Fifty years ago, 89 students arrived in Lakeville and ushered in a new era of women and girls at Hotchkiss. Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, Hotchkiss will reflect on their inspiring legacy, pay tribute to the achievements of students who followed in their footsteps, and gratefully acknowledge all members of the Hotchkiss community who boldly helped steer the School forward.

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By Erin Reid P’01,’05

The Rev. Canon Lance Beizer ’56 has devoted his life to serving others through his work as a district attorney and his focus on helping children. He has also supported many organizations, including Hotchkiss, where he serves as chair of the Town Hill Society.

Reflecting on 50 years of coeducation at Hotchkiss, Beizer says, “The changes that have taken place over the years are wonderful. Resting on laurels is never appropriate. Times change, and schools must change with them. I am delighted that Hotchkiss seems anxious to do that.”

Though neither of his parents had the opportunity to attend college, they believed strongly in education. His father, at the time a Connecticut State Police sergeant, was stationed in Canaan, so they were familiar with Hotchkiss. “I had a keen interest in academics. My parents determined that if I was intellectually competent to do so, I would attend school at Hotchkiss, for which I was most grateful.”

Allan Hoey, instructor of classics, confirmed Beizer’s belief that the concerns of people in the ancient world and today’s world were not so different. “He was deeply influential, and I credit him with my lasting love of learning. Another strong influence was Carle Parsons, who instilled in me a lifelong determination to punctuate properly and generally to monitor grammar, both my own and that of others. Finally, Headmaster Thomas Chappell prompted me to incorporate in my life the mysteries of religious understanding and expression.”

Beizer received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Brandeis University. He then spent a year at Stanford studying law, followed by four years as a Navy officer. After receiving a master’s degree in English and spending time in a Ph.D. program at the University of California, San Diego, he became the coordinator of selective service affairs for the University of California system. 

“This re-engaged me in legal issues. I returned to law school at the University of San Diego while continuing to work at UCSD, where I became a counselor to students who were thinking of declaring themselves conscientious objectors. I discovered that I had an affinity for one-on-one discussions about law, morality, and methods for self-expression. That discovery became very important to me later when dealing with victims of sexual abuse, or later with children who were victims of abuse and or neglect.”

He spent 25 years as a deputy district attorney in the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office where he prosecuted a number of different crimes. “A focus at one point on prosecuting sexual abuse cases (often now referred to as being done within a special victims unit) led to a number of years in a small unit in the office that represented abused and neglected children. In both activities, I found that I was particularly adept at speaking with women and teens who were victims of sexual abuse.”

In 2002, Beizer retired to attend the Church Divinity School of the Pacific at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley and was ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in 2005. He subsequently served as a non-stipendiary canon-vicar at Trinity Cathedral in San Jose.

Beizer is an indefatigable volunteer. “I spent 20 years on the board of the Southwest YMCA in Saratoga, including three years as board chair and one as volunteer of the year.” While still in California, he was vice president of the Santa Clara County Child Abuse Commission, a member of the Santa Clara County Council of Churches, and a board member of the Canterbury Foundation of San Jose State University.

His volunteerism continued when he returned to Connecticut’s Northwest Corner in 2008. He has served as a priest at St. John's Episcopal Church in Salisbury, celebrating the Eucharist and presiding at baptisms, weddings, burials, and memorial services. For a number of years, he led services at the Noble Horizons and Geer Village senior communities.

Beizer and his wife, Ann, received the Housatonic Youth Service Bureau’s Donald T. Warner Award for their commitment to children and families in the seven towns that comprise the Region One School District. Sadly, Ann Beizer passed away on Nov. 13, 2024. 

“One of the most important drivers of my participation in community activities is the famous dictum from John Wesley: ‘Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.’”

When he was asked to join the Hotchkiss Board of Governors, he quickly accepted the opportunity. “This led to regular contact with the School I loved,” he said. Beizer has led several reunion memorial services, noting, “Taking some time to remember deceased classmates and faculty members is powerful and touching. That service was particularly meaningful to me because Chapel services while I was a student were themselves quite meaningful.”

As alumni chair of the Town Hill Society, Beizer also serves as an ex officio member of the Development Committee of the Board of Trustees. “I established a $1 million charitable remainder annuity trust for Hotchkiss. When asked to serve as chair, it seemed a natural fit, since I had already done what the Town Hill Society was set up to do.”

Beizer shares his thoughts on Hotchkiss: “Hotchkiss had a profound influence on my education and on my world view. I find its goals in today’s world not any different, but I also cherish the changes that the School has made. It is now coed and emphasizes the importance of a cooperative learning environment. I can only wish it was coeducational when I was a student. Hotchkiss is now a microcosm of the world, helping students to learn healthier ways of experiencing relationships.”