Exeter, NH (May 20, 2008)—Phillips Exeter Academy celebrated christenings of two new crew shells earlier this month at the Saltonstall Boathouse, with past and present crew members, faculty, family and friends on hand for both ceremonies.

On Wednesday, May 7, the second E. Arthur Gilcreast crew shell was officially named before her maiden voyage on the Squamscott River. Gilcreast ’71 (Hon.); P’79, P’83, P’86, P’87—who took part in the ceremony—coached boys varsity crews from 1969 to 1986, and girls varsity crews from 1989 to 1993. In the early 1970’s, he single-handily transitioned the Academy's crew program from four to eight oarsmen, and supported the addition of girls’ crew. During his coaching career, the crews enjoyed great success competing in the New England Interscholastic Regatta. Before joining Exeter's faculty, Gilcreast coached crew at Yale University.

Gilcreast was appointed to the history department in 1967, and retired in 1999. During his tenure, he was named PEA’s first Arthur A. Seeligson ’13 Professor in Business, Economics and History in 1981; awarded the PEA Brown Award in 1988; received the Heyer Teaching Award in 1996; and served on numerous committees, including the Curriculum Committee, which he chaired for two years, resulting in the Academy’s present curriculum.

On Saturday, May 17, a new crew shell was christened the M. Catherine Gilmartin, in honor of the mother of its donor, John McDermott, and grandmother to twins, Catherine ’08 and Elizabeth ’08, who are members of PEA girls’ varsity crew.  

For more information on PEA crew, visit our boys crew webpage and our girls crew webpage. A complete list of upcoming events is available on the Phillips Exeter Academy public events line at (603) 777-4309 and on our website at http://www.exeter.edu/. For directions to Phillips Exeter Academy, call (603) 777-4330. To learn more about upcoming events at Exeter, check the News & Events section of the website. To learn more about PEA Athletics, go to http://www.exeter.edu/athletics/3165.aspx.

Phillips Exeter Academy is a coeducational, independent preparatory school that was founded in 1781 and originated the system of instruction known as Harkness teaching in 1931. In the spirit of its charter to foster both goodness and knowledge, a Phillips Exeter Academy education will now be free to any admitted student whose family income is $75,000 or less. Committed to educational excellence, the school meets all demonstrated financial aid needs of its admitted students, making the Academy effectively “need blind.” The diverse student body comes from a wide variety of geographic, economic, racial and religious backgrounds approximately from 45 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and 23 foreign countries.