When Williston Student Body President Emmett O’Malley spoke at the school’s Convocation on Friday, September 12, it was with an uncharacteristic seriousness, rarely displayed by student leaders at this annual opening event.

O’Malley asked a question inspired by the ancient philosopher, Socrates: “Which course of life is best? From my humble perspective,” O’Malley answered, “it is that we acknowledge the difference between our own personal pursuits and the moral obligations that we owe to others for our privileged position as members of the Williston community.” O’Malley continually quoted ancient and modern philosophers such as Socrates, Immanuel Kant, and G.K. Chesterson throughout his address.

He urged his peers to understand that there is more to life than material success, which is an “ego-driven pursuit. “I encourage us to be skeptical of what traditional success is. Let’s be honest, we attend the Williston Northampton School. A New England prep school where educational opportunity, material abundance, and physical safety are the norm. Yep, we’re the ‘one percent.’” He added, “we must rally against simply becoming just another member of the conforming herd, grazing on a commodified field that’s been laid for us.”

The ceremony was attended by all students formally dressed, classes 2015 to 2020. It was staged under a nearly cloudless sky in front of the Reed Campus Center. While classes have been in session since Monday, Convocation is considered the formal commencement of the new academic year.

As Head of School for Special Projects Glenn “Swanee” Swanson ’64 said in his opening address, “Although this is obviously not the real beginning, it is the formal beginning as we convoke and celebrate the start of school…Whether you are a student, first year or sixth, or faculty member, or parent, or an alum, or a friend, I hope that you will pause to think, to expect change, give thanks, and look forward to a great school year.”

Also speaking at the opening ceremony for the school’s 174^th year was Julius Pryor III ‘73, who worked for over twenty-five years as an officer in the Navy, as well as Vice President of Global Diversity for Johnson and Johnson and Coca-Cola Enterprises. While introducing Mr. Pryor, Head of School Robert Hill mentioned that Pryor was classmates with movie giant Spike Lee while attending Morehouse College. Mr. Pryor is currently General Managing Partner of JPryor Group LLC, a company that, according to his personal website, “helps individuals and teams marshal strengths to realize true potential.” He also recently published Thriving in a Disruptive World: 6 Critical Concepts for Navigating the 21^st Century.

Mr. Pryor told a number of humorous fictional short stories, each ending with a lesson on how to approach different situations. “Be absolutely clear about what you want, be absolutely clear about direction and purpose. Because if you don’t, you end up getting what Jim [a character from Pryor’s story] got, which are unintended consequences.” The ending to this story, which drew a chuckle from the crowd was, “Why should [one] take a piece of bacon when [one] can have the whole hog?”

Mr. Pryor said, “Even if you fall flat on your face, as long as you fall forward, you’re making progress.”

Later during the ceremony, Ms. Susan Michalski, who has been a French teacher at Williston since 1999 and is The Log yearbook advisor, was honored with the Hagedorn Family Faculty chair. Along with the wooden token, the honor brings salary benefits and professional development for the faculty member.

Led by the New England Brass Quartet, the school sang its Alma Mater O Williston to end Convocation and officially begin the new year.