Greetings July 2010 - Wayland Academy

The Oldest Alumni Publication in America
Wayland Academy Greetings
July 2010
Wayland Academy
101 North University Avenue
Beaver Dam, WI 53916-2533
920-885-3373 • Fax: 920-356-2313
www.wayland.org
Greetings is published for the alumni,
parents, students, friends, and staff of Wayland
Academy. We welcome letters concerning the
content of this magazine and/or issues relating to
the Academy. Letters must be signed, and we ask
that you include your address and daytime phone
number for verification purposes. The editorial
staff retains the right to edit at their discretion.
Send correspondence to:
Greetings Editor, Wayland Academy
101 North University Avenue
Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Editor
Sue Voigt, M.Ed.
Director of Public Information and Publications
svoigt@wayland.org
Staff Writer, Assistant Editor
Andrew McDonnell, M.A.
amcdonnell@wayland.org
Production Assistants
Stephanie Franklin
Alumni Director
sfranklin@wayland.org
Kelly Neuert
Director of Donor Relations
kneuert@wayland.org
Rose Schaalma H`10
Academy Receptionist and
Administrative Assistant
rschaalma@wayland.org
Wayland Academy Administration
Joe Lennertz H`86, M.S.
Interim President and Academic Dean
jlennertz@wayland.org
Trent Jackson, MBA
Vice President of Development
tjackson@wayland.org
Judy Hill
Director of Athletics
jhill@wayland.org
Paul Keller III, M.A.
Dean of Students
pkeller@wayland.org
Rodney Miller, MBA
Chief Financial Officer
rmiller@wayland.org
Graphic Design
Design Advertising
Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Production
La Crosse Graphics, Inc.
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Commencement Photography
Cory Schaefer Photography
Empire Photography (Wayland Hall steps and
awards photos)
tableofcontent
aboutthe
Greetings has always been a magazine about transitions and life changes,
and this issue is no exception. As always, the News and Notes section
informs you of the big changes in your classmates’ lives, both good and
bad. Sometimes you’ll read about new lives joining a family, and at other times you’ll
encounter the sad news of a friend’s passing. This issue is devoted to these and all
transitions that happen at Wayland. There is, of course, the annual rite of transition
that we mark at graduation. Though it happens every year it’s one ritual that never
loses its ability to move people to tears. We also have an article about a remarkable
man who attended Wayland during a time when America struggled violently to
transition to a racially open society. He eventually became the first black man to run
for President of this country.
You’ll also learn about Wayland’s leadership transition, as we wish Bob Esten a happy
retirement. Unnoted elsewhere, we also send our best wishes to former Greetings
writer, English Chair, and Chaplain Tyler Graham who is moving with his family to
another opportunity in Florida. We wish all of you in transition the very best of luck,
and we hope you’ll stay in touch.

s
First row (l-r): Alice Zhang, Austin
Scholz; Second row (l-r): Hannah
Malegni, Estelle de Vendegies, Chung
Bok Lee; Third row(l-r): Nick Derr,
Ted Shank, Rickey Hendon.
features
2 Commencement
14
20
24
26
2
George Edwin Taylor and Wayland:
Leaving His Mark
An Evening at Wayland
Wayland News
President Esten’s Retirement,
Lennertz Named Interim-President
Wayland Today
24
departments
News and Notes
30
30
14

COMMENCEMENT
2010
2 wayland academy greetings

A Teacher’s Reaction to the 2010 Graduation
by Andrew McDonnell
I am reaching that point in my life when every year I look at high school students
and remark to my wife, “They’re so young! So small!” I realize that this is more a reflection of
my own aging process, that students are not truly getting younger, and that, despite my
suspicions, Wayland is not admitting eight-year olds into the ninth grade. That does not change
the fact that, in my eyes, freshmen have come to resemble tadpoles more than the adult
humans I know they will one day become. As this was my fourth year at Wayland, though, I
finally had the opportunity to see a class travel through the entire high school lifecycle.
Watching a freshman become a senior
(and then, hopefully, a graduate) is in
some ways less remarkable than
watching a tadpole become a frog.
They don’t grow new limbs. They
don’t develop lungs from gills, so far as
I can tell. Most of them have no tails to
absorb. And it is my sincere hope that
no recent Wayland graduates are laying
eggs in a pond somewhere.
Nonetheless, when I watched this
year’s class graduate it was truly
stunning to see how much they have
grown in four years. Obviously, some
were taller. A few boys had stacked on
an extra foot of height during their
time here. Leave the visual growth
aside, though. Emotionally,
academically, and personality-wise
their growth as a class is
immeasurable.
A dorm supervisor in Wayland Hall
sometimes walks into a room and finds
freshmen boys doing things one would
be unsurprised to see in a comic strip.
Their creativity abounds. I’ve seen
them perched like escaped convicts
atop shower stalls after lights out. I’ve
found them with freshly-filled water
balloons on the verge of making what
our dorm-head might term “a poor
decision.” I’ve run interference as they
put a shoe in the microwave and ended
any number of nascent professional
wrestling careers before they’ve had
the chance to take flight.
I’ve discovered a small makeshift
arcade room in a closet containing at
least six students. I saw this with my
own eyes, yet cognitive dissonance
leaves me with no real understanding
of how they all squeezed in there. I’ve
seen a lot, and put a halt to most of it.
I have shaken my head in disbelief
more times than I can remember.
Now, despite that litany of mischief, I
shake my head in disbelief at how
proud I am of these students. It feels
cliché to say that, but it is a stark,
simple truth. I have always been
impressed by the difference one year
can make in a student’s writing. Now
I’ve had the chance to see what four
years can do for their writing, their
character, and their personalities. As a
teacher, it is what I can only term: the
miracle of my profession.
Many of these students now have their
pick of America’s elite universities.
Some of them started their Wayland
education with very little experience or
a lack of study habits, but they’re
graduating having developed a strong
work ethic, good routines, and all of
them are heading to college. I’ve seen
so many of these students (formerly
gooey gill-breathers, now graduating as
the class of 2010) become good,
interesting people who will do great
things and improve the lives of others.
Watching this class, in particular, has
awakened me to the strange and
Andrew McDonnell
wonderful plight of the Wayland
teacher. A majority of our job is to
help transform these children into the
sorts of people we will miss.
Using that criteria, at least, I can
confidently state that we are doing an
excellent job.
We wish them all the best.
www.wayland.org 3
THE CLASS OF 2010

Laura Bachmann — Salutatorian
Nicholas Derr — Valedictorian
Clearly, Wayland is more magical than you first think. Each person brings something
unique to our experience here, and our teachers solidify an amazing experience. When
we stepped into the dorm as freshmen, Ms. Kesler or Mr. Walters welcomed us into what
would become our home. Freshman year we faced classes like world civilizations with
Mr. Nicholson or Algebra with Mr. Jimenez. Eventually we faced even more frightening
teachers like Mr. Disch, or maybe even Mr. Lennertz himself. We gave up our time to
sports and extracurriculars that integrated us into this community. I hope all of you
leave here with memories from all of these aspects that really are magical.
Jill Beck, Ph.D. — President, Lawrence University
See, that’s what’s great about this place. It isn’t the pillars, though they’re spectacular,
and it’s not the academics, though they’re top-notch, and it isn’t even the college
preparation, though it’s very thorough. It’s the community. Wayland is a place where
you are surrounded on all sides by people on whom you can depend, and it shows.
When Joe (Liverseed) decided to run for mayor, he had people clamoring to help. Megan
was the Campaign Manager, Estelle – Joe’s good friend from Chicago – was the events
coordinator, Laura ran the Joe Liverseed blog, Phoebe was the fashion consultant, and
Ashley did a little bit of everything. Lardy’s job was top-secret, so I can’t get into any
specifics, but Nixon would have been proud. Everyone was willing to lend a hand.
Guttu T. Maskalo — Class President
The hardest thing about attending Wayland is the end of each year and especially
graduation because each and every one of you has truly made a place in my heart:
students, faculty, and family members. I will miss you more than you will ever know!
Mr. Esten, from one president to another, as soon as I receive my diploma, I am
announcing my retirement as the senior class president of 2010.
To each of you who have earned honors and to each of the graduates, I offer you a
congratulatory pat on the back, a celebratory high-five, and a respectful nod of
appreciation for your fine achievements. My warmest wishes for a rewarding and
enriching life to each of you, and my assurance to your friends and family that each of
us shares in your pleasure today. We are all basking in the satisfaction of extraordinary
work done by extraordinary students. Best wishes to the class of 2010!
4
wayland academy greetings
Bob Esten `64 — Wayland President
Your life is one long motion towards wisdom. That is our greatest hope for you. Do not
fall into the abyss of complacency. Don’t be satisfied with a good beginning. Which is
what you leave here with, today. Heed your own voice, the one your Wayland faculty
have taught you to trust.

A Student’s Reaction to the 2010 Graduation
by Estelle de Vendegies
Leaving
the place where you have done most of your “growing up” can only
be described with one word: bittersweet.
I have changed so much over my four
years at wayland. The friends and
teachers that I have encountered have
forever changed me as a person. I have
discovered everything from the
Wayland essay to my favorite book:
Catch-22. Like any school Wayland has
its ups and downs. However, looking
back on graduation day, watching all of
the people I have grown to love over
four years walk across the stage, I
realize one great consistency at
Wayland is the camaraderie across
campus. Wayland is a community filled
with people who you are able to rely
on. Where would I have been without
the late night study sessions, the
Korean rice parties, or the guidance
from not only my mentor, Mr. Dore,
but every teacher at Wayland.
At times, coming back from a holiday
break I would refer to Wayland as
home. Of course right away my mother
would say “Oh I see, now Wayland is
home to you!?” Of course Wayland is
very different from the home that I
share with my family, but in a way it is
the same. The students and teachers at
Wayland are my family, and the dorms
where I spent four years living are my
home. When a student attends
Wayland it becomes such a large part
of your life. After all, it is the place
where you eat, sleep, and play for a
large part of the year. At times, of
course, it isn’t easy but with the help
of the friends and teachers you get to
know the burden is greatly lifted.
Freshman year, for example, I struggled
with biology. No, this is an
understatement. I thought biology to
be impossible! I have never had the
mind of a scientist. In fact my mind is
geared more towards English and
history, so naturally bio was a huge
blockade in my schedule. My
roommate, on the other hand, excelled
at bio. It took me all the way to the
second semester to realize that it was
OK to ask my roommate for help.
Once we started studying together all
of a sudden my grades on tests started
improving greatly, and once my answer
to a long answer question was read
aloud. This is one obstacle I overcame
that I am very proud of! Though it also
taught me a great lesson. The friends
that you make at Wayland are also
there to help you. If there is one thing
I have learned from my four years, it is
that everyone at Wayland is there to
help you when they can. No one
wishes to see you fail, instead Wayland
focuses on creating a great bond across
campus.
Now, officially a graduate of Wayland
Academy I can honestly say that any
negative memories I once had at
Wayland have left my mind. Walking
across the stage, diploma in hand, I felt
as though I had finally completed my
transition into adulthood. It would
take me fifty pages and then some to
describe to an outsider what the
relationships I have with not only
fellow students, but also teachers at
Wayland Academy mean to me. It is
close to impossible to truly describe
how every single day and encounter
changed me as a person. But it took
only four years for these wonderful
things to happen for me. This is the
“Wayland Experience.”
Estelle de Vendegies
Estelle and her mother, Nina de Vendegies
www.wayland.org 5
THE CLASS OF 2010

Trustee Chair Susan Peterson `63
presented the diplomas to all the
graduates
6 wayland academy greetings
Terrill Knaack `69, Wayland’s Artist-in-Residence, and some of his art students: Seo
Yeon Park, Terrill Knaack, Jake Wood, Mark Mesrobian, Ted Shank, Natalie Guse,
Aaron Brown, Robbie Behrenbeck, and Hannah Mallegni

