When Mac retired it provided him with time to pursue his interests in sundials. One of the earliest dials he created was a shadow plane dial painted on the basketball court at the Westminster West School. He also volunteered in Claire’s classroom to make sundials with the students.
Claire's Commemorative Sundial
When Claire decided to retire, Mac designed and coordinated the manufacture and installation of a large sculptural sundial at the Westminster West School to commemorate Claire’s 35+ years of teaching. The sundial is installed next to the school.
For more images of the development of the Claire’s Commemorative Sundial, see the Photo Galleries page.
Once Claire retired, she enjoyed traveling with Mac to the North American Sundial Society (NASS) Annual Conference, as well as going overseas to visit sundial designer and friend Tony Moss. The NASS Conference trips often included other members of our family. Molly attended the one in Toronto, Canada. Claire’s sister Judy, Alice and Hugh attended the Tenafly, NJ one. And probably the most memorable one for Claire was the 2007 gathering in McLean, VA, where Mac won the Sawyer Dialing Prize. Alice, Hugh and Claire’s grandson, Silas, got to spend time with Grandma seeing the sites in nearby Washington, DC while Mac attended the conference.
Here are some images from Mac and Claire’s sundial adventures.
Published in The Compendium: Volume 16, Number 3
Journal of the North American Sundial Society
In Memoriam: Claire Oglesby (1932-2009)
Claire Oglesby, beloved wife of NASS member (and frequent contributor to The Compendium) Mac Oglesby, passed away on August 5, 2009 after a long battle with cancer. Members who regularly attend the NASS conference will be familiar with Claire, who often accompanied Mac at the meetings. Before her retirement in 2001, Claire had taught first- and second-graders in a two-room schoolhouse in Vermont for nearly 40 years. She was named the Vermont Teacher of the Year in 1970 and was the subject of a documentary film The World In Claire’s Classroom. She received an honorary degree from Marlboro College and numerous awards, including one from the Anti-Defamation League because of her teaching about diversity. An event to celebrate Claire’s life was held on the campus of The Putney School and attracted 200 people. All the members of NASS send Mac and their daughters Alice and Molly our sincere sympathies.
Claire with garden in background.
Summers on Windmill Hill were full of gardens, kittens, dress up and many, many hours enjoying being outdoors. I think any day it was sunny, we were outside, reading, cooking out, wading in the brook, riding bikes, playing catch, exploring the woods,… the list goes on and on. We were fortunate to have both Mom and Dad home during the summer since, as teachers, they had summers off. I think I was in Junior High before I realized not everyone had parents that could be home ready with popsicles all summer. – Alice io
For more images of summer, see below.
Claire and Alice, June 1964.
My parents moved to Vermont in 1960. Dad built a log cabin using timber from the Windmill Hill land. (During construction they lived in a tar paper shack.) I was born in February 1964 and Molly Callisto in October 1965.
The cabin served as a favorite play space after we moved into the frame house Dad built behind the cabin.
– Alice io
For images from those early years, please see the Photo Galleries page.
Claire and Mac were married in NYC on January 27, 1956.
On their 50th Anniversary we enjoyed a terrific home cooked meal at Molly’s house and took this wonderful family photo.
– Alice
50th Anniversary dinner family photo: Hugh Munro, Alice, Claire, Mac, Molly, Claire Callisto, Silas, Judy Sutula, (front) Terry Holmes and Jody Sutula
Claire, Mac, Alice and Molly in front of Nova Scotia house. (September 1971)
In the early 1970s we spent summers in Nova Scotia, along the Bay of Fundy, Canada. It is a beautiful and rugged place with spectacular rocky beaches.
Novia Scotia beach. Foreground, Molly and Claire - background, Anne and Alice. (July 1972)
The sound when the tide came in was amazing as all those rocks were rolled around. I don’t recall doing much swimming, as the water was cold and rough, but I do remember hours upon hours of seeing what creatures lived in the tidal pools. – Alice
Alice, Claire and Molly in the woodshop of Westminster West School, 1970.
Claire’s excellence in teaching was, to my memory anyhow, first officially acknowledged when she became Vermont Teacher of the Year in 1970. Since then she has been honored many times including in a wonderful documentary made about her titled The World in Claire’s Classroom and in receiving a Honorary Master of Arts from Marlboro College.
“A teaching team from Boston termed Mrs. Oglesby’s school “one of the best in the New England area.”
– The Independent Press, Thursday, February 4, 1971
News clippings can be viewed by clicking on the thumbnails below. – Alice
News Clippings – click on images for slideshow and larger views
The Grammar School years are before my time (or memory I should say, as I was born during the years Mom and Dad worked there), but I did find a few images to post. I do know that working at the Grammar School was key to enabling my parents to move to Vermont.
For more images, visit the Photo Gallery page. – Alice
Christmas at the Grammar School (year?).
Grammar School Picnic (June 1964)
Family, Gatherings, Travel | alice September 10, 2009 | 
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