Passing by Lenna Dower’s seventh-grade classroom, you might hear her say “Confucius said, ‘I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.’” This statement epitomizes Lenna’s values. She has served as a supreme mentor and teacher to many students and faculty during her 39 years at Milton.
In her 22 years as head of Hathaway House, Lenna gave selflessly of her own life and that of her family members—Rick, Lara and Graham. As Middle School head and revered history teacher, she changed the curriculum to include more of world cultures.
Most of all, Lenna valued listening to students. This was her way of showing them how to find their center. Day or night, she had time for the girls to talk to her, even instituting what she termed “good nights” at Hathaway House, when students could vent the day’s highlights or lowlights as they chatted after check-in. During vacations, she often shared her home with boarding students. To this day, Lenna receives numerous Mother’s Day cards from former students.
Captivator of students’ minds and hearts for thousands of hours, it is only fitting that one senior spoke of her ability to magically “turn middle schoolers into high schoolers.” Lenna’s magic is well crafted. Current and former students often lurk around her doorway waiting for classes to end so they can hang out in the safety of her classroom for comfort and good conversation. Lenna never believed that talking with a student was time wasted; in fact, she believed it was the ultimate way for a student to learn to “Dare to be true.”
Modeling the concept of being true to oneself, Lenna journeyed by herself across the United States at age 60. She drove her van down Route 66, stopping as the mood struck her. When she spoke about this trip to middle schoolers, she spoke from experience: “to find true happiness, you have to find yourself.” The kids absorbed her wisdom and marveled at how this “older woman” could have done this trip on her own.
Lenna made it seem simple. Lenna, you have always shown us who you are at the “center of your being.” You have changed Milton by deepening our center. Your wisdom and deeds will always be with us. We thank you.
–Laurel Starks, Middle School Faculty