A Visit with Valedictorian Nick Derr
by Andrew McDonnell
This
year’s Valedictorian Nick Derr was accepted into some of America’s
most competitive and well-respected institutions including two Ivy League schools. When
the day came to decide where his future would lie, though, Nick decided to move 30 miles
down the road to the University of Wisconsin. To many it was a head-scratcher in light of
the prestige that is perceived to accompany an Ivy League degree. Greetings staff sat down
with Nick to discuss his decision to remain in-state:
Greetings: Which schools were you
accepted into this year?
Derr: I was accepted into Yale,
Brown, Northwestern, and Wisconsin.
Greetings: What was the determining
factor or factors that separated UW
from the rest of the pack?
Derr: The biggest advantage
Wisconsin had was my gut’s stamp of
approval, and I think that came from a
few sources. I liked its being close to
home, its campus, engineering ranking
(12, maybe?), and surrounding area.
You can contrast that with
Northwestern, which has a beautiful
campus, nice city, and lower rank -
though not by much - or Yale, with a
nice campus, rank in the 40’s, and a
dive of a city. Yale stayed in the
conversation longer than Brown or
Northwestern because it’s Yale, and its
Physics program is ranked right behind
Wisconsin’s - they’re 10 or 11. I haven’t
decided if I want to do Engineering or
Physics (or Engineering Physics), but
both of Wisconsin’s programs are top
12, while Yale’s Engineering is, I
believe, ranked 41. So, when you added
it all up at Wisconsin, I had two top 12
programs to take advantage of, a nice
campus, the opportunity to come home
more often (or not), and the chance to
work hard and get into grad school at
an Ivy or something of that nature.
That was my gut doing the math, not
me. I was undecided until about three
days before the deadline.
Greetings: Have people given you a
hard time for passing on the Ivy
League? What have the reactions been
like when people hear that?
Derr: People have been fine overall.
You get a few who almost get angry
(“How COULD you?”), and a bigger
chunk of people who do a bad job of
hiding their initial reaction (that’s …
great!), but the vast majority of people
keep their feelings to themselves. Then
there are the ones who actually say
“Good for you for not blindly following
an Ivy acceptance.” That group is
bigger than the angry ones but smaller
than the bad reaction-hiders.
Greetings: How large a role did Big 10
football really play in your decision?
Fess up.
Derr: It wasn’t as big a role as you’d
think, because if I’d gone to Yale I
might have played football, so they had
that going for them. That being said, I
REALLY like Big Ten sports. Yale had
a huge amount of extracurriculars and
things to do around campus, but (aside
from the Harvard-Yale game) I didn’t
sense any equivalent to the sort of
school-wide support of athletics you
would find at a Big Ten school. I’m not
saying that was a huge factor by any
means; it was a factor, though, and I
do like sports.
Greetings: I know you’re somewhere
between engineering and physics or
some amalgamation of the two, but do
Nick Derr
you have any clear idea of what you
someday hope to do after you finish
your formal education?
Derr: Actually, there’s a large part of
me that wants to be a professor and
teach.
Greetings: What advice would you
give to a rising senior in light of your
college search and decision-making
process?
Derr: Don’t get caught up in
comparing these huge lists of pros and
cons. After you’ve narrowed it down
to a few places, go see them if you can.
Then just go with your gut.
www.wayland.org
7
THE CLASS OF 2010

The Weimer K. Hicks
Achievement Award
Marcelo Giebink
Wayland Academy Writing Award
Theodore Shank
Alumni Association
Memorial Service Awards
Stephanie Hill and Michael Boucher
Board of Trustees Awards
Stephanie Hill and Nicholas Kosewski
Glen and Ella Dye Award
Anne Rauschert `11
The James P. Freeman
President’s Award
Jane Goski
President’s Award
Megan Connell, Matthew Hernandez,
Stephen Pepper and Theodore Shank
Kit Mayer Sports Cup
Stephanie Hill
Wiseheart Cup
Nicholas Schubert
Laura A. MacDonald Award
Stephanie Hill
Edwin Putnam Brown Award
Nicholas Kosewski
8
Mike Boucher Megan Connell
wayland academy greetings
Awards Presented During Honors
Convocation May 16, 2010
Academic Book Awards —
Class of 2010
English
Hannah Mallegni
Greg Boulanger Memorial
Award in Drama
Nicholas Derr and Nicholas Kosewski
Music
Jee Woo Park
Visual Arts
Mark Mesrobian
Classics
Laura Bachmann
German
Savanna Jensen
Spanish
Jane Goski
Mathematics
Nicholas Derr
Science
Nicholas Derr
Social Studies/History
Joseph Liverseed
Marcelo Giebink Jane Goski Matt Hernandez
2010 Commencement Awards
Senior Art Purchase Award
Robert Behrenbeck
2010 Senior Honors Awards
First-year:
Erika Anusewski, Ellie Deri-Sproull,
Natalie Guse, Nikos Frank, Rachel
Lizzadro-McPherson, Luquing Lu,
Qin Shao, and Hua-Yue Xie
Two-year:
Aaron Brown, Maud Ellis, Hendry
Fang, Matthew Hernandez, Seung
Hyeon Lee, Jee Woo Park, Nicholas
Schubert, Zachary Schwartz,Theodore
Shank, Wiley Yao, and Jiwoo Yu
Three-year:
Allison Dewar, Estelle de Vendegies,
Austin Fiegel, Marcelo Giebink, Yoo
Kyung Hwang, and Jamie Mones
Four-year:
Dezarae Avalos, Laura Bachmann,
Megan Connell, Nicholas Derr, Jane
Goski, Stephanie Hill, Se Yeon Jang,
Savanna Jensen, Nicholas Kosewski,
Austin Lardy,
Joseph
Liverseed,
Joshua Miller,
Seo Yeon
Park,
Jenna
Ptaschinski,
and Liqing
Zhang
Theodore Shank
Stephanie Hill Nick Kosewski Stephen Pepper Anne Rauschert Nick Schubert

W
ayland
Academy’s
administration,
faculty, staff, and the
Board of Trustees
are honored to
present the school’s
class of 2010!
Abdirizak Ali
Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin
Erika Anuszewski
The University of Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Dezarae Avalos
University of Rochester
Rochester, New York
Laura Bachmann
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts
Thomas Robert Behrenbeck
Southwestern University
Georgetown, Texas
Michael Boucher
University of Wisconsin,
Eau Claire
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Aaron Brown
University of St. Thomas
St. Paul, Minnesota
Megan Connell
Creighton University
Omaha, Nebraska
Estelle de Vendegies
Marymount Manhattan
College
New York, New York
Austin Fiegel
Westminster College
Fulton, Missouri
Nikos Frank
Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin
Marcelo Giebink
Westminster College
Fulton, Missouri
Jane Goski
St. Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota
Natalie Guse
Mount Mary College
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
John Heeter III
Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois
Rickey Hendon
Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois
Matthew Hernandez
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York
Stephanie Hill
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois
Yoo Kyung Hwang
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois
Se Yeon Jang
University of Wisconsin,
Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Savanna Jensen
St. Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota
Katharine E. Klein
Ripon College
Ripon, Wisconsin
Nicholas R. Kosewski
University of Minnesota,
Twin Cities
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Yean Ji Lee
Binghamton University
Binghamton, New York
Cheuk Ming Ling
Kent State University
Kent, Ohio
Joe Liverseed
Reed College
Portland, Oregon
Rachel Michelle
Lizzadro-McPherson
Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin
Luqing Lu
University of Wisconsin,
Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Hannah Mallegni
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado
Guttu Maskalo
St. Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota
Brie Medley
Madison Area Technical
College
Madison, Wisconsin
Mark Mesrobian
University of Redlands
Redlands, California
Joshua Luc Miller
United States Military
Academy
West Point, New York
Jamie-Alden Mones
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, Arizona
Billal Muammar
Joliet Junior College
Joliet, Illinois
Justin Pappano
Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Haitham Hazam Qamhiyeh
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
Cedric Rumongi
Unknown
Kayla Ruplinger
Eckerd College
St. Petersburg, Florida
John Santucci
Southern Illinois University,
Carbondale
Carbondale, Illinois
Austin Scholz
University of Wisconsin,
La Crosse
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Nicholas Schubert
Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin
Zachary Schwartz
St. Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota
Theodore Shank
Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Qin Shao
Pennsylvania State University,
University Park
University Park, Pennsylvania
Paul Shapiro
Deferring
Jake Wood
University of Wisconsin,
Stevens Point
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Huayue Xie
Smith College
Northampton, Massachusetts
Wiley Yao
Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Jiwoo Yu
University of Illinois at
Jee Woo Park
Urbana-Champaign
Oxford College of
Urbana, Illinois
Ellie Deri-Sproull
Henry Lardy
Emory University
Framingham State College University of Wisconsin,
Oxford, Georgia
Liqing Zhang
Framingham, Massachusetts Madison
The University of Alabama at
CLASS
Madison, Wisconsin
Seo Yeon Park
Birmingham
Nicholas Derr
Wellesley College
Birmingham, Alabama
University of Wisconsin,
Chung Bok Lee
Wellesley, Massachusetts
Madison
The University of the Arts
Madison, Wisconsin
2010
of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Stephen Pepper III
Illinois Institute of Technology
Allison Jane Dewar
Seung Hyeon Lee
Chicago, Illinois
Rhodes College
University of Minnesota,
Memphis, Tennessee
Twin Cities
Shane Preston
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Southern Illinois University,
Maud Ellis
Carbondale
Pitzer College
Si Wan Lee
Carbondale, Illinois
Claremont, California
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University - Florida
Jenna Ptaschinski
Hendry Fang
Daytona Beach, Florida
Davidson College
Pepperdine University
Davidson, North Carolina
Malibu, California
www.wayland.org 9
THE CLASS OF 2010

Nick Schubert, Sean Costello (English), and
Wiley Yao
Jane Goski and Martha Kesler (English)
The family of Robbie Behrenbeck
10
wayland academy greetings
The family of John Heeter III
Nick Kosewski and P. J. Osvald (History)
Dezarae Avalos and Becky Moe (Math)
Graduate Luqing Lu and friends

GT Maskalo’s family: mother Kebede Messeret,
G.T, father Tesfaye Maskalo, and his sister
The Hill Family: Craig H`06 (Science), Stephanie, and Judy H`08
(Athletic Director)
The Ptaschinski Family: (l-r) Gerald `49, Lillian `49, grandparents of: Claire `07, Jenna `10,
Oliver `11, and parents Eva (Hartman) `83, and Tom
Joshua Miller, Dr. Keely Lake (Classical Languages), and Jake Wood
Mike Boucher, father Kris Boucher (Associate Dean of Admission),
and Mike’s sisters Lizzie (Boucher) Lee `99 and Kristene Boucher `97
(Art & Librarian)
Jie Shen, Qin Shao, and Guanming Shao
www.wayland.org 11
THE CLASS OF 2010

12
wayland academy greetings

www.wayland.org 13
THE CLASS OF 2010

In
1904, a former student of
Wayland Academy ran for the office
of president of the United States. He
lost in that contest. I suspect that few
if any students who have attended
Wayland are even aware of his name
or of his color. George Edwin Taylor,
the foster-son of a black farmer in La
Crosse County near the town of West
Salem in Western Wisconsin,
attended Wayland between 1877 and
1879, and, primarily as a consequence
of the education he received there, he
succeeded beyond what was above
average or perhaps even extraordinary
for the time. His story is yet to be told
and is the subject of a forthcoming
biography (For Labor, Race, and
Liberty: George Edwin Taylor, His
Historic Race for the White House, and
the Making of Independent Black
Politics) to be published by the
University of Wisconsin Press in
October 2010.
by Bruce L. Mouser
Professor Emeritus
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
GEORGE EDWIN TAYLO
LEAVING

