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ST. ANSELM’S ABBEY S WASHINGTON, D.C. FALL 2016 VOL. 25 NO. 1

9TH GRADE (FORM III) NOW - 2016

9TH GRADE THEN - 1942

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corbie chronicle

ST. ANSELM’S ABBEY SCHOOL4501 South Dakota Avenue, NE

Washington, DC 20017

202-269-2350

www.saintanselms.org

The Corbie Chronicle is published two times a year by

the Communications Office of St. Anselm’s Abbey

School.

We welcome correspondence and submissions from

the St. Anselm’s Abbey School community. Please

direct letters, class notes and other communication

to Mary Kelly at the School or via email at mkelly@

saintanselms.org.

Photography in this publication has been provided by

the St. Anselm’s Abbey School faculty and staff, the

student publications staff including Nishant Carr (VI),

Tom Connelly, and parents Laura Libanati, Holly

Howe, and Paul Domson.

We apologize in advance for any errors and/or

omissions.

Design and Layout: Mary Kelly

Production and Printing: Executive Press Inc.

The Corbie Chronicle

A Message from the President 3Fr. Peter Weigand, OSB

Reflections from the Headmaster 5Mr. Bill Crittenberger

Fall Scholarship Gala: Then and Now 6

Campus News 8

Panther Sports 14

Class Notes/Alumni News 18

History of St. Anselm’s Abbey School 20

In Memoriam 22

The first day of school is always an exciting day.

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A Message from the President

“Your commitment to the formation and education of youth is deeply appreciated and highly qualified. The students of your schools, through study and your life testimony, can also become experts of the humanism that emanates from the Benedictine Rule. Your contemplative life is also a privileged channel for nourishing youth.”

Pope Francis

Dear Alumni, Students, Faculty and Staff, Past and Present Parents, Members of the Board of Trustees, Benefactors, and Friends of St. Anselm’s Abbey School:

On October 29th, the school held its 34th Annual Fall Scholarship Gala—the start of our 75th Anniversary celebration. This year, we honored Robert J. Branson, ’66, and Courtenay Pecoraro, mother of three graduates (Benjamin ’06, Matthias ’13, and Timothy ’16). Mr. Branson and Mrs. Pecoraro are shining examples of the many benefactors who have provided funding, time, talent, and energy to St. Anselm’s. The Gala grossed over $275,000 for current financial aid, which is so vital.

I want to thank the Gala co-chairs, Mrs. Kay Kalhorn and Mrs. Kimberly Walhout, and all the mothers, fathers, and school staff who worked so hard on the logistics, flowers, tables, and the silent auction. Let me take this opportunity to once again thank everyone—attendees, donors, bidders, and paddle raiser—who contributed to this SOCIAL event of the year and for sharing in our Benedictine mission of recreating our world through education.

On November 6th, the school hosted its Annual Fall Open House. Over 145 prospective students and their families toured the campus with current students as guides. Our admissions officers, Peter Young, ’01, and Blake Hollinger, with the aid of the faculty and staff, truly made visible the St. Anselm’s Experience.

The visitors’ excitement and interest in the school’s academic program was evident to all. With such enthusiasm, I am sure many new applications will blossom forth.

From November 10th until the 13th, Fr. Michael Hall, OSB, '56, faculty, and several Sixth Form leaders guided the Fifth Form through their Kairos Retreat. Again, a most uplifting and religous gift to all. This event remains a highlight for our Fifth Form class each year; it is appropriately referred to as a spiritual oasis flooding our students with grace.

By now you have received my Annual Fund letter, which began with the above quote from Pope Francis. His words were addressed to the participants in the INTERNATIONAL BENEDICTINE CONGRESS OF ABBOTS in Rome on September 8th during their papal audience, at which Abbot James was present. Pope Francis went on to say, “Do not be discouraged if the members of monastic communities decrease in number or grow old; on the contrary, preserve the zeal of your testimony. Your service to the Church is very precious. Even in our time, there is a need for men and women who place nothing before the love of Christ (The Rule of Saint Benedict, 4:21; 72:11), who nourish themselves daily with the Word of God, who worthily celebrate the holy liturgy, and who joyfully and diligently work in harmony with creation.”

I am pleased to report that Br. Samuel Springuel, OSB, a 1998 graduate of St. Anselm’s, professed his Solemn Vows as a Benedictine monk of St. Anselm’s Abbey on Sunday, October 16th. Yes, after 92 years, we as an abbey continue to begin again.

On September 15th, 1942, the “Then” Priory School began with 15 young men. On August 25th, 75 years later, the “Now” St. Anselm’s Abbey School opened its doors to 255 eager scholars. As a monastic school within a 1,500-year-old Benedictine tradition, we know it is always time to begin again.

A chronicle is a means to review where we have been, where we are now, and point to where we are going. On June 4th, 2016, the school graduated its 71st class and college placements were outstanding. Besides inspiring bright minds with an exceptional education, it is our mission each day to bring the joy of Christ’s Word and Love to each and every individual in our extended community. It has always been my conviction that the major problems confronting humanity can only be solved through prayer and education.

The busyness of September began with Back-to-School Nights, House Day celebrations, the Parents Association Picnic, Alumni Career Day on September 19th, and culminated with Homecoming Weekend on the 23rd. The first Board of Trustees meeting took place on October 1st, Winter Dress Code began on the 3rd, followed by the Parent-Teacher Conferences on the 20th and 21st. I only had 34 conferences on those two days compared to 92 conferences for some teachers.

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On the weekend of November 18th, the Priory Players delighted theatergoers with a most professional performance of Into The Woods by Stephen Sondheim. These fall musicals continue to have more "oomph: Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair" as our gifted director, Mr. Philip Dickerson, develops the talents of our Priory Players to even loftier heights.

At 5:00 p.m. on November 26th, the school community held its traditional Alumni Memorial Mass in the Devine Theater, followed by light fare in the Commons at 6:00. Then at 7:00, the customary Alumni-Varsity basketball game took place. This year the Varsity Panthers won, 89 - 42.

