The Blackfriar Chronicle - December 2013

“No I don’t have a hard copy of the paper due today, but I shared it...”

IS THERE A PEACE SIGN UNDER THIS MAN’S BEARD?

Mike Higgins ‘14 discusses some pros and many cons of Google Drive

Mr. Colameco is the December featured faculty member.

> EDITORIAL, PAGE 2

>

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A LEAD? Dr. Fry talks about the spring musical and audition process. > ARTS, PAGE 6

FRIAR LIFE, PAGE 3

BLACKFRIAR Chronicle

The

www.mpfriarslantern.COM

DECEMBER 2013

VOLUME 14, NUMBER 4

Mathematical Connections program highlights Statistics Dr. Lupinacci of Villanova University discussed fields that apply math and statistics concepts

Matthew Lanetti Managing editor

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a medical idiot, but I am able to see my math and stat help improve other people’s’ lives.”

a mont h, t he mathematically interested st udent s of Malvern meet in Duffy’s band room to hear notable mathematicians speak about their life work. Known as Mathematical Connections, this creation of Rev. Dr. Oechsle engages the curiosity of his many students.

It’s true. Dr. Lupinacci’s math has been a key component of the dynamic pharmaceutical industry. Without an advanced knowledge of biology, his work in designing and analyzing clinical trials is absolutely essential towards bringing new drugs to market.

T h is mont h, t he speaker was Dr. Lupinacci of V i l l a n ov a Un i v e r s it y Department of Mathematics and Statistics, a notable statistician who works with pharmaceutical companies to pioneer new drugs and bring them to market.

The world of medicine isn’t the only host these mathematical parasites have found, Dr. Lupinacci demonstrated how statisticians are employed by Google, anthropologists and archeologists, investors, and of course, the world of sports.

Dr. Lupinacci believes that not only are statistics quickly growing in applications and opportunities, but that statistics can be applied to every field of study in the modern world.

“Statistics are used everywhere; anywhere where data is collected there is a need to analyze the data. There is a need for people who can actually analyze the data.”

Lupinacci himself became involved in statistics through a childhood obsession with baseball stats. Years later, when he took a statistics course in school, he “fell in love with the world of statistics.”

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Malvernians in the snow Malvern Prepar atory School

Snow Days: Who Makes the Call?

The Chronicle chatted with Mr. Valyo about his role in the snow day process and what helps him make the big decisions.

Mike Higgins ‘14 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR

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looming threat of snow always brings big d iscussions to Malvern’s campus. You frequently hear questions like “How much snow are we going to get?” or “What do these weather people know anyway?” or even sometimes “Can we ice down the bus depot?”

Teachers and st udents make their own forecasts at 9th periods, sometimes with a nice pretzel wager going to the victor. Twitter blows up if luckily the verdict comes down before the night, although most of the he

time the ruling is made really early in the morning.

Before heading back to bed after seeing the words School Closed on the Malvern website, you may ask yourself, “How do we actually get a snow day?”

A lthough some people believe snow days are enacted by a wave of approval from Mr. Talbot’s lightsaber, the real Emperor in the hunt for a snow day is Mr. Valyo.

When winter weather is forecasted, Mr. Valyo wakes up around 4:45 A.M. and immediately goes online to check the

forecast and school closings on Channel 6 ABC. He then tunes his radio to KY W to see what schools have already made decisions on whether or not to open that day. The major school districts he reviews are Great Valley, West Chester, Downingtown, and Tredyffrin/ Easttown. If the majority of these school districts are closed, there is a great chance we also will have a snow day.

T he m a i n re a son for Malvern’s attent iveness to these districts is for bussing reasons. Due to a large amount of Malvern students coming from these areas, a lack of bussing

would prevent many of our students from getting to school on a specific day. Especially with a number of these students’ parents working, they would have no way of arriving at school if the major districts were closed.

Although transportation is probably the largest concern when considering a school closing, the ability for Malvern’s maintenance staff to get the campus ready is definitely the second largest dilemma. Once Mr. Valyo has finished checking the area schools, he calls Mr. Bruce Smith, the head of maintenance, to see if the staff > PAGE 6

Dr. Lupinacci presented statisticians almost as parasites: mathematicians who find their living inside the work of others.

