The Lovett School 50th Reunion of The Class of 1969
I was thrilled to be invited to the 50th reunion of the 10th grade students who I taught a year after graduating from Sewanee. I had not taken one education course, but I had a good education and good teachers myself, so I was ready to go. I taught European History and second-year French, and really enjoyed that year at Lovett, the school from which I had graduated. It was fun catching up with students, now near 70 years old, and sharing memories about their student days and my teaching them. They too taught me a lot.
I could fill pages with stories about Wawa Hines, Chuck Slick, Hampton Morris, Dale Aiken, John Knox, Elspeth Atkinson, Edwin Quinn, John Feininger, Bertram Boley, Cindy Glover, Ann Johnson, Bill Martin, John Savage, Chauncey Battey, Jay Steele, Patty Wills, Marc Seigel, Leigh Deas, Nancy Smith, Sally Wolfe, Rick Calhoun, and won’t say anything about Jekyll Island, teaching about a courthouse, tipping over a desk, role playing in front of the class, taking up notes, a “jack,” or the results of their votes for who the most important person in history was, and more — but instead, I’ll let the pictures do the talkin’.
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 School Class of 1969 – 50th Reunion
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.