A wonderful and heartening report.. I've always had the impression that Lawrenceville is more welcoming to conservatives than many a northeastern boarding school these days. That the headmaster hosted a dinner party for you is perhaps revealing. A friend, recently retired, taught English there and loved the oval tables. A full teaching load is four classes, three if you coach. Plenty of time for preparation and the careful teaching of writing with individual attention. Another friend was Chapel organist. Not long ago they spent a pretty penny restoring the organ. Reassuring, somehow! Thanks for this report, Jay.
Great column. I felt as if the young and old Seans were waving to me. The experience of elbowing for position in a crowded 440 field on L'ville's then state of the art indoor running track in 1970 remains green in my memory. As does my most recent Wellborne six months ago (or whenever the last tme I played was) at Moselem Springs Golf Club in Fleetwood, PA. Thanks!
I, too, would like another go at a good school. I went to a good one, University of Detroit Jesuit, and it was the most miserable time of my life. I am sure that I would find it more interesting and challenging now than I did then. Thanks for the update on Tripp Welborne - All American safety at Michigan until a knee injury ended his career in his senior year - tore it up on a punt return. Thanks for these great columns!
Re small-town state capitals, in 1995, while I was on the staff at West Point, I completed my master's degree in History at Vermont College, which is located in Montpelier. I can only remember seeing one traffic light there. It was SMALL! And beautiful.
That bit about a beloved former headmaster, McPherson—what a man. And, with “the added grace of wit and humor," certainly a man of another time. The effect of a single individual—of his behavior, his motives, his manners—on a society: We seem ignorant these days of its magnitude. (Just enter traffic at rush hour in Anywhere, USA for evidence.) In his final column for The New York Times published on Friday, David Brooks touched on this. "We all create a moral ecology around ourselves," he writes, "one that either elevates the people we touch or degrades them." You too, Jay, have a talent for cultivating such an ecology. Bravo.
Even though I don't care about Lawrenceville, this article makes me care. Over my life, I've had some outstanding teachers. Robert Waller, who wrote "Bridges Over Madison County" was one of them. Tough and intellectual, he made me want to know more about economics and taught like no other teacher-sort of the way Jay writes. I think schools overall overlook the value of personal instruction. The highly inefficient and ineffective public school system is largely like this. It is too regimented, standardized, and mismanaged. Dr. Waller reflected none of that and taught economics his own way. I will never forget him and others who took the time to really care about what they taught.
Google AI’s summary of its “thoughts” about which preposition to use in this sentence:
"For generations, it was known as a feeder school to Princeton."
Summary Recommendation:
Use "to" if you are describing the historic flow of students. Use "for" if you want to emphasize the school’s mission or function in relation to the university. Avoid "of" unless you are implying a specific administrative link.
Jay, you should see if you can find (maybe on YouTube?) the 3-episode PBS series “The Lawrenceville Stories” from the late 80’s. It’s just delightful, funny and charming (and the main character in the second episode looks a lot like Trevor Lawrence).
Jay,hope this finds you and yours well. Regarding Lawrenceville. Many (20?) years ago,I was VP of Sales for Seduttos Ice Cream. I built/developed the Purple Cow Ice Cream Store on Main St.
Beautiful town,original owners were terrific folks. Is it still there? Best, Dan
A wonderful and heartening report.. I've always had the impression that Lawrenceville is more welcoming to conservatives than many a northeastern boarding school these days. That the headmaster hosted a dinner party for you is perhaps revealing. A friend, recently retired, taught English there and loved the oval tables. A full teaching load is four classes, three if you coach. Plenty of time for preparation and the careful teaching of writing with individual attention. Another friend was Chapel organist. Not long ago they spent a pretty penny restoring the organ. Reassuring, somehow! Thanks for this report, Jay.
Thx a ton, CU.
Great column. I felt as if the young and old Seans were waving to me. The experience of elbowing for position in a crowded 440 field on L'ville's then state of the art indoor running track in 1970 remains green in my memory. As does my most recent Wellborne six months ago (or whenever the last tme I played was) at Moselem Springs Golf Club in Fleetwood, PA. Thanks!
Great! Many thanks.
I, too, would like another go at a good school. I went to a good one, University of Detroit Jesuit, and it was the most miserable time of my life. I am sure that I would find it more interesting and challenging now than I did then. Thanks for the update on Tripp Welborne - All American safety at Michigan until a knee injury ended his career in his senior year - tore it up on a punt return. Thanks for these great columns!
Thank you, Rob!
Re small-town state capitals, in 1995, while I was on the staff at West Point, I completed my master's degree in History at Vermont College, which is located in Montpelier. I can only remember seeing one traffic light there. It was SMALL! And beautiful.
That bit about a beloved former headmaster, McPherson—what a man. And, with “the added grace of wit and humor," certainly a man of another time. The effect of a single individual—of his behavior, his motives, his manners—on a society: We seem ignorant these days of its magnitude. (Just enter traffic at rush hour in Anywhere, USA for evidence.) In his final column for The New York Times published on Friday, David Brooks touched on this. "We all create a moral ecology around ourselves," he writes, "one that either elevates the people we touch or degrades them." You too, Jay, have a talent for cultivating such an ecology. Bravo.
Many thanks.
Even though I don't care about Lawrenceville, this article makes me care. Over my life, I've had some outstanding teachers. Robert Waller, who wrote "Bridges Over Madison County" was one of them. Tough and intellectual, he made me want to know more about economics and taught like no other teacher-sort of the way Jay writes. I think schools overall overlook the value of personal instruction. The highly inefficient and ineffective public school system is largely like this. It is too regimented, standardized, and mismanaged. Dr. Waller reflected none of that and taught economics his own way. I will never forget him and others who took the time to really care about what they taught.
Google AI’s summary of its “thoughts” about which preposition to use in this sentence:
"For generations, it was known as a feeder school to Princeton."
Summary Recommendation:
Use "to" if you are describing the historic flow of students. Use "for" if you want to emphasize the school’s mission or function in relation to the university. Avoid "of" unless you are implying a specific administrative link.
Jay, you should see if you can find (maybe on YouTube?) the 3-episode PBS series “The Lawrenceville Stories” from the late 80’s. It’s just delightful, funny and charming (and the main character in the second episode looks a lot like Trevor Lawrence).
That looks like a really cool place and sounds like one also. Is it an all-boys school? Sounded like it.
I have been to New Jersey, but, not in that area...
PS: Some days, I also dream of going back to school, just to learn things.
👍
Jay,hope this finds you and yours well. Regarding Lawrenceville. Many (20?) years ago,I was VP of Sales for Seduttos Ice Cream. I built/developed the Purple Cow Ice Cream Store on Main St.
Beautiful town,original owners were terrific folks. Is it still there? Best, Dan
I'm not sure. I'd sure like to go!
Neat homage. I’d go with “for.”
👍