- Harold Wyatt (’86)
- “The Annual Fund is the mechanism by which Darlington is able to provide a high quality education and environment for its students and faculty. It allows for the best teachers to be recruited and retained, the best educational and extracurricular programs provided, and the ideal learning environment to be established and nurtured at Darlington. If we relied on tuition alone to fund Darlington’s needs, the school would not exist.”
- Ansley (Briley) Saville (’69T)
- “Having worked on the Annual Fund for so many years as an alumna still living in Rome, I continue to see the need to keep the Darlington support base going. In the Rome area, we desperately need to keep the tuition low for the day students in order to attract good students and their parents.”
- Jere Drummond (’57)
- “My reasons for contributing to the Annual Fund are simple: Darlington literally changed my life and I am, in some small way, trying to repay that debt. Darlington changed my whole perspective about who I was and what I could become. Without Darlington, I probably would not have gone to college and certainly would not have set the high expectations for myself that came out of my four years at Darlington. By giving to the Annual Fund, I can show my appreciation for what Darlington gave me and also make it possible for some other young person to receive that same benefit.”
- Brett Henson (’07)
- “I give to Darlington every year because I know that our alma mater requires the support of its alumni to provide the best education to its current students, as was given to me during my four years as a boarding student. I gladly give when I remember how grateful I felt for the impact of the Annual Fund when I was at Darlington.”
- Langdon Cheves (’60)
- “What I learned and experienced at Darlington was invaluable. There is no doubt in my mind that I would not have been accepted at the university I attended if I had not participated in Darlington’s boarding program. Also, I truly gained a maturity that put me ahead of my freshmen classmates once I entered college. I will forever be grateful to Darlington. It was not easy being away from home during my high school years, but what I gained in return more than paid off for it.”
- Anne Morgan Sisley (’71T)
- “We give when we can because we love Darlington School. We love Darlington because of the wonderful experience Jack and our children had there, along with my positive experience at Thornwood. We want Darlington to continue to be the quality institution it has been and is today. Simple as that!”
- Allison (Hunter) Brooks (’79)
- “I never fully appreciated the Annual Fund until I was asked to be a part of the Annual Fund campaign several years ago. I realized the importance of giving to the Annual Fund (in whatever amount) after seeing the amount of money it takes to run the school and what it takes to be able to offer our students opportunities that most schools only dream of – a fantastic athletic facility, a state-of-the-art technology department, faculty who care, a new Middle School and much more. Tuition does not cover all of the extras that our students receive. In these tough economic times, it is important to remember that giving to the Annual Fund is vital. The amount given will depend on each person's financial situation, but giving is necessary.”
- Madge (Brown) Crawford (’84)
- “There are many reasons I support Darlington through the Annual Fund, but the main one is that I feel the need to give back to Darlington because it has given so much to me and my family. I’ve known about Darlington all of my life. My great-grandfather was chairman of the Board of Trustees. My mother’s best friend growing up was Elaine Yankee, so she spent a great deal of time on campus. My father became a boarding student at the age of 13 and ended up marrying my mother and teaching and coaching at Darlington. Both of my brothers and I graduated from Darlington, as did my husband and his siblings. As you can imagine, the stories and the memories are numerous and wonderful.
“I realized how much Darlington really meant to me when it was taken away from me. My family moved to Atlanta before my ninth-grade year, and I was devastated. I was leaving friends I had known since nursery school and going to a place that was unfamiliar. Luckily, my parents loved me enough to allow me to come back to Darlington to board my last two years of high school. They were two of the best years of my life … I was home! Obviously, I missed my family but it just felt right to be here. I am now fortunate enough to be able to work in Darlington’s College Guidance Office with my former college counselor, Sam Moss. It is so wonderful to work in a place that really cares about you. Darlington means something to so many people. If I could give the school $90 million, I would! It is a privilege to be a part of this school, and I am happy to do my small part to make sure that it continues to be that ‘home away from home’ for many generations to come.”
- Norman Bonnyman (’07)
- “Darlington was a tremendously formational experience for me. It’s a part of who I am, and I try to make giving correspondingly a part of what I do. My Darlington experience wouldn't have been the same without the support of the Annual Fund – from scholarships, to keeping classrooms stocked and innovative, to Wednesday night study breaks in the Neville House lounge. It supports the teachers, and is a part of keeping the tuition low for all students, much lower than many of Darlington's peer schools. As a college student I don't have much, but participating in the Annual Fund is important to me; it's a ‘service beyond self’ thing.”
- Gary Fitts (’51)
- “Darlington School has served the Fitts family well for three generations, that I know of, and may well continue that tradition in the future. Darlington took a major step when it began accepting female students many years ago, and the school hasn't stopped progressing since. I am always proud to say I graduated from Darlington, Class of 1951. I am confident that I would have never qualified for a full NROTC Regular Scholarship nor been accepted to Vanderbilt, much less earning a degree, had it not been for my two years at Darlington.”
