Music in the Schools
The 1957 Yale Bowl Portal Project (Final Report)
The Donald K. Walker '26 Scholarship Fund
Dwight Hall Summer Fellowships

Music in the Schools

The Music in the Schools class project has its own website. Click here to enter it.

Project Update October 2008

Dean Robert Blocker of the Yale School of Music, who was instrumental in working with ’57 class members to shape The Endowment, and who remains enthusiastically involved, has given primary responsibility for The Program to Associate Dean Michael Yaffe. Dean Yaffe came to Yale in part because of the opportunities presented by the program. He has over 20 years of experience in community arts education and has been working closely with representatives of the class to develop the program.

Several members of the Class of ’57 deserve special mention for their innovative thinking, strong support and ongoing involvement in the program. They include Don Roberts, Malcolm Mitchell, Steve Hopkins, Tom Chittenden, Tom Perkins, Phil Richards, John Watling, Nick Tingley, Gus Kellogg and Bob Smith. Currently Steve Wittenberg serves as liason between the class and the program.

Thus far, meetings in New Haven have been held twice each year with other contacts to occur as needed. The October 7 meeting included Dean Blocker, Dean Yaffe, Visiting Class of ’57 Music Education Professor Wing Ho, Betsy Carr (music school development), project managers John Miller and Olivia Malin, Tom Chittenden, Tom Perkins, Nick Tingley, John Watling, Bob Smith, and Steve Wittenberg

First Class of ’57 Visiting Professor of Music Education - Wing Ho

Professor Ho is a graduate of the Yale University School of Music with performance and teaching experience in both the United States and China. A violist, conductor, and educator, he currently serves as chair of the viola department of the Bejing Conservatory of Music as well as conductor of the National Prodigies Chamber Orchestra at the Conservatory. Professor Ho’s activities at Yale during this year include:

(1) teaching a course at the music school entitled “The Art of Teaching Music.” The course has started, and 23 students are enrolled.

(2) Running a string program at the Lincoln Bassett School. Lincoln Bassett is a K through 8 school, and professor Ho gives lessons to 2-3 students at a time on instruments provided by the Endowment as well as preparing string concerts, which will involve 15-24 students.

(3) Participating in a 5-school program aimed at introducing public school students to Chinese culture. This will include noon concerts using traditional Chinese instruments and music and will be interactive with students.

As the year progresses he will have involvements in many other ways.

Activities in the New Haven Public Schools

The Music in Schools Initiative has 2 project managers in the public schools, John Miller and Olivia Malin. Both are recent graduates of the Yale School of Music, brass players, full time employees paid from the ’57 Endowment, and in their second year of creating and running programs in the public schools. The enthusiasm they show when describing their jobs is truly heartwarming. Among their activities are:

(1) Band programs in 2 schools that had none. In one of these schools 120 children wanted to be in the band, which at present has 36 instruments. Ten teachers are learning to play instruments along with the students, and initial concerns on the part of teaching staff have been replaced by enthusiastic participation.

(2) Music and creative writing projects. These involve the students reacting, in writing, to music they hear, including music composed for them, as well as the obverse, student writing, which is set to music. Relevant vocabulary and writing skills are part of this program. Last year the fruit of one of these efforts was presented in concert with narration by the Superintendent of Schools.

(3) A project on the art and music of India at the Center for British Arts.

(4) A 5-school project on Chinese culture including noontime concerts of traditional Chinese music with traditional instruments.

(5) A music and film project.

(6) A Yale Psychology Department-funded book project.

(7) A contract with the Bridgeport Symphony for a music/writing project in one of the Bridgeport schools.

(8) A summer music project involving 150 New Haven public school children this past year including orchestra, band, chorus, and guitar lessons as well as math and language classes.

(9) A year-end music competition/concert for New Haven middle school students was held in Sprague Hall with cash prizes for 3 winners.

