Bennett Reading Showcases Faculty Scholarship and Storytelling

Ara Brown, Interim Head of Upper School, welcomed guests and shared the story of Elizabeth Bennett, the legendary Kingswood English teacher whose former students established the fund in her memory. Miss Bennett taught at Kingswood from 1936 to 1968 and was remembered for her love of poetry, sharp wit, exacting standards, and insistence on choosing precisely the right words.

Her former students were represented at this year's gathering by Pamela Lawrence Carmichael ’61, providing a particularly meaningful connection to the teacher whose influence continues to be felt nearly six decades after her retirement.

Established by Caroline Cross Chinlund ’58 and Annie Sanders ’58, the Elizabeth Bennett Fund gives selected Cranbrook Kingswood faculty members two summers of support to pursue personal writing projects. The annual Reading provides an opportunity for recipients to share their work with colleagues, students, alumni, and friends.

Gianfranco Cataldo, completing the second year of his Bennett grant, opened the program with a presentation on his doctoral research into representations of dictatorship in contemporary Venezuelan literature. His latest work examines Diorama, a 2021 novel by Ana Teresa Torres, and the ways literature explores authoritarian power, political mythology, and the experiences of those living under dictatorship.

Gianfranco's research is already finding its way into his teaching. He plans to introduce selections from Diorama in his AP Spanish Language and Literature course and hopes eventually to develop an Upper School elective drawing on his doctoral scholarship.

Darlene Earls, who teaches sculpture and digital photography, followed with a reading from her novella. A returning Bennett recipient who first shared portions of the work at the 2021 and 2022 readings, Darlene had exciting news to share: the manuscript is finished! After the work of developing its interconnected stories and memorable characters, she is ready for the next chapter — finding a publisher. Her new two-year Bennett Grant will support her as she takes that exciting step toward publication.

Both presentations were warmly received by an audience that included faculty colleagues, students, alumni, and friends of the Bennett Fund.

Jacob Hazard ’92, Dean of Faculty, introduced Darlene and closed the program by encouraging faculty members inspired by the evening's presentations to consider applying for a Bennett Writing Grant of their own. The grant is open to writing projects across disciplines, whether creative, scholarly, or otherwise rooted in a faculty member's intellectual interests.

The evening also returned to Miss Bennett's own words — or, more precisely, to the words her students remembered her saying. In dedicating the 1959 Kingswood yearbook to their beloved English teacher, they recalled one of her favorite instructions:

It is advice that still resonates, whether a teacher is examining a novel, developing a story, or encouraging a student to think more carefully about the words on a page.

The Bennett Writing Grant is a wonderful example of how alumni can honor a teacher whose influence has stayed with them long after graduation. What began as a tribute from Miss Bennett’s former students has become an enduring source of support for generations of Cranbrook faculty, giving them time to pursue their own interests and bring new ideas and experiences back to their classrooms. It is a reminder that the impact of a great teacher can extend far beyond the students they taught, and that alumni have the power to carry that influence forward in meaningful ways.

Video from this event coming soon!