A short distance down the hall from my office are our first grade classrooms. A quick glance inside, and you’ll see an incredible view into the legacy of learning, caring, and support that is nearly 100 years old here at Belmont Day.
First grade has been on my mind since visiting with an alum who, although he left our lower school over 75 years ago, is still very much connected to the present and future of his first school.
When we met, this member of the class of 1956, now 81 years old, excitedly shared his memories of his years at Belmont Day, from pre-kindergarten to fourth grade. He proudly shared that his mother had chosen BDS because it looked like a “joyful place where he would get an excellent education.” He recalled his nervous start in the fall of 1950, when he was the only boy in his class and Rosamond Coolidge Howe was the head of school. By first grade, he joked, being the only boy had its advantages, and that he was “almost married” to one of his classmates.
He told me that he attributes all of his later academic and professional achievements in life to his time in the BDS classrooms. Now a retired and renowned oncology surgeon, he went on to attend Belmont Hill, Harvard University, Dartmouth College, and Cornell University. It was at Belmont Day, however, where he gained his solid foundation in math, science, and so much more. It was in our classrooms, he said, that a lifelong curiosity and love of learning were sparked. His Belmont Day teachers had given him far more than an education—they gave him a way of seeing the world.
It is one of the great pleasures of my role in development that I hear these wonderful stories about Belmont Day School across time—its past, its present, and its future. The conversation with this alum was a gift from the past, and now that he has included BDS in his estate plan, he’s helping to ensure the school’s future for another generation. I am grateful to my new friend for sharing the impact BDS has had on his life and career, and I thank everyone who is making their own commitments of support as Belmont Day approaches its second century.
Observing our first graders today, their classrooms may not resemble those of the 1950s. But among those wooden blocks being built into castles and towers, between the friendships being made, and through all the lessons being taught by their teachers, there is a timelessness to the learning, growth, and caring that our school nurtures each day. If I close my eyes and imagine, I can see this alum at his desk with our first graders today, and he’s learning all those fundamental building blocks again, the ones that became his foundation for a life of success and joy.
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone, and thank you for supporting Belmont Day School!
