Articles from past issues of The Reporter

January 2007

A gift for baseball fans
During the summer, Burroughs received a wonderful surprise from one of its loyal families.

Janet and Dave Sisler ’49, on behalf of the George Sisler family, donated funds for baseball stands, which will be located behind home plate on McConnell Field. The new stands will be installed before the baseball season in the spring.

The Sislers have given the stands in memory of Dave’s father, who was a Hall-of-Fame first baseman for the St. Louis Browns in the early part of the 20th century. In addition to impressive accomplishments on the field, George Sisler hit .400 cumulatively for three consecutive seasons and held the Major League season hitting record for 84 years, from 1920 to 2004.

The late Mr. Sisler was a graduate of the University of Michigan before most professional ballplayers were college-educated. He was a firm believer in education, and he sent all four of his children — George, Jr. ’35, Dick ’38 (deceased), Frances ’41, and Dave ’49 — to Burroughs. The Sisler family has found a nice way to honor their father’s commitment to education while memorializing a truly remarkable baseball career.

January 2007

Scholarships and endowed funds

In recent years the financial aid budget has barely met the financial needs of the increasing number of families who qualify for aid — more than 20 percent of our families. In addition, the school must continue to strengthen faculty salaries and support continuing education in order to recruit and retain outstanding teachers. The Campus Master Plan addresses these needs through its focus on building endowment, and Burroughs is hoping to raise more than $7.5 million directly for these programs.

In Phase One of the Campaign for Burroughs, we have added ten endowed funds and scholarships, which are already supporting six students, three members of the faculty, the humanities and the library. They are:

All of these special endowments, with the exception of the Jim Lemen Scholarship, have been fully funded. Members of the Burroughs community who would like more information about the Lemen Scholarship or any other fund, please contact Jim Kemp, director of advancement (ext. 256 at 800/264-4045 or 314/993-4045 or at jkemp@jburroughs.org).

January 2007

The Campaign for Burroughs
Phase One fund-raising moves Master Plan forward

Burroughs launched the parent component of the campaign to fund the Master Plan in the fall. At that time, the school announced a $34.2 million goal for Phase One.

Thanks to significant support from the Burroughs community in the quiet phase of fund-raising, the school already has raised $18.2 million to support the overall plan which strategically addresses long-term needs for land, endowment and facilities. To date, 96 parents have donated $7.3 million, 63 alumni have given $9.3 million, and 15 grandparents, parents of alumni and friends have contributed $1.6 million. This significant progress comes from only 174 of our 8,000-member community!

From these early fund-raising efforts, 18 major projects have been fully funded. Student athletes have already turned in outstanding seasons on the new track and football field; the new Clayton Road entrance and parking lot has improved traffic and parking on campus; an infrastructure to support future projects is in place; an expanded dining room has eased the bottleneck at lunchtime; and a new hockey field and baseball stands (see story at left) will be ready for the 2007 seasons. The refurbishment of the fine arts building should begin next summer. Early design plans transform the breezeway between the dining room and the fine arts building into glass-enclosed gallery space. In addition, nearly $2.5 million has been raised to pay for land acquisition and $5 million has been raised for endowment, including the addition of ten scholarships and special funds (see list at left).

With these projects paid for, fund-raising efforts have turned to the remaining projects in Phase One. Construction of the theatre with a black box stage and the field house addition will begin after the funds have been raised. Further down the road, in a second phase of fund-raising, the school will address the construction of a new auditorium and gymnasium.

A committed group of fund-raising volunteers shares a strong sense of optimism that we will be successful in funding and building the Master Plan, but we need the support of the entire Burroughs community to make it happen. Anyone interested in learning more about the Master Plan, helping with fund-raising efforts or making a gift is encouraged to contact Jim Kemp, director of advancement, (800/264-4045, ext. 256 or at jkemp@jburroughs.org).

Photo captions:
Junior Zach Weisenfels arrives at school on opening day after having parked in the new Clayton Road lot.

An extra 15 feet added to the full length of the dining room has opened up the space and eased lunchtime congestion.

Crews were installing the landscaping around the new artificial turf field at press time. The lacrosse team will host home games on the new field this spring. The facility will be dedicated at a field hockey game in the fall.

