*Pictured above is current Gile Scholar Nick ’25 and his parents.
By: Jane McNulty
Brad Gile ’61 and his wife Hume are carrying on a family legacy of philanthropy. Gile, a four-year student from nearby Franklin, won the biology prize and was an active member of the World Affairs Club. Asked to describe himself as a student, he humbly replied, “I was an occasional visitor to the honor roll, but for the most part an average student.”
One of Gile’s favorite memories of his time at Tilton involved the school mascot. He recalled: “For a New Hampton football game, a couple of classmates and I managed to talk someone in the animal husbandry unit at UNH into lending us a real live ram to run up and down the sidelines during the game. The live mascot added a little extra color and excitement, but I don’t think he helped us win the game.”
After graduating from Wake Forest University, Gile went on to have a long and successful career in various positions in the financial world. He retired as CEO and Chair of the Board of the Community Bank & Trust based in Wolfeboro, NH.
Gile and his family have generational ties to Tilton School. His father, Alonzo Robertson Gile, graduated in 1923 and later served as the President of the Board of Trustees from 1957-1961. When he died in 1961, Gile’s mother Inza created a scholarship fund in Alonzo’s name and later donated the Gile Memorial Carillion (the chapel bells). Inza lived until she was 100 and, when she passed away in 2004, her memorial service was held at the Fred A. Smart Chapel.
So, it came as no surprise when Gile, who comes from a long line of community-minded and socially active individuals, continued the family legacy in 2009 by creating the Bradford W. Gile ’61 Scholarship Fund. The fund provides financial aid to deserving students from the local communities of Franklin, Tilton, and Northfield, who otherwise would be unable to attend Tilton School.
Since the creation of the fund, Hume and Brad have enjoyed getting to know their scholars and developing what they hope will be lasting relationships.
“We feel privileged to provide scholarship aid today students from the Franklin-Tilton area, where I was born and spent my youth,” said Gile. “We have had three four-year students graduate and are now beginning with a fourth student in his freshman year. It is really special and amazing to see these students, with Tilton’s guidance, develop intellectually and socially. Seeing these students attend and graduate from Tilton has brought us a wonderful sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.”
We are deeply grateful to the Gile family for creating a lasting legacy and for encouraging and inspiring our students along the way. While the financial benefits are enormous, it’s the human connection—the recognition of each scholar’s achievements and growth—that instills a sense of pride and accomplishment that they carry forward when they leave the Hill.
Thank you to Brad and Hume Gile for their extraordinary commitment to our students and for fueling philanthropy for the future.
“There are less than five weeks until I am officially a Tilton graduate, which was only possible because of you. I cannot say this enough, thank you so much for entrusting such a scholarship to me. I honestly don’t know or care to think about where I would be if I had not gone to Tilton. I have made so many new friends, experienced new sports, clubs, and much more because of your kindness.”
– Gile Scholarship recipient Cameron Shepard ’21 in a letter to Brad and Hume Gile