When reflecting on his St. Mark’s experience, it was initially, and has been ever since, all about the relationships for David Scudder ’53. When he learned that his best friend was headed to the School, Scudder convinced his parents to let him go too, a decision he says led to some of the closest friends he has today.
“The friendships you make there are remarkable. I’m still in touch with three or four friends. We still try to get together every year. Those friendships mean a lot,” says Scudder.
He fondly remembers his summer on Nantucket, an island off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, just before his VI Form year when he and a few St. Mark’s buddies began making a silent film based on Vicente Blasco Ibáñez’s WWII novel, The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse. Scudder added titles and edited the film, then he and his crew presented it to the entire School. He also cherishes the period he served as yearbook photographer and editor for his class. This project highlighted the special bonds he and his classmates had with the faculty and staff.
“It was an extraordinary time developing close relationships with my peers, but also with faculty who were so devoted to our intellectual development, “ Scudder says. “All of these experiences helped me develop socially and intellectually, and prepared me for college and beyond.”
They’re also reasons why he serves as a class agent for his 1953 class and continues to support the School through his planned giving efforts. In doing so, he honors the friendships he formed through his time as a student, and makes it possible for generations of St. Marker’s to build relationships that can last a lifetime.