Educational Excellence Since 1912
Hamden Hall Country Day School
Educating students in PreSchool through Grade 12
Hamden Hall Country Day School
Educating students in PreSchool through Grade 12
Alum Returns to Campus: Part 1 – Hamden Hall’s Past
Herb Emanuelson Class of 1982 and new Director of Alumni Relations
It’s wonderful to be back as Hamden Hall’s new Director of Alumni Relations! However, I must say I’ve had some out-of-body experiences walking around campus in my first couple of weeks.
I attended Hamden Hall from sixth through 12th grade, and the school has certainly changed since I was a student. I’ll talk more about what the campus looks like today in my next update, but I wandered around last week, searching for buildings and classrooms that were here when MTV used to play music videos.
So, I threw on my high school wrestling jacket, popped my collar, and headed on campus.
With songs by Rick Springfield, Men at Work, and Hall & Oates stuck in my brain, I walked past the administrative office and the main levels of classrooms. The hallways looked pretty similar --- although Betty Lou Blumberg, Andy Lundgren, and Martha Venter have retired. BUT I did run into our high school ceramics teacher, Sue Bennett, who now teaches art for the Lower School. The teachers might have changed, but the same connections between the students and teachers are still there. Lots of hugs, high fives, and smiles fill the hallways.
Next, I headed down to the Lower School. It was fun to see young students playing kickball and climbing on the playground at recess. While I did not attend elementary school at Hamden Hall, we did meet nearby for the Outdoors Club. I could see the tall trees in the distance that once supported the ropes course, and I remember rappelling down the side of the Alpert Hall building.
Finally, I walked over to the Taylor Gym. The green windows are gone, but the building felt very familiar. Given my lack of height, I don’t have memories of playing basketball in that gym, but I do remember Helen Sheehy directing us in productions of “Black Comedy,” “The Tempest,” and “The Madwoman of Chaillot” on that stage. Associate Director of Athletics Joe Fontana let me inside our wrestling room! Since basketball wasn’t in the cards for me, I pivoted to wresting in seventh grade and loved it. It’s a team sport that builds individual confidence. I have many fond memories of the “Padded Room,” as it’s called now and feels appropriate.
Heading back to my office, I thought about my favorite teachers and best friends, all of whom I met at Hamden Hall. I walked past a group of high school students, laughing on their way to lunch, and I felt pretty sure they would also be in touch with their high school friends, decades after they graduated, just like I do with my “brothers” from the class of 1982.
The music, fashion, and buildings have changed since I graduated in 1982, but I’m happy to report that Hamden Hall continues to make memories for its students. Please consider a gift in any amount to help us continue to make memories for future graduating classes.
Hamden Hall Country Day School
1108 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
About Us
Hamden Hall Country Day School, located less than two miles from Yale University, is one of the best private schools in Connecticut to enroll elementary, middle, and high school students. Our nurturing and inclusive community provides a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.
