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In 2020, Hampshire Country School embarked on a special campaign to build a fund to preserve the legacy of Dr. William Dickerman called The Legacy Initiative.
Bill, or Doc as he was fondly referred to, served HCS for almost fifty of its 73-year existence. Every year he honored students with the gifts of his wisdom, educational philosophy, abiding respect for them, and his love for our 1,700 acres. Upon his death, he further honored students, alumni, parents, and grandparents by bequeathing a substantial amount of his estate to the school.
In his honor, the Board of Trustees has established The Legacy Initiative, designating $100,000 from Bill’s gifts as the cornerstone and hoping to match this amount now, and then add to it over time. These funds will help ensure that Bill's legacy will serve our students far into the future. HCS Board participation in this special campaign is 100% and we invite you to join us in honoring Bill.
There are many ways to give. You may give a combination of the options below and even invite a friend or relative to make a gift:
- Immediate Gift
- Multiple Year Pledge
- Monthly Gift
Click on the button below to make your online donation today.
Donate to The Legacy Initiative
If you prefer to send your gift by mail, please submit your donation and remembrances of Bill Dickerman to:
Hampshire Country School
% The Legacy Initiative
28 Patey Circle
Rindge, NH 03461
USA
On behalf of the HCS Board of Trustees and Head of School, we send you our heartfelt thanks,
David Schaffer, President
HCS Board of Trustees
HCS Board of Trustees
Personal Reflections of Bill Dickerman
by Liz Bruno, Former Head of School
In his tenure at HCS, Doc often counseled adults to remember this principle: If you stay aware of and celebrate what kids do right, the positive will grow, and the negative will wither. As HCS moves into the future without Doc's trumpet and clarinet echoing in the halls, his quiet presence on a rock, and his canoe paddle slicing through Island Pond, we commit to carrying his spirit, wisdom, and gentleness forward.
We invite you and others for whom this mission has been life-giving to help us keep Doc's vision alive. We invite words to celebrate his life and financial gifts to help us stay the course in some of the ways noted in the right-hand column.
Reflections of DOC
Doc understood that fun and friendship are powerful. At HCS boys often make their first meaningful friendships. They experience connections they did not know were possible for them through a curriculum and activities organized around shared interests and community celebrations. Your gift will enhance student connections through music, art, or a tinker workshop.
Doc believed in the power of nature and its life-affirming properties. He was ahead of the curve in this respect and used the outdoors in whole student learning before the idea gained attention worldwide. Our boys find success and joy in the outdoors. Your gift will provide the resources that are needed to properly preserve our outdoor laboratory.
Doc understood the importance of a sense of safety and trust as foundations for children to learn and thrive. He sought practices that allowed students to feel emotionally and socially secure. In an anxious world, it is important that HCS be a safe and secure place allowing students to learn and grow. Your gift will help to continue this vision of creating a 'safe haven' where we can build stronger training for faculty.