Taylor was born in Little Rock,
Arkansas, in 1857. His mother,
Amanda Hines, was of “free born
Negro” status, which meant that she
was of mixed race and was one of 748
free blacks in the whole state. Taylor’s
father, on the other hand, was a slave,
a circumstance that made young
Taylor’s status complicated. When
both parents were free, children also
were free. In George’s case, however,
he normally would have followed the
status of his father – if his father were
known with certainty. The status of
his birth was further complicated,
however, by an Arkansas law passed
early in 1859 that required all free
born blacks to leave the state by
January 1860 or be seized and sold
into slavery. Hines took young George
to Alton, Illinois, where Taylor would
spend all the Civil War years. His
mother died in 1861 or 1862, and
George, at the tender ages of four
through seven, wandered about Alton
without supervised care, living in
wooden “dry goods boxes” or shipping
crates. In late April 1865, less than a
month after the war’s end, he arrived
onboard the Hawkeye State at the
loading docks of La Crosse, Wisconsin,
where he was to spend the next
twenty-five years.
How Taylor arrived in La Crosse and
to the care of Nathan and Sarah Smith,
both blacks who operated a farm near
West Salem, Wisconsin, is still
uncertain. Taylor later explained that
he had been “bound out” to Smith.
That term for the time generally
referred to orphans, delinquents, or
indigents who needed supervision, and
who otherwise didn’t have it. George
was likely a street urchin, a common
enough condition in wartime when
children survived and parents did not.
Government agencies in those days
were ill-prepared to offer shelter, so
children were effectively apprenticed
or “bound out” to others who would
raise them and use their labor as
payment for their care. Taylor
mentioned later that he was obliged to
stay with Nathan Smith until he was
twenty years old. Taylor attended a
small but progressive school on a
nearby farm, and was known while
there to excel in political debate.
How Taylor arrived at Wayland also is
a mystery, although entirely
understandable when considering
Wayland’s own history during that
period. The mid to late 1870s was a
time of hardship for Wayland. The
country was experiencing a severe
recession that had begun in 1873, and
farmers were among the hardest hit as
the country transformed to industrial
production. Nearly all students that
attended Wayland in those years came
from small Wisconsin towns, all of
which depended to a degree on success
in the agricultural sector. In addition
to those difficulties, the Academy was
confronted by an unanticipated
economic shortfall. In its early years,
Wayland had followed a path used by
many new schools to raise needed
operating capital when investors were
few. It sold tuition waivers at a cheap
price, all to be redeemed at a later date
for those whose parents had planned
ahead. Those waivers began to be
submitted for redemption and the
school began to suffer. Partly as a
result of that dilemma, Wayland was
R and Wayland:
HIS
reorganized in 1877, obtaining a new
principal and taking on then more the
character of a “New England styled”
residential preparatory academy, which
it remained for the rest of the century.
Students would still complete college
level work, but a large number would
be attending higher level secondary
school. That was far from the
founders’ dream of Wayland as a
Brown University of the Midwest.
Fortunately, we know a great deal
about life at Wayland for the 1877 to
1879 period, if we assume that the
novel written by Elmer Ferris, Jerry at
the Academy, comes close to depicting
conditions of the time. Ferris attended
Wayland from 1877 to 1880, almost
certainly the same years as those of
George Taylor. Ferris described
Wayland as expensive for those days,
costing perhaps $150 ($3,381 in 2008
dollars) per year, an unfathomable
figure for farmers and farm boys,
although Wayland’s financial ledger
indicates that Taylor paid only $72.40
in fees in the two plus years he
attended. That figure, however, did not
include meals which Ferris calculated
at $2.00 per week. Enrollment was 95
students in 1877-78. The school was
coeducational, with separate dorms for
each gender. Students were housed in
double rooms that were spartanly
furnished with stove, beds, and desks,
and all students were expected to live
in the dorms and take their meals in
the school’s dining hall during their
first year. The course lasted for three
years, at the end of which time one
would be designated a graduate of
Wayland University and the holder of
a college degree. At least, that is how
MARK
www.wayland.org 15
LEAVING HIS MARK

Wisconsin residents seemed to
consider Wayland’s value. In 1879,
those who wanted a higher education
could easily matriculate to the
University of Chicago’s law school;
women graduates, however, remained
16
wayland academy greetings
at Wayland for an advanced course in
teaching. Wayland’s curriculum was
divided into two tracks: Classical (precollegiate)
and English. But all were
expected to complete courses in
grammar and rhetoric.
And we know a
little about Taylor
from four
surviving school
records. Two of
those are annual
catalogues
covering the 1877-
78 and 1878-79
academic years.
The 1877-78
edition lists all
students
attending, their
class assignment,
and descriptions
of the courses of
study expected of
students. All
incoming students
1877 Receipt of Taylor’s expenses while at Wayland
were grouped as
“Preparatory
English Class” or
as “Irregulars.” All were expected to
move from that level to the Junior, the
Middle, and the Senior levels. At the
Junior level, students were expected to
choose either the English Course
which emphasized “business and
professional life” or teaching, or the
Classical Course which was focused on
higher education and law. Taylor
advanced to the Junior level whose
curriculum included three terms of
Latin, three terms of mathematics, and
one term of science. The school’s
financial records indicate that Taylor
paid fees regularly. A single card
from the 1920s indicates only that
Taylor was black and that he in
1913 was editor of the Daily
Promoter, a newspaper in
Jacksonville, Florida.
One of the annual
catalogues covering the
1877-78 and 1878-79
academic years.
Taylor later reported that he worked
his way through Wayland, which was
also one of the paths mentioned by
Ferris, who recounted with some detail
the trauma of securing sufficient funds
to pay for tuition, room and board, and
even transportation to and from
school. Apparently it was common for
students, once they had completed
their first year, to take room and board
in Beaver Dam and seek employment
either in the town or on Wayland’s
campus, thus saving nearly half the
cost of attending Wayland. Taylor
never described how or where he
worked. Taylor also was much older
than the average student at Wayland,
and perhaps that made it more likely
that he found work off the school
grounds. During the summer break,
when students’ labor was required on
farms, Taylor worked at the West
Salem site, and as a printer’s “devil” or
apprentice in La Crosse where “Brick”
Pomeroy still maintained printing
interests. Printing in those days was
dirty work, especially when manually
setting type which left fingers and
finger nails with seemingly permanent
stains. It is doubtful that Taylor could
have earned enough during the
summer to pay for his schooling in the
winter. In any case, Taylor ended his
career at Wayland in 1879 at age 22,
having completed only two years of its
curriculum and apparently in bad
health and in desperate financial
difficulty.
Taylor took employment in La Crosse
as a journalist apprentice, and claimed
to have worked for Pomeroy’s
Democrat and to have moved up to
become that paper’s city editor before
Pomeroy moved his business to
Denver, Colorado, in mid 1880. By his
later account, he wrote articles for
several local and regional newspapers
before settling in 1884 or 1885 as head
journalist and then editor of the La
Crosse Evening Star which for the time
was a minor paper with a small
circulation. One of the largest
contributors to the Star was a
flamboyant doctor who had arrived in
1881 to operate a medical practice and
open a medical school in La Crosse.

Dr. “White Beaver” Frank Powell was
an excellent shot with a pistol and
actually traveled with William Cody’s
“Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show” on
occasion. He dressed in buckskin garb
and sported a magnificent handlebar
mustache. He also dabbled in and
produced numerous mystical salves
and ointments, all of which were
guaranteed to cure nearly every disease
known to man. Powell decided to enter
politics as an independent in 1885, and
Taylor – a black journalist in a white
world – grasped onto his coattails and
road into it with him. Taylor became
Powell’s campaign manager in his
mayoral campaigns of 1885 and 1886;
and when the “Eight-hour Workday”
movement caught fire in Wisconsin in
1886, Taylor attached himself tightly
to that one as well. Within a year,
Taylor had become one of the
governing officers in the newly formed
People’s Party of Wisconsin and then a
spokesman for the Union Labor Party
which rattled the nation with its
amazing third-party successes in the
election of 1888.
Rising fast in politics, however,
sometimes occurs too quickly and
without a sufficient base of support
and experience to sustain it. That
occurred with Taylor who did not deal
well with his phenomenal and
meteoric successes. Equipped with a
brilliant pen and a silver tongue gained
through his years at Wayland and
perfected in La Crosse, he nevertheless
tended to alienate his supporters
unnecessarily and to burn bridges
when he should have been in a
defensive mode to protect his base
when under stress. Taylor’s response
to adversity was to transform himself,
following very much a pattern set
down by those in La Crosse whom he
most admired. Pomeroy, whose
personality no one would have wanted
to emulate, had delighted in ridiculing
his enemies and sometimes his friends.
It was Pomeroy who during the Civil
War had called Lincoln “the Widow
maker” and who had suggested that
someone should assassinate him.
Pomeroy often burnt bridges and
retired from the public eye, only to
reemerge like a phoenix to claim and
accomplish ever greater goals. Taylor
followed that example and model, but
Taylor had significant disadvantages.
He was poor, unlike Pomeroy, and he
was black, also unlike Pomeroy. He
was a brilliant writer, but his pen often
was brutal and unpleasant. Had he not
been black, perhaps he would have
reacted differently when “put down”
for his actions. He seemed surprised
that northern whites used racial slurs
against him, and he responded in ways
that certainly would have gotten him
lynched had he lived closer to the Ohio
River. Perhaps he had matured in a
golden age when blacks were
considered as near-equals and
deserving of special treatment after
two centuries of slavery. 1877, after
all, was only a dozen years after the
end of the Civil War, and the South
was still under federal occupation. A
decade later, however, conditions in
the country had changed significantly,
and Taylor was slow to come to terms
with those changes.
By 1885, the South was in the process
of ridding itself of the last vestiges of
Reconstruction, and whites there who
were regaining control of state after
state were preparing to pass laws that
would effectively remove nearly all
blacks from voting rolls throughout the
South. Northern whites looked upon
those changes in the South with
dismay and disbelief, but they were
tired of war, of recession, and of the
question of civil rights, and they were
not interested in any discussion of
enforcing laws in the South, even if
that meant the systematic
disfranchisement of America’s newlyenfranchised
southern black citizens.
www.wayland.org 17
LEAVING HIS MARK

How Taylor responded to
these changes that occurred
immediately following the
end of his Wayland years is
essentially unrecorded. By the
time he surfaced in 1891 in
Oskaloosa, Iowa, however, he
had transformed himself from
labor agitator into black
political activist and had
abandoned third party
movements where he had
obtained his early political
experience. Essentially, he
had given up on the notion of
separate victory at the polls,
and had replaced it with the
role of willing player in
established politics, even if
that needed to be one of
subservience and loyalty to be
repaid by an appointment to a
government post, of which
there were many at that time.
Politics in the 1880s and
1890s was every bit as
complicated as it is now, but
with more corruption, more
bosses, more precinct soldiers, and more
patronage spoils that could be
distributed to those who loyally served
the party – whichever one it was. There
were few “watchdogs” that monitored
politicians or their cronies who ran
government agencies, and there were
almost no laws in place to force them to
be honest. Political activism was a
profitable and growing business. But to
be successful for persons of all races,
one needed to be eloquent, proficient
with pen or pencil, gifted as a speaker
and organizer, graceful with wit and
sarcasm, and possessing flawless
manners. All of those were traits that
Wayland had stressed in its curriculum
for that time.
From 1891 to 1904, a brief thirteen
years, Taylor rose rapidly upon the
black political stage. He had come from
white-dominated and labor-activist
worlds of Wisconsin, and he had to
learn his position and role in a far
different world. Yet within a year of
his reentry as a political activist, he
had become the president of the
National Colored Men’s Protective
18
wayland academy greetings
Association in 1892 and had been
selected as the only black member in
Iowa’s delegation to the Republican
National Convention to choose
candidates for president and vicepresident.
In an extraordinary and
very public spectacle, Taylor left the
Republican Party during that
convention and wrote an astonishing
condemnation of that party for its
failure to support black civil rights in
the South. Besides, Republicans
supported business interests, and
Taylor had “cut his teeth” in a type of
politics that was more in tune with
labor or populist ideas.
Attacking the Republicans who had
liberated America’s blacks from slavery
and who held the loyalty of 90% of
black voters was perhaps the least wise
choice Taylor could have made in
1892, but there was always the other
party. His silver tongue, eloquent pen,
and impeccable wardrobe permitted
him to rise rapidly among the ranks of
black Democrats who – like many
black Republicans – had become
Democrats because of political
appointments they might obtain for
themselves as party
operatives. Many cities in the
North were controlled by
Democratic machines, and all
were looking for loyal black
soldiers and precinct workers.
In quick order, Taylor became
active and acquired leadership
in several black satellite
organizations affiliated with
and supported financially by
the national Democratic Party.
In 1900 he was elected
president of the National
Negro Democratic League
which controlled the Negro
Bureau within the Democratic
Party. In effect, he was head
of the Negro wing of the
Democratic Party.
By 1904, however, Taylor had
become thoroughly
disillusioned with both
political parties. He was
convinced that white labor
and white capital would join
forces to oppose black civil
rights and would do nothing to stop
the violence against blacks in the
South which had reached almost a
vigilante character by that date. The
South, which had experienced
hardship during Reconstruction,
seemed eager to punish blacks for their
discontent, and that played out in
unimagined ways. Blacks were
systematically stripped of their right to
vote and were legally separated in the
use of train cars, buses, drinking
fountains, schools, park benches,
beaches, every part of their lives. An
anti-black hysteria gripped the South,
and that brought mob rule with blacks
burned alive or castrated or lynched,
with apparently no commanding law
to force compliance or bring justice
when perpetrators were known. This
also was a time when scientific race
theories were gaining ground in the
North, with some of the nation’s most
prominent thinkers justifying their
own attitudes by engaging in studies of
the “Negro Problem,” and how to solve
it. Blacks were to be studied
thoroughly to learn the reasons for
their failures in the modern world, and

