Form of 2020 Plaque

The center of the 2020 Form plaque features the COVID-19 virus  – the global pandemic being the most significant event of the 2019/2020 school year. The top of the design shows a flock of flying pelicans, representing the distance learning that was a result of COVID-19, and that “pelicans fly together.” The bottom left shows an open book with the initials of 14th Rector Kathleen Carroll Giles, representing the beginning of her term as rector. The bottom right features a horseshoe magnet and a door to represent the magnets that were added to the doors in the dorms. In the three lower corners of the quatrefoil are three books to represent the three rectors that served in the four years that the Form of 2020 was at SPS – the book on the left has the Roman numeral XIII to represent the 13th Rector Hirschfeld, the book on the right has the Roman numeral XIV for 14th Rector Giles, and the book at the bottom has the letter “I” for interim rector Richards.

2020 Plaque Progress: Plaque Completed

The Form of 2020 plaque is now completed. The detail photograph above shows a sample of the painted finish on the plaque –  A section of the central part of the design featuring the COVID-19 virus.

The completed framed plaque will be hung up in the Middle Dinning Hall of Coit, and available for viewing once the school is able to open to outside visitors.

2020 Plaque Progress: Carving Completed

 

The carving for the Form of 2020 plaque is now completed. The representatives from the Form of 2020 chose the following events to be illustrated on the plaque:

• The center features the COVID-19 virus  – the most significant event of the 2019/2020 school year
• The top of the design shows a flock of flying pelicans, representing the distance learning that was a result of COVID-19, and that “pelicans fly together”
• The bottom left is the open book with the initials of 14th Rector Kathleen Carroll Giles, representing the beginning of her term as rector
• The bottom right features a horseshoe magnet and a door to represent the magnets that were added to the doors in the dorms
• In the 3 lower corners of the quatrefoil are three books to represent the three rectors that served in the four years that the Form of 2020 was at SPS – the book on the left has the Roman numeral XIII to represent the 13th Rector Hirschfeld, the book on the right has the Roman numeral XIV for 14th Rector Giles, and the book at the bottom has the letter “I” for interim rector Richards

Now that the carving process is completed, I will apply a painted finish to the plaque to have it ready to hang in it’s permanent place in the Friedman Community Center. Stay tuned for updates on the completion of the plaque!

Upper left: One of the pelicans in flight.

Upper right: Pelican flock together.

Bottom left: The open book with Rector Giles’ initials.

Center: The COVID-19 virus over Interim Rector’s book.

Bottom right: Magnets added to the doors in dorms.

2020 Plaque Progress: Design Completed

The design stage was completed for the 2020 form plaque early last summer. I worked with representatives from the Form of 2020 to come up with a list of events, and the following were chosen by them to represent their 6th Form experiences at SPS:

• The center features the COVID-19 virus  – the most significant event of the 2019/2020 school year
• The top of the design shows a flock of flying pelicans, representing the distance learning that was a result of COVID-19, and that “pelicans fly together”
• The bottom left is the open book with the initials of 14th Rector Kathleen Carroll Giles, representing the beginning of her term as rector
• The bottom right features a horseshoe magnet and a door to represent the magnets that were added to the doors in the dorms
• In the 3 lower corners of the quatrefoil are three books to represent the three rectors that served in the four years that the Form of 2020 was at SPS – the book on the left has the Roman numeral XIII to represent the 13th Rector Hirschfeld, the book on the right has the Roman numeral XIV for 14th Rector Giles, and the book at the bottom has the letter “I” for interim rector Richards

This design has been used to create the wood carving of the 2020 form plaque. I will document the carving process in an upcoming post.

Form of 2019 Plaque

The upper left corner of the Form of 2019 plaque shows a shirt with a multi-gender symbol on it, representing the updating of the school dress code to apply equally to all students regardless of gender identity. The upper right corner shows a rose window, representing the catastrophic fire of Notre Dame cathedral in April of 2019. The upper center shows the Hugh Camp Cup, with Roman numerals III, IV, V, VI, representing that the cup was won by a member of the Form of 2019 each of their four years. The lower left section of the plaque features a football with the numbers 8 – 0 to celebrate the undefeated winning season for the football team in the fall. The lower center shows a closed book with the SPS shield on the cover and a bookmark bearing the initials A C R, represents the service of Amy C. Richards as Interim Rector. The lower right section has a female symbol stylized into the letter S and C, to represent the first time in SPS history that both the President and Vice President of the Student Council were female. In the background of the lower section of the plaque two crossed oars celebrate the new rowing tanks that opened during the 2018/2019 school year.

