The entire Renbrook community gathered together Wednesday to celebrate the school’s 80th anniversary with an event that honored the school’s history and those who have played a major role in it.

By Ronni Newton

Renbrook School’s West Hartford roots have grown from its days in the mid-1930s as the Tunxis School in an old Victorian home on Albany Avenue and a rambling house on the corner of Farmington and Outlook avenues, to the Junior School in a six-classroom building at 950 Trout Brook Dr., to the location it has occupied since 1958 at the former estate of Pratt & Whitney founder Frederick Rentschler on Avon Mountain – where on Wednesday the entire community celebrated the school’s rich heritage and devoted supporters.

Director of Marketing and Communications Stacy Routhier said Tuesday’s celebration has been in the planning stages since the fall, with much of the work being done by the students and Dean of Students Howard Wright.

Alumni as well as current and former staff and board members also played a major role in Tuesday’s celebration, and many participated and were honored during the student-led assembly in Stedman Auditorium. The contributions of the Rentschler family and Pratt & Whitney in shaping Renbrook were also celebrated.

Three generations of one family – Nancy Dow Grover, Anne Percy Sargent, and Rebecca Sargent – provided some historical context, and introduced the oldest alumni in the audience. Jack Lee ’36 and Peyton Mead ’37 are sons of some of the school’s founders.

The role and contributions of Florence Greene, who served as headmistress for 32 years, were also noted.

Seventh grader Sloan Duvall smoothly emceed the entire assembly, which was highlighted by a journey through the past 80 years guided by “Decades Panels” that were designed by Tracey Dylag and donated by Pratt & Whitney.

The toys, songs, and other notable facts about each decade were brought to life through the student presentations, beginning with sixth-grader Sean Gregg tasting a sample lunch menu item from the 1930s – liver loaf. To the surprise of the entire audience, he declared it “very good!”

The theme of the 1940s panel was “First Varsity Team,” which at Renbrook was baseball. Seventh graders Emily Goodwin and Grace Hennesey had the audience laughing with their Abbott and Costello “Who’s on First” routine.

“Animals & Animal Groups” was the theme of the 1960s, and that panel was brought to life by the presence of the niece of the one of the Rentschler family veterinarians – and several well-behaved Airedales that were a big hit with the students who lined up to pet them after the assembly.

Sisters Kathryn and Macy Rutledge performed a gymnastics routine reminiscent of the 1970s, when gymnastics was last performed in Stedman Auditorium.

Chef Joe Zoni and his staff were given a standing ovation as the 2000s honored the return of hot lunches to the Renbrook campus. Zoni joked that the day’s menu would include “liver loaf,” but quickly added that there was also a special 80th birthday cake.

The final panel was dedicated to “Flight Day,” an occasion the school community has enjoyed for the past four years. On Flight Day, a helicopter from Kaman Corporation visits the school. Parent Tom Rutledge and his son Dylan gave a countdown, and all of the fourth graders released paper airplanes covered with their words about what makes Renbrook special.

“It’s almost impossible to be in this room and see the culture of 80 years, and not think about your own story,” said Head of School Scott Hutchinson. “Your story ought to be worthy of Renbrook, it ought to be worthy of you,” he told the students. “Your story is Renbrook’s story.”

The assembly concluded with a special song written to the tune of Mendelssohn’s “War March of the Priests” in honor of the occasion. The lyrics to “Beyond the Bridge” were written by veteran teacher Ed Donahue, and the entire audience sang along as the words were displayed on the screen.

The Renbrook community didn’t feel like it had done enough to honor the school for its 75th anniversary, so they decided to make an occasion out of the 80th. “This was a nice time to celebrate, to bring the school together,” Routhier said.

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