I hope that you have all read my Annual Fund appeal literature. The monks are asking for your help by making a contribution to the 2016-2017 Annual Fund. You can apply your gift to any or all of the following pressing needs: 1) Support for the Overall School Budget; 2) Support of the Abbey and our Aging Monks; and 3) Current-year Financial Aid. Remember, even though the Annual Fund runs until June 30th, 2017, it would be most helpful to the school if we could receive your gifts by December

31st, that way you gain an earlier tax advantage. Please find an envelope in this Corbie Chronicle for your convenience. Let me thank, once again, those who have already given, and let me thank in advance those who can help the abbey and school now.

In closing, let me wish you and yours a most Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year 2017 as we live our faith day in and day out. The joy of the Incarnation remains a focal point of Christian belief throughout the year. This is expressed most beautifully in the Magnificat Antiphon for the Octave Day of Christmas, which the monks sing at Vespers: "O wonderful exchange. The Creator of mankind, being born of a Virgin, has Himself become a man. And we have been made sharers in the divinity of Christ, who humbled Himself to share in our humanity."

Pax in Sapientia,

Fr. Peter Weigand, OSB, President

75th Anniversary: A Two-Year CelebrationWhy a two-year celebration? Seventy-five is a number well worth celebrating. Taking two years will allow us to both look back at our rich history and then to look forward to a future of continuing our Benedictine charism into the next 75 years. On pages 20 and 21, there is a brief history of St. Anselm’s Abbey School. In our next issue, you will read about plans for the next 75 years and beyond.

“Corbie” ChroniCle?Corbie is the Scottish word for raven. Monastic tradition says that Saint Benedict had a pet raven that conveyed messages to him and would help him in times of need. Fr. Michael Hall, OSB, chose the name Corbie Chronicle for the school’s publication as a fitting title to reflect Benedict’s raven and our Scottish history because St. Anselm’s Priory was founded in 1924 by the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey, Fort Augustus, Scotland.

As a result of the 2011 Strategic Plan, the Benedictine Ethos Steering Committee was formed. In an era of fewer monastic vocations, the committee seeks to integrate reminders of Benedictine values into the everyday life of the school. The annual Benedictine Heritage Week began in 2013 as a way to initiate students to the concepts, history, and meaning of Benedictine Ethos. A day of Ora et Labora (Prayer and Work) was also implemented. Students were instructed in Benedictine history specific to St. Anselm’s Abbey and performed a day of service to either the school or to the outside community. Teachers gave reflections and students learned more about the school's House system and the names of the monks associated with each of the four Houses.

This school year, the committee proposed a Benedictine Curriculum for all students. Form A will be given an

introduction to the ethos in their Liberal Arts class. The question to be answered is, “What makes a Benedictine education so special?” Form I will study Benedictine themes from the Old Testament and Form II will concentrate on prayer and the Liturgy of the Hours. Form III and IV will learn about the Desert Fathers and the history of famous monasteries. Form V will study Benedictine Themes in Literature and Form VI can take Fr. Michael’s class on History of Western Monasticism.

In all religion classes, students will study readings from The Rule, the Lives of Benedictine Saints, and others from various Benedictine authors. The school community is grateful to the monks and strives to maintain their charism.

Benedictine Ethos Steering Committee

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reflections from the Headmaster

Dear St. Anselm’s Community,

Years ago, a renowned coach was asked by a reporter how he thought the upcoming season would go. He famously said, “we’ll see in twenty or thirty years.” In a community such as ours--where the Benedictine order and monastic presence has been around for 1,500 years; where a boy’s development, as guided by caring adults, is defined, metaphorically, as a molding of wax; and where the school’s unwavering belief in the quality and efficacy of a clas-sical liberal arts education allows it to continue to train young minds in a manner that has worked exceedingly well--taking the long-view thoughtfully and well is what we do.

Alumni Weekend is the last weekend in April. The weekend’s kick-off is a Friday afternoon address to the student body from a distinguished member of the “Golden Class,” the group of Abbey alumni here to celebrate their 50th anniversary. No matter who the speaker is or the personalities found in each year’s student audience, I find that despite the marked age difference there are far more similarities than there are differences between today’s St. Anselm’s students and the 68-year old gentleman there to address them. Whether a renowned attorney whose work experience includes oral argument before the Supreme Court or a respected professor of Classics at the university level, as was the case the past two years, the mutuality of respect and the spark of affection that marks the speaker’s time with his student audience is both heart-warming and somewhat predictable, as Abbey Boys, in the end, appear to be Abbey Boys. Evidently, a half-century of chronological differ-ence can’t pull apart what is meant to be.

The youngsters in the audience deeply appreciate learning about the school of the 60’s--be that students taking six years of Lat-in, five years of French, and four years of Greek (I kid you not) and how best to avoid a date with the headmaster’s paddle—and the speaker, via the Q and A segment, finds himself complete-

ly reassured and at peace that this newest iteration of St. An-selm’s students continues to be engaged and charming. The questions asked, regardless of a boy’s grade level, are always impressive and typically provoc-ative, and never deviate from being posed articulately and re-spectfully. My sense is that the speaker, and his classmates and family members who are in at-tendance, walk away thinking that St. Anselm’s circa 2016 is a school that knows and still appre-ciates that a classic is a classic. Here at the halfway point in the year, things at St. Anselm’s con-tinue to go exceedingly well, and our students--happy, motivated, and challenged--most definitely are thriving. Our senior class is fantastic both in its buy-in of leadership responsibilities and mod-eling of school values and in its across-the-board excellence. Our new faculty and staff and new students have proven to be excel-lent contributors from the jump and a great and happy fit.

God willing, I intend to check in regularly with these extraordi-nary young men over the next few decades, and I won’t be at all surprised by the beautifully varying shapes, sizes, and colors of their lives and trajectories, all in service to the Lord and to others. God is good.

