The human and institutional web of the School was on display at the May 20 memorial service for Seymour St. John ‘31, headmaster of The Choate School from 1947-1973. More than one observer noted that the event, in the Chapel that had been dedicated in Mr. St. John’s name only last October, might have represented the largest single gathering of alumni, faculty, friends of the School and St. John family itself in the School’s history. Rev. St. John was recalled as a man who, in the words of former Chaplain Robert A. Bryan, “lived at the edge of his energies” and to whom many were connected through “the cord of affection” that extends through a boarding school.
In a tenure remarkable for its length, George St. John and his son, Seymour, headed The Choate School, respectively from 1908-1947 and 1947-1973, a span of sixty-six years. Among his many accomplishments, Seymour St. John, a linguist, ushered in the term-abroad programs for which the School is well known. He was also the prime mover in the return of Rosemary Hall to Wallingford, which occurred in 1971 when the two schools became coordinate institutions.
At 11 AM of the first full day of Reunion Weekend activities, the bells of the Seymour St. John Chapel pealed in honor of its deceased namesake. Rev. Marc J. Trister of the Campus Ministry and Rev. Bryan led the service, “A Celebration Service In Honor Of Reverend Seymour St. John ’31,” which featured scriptural readings, hymns and remembrances from Mr. Bryan, current Headmaster Ed Shanahan, Gordon Webb St. John ’55 (Mr. St. John’s son) and David Rawle ’58, Chair of the Student Council in 1957-58 and later a trustee from 1971-1983.
The service opened with “Fantasie in G Major” by J.S. Bach, played by Ralph B. Valentine ’62 on the newly refurbished school organ (a Casavant Freres, itself rededicated at a service on Saturday afternoon.) After Rev. Trister delivered the Sentences, the attendees stood for the Processional Hymn, Beethoven’s “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You,” as School President Jeffrey S. Rosen ’07 bore the Navy Flag alongside Gerard R. McCormick, Director of Community Safety, who carried the American Flag.
Rev. Bryan, Archdeacon of Quebec and Choate Chaplain from 1959 to 1967, delivered the greeting and opening prayer. Current Choate Protestant Chaplain Reverand Trister then joined Rev. Bryan to read from the Book of Psalms. One, Psalm 121, particularly resonated with Choate alums of the St. John epoch. Its opening line, “I will lift up my eyes unto the hills....”, when spoken by a headmaster named St. John at breakfast announcements, was annually greeted with an eruption of cheers for it signaled the start of a holiday from classes. Following the reading of Psalm 23, the Choate Chamber Chorus performed Frank Ticheli’s “There Will Be Rest.”
Current Headmaster Edward J. Shanahan recounted “the rich, vibrant” man who had taken Choate “from iconic New England prep school to a premier, internationally renowned boarding school.” St. John’s son, Gordon Webb St. John ’55, recalling that his father “loved this institution like life itself”, said that he enjoyed a sometimes awkward relationship with his father while he was a student here. Often at evening chapel service, however, “we caught each other’s eye during the benediction—I in the congregation, he in the pulpit. The pride, trust and love in each other was transmitted at that moment,” Mr. St. John said.
David Rawle ‘58, the 1957-58 Student Council chair, recounted first meeting Mr. St. John as a 14-year-old in Curtis House (now the Sally Hart Lodge) for his admission interview. Young Rawle proudly showed the headmaster a paper that he had written on Indonesia. “It turned out,” Mr. Rawle said from the pulpit on Saturday, “that Mr. St. John knew quite a bit about Indonesia. Yet he didn’t make me feel stupid—even better, he made me feel smart.” Mr. Rawle also paid tribute to Mrs. Margaret St. John, Mr. St. John’ wife who died in 1986 and to whom Mr. Rawle referred as “a true love force, our gardenia.” A widower, Mr. St. John married Marie “Mazie” Landry Race in 1989 and the two divided their time between homes in Florida and Rhode Island.
To conclude the service in memory of the son of the school’s founding headmaster, Rev. Robert A. Bryan delivered the Prayer of Thanksgiving and the attendees then rose for the Choate Chapel Hymn, written by Paul Mellon ’25. The Recessional Hymn, “For All The Saints” was by the English composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams.
In addition to Mazie St. John and Mr. St. John’s son, Gordon, among the many St. Johns present for the occasion were his daughter, Dr. Margaret St. John and grandchildren Mr. Gordon W.S. St. John ’80, Mrs. Michael Sutton and Mrs. Susan St. John Amorello ’84.
After the ceremony, alumni and faculty who had been in attendence gathered and spoke amongst themselves on the Chapel steps with the bells ringing out in song overhead.
