Lakota elder and Proctor Honorary Trustee Albert White Hat--whose three children are Proctor graduates and grandson is a current freshman--visited last week, and participated in Sarah Will's Native American Literature class.

 

A man of great love and spirituality, Albert is a leader in the effort to preserve and teach traditional Lakota culture. In Friday's class, he taught us key concepts, including mitakuye oyas'in, meaning "related to all things," and zuya, the vision quest undertaken by a teenager during an extended (days, weeks, months...) solo adventure. A direction is chosen, and the youth walks until he discovers his spiritual being, and returns to the tribe to describe every detail. In Albert's all-embracing world-view, each of us follows such a path.

 



 

In matters of spirituality, Proctor is a secular community that evolved out of Unitarian Universalism. How we treat and respect one another is a spiritual practice that we elevate above religious beliefs. 

 

On Saturday, I joined dozens of Proctor alumni, students and extended family at a celebration of the life of Ryan Bishop '08, who died in a canoeing accident on Lake Powell, Utah on April 28. Hundreds of friends gathered at Pats Peak Ski Area to recall Ryan's spirit of adventure and love of life.

 

Chris Bartlett '86 (far right, below) kicked off the story-telling with reflections from Ryan's admission process, and the adjectives he used to describe himself on his application.

 

Below, part of the alumni contingent at the celebration. From left: Alex Bertrand, Geordie Souza, Bobby Veasey, Geoff Bonewald, Mike Hemingway, Rob Simpson.



The spirituality evoked by Albert White Hat is here-and-now, not otherworldly. His words, and those of Ryan's friends and relatives, remind us to be true to our convictions, to live in the present moment and celebrate each precious day. Here is Ryan bouldering:

 

Shortly after learning of their son's tragic accident, Ryan's parents determined that they would establish a fund in his memory at Proctor. Exactly how the fund will benefit the school and future generations of students will be determined in the near future, but the Ryan Bishop Memorial Fund will certainly reflect Ryan's boundless energy, gusto and sense of adventure!

 

We are grateful to Chris and Jeanie Bishop for establishing this fund which will benefit Proctor students in Ryan's memory, and we thank those who are moved to make a difference by contributing.