NMH Magazine : Winter 2005

Leading Lines

Bricks, Mortar, and Lasting Values  

by Thomas K. Sturtevant 

One afternoon last fall I made an impromptu visit to one o f the original Mount Hermon cotta ges, Monadnock. Despite the surprise of my appearance, the boys were quite welcoming and showed me around their rooms (which weren’t ready for a white-glove inspection, by the way).

One boy told me that he’d drawn the first choice of rooms in our housing lottery last year, and that he and his roommate chose to live in Monadnock because of its charm, size, and location. It’s easy to understand his reasoning: from every room, the views across the val ley are unforgettable. The dorm has an intimate scale, with 17 boys living on two floors. They think of their house director as a man who understands what makes each of them tick, and they respect him. The dorm’s student leaders have set a tone of caring and openness. I suspect that this kind of house-community has thrived in Monadnock since it was built 123 years ago. What a testimony to the fundamentals of good architecture and the lasting importance of house-like dorms!

Our two new cottages, which are currently under construction and will house students in September 2005, build on the time-tested heritage of our original dormitories. Set organically in the landscape, built to a scale that feels right for high school students, and composed of materials that reflect quality and endurance—stone, brick, slate—these buildings express the importance of the residential component of an NMH education.

With 28 students and three faculty apartments in each house (one house will hold boys, the other girls), the cottages thoughtfully balance intimacy with variety. They are big enough to have an interesting mix of students and faculty residents, yet small enough to feel like a home, not a hotel. As with our original cottages, these new dorms will reflect our investment in what is lasting and beautiful. By that I mean we are as much investing in the principles of community, faculty mentoring, and student leadership as in high-quality materials and design.

Right now we have two more architectural projects in the works: an admission building and a performing arts center. We’ve chosen CBT/Childs Bertman Tseckares of Boston to design the arts center, which will fold together music, fine arts, and performing arts. CBT has designed a number of outstanding performing arts centers, including a state-of-the-art center at St. Mark’s School. The admission building, like our new cottages, will be homey and welcoming—and designed to let the excitement of our educational program shine through.

We welcome you to campus for a visit, impromptu or otherwise, to see all the changes going on. While you’re here, take a look at Monadnock, with its fish-scale shingles and slate roof, red-tinted mortar and flaring foundation. In these details lie high standards and a sense of importance and tradition. As we continue to build and renovate for the lasting future and viability of Northfield Mount Hermon School, we find inspiration and deep wisdom in the history and legacy of our campuses.