50 Enjoy Alumni Dinner With Two Bishops For Beautiful Alumni Weekend
L-R: Paul Foerster, President of Great Commission University, holds his HMSAA Challenge Coin alongside Bishop Douglas Sparks and Bishop Frank Gray, all awardees at our Association’s Annual Banquet 2024. Photo by Dana Sparks.
Front Row L-R: Dan Hersey ’80, Mike DeWitt ’01, Eleni Mitropolous ’04
In front of Statue: Crystal Vaughn ’12, Alice Snyder, Fred Dearing ’63
Back Row L-R: Greg Taylor ’80, Jered Slabaugh ’15, W. Rocchi Reynolds ’70, Craig Buskirk ’70, Alex Aikman ’16, Wally Jarvis ’70, Fred Seibold ’53, Scott Wharton ’04, David Frederick ’48, Carol Ann Frederick
Photo credit Alice Snyder.
Alums gathered in front of the McKenzie Memorial on a beautiful Saturday morning, October 5, 2024, for the annual group picture. This year marks the centennial of the Memorial, which was presented to the School by its alums on Founders’ Day in 1924.
Our ongoing historical research has revealed that the bronze bust of Dr. McKenzie was cast from a sculpture created in 1918 by Miss Loy, sister-in-law of Dr. Clarence Blake, who donated Blake Hall and served as a Trustee for many years. Miss Loy was a sculptress who also created a bust of Dr. Blake and other art objects, some of which were once housed in the Mansion. Her ashes are buried in the St. James crypt alongside those of Dr. Blake and his wife.
This research has also uncovered that the ashes of Don Stuckey ’34, a long-time School employee, “were buried under the magnolia” that used to be located between the Memorial and the east wall of the St. James Tower.
Watch here for more details as soon as Alumni Weekend pictures are gathered from various photographers.
Guests at the Alumni Banquet included two officials from Great Commission University, the current owner of the former campus, as well as two Episcopal Bishops of Northern Indiana, Bishop Gray and Bishop Sparks, along with their wives. Both bishops were named Honorary Alumni. This was the first time in the 140-year history of our School that two bishops visited simultaneously. Ms. Nancy Phillips, widow of James Weiss ’53, was also named an Honorary Alumna in recognition of her many years of support for this Association and the School. She is a former president of the Parents’ Association. The complete citations for these awards will be included in the next report.