Just in time for Alumni Weekend comes the story of Christ School’s origin: a love story.
“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 and in the Christ School bookstore.
About this time last year, 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, are from Charlotte and both are dorm leaders in South Carolina House. Walker is a Prefect and Grey is a Proctor. The brothers are also part of the National Honor Society and active in the Outdoor Program.