Pax in Sapientia,

William T. CrittenbergerHeadmaster

2016 Fall Open House – making a great impression

Charles von Goins, II (I), Vinnie Blum (II), and Sharen Perera (II) are tour guides and greeters.

Jack Kalhorn (VI), Student Government President, speaks to prospective students and parents.

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On October 29, we held the 34th Annual Fall Scholarship Gala, “Then and Now.” The evening was a tremendous success. The Gala exceeded our goal and we grossed more than $275,000 for current-year financial aid. Robert J. Branson ’66 and past parent Courtenay Pecoraro were inducted into the St. Anselm’s Hall of Honor for their years of service and support of the school.

Please watch for more information about next year’s Gala, which is on Saturday, October 28, 2017.

Ed Treacy and Br. Dunstan Roubidoux, OSB Upperclassmen Tyler Pirovic (VI), Marcus Domson (V), and Aidan Dwyer (VI) were among 30 students who sold raffle tickets and helped make the auction run smoothly.

Past parents are glad for the chance to reconnect at the Gala.

"Then and Now"34th Annual Fall Scholarship Gala

Alessandra Styles bids on a live auction item. She continues to actively support both the school and the Abbey and is an invaluable asset to our community.

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G a l a H o n o r e e s

Bill Fennell '66 introduces his classmate and Gala Honoree Bob Branson '66.

Last year's honorees Sarah Elder and her husband, Paul Yde, stand to be recognized.

Gala Co-Chair, faculty member, and current parent Kay Kalhorn advises Gala particpants to buy their raffle tickets, as the winner would soon be announced.

Bob Branson'66, has been a generous benefactor to St. Anselm's over many years.

Courtenay Pecoraro was recognized for her many years of volunteerism for the school. She and her husband have three sons who graduated from St. Anselm's.

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Campus News

House Day is one of the most anticipated events at St. Anselm’s. There are four Houses: Alban, Austin, Main, and Moore. They are named for four Benedictine monks who were instrumental in either founding or administrating the school. The Houses are comprised of students from every Form and every boy is drafted into a House. The House system was instituted in 1984. According to the 1985 Priory Perspective yearbook, Headmaster Fr. Michael Hall, OSB, “wanted to bring about more school leadership and knit the school community, especially the upper and lower formers, closer together. House committees were formed to sponsor sporting events, fund drives, and projects.”

The current student government is comprised of the senior House leaders. The Houses compete against each other all year in various activities including intramurals. At the end of the year, a House cup is awarded to the House with the most points. House Day

was started in 2006 as a way to get the boys initiated into the system in the beginning of the school year. House Day 2016 started with older boys drafting the new boys into their r e s p e c t i v e Houses. Each new student

was visibly excited to find out into which House they would be inducted. When their name was called, their beaming continence exhibited their feelings of belonging and acceptance. They were very excited to run down to the stage and to be handed a House t-shirt and be accepted into the “group” while older boys cheered and applauded them. Except for younger siblings, most new boys did not have a preference into which House they were drafted.

Normally, House Day is a full day of outdoor competitions including football, ultimate Frisbee, dodge ball, relay races, and other contests. This year, which proved to be a scorching hot day, the morning activities were held outside but the afternoon competitions were held in the gym. They included board

games and basketball. The oldest boys were in charge of the day, set the schedule, and judged the winners.

While one House “won” with the most points, every student who was there came away feeling valued and appreciated. They now belonged somewhere where they were accepted and applauded for no other reason than they were who they were. They didn’t have to try out or apply, and yet they were now part of a group for the whole time they were at St. Anselm’s. Coming at the beginning of the school year, House Day allowed each boy to feel a part of the whole right away.

William Bradley (A) said, “I thought it was an awesome and fun day. We got to play football, dodgeball, and ultimate Frisbee.” Another Form A student, Jalen Thayer, said, “I am in Austin House – which is the best one. My House is the smallest and we scored all of our points honestly and that makes me feel really good.” Braxton Peace said, “House Day gave me the chance to meet everyone in my house, including older students. It was a lot of fun.”

Every boy who comes to St. Anselm’s remembers which House they belong to and those friendships that they formed.

house day

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Students Receive Honors for National Merit, AP Exams

Mr. Alex Morse, Head of the Upper School, Harry Daley-Young, Aidan Dwyer, Remy Slimp, Benjamin Hicks, Jack Kalhorn, Nishant Carr, Micah Shenk-Evans, Samuel McBroom, Yujing Yan, Jonah BarrÓn, Aditya Arun, Mr. Bill Crittenberger, Headmaster. Not pictured: Aamir Khuller

Noah is on the It’s Academic team, the Quiz Bowl team, and is a leader in his Boy Scout troop. He has also participated in productions for the Priory Players.

Michael is well-travelled and speaks French and Spanish. He has performed for the Priory Players. He is a three-sport athlete in soccer, wrestling, and baseball.

Form VI National Merit Commended Scholars

Mr. Alex Morse, Head of the Upper School, Noah Fuller, Michael Libanati, Mr. Bill Crittenberger, Headmaster

AP ScoresFor almost 75 years, St. Anselm’s Abbey School has maintained a rigorous curriculum that remains one of the most demanding in the region. The average student takes ten AP exams before he graduates. Each student is required to take five. AP classes are taught in the sciences, mathematics, world languages, English, social studies, history, art, and computer science.

Class of 201682% AP Scholars8 National AP Scholars5 AP Scholars with Honor16 AP Scholars with Distinction

Class of 201773% are already AP ScholarsThe 40 students in this class have taken 213 AP exams. Their scores:15% are 5’s31% are 4’s46% are 4's or 5's76% are 3's, 4's, or 5's

National Merit SemifinalistsNoah Fuller (VI) and Michael Libanati (VI)

The It's Academic Team and St. Anselm's Abbey School want to thank Mrs. Gingi Enzel for her dedicated mentorship over many years. We miss her.

