Bert Holland rode a horse from Wilmot Flat to Proctor until his graduation in 1888. He went on to become a big Boston lawyer and judge. He sat on the case that sent Mayor James Michael Curley to jail (from whence hizzoner continued to run Beantown.) In 1955, his young protege Whitfield Johnson (who later served as Board Chair in Bert's honor) suggested he give a boodle of money to Proctor, and Holland Auditorium was dedicated in 1958. With the Norris Family Auditorium dedication slated for this fall, we are having our last assemblies in Holland, and yesterday John Pendleton orchestrated a tribute featuring lasting memories from senior faculty.
Suzie, Tim, Patrice, John O'Connor, Bert, Sarah, John Pendleton on stage yesterday.
Chair of the Board of Trustees John O'Connor shared his most memorable assembly: the time (as a junior in 1978) he smacked Chris Norris in the face with a cream pie as a fund-raising stunt for Gulick House. At that time, Chris was on a rant against all of the pie-throwing that was sweeping the campus. While sharing this tale, John was approached from behind by a vengeful Associate Head bearing a sweet, just dessert.
It was all over in an instant.
An avenged Chris Norris and Chair of the Board of Trustees John O'Connor '79.
