The Best Stories We’ve Told in 50 Years
What makes a great magazine story? Is it the moment it captured, or the way it still speaks to us? Is it boldness? Cultural impact? Emotional resonance?
To find out, the Peddie Chronicle convened a cross-generational panel of faculty, staff, alumni and students and asked them to review five decades of storytelling. The Chronicle’s editorial staff began in the school archives, identifying stories that sparked conversation, marked institutional turning points, and that readers still bring up years later. Panelists were invited to nominate additional contenders, debate finalists and award distinctions. Some stories stood out for their historical consequence, others for creativity or cultural relevance. A few were simply impossible to forget. What follows is a curated list of favorites, and a conversation across generations about what makes a story endure.
Best Story About a Transformative Moment
WINNER
$100M Endowment Gift Boosts Peddie’s Leadership Role
July 1993
In 1993, Walter Annenberg ’27 gave Peddie $100 million — at the time, an unprecedented gift in independent school education and one of the most important moments in the school’s history. Employees and alumni reacted with awe, gratitude and a dawning sense that Peddie had entered a new era. The Chronicle was there to capture it all.
“Ambassador Annenberg’s gift changed who had access to Peddie. It provided much-needed stability for Peddie’s future.”
Mark Gartner
“Its effects can still be seen all around campus today.”
Luke Chon
“What sets this article apart is that it provides an understanding of Mr. Annenberg’s vision for education and his goals in making this gift.”
Walter Lotte
Best Time Capsule of A Historical Moment
WINNER
A Community Remembers
Fall 2001
The Chronicle captured the events of September 11, 2001, on campus, documenting grief, unity and the resilience of students, alumni and employees in a time of national crisis. The story brought readers into the chaos and carried them through to hope.
“It documents not just how the school survived a tragedy, but how it prioritized the emotional safety and ongoing education of its students.”
Mark Gartner
“It showcases true care and compassion, and a general willingness to give aid to others.“
Emily Miller
“Dramatic, emotional, personal, descriptive and comprehensive. I still get chills remembering John Green taking the podium in chapel.”
Brian Davidson
HONORABLE MENTION
Remembering Dr. King’s visit to Peddie
Spring 2017
Sixty years after Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke in Ayer Memorial Chapel, this feature reconstructs that extraordinary day through archived material and first-person recollections. It’s a rare intersection of national history and campus memory.
“This highlighted the importance of chapel for me.”
Bridgette McKnight
Best Slice of Peddie
Winner
The Food Issue
Fall/Winter 2024
Hot pink cover. Legendary “exploding chicken” front and center. This issue explores how food shapes the Peddie experience, from dining hall classics to alumni in the food industry to the role of cuisine in the curriculum. It proved that food at Peddie is a communal experience.
“Pure fun. Snappy, inclusive and colorful. Perfect alumni engagement piece.”
Brian Davidson
“One of the most fun stories I’ve read about Peddie. I laughed out loud.”
Roger Durling
“Food touches the soul, and this issue manages to convey flavors and feelings beautifully.”
Emily Miller
Best Story About Bravery and Breaking Barriers
Winner
David B. Mitchell ’63
April 1994
Returning to campus for Founders Day, David B. Mitchell ’63 reflected on his experiences as one of three Black students in the early 1960s. He spoke candidly of warm friendships and racial contention in an overwhelmingly white institution. Decades later, his words still carry.
“Reading the experiences of our first Black students is eye-opening.”
David Martin
“As a person of color who went to Peddie when it wasn’t that diverse, this story felt very relatable.”
Bridgette McKnight
“Bravo to the Chronicle editors — past and present — for showing that Peddie has not always been perfect.”
Amy Cabot
HONORABLE MENTION
In Her Own Shoes
Fall/Winter 2022
In this deeply personal story, Sharon Evans ’63 shares her journey reconnecting with classmates after transitioning, reflecting on vulnerability, growth and the enduring search for belonging.
“It checks all the boxes of identity, bravery and challenging the status quo. Good on you, Sharon! Good on you, Class of ’63! Good on you, Peddie!”
Walter Lotte
Best Story Celebrating Accomplishments By Extraordinary Students and Alumni
Winner
Rowing Solo Across the Atlantic
Spring/Summer 2018
At 19, Oliver Crane became the youngest person to row solo across the Atlantic. Alone in a 23-foot boat, he endured towering waves, sleep deprivation, salt sores and a near-death capsizing. This story of resilience and grit reads like adventure nonfiction.
“What sold it for me was the storytelling, the layout, the photography — and that he did something so physical, emotional and psychological … ALONE!”
Amy Cabot
“Perfectly encapsulates Peddie values: courage, resilience and a desire to challenge oneself.”
Luke Chon
“The feat it describes is unbelievable for anybody. But for a 19-year-old?”
Walter Lotte
HONORABLE MENTION
Making Waves: A World-Class Swim Team
July 1990
The 1990 swim team claimed national championships and included four swimmers ranked among the top 15 in the world. The Chronicle argued the team should be remembered not for dominance alone, but for its role in developing human potential and character.
“Fascinating story about Peddie greatness.”
Roger Durling
Best Story About Visionary Teaching
Tie
Young Archaeologist Brings New Course to Peddie
Spring 1976
Dr. David (“Doc”) Martin arrived fresh from a Princeton University expedition in Greece, where he helped uncover a 1,800-year-old sculpture. He introduced archaeology into the curriculum alongside courses on Latin and Greek culture. Decades later, Martin continues to contribute as the school archivist.