In the end of October, the It’s Academic Team “won the opening round handily, achieving one of the widest margins of victory in recent years,” according to Headmaster Bill Crittenberger. They

competed against T.C. Williams from Alexandria, Virginia and B-CC from Bethesda, Maryland. The scores were: St. Anselm’s: 610; B-CC: 410; and, T.C. Williams: 350. Our team members are: Nathaniel Monahan (V), team captain Harry Daley-Young (VI), and Noah Fuller (VI), with Will Monahan (III) and Philip Flannery (V) as the alternates. The boys are coached by Mrs. Maryrita Dunlavey, librarian, Dr. Herb Woods, math and science teacher, and Mr. Henry Achilles, social studies teacher. NBC 4 will air the show on Saturday, January 14, 2017 at 10 am, and the next level competition will be taped on February 18. Be sure to tune in!

It’s Academic Success!

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Career DayCampus News

Eleven alumni ranging from the Class of 1956 to the Class of 2005 returned to St. Anselm’s to share their life experiences with present Form V and VI students. They spoke about their educational choices: where they went to school and what they studied. They also shared their professional experiences and how their choices guided their careers in both the public and private sectors. Returning to campus were: engineers, doctors, com-munication professionals, lawyers, bankers, and a monk about to take Solemn Vows. The students listened with great interest and asked pertinent questions. The visit concluded with a casual pizza social party so that they could chat in a more relaxed at-mosphere.

Michael Gorman ’83, Gavan Montague ’91, Martin Feeney ’05, Adam Matuszeski ’95, Jeb Fain ’04, George Mattingly ’56, Dr. Peter Schmeissner ’86, Dr. Paul Domson ’86, Br. Samuel Springuel ’98, Dr. Alexander Isaac ’86, Blair O’Connell ‘05

Dr. Alexander Isaac ’86, speaks to Ian Adoremos (V) about his psychiatric practice, his education, and his life experiences.

Adam Matuszeski ’95, shares his experience as a mechanical engineer. He consults with both the government and private companies on flow management and measurement uncertainty topics.

LCDR Gavan Montague ’91, is the assistant environmental counsel to US Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk. He spoke to the students about military law.

Jeb Fain ’04, is the Communications Director for the House Majority PAC and shared his experiences in politics and on Capitol Hill.

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CastBaker - Jack Schwartz

Baker’s Wife - Maela Hamilton-PritchettCinderella - Sarah Slimp

Jack - Max MaimoneWitch - Isobel Springer

Stepmother - Katie KalhornFlorinda - Claire Maco

Lucinda - Wanyana NjukiCinderella’s Father - Remy Slimp

Cinderella’s Prince - Evan SchoomakerRapunzel’s Prince - Solomon Fenton

Narrator/Mysterious Man - Will MuoioWolf - John Paul LibanatiLittle Red - Hannah Rees

Jack’s Mother - Maeve BallantineSteward - Ryan Torpey

Little Red’s Granny- Anitra Howard Rapunzel - Katya CavanaughMilky-White - Luke Kalhorn

Giant (Voice) - George Anninos

CrewHarry Daley-Young, Ryan McFeeters, Luke Craver, Yves Eisenberg, Christian Gonzales,

Jack Werwinski, Spencer Foucart, Sarah Slimp, Wanyana Njuki, Claire Maco, Will Muoio, Ryan Torpey, Audrey Cibel, Tyler Pirovic,

Katie Kalhorn,

Jack Schwartz (VI) is the Baker who is trying to break the Witch's spell on his household.

Max Maimone (IV) as Jack who tries to sell Luke Kalhorn (I) as Milky-White the cow and only gets worthless beans.

Left: Evan Shoomaker is Cinderella's Prince and Solomon Fenton is Rapunzel's Prince. They are both in Form VI and this is their last Abbey musical. Approximately 500 people came to see the production, which received rave reviews. Congratulations to the cast, crew, musicians, and director Phil Dickerson.

John Paul Libanati (II) is the Wolf who pursues Little Red Ridinghood.

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Renaissance dayOn Renaissance Day, the entire school takes a break from the regular class schedule to explore issues and interests that fall outside the usual curriculum. Faculty members and upperclassmen – truly a group of “renaissance” men and women – put together a range of sessions covering topics as diverse as yoga, candle making, LED robotics, Japanese language, dance, and many more. Students attended three different sessions. Because the day fell on Halloween, the students were allowed to wear costumes. The day concluded with costume judging, a tug of war between faculty and seniors, and ice cream for all.

While all the workshops session titles are too numerous to list, the selection below show the range of topics.

DominoesYogaMini Punkin’ Chunkin’ – Catapults & other projectilesHistory & Science of Paper AirplanesSoftballLED RoboticsA Day in the Life of a MonkLine DancingKaraokeFly FishingAll Things FootballCandle MakingPitching ClinicMaking MozzarellaCookies 101Analyzing AdvertisingMeditationHorseshoesCandy MakingKenjutsuIntegrated CircuitsLearn to Watch SumoSpeak JapaneseNuclear War: What it Means to YouCertamenBig BandsVexillology - Fun with FlagsA Brief History of DC ComicsCrosswords

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Second Form students (and twins) Nick and Stephen DeCarlo met Pope Francis at the Vatican last summer. They were there for a healing Mass for the Holy Year of Mercy. The ushers allowed them to stay in a special section and to meet the pope because they were so helpful with the sick and disabled who had come to get the pope’s blessing. The boys exemplified the true and helpful heart of an Abbey boy. Nick’s mother, Sonja DeCarlo, said, “The Pope asked for Nick’s prayers and Nick asked for his; they shook on it and Nick considers it a contract.”

Papal Audience

Kay Kalhorn's Form A Life Science classes conducted experiments to determine which brand of bubble gum blew the best bubbles. This lab introduced the scientific method and lab procedure. The students had a blast while achieving the lesson's objectives.