September 2006

Naming of fine arts building honors Kerry Kuehner ’68

A major gift from Kim Kuehner ’71 will refurbish the fine arts building and endow the building and its programs in perpetuity. Mr. Kuehner has chosen to name the building in memory of his sister, Kerry Kuehner ’68.

Though design plans for the Kerry S. Kuehner Fine Arts Building are in the early stages, central to the refurbishment will be the renovation of the entry foyer into gallery space dedicated to student and faculty artwork. Other improvements will increase display space and add new lighting including skylights. The exterior stucco surface will also be refurbished.

The fine arts building is a fitting tribute to Kerry, who had great interest and talent in the arts. While at Burroughs, and under the mentorship of the late Joanna Collins (Fine Arts), Kerry created paintings, drawings and sculptures which still hang in the homes of her family and friends. After Burroughs, Kerry continued her interest in art and graduated from Webster University in 1972 with a degree in art history. She later earned a master’s degree in business administration from Washington University.

Kerry worked as a graphic artist throughout her career, forming the independent design firm Kuehner Associates in Washington, D.C. and St. Louis. She developed corporate identity campaigns, most notably for the Fox Theatre, the Butterfly House and the Forest Park Balloon Races. In addition to her art career, she raised and bred champion Wheaten Terriers and was a longtime board member and volunteer for the Wheaten Terrier Club in St. Louis. Kerry died in November of 2005 after a short illness. She was 55 years old.

As quoted on a plaque to be mounted in the building, Kim says of his sister: “Kerry sparkled! Her radiant smile revealed a special enthusiasm for living. In later years, Kerry developed a deep faith in Christian Science which inspired her vision of life. She was like a butterfly — pretty, fragile, but strong.”

Captions:
Kim Kuehner ’71 and his parents, Horty and Howard Kuehner, were on campus in June for the dedication of the Kerry S. Kuehner Fine Arts Building.

The late Kerry Kuehner ’68

September 2006

Assembly hall dedicated in honor of Olin siblings and friends

At a special morning assembly on May 24th, the assembly hall in Haertter Hall was dedicated in honor of the Olin siblings and three long-time Burroughs friends.

Dr. Barbara Olin Taylor ’50, along with her husband, F. Morgan (Buzz) Taylor, Jr., and her sister, Judy Olin Higgins ’54, were in St. Louis for the dedication. The Taylors and Mrs. Higgins have made significant gifts to build a new Haertter Hall as part of the Master Plan. The new structure will retain the Haertter name in memory of Leonard Haertter, headmaster from 1935 to 1964. The assembly hall, both the existing facility and the one which will eventually replace it, has been given in honor of Barbara, Judy and their late brother, Tru Olin ’49. In addition, Mr. Taylor, through an individual gift, dedicated the assembly hall to Barbara and to three of his Princeton roommates, all of them Burroughs alumni from the class of 1949 — Chuck Thies, Lew Petring and Dave Sisler.

In her comments to students, Dr. Taylor said, “All the things you do at Burroughs — the athletics, the activities, the arts, the courses you take, the teachers you come to know, your social acts and friendships — will . . . become the very inner workings of your mind, your personality, your psyche and your reason for being and finally, God willing, your purpose in life. . . . They will become a part of the sea bag you pack for your many voyages in the future.”

Longtime supporters of education, the Olin family has remained committed to its Burroughs roots through the years. Dr. Taylor graduated from Smith College with a degree in American studies. During the socially turbulent 1960s, while her children were still young, she moved to the forefront of political activism and civic responsibility in New Haven, CT, providing leadership to several organizations and focusing her efforts on the needs of extremely underprivileged children. She earned her master’s degree in business administration from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University and then her doctorate in education, administration and policy studies at Northwestern. Dr. Taylor became a leader in creating the Effective Schools process to reform public education, and she co-founded the National Center for Effective Schools Research and Development Program. She raised four sons and has been a lifelong participant in charitable, educational and political causes. Mrs. Higgins earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature from Smith College and her master’s degree in teaching in special education from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She is the mother of six children, and she taught for many years at Greenwich (CT) Country Day School, where she was head of special education. Mrs. Higgins has been active as a trustee and board member of numerous civic, educational and professional organizations throughout her lifetime. Mr. Taylor, though not a Burroughs alumnus, has also been a longtime friend of the school. He graduated from Princeton and went on to a successful business career. An outstanding athlete, Mr. Taylor has remained active in sports, most recently serving as the president of the United States Golf Association.

