From Waman French, Headmaster of the Friends School of Atlanta
To the Board of Trustees: "Sally was a founding member of FSA's Board of Trustees, of which she was founding clerk, serving eight years in that pioneering role. For many who were present on FSA's opening day in 1991, Sally was our guiding light and mother to our school. Her vision and commitment to building a beloved school community, richly diverse and welcoming to all, guided our school's formative development over its first ten years, forming the strong foundation upon which our school stands today. Sally loved our school into being and kept it growing throughout her life, participating in school events and serving on school committees well after her tenure as Clerk of the Board of Trustees. Her husband and daughter, Aaron and Elaine Ruscetta, are a founding family of our school. Please join me in holding them in the Light as we remember Sally and and her passionate commitment to Quaker education and The Friends School of Atlanta."
And later to the community: "Today, during our Meeting an 8th grade student, Erik Nilsson, was first to rise and hold Aaron and Elaine in the Light and delivered the message of Sally's passing. The next message was delivered by a first grader was spoke about the importance of community and asked that we all take a moment and appreciate the beauty of our school. I know that Sally would have taken great joy in the spirit that was present and appreciated the continued care and nurturing you all provide our school and community everyday."
And later to the community: "Today, during our Meeting an 8th grade student, Erik Nilsson, was first to rise and hold Aaron and Elaine in the Light and delivered the message of Sally's passing. The next message was delivered by a first grader was spoke about the importance of community and asked that we all take a moment and appreciate the beauty of our school. I know that Sally would have taken great joy in the spirit that was present and appreciated the continued care and nurturing you all provide our school and community everyday."
From Elizabeth Kiss, President of Agnes Scott College
"As professor and chair of Classics, Professor MacEwen had an effervescent passion for ancient literature with a talent for revealing universal experiences and truths in classical texts. She regularly designed new courses, which employed relevant contrasts with ancient cultures to inform our understanding of the present, most recently creating a course titled “Racism (or not) in Antiquity.” In much of her teaching and publication she illuminated the startling parallels between ancient heroes and contemporary superheroes and how both reflect their audience’s values.
As many on campus will recall, she was particularly fond of a quotation from her career-defining book Superheroes and Greek Tragedy: Comparing Cultural Icons, a line which she would often include as the signature for her emails:
As many on campus will recall, she was particularly fond of a quotation from her career-defining book Superheroes and Greek Tragedy: Comparing Cultural Icons, a line which she would often include as the signature for her emails:
“Remember, heroes don’t always do what is heroic, and what is heroic isn’t defined by heroes, it’s defined by you.”
She was a consummate teacher and a beloved mentor to many, whether she was serving as a role model for a life lived with integrity and purpose, investing extra hours as an adviser and counselor, or introducing countless students to the joys of knitting. She was instrumental in founding The Friends School of Atlanta, guiding and nurturing the only Quaker school in Georgia to permanence with nearly a decade of service as clerk of the board of trustees. She was passionately devoted to issues of social justice, gender equality and non-violent conflict resolution, and her service to these causes contributed significantly to the diversity we now enjoy throughout the Agnes Scott community. A cheerful and devoted colleague and campus citizen, she also served Agnes Scott in countless other capacities, always bringing considerations of consensus process, diplomacy and patience to her collegial work, and always seeking to make her beloved college more inclusive, more just and more compassionate.