FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

ANTHONY PISAPIA

Reprinted from The Hilltopper Magazine, Fall 2024

 

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When Duluth Cathedral, now known as Marshall School, began its first school year in 1904, the World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri, was in full swing. Among the new inventions on display were the X-ray machine, an electric dishwasher, and the first automobile capable of driving 40 miles per hour. The first baby incubator made its debut, unveiling an invention that would eventually save millions of lives, and Thomas Edison’s lightbulb stole the show as buildings throughout the fair were illuminated with electricity. Throughout the exposition, little treasures delighted—like the ice cream cone, which had been crafted into existence just a few years earlier.

The world was changing.

Since that opening year, our school has been preparing students for a changing world, and our educators and staff have done a masterful job. Our Hilltopper alumni are leaders; they are doctors, lawyers, Olympians, and inventors. They are judges, members of Congress, entrepreneurs, and CEOs. They are artists, authors, professors, and professional baseball players. They are community members, volunteers, and world travelers. They are teachers and lifelong learners. Marshall and Cathedral graduates have gone on to do the amazing things this school prepared them to do.

As I embark on my first year as head, I am grateful for the opportunity to get to know each of you better and hear stories about all the good Marshall School has done over the past 120 years. It’s an honor. Each conversation uncovers another achievement and reason to be excited.

When I set out from Delaware to find a school to lead, I knew I was searching for a community that shared my idea of what great education could be. I sought a school with high standards, educators with a strong perspective on exceptional teaching, and hearts filled with kindness and compassion. I desired a school in which my children could thrive, and where they would later become proud alumni.

Any school saved from closure, the way Duluth Cathedral was when it became Marshall School, might be different, but this school is unique even among its peers. There is an uncommon bond with a local community that willed an independent school through tough times and into health. There is an uncommon commitment to character, joy, and giving back. This school is a part of Duluth’s story, and has set a standard in education in the Twin Ports for 120 years. Under my watch, we will continue to lead.

I am excited for what’s ahead for Marshall School, and for new beginnings in the next 120 years. Most of all, I am grateful that we will get to write Marshall’s next chapter together.

Anthony Pisapia
M.S. Ed. Head of School
Marshall Parent ’25, ’27, ’31