At right, Michael Lynch's bubble is measured by Bruno Karpiniski.

Form II went to Calleva Outdoors in Poolesville, Maryland, which is a ropes course where they worked on teambuilding. Form A and their upperclass "big brothers" went on a rafting trip in early September. Form IV also went on a rafting trip on a very rainy day.

Four professionals who learned a language in school (and are non-native speakers) and now use that skill in their careers came to share their experience, challenges, and successes at an all-school forum. They came to encourage students to learn another language fluently because doing so opens many doors and allows them to get to know people and cultures at a deeper level. After introducing themselves, the panelists and the students engaged in a lively question-and-answer session.

World Language Forum

Jill Werwinski (FBI), Brian Harker (Acclaim Technical Service), Steven Berbeco (State Department), Elizabeth Knutsen (retired, Naval Academy)

The Scientific Method

Form Activity Days

Campus News

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Panther SportsCross Country, Soccer by Steve Roush, Athletic DirectorThe cross country team had a very good season. The mid-dle school team was led all season by Nick DeCarlo (II) and Arthur Hicks (I). They were also the highest Panther finishers at the middle school PVAC Championships. The varsity cross country team placed fourth out of ten in the PVAC. Matt Laskowski (V) finished third in the PVAC Championships. He was named to the All-PVAC cross country first team and set several personal bests throughout the season. Peter Clark (IV) finished twelfth in the PVAC Championships and was named to the All-PVAC cross country second team and also set sever-al personal bests throughout the season.

This was another great season for Panther soccer! The middle school team, coached by Arabic and French teacher Abdel Gu-bartalla had a great season heading into the playoffs with a 7-3 record. In the PVAC playoffs the team hosted a good Hebrew Academy team and was able to defeat them 3-0. In the semi-fi-nals, the Panthers traveled to a strong CES Jewish Day School team, which had defeated the Panthers earlier in the year. The young Panthers played a spirited game and defeated JDS 1-0 to advance to the PVAC finals. The middle school PVAC finals pitted the Panthers against Washington International School. WIS proved too talented for the Panthers, who lost 2-4 and

were awarded the second place plaque. Over twenty-five per-cent of the St. Anselm’s middle school students participated in interscholastic soccer.

The varsity soccer team had an exciting season with sever-al thrilling games. Coached by Tony Figueroa and Kyle Bel-lows (Arabic and French teacher), the team had a solid sea-son with a record of 5-5-1, with three games against the DC city champions. In the PVAC playoffs, the Panthers hosted a tough CES Jewish Day. The game ended in a 1-1 tie. Af-ter two five-minute golden goal periods, the teams went into penalty kicks. The Panthers prevailed after the keeper, Micah Shenk-Evans (VI) blocked the fourth kick. The final score of the game was 5-4. The semi-final game pitted the Panthers against Washington International. The Panthers played a very spirited game reaching the half with a 1-1 tie. The second half was not as kind with the Panthers losing 4-2. (WIS went on to not only win the PVAC but also to defeat the WCAC, MAC, and public charter school champions to win the city champi-onship.) Chris Pierre (VI), Michael Libanati (VI), Clement Williams (VI), and Xavier Preston (IV) were all named to the All-PVAC soccer second team. Nearly twenty percent of the upper school participated in soccer this season.

Individual runners pictured above: Andre LeVan (VI) and David Terry (IV)

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MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER

Front Row: David Caballero (A), Adin Isaac (A), A.J. Noone (I), Dash Tischler (I), Bjorn Schaefer-Riechert (I), Daniel Mackenzie (A), Anuj Berry (I), Phillip Bourque (I), Griffin Burchard (II), Peyson Pearce (II), Xavier Grimaldi (II). Back row, Ben Doyle (I), Vinnie Blum (II), Hayden Dangle (II), Matthew Johnson (II), Isaac Smoker (II), Sharen Perera (II), Luca Smith (II), Robert Thompson (II), Teddy Montague (I), Simon Hoefling (I), Joseph Lang (II), Coach Abdel Gubartalla.

Left: Form VI Varsity team: Top row: Willy Roy, Tyler Pirovic, Patrick Sansone, Chris Pierre*, Clement Williams*, Carlos Dolmuz, Caleb Somborac

Bottom Row: Aidan Dwyer, Michael Libanati*, Micah Shenk-Evans, Emmanuel Ogundipe, David Donawa, Nishant Carr

* Team Captains

Above: Abbey fans (including seniors) come out to cheer on the MS team at the PVAC Championship game.

VARSITY SOCCER

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Faculty Notes

2016 HSPA Teachers of the Year Two teachers were honored at the annual HSPA (High School Principals Association) professional development day in October:

Veteran Teacher AwardJohn Corrigan ’ 83The consummate “Abbey Boy,” John Corrigan has served his alma mater with devotion, selflessness, and excellence for fifteen years as an Algebra I, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, and AP Calculus BC teacher. He is also St. Anselm’s math department chair, AP co-coordinator, academic scheduler, and senior class advisor. John is regularly praised by stu-dents for the high quality and depth of his instruction, his no-nonsense yet supportive approach, his sage counsel and ever-availability, and his unparalleled dependability. He is an intense advocate for each and every student.

Novice Teacher AwardMike Manglitz ’ 00Michael Manglitz began his relationship with St. Anselm’s Abbey School as a Form III student in 1996 and the school has been richly blessed by his return as both a teacher and a coach. As was clear ever since he was a student at the Ab-bey, Mike possesses an extraordinary enthusiasm, kindness, and insight which, combined with his remarkable ability to inspire those virtues in others, has made him one of our most successful teachers. After completing his doctorate in American poetry, Mike took on full-time teaching du-ties with courses ranging from AP English and AP World History to Form I Pre-Algebra, all while coaching JV and Varsity Basketball and serving as the Form I grade advisor.

