sumami in Japan. Many children were orphaned and 22,000 people died. Our students spearhead a school event to makes Cranes for Japan. Osh Gosh donated a piece of clothing for each crane, The school made 1,097 cranes which were sent with the clothes.

“Once again GIRLS rule the roost in New Cottage.” Sad that our NC BOYS could not return but we welcomed Daphne R., Rosamund H., Julia O., Caroline B., Heidi B., Tess B., Soo Bin M., Lana S., Miru S., Anya W., Katherine N., to New Cottage this year. Dr. Keefe replaces Ms Suskin as Head of school and the Yearbook was dedicated to his “dedication love and care.” We celebrated 30 years at WHS. Apple introduces the iPad tablet. Novelist J D Salinger dies age 91.

After our son died on March 1st, 2009 the school contacted us and said that they would like to plant a tree in memory of Kenneth. They asked what tree we would like them to plant and where would like it planted. Kenneth’s wife Sheila – and our new dorm parent – came from Louisiana but the state tree was the Bald Cypres and not very interesting. Mississippi on the other hand was the Magnolia so we chose a southern state tree – Magnolia Stellata. Then there was the choice of place and a surprise from the dorm.

Ashley left to get married. Our son Kenneth returned from CA with his girlfriend Sheila. They were married in Dec and Sheila became our other dorm parent. Eileen Suskind became our new Head of School. LED bulbs and recycling are introduced campus wide. Mrs. Myer joined Student Life as Mrs Cassel’s assistant. Haunted Cottage – Live the Scream! Stockmarket crashes and unemployment rises to 10% The school plants a tree for Kenneth and the dorm buys a stone.

We welcomed Ashley as our dorm parent and also some returning students back to New Cottage. This year we also had students from a variety of grades including four freshmen. Bishop Hall opened and they won the window painting competition. Eliot back to girls and Clark back to boys. Dorm photos taken again. Major events 2007- 2008. Nancy Pelosi elected as first female speaker of the house and Steve Jobs announces the iPhone. Hashtag was invented and used in a tweet. Red Sox win World series. Ellen Sears, one of our great dorm parents leaves student life. Mrs Perrin retires after being head of school since 1984.

A 40 bed underclassman dorm with attached faculty housing. Construction was finished in1997. Named after Elizabeth Bishop Walnut Hill alumna and Poet Laureate. Bishop boarded at the Walnut Hill School, where she studied music. At the school her first poems were published by her friend Frani Blough in a student magazine. She attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York where she gave up music, switched to English. Bishop was Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1949 to 1950, the Pulitzer Prize winner for Poetry in 1956, and the National Book Award winner in 1970. She taught at Harvard University from 1970-1977 and was the recipient of the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 1976. Elizabeth Bishop was born in Worcester, MA in 1911 died in Boston in 1979.

BOYS ARE BACK!! After one year of girls New Cottage is once again a boys dorm. A year of change. Eliot is boys for the first time and Clark is girls. Our son Stuart and his wife have a baby girl and we become grandparents. It is Cooper J’s first year at WHS. Lindsey and Mike leave in August after Lindsey does summer school with me. Very sad to see them go. Lindsey spent five years as a New Cottage working with me. During this year the new dorm Elizabeth Bishop Hall is built.

Surprise New Cottage is a GIRLS dorm!! After 16 years of boys, a blue dorm walls, video games, pizzas and soda we go back to girls due to a change in demographics. I replace the pictures and make new curtains. Our head of school Mrs Perrin takes a sabbatical. Christmas this year was one of our best – read the STORY to see why. This May we celebrated the marriage of our great dorm parents Lindsey and Mike. New Cottage received 2nd place in the window painting competition and won a Pizza party. Yes, girls also like Pizza.