Lakeside School

Image: T.J. Vassar ’68 delivering his Distinguished Service Award speech during Lakeside School’s 2010 commencement ceremony. Photo: Takashi Yamada.

I had no idea I was even being considered for the [Distinguished Service] award. … I never thought I did anything special; I just did what I thought had to be done. I was and continue to be interested in the school. I tried to do what I thought was correct. I was also fortunate to survive some sensitive and emotionally wrenching times here. These were times where people reacted from the gut, rather than the head. And that has always been tough for our community because our community would much rather respond through intellectual elocution, rather than emotional passion. And while there is clearly an intellectual foundation for diversity, diversity evokes deep passions. — June 2, 2010, T.J. Vassar ’68 autobiography