Sunday, February 26, 2006, "Welcome to Charleston" and Dinner, Riviera Theater.
MS. LEE: Thank you. I want to welcome you all to this meeting. It's wonderful to have you here. I have a letter that I will read, but I do want to tell you something. This meeting is thanks to Bruce Galbraith. I know that I am listed as the program chair, but in actual fact, I did nothing. I always thought that I was in a control freak, and then I met Bruce. He has written out my remarks for me! Jokes included. So then I thought, well, I could get out of this whole thing, because Reveta can mimic me perfectly. Give Reveta this script and have her say it in my voice. But I am actually going to do it.
I lived in Charleston for ten years, and have just returned as an interim head at the school two of our children graduated from, and so I had to learn to ëunspeakí Texan and to remember what the South really was like, what the true South was like. We thought you'd want some help, too. So we found a longtime NAPSG member who will add to our welcome. He's from Ashley Hall School, and I want Bert Hudnall to come up so he can talk to you about what you need to know to be in Charleston.
MR. HUDNALL: I have been told to keep this brief. Brevity was never my strong suit. But you need to know, Coreen, that I have used up most of my 7,000 words today as a male, so there are not many left to use.
When I first started teaching school, I had a class of sixth-grade geography students. One little boy came up to me shortly into that time and pulled his mother up to me and said, "Mr. Hudnall, talk for Mama." It turns out that my Virginia accent had been a mesmerizing thing for those little sixth-graders. They learned no geography, but they listened to my "out" and "about the house."
So I called Bruce and I said, "Bruce, let me do something to help you get ready for this meeting."
And he said, "Talk to these people in your southern accent."
Now, the subtitle of what I'm supposed to do -- very briefly, Bruce, I know -- is how to exist in Charleston. Can anyone here have a remote idea of how it is impossible to exist in Charleston? The beauty of this city, the charm of this city, the rich history of this city, the homes, the gardens -- it's all there. But as is true with any city, it's the people, and the people of Charleston make it what it is. I have to tell you, it makes no difference where you're from. Charleston welcomes you. It's very true. They have their ways.
Now, we went to a wonderful party one time and I said to the host, "This is exactly the reason we love being in Charleston."
He said, "Well, you know, you and your wife have done a really good job of fitting in, but being from Virginia didn't hurt."
That strain still exists, but I would say to you, it doesn't matter that you're not from Virginia. Your accent doesn't matter. Charleston welcomes you. This is the politest city in the country. It gets that title all the time.
So I decided a way to help you feel good about North Charleston would be to have a few little flash cards so you would know how to pronounce "Charleston."
Now, that was my first one. Here we go. This is a famous name in Charleston, (Legare) a very famous street in Charleston and, and if you think it is "le-GAIR," it is, in fact, "luh-GREE." Be sure you say it that way, and you will be in.
Next one. (Huger). Doesn't this look like "HYOU-jer" to you? Not related. This is "YOU-gee." Some people say "YOU-gee," some say "you-GEE," but it certainly is not "HYOU-jer."
Then we get to this one (Hasell). That looks every bit like "HAS-sell" or "ha-SELL." But it is not. It is "hazel." I mean to tell you, there is a family in town whose name has two Ss in it and they are the Hassells. And one of the Hassells is named Fleetwood Thoroughgood Hassell. Guess what? He's from Virginia.
Then we have this town. (Beaufort) If any of you want to go south and see this town, you do not ask to go to "BO-fert." They'll sent you six hours north to North Carolina. That's where "BO-fert" is. Here it is "BYEW-fert."
The same is true with this street. (Beaufain.) Wouldn't you think that was, you French scholars, "boh-FAHN"? No, no. It is "byew-FANE." Don't make something fancy out of something that isn't.
Then we have this one (Prioleau). Because all the other EAUs were "oohs," wouldn't this be? Huh-uh. This is "PRAY-low."
Now, if you do that, you're from Charleston. They say in Charleston, "If you're not from here, you're from off." If anyone tells you, if you hear that, they're not saying you are off. They're saying you're from off.
I'm winding this up very quickly, Bruce. I promise.
Joan Twaddle said that Bruce had asked her to tell a funny story. And she said, "Get Bert to tell it." I'm doing it, Bruce, real quickly. Many of you remember Gus Hamner. Gus is a former member of this organization, a wonderful old guy, retired in Mobile. If I have a southern accent, Gus' is ten times this. One of his favorite words is "GLOH-ree-uhs." It can be a glorious person, a glorious event, a glorious anything. And he said to me, when he learned that I was coming here, ìTell that glorious story you told in Savannah.î
Here it goes very quickly. A word of background: I am the son of, the husband of, the father of women who graduated from women's colleges. I was headmaster of a girls' school, director of admissions at a women's college, and work here at Ashley Hall, all girls' school.
