Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Summer 2012 | Page 16

A lu m s o n C am p u s

Emmy Award-Winning Journalist Visits TATV

Historic moments are best understood from a primary source,
according to former ABC News
Executive Producer Bill Lord ’55
who visited Jeff Christenbury’s ’03
Advanced Art of Broadcasting class.
As a journalist who garnered five
Emmy’s, we considered him a reliable source.
Beginning his broadcasting career
with a job at WIDE in Biddeford, Bill
went on to work for ABC for 32 years
as Producer and Vice President. He
delivered a live, national report from
Dallas, Texas on the morning of Nov.
24, 1963 when alleged John F. Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald

was shot and killed by Jack Ruby in
the parking lot of the Dallas Police station. Prior to his visit to Saco, TA students viewed Lord’s historic interview
with a Dallas police official.
“It was a great delight to have him
come speak to the class,” said Christenbury, who was a student of Lord’s
at Boston University. “It’s a privilege
for the students to talk to a person
who witnessed and reported on some
of the most memorable moments of
the 20th Century.”
As the Washington Bureau Chief for
ABC news, Lord covered the White
House during President Nixon’s ad-

ministration, including his historic trip
to China. Lord also was the Executive Producer of Nightline with Ted
Koppel. He stressed to the students
the importance of learning about history and acquiring transferable skills
in this difficult job climate.
“There’s no other way to experience
history than to be part of it,” Lord
said. “You don’t know the path you
are going to take. You need to have
a good educational background and
build a good name. People should
like you and speak well of you. You
need to be eager and not think any
job is beneath you.”

(Captions L to R): Bernard F. Prescott ‘44, charter member of the 1811 Society, at the Senior Alumni Reunion in the fall in 2011; Auction Chair Bill
Kany ‘77 encouraged over 350 alumni, parents, friends, staff and supporters to put “paddles up!” at the Thornton Fund Auction on April 27th;
Eric Purvis ‘81 (President of Trustees) sits with fellow trustee Joyce Haley ‘75 at Graduation.

(Captions L to R) Al Smith ’73 and Ken Jansen ‘72 perform at the Jazz Choir Reunion Concert last fall; Former Alumni Board President David
K. LePauloue ‘84 at the Faculty & Staff Banquet. The Faculty & Staff banquet is one of the many events that is supported by the Alumni Board.
Thank you David for your service as Alumni Board President from 2009-2012; Bill Kany ‘49 and his wife, Anne Baker Kany ’52, bid with their Stasio paddle. The Auction raised over $80,000 for the Thornton Fund.

Postscripts

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