“With a degree in statistics you can get a job in anything...I’m

Dr. Lupinacci encouraged anyone who is interested in statistics to take the AP class, as it is certainly valuable towards college. The AP Statistics test is increasing in popularity faster than any other math AP, as countless new high schools offer it each year. Dr. Lupinacci described what he called “an > PAGE 6

XC just does it Nike Regionals heat up as the ice melted and Friars dash for glory Joe DiSipio ‘14 EDITOR IN CHIEF

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days after gorging on turkey (or not), seven sleekly dressed Friars somehow found their way trotting to Bowdoin Park, New York for the race of a lifetime. wo

So maybe our Friar runners drove there, but they definitely ran thousands of miles to make their way the Nike Northeast Regionals.

On November 30th, Blackfriar XC had a shot to make it to Oregon for the national meet.

As the sun rose on once frozen solid ground, the course turned dangerously muddy.

Our seven runners toed the line anxiously waiting for their moment. Jaxson and Josh Hoey, Billy McDevitt, Brendan Stec, Colin Wills, Ryan Doane, and Andrew Wilson. These were our warriors that day.

Through slickness and stumbles, the team finished 5th overall at the most competitive meet all year. Led by Jaxson Hoey’s 12th place finish (even after a momentary fall), Malvern’s Blackfriar XC took home an unprecedented and impressive finish.

DAN FERRAIOLO

The Northeast regional race was one of nine races for top notch teams around the states. The top two teams from each region > PAGE 4

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December 2013

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

EDITORIAL Editorial Board

Christian Service beyond the mandatory Editorial Board provides some holiday perspectives on how service should go beyond Christian Service weekends EDITORIAL BOARD

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service weekends have come and gone. Friars have traveled to Olde City to paint bowls alongside our brothers at the Bethesda Project, to Camden to better understand the life of the poor, and to the far reaches of Antarctica to understand the mysticism of MECO. he

Sometimes these weekends roll around with a sense of dread. Being away from your phone, TV, and computer for days at a time can seem tedious.

Beforehand, groans of “there’s no point of going” can be heard, but almost every year something different is heard when Malvernians return.

Looking back on his experiences, Anthony Abron, although being reluctant beforehand says, “Don’t come to judgements before you experience everything.”

The amazing thing is that the novel doesn’t end on those three weekends. As students trying to act in the spirit of Christ’s service to others, we have the calling to continue to let our light shine in other service opportunities.

As students, we are pushed to step outside our comfort zones, into the world of serving others. As Pope Francis has said, we need to “make a mess”, to listen to our Christian teachings and make a noticeable difference in the world.

The opportunities for service are endless. Here at Malvern we see it everywhere. Dr. Fry decorating St. Rita’s because of a previous lack of decorations is just one example. In this season of giving we had the opportunity to serve those afflicted or affected by HIV/ AIDS at the Best Nest Christmas party. Midnight Run approaches for seniors. On January 21, Malvern hosts Empty Bowls, another way to give back to the community that has treated us so well.

Over and over students laud the impeccable Christian service program we have here.

We start as freshmen, introduced to the idea of service. Then we dip our toes in the water by spending a night at St. Augustines. Junior year we truly immerse ourselves in a weekend -Matt Magargee ‘14 By the time students are seniors and they have of solidarity. We have a chance to truly under“seen it all” when it comes to what the Christian stand service through the junior service trips service program has to offer, they say things like and the spirit and understanding of service all Matt Magargee, “I’m glad its mandatory because it got me to reach culminates on your MECO weekends. Mr. Legner has orchestrated out.” Brendan Hallinan agrees, saying, “[The program is] living the program like a well-written novel, building the suspense to a the mission of a Catholic school.” magnificent crescendo.

“I’m glad it’s mandatory because it got me to reach out.”

There are so many opportunities, large and small, to do service at Malvern. Even the smallest gesture, holding the door or saying hello, can be an act of service. If we can perform just one small act of kindness a day in the spirit of Christmas, we will build a habit that lasts a lifetime. You have given three weekends already, Malvern. Yet we can (should) always give more, so continue to find service in the tiniest moments and the grandest gestures, and if we do that Christmas will really come every day.

OPINION

OPINION

Google Drive less than delightful How many times have you heard this “clever” line so far this year? “No I don’t have a hard copy of the paper due today, but I shared it with you.”

Mike Higgins ‘14 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR

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once said, “The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from the old ones.” All Mr. Ostick’s AP Economics scholars should know a thing or two by now about that British economist.