After living such a life of submission, I regularly have to assert myself. And it occurred that Martha Jane, sitting here, and I moved from Lynchburg to Winston-Salem. We'd been there very, very briefly, when we got a letter from Harriet Hudson, the dean of Randolph Macon Women's College, where we had worked. I came in from work and Martha Jane said to me, "Fix yourself a drink and sit down and read this wonderful letter from Harriet Hudson."
And I did just that. Halfway through the letter, I furrowed my brow over a word I questioned. So I hollered to Martha Jane, who was in the kitchen -- that's where, the first time I told the story, it got the biggest laugh -- I said, "Martha Jane, don't you spell indispensable A-B-L-E and not I-B-L-E?"
And she said, "That's exactly right."
I said, "Aha, there we have it. One more time. Male superiority."
She said, "What in the world are you talking about?"
I said, "Well, we all know that Harriet Hudson is one of the most brilliant women we have ever met, but she misspelled a word in this letter and I caught it."
And she said, "Yes, but you had to ask me to be sure."
And so on that note, I do welcome you, and hope you have the most "GLOH-ree-us" time in this really glorious city. Thanks.
MS. LEE: Thank you, Bert. Bert was a member of our local program committee, and the other program committee members were Margaret MacDonald and Jill Muti, and ex officio -- I have it written here by Bruce -- Bodie Brizendine and Bruce Galbraith. Let's all give them a hand. They really worked hard.
Tonight we have with us two of our speakers, Louann Brizendine -- no relation, by the way, in case you have been wondering -- and her husband, Sam. There they are. Back there. Raise your hands.
And Natasha Trethewey. Natasha, are you here? Natasha is going to read a special poem, which really relates also to Charleston and the south.
MS. TRETHEWEY: Actually, it's just a brief little part of a poem. I'm really delighted to be able to welcome all of you all to one of the most beautiful cities in my native South with two lines from Walt Whitman's
"O Magnet-South! Oh, glistening perfumed South! My South!
Oh, quick mettle, rich blood, impulse, and love! Good and evil! O all dear to me!"
Welcome.
MS. LEE: Thank you, Natasha. Now, I had asked the Mayor of Charleston, who is a good friend of ours -- he's a less good friend than he was, though, because I asked him to write a letter of welcome that I could read to you. And have you ever waited for an essay from one of your students forever and ever? I have been waiting for that letter, and I went to my office today, and it still wasn't there. But he does welcome you.
And I have a wonderful letter from Connie Pratt, who's an honorary member. She wrote us a terrific letter. "The NAPSG and I were born the same year, which gives us a special kind of affinity. For 57 of those years, I have been a member, ten years as an admissions officer, 22 as the executive secretary, and for the last 25, proudly an honorary member. While I no longer have a defined role, (sic transit Gloria, Connie) I still have great affection and respect for the activities and spirit of this outstanding group which brings together the school and college world in a unique blending. Good wishes to all, Connie Pratt."
Now, one of the wonderful parts of Charleston is its musical tradition. We've decided to have you enter that tradition and get you into the mood of Charleston by having some music. The soloist that you're going to hear shortly is Nicolo Muti, who's a student at my school, and just happens to be the son of one of our members, Jill, who was Bruce Galbraith's student at Interlochen. And Bruce said, "We want to be fair to all students, so if you can match that pedigree, we'll let you perform, as well." But he suggested that I read you this quote from William Congreve, before we welcome Nicolo. "Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks or bend a knotted oak," and I figure we're all knotted oak. Let's please welcome Nicolo Muti.
MR. MUTI: Tonight I'll be playing the first movement of Wieniawskyís second concerto.
MS. LEE: I have to tell you something, and this is personal. It was not written for me by Bruce. But Nicolo is just as charming and a person of such great character as he is a talented human being. We are so lucky to have him, and I'm so lucky to have his mother as my colleague, who shares all those qualities with her son. So thank you both.
MR. GALBRAITH: Would Natasha and Burch Ford join me, please, at this time? This is the time of our life as an organization when we have a transition. Burch was delayed in her flight, but I'd like you to join me in welcoming her as our president elect of NAPSG. (Applause)
The Council wanted to find some special way to thank Bodie. The constitution changed a while back, and this is the first time in recollection that somebody's been president for three years. So thank you, Bodie, for all of that, and would you mind coming over for just a minute, too, please? Our outgoing president.