most believed those reasons to lay in
genetics or just a biological necessity to
find whites as racially superior.
In 1904, Taylor did the unthinkable.
At the peak of his influence within the
Democratic Party, he could clearly see
that while the Democrats might be
better for blacks in the long term, they
would do nothing to solve the lingering
and growing problem of race hatred
and division that separated the races in
America. He did not openly condemn
the Democratic Party. Instead, he
simply left it to lead a newly-formed
political party of black activists and –
the ultimate sacrifice to his career in
politics – accepted that party’s
nomination to run for the office of
president of the United
States. This was truly a suicidal
mission. He would and could gain
nothing from it. He ended his political
life in a grand show with weapons
blazing, but no one was listening or
even knew that he was in the race.
It is clear, however, that Taylor by 1904
had obtained an uncanny ability to
assess the realities of American
political life at the beginning of the
twentieth century, despite the fact that
his final act in it was so poorly
performed. Before 1904, the national
Republican Party had depended on
black voters to vote Republican as an
unbreakable bloc, and that basically had
worked for four decades. Democrats
tried to fracture that Republican lock
on the black vote, and to a degree that
accounted for Taylor’s rapid rise as a
Democrat. By 1904, however, neither
party needed or was even interested in
the black vote or in black issues. The
nation had split into a solid Democratic
South with Democratic-leaning
Populists in the Midwest. The
Republicans controlled the upper
Midwest, middle states of the East
Coast, and New England. What
mattered most was the electoral vote. In
effect, the Republicans could lock up
the electoral vote, even if they failed to
obtain a majority in the popular vote.
Essentially, no one needed the black
vote anymore. Taylor apparently knew
that in 1904, and he died the perfect
political death. From 1910 to 1925,
Taylor lived and worked in Florida,
mainly in the Jacksonville area where
there was a large black urban
population with a large newspaper
readership. Taylor edited at least three
newspapers while in Florida.
How important was Wayland to
Taylor’s successes? Apparently
important enough for Taylor to have
made a point to mention it prominently
in a resume which he distributed widely
during his presidential campaign.
Taylor always referred to Wayland as a
university rather than as a college or
preparatory school. But that also was
the nomenclature used by Wayland
itself during those early days, especially
those times before 1879 when Taylor
left it. He also claimed to have been a
college graduate, but even I know from
personal experience that others
sometimes make claims for you that are
technically incorrect. Whether Taylor
ever returned to view that place where
he had spent two formative years of his
young life is unknown. But that he
mentioned it so often suggests that it
was an important part of his growth.
For this reconstruction, the author relied
upon the following published works and on
personal research conducted in the
preparation of Taylor’s biography: Alton
Edward Wichman, Wayland Story:
Centennial History of Wayland Academy,
1855-1955 (Beaver Dam, c.1954); Bruce L.
Mouser, Black La Crosse, Wisconsin, 1850-
1906: Settlers, entrepreneurs, and exodusers
(La Crosse: La Crosse County Historical
Society, 2002); “Sketch of George Edwin
Taylor,” Voice of the Negro (October 1904),
476-81; Elmer E. Ferris, Jerry at the
Academy (Garden City, New York:
Doubleday, 1940); Iowa State Bystander, 23
December 1898, p2; Orville W. Taylor,
Negro Slavery in Arkansas (Durham: Duke
University Press, 1958); Frank Klement,
“‘Brick’” Pomeroy: Copperhead and
curmudgeon,” Wisconsin Magazine of
History 35, no. 2 (1951-2): 106-13, 156-57;
and the author’s forthcoming For Labor,
Race, and Liberty: George Edwin Taylor, his
Historic Run for the White House, and the
Making of Independent Black Politics
(Madison: University of Wisconsin Press,
2010) a http://uwpress.wisc.edu/. A
selection of original documents relating to
Taylor’s political activities is found online
at
http://murphylibrary.uwlax.edu/digital/Tay
lorGeorge/.
Postscript: The author welcomes comments
regarding this article or Taylor, pictures of
Wayland during the 1877-1879 period, and
any original accounts of a black student or
students attending Wayland during this
early period. Documents, recollections, and
pictures may be added to the website over
time. Write directly to the author at
mouser.bruce@charter.net.
Bruce Mouser
Author
Copies of the book
highlighed in this article
will be available for $24.95
beginning December 2010
— Ways to order —
By Web:
UW Press Website:
uwpress.wisc.com
By Phone:
800-621-2736
By Mail:
Mail the order form for
individuals, found online at:
http://uwpress.wisc.edu/orderform.html
to:
Customer Service Department
The University of Wisconsin Press
c/o Chicago Distribution Center
11030 S. Langley Avenue
Chicago, IL 60628 USA
In Stores:
Available through online retailers
and fine bookstores everywhere.
www.wayland.org 19
LEAVING HIS MARK

(l-r) Kurt Walters, Linda Fischer H`92,
Eli Seighman H`71, and Jim Fischer
AN EVENING
at
20Wayland

Wayland
Academy would
like to THANK the
following individuals and
organizations that donated
cash and auction items to
its 34th Annual Spring
Gala & Auction. Their
support helped the
Academy raise more than
$90,000!
Donald Augustine `54
Rosemarie & Raymond Bacci
Kristina & Roger Bacci
Nancy Thomson & David Bachmann
Abisola & Olushola Bakare
Ardeth Bayley
Julia & Thomas Behrenbeck
Stephanie & Frederick Bishop `57
Angie & Roy Brandell
Catherine Best & Russell Brandl
Michelle Carter
Betty & Alan Clark `49
Mr. and Mrs. David Clark
Lana & Michael Clark
Janice & Andrew Coulson `64
Judith & August Crivolio
Connie & Raymon Darling
Lisa & Mike Derr
Mary & Donald Derr
Linda & Bob Esten `64
Susie Everson
Jeanne & Jack Faber
Linda & Vic Falk `63
Rebekah Faust `11
Maxine & James Ferron
Paul Frank
Stephanie & Todd Franklin
Tara Franklin
Drews Gossel `00
Dorothee & Karl Gossel
Donna Greenacre
Dr. Patricia Grodecki
Debra & Carl Guse
Diane & Craig Haberman
Michaelle and John Heeter
Susan & James Janik `74
Suzanne Filut & Peter Jensen
Christa Johnson
Sujatha & Laxman Kailas
John Keil `50
Katherine Kent
Karen H`08 & Richard `54 Kimberly
Sue & Terrill Knaack `68
Richelle Eliason Kruse `87 &
Timothy D. Kruse `87
Jeff Lataille
Cara Zilisch Landolt `89
Onnie Leach Smith
Catherine and Randy Lawton `63
Melissa & Scott Lowell
Linda & Thomas Lutes
Rhonda Marcucci
Kim & Rodney Miller
Diane Eliason Misina `85 & John Misina
Janet & Harvey Mosley
Matthew Nielsen `90
Mary & Kenneth Ostermann
Nancy & Gary Petersen
Susan Peterson `63
Barbara Pierson
Mr. and Mrs. Angel Pizaro
J. E. Pizarro `90
Robin Garard & Scott Posnanski `86
John Powless
Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Purdum
Tracy & Randy Rabata
Kathy & Curtis Radford `73
Mary Vogl-Rauscher & Thomas Rauscher
Eileen & Karl Rauschert `47
Cynthia & Mark Rauschert `83
Betty & Saul Rosenbaum
Farhut & Ayaz Samadani
(l-r) Trustee Emeritus Dick Kimberly `54, his wife Karen Kimberly H`08, and Vice
President of Development Trent Jackson
(l-r) Tink Alexander (Susan’s husband), Trustee Chair Susan Peterson `63, and Sue
Voigt, Director of Public Information and Publications
www.wayland.org 21
AN EVENING AT WAYLAND

Rosina Samadani `85
Rose Schaalma
Judith Ronin Scherb `63 & Bert Scherb
Jo & Mark Schumann
Margaret & Bruce Schwemmer
Hilary & Sean Scott
Penny & Craig Seaver
Georgianna Starz
Jeremy Starz `97
Brenda & Dennis Steinkraus
Connie & Dave Stelsel
Jane & Burnett Sullivan `69
Mary Swan `25 Trust
Nancy Swanson
Nichol & Craig Swenson
Blake Tonn
Leann & Paul Tramm
Lois & Werner Tramm
Dona & Larry Turner
Vaughn Turner
Dorothy VanderVeen
Sue & Darryl Voigt
Julie & Dean Wahl
Kurt Walters
David Walton
Karin & Hartmut Weege
Judith Pickard Yeakel `47
Loryn & Steven Zangwill
Jianhong Che & Xiaogang Zhang
A. A. Roedl Excavating, Inc.
AmericInn of Beaver Dam
Arby’s
Augustana College
B & B Wood Floor Refinishing
Beaver Dam Country Club
Beaver Dam Women’s Health Ltd.
22 wayland academy greetings
Beloit Snappers
Best Western Campus Inn
Burger King
Camp Nicolet Inc.
Carleton College
Carroll College
Cave of the Mounds
Cliff Dwellers Condominium Resort
Coe College
Colorexhibition
Concordia University
Culver’s Restaurant
Dos Gringo’s Mexican Restaurant
Dr. Ayaz M. Samadani, M.D, S.C.
Family Practice and Beaver Dam
Cosmetic Clinic
Drs. Esser, Krueger & Borja
Drake University
Duke University
Eastman Kodak Company
Ebert’s Greenhouse Village
Edgewood College
Floral Expressions
Gene’s Beaver Floral
Glasgow Photography
Gordon Flesch Company Inc.
Green Bay Packers
Heartland Litho
Heidel House Resort
Hillsdale College
Horicon Bank
Inter-Quest, Corp.
Jimmy John’s Subs
Johnson Sausage
Johnson School Bus Service, Inc.
Julie Zahn Photography
Kalamazoo College
Kestrel Ridge Golf Club
Kwik Trip
Lincoln College
Lost Lake Acres Greenhouse
Luther College
Lynn University
Madison Mallards
Malibu Tan, LLC
Marian University
McKinstry’s Home Furnishing Inc.
Mercyhurst College
Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club
Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Public Museum
Mount Olympus
Neuman Pools Inc.
Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Inc.
Nike Tennis Camp
Noah’s Ark Family Park Inc.
Old Hickory Golf Club
Papa Murphy’s Pizza
Park Plaza Pizza, Inc.
Regis University
Rock River Hills Golf Club
Salon 311
Seippel Family Foundation Inc.
Shier Family Clinic of Chiropractic
Silica Electronics & Appliance
Skalitzky Jewelers, Inc.
Sodexo Dining Services
Spa Renew & Permanent Cosmetics
St. Norbert College
Stanford University
SUBWAY Restaurant of Beaver Dam
Super 8 Motel of Columbus
Susquehanna University
Sybaris
Syracuse University
The Boldt Company
Tonn Pest Control
Travel Leaders
Verlo Mattress Factory Store
Walgreen’s
Walt Disney World Co.
Ward-Brodt Music Company
Washington University
Weigel Broadcasting
Westphal’s
White Gull Inn
Wisconsin Aviation, Inc.
Chef Richard (third from left) and Staff

Kevin Bruning `79, President of the Alumni Association, along
with Mark Schumann
Mike `82 and Jessie VanHaren. Mike is the Alumni Association
Board President
(l-r) Connie Fiegel, Greg Thompson, George Miacono, and Ric Fiegel. Connie and Ric
are the parents of Austin Fiegel `10 and Haley Fiegel `14
Trustee Georgiana Starz and Martin Hogg `00
Scott Posnanski `86 and his wife Robin Garard
www.wayland.org 23
AN EVENING AT WAYLAND

waylandnews
President Esten’s Retirement,
Lennertz Named Interim-President
After eight years as President of
Wayland Academy, Robert L. Esten
`64, has chosen to retire a year earlier
than was initially announced.
President Esten previously announced
that he would retire on June 30, 2011.
However, citing personal reasons, he
has decided to move his retirement
forward, effective July 1, 2010.
President Esten’s deep-rooted affinity
for and commitment to Wayland
Academy stems back more than 100
years. His family’s dedication to the
Academy, dating back to his
grandfather O. D. Esten who worked
at the Academy from 1902-1912, is
without question one of the school’s
richest legacies. Eight Estens, spanning
four generations, have graduated from
Wayland Academy.
The Esten presidential era will be
remembered as one of the most
successful periods in the school’s
155-year history. A few of his major
achievements include developing a
solid senior management team and
maintaining and hiring great faculty
and staff. During his tenure, Wayland’s
student body increased by more than
50 percent. The endowment has
tripled in the last eight years, and
President Esten was the driving force
behind the school’s writing initiative.
In addition, Esten oversaw the school’s
Sesquicentennial celebration, which
included the Campaign for Wayland.
The Campaign for Wayland ultimately
led to the challenging fundraising
effort to renovate Wayland Hall. The
Wayland Hall Renovation project was
completed August 2009, and the
building is now one of the finest
residence halls at any Wisconsin
school or university.
Prior to becoming President of
Wayland in 2002, Esten served the
Academy in many capacities, first as
24
wayland academy greetings
the President of the Alumni
Association, then as a Board of
Trustee member, and eventually Chair
of the Trustees until January 2002,
when he assumed the role of Academy
President.
The Wayland community thanks
President Esten for his dedicated
service to his alma mater and wishes
him all the best in his retirement.
The Board of Trustees has appointed
Wayland’s Academic Dean Joseph A.
Lennertz H`86 to serve as Interim
President while continuing his role as
Academic Dean. Lennertz’s one-year
appointment, effective July 1, 2010,
grants the Board of Trustees sufficient
time to conduct a nationwide search
for the next President of Wayland
Academy.
Lennertz was born in Chicago Heights,
Illinois and graduated from Marian
Catholic High School in 1970. He is a
graduate of Beloit College (B.A.),
earned his Master’s in Spanish from
Ohio University, and is a member of
the Cum Laude Society. He arrived at
Wayland in the fall of 1978, lived in
Wayland Hall, and worked full-time as
a Spanish teacher. Over the last 32
years Lennertz has served in many
different roles, including Head
Resident of Wayland Hall and Chair of
the Language Department. He has
been the Academic Dean since 1988.
Robert L. Esten `64 at the Wayland Hall
Rededication Ceremony
Wayland Interim President for the
2010-2011 Academic year and
Academic Dean Joseph A. Lennertz H`86