“Doc is a Peddie treasure.”
Roger Durling
“I still remember when the author interviewed me for the article!”
David Martin
“I remember Dr. Martin’s archeology class and trips.”
Mark Gartner
Tie
Into the Woods
Spring 2001
Peddie’s science department transformed the campus into a living laboratory. Freshman students began exploring Peddie Woods and Peddie Lake, observing the local ecosystem firsthand. The Chronicle captured the innovation behind the new Campus Ecology course and the excitement of students experiencing science in their own backyard.
“My first reaction after reading about Peddie’s ninth-grade ecology course was: ‘I wish I could take this.’”
Walter Lotte
“An important reminder of how Peddie was evolving and taking advantage of new technologies, experiential learning and expanding its curriculum.”
Brian Davidson
“It genuinely showcases the autonomy faculty have to bring their passion into their classrooms.”
Emily Miller
Best Story About Alumni Shaping Careers, Society and Culture
Winner
The Annenberg Effect
Fall 2009
When Walter Annenberg ’27 made his historic gift to Peddie, the deeper effect would take years to reveal itself. This story shows the outcome 15 years later by focusing on the first beneficiaries of the endowed financial aid fund, showing how investment in potential multiplies outward, touching people and communities far beyond campus.
“The individual profiles are engaging and personal — a great sense of ROI on the $100M Annenberg gave to invest in the student body.”
Brian Davidson
“These stories are nothing short of miraculous in terms of what these students achieved. But most impressive is the gratitude these alumni express, not only to Mr. Annenberg for their scholarships, but to Peddie itself.”
Walter Lotte
“The most ‘Peddie’ story. Each reflection mentions different teachers and experiences that helped make them who they are today.”
Amy Cabot
HONORABLE MENTION
Shattering the Glass Ceiling
Fall 2016
In an industry long defined by gender imbalance, nine Peddie alumnae rose to senior leadership in finance. The feature examines the persistence, strategy and mentorship that fueled their rise.
“I have a soft spot for women shattering the glass ceiling!”
Bridgette McKnight
Best Only-at-Peddie Folklore
Winner
Rival Relationships
Fall/Winter 2018
For more than a century, Peddie and Blair have battled on the field. For this issue, the two schools’ magazine editors teamed up — collaborating on research, interviews and even a joint mascot photo shoot — to explore friendships and family ties forged across rival lines.
“Pithy, warm, creative, reflective, memory-inducing.”
Brian Davidson
“This story bridged the divide between Peddie and Blair in such a fun and refreshing way.”
Luke Chon
“Blair Day is an annual tradition, and it’s important that we all understand its history.”
Mark Gartner
HONORABLE MENTION
Lost in Lore
Summer 2023
Was there really a car on the roof of Memorial Hall? Are there ghosts in Kalomathia House? This collection gathers Peddie’s most persistent legends, blurring fact and folklore.
“It was cool to learn about the parts of Peddie
that are more unconventional.”
Bridgette McKnight
Special Recognition
-
The Alumni Glue Award
The Duffy Chronicles
Spring 2003
For decades, Mike Duffy ’63 refused to let his classmates drift apart. A journalist by trade and class secretary by calling, Duffy transformed the humble class column into literature. His Chronicle Class Notes blended warm humor, sharp observation and an eye for the human condition. The 2003 feature pulled the curtain on the chronicler himself. By the time of his death in 2024, Duffy had served more than 50 years in the role. -
Best Big Splash
Splashdown!
Spring 2010
Peddie unveiled its state-of-the-art aquatic center in January 2010, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Peddie swimming, a program that boasted eight national titles, 19 Eastern championships and eight Olympians. A century-long timeline traces the evolution to powerhouse status. And then there was the cover: a dramatic foldout capturing students mid-air in a ceremonial first plunge. -
Best Illustrated Nostalgia Feature
Thanks for the Music and Memories
Fall/Winter 2021
Music has a way of collapsing years into seconds. In this crowdsourced feature, alumni across generations share the songs that defined their Peddie years, from Benny Goodman to Madonna to Alanis Morissette. Paired with playful illustrations, the piece becomes more than a playlist. It’s a reminder that the soundtrack of our teen years is inseparable from the place where it played. -
Most Collectable
Sesquicentennial Issue: 150 Faces of Peddie
Spring 2014
Designed to resemble leather — a nod to manufacturer Thomas B. Peddie’s leather goods legacy — this commemorative issue tells the school’s story through 150 people, places and objects. A Peddie artifact in the truest sense: meant to be kept. -
COVID Coverage
Missing Out on Milestones
Spring/Summer 2020
When COVID-19 shut down campus, the editorial team tossed a nearly-complete issue and started over. This feature captured senior class leaders at home as they navigated remote learning, a canceled prom, postponed commencement and unfinished goodbyes. Five years later, the Chronicle returned to those same students, transforming loss into an ultimate story of resilience. -
COVID Coverage
How COVID Changed the Classroom
Spring/Summer 2021
Rather than focus solely on disruption, this cover story asks faculty across disciplines what changed for the better. A thoughtful bridge between emergency response and long-term evolution. -
COVID Coverage
Back to School During a Pandemic
Fall/Winter 2020
In Fall 2020, 380 students returned to a campus transformed by distancing markers and face coverings, while 140 classmates attended remotely from across the globe. Through candid student interviews, first-year students stepping onto campus for the first time and seniors logging in from Beijing, the story captures disorientation, adaptability and tenacity.