(10) In addition, a “Bridging the Gap” concert of New Haven public school teachers and School of Music interns was held at Woolsey Hall with 1200 students in attendance.

Three New Haven public schools have been the major focus of the program, i.e. Lincoln Bassett, Vincent Mauro, and John Daniels. However some involvement has taken place in over 20 public schools.

The Yale School of Music has 200 students, 150 of whom have asked to be part of the Class of ’57 Music Initiative. At present there are 9 interns partially funded by the schools themselves and providing over 1000 hours of teaching support during the 2007-2008 academic year. Eighty music students have had some involvement spread over the 20 public schools mainly in interactive concert programs for public school students. Ensembles include the Elm City Brass Quintet, Arc String Quartet, Southern String Quartet, Tango Orchestra, Chinese Ensemble, Percussion Group, and Pearl City Jazz Combo.

Planned 2009 Symposium for Public School Music Educators

A symposium for public school music educators is planned for June 10th and 11th, 2009. This avoids reunion activities. Participants will receive a stipend enabling them to stay in New Haven overnight as well as participate in the symposium experience. Preliminary plans for the symposium include a 4-component experience.

(1) A recognition dinner for those chosen to attend the symposium with an interesting keynote speaker, and certificates of recognition from the Yale School of Music along with a photo with Dean Blocker.

(2) A workshop for which 2007 symposium participants will compete to return and give presentations and lead discussions with the 2009 participants.

(3) A session concentrating on the linkage of music to general education in public schools. Examples include the current writing/music programs.

(4) A session on El Sistema, Venezuela’s now famous music education program for public school children.

Nomination of symposium participants will be open to ’57 class members and will be widened to include a nationwide search for gifted public school music educators. It will also include New Haven public school teachers. The number of participants is estimated in the 40-50 range.

Endowment Finances

At present the endowment has over 5 million dollars and with outstanding pledges the number is closer to 6 million. Spending in the coming year is projected at $250,000.

Neither June 30, 2008 figures for Yale’s investments nor the effects of recent financial events are available as yet.

The Future

The enthusiasm of the Deans, the project managers, Yale School of Music students, and the New Haven public school administrators and teachers is amazing. New creative programs keep emerging. On the agenda are discussions about modeling of the program in hopes that it will spread throughout the country. Symposium participants will obviously represent our first ambassadors and increasing efforts will be made to give them the information they need to network with one another. Credible methods of evaluating the effects on public school students will be important. Other departments at Yale may be helpful in this regard.

All in all, the programs initiated by The Endowment are vibrant and growing. We can all be proud of the Class of ‘57’s initiative and generosity.

—Stephen M. Wittenberg, MD

The 1957 Yale Bowl Portal Project (Final Report)

At half time of the Harvard Game, on November 17, 2007, a Portal Plaque was unveiled at Yale Bowl honoring the extraordinary athletic achievements of the Class of 1957 during senior year. The plaque is the result of the generous contributions of nearly one hundred classmates who raised in excess of $250,000, as part of our 50th Reunion gift, to help with the much-needed renovation of Yale Bowl. The plaque reads

It is displayed among plaques honoring the 1934 Iron Man Team, Levi Jackson, Carm Cozza, the College Football Hall of Fame, and the Football Championship Teams of 1960, 1968, and 1989 among others. It is notable company, but company in which the Class of 1957 belongs.

As an integral part of the fund-raising effort, memorial gifts were received in honor of the following deceased classmates:

Memorial Gifts were also received in honor of the following deceased friends and mentors:

May they all rest in peace.

This magnificent effort would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the committee made up of Don Bab, Bill Clinton, Colin Gracey, Don Griffith, Ev Hedeen, Colin Jensen, Dick Jones, Ted Jones, Jim King, Ed Meyer, Mike Oberlin, Jack Pendergast, Ed Robinson, Bide Thomas, and the late Pete Fritzsche.