Featured Faculty Member: Dr. Herb Wood

Dr. Wood has been a fixture at St. Anselm’s Abbey School since 1986. He has taught Engineering, Physics, and Mathematics to hundreds of Abbey boys. He and his lessons are extremely memorable! Below is one of his lessons for AP Multi-Variable Calculus.

Multi-Variable Calculus and The Cat

on a Hot Tin Roof

What do Multi-Variable Calculus and Tennessee Williams have in common? Hard to believe they are related to each other, but Dr. Wood knows differently. “It is a little known fact that Tennessee Williams was inspired to write the play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by a lecture in one of his Calculus classes (he was also a gifted math guy).”

Multi-Variable Calculus is the study of the vector approach to three- dimensional systems and the calculus that applies to them. The class is very theoretical and students must study the concepts, history, and philosophy of the various mathematicians and scientists who contributed to the field.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is the story of a dysfunctional, alcoholic, and wealthy Southern family. Maggie, “the cat”, marries into a situation where there are multiple unspoken rifts in the families’ relationships.

She desperately wants to start a “normal” family, but her husband is either unable or unwilling to commit himself to her because of all of his family issues. She is a cat who is seeking to escape her situation. The play won the Pulitzer Prize in 1955.

How are these two things related?

Dr. Wood explained that the when the field of calculus was first carved out, the language that was used was not uniform. Different people used different terms for the same things. In the mid-nineteenth century, Dr. Josiah Gibbs invented modern vector calculus and also made major contributions to the fields of engineering, chemistry and physics. He was the first to develop three dimensional graphs to efficiently explain how things worked.

To illustrate this, Dr. Wood used the example of a cat on a hot tin plate. Dr. Gibbs imagined a tin plate with a flame placed underneath. A scientist would take temperature readings at different places on the plate as the tin heated up. How did heat spread out from the middle where the flame was? That was a matter of taking temperatures and graphing them. However, what if a cat was dropped on to the tin plate? What would be the fastest way for the cat to escape the heat? The cat would want to move along a radius that led to the outside as quickly as possible. In order to calculate that path, Dr. Wood explained that previous mathematicians used long and complex algebraic calculations. However, Dr. Gibbs determined that by “grabbing the center and pulling it out and adding time to the equation, the cat’s escape could be calculated more quickly,” Dr. Gibbs was the first to efficiently define the three-dimensional graph.

Tennessee Williams was a student of calculus. When he imagined his protagonist, Maggie “the cat,” wanting to take the easiest, fastest way out of her situation, he thought of the problem of the cat on the hot tin. What was the fastest way? How could that be calculated? The play is the result of Tennessee Williams questioning that thesis.

Dr. Wood and his wife celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. This past summer, their granddaughter, Tessa Grant, married Frank Fellone. Dr. Wood also taught the freshman physics course at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. He has his own You Tube video on “Physics of the Rolling Wheel” produced by his son, Michael Wood. He proudly reports that he has donated his 280th pint of blood as of October 2016 and he handled the Miss Kitty balloon in the Macy's Day Parade on Thanksgiving.

corbie chronicle 17

summer adventures

Faculty and Staff look forward to summer break as much as the students – maybe more so!

Dr. Charles Downey, the chair of the Fine Arts Department, made his annual visit to New Mexico to review the season of the Santa Fe Opera in late July and early August. The season included new productions of Samuel Barber’s Vanessa, Puc-cini’s The Girl of the Golden West, and Strauss’s Capriccio, as well as more familiar favorites in Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet and Mozart’s Don Giovanni. This year, Dr. Downey’s reviews of the five operas at Santa Fe ran in the Washington Post (Style Section on July 31 and August 4), where he continues to write occasional freelance reviews of concerts and recordings.

Some teachers went with students on various trips. Mr. Stephen Roush, Athletic Direc-tor, and Ms. Kailey Gotta, religion teacher, accompanied a group of students to the Ap-palachian Service Project in Craigsville, West Virginia. The boys slept on the floor of a gym-nasium and worked on three mobile homes. One team replaced a roof, one installed insu-lation under the mobile home, and the third created safe entrances to the home. Mr. Roush said, “All of the leaders were very proud of the boys. They all had a can-do attitude and exhibited great teamwork.”

Ms. Stacey Marnell, school counselor, went to five National Parks – Bryce, Zion, Yellow-stone, the Grand Can-yon, and Mesa Verde.

Mr. Hal DeLuca took a four-week course at the Smithsonian’s Nation-al Museum of African Art, where he is a volunteer docent. He is very excited for the

opening of the museum and is looking forward to bringing St. Anselm’s boys there on a field trip.

An Ireland trip beckoned Mrs. Nancy Cholis for a six week visit. She said, “Over Easter break, I went to Dublin, where my daughter lives with her family, to commemorate/celebrate the Centenary of the Easter Rising. Very poignant and thrilling. Although my forebears arrived in the US in the 1840’s and 1850’s and thus were not connected to the rebels (unfortu-nately), I am moved by the event and marvel at the ironic out-come of the British executions in May 1916.” She continued, “This summer I traveled all over for a month including taking

the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead with jaunts to in North Wales and England.”

Three Form V students went to Europe. Will Sullivan and Alex Farhang studied at the University of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland.They applied and were accepted into the Oxbridge Academic Program. They stayed on campus in the dorms and took classes taught by professors and toured the area. Will sudied British History and Economics and Alex studied Terrorism and Politics. Both had an amazing experience and would highly recom-mend the Oxbridge Program to others.

Abbas Ali wnt to Nantes, France on an exchange program. He had hosted a student during the past school year and during the

summer, Abbas stayed with that French student for six weeks. Abbas said it was a great way to deepen his understaning of French and he had a wonderful time.

"The ASP trip helped me to learn team work and to put my life into perspective. I also learned that people there are not all that different than I am. It was a great experience."

-Fitz Elder, (V)

What do teachers and students do in the summer?