2019 Plaque Progress: Carving Completed

 

The carving for the Form of 2019 plaque is now completed. The representatives from the Form of 2019 chose the following events to be illustrated on the plaque:

• Upper left: Shows a shirt with a multi-gender symbol on it, representing the updating of the school dress code to apply equally to all students regardless of gender identity.
• Upper right corner: Shows a rose window, representing the catastrophic fire of Notre Dame cathedral.
• Upper center: Shows the Hugh Camp Cup, with Roman numerals III, IV, V, VI, representing that the cup was won by a member of the Form of 2019 each of their four years.
• Lower left: A football celebrates the 8 – 0 winning season for the football team.
• Lower center: A closed book with the School shield, with a bookmark bearing the initials A C R, represents the service of Amy C. Richards as Interim Rector.
• Lower right: A female symbol stylized into the letter S and C, represents the first time in SPS history that both the President and Vice President of the Student Council were female.
• Lower background: Shows crossed oars from the new rowing tanks that opened during the 2018/2019 school year.

Now that the carving process is completed, I will apply a painted finish to the plaque to have it ready to hang in it’s permanent place in the Friedman Community Center. Stay tuned for updates on the completion of the plaque!

Upper left: Shows a shirt with a multi-gender symbol on it, representing the updating of the school dress code to apply equally to all students regardless of gender identity.

Upper center: Shows the Hugh Camp Cup, with Roman numerals III, IV, V, VI, representing that the cup was won by a member of the Form of 2019 each of their four years.

Upper right corner: Shows a rose window, representing the catastrophic fire of Notre Dame cathedral.

Lower left: A football celebrates the 8 – 0 winning season for the football team.

Lower center: A closed book with the School shield, with a bookmark bearing the initials A C R, represents the service of Amy C. Richards as Interim Rector.

Lower right: A female symbol stylized into the letter S and C, represents the first time in SPS history that both the President and Vice President of the Student Council were female. Lower background: Shows crossed oars from the new rowing tanks that opened during the 2018/2019 school year.

Form of 2018 Plaque

The upper left corner of the plaque design features a closed book, marking the end of the Rectorship of Michael G. Hirschfeld ’85. To the right of the book is a dorm building with a lock and key, representing the addition of locks on dormitory room doors. The bottom left of the plaque shows the number 6 springing on a trampoline, to commemorate the 6th Form class trip to a trampoline park. The bottom center features the hashtag #metoo, which began to be used on Twitter in October of 2017 and spread into an international movement against sexual harassment and sexual assault. The lower right corner of the plaque shows the New Chapel tower with a clock set at 8:30, to note the later start time for morning chapel.

2018 Plaque Progress: Design Completed

The design stage is complete for the 2018 form plaque. I worked with the student council officers from the Form of 2018 to come up with a list of events, and the following were chosen by them to represent their 6th Form experiences at SPS:

• Upper left corner: The book from the school shield is shown closed and inscribed with the initials MGH to represent the end of Michael Hirschfeld’s rectorship
• Upper center and right corner: Features a dorm with a lock and key, representing the addition of locks to the dorm rooms during the school year
• Lower left: Shows the number 6 springing up from a trampoline to represent the 6^th Form class trip to Skyzone that took place at the beginning of the year
• Lower center: Features a banner with the Me Too hashtag to represent the international viral movement that began in the fall, addressing the widespread prevalence of sexual harassment and assault
• Lower right: Shows the New Chapel tower with a clock set to 8:30 to represent the later start time for morning chapel

I will be posting photos of the carving process here on the Form Plaque Project blog and on the Form Plaque Project Facebook page when I begin working on the carving process of the 2018 plaque.

The Form of 2005 Plaque

The top section of the plaque features a view of the Lower School Pond docks with the stone circle ‘Stonehenge’ project completed by a group of students that year. The lower half shows the Athletic and Fitness Center, opened for use in the fall of 2004. In the bottom left corner is a baseball with the dates (1918–2004), representing the Boston Red Sox’s World Series win and the breaking of the “curse.” The bottom right corner depicts a closed book with the initials “CBA,” marking the end of the Right Reverend Dr. Craig Barry Anderson’s term as Eleventh Rector of St. Paul’s School.

The Form of 1999 Plaque

Below is a photograph of the completed plaque for the Form of 1999. The plaque is being dedicated on May 31, 2014 and hangs in the Middle Dining Hall of Coit (The Upper) above the panels that contain the names of all the members of the Form of 1999. Below the photo is the description of the elements incorporated in the plaque design.

The central element of the Form of 1999 plaque represents the changes in St. Paul’s School leadership during the form’s four years, with a book for each of the leaders. Labels on the spines identify them: “X” for the Tenth Rector David Verne Hicks, “I” for Interim Rector Clifford J. Gillespie, and “XI” for Eleventh Rector Craig B. Anderson. The bookends with their inkwells and quills commemorate the beginning of the Schlesinger Writer-in-Residence program. The upper left corner features a volleyball/arrow/women’s symbol, representing the New England division title wins for the girls’ volleyball and cross country teams. The “G” on the computer key in the upper right refers to the incorporation of Google in 1998. The bottom left corner represents the fire in the Drury dorm in March 1999. At the lower right, a rainbow flag with the letters “GSA” marks the founding of the Gay Straight Alliance, inspired by the Chapel speech of Dustin Brauneck ’99.