Although the purpose of this piece is not to discuss the father of modern macroeconomics, the quote is very applicable to what Malvern is facing right now. Google Drive. oh n M ay na r d K e y n e s

At the end of last school year, students and faculty were informed that our email and other systems would be switching over to Gmail and Google Drive. Like all other students, I followed the litany of instructions on how to transfer my x-drive files onto my allocated portion of the cloud. Now I had not used Google Drive very much prior to this conversion, so I was certainly not well versed in how the entire system worked. Summer soon began and Google Drive was not even an afterthought.

September rolled around and my senior year got under way. The first week of school on the new system was unbelievably confusing for me.

Teachers were sharing documents in numerous different folders while creating new separate folders, and I could not find anything. The fact that we

really did not have an assembly about the switch or even some sort of training on the system did not help matters at all. Like Keynes’ quote, Google Drive was ready for use, but I did not really want to get rid of my x-drive that I had since 6th grade.

a desktop or laptop during peak hours.

Now the shear number of these laptops allows any student to obtain one almost at any time of the day. Yet I think that Malvern went for quantity over quality in selection and purchase of these computers.

Holy Ghost stirs controversy with decision to fire homosexual teacher Holy Ghost Prep administration’s recent decision to fire a gay teacher raises questions Anthony Abron ‘14 opinion editor

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Ghost Preparator y School, in Bensalem, PA , has recently terminated the contract of a teacher because he applied for a marriage license in the State of New Jersey. The former teacher and alumnus of the school is gay and Holy Ghost officials say the reason for termination is that the teacher violated the school’s clause of upholding the values of the Catholic Church in his contract. oly

While there is a profusion of laptops As I’m sure you have sensed I am not the biggest Google and each one from what I understand is Drive fan. I think The fact that we fairly cheap in price, that there should did not have an have been a publiassembly about the the Chromebooks don’t cized support sysswitch or even some do anything except get tem in place to help sort of training on the Internet. The lack those struggling to of Microsoft programs the system did not adapt to the change help matters at all. makes life so much more difficult for me. over. Other than The fact that I can no t he spot t y way Google Drive operates, the programs longer open any type of Word docuthemselves are below average. Google ment or PowerPoint presentation in the majority of places on campus is Docs is mediocre compared to Word and compared with PowerPoint, absurd. I believe that a certain numGoogle Slides is horrendous. Google ber of the old Mac laptops should have Slides is a completely watered-down been kept, so the student could decide version of the Microsoft equivalent what he wants to use. and not only are tons of features missing, but my converted PowerPoint While I’m sure there are a few presentations almost never work on upsides to the new Google platform Google Drive. that I am overlooking, I still think that this change was forced on us too The new Chromebooks that are quickly with no overlap time to learn all over campus also have several pros the new system. No large transition is and cons. The one real positive that ever that smooth and there will always comes to mind with the purchase of be those for the change and those these laptops is when you go to the fighting against it. Just in the meanLearning Commons you are never left time please don’t share any documents without access to a computer. Last year with me. I prefer Microsoft Word. in the library, it was really tough to get

Mr. Michael Griffin, a teacher of Spanish and French, has worked at Holy Ghost for the past 12 years.

He devoted himself to the school and towards the students. Former students report that he was a nice guy. In a day when teachers are scarce as they come, why are we firing someone because their lifestyle is different?

There appears to be a difference in the eyes of the religious about what is considered “sensitive” in the Catholic Church. Many Catholics have political and personal opinions that differ from the Church’s doctrine. Some Catholics believe that workers should not have a right to organize. Some Catholics

believe that women should hold clergy roles. Some Catholics get married on a beach or in a garden, instead of in a Church.

Fr. Chris Drennen posed the question, “How do you pick and choose what doctrines you hold onto?”

Drennen said, “The challenge for Holy Ghost Prep is what if they find out a straight person is living with their partner before marriage? It’s just as serious of an offense against the Church.”

We need to apply this standard to the whole entire faith community.

If one is going to be singled out and fired for not following one tenet of the Church, every person’s history who works at an institution should be examined. Application of the same standard to all teachings is of the utmost importance when it comes to faith and teaching at a religiously affiliated institution.

From the conversation with Fr. Drennen, the idea that Malvern is different in how we would approach the issue was apparent.