- Calista (Harden) Smith (’95)
- “Although it may be small, I give back because I have to credit Darlington for molding my personal and professional success. I want others to have the opportunities that I had.”
- C. Brooks Gulledge (’61)
- “The Annual Fund gives me the opportunity to stay in touch with my Darlington days and those special two years in my life. Seeing the list of contributors on the monthly Class Decades Update makes me remember the classmates that I enjoyed knowing during that time.”
- Bill Wesley (’70)
- “I am the fifth member of my family to attend Darlington. I thought then and continue to think that Darlington provides a superior education. I want to do my part to be sure that it continues to do so. The book ‘The World is Flat’ confirmed my belief that math and science are more crucial than ever. I spoke to Headmaster Tom Whitworth at the town hall meeting on Darlington's centennial anniversary and said I was concerned about our country's loss of intellectual capital. Darlington is an institution that can help preserve that capital and contributing to the school is more important than ever. Many schools we used to play in the old Mid-South Association have ceased to exist. We cannot let that happen to Darlington. My mother taught me, ‘To whosoever much is given, much is also required.’ I support Darlington out of desire and duty.”
- Suzanne Hurley-Bowman (’82)
- “The biggest reason I give to Darlington? His name is Will, but most of the teachers and children around Darlington’s Lower School know him as ‘Will B.’ He is 7 and in Mrs. Helbing’s second-grade class. I only got to attend Darlington for two years, but it made such an impression on me that it has stuck with me. Those two years taught me such great study habits that when I got to Berry College I did not struggle like a lot of the other kids did. I had great teachers at Darlington who ruled over us with such love and patience; that has made a huge difference in my life. When I give to Darlington, it is for my own selfish desires to make sure that Darlington will be around for Will and his children.”
- Mark Osborne (’91)
- “I spent all four years of high school at Darlington as a boarding student. I had successes and failures there. I doubted myself, and I learned to believe in myself. I fell in love, and I fell out of it. I still wince at some of the heartaches and still tear up at some of the funniest moments in my life. I have stories from my time in northern Georgia that I still tell, and I have stories that will go to my grave with me. I give because, in my mind, the school irrevocably custodies a part of my youth and because, in turn, I irrevocably claim ownership of it as my alma mater.”
- Dr. Bob Harbin (’67)
- “I have supported the Annual Fund for the past 25 to 30 years, including serving twice as the Annual Fund chairman. My father was an alumnus, as are all three of my daughters. Darlington is one of the most valuable assets that Rome, Ga., has and is to be envied by any small town in the U.S.A. Now, it is all the more important for Darlington to produce leaders and informed/responsible citizens.”
- Susan (Adair) Blanton (’76)
- “The two years I spent at Darlington had a lasting impact on me. I grew up in a town much smaller than Rome. The people were wonderful, but I had such limited experience. At Darlington, there were students from all over the Southeast, and I had a much broader exposure to students and teachers with varied backgrounds. The education I received there opened my eyes to academic achievement at a higher level. That certainly prepared me for my future. I loved my time at Darlington!”
- Jim Whelan (’58)
- “My contribution to the Annual Fund is my thank you to Darlington for the impact it has had on my life.”
- Lee Hark (’89)
- “I support the Annual Fund because Darlington has had more to do with the person I've become than any other influence in my life. As I've moved from school to school, Darlington continues to command my attention and allegiance. I am excited about what the school is becoming, and I am proud I can continue to play a very small part in it.”
- Elizabeth (Burke) DeBarr (’83)
- “Although my giving is not substantial by any means, I give because going to Darlington was a wonderful experience for me. I enjoyed all the aspects of being at Darlington. I want to help contribute to Darlington as it becomes a better place for the students who are there today and tomorrow.”
- J.T. Watters (’97)
- “I give to Darlington to preserve a great learning environment that will benefit my children and the community of Rome as a whole.”
- Pete Gilbert (’57)
- “It’s been quite a thrill for us to watch Darlington thrive over the last 50 years. The Annual Fund has been invaluable to this process. The Darlington ‘legends’ who taught us and supported us would expect us to continue the wonderful Darlington traditions by giving to the school and the Annual Fund. That’s why we give each year enthusiastically.”
- Steve Wilhoite (’73)
- “I give to the Annual Fund for two reasons: to give back to an institution that did a great job of educating me, and to support the same in educating my children and later their children.”
- Jean Early (’76)
- “I choose to support the Darlington Annual Fund rather than the fundraising campaigns of the colleges I have attended. I believe that through my support of Darlington, I have more of an opportunity to directly affect the lives of young people who are sharing some of the same traditions and experiences I did. It's wonderful to see how the school has grown and expanded through the years (although I'll never get used to the idea that there's a sidewalk through the chapel lawn!).”