The Donald K. Walker '26 Scholarship Fund

The Donald K. Walker '26 Scholarship Fund was created at the Class of 1957's 25th reunion, the brain child of classmate Bill Wrean. Don Walker was a senior member of the undergraduate admissions office when our class applied to Yale, and he interviewed many of us as candidates for admission. He was also a resident fellow of Calhoun College and through that tie stayed in touch with many of us during our four years in New Haven.

Early gifts to the Walker Fund and principal appreciation since then have generated enough money so that income from the Fund currently can support full scholarships for four Yale undergraduates. The Fund is part of Yale’s permanent endowment, and the Fund will exist in perpetuity. Gifts to the Fund are credited to the amount the class gives to Yale during the five years leading to each reunion.

For the last decade or so, class members have each winter taken Walker Scholarship holders to dinner at Mory's to tell them about Don Walker and why scholarships in his name exist. These dinners are also wonderful opportunities for us to meet several Yale undergraduates in a relaxed setting and to sense how gifted today's Yale students are.

Donald K. Walter Scholarship Recipients, 1983-present

2008-2009
Chad C. Costello '11
Molly J. Kim '09
Jarrett M. Drake ‘09
Michael B. McLeod ‘09

2007-2008
Chad C. Costello '11
Molly J. Kim '09
Jarrett M. Drake ‘09
Michael B. McLeod ‘09

2006-2007
Molly J. Kim '09
Jarrett M. Drake ‘09
Michael B. McLeod ‘09
Michelle Gosselin ‘07

2005-2006
Andrew Burke ‘06
Jarrett M. Drake ‘09
Michael B. McLeod ‘09
Michelle Gosselin ‘07

2004-2005
Andrew Burke ‘06
Robert D. Carr ‘05
Eric M. Diamond ‘05
Michelle Gosselin ‘07

2003-2004
Andrew Burke ‘06
Matthew Murray ‘07
Robert D. Carr ‘05
Eric M. Diamond ‘05

2002-2003
Matthew W. Lewis ‘03
Robert D. Carr ‘05
Eric M. Diamond ‘05

2001-2002
Matthew W. Lewis ‘03
Robert D. Carr ‘05
Eric M. Diamond ‘05

2000-2001
Matthew W. Lewis ‘03
Rashad Bartholomew ‘01
David Farrell ‘03

1999-2000
Matthew W. Lewis ‘03
Rashad Bartholomew ‘01
David Farrell ‘03

1998-1999
Kenneth Marschner ‘99
Scott Benton ‘99

1997-1998
Kenneth Marschner ‘99
Scott Benton ‘99

1996-1997
Kenneth Marschner ‘99
Scott Benton ‘99

1995-1996
Kenneth Marschner ‘99
Scott Benton ‘99

1994-1995
Raymond Rast ‘95

1993-1994
Raymond Rast ‘95

1992-1993
Raymond Rast ‘95

1991-1992
Raymond Rast ‘95

1990-1991
William McSwain ‘91

1989-1990
William McSwain ‘91

1988-1989
William McSwain ‘91

1987-1988
William McSwain ‘91

1986-1987
Steven Provenzano ‘90

1985-1986
Ardel McKenna ‘86

1984-1985
Ardel McKenna ‘86

1983-1984
Ardel McKenna ‘86

Following is a copy of the most recent report about recent Walker Scholars from Bill Bidwell, Yale’s recording secretary, to Don Roberts.

November 7, 2008

Dear Don:

It has been a privilege to serve as Yale’s Recording Secretary over the past twenty years, and I have greatly enjoyed getting to know you and communicating with you about the Donald K. Walker Scholarship Fund. I have now begun to transition toward retirement, and so this will be the last report I will be sending you. Rest assured, however, that you will con-tinue to receive similar annual letters from this office informing you about the outstanding Walker Scholars in the coming years.

