Five years after graduating from Episcopal Academy, George Reginald Bishop Jr. ‘40 wrote a letter to the Episcopal Headmaster, Greville Halsam, to update him on his life after school. It was 1945 and he was stationed in Luxembourg in the midst of WWII. “It is a foggy, Saturday morning here on the Third Army’s western front,” he writes, “At the moment we are blessed with a bit of quiet. I am sitting on a stool by a small stove in the battery executive’s tent.”
Like many alumni throughout Episcopal’s history, Bishop graduated at a time of international strife and had to face unimaginable hardships. And, as the two year anniversary of the COVID-19 lockdown approaches, it is important to look at our own struggles with perspective in comparison to those that other EA generations have faced.
Although wearing masks all day, attending virtual school, and socially distancing in the cafeteria are not ideal, at least there is no mortal risk of being drafted into a war upon graduation or fear of a looming nuclear apocalypse. When considered in the big picture, the adversities our generation faces could be significantly worse, and instead of falling into cycles of complaints and unnecessary drama, we ought to use some perspective and face our own struggles with courage, humility, and grace like those before us.
“I have often thought about EA, but never realized just how much I missed it until I started reading the Scholium that came with the ‘Alumni Supplement.’ I never thought I’d miss anything connected with school! It was an easy life and we didn’t know it,” wrote alumni Dick Wetherill to Halsam in March of 1945. Wetherill illustrates the power of retrospect; when looking back issues from the past do not seem as bad as they did in the moment. If we as a society can develop this perspective now, as opposed to years later, we can be more present and grateful for our current situation.
Photo courtesy of a 1941 Winter Edition of the Scholium
Looking through the Episcopal archives, another point becomes clear: it is the unity and togetherness of a community that help us make it through times of adversity. Following the tragedies of 9/11, for example, the Episcopal community came together to support one another. “At the Episcopal Academy, students packed into the Audio Visual room, watching the terrifying events on the small television. The pale shocked faces of the students said it all- everything had changed,” write Zubin Alemo ‘02 and Nick Tamccio ‘04 in the October, 2001 Scholium. Martha Kelly ‘03 describes the aftermath of 9/11 at Episcopal, “Certainly it has instilled a forgotten patriotism around the school. American flags adorn the majority of cars in the Deitrich lot. Red, white, and blue ribbons have been pinned on school bags. Physics students in Mr. Paul Rosenburg’s classes have recited the Pledge of Allegiance in class.”
Besides COVID-19, another defining characterization of our time at Episcopal is the extreme political polarization in the US. This disunity can even be seen in our classrooms. Emily Staid ‘22 comments, “In AP Gov, if we ever do get to a topic where the class is truly divided, I feel like we never really reach a consensus or an easy ending point. Typically both sides are pretty stubborn and the discussion either ends because people are tired of talking about it or people just reject the other side’s opinions.”
Keeping in mind what our fellow Churchmen have endured through the years, it is important to consider the bigger picture and develop empathy for one another. As a community, we should lean on each other and remind one another to stay optimistic and unified, despite our differences. In the words of Bishop, “Perhaps before too long the world will once again be at peace…Thanks again: regards to all my friends at the Academy.”