Dinosaurs and Mr. Duncan 

Mr. Duncan is undeniably an icon in the Gilman community. Apart from being a rigorous Spanish teacher known as “El Diablo,” he is also renowned for his prolonged tenure at the Gilman School. In fact, he confirmed that he has been teaching at Gilman for a total of 48 years, having taught some notable members of the Gilman faculty, including Mr. Jeff Gouline ‘00 and Mr. Matt Tully ‘02. In his Spanish classes, Mr. Duncan often references students' parents who were Gilman alumni, taking jabs at misbehaving students. Moments like this serve as a reminder of how long Mr. Duncan has shaped generations of Gilman students. 

Mr. Duncan currently holds the record for the longest teaching tenure in the Upper School, having arrived at Gilman in 1978 after being recruited by Headmaster Finney. The second closest teacher to Mr. Duncan's tenure who is still active in the Upper School is Gilman alumnus and former Athletic Director Mr. Holley ‘77, who arrived in Gilman as a teacher in the Spring of 1985 and has been teaching at Gilman for 38 years. Given his nearly half-century at Gilman and his habit of recalling former students, one can’t help but wonder how deep his roots in the community truly run. Is it really possible for Mr. Duncan to teach three generations of Gilman students?

Mr. Duncan is no stranger to teaching the children of his former students, with some recent examples being Jackson Clapp ‘28 and Luke Morelli ‘28. However, we wanted to find out the math behind the possibility of a Gilman Upper School teacher teaching three generations. Bill Merrick, a former 4th grade teacher, did achieve this feat, having taught for a total of 57 years. One can find his renowned ukulele photo near the stairwell leading to the language offices. 

After conducting an interview with Mr. Duncan and consulting with Mr. Andrew Robinson, Gilman’s Director of Alumni Relations, a few possible leads were established. Biff Poggi, Class of ‘79, who Mr. Duncan described as “a goofy kid,” and his son, Sam Poggi ‘07, attended Gilman. Biff is currently the interim head coach for the University of Michigan football team as of 2025. Sam graduated from Gilman in ‘07 and now has a son of his own in the lower school. However, the boy, Charlie Boyd ‘38, is actually the great-nephew of Biff, suggesting that, as of now, the Poggi’s are unable to have three direct generations taught by Mr. Duncan. 

There are many students who have achieved the two generation mark, but they all either have children too far off from the upper school or have since moved out of the Baltimore area. Mr. Duncan himself also plans on leaving Gilman within the next few years, hoping to reach the 50-year mark before he retires. Thus, it is not currently possible for Mr. Duncan to teach three generations of Gilman students.Regardless, his influence as a Gilman teacher will certainly impact many generations to come.