On behalf of the University, I would like to thank you for the special role that the Walker Scholarship Fund plays in upholding our financial aid program. As you know, en-dowments such as this enable us to admit students of great promise who otherwise would not have the opportunity to benefit from the unique experience of living and learning at Yale. These undergraduates, in turn, enrich the University with their wealth of talents, perspectives, and enthusiasm. They are grateful for the support they receive, and many have expressed a keen desire to use the knowledge they gain here to “give back” by helping make the world a better place.

All four of our 2007-2008 Walker Scholars have been afforded the honor again for 2008-2009, and I am pleased to provide you with an update on their studies, activities, and plans.

You may recall that Chad Costello ’11 is from Agoura Hills, California, and that, after being home schooled during his junior high school years, he prepared for college at the Oak Park Independent School. During high school, he compiled an impressive record as a scholar-athlete, excelling in all subjects, showing special affinity for math and science, captaining the lacrosse team, and playing quarterback and safety for the football team. He led the lacrosse squad to a California Division II Championship, and for his individual contributions in the sport earned First Team All-League honors.

Now a sophomore at Yale, Chad is thoroughly enjoying college life. He is the first in his family to attend college, and he has been working hard at his studies while also pursuing a variety of extracurricular interests. Chad recently sent me an update on his activities, and I am happy to share a lightly edited transcript of that, as follows:

Academically, athletically, socially, and culturally Yale has provided me with so many wonderful experiences, and I could not be happier. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to study and play lacrosse at such a wonderful place.

My current favorite subjects are psychology and history....I will likely end up pursuing one of those as a major, but currently I cannot decide which I enjoy more. I also do not yet have a particular focus within either potential major as of right now....I am particularly fond of my current psychology class, entitled “The Psychology, Biology, and Politics of Food.” Currently I do not have a clear vision as for immediate post-Yale goals. However, I am interested in doing something out of the ordinary, something that may require work or travel abroad. I am also entertaining the idea of applying to law school.

I am active in the Timothy Dwight community and enjoy being an active member of the Student Activities Committee. It is important to me to have friends and activities outside of lacrosse. The close-knit environment and socially active students of the T.D. Student Activities Committee [provide] fun and interesting extracurricular projects and experiences for me. I also have found time to participate in a program called Bulldog Buddies. It focuses on tutoring and mentoring local New Haven elementary school students, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it so far. Being the oldest in a family of five kids has fostered a love of children within me, and I find working with some of the youth of New Haven to be incredibly rewarding.

I am enjoying lacrosse very much this year. We just finished our fall practices and tournament, and I am very excited about the team. The new freshmen bring some extra talent to the program. Personally, I am also looking forward to playing a bigger role on the team this year, and hope to contribute to more Bulldog victories. Last season was disappointing for us as a program, and it feels good to get out and have a successful fall ball, and get ready for the start of a new season.

I would like to express...how thankful I am for...this scholarship and opportunity. I continue to discover what a wonderful place Yale can be, and am honored and blessed to have the opportunity to be here.

Jarrett Drake ’09 is a senior this year, his fourth as a Walker Scholar. He came to Yale from Dolton, Illinois, and the Thornridge High School, where he was an outstanding scholar- athlete and valedictorian of his class. Jarrett has continued to blend academic and athletic excellence here at Yale. A history major, his principal interest is in twentieth-century America, and he has been focusing on matters pertaining to the criminal justice system and the develop-ment of the American educational system. At last word, he was planning to produce a senior thesis on the relationship between police and black citizenry in inner-city neighborhoods, there-after to apply to Yale’s M.A. program in urban education. His long-range goals include law school and a career in which he might play a role in the enactment of policy change in inner-city schools. For now, though, he is working hard at his studies and enjoying his final year at Yale to the fullest. Jarrett remains an active member of Morse College, and he continues to contrib-ute greatly to the varsity football team as a talented wide receiver. He started in every game last year, and completed the season with 14 receptions for 237 yards, with a high-water mark of 59 yards in the game against Georgetown. Thus far this season, he has appeared in 5 of 7 varsity contests, and he has recorded 7 receptions for 81 yards and 1 touchdown. He had four catches for 57 yards against Georgetown, two for 15 yards and a touchdown against Cornell, and 1 for 9 yards against Penn. Jarrett remains active, as well, as a leader of the Yale Black Men’s Union, which he co-founded, and he has delved into acting and producing as a member of the Heritage Theatre Ensemble, with which he had a leading role as The Mayor in a production of “A Day of Absence.”

