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A Tribute to Nate Levine LEVINE—Nathan e New York Times, March 9, 2016 Born February 28, 1919, Nate died peacefully in his sleep March 8, 2016. WWII Veteran. He is survived by his beloved wife of 68+ years, Miriam, his children David, Paul, Judith, and Deborah and his grandchildren Jennifer, Sarah, Rachel, Alex, Darius, Dahlia and Solomon; his grandson Jessie greeted him with great exuberance this morning. Nate dedicated his life and passion to the practice of giving children the opportunity to be all they had in themselves to be. He touched the lives of generations through his work at e Wiltwyck School, Deer Lake Camp, e Walden School and Camp Regis. Truthfully, he never really left Brooklyn. Strength to your back! Trevor celebrates and honors the tenure of Nathan Levine as Head of Walden School from 1967 to 1974. Nate (the name by which he was known and referred to by all students and faculty) was a Class of 1938 alumnus of the school. He first worked as college counselor and head of the high school at Walden in the early sixties, before becoming Head of School. As those well-versed in Trevor Day School's rich heritage know, the Walden School merged with New Lincoln School in 1988, and New Walden Lincoln School then merged with e Day School in 1991. In 1997, the Board of Trustees voted to rename e Day School in honor of the leadership and dedication of Paul Trevor, an early board president of e Day School. With the joining of schools came the incorporation of philosophies and traditions that added to the depth and power of a Trevor education. e Walden School in particular had a reputation as an innovative leader in progressive education and as a school wholly committed to the arts and the importance of supporting the self- direction of students. Beloved Walden traditions, such as Choreolab, are upheld at Trevor today. According to Nate's son Paul, Walden Class of 1975, his father "lived and breathed kids." His primary guiding purpose was to give children the opportunity to become themselves, and "that was pretty much what Walden was all about." Paul recalls Walden as a fiercely independent place, in which questioning authority and taking risks were encouraged, all part of the process of learning about oneself. Although Nate believed in managing and leading the school with clear authority, he allowed students to explore their world, and he hired teachers who would support that philosophy. Nate's legacy is vast—including fighting to bring diverse students to the school through scholarships, and the construction of the Andrew Goodman Building. And, of course, there were those red socks. Paul does not recall when they became a mainstay in Nate's wardrobe— it seemed to him that his father always "liked a good red sock." But before long, the entire school community expected to see them. e little ones used to pull up his pant legs when they walked by to confirm that his socks were red. Nate himself told a story about getting on a midtown bus, along with some Walden parents. As he stepped up to enter, he heard the remark, "See? I told you he would be wearing red socks!" And what about Walden's greater legacy in NYC and the world? Paul notes that the duration of Nate's tenure was an interesting and important time to be in a progressive, left-of-center school. e greatest legacy will always be the students whom the school educated. It is impossible to calculate the impact of Walden alumni in their vast arenas, including the arts, journalism, social justice, and architecture. Willie Colman, Class of 1969, knew Nate as the influential head of the high school. Nate was good at intimidating and also very good at negotiating, according to Willie. Nate had also advised Willie on colleges: Yale wasn't on his original list, but when Willie wrote it down in his notes, Nate recognized it as a great potential match for Willie and strongly suggested he apply. And that was exactly where Willie ended up. When Willie was a junior at Yale, Nate visited him and helped him regain important perspectives over lunch. Danita Sajous, Class of 1981, remembers with fondness Nate's kindheartedness and dedication to helping others. When Danita's family couldn't afford the school tuition, her father asked Nate what they could do. With a handshake, Nate insti- tuted a payment plan that allowed both Danita and her sister to attend Walden from grades 3 to 12. Nate was committed to cultivating a fierce independence of thought. Paul explains, "If my father encountered someone on the other side, he would give them free rein to have their say, but he would argue with them, too." Most importantly, he was committed to children. "He never met a child he didn't like, and never was there a young child he met who wasn't drawn to him." Top: e portrait of Nate that accompan- ied the Class of 1974''s yearbook dedication to him; Bottom: Nate receiving a card from a neighbor at his 90th birthday party. 4 3 T R E V O R D AY S C H O O L n SUMMER 2 0 1 5 – 2 0 1 6

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