If Not for Hyde: 5 Gifts That Shaped My Life at Hyde School

A Hyde School Alumni Success Story

This story comes from Hyde School alumnus Malcolm Gauld, whose lifelong connection to Hyde includes decades of service in school leadership. Reflecting as both a graduate and longtime steward of Hyde’s mission, Malcolm shares five gifts that shaped his life and family.

Hyde School Alumni Story

Malcolm Gauld with three of his favorite Hyde graduates at Laura Gauld’s Columbia graduation, reflecting a family deeply shaped by Hyde School.

Since I was a teenager, Hyde School’s Five Words - Courage, Integrity, Leadership, Curiosity, and Concern - have served as the True North of my moral compass. Given that some might reasonably question my objectivity when it comes to reflections about Hyde, I thought I’d simply share five things that would never have happened had I not attended Hyde School.

1. Marrying Laura Denton Gauld

Laura and I celebrate 47 years of marriage this May. Laura and her four siblings all attended Hyde School, as did our two daughters. Hyde did not just shape my education. It shaped the family we would build and the life we would create together.

2. Bowdoin (BA), Harvard (EdM)

Prior to Hyde, I was bounced out of the college-prep track of my middle school. After way too many C’s and D’s and in-school suspensions, my parents sent me to a junior boarding school where I proceeded to spend two years on the verge of expulsion. Had my teachers back then taken the over/under on me someday attending schools like Bowdoin or Harvard – not to mention additional study at Smith and Columbia – they would have made a lot of money. Take Hyde out of the picture, well, fuhgeddaboutit.

(I also would never have been invited back to that junior boarding school 45 years later to give the commencement address.)

3. Lacrosse

I played on Hyde School’s very first lacrosse team in 1969.

Year one: winless.

Year two: one victory.

Year three: a winning season.

Year four: playing for the league championship against a strong Hebron team.

That progression taught me the value of playing the long game. Of sticking with something through setbacks, disappointments, and growth. And as for the love affair part? Not only did I play lacrosse in college, but I still play in my 70s.

4. Rowing a Nova Scotia Dory to Boothbay Harbor... and Back

Summer of 1968. Talk about perseverance. By the end of the trip, our hands felt permanently attached to the oars. But what we also carried home was a profound sense of accomplishment.

5. Friends for Life

Nearly six decades have passed since I enrolled at Hyde School, and I still have a core group of friends I can call anytime, anywhere in the world. Years, even decades, may pass between conversations, but somehow we always pick up exactly where we left off.

As our school song says: “We’re the chosen band, united by true friendship ties.”

The Lasting Impact of a Hyde School Education

Hyde Voices shares authentic perspectives from Hyde School alumni, parents, and staff. Each story demonstrates how Hyde School’s focus on truth, growth, and character creates lasting change. Explore more Hyde School stories, share your own reflection, or learn more about the school itself at the Hyde School website.