Lakeside School

I ran for student body president at the start of my final year. I remember asking my father what office to run for; I was thinking about vice president. He said why not run for the top spot if you are going to run at all. That made sense to me. I had a lot of underclassmen buddies. They all campaigned for me. Mr. Bauer still reminds me of my primary campaign speech to the student body. I referenced Booker T. Washington’s speech about fingers on a hand being weak as separate fingers but strong together as a fist. I finished with something banal but apparently appropriate to my high school sensibilities like, “Vote for me and Vassar will plug the hole in your soul!” Current students sometimes dig up that picture in a 1960’s Tatler of me sitting in front of the entrance to Bliss, proclaiming ‘I AM YOUR LEADER!’ — June 2, 2010, T.J. Vassar ’68 autobiography