Former Headmaster Dr. Joe Cox passed away on October 8th after a long fight with dementia. He worked at Haverford for more than ten years, serving as Haverford’s eighth headmaster and proving himself a dedicated Ford.
Dr. Cox grew up in Massachusetts in a working-class family. During this time, his interest in poetry began to develop. Eventually, he served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War before getting promoted to Colonel. Once his three-decade army career ended, he chose to continue working despite the opportunities to retire, as he later became a tenured English professor at West Point.
At Haverford, Dr. Cox dedicated himself to the renewal of the school’s campus. Over the course of twelve years, he implemented the construction of a new athletic center, a new lower school, an expansion to the upper school, and finally an addition to Palmer House. These buildings have become pillars of everyday life for years of students.
Dr. Cox did not only further Haverford’s master plan, but he also built genuine relationships with everyone across the school’s three divisions, both students and teachers. Head of Middle School Dr. Jay Greytok noted that Dr. Cox dedicated himself to becoming a friend to all on campus.
“Dr. Cox knew everybody’s name, from the littlest kid to alums that had been part of the school for, you know, 50, 60 years… [He knew] the guys that are doing our grounds crew and our landscapers. He made a point to get to know everybody and help bring people together,” Dr. Greytok said. “He really wanted to take care of people.”
Dr. Cox enjoyed writing letters to students, sending birthday cards to kindergarteners, and giving out “Cox coins” to exceptional boys.
Not only was he a friend to each student, but he was also each student’s greatest advocate. Head of School Mr. Tyler Casertano believed that his dedication to convincing each boy that they belonged at Haverford remains one of his greatest strengths. He recalled the story of a struggling student who considered quitting Haverford and how Dr. Cox led him to stay.
“Dr. Cox found him and told him that not only did he believe in that boy’s ability to be successful, but that he was going to meet with him every day in his office to check in to make sure that he had done the things that day that he needed to do… to allow him to regain his confidence,” Mr. Casertano said.
Dr. Cox also established a close relationship with faculty. Middle school teacher Ms. Karen Suter recalls being invited to multiple faculty dinners at Dr. Cox’s home and enjoying food with colleagues from all divisions.
“[He got] everyone together in the winter…when the days were dark, [which] really helped the faculty come together,” Ms. Suter said.
Middle school history teacher Mr. John Suter also bonded with Dr. Cox by sharing stories about their service.
“He proudly served and had a lot of awards and was very proud of his accomplishments,” Mr. Suter said.
Dr. Cox’s military background was particularly notable. The colonel exemplified qualities like leadership and also showing a vulnerable side. Mr. Casertano stated that this is one of the qualities that he admires most about how Dr. Cox ran the school, and one that he tries to emulate.
“He was not afraid to be vulnerable, and I think he furthered a culture here in Haverford of vulnerability and authenticity. He made it okay to cry. He made it okay to be scared. He made it okay to be caring,” Mr. Casertano said.
Mr. Casertano also admired how Dr. Cox exemplified what it means to be a multifaceted member of the Haverford community.
“I think that Dr. Cox was able to represent service, leadership, intellectualism, sensitivity, and toughness through his unique combination of scholarship and military service. He was able to do it in an authentic way because of the life that he had led, both in the military and also as a poet and an educator,” Mr. Casertano said.
Arguably Dr. Cox’s most significant impact on student life is the implementation of the Honor Code. Inspired by the code of conduct that he committed to as a soldier and professor, Dr. Cox was able to agree with the student body on an Honor Code to be followed dutifully.
None of this is to say that Dr. Cox’s time as headmaster was without hardships. Notably, at the start of his tenure, a dip in the perception of boys’ schools hurt Haverford enrollment rates. Dr. Cox’s passion for boys’ education would not let the school fade away, however. He furthered involvement with the International Boys School Coalition, later hosting more than 200 schools from across the world in 2010. He also supported consulting school psychologist Dr. Michael Reichert’s research program Center for Studio Boys and Girls’ Lives, which researches gender in education. Combined with local campaigning that urged the benefits of an all-boys education, Dr. Cox was able to grow the school’s numbers.
“Joe was a ranger, a paratrooper, and a war veteran, but he wrote poetry, hugged other men unabashedly, and wept in public sometimes.”
Former English and history teacher Dr. William D. Ehrhart
Dr. Cox retired from his position in 2013, yet his impact on Haverford is still readily apparent. For one, the Joseph T. Cox Leadership Scholarship Fund, established after his departure, continues to provide necessary scholarships to those with demonstrated financial needs. More apparent, however, is the Joseph T. Cox Servant Leadership Symposium, a program that has brought former NFL players, authors, and documentary producers to Haverford and provides students with a new perspective on how others live their lives in the hopes of making them more thoughtful global citizens.
Beyond this, Dr. Cox’s legacy continues to affect those at Haverford and those who have left. Notably, former English teacher Dr. W. D. Ehrhart reflected upon his long relationship in his piece “A Most Unusual Man: Joseph T. Cox, 1946-2026” in Merion West, a publication run by Haverford alumni. Dr. Ehrhart described the effect Dr. Cox had on both the diversity of students and how they acted.
“Joe was a ranger, a paratrooper, and a war veteran, but he wrote poetry, hugged other men unabashedly, and wept in public sometimes,” Dr. Ehrhart wrote. “He made it safe for a football player or a wrestler to be up on stage in the spring musical singing and dancing or to enter a painting in the student art show.”
Ultimately, Dr. Joe Cox was a remarkable man with an equally remarkable impact on those around him. In his fifteen years of service to our school, Dr. Cox showed that students can be leaders while still being vulnerable. He created an environment where students hold each other to high standards while still feeling supported.
To celebrate the life of Dr. Joe Cox, the school will host a memorial service on Monday, November 16th, at 2 p.m. in Centennial Hall.