Dear Woodberry Community,
Last year in this space I reflected with you on what philosophers call “the great chain of being” — the enduring truth that none of us walk this campus alone, but instead stand firmly on the shoulders of the giants who preceded us. Over the past school year, we intentionally turned that observation inward, inviting our boys, faculty, alumni, and extended community to reflect on the specific individuals who have touched, shaped, and elevated our own lives.
In that spirit, we themed OneWoodberry this year as a tribute to The Shoulders We Stand On. Alumni, parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends of the school paused to share the names and stories of the mentors, teachers, and friends who have left an indelible mark on our lives. It was a powerful reminder that Woodberry’s landscape is fundamentally relational. Woodberry’s majestic campus and the beautiful buildings provide the setting for our vocation, but it’s the people in our midst who constitute the defining soul of any human community.
Reflecting on our times together, we are reminded of a profound reality: we have been given an incredible, sacred gift. This school does not belong to any single generation. Instead, it is our collective responsibility to care for this extraordinary community so that Woodberry remains a necessary counterweight to a transactional world, a place and a people poised to transform today’s boys into young men of character who will make the world a little better.
This sense of responsibility takes on an even greater resonance as we approach a historic milestone. One hundred years ago, the Walker family demonstrated a profound, visionary act of stewardship. Recognizing that the school needed a permanent framework to endure for the next century, they made the courageous decision to reorganize Woodberry as a nonprofit and transition its ownership squarely into the hands of its alumni.
The foundation that began in 1889 and was entrusted to us in 1926 has been sustained by the unwavering devotion of the Tiger Nation. We are now on the brink of celebrating one hundred years of alumni generosity. This century of loyalty cannot be measured by financial metrics alone; it is alive in a hundred years of visionary leadership on the board of trustees, tireless service on our advisory councils, and the vital work of hundreds of class volunteers who keep their classmates connected, plan reunions, and ensure the bonds of brotherhood remain unbroken through time and space.
Every framework we build today — from broadening access through tuition assistance to expanding support for our faculty and staff to securing our long-term strategic future — is a direct continuation of the foundation established a century ago. Thank you for continuing to place your trust and your resources in our community. Because of your unyielding support, the flame lit by the Walker family burns as brightly as it ever has. I shall always be grateful for the enduring love that so many have for Woodberry Forest.
Sincerely yours,
Byron C. Hulsey ’86 P’22
Headmaster