Caption:
From left, F. Morgan (Buzz) Taylor, Jr., Barbara Olin Taylor ’50 and Judy Olin Higgins ’54 were in St. Louis in May for the dedication of the Haertter Hall auditorium.

May 2006

Alice Snodgrass Chair honors teaching excellence

Burroughs recently received an anonymous gift of $1 million to create a new faculty chair, the Alice Snodgrass Chair for Excellence in Teaching.

“Of all the things Burroughs stands for, teaching excellence has to be right up there at the top,” said Headmaster Keith Shahan. “The donors wanted the faculty to know and understand that they are our most valuable resource. What better way than to honor a great teacher -– Alice Snodgrass- – with the knowledge that others will be so recognized.” In addition to supporting the faculty chair, the initial gift will be applied to the school’s endowment and will therefore benefit the school in perpetuity.

Mrs. Snodgrass taught math at Burroughs from 1965 to 1969 and again from 1977 to 2003 when she retired. During that time, she at one time or another taught virtually every math course at the school. Regardless of the student’s age or ability, Mrs. Snodgrass had a wonderful knack for ushering him or her through difficult concepts, all the while allowing the student to answer his or her own questions. She was chair of the math department from 1995 to 2003 and was the first holder of the Leonard D. and Madeline H. Haertter Chair in Mathematics from 1988 to 1995. She also was involved in the larger professional community – as an advanced placement consultant for the College Board, as a workshop presenter, as a reader and table leader for the AP calculus exam, as a referee for manuscripts submitted for publication to Mathematics Teacher, and as a member of the Board of the Independent Schools Association of the Central States.

Nonetheless the naming of the Snodgrass Chair in her honor is more about what happened in Alice’s classroom than it is about administrative or professional accomplishments. Jerry Taylor (Science), who has been named the first holder of the chair (see story, page 3), said, “It’s nice to be appointed to a chair, but it is especially nice for me that the chair is named for Alice Snodgrass. She is in my mind one of the best teachers I have ever known…Respectful of others, a marvelous teacher, and a marvelous person.”

The Snodgrass Chair is the seventh endowed chair at John Burroughs School, joining the Mark Neville-Martin Parry Chair in English, the Leonard D. and Madeline H. Haertter Chair in Mathematics, the Edwin McClellan Johnston Chair in Classics, the Robert A. Sortland Chair in American Studies, the Dr. Charles K. Sibley Chair in Science, and the Fred Dreher-Joanna Collins Chair in Fine Arts.

May 2006

More good news for the athletic program

A major gift from an anonymous donor will build an artificial turf hockey field on the south side of campus. Construction could begin in May (providing the city approves the plan) with completion before the 2006 season begins.

The artificial turf surface will be similar to that of the football field which was dedicated last fall and has since received an overwhelmingly positive response from athletes and coaches. Athletic Director Jim Lemen reports that the artificial surface will provide safer playing conditions particularly in poor weather and faster and more consistent play of the ball. It also should reduce the number of game cancellations because of wet field conditions, and, because lines are factory installed, the surface will reduce maintenance on a game-to-game basis.

Discussions among members of the Athletic/PE Department, the Board of Trustees and the administration concluded that the best site for the field would be on the most recently acquired property just south of McConnell Field (see drawing on page 2). Construction of the new facility will be in conjunction with other elements of Phase 1A of the Master Plan campus improvements. The soccer program will inherit the north fields for practice and use the artificial turf on Leland Field for games.

Honoring outstanding coaches

A nice thing about all the progress on campus is that major donors have used the opportunity to continue a tradition of naming facilities in honor of outstanding coaches. We already have Leland Field, the Lemen Press Box, and McConnell Field named for former coaches. Now we have Keefer Track.

