Our Dear Departing: Milton Bids Retiring Faculty Farewell

By MARGOT BECKER ‘20

With a combined 68 years of experience at Milton, Laurel Starks and Larry Pollans have earned a break. But it will be with heavy hearts that we bid these retiring faculty members farewell.

Though both Pollans and Starks have taught History at Milton (Pollans, Art History, and Ms. Starks, an array of history courses), each took their own distinctive path to the school. A lifelong sculptor, Pollans arrived at Milton in 1984 through friends in the art community. Having traveled to New York to support a sculpture show by a friend and colleague, he was introduced to Anne Neely, a then member of the Milton visual arts faculty. Surprised to hear that she would be returning to Milton after the show, he inquired why she would make the trip that night, and found out that the school was hiring an art history teacher and she needed to report for interviews. In an interview, he recalled thinking “Hey, my daughter’s going to be going there next year, I’m your man!.” He applied for the job the next morning. Needless to say he was hired. “Those were the days when they would take risks on people like me,” he said, “Now we hire Penn fellows and other highly trained people. I felt like I was a wild card.”

Ms. Starks’ path to Milton may have been less spontaneous, but it was no less eventful. Out of college, Ms. Starks worked in business and banking. She recalled having to teach customers how to use newly installed ATM machines. She says she ”was essentially teaching, but [she] was teaching adults.” After her stint in the financial sector, Ms. Starks earned her Master’s degree and started at Milton by teaching economics and eighth grade History & Social Sciences. She taught both middle and upper school students until only a few years ago when the two finally separated fully. At Milton, Ms. Starks has not only taught history, but has also been a long-time part of the boarding community. After five years as a “day teacher,” Ms. Starks moved into the second floor apartment of Forbes house, then after two years became interim house head, and finally house head. In her time here, Ms. Starks has served as a dorm faculty member in Forbes, Wolcott, and Hallowell houses, and her passion for the boarding community is deep.

Though never a dorm parent, Pollans has found ways to mentor students as well. He said of his work mentoring Milton students: “My first impression was that these kids are so mature and so smart. That [impression] lasted for a couple of years. And I think it faded to [reality], which is that the students are so ambitious and so smart, but they're still teenagers. They're still learning how to focus and they don't know a lot about the world, and all of that is what the guide— the spiritual guide— has to provide for students.”

Starks reflected on shifts at the school during the course of her tenure, particularly those related to student stress. “The stress level of the students feels higher. I can't see how anybody would not see that. With the pressure of getting into college, they stress over how they do academically, athletically, and so on. I don't know what it is, whether it's the kids, whether its Milton, [or] whether its society, but whenever I give out an assignment there is so much more stress over the quest for perfectionism, and fear over what is this one grade going to do to me.”

Both teachers offered their advice for the departing senior class, and both seemed intent on one particular piece: stay connected to your Milton friends. As Pollans put it, “Nurture your Milton friendships because those bonds will continue to be important all your life.” Starks struck an almost identical chord, saying “your Milton friends will always be important to you. Make sure to keep up with them...Next fall, reach out to some of those friends, and the friends that you have really will be glad. Try to continue those relationships.”

To both Pollans and Starks, we say thank you. Your service to this community has been invaluable, and we salute you both, the two oldest graduates in the class of 2019.