John Steinbeck and Eaglebrook
Eaglebrook School has many notable alumni whose accomplishments have been varied and significant. The relationships and connections of Eaglebrook alumni span the globe and reach well beyond the several thousand members of our living alumni community, effecting many, many others.
Recently Connecticut businessman, Peter Bjernestad, visited the Eaglebrook campus through a unique alumni connection. Peter is retracing the journey recorded in Travels with Charley by American literary giant, John Steinbeck. Steinbeck’s son, John Steinbeck IV, was a member of Eaglebrook’s class of 1962. In “Travels” Steinbeck, the father, writes of his visit to Eaglebrook to see his son.
Peter Bjernestad toured the campus and learned of the school’s history, including Steinbeck’s time here, from Stuart Chase, headmaster emeritus. Following his Eaglebrook visit, Peter went on to log another 1,900 miles in Steinbeck’s footsteps. Peter wrote to say, “I was impressed by the global atmosphere and the serenity of the campus. As a European educator, I was also very impressed by your facilities, the faculty and your scholastic philosophy and orientation. I am sure Steinbeck saw the same when he visited his son. After all, he had chosen Eaglebrook for his son’s education. The author’s remark in the book about the ‘effect Rocinante [Steinbeck’s homebuilt camper truck] had on two hundred teen-age prisoners settling down to serve their winter sentence’, is plainly typical Steinbeck humor, used to create a “literary contrast” to his own adventure, that he had just embarked upon.
Recently Connecticut businessman, Peter Bjernestad, visited the Eaglebrook campus through a unique alumni connection. Peter is retracing the journey recorded in Travels with Charley by American literary giant, John Steinbeck. Steinbeck’s son, John Steinbeck IV, was a member of Eaglebrook’s class of 1962. In “Travels” Steinbeck, the father, writes of his visit to Eaglebrook to see his son.
Peter Bjernestad toured the campus and learned of the school’s history, including Steinbeck’s time here, from Stuart Chase, headmaster emeritus. Following his Eaglebrook visit, Peter went on to log another 1,900 miles in Steinbeck’s footsteps. Peter wrote to say, “I was impressed by the global atmosphere and the serenity of the campus. As a European educator, I was also very impressed by your facilities, the faculty and your scholastic philosophy and orientation. I am sure Steinbeck saw the same when he visited his son. After all, he had chosen Eaglebrook for his son’s education. The author’s remark in the book about the ‘effect Rocinante [Steinbeck’s homebuilt camper truck] had on two hundred teen-age prisoners settling down to serve their winter sentence’, is plainly typical Steinbeck humor, used to create a “literary contrast” to his own adventure, that he had just embarked upon.
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