Mahatma Gandhi observed “that the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

 

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said: 
“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve," "You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."

 

In honor of Kate Cooper, we set aside our time and energy, to give ourselves in the service of others. But who is Kate Cooper and why do we consider her a Patron of Seabury Hall. Indeed, what does it mean to have a “patron”? 

 

We have patrons as benefactors, supporters, and friends of our school and other organizations. Sometimes their names will end up on buildings and plaques. Other times, they’ll work quietly behind the scenes, donating their time, talent, and treasure. In a more overtly “religious” sense, in the Episcopal Church we have Patron Saints—holy people who are recognized as offering something "sacred," i.e. "set apart;" 

 

At Seabury Hall, we have 

 

Patrons make it possible to have schools like Seabury Hall. In Kate Cooper’s case, it meant the founding of a new school that would grow from just a handful of students, to the community of over 500 students today.

Kate Cooper was passionate about students and their learning. She wanted to leave a legacy–something that would live on beyond her death–in a concrete way. So Kate Cooper gave her house and land to the Episcopal Church so that the church may established a good school to be well maintained and operated, and to forever be a place of teaching and learning.

So, Aunt Kate – as Kate Cooper was affectionately called – worked closely with Bishop Harry S. Kennedy, in the years before she died, to ensure that her desire for a school here on her property could be established.

 

The Harry S. Kennedy Citizenship Award, given to an outstanding graduating Seabury Student is one way that Bishop Kennedy is honored and recognised today, together with Kate Cooper. The Citizenship Award is so titled, as it exemplifies Bishop Kennedy’s service to the Pacific region and to Asia in the years following World War II. Seabury Hall is one example of that service.

Kate Cooper was passionate about students and their learning. She wanted to leave a legacy–something that would live on beyond her death–in a concrete way. Cooper House was Kate Cooper’s House. It’s an icon of Seabury Hall–we can’t, most likely, imagine our school without it. Today, it’s where Mrs. Madden has her office and where we sign out if we leave early. It’s home to the St. Paul’s Chapel and the dining hall alike.

 

Originally called, Maunalei – for the lei of cloud that often forms around the top of Haleakala – Cooper House was built in 1929 – it’s now 95 years old! Built by Dr. William Baldwin, Maunalei is one of the most historic buildings on Maui. 

 

Now, it’s the icon of our campus – a place, a space, that Kate Cooper gave us to ensure we would have a safe place to learn, a place where we could think and play, rest, and reflect – a place where, together, we could yearn to know more about the world and our place in it.

Kate Cooper’s gift of Cooper House and her property of Maunalei have left a legacy much bigger than one building, however. It is you – Seabury Students – who are the living, breathing legacy of Kate Cooper’s life. Together, you–our students–are the lifeblood of this campus. It is you, who make Seabury Hall, Seabury

 

Just for a moment, I want to pause and celebrate our CSL achievements once again. We’ve now reached the 10,000 hour milestone! This 2023-2024 school year so far, we've contributed to:

 

124 Organizations

1,842 separate engagements, for a total of

10,329 hours

 

May we let this achievement spur us on and carry us forward in our desire to give of ourselves for Maui and the world.