Letter from the Head of School < < < < < < < < < < < < “The essence of Cannon is found in the day-to-day accounts of people committed to helping others grow.” Dear Cannon Families, During my junior year in high school in one of the first essays I wrote for her, Mrs. Scott made it clear to me the distinct difference between “asserting” and “demonstrating.” I could assert that Reverend Dimmesdale was actually more despicable than Roger Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter, but that assertion meant nothing in the world of true literary analysis (or Mrs. Scott’s gradebook) without an effort to show or demonstrate how I reached that conclusion. What is in the text that builds a case for my claim of most despicable? How do I show instead of just tell? What I love most about this edition of Cannon Magazine is that we have chosen to show, to demonstrate, and to reveal what the culture of Cannon is. The essence of Cannon is found in the day-to-day accounts of people committed to helping others grow. And this summer report shows in print and picture the authenticity of this daily interaction at our school. I encourage you to read about the ways we embrace the new in the inclusion of new families and in the innovation needed to start a new wrestling program, to begin a new approach to teaching the visual arts, and to transform the present Lower School Library into something amazing for students. There are genuine examples of care in the stories featuring our bus drivers, our students doing something significant for those in the world right around us, and our entire community rallying around a call to become better stewards of our natural resources. And there are wonderful accounts of teachers and coaches engaging students in learning that are truly life changing. Please enjoy your final days of summer. Carry this magazine with you as you travel or slow down and dwell on how we demonstrate daily what is special about Cannon. Matthew E. Gossage, Head of School Sincerely, CANNON MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2016 | 3