Ann-Marie Holland Named the New Alice C. Jenckes Chair in History
Established in 1980, The Alice C. Jenckes Chair in History was the very first endowed chair at Winsor. Named for one of Winsor’s most dedicated and extraordinary teachers, Alice C. Jenckes, who taught history for 37 years—from 1929 until her retirement in 1966. Decades later, alumnae still sing her praises. Brilliant, funny, sympathetic, respectful, and dramatic, often she’d be so excited about a point that she’d jump up and down in class. A great love of Ms. Jenckes inspired past students to fund the chair and keep her memory alive.
Since 1980, the chair has been held by four legendary Winsor faculty: Sloan Sable, Dorian Bowman, Brian Didier, and Libby Parsley.
Ann-Marie Holland was announced as the new Alice C. Jenckes Chair in History on December 7, 2023 at an all-school assembly where Head of School Sarah Pelmas shared a speech dedicated to Ann-Marie Holland.
Ms. Pelmas’ remarks are abbreviated below:
Everyone who talks about today’s honoree uses words like “unflappable,” “compassionate,” and “patient.” What would she need all that patience for? Well, the History Department can get a little nutty sometimes! But this teacher proved, from the moment she interviewed, that she was equal to the task of managing the unruly folks in the department. In fact, she was hired in the summertime, and so the teachers had to pretend to be students for her sample teaching lesson in the interview process. According to Ms. Parsley, this candidate divided the teachers into two teams to compete in product design for an Economics lesson. Apparently, the teachers got a little too competitive, and the whole class became mayhem. However, former teacher Ms. Grant insists that, “despite what Ms. Parsley says, Mr. Constant and I totally won that day!”
So, we hired this teacher and—miraculously, given the people she met during the interview—she took the job! She was only part-time at first, and she was tasked with designing our first AP Macroeconomics course as well as a senior spring economics elective. In those early years, she was definitely a utility player, always saying yes and embracing new courses with positivity and a strong spirit of collaboration. She has been a key member of the Class V and Class VI teaching teams, and has been central to revising the courses’ structures and design, content, and projects over her past 12 years here.
Her colleagues consistently say that they feel heard and respected by her, she devotes a huge amount of time to her courses and to her students. In the History Department, you can see her offering extra help to students, and she is amazing at explaining complicated economics concepts in very clear terms. As one teacher observed, “Her students feel safe with her.”
And speaking of safe: what could be potentially less safe than taking 30–40 students to New York for Model UN conferences, trying to get them all where they need to go, position papers at the ready, well fed, and focused? As Ms. Berg tells it, “Who is that woman racing through Central Park before dawn? An out-of-towner? A marathoner? [It is our fearless MUN leader], exercising strenuously, in pre-dawn New York, before jogging back to the Hilton Hotel home base to wake up Winsor’s Model United Nations delegates, sending them off sleepy-eyed yet stalwart to their challenging meetings, simulations of the real United Nations. Being [her] students, they have been well taught, primed and prepared to negotiate with students from all over the world, to create UN resolutions on tough global issues, and to have a great time doing it!”
Two years ago, she became the head of the History Department, and since then has blown everyone away with her organization, preparation, and thoughtfulness. Mr. Braxton comments that the department relies on her for pretty much everything. And he says, “The only problem is that we rely on her too much. While she makes sure we celebrate everyone’s birthday, we have done a poor job celebrating her birthday because we have no one to remind us. Thankfully, this school year we all have May 19 taped to our desks! [She] may not walk on water, but she can do just about everything else.”
To be clear, no one knows how this teacher does it. She raises two fabulous children with her husband; leads the History Department; occasionally runs marathons; designs and redesigns and re-redesigns history courses; teaches with flexibility, creativity, and fun; coaches, inspires, and organizes Model UN participants; listens with a sympathetic ear and a flexible mind; and always has time for everyone.
And other things you might have noticed about our honoree? Mr. Didier comments that she has the best business casual style in the department. Adds Mr. Mirelman, “She is the most hardcore biker in this school. With a milk crate and a bungee cord on her bike, she pedals in every morning no matter the weather. Even on the coldest, iciest days of February she simply smiles and remarks, ‘Yeah, it was a little bit slick out there this morning.’ Then she changes her shoes (like Mr. Rogers but cooler) and heads off to class, ready to teach.”
Her own admiration for everyone else in her department is such that she is probably still not believing she’s the honoree. Her husband Pete, son Jonah, and daughter Addie are here with us today as well. So now I invite you all to join me in congratulating the newest holder of the Alice. C. Jenckes Chair in History, Ms. Ann-Marie Holland!
