How will young faculty thrive?
The George C. Lee Family Teaching Chair,
Established in 2000

"For me, teaching was always frightening, as dangerous as tight-rope walking," Faculty emerita Kay Herzog has said. A new teaching chair at Milton focuses on nurturing the intellectual and social needs of younger faculty.

"I am most honored and delighted to announce the dedication of the George C. Lee Family Teaching Chair," said Head of School Robin Robertson at School convocation on September 11, 2000. This unusual chair is designed to build a sense of belonging among the younger, newer faculty at Milton while supporting excellence in their teaching." The first chair holder was Terri HerrNeckar of the mathematics department, then in her fifth year of teaching at Milton.
"Too often," Robin said," we simply expect our younger faculty to find their way, to make a place for themselves and to figure out how to do it all." This Chair provides both leadership and the resources to support new faculty. The Chair will facilitate the support from colleagues that enhances young teachers’ skills. It seeks to increase the sense of gratification they experience as members of the teaching community.

The Chair has a history that involves generations of the Lee family. Members of his family established a fund in memory of George C. Lee ’47 following his death in the Korean War. In 1970, following the death of George C. Lee ’17, many donors made gifts in his honor, recognizing his of love of Milton and service as a trustee. The size of the fund grew significantly, and its scope was amended to support faculty salaries. Transforming the fund to a faculty chair in 2000 was inspired by the desire of her children to honor Mrs. George C. Lee’s longtime loyalty to Milton Academy.

"I salute the wisdom of the Lee family in transforming the George C. Lee Family Fund, named for the brother and father of trustee Madeline Gregory, Class of 1949, Kathy Sherbrooke, and David Lee, Class of 1952." Madeline Gregory and her husband Dan, Kathy Sherbrooke and her husband Ross Sherbrooke ’54, and David Lee and his wife Lucinda Lee ’61 were present at the convocation for the announcement, eager to meet the first chair holder.

Teaching faculty who have been working at Milton for between three and five years are eligible candidates for the Chair. Each year the head of school will appoint an individual to the Chair for a two-year term, so that except in this inaugural year, two faculty members will always hold the Chair.