Molly Kim ’09 is a third-year Walker Scholar, and she is also now a senior at Yale. As you know from my past reports, Molly is a first-generation American of Korean ancestry, and she is the first in her family to attend college. She came to Yale from Burbank, California, where she was valedictorian of her class and an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction at the Burbank Senior High School. She was also active in a wide range of extracurricular and community service activities. Here at Yale, she is a fully engaged member of the Calhoun College community, where she has been serving as a Master’s Aide. An economics major, Molly has been studying macroeconomics, microeconomics, game theory, econometrics, data analysis, and several other related subjects, and she has also enjoyed mathematics, English, and fiction writing. I have learned that she spent last spring semester abroad studying economics at Cambridge University and focusing on public economics and industry; and that she spent the summer of 2008 working as an analyst for UBS. Molly is planning to work for a few years after earning her B.A. in order to gain more real-world experience before returning to school for a degree in either law or business. For now, she applies herself to her studies while also continu-ing to serve as a leader of Thi[NK] (a non-profit group that supports human rights efforts for North Korea), the Korean American Students at Yale cultural organization, and the Sigma Psi Zeta sorority.

Mike McLeod ’09 has been a Walker Scholar throughout his Yale years, since coming to New Haven from New Britain, Connecticut, where he was an outstanding scholar-athlete with a dazzling record as a star running back and team captain. Although living off campus, he remains close to the Jonathan Edwards College community. Now a senior, the political science major has maintained a record of achievement in both academics and athletics. As you know, the 5’-11” and 205 lb. running back has been a star player since putting on the Yale uniform. Despite playing the last five games of the season with a broken bone in his toe—an injury that finally caught up with him for the Harvard game—Mike closed out his junior year having earned 1,619 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns for the 2007 season, and as the holder of Yale records for career touchdowns (49), rushing yards (3,672), attempts (817), 200-plus yard games (3), games with over 100 yards (19), and straight games with touchdowns (18). Among his numerous standout performances, he broke a Yale record for rushing yards in a single game last season against Holy Cross with 256 on 40 carries (and 5 touchdowns) and then upped his own record two weeks later with 276 yards against Lehigh; and he broke records for career rushing yardage and single season yardage established by Robert Carr and Rich Diana during one game—the contest against Brown, which was played in bad weather. Mike earned numer-ous accolades for these and other spectacular efforts, including AFCA All-America and First Team All-Ivy standing, an Ivy League Player of the Year award, three separate Ivy league Offensive Player of the Week awards, a New England Golden Helmet, and the 2007 Walter Camp “Connecticut Player of the Year” award. Not surprisingly, Mike is once again our team leader in total yardage, though the offensive line has not been as successful in opening holes for him as we had hoped. To date, he has started in all 7 games, and he has covered 668 all-purpose yards (579 rushing on 170 carries, and 89 receiving on 14 receptions) and scored 6 touchdowns, with his strongest performance being 154 all-purpose yards against Dartmouth. He treated his many Yale fans to exciting touchdowns against Georgetown, Holy Cross, and Dartmouth, and scored three times in last weekend’s contest against Columbia.

I have once again enclosed postal and e-mail addresses and telephone numbers for our Walker Scholars. It is good of you and your colleagues to make the effort to meet with these fine young students each year. In these days of rising costs and economic uncertainty, the Uni-versity is grateful to be able to rely on the lasting assistance provided by the scholarship fund honoring the memory of Donald K. Walker.

