Cab Calloway School Community,
It’s with a heavy heart to share that Mrs. Cabella Calloway Langsam, the daughter of Cab Calloway passed away this week. Cabella was very close to the school; she spent a great deal of time working with Julie Rumschlag during the earlier years here at Cab Calloway School of the Arts. She often came to the school to share about her father – speaking to new students about his legacy; she received the second honorary diploma at high school graduation in the year 2001.
(Her mom, Nuffie Calloway received the first honorary diploma at our first high school graduation in 2000.) Cabella often attended both the 8th grade ceremony and the high school graduations and presented the Calloway medals to the students who were chosen for this award. It was because of Cabella that the school was named for her father. She had a very close connection with our school and some of the founding members when the school opened. She served as the first President of the Cab Calloway School Fund. She was also instrumental in the foundation of the school, along with several of the original teachers (Linda Emerick and Richard Hanel).
Cabella hosted several staff gatherings at her home in Hockessin for us (the Cab staff). She and her husband, Andy, opened their home to us often. She shared her photo collection of her father – which are all the images that are all around the school. In addition, that entire collection of early history (newspaper clippings, etc.) of the school that hangs in the lobby along the theater wall belonged to her. She passed it on to us when she moved out west.
There are so many other ways she supported the school community – the Cab Calloway Foundation (not the Cab Calloway School Fund) , in the early years funded the piano program. Cab was an important part of her life, and the success of the school was of utmost importance to her.
We will have a brief moment of silence this afternoon during activity period with a reading of the above and will plan to celebrate her legacy during our end of the year ceremonies. Students will remain in their classrooms during this time. The thought regarding this timing is to not start the day with any news regarding a loss a love one with sensitivity to our students who may be experiencing grief around this time.
Thank you for your attention to this email.
Dean Bolden