Molly Hemphill's Reflections on 37 Years at NCS

 

I have been at NCS for a very long time, and I have seen and enjoyed many changes. When I came to NCS in 1980, there were only two 4th-grade homerooms. 4A's classroom was part of what is now the library, and 4B began, I think, where the little backroom of the Lower School Library is now and went into the religion room. There was no 4C! What is now the 4th-grade hall, I think, was a driveway where the head of Lower School and teachers who had been here a long time could park. This beautiful chapel was a gym, but before the Lower School Assembly Room was added, we used the gym for chapel. There was no Athletic Center nor underground parking.

 

We ate lunch in Hearst Hall, where we have lunch now, but in two rather dark rooms, as I recall. Most of Hearst was rented out to the Waldorf School, and the Upper School girls had classes in what is now the Middle School. As a matter of fact, when I first came, there was no Middle School. Lower School was 4th through 6th grades, as it is now, and the Upper School was 7th through 12th. Shakespeare plays were performed in the basement of what is now the Middle School.

 

So there have been many changes in the buildings, the structure of the school, and in our technology. When I first came, we had mailboxes, period. There were two or three phones in the whole Lower School—two in the office and one in the faculty room—and no computers that I can remember. There was no email nor voicemail. There were fewer girls in Lower School, and fewer teachers. Teachers sometimes brought their dogs to school.

 

However, some things, which I hold dear, have not changed. I had just been married and moved to Washington when I came to NCS. A new city can feel daunting, but when I started to teach here, I felt as though I had "come home," in the words of Natalie Babbitt. The other 4th-grade teacher, Mrs. [Jane] Warker, who had Mrs. [Kathy] Kiernan's job, became and still is among my dearest friends. The head of the Lower School reminded me of my mom and became a lifelong friend. My colleagues were wonderful teachers and are still great friends. My present colleagues are the treasures in my life.

 

Parents were and are thoughtful and insightful, and they loved their children. The same is true today! And students: They were and are the BEST! This school is full of capable students who are excited about learning, confident in their views, and caring of each other. I have seen friendships begin in 4th grade that go on to adulthood.

 

The class animal has evolved. One of the first years I was here, I made a penguin as a class mascot. Mrs. Warker suggested that the following year each girl should have her own animal—a kangaroo—and a tradition was born! Over the years, the animals have become more central to the themes of the year, but the enthusiasm for the animals remains fun to watch!

 

Likewise, Mrs. Warker introduced me to Shakespeare. As a matter of fact, I am sorry to say that I think my first reaction was, "You do Shakespeare with 4th graders?! You must be crazy!" Obviously, I could not have been more wrong! The enjoyment of Shakespeare is one of my favorite parts of my job! I love the excitement each year that 4th graders feel in performing, and I adore the encouragement and support they receive from 5th and 6th graders, who seem to relive their own experiences. This genuine support has increased over the years!

 

Perhaps Shakespeare is part of the "invisible circle becoming palpable," of which you heard in the prayer our alumna Mrs. Doverspike read this morning. You "are ever bound together by the learning, the friendships, the guidance, and the worship (you) have shared." What you are appreciating and absorbing now contributes to the formation of the people you are becoming. And what you are "sharing" now with the people around you is part of a connection you will have with no one else, a connection—love, if you will—that you will hold dear. Our scripture this morning goes on to say, "Faith, hope, love abide, but the greatest of these is love."

 

Interesting, isn't it, that life can seem to change, and does change, and yet what you truly treasure often endures?