“Mr. Talbot has said that he wants a diverse faculty and staff, including > PAGE 7

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

December 2013

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FRIAR LIFE STUDENT of the issue

FACULTY of the issue

Student of the Issue: Faculty of the Issue: Luke Bushner ‘14 Mr. Robert Colameco Andrew Stetser ‘15 CONTRIBUTOR

Brian Tatlow ‘14 EDITOR IN CHIEF

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Chronicle had the opportunity to sit down with Luke Bushner, a student who truly illustrates the true Malvern spirit. Luke is the captain of the Varsity Water Polo and Swim teams, a MECO leader, and the president of the National Honor Society, and we had the chance to hear more about everything he does to make Malvern a better place. he

1. Tell me a little about your background. Where are you from and what schools have you previously attended?

Well, I was born and raised in Narberth Pennsylvania. It’s a great little town to grow up in. From Kindergarten through 8th grade I attended Waldron Mercy Academy.

Then, after 8th grade I came to Malvern.

2. You are involved in a plethora of activities here at Malvern. Tell me a little about what you do and what interests you.

Ever since I was a child I was always really passionate about learning, especially science and nature. So those interests have stayed with me throughout my life so far. That motivates me to participate in activities such as the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Mathletes, and other academic based activities.

Coming into Malvern, I thought I would be a football/baseball kind of guy, but for some reason I decided to swim freshman year and ever since then I’ve been a water sport kind of guy.

3. As captain of two sports teams (water polo and swimming) you spend a lot of your free time in the pool. How long have you been swimming and why do you love it so much?

I began swimming in about 5th or 6th grade, just swimming in the summer. I swam for Waldron but it wasn’t that serious. So when I swam freshman year I was at a serious disadvantage from the other swimmers, as I barely had any serious experience or training. I used to not be able to complete certain sets or make certain intervals, but I just had to do my best.

At the end of the season, my times improved immensely, and I realized how hard work could pay off in the sport. Then I decided to play Water polo the next year, and came to love that sport as well.

LUke, welcoming Brian Tatlow

4. The swim team is off to a great start and the water polo team celebrated it’s first ever Inter-Ac championship. What contributed to this success?

Yes, the swim team is off to a great start. Last year we had our best finish ever, going undefeated and placing second at Easterns. This year we could even top our performance last year, and we have a shot at the 1st place spot. The recent success can be attributed to the immense work that everyone has put in throughout the last few years. Its a process, and its a lot of hard work; the success didn’t just happen. The returning seniors and juniors have put in a lot of work training these past few years, and with the talent of the sophomores and freshman we have the most depth and speed we have ever had. The same goes with water polo.

The hard work of past seasons just seemed to culminate this year in our first ever championship.

5. Do you enjoy reading and if so tell me about something great you have read recently?

Yes I love reading! I don’t have much time to during the school year, but during the summer and breaks I read a lot more. I read a lot of Michael Crichton, Stephen King, and Dean Koontz. I recently read Crichton’s latest book Micro which was finished posthumously. The scientific ideas underlying much of his plots are really interesting.

6. What, in your opinion, has been your most significant thing you have accomplished at Malvern Prep?

There are a lot of things I have been really proud of throughout my Malvern career. I have had a great high school experience and I wouldn’t do anything differently. I couldn’t pick one thing in particular, but definitely my MECO leadership has been something that has been really important to me. It’s almost surreal that all the MECO weekends are over, but it has been an honor and such a privilege. 

surviving a year of Mrs. Gordon, many students go onto AP United States History in the hopes of scoring high on the test. However, about 114 years of unlearned history still stand in the way of the desired five. The man to take hold of the reins and lead the students to victory like the Allies in WW2 is Mr. Robert Colameco. Mr. Colameco was thrilled to offer his perspectives on Malvern, 21st Century Education, and his “political views” to the Black Friar Chronicle. fter

1. So how long have you been teaching at Malvern?

I’ve been here for twenty-nine years.

2. Have you seen Malvern change a lot since you’ve been here?

Oh yeah, in some ways it’s changed a lot and in some ways it’s changed very little. Probably the most obvious changes are the physical changes. The campus looks much different than it did when I came here.

3. You were here for the building of Duffy.

The O’Neill center didn’t exist; Carney Hall, the very building we’re sitting in didn’t exist, the Duffy Center didn’t exist; Stewart was just an old gymnasium that no one ever went into. Tolentine was where the middle school was. Austin Hall, where Mr. Talbot’s office is, was a rat-infested book depository. You didn’t go near that place. It was where they stored the books during the summer, and the rest of it was dilapidated. I was kind of waiting for it to fall down anyday.

