Malcolm GauldSuch a great weekend! There were hundreds of people, some of whom I had not seen in decades… All of whom I was overjoyed to see! Before listing ten things I loved about it, two disclosures:
- This is not a Top 10 list. (Due to the inevitable sin of omission, those can be polarizing!)
- Some of these ten were selected on the basis that they just happen to correspond with some of the least bad photos I took!
In no particular order:
1. The Class of ’71 — Hyde’s last all-boy class — Dinner in Freeport was a blast! Although I graduated a class behind them, I was both honored and overjoyed to be included in their celebration, one twice-delayed by Covid.
2. Great to see the ropes course in operation!
3. Hard to believe that a half-century has passed since James Grasty ’73 — a 2018 Hall of Honoree — was the first Boy’s Club of New York student to graduate from Hyde. Since then, well over 100 have passed through Hyde’s doors, including these three (plus daughter) who caught up with me at Sunday brunch.
4. Gotta love starting the day with some Qigong in the Sunken Garden.
5. Five-Fold Fire Power here! L-to-R: 2 Hyde Hall of Honorees, the “Dean of First Impressions” (my title bestowed upon her) from Woodstock, a HAPA member who taught in Hyde public charter schools, and an administrative assistant to four Hyde heads of school.
6. Always love me some Kwak, here celebrating his 30th reunion!
7. Cold Cousins dunking in that invigorating tropical Maine ocean water. Given that the weekend coincided with the memorial celebration honoring my dad — their grandfather — we got some family time after y’all left campus. Standing on the dock at Georgetown, one dare led to another and, before it was over, I believe everyone made it in for a quick… make that the quickest possible… dip.
8. While I always love a spirited Hyde alum lax game, this year’s version was especially fun for at least two reasons: 1) the incredible age range (9 to 69!) and 2) the mix and friendly interaction of talent. I mean, guys like Tommy Bragg ’06 and Bob Felt ’90 could have completely taken over at any point, but they and everybody else practiced equity in sharing the ball and a good time was had by all.
9. These two guys! Al Goode (middle) and Frank Motley were star players — not to mention boyhood heroes of mine! — on my dad’s mid-60s basketball and football teams at New Hampton School. (Dad was there from 1951 thru 1964.) Both 1965 classmates at NHS, words cannot describe how much it meant to Gigi, Laurie, and me to see them walk into “The Joe” for dad’s memorial service.
10. Mom & Dad, Forever – Before our gang went swimming at Georgetown, we spread some of my dad’s ashes around places that were special in his life. I couldn’t help but ponder the realization that my sisters and I are now fully parentless. Then as we — spouses, siblings, our children, our grandchildren — continued our stroll across campus, I came across this reminder that the love and teachings of both mom and dad may just be getting started.
Bonus A: Not to be outdone, the early 80s crowd let it be known that the ’71 class has got nothing on them. I might have missed it because their representation was sort of a moveable feast. Here they are shutting down Byrne’s Pub in beautiful downtown Bath. (Note Dean of Students Tom Bragg’s ’83 questionable efforts to help maintain order.) I think Byrne’s ran out of hats…
And, I mean, what would a trip to Maine be without lobster?!? The early 80s contingent hanging at Five Islands Seafood in beautiful downtown Georgetown.
Onward, Malcolm Gauld
