Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Dear Family Members:
Bill Melvin was my favourite teacher at Putney School. I had him for 10th Grade English in 1961-62 — 55 years ago! He was a good teacher, funny, insightful, great at explaining things, and most of all, down to earth. I never felt lost or over my head or uncomfortable in his classroom. He was the teacher you would search out when looking for a place to sit in the school dining hall. Eating lunch at Bill's table guaranteed good conversation, and a chance you'd get a great yarn or at least a shaggy dog story. It's hard to put my finger on the precise quality I liked so much about Bill. It wasn't that he tried to be your pal; he always maintained the appropriate distance as a teacher, but he would speak to his teenage students with a degree of honesty grownups rarely showed children. I was instinctively drawn to this quality of Bill's.
I lost track of Bill after graduation, but I see he led a fascinating life after Putney School, with many contributions to the world. I'm sure his death is a great loss to you, I hope it is some comfort to know how fondly I remember him despite the passage of so many years.
All the best,
Parker Donham
Kempt Head, Nova Scotia
