A visit with Thom Schuller -- Scarborough School Virtual Reunion

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Date Posted: 08:59:29 05/14/04 Fri
Author: Ned Depew
Subject: A visit with Thom Schuller

In response to the note below from Richard Jeffers, I sent him a response recounting some of my memories of Mr. Schuller, who was the head of the school when I first joined in 1953 (and had been for a few years) and remained until the Spring of '58.

I sent a letter to Thom in Beirut, and got a message in reply that he was on the verge of making one of his rare visits to the US. I called him in New York City, and made arrangements to meet him at the Yale Club, where he was staying.

My wife and I drove down, for what turned out to be a most interesting and enjoyable conversation and visit that went on for better than two hours.

It was a fascinating experience to become re-acquainted with this man, whom I last saw in 1958 when I was twelve years old and he was in his forties. I am happy to report that at the age of 86 Thom Schuller still embodies the two Scarborough mottoes. He is a man of great warmth, charm and courtesy and he has devoted his life to service, in one of the most difficult and demanding regions of the world.

Our conversation ranged from reminisence - how interesting to review events and have an opportunity to see them from a totally different perspective than one's own - to discussion of the current political climate, especially with reference to Thom's long and intimate experience of the middle east. His insights and analysis were incisive and revealing - really provocative in the best sense.

Thom is living a challenging and exciting life - sometimes perhaps a bit more exciting than he might wish - and he has clearly embraced it with energy and enthusiasm, as well as with a strong sense of personal responsibility and integrity.

I looked up to him as a youngster, and having met him again, I can say that my intuition then, of the outstanding kind of person he was, has been borne out over time, and I look up to him still. It was a great pleasure to sit and talk with him, and I look forward to doing so again in the future.

I am sure Thom would welcome letters from anyone who cares to write. If anyone would like to hear more about our conversation, I'd be happy to e-mail you.

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