Great Teachers,
Great Teaching Fund
Pictured above are a few of Wayland’s great teachers! (l-r) Sean Costello (English), Chris Mientus (Music), Becky Moe (Math),
Beth Ratajczak `96 (Science), and Kurt Walters (History)
The “Great Teachers, Great Teaching
Fund” was established in October
2009 by the On Campus Programs and
Resources Committee of the Board of
Trustees.
The fund was established with an
initial gift of $10,000 from Trustee and
Chair of the On Campus Programs and
Resources Committee, Betsy Parker `72.
The future support for this fund will
come from alumni, parents, and friends
of the Academy who wish to honor a
member or members of the Wayland
faculty, individually or collectively.
A living faculty member (current or
retired) will receive a notice from the
Development Office that a donation
has been made in his or her name. As
with all contributions to the Academy,
the dollar amounts of the donations
will be kept confidential. The name of
the donor can be revealed only with
the donor’s permission. In the
Academy’s Annual Report, the total
amount of donations received in that
fiscal year, and the current overall level
of the fund will be given along with the
names of all faculty members, current
or former, living or deceased, who were
honored by a donation that year.
The Great Teachers, Great Teaching
Fund provides funding for the
Wayland faculty to implement new,
creative, and innovative teaching
initiatives and ideas. The approval
process for these innovative ideas is
left to the discretion of the Academic
Dean in consultation with the
President of the Academy.
The purpose of this fund is to foster
innovative teaching by providing
support for new, creative, and
innovative teaching initiatives and/or
ideas championed by a current faculty
member. An individual faculty
member will present his/her idea to
the Academic Dean of Wayland
Academy. The proposal must meet the
following requirements:
1) It should reflect an idea that has
never been tried or used before at
Wayland Academy.
2) The idea should be innovative and
benefit the learning experience for
Academy students.
3) The idea is presented by a member
of the Wayland faculty who is
personally committed to it.
The Academic Dean, in consultation
with the President of the Academy, will
evaluate the idea(s) and determine the
level of funding. The funds can only be
used for expenses related to the
exploration and initial implementation
of the idea, such as training, travel,
resources, and equipment.
To financially support the Great
Teachers, Great Teaching Fund, please
make a check payable to “Wayland
Academy – Great Teachers, Great
Teaching Fund” or go online at
www.wayland.org and make a secure
online contribution.
www.wayland.org 25
WAYLAND NEWS

waylandtoday
The Wayland Academy
2010 Alumni Directory Project
Thank you to all alumni who
participated in the collection and
verification of your alumni data with
Publishing Concepts Inc. (PCI). Your
participation in this project has been
invaluable and will ensure that the
new Wayland Academy Alumni
Directory will be the most accurate
and up-to-date version possible. The
collection phase of the project has
ended, and PCI is now in the process
of compiling and editing our data for
printing. The directory is currently on
by Alex Derr `12
Josh Miller recently accomplished
something that no Waylander has done
in years. Josh was accepted to the
United States Military Academy, more
popularly known as West Point.
Applying to West Point takes much
more than the average college
application process. Applicants are
required to take several physical tests,
get a nomination by their U.S.
representative, all while scoring well
on multiple academic tests. Josh
accomplished all three! I asked him
what he really liked about West Point.
“I’ve always wanted to go somewhere I
could make the best of my abilities to
give back to other people,” he said.
“And so far, West Point seems to be
that place for me.” Josh recently sat
down with U.S. congressman Tom
Petri, who interviewed him before
nominating him for West Point. Josh
stated, “I had to be on the top of my
game for 45 minutes. He asked some
very serious questions about my
future, it was pretty tough.”
26
wayland academy greetings
schedule for distribution in October –
just in time for the All Alumni
Reunion! If you have not ordered a
Joshua Miller `10
Accepted to West Point
directory and would like to, please
contact PCI at 1-800-395-4724 to place
your order.
Shown above (l-r) are Josh’s parents Linda and Richard Miller, Josh, and Congressman
Tom Petri

Wayland
Equestrian Team
Thought to be a thing of the past, the 2009-2010 school year
saw the return of a Wayland equestrian team. Shown (l-r) are
Terra Ridgeway `12, Kirstin Lardy `12, Kourtney Ruegger
`12, and Ashley Rauwolf `11. The girls had four shows for
the Wayland Community (parents, faculty, staff, and
students). At the shows the girls had the chance to show off
their skills in dressage, jumping, and mounted games.
Ribbons were awarded at each show. Alumna Heather
Kuenzi `90 is their coach.
President
for a Day
Parents Holli and Rob Ruegger, had the winning bid for one
of the Spring Gala and Auction’s most popular, and
competitive, live auction bidding items — Rule the Big Red.
Their daughter Kourtney Ruegger `12, as President for the
Day, changed the dress code, as well as a few other fun
activities. Congratulations to Kourtney and thank you to her
parents!
A Sweet Version of Wayland Hall
Cole Ware `13, with a little help from his mother Sharon, came
back from winter break with a splendid treat for everyone — a
gingerbread version of Wayland Hall. After a few mouthwatering
days of viewing, everyone had a chance to take a bite out of
Wayland Hall.
www.wayland.org
27
WAYLAND TODAY

waylandtoday
Swan Scholarship Recipient
Morgan Stebbins is the seventh
recipient of the Swan Scholarship — a
renewable four-year full scholarship to
attend Wayland Academy. The Swan
Scholarship, established in the spring
of 2004, is a renewable four-year full
scholarship for a resident of the Beaver
Dam Unified School District to attend
Wayland. Stebbins, the daughter of
Brenda and Tom Stebbins, wanted to
attend Wayland because “Wayland has
very good academics and co-curricular
activities and it is a great place to go to
prepare for college. I’m also excited
about taking Latin.”
John B. McKinstry, Trustee of the late
Mary Swan states, “Mary was a
generous patron of education in her
hometown and alma mater. In addition
to the Swan Scholarship, she
established educational scholarships
28
wayland academy greetings
Wayland Trustee John B. McKinstry is shown above with Morgan Stebbins
through the Beaver Dam High School
Scholarship Committee and the Beaver
Dam Scholarship Foundation.” Miss
Swan was a 1925 graduate of Wayland
and taught English at the Academy
from 1959 to 1969.
Wayland Senior Runs for Mayor
by Alex Derr `12
Anyone driving through Beaver Dam
last April would have seen a rather
peculiar sight. Bright green signs
dotted lawns. “Write In Joe Liverseed
For Mayor!” Joe, then a Wayland
senior and Columbus, Wisconsin,
native, chose to run for mayor of
Beaver Dam. The idea was first
brought up during Joe’s United States
Government AP class. As classmate
Laura Bachmann `10 said, “Someone
said Joe should run and we all kind of
laughed about it. But when we really
thought about it, we decided to try,
together as a class.” Each member of the
AP Government class took a position in
the campaign. Laura managed the
campaign blog, Nick Derr `10 was the
official speechwriter,
and Megan Connell
`10 was the Campaign
manager. When the
results from the race
came in, Joe had
racked up 20% of the
votes, a good showing
considering he wasn’t
on the ballot. “We
had a mix up with
the 50 signatures
needed on the ballot,”
Joe commented, “we
had exactly 50. Turns
Joe Liverseed `10
out one of them lived outside the city
limits and was void.” Wayland can be
proud of Joe’s integrity and
perseverance and his brave decision to
get involved in the political system.

Fun Time at Madison Gathering
More than 120 alums, trustees, faculty, friends,
and parents attended the Madison Gathering at
the Kohl Center on January 22, 2010. The event
featured a full-course dinner at the exclusive
Kellner Club, where the Athletic Department’s
head chef created an outstanding meal.
Chair of the Trustees, Susan Peterson `63,
welcomed guests and spoke about the State of
the Academy. Next, the guests watched the
Badgers face off in a non-stop suspense-filled
hockey game against Denver that ended in a
3-3 tie.
Seated are (l-r) Kathie Crandall `63, Trustee Judy Scherb `63, Trustee Chair Susan
Peterson `63, and John Tye `63; standing Randy Lawton `63, Burnie Sullivan `69, and
Steve Sloan `63
Stephanie Bishop (wife of Trustee Emeritus Fred Bishop `57) and Trent
Jackson, VP of Development
athletic opportunities, character
development activities, and overall
continued improvements of the
Wayland community.
As you can see from the photo of Jake
Wood `10, students enjoy their time
speaking with alums and ring a bell
each time they are successful at getting
a pledge or donation, so please give
students a few minutes of your time
and talk about your Wayland
experience.
Dr. Brad Ellis `86 and J Pizzaro `90,
Alumni Board
We’ll be contacting you at some point
during this upcoming school year!
We hope you will take some time for
our student callers. We involve our
students as callers because they are the
direct beneficiaries when you make a
donation or pledge. Your gifts and
pledges are allocated to The Academy
Fund, our annual unrestricted giving
program of Wayland, which is essential
to bridge the 20% gap between the
operating costs of the institution and
the revenue generated from tuition and
endowment income. All gifts make a
difference as these funds are allocated
to fund social and cultural events,
Jake Wood `10
www.wayland.org 29
WAYLAND TODAY

newsandnotes
Editor’s note: We will be pleased to
publish your email address in future
issues of the Greetings if it is included
with your submitted News and Notes.
1940s
Jean Browne Turner `42 writes,
“My husband of nearly 55 years died in
February 2008. He had 94 good years.”
Barbara Weiner Bartlett `43 writes,
“Three of my grandsons graduated from
college this year, Princeton, Lehigh, and
McGill. One granddaughter previously
graduated from Columbia and I have
four more grandchildren coming up!”
Margaret Nast Caldwell `43 writes,
“I lost my husband Jack Caldwell on
November 25, 2009.”
In December, the Greetings staff
received notice that Barbara
Fortnum Austin `47 died, no further
information was available.
Charles McIntosh `48 writes, “My wife
Shirl and I live a contented and very
active life in Annapolis, Maryland. Golf,
bridge, art, dancing, exercise, bowling,
and church occupy most of our time.”
30
wayland academy greetings
Elisabeth Law Roberts `49 and her
husband Theodore write, “We attended
the graduation of our granddaughter,
Elisabeth S. Kocher, on June 14, from
Lawrence University where she
graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi
Beta Kappa among numerous other
awards. We are enjoying retirement,
have eight grandchildren, and winter at
our home in Indian Wells, California.”
Dennis J. Fox `49 died November 8,
2009.
1950s
Doris Christensen Beebe `50 died in
2009.
Walter Stephen Lincoln II `50 died
October 19, 2009, from complications
of Frontal Temporal Lobe Dementia.
He was a Wayland roommate and lifelong
friend of Don Davis `50. He had
been diagnosed with it about 10 years
before his death, and Don visited with
“Steve” several times before he died.
Don states, “Steve was a wonderful
person, a graduate of Harvard College
and, later, of Harvard University where
he received an architectural degree. He
practiced as an architect in the Chicago
Elisabeth Law Roberts `49 and her husband Theodore also attended the Wayland
graduation of their grandson Theodore Shank on May 23, 2010.
(l-r) Steve Lincoln `50 and Don Davis `50
area for many years. I know that many
members of our class will be sorry to
learn he has passed away.”
Don Davis `50 had some other news
about members of his class: “I had an
opportunity to visit with Mary
(Corcoran) Chinchinnian `50 some time
ago in September 2008, in Clarkston,
Washington. Her friends, especially
Margie, Cathy, and Mayna, will be
pleased to know she is well. We had a
chance to visit during the Golden
Wedding Anniversary celebration of my
college roommate and his wife. The
chance to see Mary was an unusual
coincidence. My former roommate, then
celebrating his wedding anniversary,
was a partner for his entire medical
career in a pathology practice with
Mary’s husband, someone who had no
connection at all with Wayland (except
through Mary) or Kalamazoo College,
where my roommate and I attended
college. I suppose coincidence qualifies
for the well-worn cliché ‘It’s a small
world, isn’t it!’
“Then, last fall, another classmate,
Dave Brethauer `50 and his wife Alma
rolled into East Lansing in their motor
home, so we had a chance to spend a
pleasant day with them in the middle
of their travels. In any case, it was nice
to visit with both Mary and Dave.
Those visits made up, somewhat, for
losing Steve. Best wishes to all our
classmates!”

