David Hamlin Arnold: A Memorial Minute

David H. Arnold lived life passionately. Whatever David loved, he loved with his whole body and soul. He loved, for example, the Argentinian tennis star, Guillermo Vilas. In the mid-seventies, when Vilas was ranked number-2 in the world, David bought a New Hampshire vanity plate for his car: the plate read VILAS. And when David and his wife, Andra, bought a home in Stratham, David painted VILAS on his mailbox. The home was lovely, but his closest friends have always suspected David and Andra bought it, not so much for the house, but for what sat out in the backyard: a tennis court, but not just any tennis court. No, this was a clay court, and–you guessed it–clay was Vilas’ favorite surface.

Perhaps, what David loved most about Vilas was his exuberance and passion for the game. Lew Hitzrot, long-time friend and tennis partner, remembers the joy of David’s shouting, “‘Vilas,’ whenever he belted a backhand, topspin winner a la Vilas.”

To know David was to know that passion and unwavering commitment to task were the hallmarks of his brilliant career. He was a great teacher, coach, dormitory advisor, administrator, mentor, and friend. And he carried himself with a modesty that underscored the integrity we treasure in those who educate our children.

In contemplating his devotion to teaching, David once wrote, “From early on I seem to have had teaching corpuscles in my blood. I knew I would end up being a teacher. And . . . I dearly love doing exactly what I do.”

David may well have had teaching corpuscles in his blood. Born on February 21, 1941, the son of two secondary school teachers, David spent grades nine through twelve in a Connecticut boarding school. No doubt, the Loomis community influenced his life-long values, identity, and aspirations. After graduating from Loomis in 1959, David earned an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Middlebury College, spent three years teaching at the Hun School, and completed a master’s degree at Rutgers University in 1967. That same year, David accepted an appointment as an Instructor of Mathematics at Exeter. A two-year leave of absence from 1976 to 1978 enabled David to undertake Ph.D. studies in the History of Mathematics at the University of Toronto. We should note that he completed his dissertation only after returning to full-time teaching at Exeter. Nearly every morning, he did his writing between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., sometimes taking a break by joining Eric Bergofsky on three-mile runs.

While Toronto loomed important in his post-graduate education, it paled in comparison to a moment far more important: it was in Toronto that David met Andra Crawford, the love of his life. When David returned to Exeter, he returned a married man.

In the fall of 1978, Ph.D. nearly in hand, newly married, and already having served as a faculty member for eleven years, David spent the next two-and-a-half decades living the life of an Exeter teacher and administrator. The list of his responsibilities underscores his sense of duty and a remarkable commitment to the Academy community. He taught math, chaired the Department, and spent three years as Director of Studies. He coached varsity football, j.v. football, baseball, soccer, and, of course, tennis. He served as a dorm head or advisor in Soule Hall, Kirtland House, and Dow House. He worked on numerous committees, including the Curriculum Review Committee which initiated significant changes in our academic offerings and school calendar. He spent a year abroad overseeing SYA in Rennes. From 1996 to 2001, he served as Clerk to the Board of Trustees. And, for many summers, he taught in EMI, the Exeter Mathematics Institute, a wonderful outreach program in which Exeter instructors facilitate math workshops for colleagues in schools across the country.

In all his undertakings, David held high the bar of excellence. His work did not go unnoticed. In 1986, he received a Brown Teaching Award and later became a recipient of the Rupert Radford ’56 Faculty Fellowship. In awarding David the Radford Fellowship, Principal Kendra O’Donnell noted David’s leadership, citing his steady hand in “guiding a talented and opinionated crew through the beginnings of major curriculum reform.” On David’s retirement in June 2006, Principal Ty Tingley extolled David’s gift for making the study of mathematics both invigorating and fun. Ty quoted a note David had received from Ursula Brewster, Class of ’90: “I wanted to write a brief note to you, thanking you for all you have done. I am one of the lucky few . . . to have you as a math teacher for an entire year. The love of mathematics you instilled into me as a Lower lasted all the way through my Exeter career and continues through my years at Yale. Thank you so much.”

David found myriad ways to make the classroom stimulating. One day, when his class was struggling to remember the quadratic formula, David threw open the window and yelled, “Does anyone know the quadratic formula? We need it up here to solve a problem.” Walking across the academic quad, science teacher, Jim DeCarlo, laughed so hard, he could not reply, though, of course, he “knew the question was not for him.”

David’s kindness and gentle sense of humor earned him great affection. Joyce Kemp recalls a moment when students made their feelings clear: “Picture a banner hanging from J. Smith . . . not advertising a weekend dance, but imploring in large letters: ‘Mr. Arnold, PLEASE teach 520.”

Given the opportunity to share memories of Mr. Arnold, Exonians from across the globe wrote to us. Collectively, their memories create a portrait of a brilliant, caring teacher, who encouraged students and strengthened their confidence in themselves. Neil Gesundheit, Class of ’70, felt “privileged to be in his Math 4 Calculus class. Mr. Arnold’s eyes would light up with excitement as he explained . . . the mystery and magic of calculus.”  Chieh-Min Fan, Class of ’81, remembers David’s “great good humor” facilitating an environment of lively discussion. Heath Marcus , Class of ’91, particularly appreciated David’s gentle prodding: David would sometimes draw a golden shovel “next to a student’s work when it was clear that they were just trying to BS their way through a solution.” Sue Safford, Class of ’83, notes the golden shovel was often accompanied by VE (valiant effort). Mr. Arnold “eased the sting of error with humor. He understood the delicate art of correcting without shaming to guide students to their own correct understanding of a concept.”

