2015 Plaque Progress: Carving Completed

The carving for the Form of 2015 plaque is completed. Below are some detail images – with carved elements illustrating the following design themes:

• Upper Left: A cake with a vinyl record on top representing the Steve Aoki event
• Center: Mount Everest with the flag of Nepal on the summit representing the devastating earth quake in April of 2015
• Upper Right: A shield with the Isthmian symbol representing their win of the Club Cup
• Bottom Left: A laptop with a clock representing 24 hour access to the internet
• Bottom Right: A stack of alphabet blocks representing the four different academic schedules during the four years of the Form of 2015

I will now start working on the painted finish, and plan on having this plaque completed in time for Anniversary weekend at the end of May. More details to follow.

2005 Plaque Progress: Carving Completed

The carving for the Form of 2005 plaque is completed. Below are some detail images – with carved elements illustrating the following design themes:

• Top Left and Right: The revitalized dock area on Lower School Pond, featuring the stone circle ‘Stonehenge’ project
• Bottom Background: The Athletic and Fitness Center, opened for use in the fall of 2004
• Bottom Left: A baseball with the dates 1918 – 2004 representing the Red Sox’s win of the World Series and the breaking of the ‘curse’
• Bottom Right: A closed book with the initials ‘CBA’ marking the end of the Right Reverend Dr. Craig Barry Anderson’s term as eleventh rector

I will now start working on the painted finish, and plan on having this plaque completed in time for Anniversary weekend at the end of May. More details to follow.

2010 Plaque Progress: Carving Completed

The carving is completed for the Form of 2010 plaque, which illustrates the following design themes:

• Upper left: Brick house moved prior to construction of the Lindsay Center
• Upper right: Earthquake in Haiti which occurred in January of 2010
• Lower center: Heart with musical notes and SPS shield representing the (S)P.S. I Love You musical Valentine’s Day event put on at Ohrstrom Library
• Bottom left and right: A camera and photograph with the initial BC, commemorating faculty member Brendan Cohen who documented all four years of the Form of 2010 through his many photographs

The plaque has been oiled and I am currently working on the painted finish for the plaque so that it will be completed in time to be put on display for Anniversary/Graduation weekend at the end of May. Updates on the progress will be posted soon.

2014 Plaque Progress: Carving Completed

The carving is completed for the 2014 form plaque. The plaque commemorates the following events from the 6th Form year of the Form of 2014:

• Lower left: A penguin in formal attire representing the Senior Prom.
• Lower right: A penguin with hockey stick and puck representing the girls varsity hockey team’s participation in the Frozen Fenway event.
• Center background: The three evergreen trees – symbol of the Isthmian club, commemorating their win of the Club Cup
• Top left and right: A ribbon banner with the words “Many more hills to climb” an excerpt from the Nelson Mandela quote:

After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended.

From: Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela, p. 554, Little, Brown & Company (1994).

Now that the carving stage is completed the plaque will be oiled and painted before being put on display for Anniversary/Graduation weekend at the end of May.

1999 Plaque Progress: Plaque Completed

The Form of 1999 plaque is now completed.  The above photograph shows a sample of the painted finish on the plaque – representing the fire in the Drury dorm in March of 1999.

The completed framed plaque will be revealed on Anniversary Weekend on Saturday May 31st – at which time photographs of the finished plaque will be published online.  Thank you to the representative from the Form of 1999 for your help with this project –  I am looking forward to seeing members of the Form of 1999 at the SPS Anniversary event to celebrate your new Form plaque!

2004 Plaque Progress: Plaque Completed

The Form of 2004 plaque is now completed.  The above photograph shows a sample of the painted finish on the plaque – the central image of the boar representing the revival of the  Boar’s Head Dinner tradition.

The completed framed plaque will be revealed on Anniversary Weekend on Saturday May 31st – at which time photographs of the finished plaque will be published online.  Thank you to the representative from the Form of 2004 for your help with this project –  I am looking forward to seeing members of the Form of 2004 at the SPS Anniversary event to celebrate your new Form plaque!

1999 Plaque Progress: Carving Completed

The carving for the 1999 Form plaque is completed.  The photos below are of the finished carving, with descriptions of the symbols used in the design.

The upper left corner features a volleyball and arrow combined into a women’s symbol – representing the New England division title wins for both the girls’ volleyball and girls’ cross country.

The upper right corner features the letter “G” on a computer keyboard key – representing the launch of the Google search engine on 9/4/1998.

The central design element is of three books supported between bookends – one book representing each change of School leadership during the four years of the Form of 1999:

• “X” on the spine for the Tenth Rector David Verne Hicks
• “I” on the spine for Interim Rector Clifford J. Gillespie
• “XI” on the spine for Eleventh Rector Craig B. Anderson

The bookends supporting the books feature inkwells with quills – commemorating the beginning of the Schlesinger Writer-in-Residence program at SPS.

The bottom left corner represents the fire that occurred in the Drury dorm.

The bottom right corner features a rainbow flag with the letters “GSA” celebrating the founding of the Gay Straight Alliance.

Now that the carving stage is completed the plaque will be oiled and painted before being put on display for Anniversary/Graduation weekend at the end of May.

1994 Plaque Progress: Plaque Completed

The Form of 1994 plaque is now completed.  The above photograph shows a sample of the stained finish on the plaque – the center element featuring the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup from the Henley Royal Regatta.

The completed framed plaque will be revealed on Anniversary Weekend on Saturday May 31st – at which time photographs of the finished plaque will be published online.  Thank you to the representative from the Form of 1994 for your help with this project –  I am looking forward to seeing members of the Form of 1994 at the SPS Anniversary event to celebrate your new Form plaque!

2013 Plaque Progress: Plaque Completed

The Form of 2013 plaque is now completed.  The above photograph shows a sample of the painted finish on the plaque – the central element representing the Hugh Camp Cup.

The completed framed plaque will be revealed on Anniversary Weekend on Saturday May 31st – at which time photographs of the finished plaque will be published online.  Thank you to the representative from the Form of 2013 for your help with this project –  I am looking forward to seeing members of the Form of 2013 at the SPS Anniversary event to celebrate your new Form plaque!

1994 Plaque Progress: Carving Completed

The carving for the 1994 Form plaque is completed.  The photos below are of the finished carving, with descriptions of the symbols used in the design.

The upper right corner of the plaque features the flag of South Africa – adopted as part of the April 1994 General Election, marking the end of Apartheid.  Below the flag is the right side of Kehaya House.

The center vertical section features the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup atop the Henley shield, shown in the picture below it. The left edge of this picture has a section of a compass, representing the Thompson Island Outward Bound trip.

The bottom left and right sections contain a banner with the words “Education is the most powerful weapon” excerpted from the full quote by Nelson Mandela: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Behind the banner below is the left hand side of Kehaya House.

Now that the carving is completed is will be oiled and stained before being put on display for Anniversary/Graduation weekend at the end of May.