Mickey Steimle, English Department
Mickey Steimle, English Department Member of the Faculty, 1982–2014 Arriving in 1982, a daughter of teachers, a mother of two girls under eight, and already an experienced teacher herself, Mickey Steimle had two connections to the School: her sister Sheila in the English department, and her beloved husband, Chip, a graduate from 1965 with strong ties to Milton. Her first weeks were a tad overwhelming: teaching Middle School boys grammar in the then language skills department. Mickey entered the room each day to find a new boy hiding behind the door or stuck in a trashcan. From the start,...
Read MoreMissy Manzer, Director of Cox Library
Missy Manzer, Director of Cox Library Member of the Faculty, 1998–2014 As a librarian, Missy is an ace researcher. A horticulturist at home, Missy enjoys weeding in the library, and (unlike some softies) is able to discard books without weeping over each one. Perhaps that is because she is a master of collection development, and she can always find the ideal choices to broaden or rejuvenate our holdings. As director of Cox Library, one of Missy’s cardinal accomplishments has been to oversee the incorporation of digital resources. During Missy’s tenure, we have moved from presenting...
Read MoreGordon Chase, Visual Arts Department
Gordon Chase, Visual Arts Department Member of the Faculty, 1978–2013 In 1978, Gordon Chase brought to Milton his energy and passion for students making art. Milton’s walls have highlighted student self-expressions for more than three decades — witness to Gordon’s idea that art is about “identity” — where students have tested their assumptions and declared their beliefs. With long hair and cowboy boots, supported in his creative quest by Head of School Jerry Pieh, Gordon’s energy for new ideas was colorful and constant. Gordon chaired the visual arts department for...
Read MoreGordon Sewall, Assistant Head for Development and Alumni Relations, 1996–2014
Gordon Sewall, Assistant Head for Development and Alumni Relations, 1996–2014 For 18 years, Gordon has been an institutional leader who helped Milton come alive for donors. He has been a teammate who put his shoulder to the common wheel, a problem solver, a can-do person. With donors, Gordon was as passionate as he was honest about Milton. That’s a perfect combination if your job is to build authentic relationships and keep them lively. Perhaps that is why he was such a successful fund raiser. He led Milton’s first comprehensive capital campaign. The goal was $50 million — a major...
Read MoreWalter McCloskey, Member of the Faculty, 1971–2013
Walter arrived at Milton in September 1971, fresh from graduate school at Harvard. He was 33. A long way from his native New Orleans, Walter remembers walking into Forbes House with his wife Josephine during his job interview. Teachers were taking postprandial naps with newspapers over their faces. The room had the feel of, in his words, “a broken-down men’s club.” Suddenly New Orleans did not seem that far away. He thought it all “just felt right.” Since that fateful September, Walter has seen six heads of school, taught more than 20,000 classes, and watched the English...
Read MoreKeith Hilles-Pilant, Member of the Faculty, 1986–2013
Keith Hilles-Pilant touched the lives of so many here, including budding mathematicians eager for more encouragement, and those just beginning their algebraic studies—in Warren, or in a math trailer, or at the top of Ware Hall. Many know about his love of math; he was an educator who prodded the department toward developing long-lasting relationships with other educators throughout academia, in Boston and beyond. Still others think of Keith and envision him with violin in hand. He happily hosted musical gatherings before Tuesday-night faculty meetings, sharing feasts with friends as they...
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