The Wheeler community is saddened by the passing of Hugh A. Madden (Wheeler Headmaster from 1968-1980), who died Wednesday, May 22 at the age of 77.
Wheeler Head Dan Miller said, "Hugh Madden was, by all accounts, a dynamic and courageous leader, charismatic and engaging as well as powerfully analytical. He led the school through a decade of dramatic and critical change – from single-sex to co-ed; from boarding to day. In his fearless embrace of necessary evolution, he laid the groundwork for all that Wheeler has become."
The Madden family will host calling hours at their home at 956 Hope Street, Bristol, from 2 - 5 p.m., Saturday, May 25. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the general scholarship fund at Wheeler on behalf of the Madden family.
A full tribute to Hugh Madden Sr. will be published in the summer issue of the Now & Then At Wheeler followed by a memorial during Alumni Reunion Weekend October 18-20. Details will be announced.
Hugh Madden assumed the Headmastership of the Mary C. Wheeler School on July 1, 1968, after serving as the Director of Admission at the Pembroke-Country Day School in Kansas City, Missouri. He had received an A.B. degree from Princeton in 1957 and was elected Phi Beta Kappa and selected a Woodrow Wilson National Fellow in Classics. In addition he received his J.D. degree from the University of Missouri School of Law. Madden was the father of Hugh A. Madden Jr. and Heather Madden McShane, who attended Wheeler from 1973-1983. After leaving Wheeler in 1980, Mr. Madden joined the law firm of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP.
(If you have memories or photos to share for either the memorial or Now & Then, please contact
Laurie Flynn or
Sloane DeAngelis Pilgrim '86.)It's the single greatest state-wide honor a high school student can receive, and for the third year in a row, that student is from Wheeler! We congratulate senior Max Saccone for being selected as the male recipient of the US Presidential Scholar from Rhode Island. In 2012, senior Cybele Greenberg earned the honor as did senior Sol Taubin in 2011 as the female recipients from our State. Each student is asked to honor a faculty member when they are selected. Saccone has selected Upper School science teacher Chris Perkins for this additional honor as part of the program.
Lucky are the colleges and universities who have accepted members of the Wheeler Class of 2013. Read more for the entire list. Congratulations to our seniors on this phenomenal list of school choices.