News

SKS: The First Century

March 22nd, 2018

An aerial view of South Kent School's earlier years.

In 2023 South Kent School will be 100 years old! One of the ways we plan to celebrate is with the publication of a school history entitled South Kent School: The First Century.  Paul Abbott has agreed to help compile and edit the volume but we hope the main authors will be those of you who witnessed and participated in the making of South Kent School history.
This is your invitation to write and share your experiences.

What sort of things might you share?

• Memories of events you witnessed or participated in are perfect. At one of the Alumni Weekend “In my day….” presentations, mention was made of the whole school hiking to New Milford to support the First Team at their football game. However, they did not describe what making this hike was like. (The last hike was in the fall of 1950.) Details about events like this are perfect.
• Habits or practices that you acquired at South Kent which you still have today. For example, an alumnus said that at South Kent he learned that if there was something that needed doing and he had the time and skill he should pitch in and do it. He related about one occasion when he arrived at a conference center he had engaged for a conference he was to chair and found the staff had not yet set up the room for the conference. To the amazement of the staff, he pitched in with the staff and set up tables and chairs etc. for the conference. Talking about these kinds of lessons you learned that still stick with you to this day would be great content.
• Interactions with the faculty that you interacted with. One alumnus related how, when he was having trouble with a course, Jerry Waller spent hours helping him master the subject. Recounting the people that made SKS special is vital to a proper history.
• Any other memories, experiences, or accounts of great alumni or faculty all are wonderful additions to what will surely be an impressive history of the Hillside.

Do you remember when …? What was your reaction and that of your friends?

• When the flagpole was moved from the Schoolhouse lawn to the lawn next to the front courtyard.
• When the requirements that suits, white shirts and VESTS be worn from Saturday chapel through Sunday lunch was abandoned.
• When the practice of oiling the floors at the end of each term was discontinued.
• When the wooden walk from the Old Building to the New/McCoun building was paved. When the wooden staircase to the Schoolhouse was replaced with stone.
• When South Kent had a ski tow. Where and when was it? How long did it operate?
• When South Kent had a radio station. When was it? How long did it operate? (WGSK 90.1 FM still broadcasts but the license is now held by WMNR, a classical music station in Monroe, CT. WGSK is a repeater.)
• When the bell was moved from the stump by the front door of the Schoolhouse to the Southeast corner of the Schoolhouse.
• When the ‘pit’ ceased to be a class room.

These are only some ideas. Please write about whatever you would like to share. Send your letters or e-mails to [email protected](link sends e-mail)at the school. If you have pictures we can use we will scan them and return the original to you. We know 2023 is still far off, but the sooner we can get the stories and pictures from you, the better our publication will be when the 100th year comes. We look forward to hearing your personal stories about South Kent School and what made it so special to you.