At the start of each school year, Head of School Than Healy shares a story with our students about a teacher who shaped him. He says, “I define ‘teacher’ broadly to convey to them that teachers are everywhere throughout one’s life.” This year, at the Back-to-School Assembly in August, he introduced them to Bill Ruckelshaus.

“Many of you may have never heard of Bill. I came to know him as a grandparent at my last school, and his life story—shaped by discipline, values, and virtue—offers lessons for us all.”

Bill grew up in Indiana, the son of a prominent lawyer. His father was deeply religious, held himself and his family to high standards, and modeled what it meant to live by one’s values. Bill often spoke about the lasting influence of his father.

After a solid Catholic school education, Bill went on to Princeton. He admitted to having too much fun as a freshman, returning home with low grades. His father’s solution, in 1953, was to pull him from college and enlist him in the army during the Korean War to teach him about discipline. Bill served two years, becoming a drill sergeant.

“He shared with me how this role of readying soldiers for combat helped him develop a deep sense of responsibility for others: if he didn’t prepare the men in his care properly, they could die,” Than said.

After the army, Bill returned to college with renewed focus, earned a law degree, and entered public service. He became the attorney general of Indiana, where he drafted the state’s Air Pollution Control Act in 1961. Soon after, he served in the Indiana State House of Representatives, became speaker, and was appointed Assistant Attorney General by President Richard Nixon in 1969. The following year, Nixon tapped him to become the first administrator of a new federal entity called the Environmental Protection Agency, a role he would serve a second time more than a decade later under President Ronald Regan. Bill helped found the agency’s mission, structure, and credibility, and led landmark actions that still shape U.S. environmental protection today. But perhaps the most defining moment in his career arose during a time when Nixon tasked him with something far less noble, during the Watergate scandal.

As the White House-led break-in and cover‑up shocked the country and news broke of the FBI’s involvement, the FBI Director was fired, and Bill, known for his integrity, was appointed as interim director. Two months later, Bill was appointed Deputy Attorney General of the United States. When the courts demanded Nixon release his Oval Office tapes, Nixon resisted. Desperate, Nixon then ordered his Attorney General, Elliot Richardson, to fire Archibald Cox, the special prosecutor investigating him. Richardson refused and resigned. When Nixon then gave the same order to Ruckelshaus, he also refused and resigned, a series of events that became known as the “Saturday Night Massacre.”

While Nixon eventually found someone to fire Cox, the sudden resignations and firing sparked public outrage. The truth eventually came out, and Nixon resigned before he could be impeached.

Why did Than decide to share Bill’s story with our students? “Because his actions exemplify what I feel is the most important attribute a leader can possess—moral courage: the willingness to act on one’s values regardless of difficulty or personal cost,” he said. “When I spoke with Bill about his decision, he insisted he hadn’t done anything particularly courageous; in fact, he considered it ‘the most obvious choice in the world.’ I think that’s the difference between bravery and courage: courage involves understanding the consequences of one’s actions and having the internal fortitude and spiritual calm to proceed anyway.”

“As our students go on to pursue leadership positions—as many already are through clubs, sports, student government, Mock Trial, or the Coat of Arms,” Than continued, “what I want them to know is this: having the courage to live your values, even when it’s hard, is the most essential quality of a leader. Without it, no other trait matters. Moral courage isn’t something you’re born with—it’s cultivated over time, through family, values, discipline, education, and the responsibilities we embrace.”

The moment that Bill chose not to follow President Nixon’s command, Than believes, was a lifetime in the making.

“Perhaps I am being too pessimistic, but I worry that we—and especially our children—don’t have enough examples of moral courage in our society today,” Than shared with students soberly. “In so many spheres of modern life—civic leadership across all political lines, popular culture, the news cycle, social media, and technology—examples of this are all too rare. And while that worries me for the present, I am even more worried about what that will mean for you: a generation of young people who are seeking models for how to live their lives.”

Than went on to explain that the responsibility falls to us to practice and model moral courage in our own community. It means living our values and standing up for what we believe in, even when it is uncomfortable, and regardless of the consequences.

Developing moral courage also requires us to examine, sharpen, and clarify our core values through dialogue with others. Experiences like last year’s discussions in the Upper School with Professor Sandel and the conversations our students are having in many of their classes are an important part of this, but we could do this even more with each other. Without such reflection and clarity, we may lack the conviction needed to stand firm.

In his closing remarks, Than shared with students that this work is easier said than done, yet essential to becoming the community we aspire to be and to helping them grow into the leaders we know they can become. He encouraged our entire Menlo community to reflect on what they value and to speak up when something feels wrong rather than remain silent and complicit. These small, daily acts build the moral courage our world so urgently needs, and create moments of impact that may last a lifetime.

“It is my resolve that we continue to cultivate these values here, shaping students into leaders and role models who will make a positive and lasting impact and carry these ideals forward,” said Than. “I know our community is up to this challenge, and I’m grateful for your partnership in this work.”