January 2006
Dear Friend of Chatham Hall,
In October I stood in the studio of Georgia O’Keeffe. A number of Chatham Hall alumnae, spouses, and friends were with me on this tour of O’Keeffe locations in and around Santa Fe. This studio was the one place during our three days together where quiet came over our raucous group.
The room is stark, but, curiously enough, not cold. White-washed walls. A large, lengthy table at one end. A modest daybed at the other. And along one wall a bank of windows that lead one’s eyes across the desert and to those eroded hills and mountains of O’Keeffe’s paintings. They crouch in the distance like the paws of a giant, hidden cat. There is a subdued ferocity in all that O’Keeffe did.
I had done some reading (nothing like that of my O’Keeffe-authority wife and a few of our fifty companions) before heading west, and had watched a video about O’Keeffe’s life that the faculty had given me as a gift when I had first arrived at Chatham Hall. She was early on identified with the School in my mind. But there is no doubt that the area north of Santa Fe is her ultimate place. It was made for her and her art—for her and for her life.
I suppose that Chatham Hall was one station on the way toward this ultimate place for Georgia O’Keeffe. It gave her a home as an adolescent, and faculty who believed in her talent. Six years after she had graduated, Chatham Hall provided O’Keeffe a classroom in which to teach—thanks to a brilliant May Willis, who knew O’Keeffe’s worth—when she was doubting whether or not she could be an artist. Then, it propelled her toward the right, full place. Or, perhaps, gave her enough of a sense of herself to search for the ultimate place.
And isn’t that what we want a school to provide? A location where students get that sense of themselves succeeding in a community, so that they can go forth in life and look for the place where their mature talents will ultimately thrive.
So, what has Chatham Hall been doing this fall as a place of successes and a launching pad for future thriving? A few things:
- Students have pursued independent studies on Plant Cancer in Sunflowers, Aquaculture and Aquatic Conservation, The Challenges of Democracy in Latin America, and Metrics, Form & Meaning in the Metaphysical Poets.
- Early admissions to colleges for our seniors include Columbia University, Williams College, Bowdoin College, and Skidmore College.
- Our varsity riders took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in the Southwest Virginia Hunter Jumper Association finals. A sweep! Our powerful varsity swimming team continues to defeat teams from schools many times larger than Chatham Hall! Our varsity field hockey team placed second in the very strong Blue Ridge Conference, losing a tight championship game to the #2 team in the state.
- In addition to the $1 million gift from Nina and Kenneth Botsford that I announced in my last letter to you, a substantial portion of which will go into endowment for faculty salaries, Chatham Hall has received an anonymous $1 million gift for both immediate capital needs and endowment for future capital projects, and a $500,000 gift from the Partridge Foundation to support a range of on-campus programs, including our Leaders in Residence Program.
- Former Ambassador to Hungary Nancy Brinker, founding chair of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, organizer of the world-renowned Race for the Cure, was on campus for two days in late October, speaking to the community and to the School, and meeting with classes and faculty-student study groups.
- Students and faculty have given generously of their time to building Habitat for Humanity houses in Danville and Chatham (Chatham’s first Habitat house, the planning for which is being directed by three faculty at Chatham Hall), organizing items in the food bank in Danville, preparing pets for adoption at the Martinsville SPCA, visiting a local home for the ill and infirm, and developing social action programs for the area.
- Faculty, under the direction of music teacher and Chapel organist Charlotte Paris (who herself played beautifully numerous Bach works as part of the performance) took part in a multi-media presentation on the life and work of Albert Schweitzer.
- Renowned poet David Baker spent two days on campus teaching classes, directing writing workshops, meeting in individual conference with students, and reading his poetry to an all-School gathering. (One of our current seniors had met Baker at a Kenyon College summer program on writing, and she convinced him to visit Chatham Hall.)
- Dr. Leonard Sax, author of the acclaimed Why Gender Matters (and a strong advocate of single-sex education!), addressed faculty, administration, trustees, and friends of the School on how and why girls and boys learn differently. (An alumna had heard of Sax’s work and encouraged us to bring him to campus; her sister purchased more than 240 copies of his book for Chatham Hall to send to educational consultants!)
- A renovated St. Mary’s Chapel Courtyard was dedicated, with more than 70 family and friends present, to the late Haddon S. Kirk, Jr., three of whose daughters attended Chatham Hall, where he served on the Board for nearly 35 years. Robin Hadley ’57 led the special fund drive in memory of her dear friend and Board colleague.
Mind, body, and heart. The work in this place. The ultimate work in the world.
All best wishes for the new year,
Gary Fountain
Rector
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October 13, 2008
Day Student Open House
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November 9-10, 2008
Open House
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December 1. 2008
Early Decision Applications Due
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December 7-8
Open House
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December 15
Notification for Early Decision Applicants
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January 10
Reply Date - Contracts and deposits due for students admitted Early Decision
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January 18-19
Open House
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February 10
Applications and Financial Aid materials Due
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February 15-16
Open House
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March 10
Notification for Applicants
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April 4-5
Revisit Weekend for admitted students and their families
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April 10
Reply Date - Contracts due for admitted students