4. Oh my gosh. When did they start renovating that?

Probably in the late eighties, early

nineties. I was never in the building before the renovation, but I can imagine what it looks like. When the renovation was done we all went in there and were astonished by how beautiful it was.

5. What do you think was the most anticipated build? Do you think it was Duffy?

I think it was actually this building, Carney Hall. At the time it was built, the school was in such desperate need for classrooms. Where the middle school is now, that was the whole upper school. There was one other little building, Dennis Hall, that wasn’t here for a while, but when they opened this building up, we were like, “Wow, we have all of this extra room.”

6. Changes seem to be a big thing here at Malvern nowadays. The biggest change is probably in education. How do you feel about 21st Century Education, and how do you feel you’re adapting to the change?

I think, first of all, 21st education is so new on our campus, because of Mr. Talbot, and it’s sort of looked at as kind of a new thing. The reality of it is that it’s not a new thing at all. When I first came here, back in 1985, some of the things we are doing now I was talking about back then. The administration wasn’t too interested on change back then, and we kind of got left by the wayside. So I am totally in favor; I think that the changes that are coming about are definitely much needed and long. As for my ability to adapt to them, I’m struggling with them. I will absolutely admit that. Even though I was in favor of them for all of these years, you shouldn’t interpret that as meaning that I’m necessarily good at them. Right now, I would have to be honest, I’m struggling with the changes.

The

BLACKFRIAR Chronicle

is a monthly student-run publication at Malvern Preparatory School. Its online affiliate is the Friar’s Lantern (www.mpfriarslantern.com). Editors’ meetings are every day 1 at 7:30 AM. Reporters’ meetings are every day 2 at 7:45 AM in Duffy 118, and are open to any interested student.

Mission Statement The Blackfriar Chronicle and The Friar’s Lantern are the student run publications of Malvern Prep. The principal goals of the publications are to provide accurate and relevant information to the Malvern community and to offer a forum for intelligent dialogue on all things Malvern. The reporting for these student publications is conducted thoroughly and edited by student leaders to ensure this accuracy to the best of our ability. In order to fairly provide all points of view, contributions from all members of the Malvern community are welcomed and encouraged through letters of opinion, student reporting, and respectful commentary.

7. Some teachers are having a hard time with the technology aspects or the “block-schedule” changes.

What do you think about all that?

Well the technology aspect is certainly challenging, especially for a lot of us older teachers, because we didn’t grow up with the stuff, so we always joke amongst ourselves and say, “If we ever have a question, just ask the kids.”

It is a struggle for us, but I think the role of technology is, by a large degree, blown out of proportion. You don’t have to use any technology and you can still do “student-centered education”. The Quakers, for instance, have been doing “student-centered education” for a hundred years, and they didn’t have any of this technology. So this technology, while it helps, and it has a role, and it’s important, I don’t think it’s an essential part of it.

8. Now you teach American history “Part 2” I guess you would say.

How did you get into that?

Well, when I first moved up to the upper school, I guess it was 1987, for many years I taught the freshman “World Cultures” course. But then I became the department head. And, at the time, there was a teacher who is no longer here, had a series of years where the students weren’t doing very well on the test. As the department head, I wasn’t very optimistic, and it was clear > PAGE 7 Editors in Chief Joe DiSipio ‘14 Brian Tatlow ‘14 Managing Editors Print: Dan McGlinn ‘14 Online: Matt Lanetti ‘15 Section Editors Friar Life Matt Magargee ‘14 Mike Higgins ‘14 Arts Billy Bevevino ‘14 Sports Brendan Hallinan ‘14

Media & Technology Open Beyond Malvern Jake Sorensen ‘15

Editorial Board Contributors Andrew Aprahmian ‘17

Contact: mpfriarslantern1@gmail.com

Opinion Anthony Abron ‘14

Justice Bennett ‘16

Tyler Pizzico ‘17 Andrew Stetser ‘15

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December 2013

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

SPORTS ATHLETE of the issue

Athlete of the Issue: Jake Anderson ‘14 Dual sport star Anderson talks football and wrestling Brendan Hallinan ‘14 Sports Editor

our way, we would have hands down won the match. There would have been no question, but luck was not in our hands that night. It was extremely emotional for all of us, and a huge blow to the enthusiasm of the team.

We recovered though and ended up placing higher than them in the team rankings at Nationals.

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n his

four years at Malvern, Jake Anderson has emerged as one of the top athletes in the school.

