This past Friday evening, August 26, 2022, Lee Academy formally accepted the donation of a beautiful bronze statue of a young colt in memory of Lisa Harlow Chapman, a graduate of Lee Academy in 1974, the 4th year of Lee Academy’s existence. Her family members are Brennan Chapman, class of 2000; Mary Grace Bratchi Chapman, class of 2000 ; Camille Chapman Legg, class of 2004 and Lisa’s husband Ralph Chapman. Ralph, Camille and her daughter, Elizabeth Harlow Legg were with us Friday night.
In the words of Mr. Ralph Chapman: "We have placed this bronze statue in a place of prominence on our campus to serve us well, not only for the present, but for years to come. Lisa Chapman obtained the statue more than 20 years ago and it has been displayed at her pasture along with 19 other real horses of one type or the other, less than a mile from our campus. After she passed away in December 2019, all her horses were placed with families who would care for them - leaving this statue as the last. A good home and new family have been found.
If you look and reflect on the image of this beautiful young colt and see only a yearling horse captured in a bronze statue, you may not have seen all that Lisa saw. She saw, and her family saw, the SPIRIT, ENERGY, JOY, and INSPIRATION of and PERSEVERANCE of youth. You may see more.
As we look upon what we now have, please take with you today, wherever you are or wherever you go, it’s SPIRIT, JOY, ENERGY, PERSEVERANCE and INSPIRATION and maybe in some way it will help energize you as you face the future. We hope our students embrace these ideals now and forever. Lisa named it Spirit for a reason. Finally, we also want to thank Scotty Meredith and other Meredith Nowell staff for transporting and resetting our Colt in this new home."
We at Lee Academy are incredibly grateful and honored to remember Mrs. Lisa Chapman with such a beautiful gift given to the school. "Spirit" will surely be admired and enjoyed by all for many years to come!
