Ceremonies Commemorate Patriot Day

American flags lined the Upper School amphitheater and alumni memorial bench in honor of Patriot Day and in remembrance of the two Benjamin School graduates, Lindsay Morehouse and Patrick Aranyos, who were killed during the attack on the World Trade Center. 

Ceremonies were hosted on both campuses to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Poems, songs, and personal reflections were shared, including that of Middle School social studies teacher Mr. Rudy DeVries, who lost his cousin that fateful day. 

Upper School Social Studies teacher Mrs. Anne Franzen, a native New Yorker, said her mother was coming down to visit her on September 11.

“She was on a plane that took off from Kennedy Airport and she saw it right out the window,” said Franzen, whose brother had been in the Trade Center just the day before signing mortgage papers. 

“Right away we knew the flight numbers, which flights they were, so we had reasonable assurance that she was safe, but until I saw her with my own eyes I didn’t feel that way,” said Franzen. “I also had friends who were part of the Boat Lift . . . they were on their sailboats and the coast guard said we don’t care how many people your boat says you can carry, go. Just go and get people.”

Head of Upper School Fletcher Carr said though much has changed in 20 years, “the elemental pieces of September 11 - and our nation’s response - will always be with us.”