Mary Corcoran Chinchinian `50 and Don Davis `50
David Brethauer `50 and his wife Alma
W. James Plews `50 writes, “I have
moved to North Carolina to be near my
daughter and four of my eight
grandchildren. If any of my old
classmates visit this area, I would love
to hear from them.”
Barbi Burstein Katz `51 writes,
“After 10 years in Arizona, all is well.
I am enjoying friends, family, taking a
variety of classes, attending concerts,
and traveling. Waylandites are always
welcome.”
Fred H. Noordhof `51, died March 19,
2010.
Herman J. du Marchie Sarvaas `52
writes, “After retirement in 1999 as
Ambassador of the Netherlands in
Portugal, we settled in Castillon du
Gard, close to the famous Roman
Aquaduct Pont du Gard, between
Nimes and Avignon, in the South of
France. I spent the year 1951/1952 at
Wayland on a scholarship of the
American Field Service.”
Mary Vawter Smith `52 writes, “Dear
Wayland Friends, this has been quite a
year for the Smith’s. My husband, Paul
Robert, has had a history of TIA’S
(Transient Ischemic Attacks). The last
two were less than a month apart.
Primary, vascular, and neurology
doctors decided it was time for action.
So on June 12, he had carotid artery
surgery. We came to California,
November 2006, and lived in Hayward,
with our son and his family, and then
we moved to The Carlton Plaza San
Leandro in March of 2007, an assisted
living facility. We keep busy as there is
something going on from 9:30 a.m. - 5
p.m. It’s rather pricey, but the cost is
worth it. Blessings – Mary Lou Vawtek
Smith `52.”
Anne Blanchard Gascoigne `53 spent
Christmas in Geneva, Switzerland, with
her sister Cynthia Blanchard Cooke `56
and Cynthia’s daughter and family.
Cynthia’s son-in-law Doug Griffiths
runs the American Embassy there.
Richard A. Snyder `54 died Saturday,
July 5, 2008.
Jim Bliss `54 is now a greatgrandfather:
13 grandchildren and two
great grandchildren.
Mary Lou Miller Williamson `55
sadly reports that she lost her husband
Jim to lymphoma in April. “We had a
wonderful memorial service day with
family and friends including Wayland
alum, Cordelia Dahlberg Benedict `55.”
Mrs. Helen Burton Schuckel `56
writes, “my mother Victoria
Huntlicker Burton, faculty 1936 –
1937, died December 7, 2009, at the
age of 99 1/2! She loved Marian
Mitchell and her year at Wayland.”
Sunny Ann Wirtz Soldwedel `57 died
February 28, 2010.
Christopher C. Leslie `58 writes
“Honesty, open mindedness, and
willingness to change are rules for
keeping the United States great.
Wayland is still as open minded as it
was in the fifties. I hope good
education starts in the home and then
continues at Wayland still.”
Carol Godske Kirkland `59 was
unable to join her class for the reunion
weekend, but writes, “Hello and that I
was thinking about them all and
remembering all of the wonderful
memories of my four years at Wayland.
Wayland will always hold a special
place in my heart. Best wishes, Carol.”
www.wayland.org 31

newsandnotes
1960s
Gretchen Wright Moore `60 is
looking forward to her “gasp” 50th
reunion!
Dave Nelson `60, died recently from a
heart attack. He is survived by his wife
Lissi and numerous children,
grandchildren, and dogs.
Geoffrey R. Sweet `62 is home from
the UW Hospital after 2 1/2 months
and an amputation. “I’m doing very
well with recuperation. I enjoyed
Christmas with our two children and
five grandchildren: Alyssa, Mya,
Andrew, Gabi, and Bailey.”
Susan Wiechers Sommerfield `62
writes, “I’m a psych nurse at the VA
Hospital in Palo Alto – a rewarding
reason not to retire! Other 1962’ers,
please email me, if you wish, at
susan.sommerfield@va.gov.”
Jeffrey R. Lasher `64 started
construction on a horse ranch in Costa
Rica (Turrialba). “I met up with Ralph
Robinson in February, at his place in
Manuel, Antonio.”
John F. Fisher `65 is living in Denver
and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and
would love to hear from classmates.
Dr. Christopher D. Stanton `67
writes, “Life is wonderful!! Our son is
at Berkley getting a master’s in
education. Our daughter is at Williams
getting a master’s in art history.”
Elizabeth Sidow Kurth `67 writes,
“My husband and I have four sons and
six grandsons. We are still in the
beautiful Mountain State! I would love
to hear from old friends and classmates.”
32
wayland academy greetings
In October 2009, eight members of the class of `71 got together in Wisconsin for a
weekend of fun. Hosted at the home of Buzz Shepard and Jane Shepard (Barrows), the
group included classmates (top l-r) John Caselli, Tom Wiesman, Ryan Hepp and Buzz
Shepard and (bottom l-r) Tyri Schiek, Jane Shepard (Barrows), Janet Ward (Stoffel),
and Wendy Wilson. Members of the group traveled from all points of the U.S. for the
weekend. They came from Idaho, Texas, North Carolina, Illinois, and Minnesota for the
gathering. A great time was had by all.
1970s
Stephen J. Lamsom `74 died March 4,
2010, when his car struck a power pole
in the town of Lafayette, Wisconsin.
Eric Gefvert `73 recalls Stephen as
“one of a handful of students from
Thailand that attended the Academy in
the early 1970s. He was on the
wrestling team and will always be
remembered for his unique
introduction. As the wrestlers lined-up
to start the match each weight group
crossed the mat one by one to shake
the hand of the person you would be
wrestling. Stephen brought it to a
whole new level when he would (as a
heavy weight and the last to shake
hands) perform a forward
summersault and pop-up to shake the
hand of the startled competitor. A class
act from Thailand.”
Terry Ruppert sadly writes in that his
brother Bill `75, died May 7, 2010,
and he wanted to let other members of
the class of 1975 know.
James Will Jr. `76 is retiring as a
senior lecturer in horticulture at the
University of Melbourne, Australia. He
lives in Kew, a suburb of the city, and
plans to go into the field of antiques.
Dale A. Luck `76 writes, “I just
changed jobs in June, back to consumer
electronics. I finally moved after 25
years in one house. I was way overdue
for a change and making ends meet.”
Elaine Devenport Averill `77 is the
founder of Unbridled Faith Farm, an
equine assisted learning, training, and
retreat center. “I also have a non-profit,
which is devoted to helping women,
children, and families that have been
hurt in life. We use experimental
learning, including equine assisted
learning to empower people to live
healthy, free, and peaceful lives.”
Antonia Frederick Houston `77
writes, “Our oldest daughter has
graduated from Rose Hulman Institute
of Technology in Terre Haute, where
she found the friendliest people in
town, and at the school, a big help. It
reminded me of all of the love and
support I got at Wayland.”

Capt. Paul E. Wiedenhoeft, USCG `77
is the Commander, Captain of the Port,
Federal Maritime Security Coordinator,
Federal On-Scene Coordinator and
Officer in Charge, Marine Inspections
for U.S. Coast Guard’s Sector Los
Angeles - Long Beach. From offices on
Terminal Island in San Pedro, the
Sector’s operations in maritime safety,
security, and stewardship encompass
an area of responsibility that stretches
approximately 320 miles and offshore
to 200 nautical miles. Within this area,
the Sector is directly responsible for
port safety and security, maritime law
enforcement, search and rescue,
environmental response, vessel
inspections, mariner licensing and
documentation and maritime aids to
navigation.
During his Coast Guard career, Capt.
Wiedenhoeft has sailed in five Coast
Guard cutters, commanding a patrol
boat, a buoy tender, and a medium
endurance cutter while conducting all
Coast Guard missions afloat.
Ashore, Capt. Wiedenhoeft has served
as a Rescue Coordination Center
Controller and District Command
Center Watch Officer with emphases
in senior-level management
effectiveness and enterprise logistics
information.
A native of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, he
received his commission in 1983, from
the Coast Guard Academy. He holds a
Master of Science degree in
Information Technology Management
from the Naval Postgraduate School in
Monterey, California, and a Bachelor of
Science degree in Electrical
Engineering from the Coast Guard
Academy. His personal awards include
a Meritorious Service Medal, multiple
Coast Guard Commendation Medals
and a Coast Guard Achievement Medal.
His parents, Ralph and Arleen
Wiedenhoeft of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin,
along with other family members, were
able to attend the change of command
ceremony, July 15, 2009.
Stephen N. McMillan `78 writes, “I
turned 50 last year … how is that
possible? I talk with good friend Tom
Goodloe `78, but have pretty much lost
touch with all other alums (except, of
course, my sister, veterinarian Dr. Susan
McMillan `79 in Burlington, Vermont).
Sorry about that, but I do think of my
days at Wayland often and with great
fondness. I know he’s long retired, but
‘how are you doing Mr. Cobb?’”
Curtis Craig Kennedy `78 is retired
from the United States Army.
Alison Lighthall `76 writes, “I was discharged out
of the Army Nurse Corps in 2007 and I’ve been at
Fort Carson since February 2009. I was brought on as
their combat stress specialist, but have been
increasingly involved in the post-wide efforts to
mitigate military suicide. I am also the head of
Urgent Psychiatric Care Services, which puts me in
the ER a good deal of the time. Believe it or not, it’s
the best job in the world for me – I can’t imagine
doing anything else, given what’s happening. I’m still
able to make it back to my beautiful little cottage on
the Rock River in Watertown, Wisconsin, several
times a year. Because of my time at Wayland, I will
always consider Wisconsin to be my home base. My
email address is alison.lighthall@us.army.mil.”
www.wayland.org 33

newsandnotes
1980s
Following graduation from Wayland,
Margaret Trost `80 attended
Pennsylvania State University, where
she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She
later was an award-winning producer of
television programs at Public Television
in Chicago.
Following the
sudden death of her
husband, Richard
Tanaka,
in 1977,
she
traveled
to Haiti
as part
of an
attempt
to
recover
from her
grief.
There,
she was
overcome by the vast poverty she saw.
She returned to her home in California,
determined to do something about it.
Ten years ago, Margaret established the
“What if? Foundation,” which has been
feeding hungry children in Port-au-
Prince and sending many of the
children to school ever since. Over the
years, the Foundation has kept
thousands of children in Haiti alive
through its programs. The story of
Margaret’s work in Haiti is told in her
book, On That Day, Everybody Ate,
which is a best seller at amazon.com
Since the earthquake of January 12,
the Foundation has been feeding a hot
meal to 3,000 to 4,000 children and
others daily in the St. Clare’s
neighborhood of Port-au- Prince.
Within several days of the quake, she
had arranged for trucks and drivers to
arrive in the neighborhood from the
Dominican Republic with food and
clean water. The dramatic story of her
work (with regular updates) is told on
the Foundation’s Web site:
www.whatiffoundation.org
34
wayland academy greetings
Following graduation from Wayland,
Christine Trost `82 attended the
University of Wisconsin in Madison
where she received her Bachelor’s and
Master’s degrees in Political Science.
She went on to the University of
California, Berkeley, where she
completed her Ph.D. in Political Science
with honors. She is co-editor of several
books: Campaigning for Congress:
Politicians at Home and in Washington
(University of California Press, 1995),
Win the Right Way: How to Run
Effective Local Campaigns in California
(Institute of Governmental Studies,
2005) and Conflict of Interest and Public
Life: Cross-National Perspectives
(Cambridge University Press, 2008).
Margaret has a son, Luke, who is a
junior in high school. Christine has a
son, Reed, who is a sophomore in the
same school in Berkeley. Margaret
remarried as a widow a few years ago
to Dr. Thomas Hendrickson. Christine
is married to Wayland graduate,
Douglas Burnham `82, an awardwinning
architect in San Francisco.
William R. Knowles Jr. `80 has
retired from the Special Forces after 24
years. “I am currently working for
Fluor Enterprise as a country security
manager in Afghanistan. I’ve been
happily married for 23 years and have
two great children! I recently visited
Wayland Academy and reconnected
with Bob Lienke `81, Sue (Bennett)
Gordan `80, and Mr. James Borrud
H`75.”
Ann K. Merizon `82 writes, “Many
changes this year. My daughter, Sam, is
a freshman at Macalester College. I have
gotten married and moved to Montana
with my son, Griffin. Love to here from
you: a.merizon@yahoo.com.”
Todd M. Keil `80 has been appointed
by The Department of Homeland
Security as Assistant Secretary for Office
of Infrastructure Protection (IP). In this
role, Keil will lead the Department’s
coordinated efforts to prevent, mitigate,
and respond to threats to the nation’s
critical infrastructure and key resources
(CIKR). Keil brings a wealth of
knowledge and experience to IP, having
developed, managed and executed costeffective
worldwide security programs to
protect key personnel, facilities and
information for both the public and
private sectors. For more than 22 years,
he was a Special Agent with the U.S.
Department of State, Diplomatic
Security Service, serving in New York;
Jakarta, Indonesia; Dublin, Ireland;
Vienna, Austria; and in Washington.
For six years, Keil served as the Deputy
Special Agent in Charge of the Secretary
of State Protective Detail where he led the
teams responsible for the personal
protection of Secretaries Warren
Christopher and Madeleine Albright.
Immediately prior to joining DHS, Keil
was a senior consultant for the Welsh-
Sullivan Group in Murphy, Texas, where
he managed risk, security, and
vulnerability assessments. Before joining
Welsh-Sullivan, Keil led global threat
analysis and business risk mitigation
efforts at Texas Instruments, Inc. for two
years, and served as the company’s
liaison to U.S. government agencies at
U.S. embassies.