As I worked with the various speakers and talked to them, I talked to Natasha and I said, "There's a woman I know who loves poetry more than almost anything. Do you ever take commissions? Would you consider writing something for this woman?"
And she said, "Well, I don't usually do that, but I could, but you'll have to tell me about her."
So I began, and this took place over multiple weeks, and it got to the point where I was getting worried that it wouldn't happen, because the moment hadn't happened for Natasha. She'll have a chance to tell you a little about that. But I said, "Well, she lives in California, she's a great leader, always friendly."
And she said, "Tell me more."
I said, "It's been a wonderful three years, but she lost her mom, flew back and forth across the country, and never missed a beat. Now she's changing schools."
And she said, "Well, but tell me more. How does she hold her hands when she talks? Tell me what you can about her. Send me a photograph."
And I thought, "Are you stalling me or what?"
And then came the work of art. Natasha wrote something for Bodie, and I want her to read it to you, and then we have framed it with the appropriate photograph that goes with it, because the photograph I sent her was Bodie and the rest of the faculty at Hamlin School after the seminar. Bodie's in the front with the other faculty, so proud of the women behind her, and it captured a really special moment. And by chance, at the school there's a lovely blue heart sculpture outside the school and that was in the background of the photograph. So you're going hear that in the poem as well.
So here, if you will, please, is the poem that Natasha Trethewey wrote to commemorate and thank Bodie for her three years of service to our organization. Natasha.
MS. TRETHEWEY: It was hard to do this. But after talking with Bruce quite a bit over e-mail, seeing the photograph, thinking about your own recent loss, and my own, I found that without knowing you, I thought perhaps we connected in some point.
MR. GALBRAITH: Burch, would you make the formal presentation, please, to Bodie?
MS. FORD: This is wonderful. This is a great pleasure and a great honor. Bodie, on behalf of all of us at NAPSG, we present you with this gift which we hope will not only be appropriate but also timely, to thank you for your three years of excellent leadership and service to this beloved organization.
You all probably know that besides what Bodie has been doing that you have already heard about, she's about to leave the West Coast and join the East Coast. Marin County's loss and New York's gain, Manhattan's gain, Marin to Manhattan, to become the new head of Spence School, where you will accumulate even more laurels. So on behalf of everybody at NAPSG, thank you very much. Congratulations.
MR. GALBRAITH: Bodie is going to close this meeting and will have something to say. At this time, Liza, would you return, and we have one little encore and then it's dinnertime.
MS. LEE: I hope you all aren't having trouble hearing the music. I know you're having trouble hearing the speakers. Are you having trouble hearing the music? Great. Because that's what's really important.
Now we have a final musical piece that I thought would symbolize the sense of community that we want this organization to bring, because Nicolo is going to play with his mother, Jill, a brief piece for us.
MS. MUTI: Nicolo played Wieniawsky, a 19th century composer, and we're going to end the evening with a couple of interludes by Jacques Ibert. He wrote the piece in 1942, and it was published in 1949. They're just really nice, ethereal pieces, beautiful color. So we hope you enjoy them. The first is andante expressivo, and the second movement is an allegro vivo.
MS. LEE: I'd like to introduce one more person. I'd like to introduce Lorenzo Muti. Lorenzo, where are you? He is the father and husband of Nicolo and Jill.
MR. GALBRAITH: Nicolo, Jill, thank you so much. Lorenzo comes from Spoleto, Italy, which connects so well with Charleston and the wonderful festival they have here, so that's the heritage that this young man grows up in.
The dinner tonight does not have reserved seats for anyone. There are reserved tables at the front of the room, if our honoraries would care to join us, and our Council members and new members. Please feel free to come up to those tables.
To close this evening, once again, a round of applause for our outgoing president, Bodie Brizendine. (Applause)
MS. BRIZENDINE: I have to say, I'm overwhelmed with the beauty tonight, and rendered almost speechless by this generosity of tribute. So thank you very, very much. I'm almost, almost speechless.
Three points. One, it has been an honor to serve this organization, and it's been easy to do so, and a real pleasure.
Secondly, that it's got the mark of Bruce all over it, by the fact that you honored me with word and poetry, and Natasha's words and poetry are something I will never ever forget.
And I have been reading deeply this young, wonderful poet and I think you're going to enjoy immensely her time with us.
And third but not least, whenever I used to get the NAPSG proceedings and programs, I'd always look at that back page and admire that wonderful long list of leaders. So I am incredibly honored to have my name on there.
So thank you all very much for your time, and I believe I'm supposed to say these words: Dinner is served!