School Publications
Christ School has a rich history of publications dating back to "The Galax Leaf," Susan Wetmore's 1900 newsletter. Today, The Galax, Christ School's magazine, is published twice a year by the Communications and Advancement Offices and features news of the school, alumni events, and class notes. Its name honors a traditional school emblem, the galax plant, which is indigenous to Western North Carolina. The Struan, Christ School's literary magazine, is created annually by a student-run editorial board and faculty advisor and contains writing and art from students and faculty. Its name derives from the Struan Plantation, the 1855 ancestral home of Susan Wetmore that was part of the land deeded to the Rev. and Mrs. Thomas Wetmore to found Christ School in 1900.
Greenies: Send your news and photos to Donna Wheeler P'21, Director of Publications.
Books
MY DEAR CHRIST SCHOOL BOYS: CELEBRATING 125 YEARS OF CHRIST SCHOOL THROUGH LOVE, LOSS, AND LETTERS
“My Dear Christ School Boys: Celebrating 125 Years of Christ School Through Love, Loss, and Letters” became a book idea to Grey Edens ’25 after reading the hand-written letters between the school’s co-founders – Father Thomas Wetmore and his wife, Susan.
The book is available for purchase through Amazon.
In 2023, five boys and two faculty members traveled to UNC-Chapel Hill for the express purpose of accessing the Thomas Cogdell Wetmore Papers, a collection housed in UNC’s Wilson Library. Most of the collection are the letters between the Wetmores as well as letters that Father Wetmore sent while he was traveling up north to raise funds for the school in its infancy. In fact, the title of Grey’s book comes from a 1901 letter that Father Wetmore wrote while he was in New York.
Father Wetmore died at age 37 from appendicitis in 1906, one year before St. Joseph’s Chapel – the on-campus place of worship that he had envisioned – was officially dedicated.
Grey sought in his book to chronicle the journey of the Wetmores, documenting their profound love for one another and unwavering commitment to the school. He spent many afternoons last year helping digitize the letters and other historical artifacts in the school’s archive room, which is on the bottom floor of 38 House.
Grey and his twin brother, Walker, came to Christ School from Charlotte and were dorm leaders in South Carolina House as seniors.
THE BELL ON THE KNOLL: THE STORY OF THE CHAPEL AT CHRIST SCHOOL
This book is a pictorial history of the Christ School chapel, accurately and carefully crafted by Dabney Johnson, granddaughter of Dave Durward ’41, and Christ School's Director of Communications for 19 years and current archivist, Linda Cluxton. Proceeds from book sales go to support the Christ School Archive Fund.
THE CENTENNIAL ANGELUS
The Centennial Angelus is a coffee-table book that commemorates the first 100 years of Christ School's history through photographs and anecdotal narratives provided by David W. McCullough '45 and R. Reed Finlay '58 It also has an update on the school and the needs of today's boys written by former headmaster Fr. Russell W. Ingersoll. George McAden ’43 organized the photos. The book can be obtained through the Christ School Advancement Office (828) 684-6232 ext. 103 or the Bookstore, ext. 133.
