After losing a beloved member of the Archmere community, many people have spoken about their relationship with Mr. Terry Newitt and how he affected their lives. Mr. Newitt, a teacher of many art classes at Archmere for many years, recently passed away and left a lot of life lessons with the people he impacted. Mrs. Silverman revealed in an interview her relationship with Mr. Newitt and shared a few words on his lasting memory and impact on her life.
To start, Mr. Newitt was an art teacher at Archmere for 39 years. He not only taught classes but he also did many day-to-day acts that stood out to many faculty and students. He worked many extra hours and even opened the art studio to students on Saturdays. Many teachers claim that Mr. Newitt always fully immersed himself in every project and was always willing and eager to bring his artistic genius to the standard academic side of the school. According to Madame Thiel’s tribute to Mr. Newitt, “Terry was a believer in the balance of the educational ecosystem: that an institution most thrives when it allows room for every individual to be their quirky, authentic selves, all while advancing the shared mission and values.”
Mrs. Silverman, Archmere’s Art Department Chair, spoke strongly of her relationship with Mr. Newitt and his effect on her life. Their story started when she first attended Archmere for high school. She claims she immediately felt the impact of his extraordinary teaching style and commitment to the growth of his students. She recounts on her first class with him as “electrifying” and a “sense of belonging”. He was able to see her talent early on, and he ultimately influenced her to pursue her art abilities to the fullest and to unleash her true talent. She remembers a time when Mr. Newitt drove all the way to New York City to make sure one of her award winning pieces was honored to its fullest potential. He also helped her put together her portfolio, apply to one of the top art schools in the country, and eventually guided her into the art education program at Archmere. She claims that his method of teaching and understanding that the “heart and hand and soul are wedded together in the creative process” lasted with her and still guides her teaching today. He believed in “looking for magic of every day”, which, for him, often ended up being in art. His teaching of the non-mechanical sense of art impacted many people’s lives as his methodology followed him outside the classroom and into every project he took on. His effort and spirit lasted with anyone who interacted with him, and his memory will forever be remembered as a large part of the Archmere community.
