Jane's Pocket Change: "It's Really Not Easy for the Oysters"

Before Thanksgiving, the wonderful Ethan Cohen ’79 spent some time at his former high school, meeting with students and then giving a fabulous presentation to an eager audience of parents, parents of graduates, faculty, staff, and friends of the school.

His phenomenal and deep background as a gallery owner, art-lover and expert on many kinds of art—especially art from China, meant that his talk was informative and inspiring.

Ethan and his work and passion really represent the power and breadth of the arts—in politics, internationalism and how it educates our tastes. He asked: What is art? What is Chinese art? He was asked some thought-provoking questions by our co-presenter, history teacher Rachel Hirsch, questions about his influence and his role. Thank you, Ethan, for coming back home and teaching us.

As you all know The Walrus Series is named for the Walrus, an afternoon gathering of head of school and seniors begun in the 1930's by headmaster John French, continued by Aldolphus Cheek and by this head of school in the form of tea with seniors. What you may have forgotten is the role of the oysters in Lewis Carroll’s poem “The Walrus and the Carpenter.” The oysters who are consumed by the end of the verse, with bread and butter and vinegar. Tricked into a walk, they are eventually consumed:

O Oysters, come and walk with us!
The Walrus did beseech.
A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach…

Today, let’s hear it for the oysters too!

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Pocket Change is a web diary written by Jane Moulding, head of school.