Commencement Day at NMH.
A new year starts at Northfield Mount Hermon school, where my son returns as a sophomore. Set in the bucolic Berkshire Hills of central Massachusetts, some 2 hours from Boston, the school’s 1500 acre campus exemplifies all that is good about New England schooling – a gorgeous campus, outstanding faculty and administration and a caring and nurturing spirit. Academic standards, along with those in the seven other Ivy League New England prep schools*, are ne plus ultra. The matriculation rate to university is 100% for all these schools, reflecting early and aggressive culling of sub-par performers. Winston couldn’t wait to return.
A perfect azure sky is backdrop for the welcome tent, early morning. The Memorial Chapel, built from local Connecticut River stone, is at top left.
Winston registers for the sophomore year in the Forslund Gym.
The Gym sports two basketball courts, here covered for the registration process.
Blake Hall is the student center. Last year my son’s work-job duties included cleaning it! All students are required to participate in manual labor tasks.
* Hotchkiss, Andover, Deerfield, Exeter, St. Paul’s, Lawrenceville, Choate and NMH.
All snapped on the iPhone 6 which always does a number on azure skies.