Self portrait taken prior to Kristen’s overnight ordeal.
Kristen Westlake `82, is a Landscape and Wildlife photographer. Her passion, however, is “in inspiring others to face their fears and
live their dreams. I’ve been doing this through public speaking. Recently, however, while on a two month photography journey, I
encountered a life or death situation, which forced me to embrace a real facing of my own fears.” Read about Kristen’s ordeal on her
blog at http://kristenwestlake.net/Topics/survival-lost-in-the-oak-creek-canyon-az/
Scott Millar `82 of Timberon, New
Mexico, has been recognized by the
Military Order of the Cootie (MOC).
This honor of the Veterans of Foreign
Wars (VFW), is for the 2009 Supreme
(National) Chaplain of the Year. The
MOC is an auxiliary branch of the
VFW dedicated to lighthearted fun and
hospital volunteerism. The MOC is
comprised of current and past VFW
Officers and is by invitation only.
Members serve in the MOC only after
a formal vote of approval by their
parent VFW Post membership. This
past year Scott Millar not only served
as VFW Post Commander in
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, but also as
Seam Squirrel (commander) of New
Mexico’s largest MOC Pup Tent (post)
located in Alamogordo, New Mexico.
Millar served at the state level of the
MOC as Grand Chaplain, and it was
his service to hospitalized veterans,
their families, and the community at
large that brought him to the attention
of the Supreme organization.
According to a statement by Supreme
Chaplain Rev. Dr. Barry Walker at the
closing banquet for the MOC’s
National Convention, Scott Millar is
the youngest member of the
organization to ever receive this honor.
Millar has received multiple awards
and recognition for his service to
veterans and the community, this year
he was selected as a VFW All
American and All State Commander
for the second year in a row.
Sgt. David C. Street `83, USMC is
still serving in the Military. He is
currently in Iraq after a 15 month tour
in Afghanistan. “I would love to hear
from my Wayland friends at
david.c.street@USARMY.MIL.”
Timothy M. Kasper `83 writes, “Beth
and I moved from Geneva to Prague in
July 2009. The road trip continues.
Great town, great beer. Even had a few
opportunities to get together with
Bobby Fritz `82.”
Susan Saul Turnbull `84 writes,
“I’m a grandmother of two boys now,
ages three years and five months,
thanks to my second oldest son. They
are wonderful! My oldest son works
with me at Standard Auto. My
youngest son is very involved in FFA
and Congressional Youth Leadership
Council programs. He attended the
presidential inauguration this year.
My daughter is just coming into her
own and doing very well in school. I
have high hopes for her as well.”
Cara Zilisch Landolt `89 recently
assumed the role of President of Cliff
Dwellers Condominium Resort in
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Check out
their Web sites:
www.cliffdwellerscondominiums.com
and www.cliffdwellersresort.com
Erik S. Kurtis `89 died July 20, 2009.
www.wayland.org 35

newsandnotes
1990s
Erik J. Brandt `91 is “still alive and
well, and living and teaching in
St. Paul, Minnesota. Hanna and I
celebrated the birth of our third child
in April.”
David J. Dion `91 died in 2005.
Jason Mangone on top of Mexico’s Pico de Orizaba
Constantin von Rundstedt `92
(90/91) (von Rundstedt HR Partners)
“attended a reception hosted by
ASSIST Germany, my scholarship
organization. There I met three
Wayland alumni:
Dirk Falke, (87/88), International
Trade Counsel
Philip Huffmann, (00/01), Prima
Jason Mangone, 1991 graduate of Wayland Academy and director of finance for
FirstGroup America’s (FGA) First Transit division, has completed his climb of
Mexico’s Pico de Orizaba to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network. Jason hoped his
journey would encourage others to support the organization’s mission of ensuring
hospitals have the resources needed to provide top medical care to children across North
America. Donations are still being accepted at
https://events.childrensmiraclenetwork.org/fgaclimbingforkids. Donations will benefit a
Children’s Miracle Network hospital in the donor’s local area. Photo above: Jason is the
one holding the sign.
36
wayland academy greetings
Performance Marketing
Monika Jahn, (91/92), Deutsche Bank
Please, send my regards to Jean
Allemand — she was very kind back
then, especially when I was homesick,
she was like a surrogate mother during
those weeks in February 1991.
All the best, Constantin.”
Hideo Kurokawa `93 wants alums and
classmates to know that he and his wife
had their second baby boy born December
7, 2009. They named him Atsuki,
meaning daybreak (dawn) in Japanese.
Shown above are Atsuki and Hideo with
his wife, Ayako, and other son, Asahi.

Paul James Downing was born February
13, 2010, weighing seven pounds, 13
ounces. Proud parents are Tracy and
James Downing `94 of Chicago, Illinois.
Cyrus J. Maltman `95 is living in
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, working as a
Critical Care Paramedic. “I just
recently got engaged in July and the
wedding is set for next summer. Hope
everyone is doing well.”
Jennifer Mathias Carroll `97, writes
that her husband Brian, and sons
Owen (age four) and Mathias (age one
and a half) are moving to Blacksburg,
Virginia, this summer. Brian will be
attending graduate school.
Maren Baker `97 writes, “I am
currently living in Chicago and started
my own interior design business. I
primarily work on residential and
small commercial projects, both locally
and nationally – Maren Baker Design.”
Dr. Frank Alexander Clark `99
graduated from Northwestern
University Feinberg School of
Medicine with a degree of Medical
Doctor Specialty: Psychiatry, May 20,
2010. “I will start my residency in
psychiatry at the University of South
Carolina/Palmetto Health Richland in
Columbia, South Carolina, this
summer.”
Heidi Eisenreich `97 (far left) went with her family to Germany in September 2009,
for her sister, Amanda’s `03, Bavarian Wedding. Amanda is working outside of
Munich with her new husband Florian Schulz. Katie `00 lives in Arizona where she
just bought a house and is working at Honeywell. Heidi is a geometry teacher and
yearbook assistant at St. John’s Country Day School in Orange Park, Florida. “Email
me at heisenre@yahoo.com.”
Kristin (Badowski) Zajac `98 and Brian Zajac of Boston, Massachusetts, were
married on May 24, 2009, on Cape Cod. Kristin is currently pursuing her MBA at the
MIT Sloan School of Management, and Brian works in international finance. Kristin
hopes everyone from Wayland is doing well and would love to hear from anyone at
Kzajac@sloan.mit.edu.
www.wayland.org 37

newsandnotes
2000s
Dr. Erin J. Martens `00 writes, “I
graduated from medical school at
Washington University in St. Louis in
May 2009, and started a residency in
orthopaedic surgery at Barnes-Jewish
Hospital in St. Louis in June. After only
26 years, I am finally done with school!”
Natalie Ramich Moseley `01 and her
husband welcomed their third child
and first boy, Clason James, to their
family on July 24, 2009! Big sisters
Rebecca and Heather are thrilled.
Holly J. Taylor `03 writes, “I
graduated last year from Robert
Gordon University (Aberdeen,
Scotland) with a degree in dietetics
and took a wee bit of time out working
as a science teacher in Brazil before
returning to the UK, and I am now
working in a general hospital in
Barrow-In-Furness, England. I
remember when my good friend and
roommate from Wayland and I
promised each other we would be in
each other’s weddings, (however that
day seemed far, far ahead at the time).
In June 2010, one of my very best
friends from Wayland, Susan Redmer
`03, was married to Mr. Tim Carlson
and I was very happy for her and loved
coming back and being a bridesmaid!
Email me at:
holly.june.taylor@googlemail.com.”
Patrick M. Murray `05 died April 9,
2009. Patrick attended Wayland during
the 2002-2003 school year.
Caitlin A. Randerson `06 writes, “I
graduated, class of 2010, from St.
Norbert in May and will be heading to
Northern Illinois University for Grad
school to study Glacial Geology. I’m
also spending the summer living with
Meredith Zafian `06.”
l-r (back row) Paul Verbrick, Heather Wiseman (faculty 1993-1998),
Rev. Grant Wiseman (faculty 1995-1998)
l-r (front row) Barbara Verbrick `47, Audrey Wiseman, Abby Wiseman
38
wayland academy greetings
Former
Faculty
Weimer Hicks Jr. `54 writes, “When I
was a faculty child at Wayland in the
early 1940s, Dr. Samuel Siurua and his
wife were part of the Music Department.”
He regretfully passes on the news that Dr.
Siurus died February 21, 2010.
Former Wayland Faculty James
Molstad (1969-1970), retired from
Onalaska High School in 2003. During the
years at Onalaska he was a teacher, coach,
department chair and administrator. Jane
C. Molstad, also a former Wayland faculty
member (1969-1971), retired from La
Crosse Logan High School. She taught
Physical Education there for 31 years. She
was department chair, school district chair,
coach (track & gymnastics), cheerleader
advisor, Ranger Renaissance advisor, and a
member of the school’s Wall of Fame.
They currently reside in La Crosse with
frequent trips to visit their three sons in
Arkansas, Texas, and Oregon.
The Reverend Grant Wiseman and his
wife, Heather, were surprised when they
arrived at their new church in Aiken,
South Carolina. “I was excited to meet an
alumnus of Wayland. Barbara Thompson
Verbrick `47 was there, as she puts it, a
few years earlier than Heather and I, but
still talks about and remembers Wayland
fondly. Hope all is well — Grant.” (See
photo below.)
Joyce K. Duckert writes, “A voice from the past! In the process of a recent
move, ‘Pillars 1945’ has surfaced, and there is a flood of wonderful and
sometimes worrisome memories that has prompted me to get in touch. Those
of you who were my wonderful students and friends in 1944 and 1945
when ‘the Lieutenant’ was in the Infantry in Germany, will never know
how much you helped me through a difficult year so long ago. ‘The
Lieutenant,’ as of this year, is living in a Memory Care facility, and to be
near him, I have moved to an apartment in the same retirement complex. I always
search for your faces and names in the Greetings. (Don Jones in the last issue!) I would love
to hear from you. How old am I now? Well, I’m 90 and in reasonably good health for which
I am grateful. My address is: Cedar Crest Retirement Complex, 1700 S. River Road,
Apartment 123, Janesville, WI 53546.”
Pictured above (l-r): Mrs. Peter Pasko, Mrs. Ruth L. Foster, Mrs. Robert F. Duckert and
Mrs. Alton E. Wichman of the English Department.