In every aspect of his work, David embraced a philosophy of in loco parentis: At Exeter, we have “boys and girls who need and deserve our presence and our guidance in and outside the classroom . . . I place a very high premium on my dormitory experience.” Lisa Weil, Class of ’78, cherishes living in Dow House where “home-made carrot cake and apple cider, served at a dorm meeting” encouraged “conversations between old and new students.”

Richard Maurer, Class of ’69, remembers the young Mr. Arnold as “a breath of fresh air. He was kind, understanding, and easygoing, without being permissive.” The day before he was to take the SAT, Richard broke his ankle and found himself in the Infirmary. He assumed “there would be no test for me. But the next morning, Dave . . . had a car pick me up and transport me to Phillips Hall, where I sat down as the test was getting underway. It was one of those Exeter ‘sink or swim’ moments that have prepared me so well for life.”

Doug Shenson, Class of ’73, arrived at Exeter in 1970. English by birth, Doug had never lived in the United States. More than fifty years later, he cherishes the warm welcome that put him “immediately at ease. Later, when I struggled to adjust to an unfamiliar math curriculum,” David “was extremely supportive and encouraging.”

If David was born to teaching, he was also born to mentoring. Stephanie Girard, recalls a moment early in her career, when David found her working in the Department Room. Noticing that she was tired, David “inquired, and when I told him that the girls in Dunbar were in my apartment almost every night asking for help,” he said,

“‘Stephanie, repeat after me: ‘No.’ . . . On days when you have too much of your own work to do, ask them when the test will be and see if they can wait a night or two. If it is the next day, say you can only work with them for half an hour. You must guard your own time carefully, so that this place does not wear you down.” Stephanie believes it “was great advice . . . given that I thought I was not allowed to turn the kids away regardless of my own workload or plans.” Close friend and colleague, Eric Bergofsky, says, “Add me to the list of those David mentored long before any formal mentoring program at Exeter was instituted.” David’s use of humor in the classroom continues to influence me “almost 50 years later. His legacy lives on.”

A life-long learner, David’s intellectual curiosity found joy in subjects as diverse as bird- watching and building fractals. For more than thirty years, March vacations provided time for David and Andra to birdwatch in Sanibel Island’s Ding Darling Wild Life Refuge and other nearby sanctuaries. David looked every inch the birder: Australian wide-brimmed hat, multi-pocketed vest, sunglasses, binoculars hanging by a strap around his neck, backpack, camera, and sturdy hiking boots. Rich Aaronian remembers a particularly pleasant trip with Peter Greer and David when they drove north to Canada’s Pelee National Park to see spring warblers returning from South America. Birdwatching is mostly, but not always a benign undertaking: Andra recalls one outing when David accidentally ventured too near the nest of a red-shouldered hawk. With screeching cries and talons flaring, the hawk plunged toward David’s head, sending his hat flying and leaving bloody scratches on his scalp.

Later in his career, David became fascinated with a pursuit that combined his mathematical skills with his artistic abilities: building fractals. Often beautiful and endlessly diverse, fractals are” infinitely complex patterns that repeat themselves at different scales.” Andy Hertig, who served as Dean of Faculty when David was the Director of Studies, frequently found “David’s computer screen filled with gradually developing colored patterns representing his newest fractal.” Andy recalls a moment when David’s cat “destroyed an entire night of fractal creation by walking across the keyboard of the computer in David’s living room.” Lost in that innocent moment of cat strolling was a particularly complicated model on which David had spent hours. With typical grace and good humor, David recounted the story to Andy. David loved his cat and understood that cats will be cats, eh?

Like many of his Exeter colleagues, David believed in the notion that to whom much is given, much will be required. For David, teaching in EMI was one way of giving back, a way of sharing Harkness pedagogy with colleagues across the country. Tony Greene and Bill Campbell recall being with David “on the same EMI team dozens of times.” Working together, Tony saw how much David “enjoyed teaching and how good he was at it. He and his teacher-students had fun, while at the same time he was boosting their confidence and imparting knowledge that would make them better teachers.” The EMI trips also enabled colleague Joe Wolfson to share in another of Dave’s passions: his love of fine food. Joe says, “We made it a point—just the two of us— to enjoy a dinner at a first-class restaurant one evening during our EMI week.” Joe treasures these moments of friendship, laughter, and lively conversation.

When David retired in 2006, the editors of the PEAN expressed their appreciation for David’s many contributions to the Exeter community: “Mr. Arnold has always pushed his students toward excellence. And his high standards are well-balanced by his playful humor and approachable nature. For his vivacious spirit, for his love of colorful shirts and bow ties, and for his talents as a teacher, mathematician, and advisor to all,” Mr. Arnold will be deeply missed.

On the 7th of April 2024, David Arnold passed into that good night. He is survived by his wife Andra Crawford and his son David Geoffrey Arnold.

With gratitude to several former colleagues for their contributions and the use of their words, we move that this Memorial Minute be submitted to David’s family and be spread upon the minutes of the faculty.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard S. Aaronian

Eric S. Bergofsky

William E. Campbell

Stephanie K. Girard

Anthony W. Greene

Richard A. Hardej

John D. Herney

Andrew W. Hertig

Lewis H. Hitzrot

Joyce C. Kemp

Joseph R. Wolfson

Douglas G. Rogers, Chair

This Memorial Minute was first published in the winter 2025 issue of The Exeter Bulletin.