Since sophomore year, he has been a key member of the varsity football and wrestling team. Anderson was an integral part of the Inter Ac champion football team this year and was awarded 2nd team All Inter Ac as linebacker for the second straight year.

Last year in wrestling, Anderson led the team to its most successful season in years. The team came in second after losing a heartbreaking match at Germantown Academy on the last day of the season. This season as captain, Anderson looks to lead his squad to its first Inter Ac championship. He recently placed 7th at the Ironman Wrestling tournament in Ohio.

But sports aren’t everything for Anderson. He maintains a 4.0 GPA with rigorous classes and also sings for the Liturgical Choir.

I had the privilege of talking to Anderson about his athletic career and his plans for the next four years.

1. How was the football team able to bounce back from a disappointing season last year and come back to win the Inter Ac this year? What role did you play on the team?

The team morale has changed so much from last year to this year and I think that has been the main contributing factor to this years success.

The seniors, juniors, sophomores, and coaches, are all one big family, and we all work hard day in and day out for the same goal. Last year there was a lot of talent on the team, but not enough emotion. This year we had just as much talent, if not more, but this time we had heart as well. I had some tough injuries and illnesses throughout this season, but was able to start in every game but one at linebacker. I was one of the leading tacklers sackers, and fumble causers, on the team.

More importantly than my actions on the field, I brought the team closer together with a positive attitude and a strong work ethic.

2. Over the last three years on varsity, what game or memory sticks out to you?

The Haverford game from this season 2013 really sticks out for me because it was a real eye opener for me and the team and it really changed the season around for us. That was

Tim Anderson

clearly the low point in the season for us, and we were able to recognize that just going through the motions was not going to be enough to win the Inter-Ac. We decided as a team, to do whatever it takes to win out from that point on. We really flipped a switch mentally as a team and were able to come back and tie the inter-ac and even better, go out with a win by beating our long time rivals, St. Joes.

3. How did it feel beating St. Joseph’s Prep, the Pennsylvania PIAA champions, this year in your final game?

Playing St. Joes for me was a pretty crazy game. I had to leave MECO early in the middle of the retreat to get back to Malvern for the game.

Besides the inconvenient time, the game itself was crazy too because I had a 101 fever at the time. I was pretty “out of it” and don’t remember much of what happened, but all I know is that we played our hearts out and left everything we had on the field. Right after we won the game everyone was celebrating and congratulating me and I was just thinking… “I need to sleep before I pass out”. As a team though we definitely deserved the win. We worked so hard all season and were fully ready to take on the acclaimed St. Joes. We came to play that night, and they were not ready to hang with Malvern Prep. There is no way to end a season than with a win over St. Joes.

4. Can you explain exactly what happened at the final match against Germantown last year in wrestling?

Going into Germantown’s gym that night we knew it was going to be a grudge match, but we were prepared to win. Our wreslters did outstanding jobs in their matches, but after a series of extremely questionable calls and outrageous decisions made by the referee, the match ended in a tie. After a shady meeting at the head table, it was declared that GA won the match based on “criteria”. If any one of the previous outrageous calls had gone

5. What are your expectations for the wrestling team this year?

After last years disappointing loss in the inter-ac we are ready to come back this year and fight hard.

Although the shot at the inter-Ac title is not as clear as last year, we still have a good chance at it. More importantly than the inter-ac though, I expect Malvern to be in the top 3 schools at States and hopefully in the top 5 schools at Nationals. These are lofty goals considering we graduated so many seniors last year, but I have confidence in my team this year.

6. I heard you were competing in a national wrestling meet this past week. How did you and the other Malvern wrestlers fare?

Yes I wrestled at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman Tournament this weekend.

This 32 man bracket tournament takes

place in Ohio and is easily one of the hardest tournaments in the midwest, if not the country. After only 4 days of practice, and 0 live matches this year, I had a surprisingly impressive season opener at Ironman by placing 7th!

One of only four Malvern wrestlers that were invited to ironman, I was the only Malvern placer. Hopefully next week I can place at Beast of the east, another huge east coast tournament.

7. What do you like better: wrestling or football?

It is a close call. It depends on the team chemistry, the coaches, and the school. I love football and wrestling so much it is hard to say which one I like more.

8. Are you looking to play both sports in college or will you stick with one? If so, what schools are you aiming to attend?

I hope to play football at Cornell, but if that does not work out, I would consider trying to walk on at the number one wrestling school in the country, Penn State. 