- Jeff Godard Jr. (’58)
- “As class agent of the Class of the ‘Great ’58,’ I feel privileged to return my thanks for a rewarding foundation of personal character and scholarly preparation for college. The time and donations are far less than what Darlington gave me. I will continue my contributions. God bless Darlington and what she represents!”
- E. Wright Ledbetter (’85)
- “Supporting Darlington through the Annual Fund is the most fundamental way that each of us who benefited from our time there may pay it forward; that is, in my view, we actually owe our support to future generations of Darlington students and teachers so that they may also have the teaching and learning opportunities we did, which were provided by those who came before us.”
- Kimberly Parnell (’98)
- “The education and friendships that I earned at Darlington truly changed my life. My time at Darlington helped me become the person I am today. I maintain my friendships with my fellow Class of 1998 students, and have the best memories from Darlington. I hope that my contributions to the Annual Fund can assist a future Darlington student experience the same things that I loved about the school.”
- Osgood Willingham (’61)
- “As the first ‘full generation’ student to attend Darlington, I was taught by my family to respect the school and its values. That respect has served me well over the past 48 years. It never ceases to amaze me the feeling of a common bond when I meet a fellow Darlington alumnus after saying I was raised in Rome, Ga., and also attended Darlington. It is rewarding to hear the pride in the voices of these alumni when they speak of their time at Darlington. I am privileged that I was given the chance for Darlington to instill in me these values: honor, duty, knowledge and the value of friendships.”
- Steven Winkler (’72)
- “I continue to support Darlington because of my experience as a dorm student, my fellow classmates and the faculty – all of which left an impression on me that I will never forget. Those experiences are ones I think about all the time. My classmates, who aided me then and still do today, and the faculty, who provided both educational and life experiences as we lived with them and their families, are the reasons I give back.”
- Whitney (Smith) Hsu (’04)
- “I give to the Annual Fund because I want to help Darlington continue transforming students' lives. I give to the Annual Fund because I had an unforgettable experience at Darlington, and I can only hope that more people can say the same. I give to the Annual Fund to support the various programs with which I was involved. I give to the Annual Fund to show my loyalty to my alma mater and my love for the place I called home.”
- Tommy Roche (’56)
- “I have tried to contribute each year since graduation, primarily because of the many fine schoolmates and teachers that I remember from my three years at Darlington. It would be impossible to contact most of these men today, so I can honor their memory by making a gift to the Annual Fund.”
- John DiPrima (’58)
- “I give to Darlington School in appreciation for the values inherent in the educational approach that the school, over the years, has maintained and continues to – educating the whole person through its goals of reaching out to young men and women, not only to develop them intellectually, but spiritually and physically to become valuable contributors to their communities and the world in which they live. Thanks to the quality of the staff and their leadership, much has been accomplished and hopefully will continue to be accomplished in the difficult and challenging times ahead.”
- John Catmur (’71)
- “Darlington was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I tell people constantly that Darlington turned my adolescent life around. That’s why I give back to Darlington.”
- Alice Yurke (’80)
- “If an esoteric point of history comes up at a closing dinner, I think back to my days in Jack Summerbell's enlightening American History class or Bruce Burch's dramatic renderings of modern European history. And Sally Rudert's presentations on geometry were instrumental in my deliberations as a juror in a criminal case. And the awesome George Awsumb, the gifted Brad Gioia and the erudite Ed Beachum, who guided me through the jungles of college and law school by teaching me to use rhetoric as a machete. Because of the dedicated support and guidance of these teachers and many others, I feel honored to support Darlington’s Annual Fund and will continue to do so until my luck runs out or I forget the first line of ‘The Canterbury Tales’ – whichever comes first.”
- Dorothy Vincent (’07)
- “I give to Darlington, in part, because Darlington taught me to. Philanthropy and community service are as much a part of Darlington culture as the Pigskin Picnic in the fall and Commencement in the spring. Darlington has given me such a great start in life, both academically and in grounding my morals and values in everyday life – and I know that in large part the reason it was able to was due to the gifts of others. How could I be so selfish as to refuse to continue the cycle of giving and help someone else in achieving that same great start to life? Darlington taught me not to be, so I apply that lesson every year when I give back to the Annual Fund.”
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Your participation makes a difference!
Make your gift today - every gift counts and we need your support. The Annual Fund Campaign ends May 31. Call 800-520-9040 or 706-802-4373
5 Easy Ways to Make Your Annual Fund Gift Today
- Make your gift online with your Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card.
- Call us at 706-802-4373. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
- Email Debbie Greeson, development services officer
- Mail a check to Annual Fund, Darlington School, 1014 Cave Spring Road, Rome, GA 30161
- Stock Transfer
Go to our give online page for more details.
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