Steve Perry '74

Q: How did you discover New Hampton School as a student? Why did you attend NHS?

A: My Dad attended New Hampton School in the 1940s and loved his experience and appreciated his readiness for college. My home town school was fairly comfortable, so I was a bit complacent, therefore my Dad suggested that I take a look at New Hampton. I liked what I saw during my campus visit; and I competed for a Frederick Smith Scholarship. With the scholarship aid, my parents were able to send my sister to Northfield Mount Hermon and me to New Hampton for four years. In hindsight, one of the best decisions my family and I made! 

Q: What part of your time at NHS was most influential?

A: I enjoyed the sports and the camaraderie with the athletes. When I wasn’t playing or practicing one of my sports, 

I would try to see as many other games on campus that I could. However, the small class sizes and the teachers who pushed me to my potential was probably the most influential and beneficial aspect of New Hampton. We had a lot of teachers who were over-qualified “rock stars” at the high school level. I received a college-like experience in many subjects, especially English and History. I would single-out Tom Diehl, Peter Gulick and Harrison Golden as three of those “rock stars” who pushed me to a place of being exceptionally well-prepared for the next level.

 
Q: Why did you make a gift to NHS in your estate?

A: I watched my Dad send a check to the New Hampton Annual Fund for many years, as he suggested that it is “what you do” when a school makes an impact on your life. He cherished his New Hampton experience, especially playing hockey with the Gall brothers, and he credited New Hampton with preparing him for college and for life, so he tried to give back what he could. As a scholarship recipient at New Hampton, I’ve always felt a little guilty about paying it back. So I promised myself that when I could I would emulate my father and give a little something each year to the New Hampton Annual Fund; and try to replace what I had received for a scholarship with some form of gift for the endowment in my estate plan. Life insurance was the vehicle I chose to accomplish the task. When I’m gone New Hampton will get an amount that should provide a nice scholarship into perpetuity for a New Hampton student. It will be named for my father who sacrificed to send me to New Hampton, but will also honor Frederick Smith’s legacy too.

Q: What were the steps you took to include NHS in your estate?

A: Putting New Hampton in my Will or making the school a beneficiary of my retirement plan or utilizing life insurance were all options that I considered when contemplating an estate-type gift. I asked myself if my children would be OK if I made the gift to New Hampton from my estate; and the answer was “yes”. Because of their fondness for my father, my children liked the idea of a scholarship in his name and honoring him at a place that he loved.