50p
Whittall House Lifer's Farewell
In the beginning, there were nine of us. Four years later, eight remain: three boarders and five day students. We have seen the beginning of the Foote Center and all its impeccable wifi signal, the end of Mr Felix’s reign and his cougar-on-campus emails, the advent of the phone rule, Covid, and the imminent destruction of the Ross, but the school has changed little in comparison to the guys I’ve lived with through it all.
To Santi - from a menace of a kid well known for his loud mouth, to one of the most caring and compassionate men I know.
To Ben, one of my original four day students, we definitely were a bit squashed in that tiny Grade 9 room, and as far back as I can remember, he was a man of few words, but he’s certainly come out of his shell, much like myself in these past years.
To Kulai, a quiet guy, always kept to himself, before rising in the ranks to become Golf Captain, and as he says, he’s kinda a massive hump.
To Tousaw, another one of my original day students. He was nothing special back then, except for some strange tricks I will not elaborate on, but he’s become not only Captain of Debate, but also one of the most well-spoken men I have the pleasure of knowing.
To Evan, my kayaking buddy, the negotiator, and my mirror. He has always kept to himself, but has grown to be one of the most technically skilled guys I know when it comes to what he’s passionate about.
To Sajeev, to say the very least, you had a rough start. It takes skill to get banned from all the houses in your first month, but regardless of that, you’re now standing here, nearly four years later. You’ve changed so much I could’ve never predicted. It’s a pleasure to know you and to have had you in Whittall all this time.
To Alec, as far as we’re concerned, we’ve been roommates for as long as we can remember. I’ll never forget our late-night philosophy, hearing your relaxing conversations with your parents, gaming, working and talking with you. You’ve been a brother to me, and you’ve made these years here all the much more dear to me.
These men have been through it all, and we’ve stood together through everything. These guys have made Whittall what it is today, and I couldn’t imagine the house without them.
To all the teachers, thank you for being a part of our journey here, and for devoting so much of your time to our success. You are the reason we are able to go beyond Brentwood, and you have all certainly shaped our lives. For that, thank you.
But what would the school itself be without the staff?
On behalf of Whittall House, I’d like to thank our Cleaning Staff for everything you put up with. Maintenance for facilitating our broken drawers, bed breaks, and all of our other shenanigans, Health Center for taking care of us throughout all of these past eventful years. The Food Services Staff for keeping us fed and the Laundry Staff for the work they do to keep us clean and clothed, and of course everybody else that makes this school run. Thank you.
And finally, to Mr Gage and Ms Rogers, you have been the wind in our sails, pushing us ever forward as not only students, but as people. You are like second parents to all of us, and I can't imagine these past years without you. Thank you.
Jack Paul, Whittall ‘22
To Santi - from a menace of a kid well known for his loud mouth, to one of the most caring and compassionate men I know.
To Ben, one of my original four day students, we definitely were a bit squashed in that tiny Grade 9 room, and as far back as I can remember, he was a man of few words, but he’s certainly come out of his shell, much like myself in these past years.
To Kulai, a quiet guy, always kept to himself, before rising in the ranks to become Golf Captain, and as he says, he’s kinda a massive hump.
To Tousaw, another one of my original day students. He was nothing special back then, except for some strange tricks I will not elaborate on, but he’s become not only Captain of Debate, but also one of the most well-spoken men I have the pleasure of knowing.
To Evan, my kayaking buddy, the negotiator, and my mirror. He has always kept to himself, but has grown to be one of the most technically skilled guys I know when it comes to what he’s passionate about.
To Sajeev, to say the very least, you had a rough start. It takes skill to get banned from all the houses in your first month, but regardless of that, you’re now standing here, nearly four years later. You’ve changed so much I could’ve never predicted. It’s a pleasure to know you and to have had you in Whittall all this time.
To Alec, as far as we’re concerned, we’ve been roommates for as long as we can remember. I’ll never forget our late-night philosophy, hearing your relaxing conversations with your parents, gaming, working and talking with you. You’ve been a brother to me, and you’ve made these years here all the much more dear to me.
These men have been through it all, and we’ve stood together through everything. These guys have made Whittall what it is today, and I couldn’t imagine the house without them.
To all the teachers, thank you for being a part of our journey here, and for devoting so much of your time to our success. You are the reason we are able to go beyond Brentwood, and you have all certainly shaped our lives. For that, thank you.
But what would the school itself be without the staff?
On behalf of Whittall House, I’d like to thank our Cleaning Staff for everything you put up with. Maintenance for facilitating our broken drawers, bed breaks, and all of our other shenanigans, Health Center for taking care of us throughout all of these past eventful years. The Food Services Staff for keeping us fed and the Laundry Staff for the work they do to keep us clean and clothed, and of course everybody else that makes this school run. Thank you.
And finally, to Mr Gage and Ms Rogers, you have been the wind in our sails, pushing us ever forward as not only students, but as people. You are like second parents to all of us, and I can't imagine these past years without you. Thank you.
Jack Paul, Whittall ‘22