Sesquicentennial Gala Celebrates 150 Years of Tabor Memories
Sesquicentennial Gala Celebrates 150 Years of Tabor Memories
It was a beautiful night for laughter, camaraderie, and joyful nostalgia as nearly 500 alumni, faculty, staff, administrators, families, and friends gathered to share stories and memories celebrating Tabor Academy’s 150th anniversary at the historic SoWa Power Station in Boston, MA.
From June 2025 through June 2026, Tabor Academy is celebrating its Sesquicentennial—150 years of bridging tradition and innovation and inspiring generations of students to lead with purpose and make waves in the world.
Head of School Tony Jaccaci P'23, opened the evening by remarking, “This year, we bear witness to the evolution of a school that has touched many of our lives in countless ways. Elizabeth Taber hoped that her small school in Marion village would develop over time, not only to meet the needs of the community, but also to extend ‘a liberal education to the youth of all portions of the country.’ Tonight, we celebrate the realization of Mrs. Taber's dream. Together, we continue to extend the capacity for Tabor to provide opportunity to the widest portion of individuals possible and to continue preparing students to connect, serve, and lead us all into a future filled with promise.”
The event was truly a night to remember and the result of a year of planning, organizing, and collaborating across campus. Rachael Beare, Director of Institutional Strategy, praises the efforts of all who contributed to the event’s success, “We’ve put a year of planning into this event and owe sincere thanks to the event co-chairs, Sarah Pladsen, Alumni Engagement & Giving Officer and Regina Shakin P'15, '17, '19, Chair of Tabor’s Board of Trustees. This evening was designed to be a celebration of 150 years of Tabor Academy, honoring our history, enjoying our present, and welcoming our future. While we may not all know each other, we all share a love for Tabor and for its ability to chart new pathways and change lives.”
Constructed between 1889 and 1891, the SoWa Power Station holds nearly as many decades of history within its walls as Tabor does. Originally the Central Power Station, the structure was constructed to service the West End Street Railway. At its inception, it was the largest power generation plant in the world powering the first unified urban transportation system in the country.
On Friday, October 3, the space was transformed into a living history of Tabor, with elements designed to connect attendees back to their time as students. Suspended from the ceiling were two 420 sailboats, a 4-person crew shell, and a chandelier with flags from the 76 nations and territories our students have called home. The walls were adorned with original posters from Tabor performing arts productions, the banner with the Tabor Seal that hangs at graduations, and a 150-year timeline of Tabor milestones. The tablescapes included centerpieces with “then and now” photographs reflecting throughlines from our past to our present, and student-made sailboats provided by our boat-building class.
In addition to dinner, dessert, and dancing to the music of East Coast Soul, attendees were encouraged to browse the collection of yearbooks representing the range of classes in attendance, 1960-2021, listen to Sounds of Tabor recordings of student musical performances in the mezzanine, challenge each other to games of cornhole, and enjoy a respite in the Adirondack chairs brought directly from our waterfront.
"The spirit in the room could not have been at a higher level and the pride and affection for the School by the Sea—and the irreplaceable experiences and accomplishments Tabor made possible—was palpable in everyone there," remarks former Head of School Jay Stroud P'96.
Along with the gala, Tabor has been celebrating the year with a number of events highlighting its 150th beginning with a Sesquicentennial Golf Fundraiser at The Kittansett Club in June, followed by the Sesquicentennial Tabor Neighbor Party in August. Spring Fest 150 will close out the academic year in May 2026.
All of the sesquicentennial celebration events have been made possible through generous donations as sponsorships including three Sesquicentennial Year sponsors: Carmine ’71 and Beth Martignetti, The Shakin Family, and Steve Sprague ’68 and Cathy Capasso. The gala in particular was also made possible by the generosity of Title Sponsor John ’78 and Cynthia Fish P’15, Gold Sponsor Clement Benenson ’00, and Bronze Sponsors Jennifer and Peter Francis P’14, ’16, HUB International, Saltonstall Architects, Sasaki Associates, Strada Education Foundation, and Webster Bank.
The unforgettable evening of dancing, dining, and camaraderie honored Tabor’s past, celebrated the present, and toasted to an exciting future. In her remarks, Regina Shakin, implored all gathered to, “Look around you. Tabor can be seen and felt in the student-propelled boats, in the flags flying from the 76 nations and territories our students have come from, in a historic timeline and the Adirondack chairs from the waterfront, through 150 years of memories reflected in photographs and yearbooks, with sounds of Tabor in the rotunda of the mezzanine, and most importantly through all of you. The people in this room and the warmth of the community they represent is what makes Tabor truly special.