Appalachian Service Trip (ASP) June 2016

18 corbie chronicle

Class Notes

1947Richard Peters' work founding the Kingman Boys and Girls Club in Washington was lauded in a Washington Post story on July 8.

1958Paul Mattingly retired in 2006 from New York University after almost forty years. He has s finished several writing projects: American Academic Cultures, should be published soon. He is still working on an historical website for Elizabeth, New Jersey. He welcomes any and all reactions:

www.visithistoricalelizabethnj.org. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife and near his daughter and grandchildren.

1983Michael Gorman is a tenured Associate Professor of Philosophy at The Catholic University of America. Previously he taught in the Program of Catholic Studies, St. Francis Xavier University, Canada. He received his PhD in Theology from Boston College in 1997 and his Ph.D., Philosophy, in 1993 from State

University of New York at Buffalo. In philosophy he works mostly in metaphysics and human nature and in theology mostly in Christology.

1995After working at Washington College for eight years, Phil Walsh began teaching at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Delaware. His book, Brill’s Companion to the Reception of Aristophanes, was published in August. Phil continues to live in Chestertown, Maryland with his wife, Mindy, and their children, Brian, Eleanor, and Andrew.

2002J o s e p h M a r i a n i and his wife, Hanna, are pleased to a n n o u n c e the birth of their son, Joseph Peter Mariani, IV. Fr. Peter was honored to baptize the baby in May.

CALLING ALL ALuMNI Registration is now open for the ninth annual All-Alumni Reunion. Reunion Weekend 2017 is set for April 28-29. Visit www.saintanselms.org/reunion for all the details.

Class Notes is the perfect place to share special announcements with your fel-low alumni and the entire St. Anselm’s community. You may send an email to Lawrence Hamm, ’68, Director of Alumni Affairs: lhamm@saintanselms.org. Accompanying photos are always welcome.

Alumni Return over Thanksgiving Holiday

Standing: Tim May ’83, President of the Alumni Association, Nino Suffoletta ’15, Mark Yde ’14, Thomas Bui ’15, Solomon Brown ’09, Branden Alegbeleye ’10, T.J. Duckett ’14, Michael Dudinsky ’14, G. Brian Murphy III ’14, James Mwombela ’10, James Keegan ’10, Joe Breslin ’11, C.J. Pizzano ’15, Cameron Underwood ’16, Fr. Peter Weigand, OSB. Seated: Maurin Mwombela ’14, Devan Abercrombie ’14, Ellis Berns ’14, Nick Van Dijk ’10, Matt Moniz ’08, Dan Minahan ’03, Xavier Underwood ’08.

The Class of 2016 were well represented at the game: Cuatro Johnston, Jonathan Conrad, Anthony Pairo, Bobby Norwood (a friend of Cuatro's), Matt Borden, and Ryan Montesi. Seated: Cameron Underwood

Form V Kairos participants meet with alumni who attended Kairos during their junior year. Fr. Michael Hall, OSB arranged the reunion.

Alumni attend Annual Memorial Mass, Dinner, and Alumni vs. Varsity Panther Basketball Game

corbie chronicle 19

2003Kevin Attridge and his wife, Elise, proudly announces the birth of their son, Dalton Wye Attridge. Kevin is the son of Pat Attridge ’74 and the brother of Brian ’00, Michael ’07, and Sean ’12.

2005Joseph Williams won a Rome Prize from the American Academy in Rome. It is a full fellowship for two years to continue his doctoral study in medieval Italian architecture. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Duke University.

2007Jamal McFarlane graduated from the How-ard University College of Medicine, earning his M.D. last spring. He began his residency in General Surgery at the Rutgers Universi-ty-New Jersey Medical School in Newark.

2016Nick Stewart a freshman studying at the University of Maryland-College Park has been hired as an undergraduate assistant at the David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African-Americans and the African Diaspora.

After graduation from St. Anselm’s, Rahul Kanakia attended Stanford University where he graduated in 2009 with a degree in economics. When he didn’t find gainful employment right away, he came back to the DC area to live with his parents. Once home, he kept having a reoccurring dream that he was back at St. Anselm’s. Obviously high

school was still on his mind! He attended Johns Hopkins and earned an MFA in fiction. He has written and published several short stories; he has also written several novels that have not been published.

His fourth novel entitled, Enter Title Here, debuted as his first published YA novel. It is about a teen girl of Indian descent who is in school in California and desperately wants to get into Stanford. She feels that her grades and activities are just the same as anyone else, so she needs

a “hook” to make herself more attractive. She gets a literary agent and writes a book depicting herself as quirky and light-hearted, with lots of friends and a boyfriend. She moves closer to her biggest goal, which is to be valedictorian of her class. However, she gets caught in a plagiarism scandal, and her dreams start to slip from her grasp.

Rahul now lives in California, but came back to Washington to attend some family events. While here, he took time to visit his alma mater. He spoke with seniors in Mr. Michael McCarthy’s AP Psychoanalytic Approaches to Literature class. They asked him a broad range of questions: some were related to the writing process and his motivation and a lot were about his experiences in high school, how he got into a good college, and his university experience.

While at St. Anselm’s Rahul was class president and his grades and AP scores helped him to get into a good college. He said St. Anselm’s made him more competitive and gave him a very good grounding to attend college. He is currently doing consulting work with the World Bank and hopes to publish more books.

Even though the alumni scored some penalty goals, they still could not defeat the Varsity Panthers. They lost 42 to 89.

Author Rahul Kanakia ‘04

20 corbie chronicle

1924 – Four B e n e d i c t i n e monks were professed at Fort Augustus Abbey, Scotland, and became the “Founding Fathers” of St.

Anselm’s Priory. The first residence was a farm-house (a former sausage factory) on Sargent Road, NE.

1930 – A permanent monastery building and church were completed at 4501 South Dakota Avenue, NE. The first prior was Father Wulstan Knowles, OSB.