The Steve Trulaske ’75 family has opted to name the state-of-the-art, eight-lane track in honor of long-time coach and athletic director, Skippy Keefer. Mrs. Keefer came to Burroughs as a physical education teacher and coach in 1972 and was named athletic director first of the girls’ program and later of the combined PE/Athletics Department. She was known for trying to provide opportunities for all students – regardless of athletic ability – to participate in team sports. In 1988 she and another athletic director established the Metro Women’s Athletic Association (MWAA) to provide divisions at all levels in every sport in order to increase competition for girls. The league now includes 18 private schools and is one of the strongest leagues in the area. Another donor honored

Mrs. Keefer in 2003 by naming the Skippy Keefer Girls Athletic Fund in her honor.

Beckman Field and Lemen Scholarship

Several alumni have issued fund-raising challenges to honor two other outstanding coaches.

For information about the Beckman Field or Lemen Scholarship Challenges, please contact Jim Kemp at 800.993.4040, ext. 256 or at jkemp@jburroughs.org.

Caption:
The Skippy Keefer Track was dedicated at the annual Skippy Keefer Relays in April. Above is Skippy Keefer, center, with the Trulaske family—Steven ’12, Kay, Michelle and Steve ’75.

August 2005

Equipment rolls onto campus to build state-of-the-art track and field

Within 48 hours of the Ladue City Council’s approval of Burroughs’ plans for a new track and football field, heavy equipment rolled onto campus to begin construction. The project is expected to take three months with completion before the first home football game on October 1st.

The new field will have an artificial turf similar to that used by college and professional teams. Head football coach and former athletic director Todd Small, who researched the turfs available, explains that the technology has advanced significantly. Grass fibers are implanted in a rubber-and-sand infill that cushions the athlete’s impact and provides more stable footing. An involved drainage system will reduce safety risks associated with playing on a wet field and should result in fewer game cancellations according to Mr. Small. The new surface and a specially designed goal post also will expand the use of Leland Field to include lacrosse and soccer events as well as football. Lines for these sports as well as a JBS logo will be permanently applied in the factory.

A second component of the project is the replacement of the 14-year-old, six-lane track with an eight-lane track that will meet the requirements of district and state events. Coach Daniel Harris says, “Track and field events are premised on getting from point A to point B in the least amount of time. Burroughs has opted to install the fastest surface available at a thickness that will be friendly to the distance runner.” The finish line will be moved to the south side of the field in front of the bleachers and Lemen Press Box. The high-jump will be installed near the scoreboard, with the pole vault, long jump, and triple jump at the opposite end of the field. Throwing events will be moved to the upper field.

Though Burroughs had originally hoped to begin construction in May with completion before the fall season sports practices begin in mid-August, discussions with the Ladue City Council delayed the timetable by about one month. The later start date will impact athletic practices in August, but fortunately this year’s late first home game provides the buffer necessary to have the field available for all four home football games.

As the facility nears completion, plans to dedicate the track and field at the home game against Lutheran St. Charles on Saturday, October 1st are materializing. The Headmaster’s Picnic for parents, alumni, and faculty will begin at 11:30 a.m. (see back panel of this Reporter), before the varsity game, which begins at 1 p.m. Steve ’75 and Michelle Trulaske, who presented the school with the gift that made the facility possible, will be on hand for the dedication.

For frequent updates and photos of the progress on the new track and field, visit the Burroughs website at www. jburroughs.org.

April 2005

Construction of new track and field to begin in May

A major gift from Michelle and Steve Trulaske ’75 will bring a state-of-the-art track and field to the JBS campus. Construction is expected to begin in May with completion before the fall season sports practices begin in mid-August.

The improvements will provide smoother, softer, and safer playing surfaces for JBS athletes; they are expected to reduce annual field maintenance expenses; and they will increase the usability of the field thus easing scheduling constraints.

A major improvement will be the addition of state-of-the-art, artificial turf, which will allow the use of Leland Field (which will retain its name in honor of the late Coach Deyo Leland) to be expanded to include lacrosse and soccer events as well as football. Lines for these sports will be permanently applied in the factory. The field also will be available for other sports in emergency situations.

