Even beyond his twenty years as headmaster, Bernier Mayo acted tirelessly to improve his beloved alma mater. And he toiled behind the scenes to strengthen St. Johnsbury.
My own early work to develop the town鈥檚 Catamount Arts organization - would have been harder without Bernier鈥檚 support. He provided the Academy鈥檚 Fuller Hall and partnered to produce annual Shakespeare performances for the region鈥檚 students. When we turned the town鈥檚 former post office building into an arts center, Bernier and his fabulous wife Jeanette helped clean up the place, co-signed a loan, and asked their friends to join them.
Bernier was an ardent conservative and proud Republican - and in 2003 Governor Douglas appointed him to serve in the Vermont State Senate. His views placed us on different sides of some issues - but it only mattered once, when we presented Joe Papp鈥檚 Vietnam-themed production of TRACERS, performed and directed by anti-war combat vets. I鈥檒l never forget the moment when I was paged while visiting the Smithsonian. Bernier was on the phone, agitated about comments by the play鈥檚 director, in the New Haven Register, saying that Headmaster Mayo advised his students to not attend their show.
鈥淚 had nothing to do with the article,鈥� I said, while standing by the Apollo 11 space capsule. 鈥淏ut did you tell the kids not to attend?鈥�
鈥淚 did,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut they ignored me and went anyway. So the theater troupe should thank me.鈥�
We met afterwards to clear the air and Bernier later hired me to teach screenwriting. While at the Academy, I had a self-described socialist eleventh grader who loved to spar with Bernier on politics. Bernier took great delight in their animated bouts - and privately confided to me that this young man was a favorite.
Bernier Mayo was an activist on behalf of his views - his cherished Academy - and his hometown. And he embodied an idea that I remember from acclaimed Italian film director, Francesco Rosi - that life is more complex than ideology.
Bernier鈥檚 life was indeed complex - and his impact on the people and places he loved will be long appreciated and remembered.