1941 – Fr. Thomas Verner Moore decided to establish the St. Anselm’s Priory School. (The only boys’ Catholic school in Washington at the time were Gonzaga and St. John’s).

1942 – Eighteen ninth-graders entered the school in the north wing of the Priory building. The boys were selected on the basis of character and academic qualifications. The faculty was made up of seven monks and Fr. Austin McNamee was appointed first headmaster. That first year, there were twelve small cells in the north wing of the monastery which were used as classrooms. In the basement, there was a locker room and a place for the boys to eat lunch. There was no gym nor theater. The school would exist in this building for 10 years.

1944 – A two-story addition was built onto the school wing which included a classroom and lab on the ground floor and a school library on the second floor. The Athletic Field was graded and made ready for play. A blacktop was constructed for basketball and tennis. Fifty boys were enrolled. A football team was begun (although it did not last long!)

1945 – A newspaper/literary journal called The Pinnacle was started and debating societies were organized.

1946 – Superior Fr. Thomas Verner Moore, OSB built the original gymnasium (on the location of the

present day Devine Theater.) The “field house” contained a full basketball court, folding bleachers, locker and shower rooms, a stage (also used as the school lunch room when plays were not in production) and two classrooms. US government permission was needed to begin construction because of wartime restriction on steel. The school held its first graduation ceremony for 13 boys with Auxiliary Bishop John M. McNamara presiding, held the first Prom, had the first Junior-Senior dinner, and published its first yearbook.

1947 – The school presented its first play, Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, with young women from area schools. The athletic program was initiated.

1948 – The Priory Invitational B a s k e t b a l l Tournament began with Bob Dwyer as head coach. This is the oldest high school invitational tournament in the Washington area.

1950 – Priory Players produced an original play, How I Wonder What You Are, co-authored by Fr. Stephan Reid and senior Michael Murray. It was the city’s first example of “theatre-in-the-round.”

1954 – Ground was broken for the new school building, now the upper or academic building. Newman Forensic Society, the school’s first debating society, was formed.

1955 – The school was moved into the new building and Form I was added. A theater

and art room were also added. The first lay teacher was employed, Mr. John Barrett ’50, who taught English.

1956 – The Cellar, another literary magazine, was started and printed on a press in the Abbey basement.

1959 – Father Hugh Monmonier was appointed headmaster after the first headmaster, Fr. Austin, resigned due to poor health.

1961 - The Priory became an Abbey and the school changed its name to St. Anselm’s Abbey School.

1964 – The Philip Johnson wing for the monk’s residence in the Abbey was occupied.

history of st. anselm’s abbey school

corbie chronicle 21

1971 – The theatrical schedule was enlarged to three yearly productions under the direction of Fr. Michael Hall.

1974 – The school added a science wing with labs.

1976 – A concerted effort was made to increase enrollment and 40 students were admitted to Form I.

1977 – The first musical production, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, was produced.

1978 – The school newspaper, The Priory Press, began. A Board of Advisors was instituted, composed of alumni, educators, business executives, parents, and the student government president.

1979 – The Cross Country Team was founded.

Early 1980’s – Enrollment reached 215 students, making building plans a necessity.

1980 - The Parents’ Association was formed by merger of the Mothers and Fathers Clubs, the wrestling team started, and female cheerleaders were invited at sports events (although they only lasted that one year).

1987 – Another wrap-around wing was added to the building which included the library, a computer lab, a senior lounge, a dining area, and added air conditioning to the classrooms and offices,.

1990 – Form A (6th grade) was added.

2001 – The present day gymnasium was built next to the old gym.

2003 – The old gym was renovated and converted into The Devine Performing Arts Center.

2007 – The Board of Trustees was established. The school was renovated to add the present day main office and the Reid Theater was remodeled.

22 corbie chronicle

We Extend Our Deepest Sympathy to the Families of Those in Our Community Who Have Died

In Memoriam

Clothilde Camille LongMother of Clarence D. Long, IV, ’92

Kathleen Elliott YinugMother of Falan E. Yinug, ’92

Thomas M. O’Neill, M.D., ’57Brother of Bernard V. O’Neill, Jr., ’55, Dr. Edward J. O’Neill, ’59, and Charles J. O’Neill, ’65

James K. Marsh, M.D.Father of Benjamin Marsh, ’05

Frank P. ChemeryFather of Peter C. Chemery, ’70

Hajnalka EnzelChair, Modern Languages Department

Cheryl RuddMother of Robert Rudd, ’09

James Meiburger, ’77Brother of Damien Meiburger ’74, and John Meiburger, ’77

Mary Dolores FennellMother of William Fennell, ’66, and Joseph Fennell, ’68 (NG)

Joseph C. MarquetteFather of Christopher M. Marquette, ’08

John J. MehiganFather of faculty member Tom Mehigan

How can you support the St. Anselm's Experience?

Overall School Budget

Care for the Abbey and Aging Monks

Support for Current Year Scholarships

THE 2016-2017

ANNUAL FUNDHelping Bright Boys Become Exceptional Men

There’s still time to make your 2016 contribution!

Use the enclosed envelope or or donate securely

online at www.saintanselms.org/support.

You may also donate through the

CFC (90387) or United Way (8967).

Non-ProfitOrganization

U.S. Postage

PAIDMerrifield, VA

Permit No. 1337

.

Mark Your CalendarsDiscover all that's happening at St. Anselm's

this spring. Please join us at the following

events:

70th Annual Invitational March 3 - 5

Basketball Tournament

Form VII Forever (Past Parents) March12

Lenten Mass and Brunch

Priory Players' Production of: March 17-19

Bach At Leipzig, by Itamar Moses

Eighth Annual All-Alumni April 28-30

Reunion Weekend

24th Annual Alumni June 5

Golf Outing

Follow us online for the latest news from the Abbey!

www.saintanselms.orgfacebook.com/saintanselms

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