The Follin Series

The Follin Series is an endowed program at Webb that brings speakers, performances and other programs to the school. The events are free and open to the public. As part of the series, guests meet with a group of students for discussion over lunch and visit classes in addition to the public presentation in Follin Chapel.

In observance of Webb's 150th Anniversary, three speakers were hosted during the fall semester. Included were Andrew Maraniss, Wayne White and Thompson Webb, great-grandson of Sawney Webb. Invited for the spring semester was Dr. John McCardell.

Andrew Maraniss

Andrew Maraniss
Oct. 9

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Andrew Maraniss, New York Times bestselling author of "Strong Inside,” an extensively researched biography of Perry Wallace, is first in the series. Wallace was the first African-American varsity scholarship athlete to play basketball in the Southeastern Conference, playing for Vanderbilt University. Maraniss introduced the book at Webb as a speaker in April 2019, and “Strong Inside” was selected as The Webb School’s all-school read in Summer 2019. In In addition to the presentation, he returns for classroom and small group discussions about the book.

"The book's themes of civil rights, the importance of education, and of course basketball should have wide appeal.” --Webb Library Director Hannah Little.

Wayne White

Wayne White
Oct. 10

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Artist and Puppeteer Wayne White returns to Webb on Oct. 9-11 for a presentation and to work with his friend Mike Quinn, Webb art teacher, and students in “Big Head Puppet” workshops to create puppets in time for the 43rd Annual Bell Buckle Webb Art and Craft Festival. In a previous visit, White led students in the creation of “Big Sawney” a giant Big Head Puppet featured in area parades for a number of years. White is an Emmy-award-winning set and puppet designer. His wife Mimi Pond, an American cartoonist, comics artist, illustrator, humorist and writer, accompanied him to Webb.

Thompson Webb III, great-grandson of Sawney Webb

Thompson Webb III
Great-grandson of Sawney Webb
Oct. 25

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Thompson Webb III, great-grandson of Webb founder, William R. “Sawney” Webb and “family historian,” will be speaking about his family’s independent school legacy in a talk entitled “Education: A Webb Family Tradition.” In addition to Bell Buckle, family members have founded schools in Knoxville, Tenn., and Claremont, Calif. Webb is a retired professor of Geological Sciences at Brown University. He combined his undergraduate studies in botany with a PhD in atmospheric sciences to study the changing climate since the last ice age, 21,000 years ago. He lives on 45 acres in Seekonk, Mass., where he and his wife Joan host farmers involved in Community-Sponsored Agriculture and where he serves as president of the Seekonk Land Conservation Trust. His topic will be “Education: A Webb Family Tradition.”

Dr. John McCardell

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Andrew Maraniss

Wayne White

Thompson Webb III, great-grandson of Sawney Webb

Dr. John McCardell

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