The mid- to late 1960s was a turbulent time, between three assassinations over 18 months and the Vietnam War, battling with our parents about the length of our hair and the style of our clothes (from which the term “unisex” became popular) and using the term “Ms.” instead of “Miss” or “Mrs.” All these changes appeared to make life more complicated on the surface, but they actually made me stronger and wiser. And I was so grateful to have switched from the NYC public school system, where I frankly floundered in the back row in a class of 35 children, to the Elizabeth Morrow School, then the Englewood School for Boys. They changed my life. The classes were small, so I didn’t get lost in the crowd. I felt seen. The teachers were strong, and the expectations were high, but I loved the mixture of competition and encouragement. It was character-building. It gave me a strength I didn’t know I had. And for the record, I will tell you that when my grandfather’s name went up on the Science Hall, I thought I would die. I didn’t want to be seen “that much”. There were a lot of assumptions students made that threatened to mislabel who I was. Luckily, my friends stayed my friends, and the bullies stayed as bullies. I learned valuable lessons on how to deal with it all. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I believe that to be true to this day. But of all my great experiences, the trading of actors between ESB and Dwight School (for girls) was one of my best experiences ever, and it laid the foundation for one day becoming a successful director and actor. I’m happy to say that ESB changed my life for the better, and my children’s lives for the better by passing along what I had learned those years ago.
Richard Klinger, Esq. ESB ’54
In my life, the things I remember at ESB most, with exception to two soul-close friends from Harvard days, were my teachers. At ESB, most were very good, some a little quirky, but good nonetheless. And some were outstanding… people who have left a presence with me to...