Athletic Director Todd Small reports that turf has come a long way in the last decade and that many professional, college, and high school teams have opted for the artificial surfaces which provide better and safer playing conditions particularly in poor weather. The new technology uses an artificial grass fiber with a rubber-and-sand infill that cushions the athlete’s impact, provides more stable footing, and is a safer surface. St. Louis University High and CBC, which already have the turf in place, report that the conversion has allowed them to avoid game cancellations due to wet fields, assuring that seasons are completed on time.

Maintenance is limited to periodically combing or dragging the field with equipment supplied by the manufacturer and removing leaves and other debris that blow onto the field. The costs associated with cutting, fertilizing, aerating, lining, and drying the field will be eliminated.

A second component of the refurbishment will be the replacement of the 14-year-old, six-lane track with an eight-lane track that will meet the requirements of district and state events. “The current track has served us well but is nearing the end of its life cycle,” says Mr. Small. The new construction also provides the opportunity to move the finish line in better view of spectator seating—to the south side of the field in front of the bleachers and Lemen Press Box.

The Trulaske gift will enable the school to proceed with work now, before the campus is further disrupted with other building projects as part of the Master Plan.

Steve Trulaske, an owner of True Manufacturing Company, will chair the Alumni Campaign in the upcoming capital funds drive to meet the needs identified in the Master Plan. Steve is a past president of the Alumni Association and a longtime JBS volunteer.

April 2005

Classics classroom named for Hugh Witscher

A generous gift from Carr and Ellen Witscher ’73 Trovillion has been made in memory of Ellen’s father, Hugh Witscher. A classics classroom will be named in his honor on the third floor of the Brauer Building.

The late Mr. Witscher taught at Burroughs from 1954 to 1981. In addition to teaching classics, German, and even typing, he was a student advisor, a member of the faculty executive committee, and coach of the JBS golf team. The Trovillions have been active volunteers as parents of one Burroughs graduate and two current students. Carr is vice president and CFO of Drury Inns, and is chairing the JBS Board of Trustee’s Building and Grounds Committee

April 2005

Marcia W. & Keith E. Shahan Endowed Scholarship funded

A major, founding gift from Andy ’66 and Barbara Taylor has established the Marcia W. and Keith E. Shahan Scholarship Fund to support Burroughs students seeking financial aid. Interest and market appreciation from this endowed fund will allow the school to attract students from all income brackets over the years. The gift will directly foster socio-economic diversity in the student body, which is important in improving the JBS experience for all students.

Not long after the fund was established, Jim ’69, Michele, and Ann Niemeyer ’43 Maritz made a leadership gift to the fund. They share the Taylors’ interest in supporting scholarships at Burroughs, and they hope that their generosity will inspire others to contribute as well.

In the past few years, several alumni and friends had approached the school about how they might honor the Shahans. Both Keith and Marcia are alumni from the class of 1962, and Keith has served as head of school since 1986. The Shahans requested that no building would bear their name. Instead, it was Keith’s desire that their legacy should be something that would permanently benefit the school and would allow the school to continue to attract students and families from all income levels.

The endowed scholarship will do both. In the long term, increasing the endowment remains the key to strengthening the school financially while keeping tuition affordable. In February 2004, the Board of Trustees approved a Master Plan which identified endowment growth as a top priority for the school.

Income generated from endowment funds are typically applied to paying teachers’ salaries, maintaining a growing and aging campus, and supporting the school’s generous financial aid program, which benefits 20 percent of the students who attend Burroughs. Income from the Taylor and Maritz gifts, and any future contributions, will be used specifically to expand the financial aid budget.

“My goal since coming to Burroughs has been to provide the best possible educational program for our students,” says Keith. “That has meant attracting highly competent faculty, providing an educational environment that supports our mission, and securing the funding necessary to support a generous financial aid program. Economic diversity is important to the school, and we are grateful to the donors for wanting to give the opportunity of a JBS education to some worthy children.”

The Shahans look forward to remaining connected with students long into the future through the scholarship fund. The school will keep them and major donors to the fund informed about the talents and interests of the students receiving scholarships. Recipients are asked to write to their sponsors once a year. “Although we’re not ready to retire, we look forward to maintaining this connection to Burroughs students for the rest of our lives.”