In
Remembrance
John C. Dexter `33 died August 17,
2009. He was preceded in death by his
wife, Phyllis, daughter, Terry-Ann, and
son, John Ellsworth “Jed”. Surviving
are his friend and companion, Vineta
Elliott; son, Todd; daughters-in-law,
Cindy Dexter and Linda Dexter
Hitchcock; son-in-law, Karlton Pierce;
seven grandchildren, 14 great
grandchildren.
John was born in Chicago, Illinois, and
was a graduate of the Todd School,
Woodstock, Illinois, and Wayland
Academy. He was Furniture and Floor
Covering Buyer at Carson Pirie Scott in
Chicago prior to becoming Product
Manager of the Folding Chair Division
at American Seating Company, Grand
Rapids, and eventually Sales Promotion
Manager of the Company. In later years
he was Commodore of the Portage Lake
Yacht Club; President of the Bitely
Better Conservation Club and President
of the National Wild Turkey
Federation, Bitely-Baldwin Chapter.
Margaret Elizabeth Johnston Birch
`40 died May 1, 2010. Margaret had a
life-long love of Central Montana and
the family ranch at Straw. Her happiest
days were spent on the ranch with her
family. Margaret graduated with a
degree in English from Whitman
College in Walla Walla, Washington in
1944. She was preceded in death by
her parents, her sister Amy Noyes
McClelland, her brother James
Frederick Johnston and her nephew,
James McClelland. She married Oliver
Kenneth Birch in May 1946; they later
divorced.
Margaret had one son, William Birch,
and four daughters: Lisbeth Birch Page,
Nancy Birch, Candace Birch-Sterling;
and Laurie Birch; ten grandchildren:
Laurie, Jim and Bill Page, Christina and
Rebecca Birch, Andrew, Marisa and
John Sterling, and Elliot and Ethan
Sterk. Margaret is also survived by her
niece, Kathleen McClelland Caldwell
and a grandnephew and grandniece.
William Creswick Schettler `46 died
December 24, 2009, at his home in
Bellevue, Washington. He was
preceded in death by his wife of 54
years Grace Gimre Schettler by only 40
days. After graduating from Wayland
Academy, he then attended the
University of Wisconsin earning a
bachelor of science in mechanical
engineering in 1950 and a degree in
civil engineering in 1957. He served
during the Korean War as a Navy pilot.
It was during this time that he met and
married his wife Grace on Aug. 13,
1955, in Astoria, Oregon.
He worked as an engineer his entire
career, retiring from the Port of Seattle,
SEA-TAC, in 1998 after 26 years. He
was a loving husband and a wonderful
father and grandfather to his three
children and nine grandchildren. His
dependability, humor, and giving spirit
touched all who knew him. Bill was an
active member and officer in
Toastmasters International, American
Institute of Plant Engineers, and
PROBUS.
William is survived by his children;
James Schettler, Susan McMains, and
Barbara Moffat and nine
grandchildren. In addition to his wife,
Grace, he is predeceased by his sister,
Mary Schettler Minter.
John Ives Kuebler `47 died November
3, 2009, after suffering from
Parkinson’s disease since 1980. John
joined the United States Navy in 1945
and served honorably aboard the USS
Rawlins as a Seaman First Class and
Electrician en route to Japan. John was
honorably discharged in 1946. After
the war, John finished school at
Wayland Academy and then attended
the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
He worked for Nackie Paper Company
in Milwaukee and came to Neenah to
work for Hugh Strange Insurance
Agency for a few years, then to
Appleton for the Morrow Herner
Agency. He became the General
Agent for the Mutual Trust Life
Insurance Agency for a few years and
continued as an agent for Central Life
of Des Moines, Massachusetts Mutual
Life and then received the Chartered
Life Underwriter and Chartered
Financial Consultant degrees. He
received Million Dollar Roundtable
status and received the National
Quality Award for over 25 years of
service before retiring in 1986.
John married Cecile VanderHeyden in
1976 in Fox Point. John was a member
of the First United Methodist Church
in Appleton, Optimists Club of
Neenah, Neenah Tennis Club,
Salvation Army and Fox Valley
Humane Association Boards, YMCA
Wise Men’s Club, American Legion
Post 38, North Shore Golf Club,
Menasha Dance Club, Bridgeport
Tennis Club and a few Bridge and
Cribbage card clubs. John was a skier
and skied all around the U.S. as well as
in Austria, Italy and Germany.
John is survived by his wife, Cecile
“Cecily;” sister, Marion Kuebler Clark;
and several nieces and grand nieces
and nephews. John is also survived by
stepchildren Brad Dawson, Sheryl
Dawson, and Mark Dawson.
www.wayland.org 39

newsandnotes
Gerald R. Grout `49 died April 19.
2010. He attended Ripon High School,
Wayland Academy, Middlebury
College, graduating from Ripon
College, in 1953, with a bachelor’s
degree in economics, after which
serving two years in the U.S. Army.
Upon his return from active duty,
Gerald was employed by the American
Exchange Bank in Madison,
Wisconsin, and the First Wisconsin
National Bank in Milwaukee. In 1957,
Gerald joined the staff of the First
National Bank of Ripon as an assistant
cashier. He retired after 27 years with
12 years as bank President; he then
was the founder of Math Corporation,
a computer software firm, where he
served as President and Chairman of
the Board. In 1975, he married
Margaret Lynn Jones. Gerald was one
of the founders of the Green Lake
Festival of Music, a life-long member of
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, where he
served as a Vestryman and a Senior
Warden. He played many musical
instruments throughout his life, but
enjoyed the trumpet most of all. He
was a member and past Commodore of
the Green Lake Yacht Club, member of
the Green Lake Ice Yacht Club, and
served as President of the Fond du Lac
County Bankers Association. Gerald
was a Caestecker Library Foundation
Board member and a board member of
the Thrasher Opera House. He was an
avid sailor of A-Scows and E-Scows
and held a Merchant Marines
Captain’s License. Gerald was deeply
loved by all his family and friends and
will be truly missed. Gerald is survived
by his wife Lynn and a blended family
of six children and ten grandchildren.
40
wayland academy greetings
John C. “Jack” Sell `49 died May 15,
2010. After graduating from Wayland
Academy he then attended Monmouth
College in Monmouth, Illinois, for two
years before serving his country in the
U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954,
stationed in Korea. After his honorable
discharge, Jack continued his
education at Monmouth College,
graduating in 1956 with a degree in
Business Administration. On June 16,
1956, Jack and Janet Forster were
married at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
in Sheboygan. The couple moved to
Belvidere, Illinois where Jack began his
career as a district manager for
General Telephone Co. In 1961 they
moved back to Sheboygan where Jack
worked at Citizen’s North Side Bank
as head teller and vault cashier and
eventually he transitioned to selfemployed
real estate management.
Jack was a fifty-year member of First
Congregational Church, United Church
of Christ and a member of his college
Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. He was a
longtime member of the Sheboygan
YMCA where he was very proud of
completing over 5,000 miles of distance
swimming. Jack was also a member of
the North Bowl Hall of Fame.
In addition to his wife, Janet, he is
survived by three sons, Tom, Jeff, and
Pete; three grandchildren, Steven,
Ellery, and Evelyn; and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his
parents.
Warren G. Siedschlag `49 died April
17, 2009. Warren spent his early life in
Fox Lake, then graduated from
Wayland. He then went on to graduate
from UW-Madison. Warren served in
the Marines from 1943 - 1947. He has
been a resident of Union Grove for the
past six years. Warren worked for the
Wisconsin prison system as a
psychological tester and counselor. He
was a member of St. John’s Lutheran
church in Antigo, Wisconsin
Warren is survived by his sisters Inez
Cleary, Marge Mielke, and Darlene
Beyer. He is further survived by many
nieces, nephews, other relatives, and
friends. Warren was preceded in death
by his parents; a brother, Elroy
Siedschlag; one niece; and three
brothers-in-law.
Ronald A. Schmoller `54 died
January 23, 2010. After graduating
from Wayland Academy he entered the
USAF. After serving four years, he was
discharged and completed his
education, bachelor’s degree at the
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
and a master’s degree at University of
Wisconsin-Madison. Ron and
Charlotte were married in Milwaukee
on February 25, 1965. Ron was the
Executive Director of retirement
complexes in Milwaukee, Kansas, and
Illinois. He retired in 1997 to Citrus
Hills, Florida, where he enjoyed many
years of playing his favorite sport of
tennis. He volunteered with the
Guardian Ad Litem program, Hospice,
Elks Club and Seven Rivers
Presbyterian Church, where he was a
member. Ron also enjoyed playing in
the BGA (Bad Golfers Association.),
Red Dog Poker Club, and going to
dances. He was a history buff and
enjoyed traveling around the world. He
is survived by his wife of 44 years,
Charlotte Schmoller, and many
grandchildren.

Gretchen Reed Smith Buntschuh `55
died February 1, 2010. Upon marrying
her first husband, Charles Buntschuh,
and beginning a family with three
daughters, she began her professional
career as a secondary school teacher in
Massachusetts. Later, with her second
marriage to Charles Falk and a move to
California, she delved into the world of
rare books, working at Pacific Book
Auction. Her love of language,
literature and the beauty of books and
fine arts was truly mirrored in these
professional years.
Gretchen was drawn back to the
classroom and began working at the
Lycee Francais La Perouse in San
Francisco. Her latest position was at
Sturgis Charter Public School in
Hyannis, where she excelled not only
in the teaching of creative writing and
thinking, but also proved herself to be
an excellent administrator and
exceptional leader, playing a pivotal
role in establishing the school’s charter
certification and International
Baccalaureate program.
She is survived by daughters Ingrid,
Erika, and Lise; four grandchildren,
Jonathan, Hannah, Alyssa and Ian; and
a brother, Howard Smith, and family.
Priscilla “Tiki” (Nason) Parker `54
died October 14, 2007. Tiki is survived
by her husband and soul mate of 54
years Hal Parker, daughter Pam Parker,
son Jefferson Parker, and dozens of
“Tiki’s boys” and “Tiki’s girls,” all of
whom thought of her as their “second
Mom.” Tiki was an accomplished
artist; she won many awards at the
Marin County Fair for her cloisonné
jewelry, photo memory quilts, and pine
needle baskets. She was the voice of
KTIM’s Terra Linda Home Town
News, and a writer for many local
Marin publications. After attending
Wayland Academy she went on to the
University of Wisconsin.
Former
Faculty
and Parents
F. Joseph Sensenbrenner died
Saturday, July 25, 2009. On December
28, 1946, he married Mary Ellen
Schuetter at St. Margaret Mary Church
in Neenah. She preceded him in death
May 8, 2008.
Joe is survived by four children: Trudy
Roselle `65, F. Joseph Sensenbrenner
Jr., Peter Sensenbrenner `71, and Ann
Salutz `78. In addition, he is survived
by nine grandchildren. Joseph was a
Wayland parent, a Trustee from 1973-
1982, and a Trustee Emeritus from
1983 until his death. He was also an
attorney in Neenah, Wisconsin, a
generous patron of Wayland Academy,
and a state senator.
Harry Merwin Dye died February 2,
2008, in Draper, Utah, after a six week
illness. Mr. Dye was born to Ella M.
and Glen M. Dye in Minneapolis,
Minnesota on August 22, 1910. He
was preceded in death by his wife of
63 years, Gertrude Rose (Rentsch). He
is survived by his sons, Glen Richard,
and Gerald Alan, and sisters, Marjorie
Gentsch and Amy Knopf.
Harry was a graduate of Carleton
College, Northfield, Minnesota. He was
employed for four decades at Pako
Corporation, (a photofinisher and
manufacturer of automated
photographic processing equipment),
which his parents had begun. He
served as Chairman at Pako until his
retirement in 1973. Although not a
Wayland graduate, he continued to be a
generous patron to the school of which
both his parents were graduates. It is
because of his parents’ contributions to
the Academy that we have the Glen
and Ella Dye Residence Halls, and
Discovery Hall.
William G. Connell, 60, of Randolph,
died Friday, December 25, 2009 at
Mercy Medical Center in Dubuque,
Iowa. William was married to Laurie
Loes at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in
Cascade, Iowa. He owned and operated
the Randolph Hardware Store in
Randolph. William is survived by his
wife and three children. Two were
recent graduates of Wayland Academy
Benjamin Connell `07 and Megan
Connell `10.
www.wayland.org 41

Wayland Academy Alumni Magazine
101 North University Avenue
Beaver Dam, Wisconsin 53916-2253
andfinally
We invite all alumni from all class years to join us at Wayland Academy
for a great weekend this fall on October 8-10, 2010, for the
All Alumni Wayland Reunion
Classes of 1940, 1945, 1950,
1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980,
1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2005
will gather for their special reunion year
Graduates from the class of 1960
— Schedule at a Glance —
Friday, October 8
Noon - 5 p.m. Registration, Frame Lounge
5 - 7 p.m. Alumni Reception Honoring the classes
of 1960 and 1985 for their 50th and
25th class reunions, President’s House
(all alumni are invited)
8 p.m. Ice Breaker Party for all classes at
Old Hickory Country Club (cash bar)
Saturday, October 9
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Registration, Frame Lounge
9 - 10:30 a.m. All Alumni Meeting and Breakfast,
State of the Academy, Pickard Dining Hall
10:45 a.m. All Alumni Group Photo, steps of
Wayland Hall
5:30 - 7 p.m. Social Hour and class photos,
Beaver Dam Country Club
7 p.m. All Alumni Dinner and program,
Beaver Dam Country Club
Sunday, October 10
7:30 - 9 a.m. Continental Breakfast, Pickard Dining Hall