With warm regards,

Sincerely yours,

William B. Bidwell ’63

Dwight Hall Summer Fellowships

The Class of 1957 supports summer fellowships in Dwight Hall in memory of Frank Mongillo and Howie Gillis.

Started in 1968, Dwight Hall Summer Fellowships give Yale students the opportunity to spend their vacations in New Haven working full-time on projects they have themselves designed in response to community needs. In addition to working with community or student groups or other not-for-profit organizations to implement their projects, the fellows meet for weekly dinner seminars with New Haven community leaders to gather advice and learn more about pertinent city issues.

During the summer of 2005, Class of 1957 summer fellowships will support Hannah Yoon (Saybrook, '05) to head up an initiative in conjunction with Advanced Strategies for Healthcare Access Inc. to research and publicize eye care resources available to the uninsured in New Haven. In addition, Benjamin Staub (Saybrook, '06) will work directly with those enrolled in Connecticut Voices for Children's newly launched foster youth-transition program in helping the young people to create self-governing Youth Leadership Boards and raise their own voices in area and state legislative debates on foster care issues.

Below is a letter from Tess Wheelwright, Student Coordinator of Dwight Hall Summer Fellowships, to Steve Hopkins, dated 16 May 2005:

Dear Mr. Hopkins,

It comes as great news that the class of 1957 intends to sponsor two of our Dwight Hall Summer Fellows this year! A thrilled thanks to you and your classmates for such generosity, from all of us here in Dwight Hall.

I am Tess Wheelwright, Yale College class of 2006, and this year’s coordinator of the Dwight Hall Summer Fellowship. During the academic year, I co-coordinate the Dwight Hall-affiliated Urban Fellows Program, which similarly places students as interns in city and community agencies, and like the Summer Fellowship involves a group component of weekly discussion meetings. I’m very much looking forward to extending my experience in that role to the more in-depth Dwight Hall Summer Fellowship.

Kathrine Burdick passed along to me your email address; it is my pleasure to present to you Summer Fellows Ben Staub, Saybrook ’06, and Hannah Yoon, Saybrook ’05, for Class of 1957 sponsorship.

Hannah will be interning at Student Health OUTreach, a recently founded (2000) New Haven nonprofit organization that calls itself a “project of advanced strategies for healthcare access.” SHOUT works to reach out to the city’s uninsured families and enroll them in Connecticut’s Healthcare for Uninsured Kids and Youth (HUSKY) program, as well as research and advocate on their behalf for improved access to medical and dental resources. Hannah’s interest in health and medicine, and her year’s experience already as an organizer of outreach at SHOUT, make her a great candidate for her summer project of coordinating a new SHOUT initiative concerning eye care, specifically. Hannah will be researching, compiling, and publicizing information about existing eye care resources for families in New Haven without insurance, while directing attention to the problem as part of a larger SHOUT advocacy project to document “Stories of the City’s Uninsured.”

Ben’ focus will also be on children and will also combine direct service with research and advocacy but will concern itself specifically with youth in the foster care system. His project is with Connecticut Voices for Children, a respected organization committed to improving the lives of youth through high-quality research and public policy analysis, and promoting youth voice and leadership through citizen education and organizing. CT Voices recently received a grant to look at the issues facing youth “aging out” of the foster care system, and it is in conjunction with this larger project that Ben will be researching this population in New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, as well as working with the youth directly to help them form boards to organize discussions and events, empowering them to add their own youth voice to the legislative debates. Besides being a Summer Fellow, Ben is also the current Co-Coordinator of Dwight Hall’s student Executive Committee, a Dwight Hall Early Childhood Education Fellow, and generally an invaluable member and representative of the Dwight Hall effort. He would be happy for the opportunity to share more about his summer project, and welcomes contact at benjamin.staub@yale.edu.

Thank-you again, Mr. Hopkins, for your generous support. Only with it are we able to provide the deserving Ben and Hannah and the equally deserving organizations they’ll be serving with such a valuable summer opportunity!

Tess Wheelwright