Winter 2010

Earlier this school year Brunswick hosted an amazing series of speakers: Economist Barry Asmus, Sports Journalist and author Mike Lupica, and underwater explorer Robert Ballard. Click on any of the names to read a review of their speeches. The final speaker in this exciting list was Robert M. Franklin, the President of Moorehouse College. In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the upcoming Black History month a summary of Dr. Franklin's inspiring speech follows:

President of Morehouse College, Robert Michael Franklin, Speaks at Brunswick

President Robert Michael Franklin opened his remarks with the mantra for Morehouse College – we at Morehouse College nurture Renaissance men with a social conscience. He immediately drew analogies between Brunswick and Morehouse. Having spent time with faculty and trustees prior to his speech Dr. Franklin had done his homework on Brunswick including the school’s motto – courage, honor, truth – and the motto over the entry way – with all thy getting, get understanding.

Morehouse was founded in Augusta, Georgia in 1867 as a college for black men and moved to Atlanta 13 years later where it has grown to a student body of 2600. Much like Brunswick and Greenwich Academy, Spellman College is a neighboring all-women’s college. Dr. Morehouse mentioned that he and the President of Spellman see themselves as running coordinate institutions. Sound familiar?

While Morehouse is small and unknown in many communities, it has produced great leaders. The commonality amongst these great men is leadership, character and a social conscience. Certainly the best known of the Morehouse graduates is Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The college has a collection of 10,000 pieces of work from Dr. King, 7000 of which contain Dr. King’s handwriting. Among the gems of the collection are original drafts of famous speeches with Dr. King’s markings in the margin. Also of great entertainment value are his ratings of the quality of the food in the various jails in which he was incarcerated over the years. If you are interested, the jail in Albany, Georgia had, by far, the best food because it was cooked at a restaurant around the corner and brought to the jail.

Dr. King started Morehouse at age 15 during WWII when high schoolers were allowed to matriculate because the population of college age men was decimated by the War. Dr. King came from a family of privilege; both parents were college graduates. While at Morehouse he earned more C’s than A’s and B’s, including a C in public speaking. (A copy of that report card is amongst the archives at Morehouse.) Any parent reading that should continue to have faith in an underperforming son!

Dr. Franklin noted that as Dr. King matured he recognized those less advantaged. Interestingly his last day was spent working alongside sanitation workers. So, Dr. King used his privilege to help the less fortunate. What, Dr. Franklin queried, are Brunswick men doing with their privilege?

To prepare for life Dr. Morehouse suggested the need to drink from 5 wells: well read, well spoken, well traveled, well dressed and well balanced. The first, reading, can help develop the other four. Dr. Franklin's suggestion for being well spoken, in summary, is to be brief, be good and be seated! Travel carries your personal message, builds partnerships and bridges and lets your voices carry weight. Dr. Franklin referenced an old Ghanaian proverb that you cannot declare your Mother’s stew the best in the world if you never left your village. On the subject of attire, Dr. Franklin reminded the boys that people see you before you speak. Dress is part of decorum, boundaries and expectations. Brunswick’s dress code certainly follows that principle. Lastly, to lead a well-balanced life of work and play is the final piece of being a Renaissance man. Dr. Franklin quoted W.E.B. DuBois: a strenuous life is life is a life of hard work and hard play.

In addition to the 5 “wells” a social conscience is a part of a Renaissance man – to take responsibility for that which is good, right, blameworthy and praiseworthy. Dr. Franklin encouraged having faith and knowing that when faith gets difficult people stray from it. Part of a social conscience is to possess a global perspective because we are all interdependent. Today’s population has inherited a great world house where we have to live together and learn to do so in peace. Dr. Franklin closed with a challenge suggesting that the world is a balance between good and evil; live as though your next act will tip the scale.

As the speech ended the Upper School audience rose instinctively to a resounding standing ovation. Everyone was in awe of the man, his message, his institution and its shared values with Brunswick.

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Brunswick adds three new sports!

Over the last few years Brunswick has added three new sports to its roster of competitive play. While only clubs teams last year, track (which will achieve varsity status this spring,) ultimate frisbee and water polo have added fresh new athletic choices for the boys.

Twelve boys, all of whom have played previously, signed up for water polo this fall, the inaugural season. The Brunswick Water Polo Club, as it is called, is a joint program with Greenwich YMCA, coached by Eric Tillman, Kim Tierney-Wang, Bill Smith, Ulmis Iordache and volunteer coach, Andrew Heath. “The new Brunswick Water Polo Club is a nice confluence of energy,” said Coach Eric Tillman. “Many of our students play water polo, the YMCA was looking to expand its program, and parents and players were interested to establish a team. It also helps to have a ‘pool’ of excellent coaches in Bill, Kim, and Ulmis.”

“The boys who signed up are good water polo players,” Coach Tillman continued. “The upperclassmen are already showing outstanding leadership in helping to bring the team together. We’re thrilled to launch the School’s first season of water polo and a brand new aquatic era at Brunswick.” The fall schedule included matches with Hopkins, Suffield, Staples High School, Choate, and Navy.

The Ultimate team was started last year by current Seniors JP Hare and Zach Lynch ('10). They formed a petition, got approval from Tom Philip and Tim Ostrye, and found willing coaches, Sarah Crawford and Seth Potter. There were 34 people playing ultimate four days a week after school. A rotating group of approximately twelve boys played competitively and eventually won the State Championship in an exciting match against a team that has consistently won States, is now five years old, and practices six times a week for two and a half hours! Team Captain Mike Furlong '09 had played ultimate competitively over the summers and helped lead the team to victory. Kristian Schott ('09) was also a strong contribution to the competitive team. There are very many talented Seniors this year and the ultimate team is hoping to compete in All Easterns since the State Championship last spring granted Brunswick an invitation.

The grand daddy, so to speak, of these new sports is track. This spring will be the third year for the track team and the first as a varsity sport. Each season there have been 12 to 15 boys participating. Last season the team went to the New England championships in distance, sprints and relay with promising results. The boys attracted to the sport include football, soccer and squash players, wrestlers and cross country runners. It is a sport which is complimentary for any of the above in building stamina and coordination. Two players from previous teams, Ryan Hopkins and Jordan Grannum, are on their college’s track teams. The coaches are Dwight Jackson and Robert Taylor. Their hope is that with varsity status now the team will attract additional athletes.

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Jacques Bouffier, long-time French teacher for Brunswick Upper and Middle School boys was recently awarded the Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Order of Academic Palms) by the French Ministry of National Education. Click here to read about this award and see a photo of Monsieur Bouffier wearing the award medallion.

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