To people in independant schools, the word "legacy" has a very specific meaning. Any student with a relative who attends or attended the school is a legacy. Proctor, today, is extraordinary for the number of the current student population that qualifies as "legacy." (I haven't done the math, but 22 new students have relatives who have attended Proctor.) Here are a few posed for a yearbook photo:
It's the greatest tribute--really--that those who know the school most intimately choose it over all of the options available.
Many schools try to appeal to everyone; Proctor is irresistable to a segment of those who know it well.
To United States Ski Team phenom Jimmy Cochran, legacy means something else. The son of 1972 Olympian Bobby Cochran, Jimmy learned to ski at a family-operated lift called "Cochran's" in Keene, New Hampshire. Today, he pulled in on his Harley to hang out with members of Proctor's ski team.
Jim spoke frankly about his life, training throughout the year while managing classes (at UVM) and a social life. All of this was made possible by Ken Sowles, to whom we are grateful.
Jimmy's grandfather was U.S. head coach in 1974, and his dad and three aunts were all Olympians, and three relatives are with him on the US Ski Team. Legacies endure.