> CROSS COUNTRY, 1 automatically qualified for Oregon while the 3rd and 4th places from each region enter an at-large pool. Five of those are then selected to join the final race.

Malvern missed the cut by one place but the 5th place finish is impressive on its own.

All in all the cross country team continued to set records with one of the most impressive falls in memory.

The runners look to continue this success into the spring and winter track seasons, and beyond.

As senior captain Dan Ferraiolo told me, “Expect 7 Malvern runners on a plane to Oregon next year.” 

Wait, your sport isn’t represented?

That’s because we need sports reporters!

Reporters meetings every Day 2, Duffy 118

Basketball adds value to the winter season Basketball opens the season with comeback wins and challenging losses

MALVERN HOOPS TWITTER

Brendan O’Connor ‘15 Reporter

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a difficult season last year, expectations were tempered for the youthful basketball team, especially in the beginning of the year as they gained their footing under new coach John Harmatuk.

However, the team surprised many with a 49-46 comeback win in the opening game against Friends Central.

The Friars outscored Friends Central fter

17-9 in a fourth quarter surge led by sophomore Will Powers.

Another excellent second half came against Monsignor Bonner/ Archbishop Prendergast in a convincing 69-56 win. Joey Fitzpatrick played well, tallying 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 steals. Jack Doherty also contributed 11 points.

Despite another impressive performance by Joey Fitzpatrick, Malvern suffered its first loss in a 77-75 heartbreaker against Notre Dame High

School (Ithaca, NY). Chris Anderson was also a key contributor with 8 assists.

The Friars lost their next game against rival St. Joe’s Prep, losing 66-36. The team continued its losing streak against nationally ranked Saint Benedict’s.

The Friars’ next two games feature The Phelps School and Devon Prep on December 19th and 22nd. Inter-Ac play begins with Penn Charter January 4th. 

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

December 2013

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ARTS Band Concert features solo and ensemble performances

Artist of the issue

Artist of the Issue: Brett Biscoll Highlighting the Best and Upcoming Artists and Musicians that Malvern has to offer!

Mike Stangis ‘14 REPORTER

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issue’s Artist of the month is senior and Impressions frontman Brett Biscoll, a true wordsmith. his

Jazz Ensemble Performance Mr. Colameco, Flikr

Jimmy Canuso ‘17 REPORTER

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Winter Arts Fest ival Band Concert on Thursday, December 12 featured the Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Improvisation, Drum Line, as well as the Middle School Jazz Ensemble. Mr. DelPizzo instructed all but the middle school, which was instructed by Mr. Springer. he

Along with the group performances, it is a tradition at Malvern for the band concerts to feature solo acts. This year, five soloists performed.

Senior Brendan Stec played an intricate piece from “A Charlie Brown’s Christmas” on piano. Steven Van Ommeren, a sophomore, performed “Clair de Lune.” Joe Canuso, a senior, played piano and sang the song “Your Song” by Elton John.

Junpei Li, a senior student from Beijing, blew away the crowd with a dynamic performance on the Chinese Flute. Finally, Rob DiCicco, a sophomore, had quite a unique performance, playing a Beethoven song on the bass guitar.

The Jazz Ensemble performance was definitely a success. The people featured with solos were Justin Coyle, who had multiple solos on the saxaphone, Joe Canuso, who had a great solo on the bass guitar, and JP Clark, who had a very melodic solo on the guitar.

In the Jazz Improvisation group, everyone had at least one solo. Brendan Stec had a couple of outstandingly fast and musical piano solos. Rob DiCicco had a very rhythmic solo on the bass guitar. Caleb Kao, Alex Mankowski, Tom Pero, and Mike Milliken each

had some jazzy solos on brass instruments. Mike Vermeil had a couple of face-melting solos on the guitar, and Jimmy Canuso had a nice solo on the guitar as well.

Drumline was a great success!

The members of drumline sound like pros, yet, according to Mr. Del Pizzo, “About 75% of the people in drumline have never even seen or touched a drumstick before.” Plus, drumline is not a class, but a homeroom, meaning, instead of practicing for 45 minutes a day, they only practice for 25.

The Middle School Jazz Band had a very great performance. The skills that they displayed were definitely beyond their ages. There are some great upcoming musicians into the Malvern Prep upper school. 

Chorus performs at Malvern Victorian Christmas celebration

1. What kind of poetry do you write and what type or style do you write in?

I suppose the types of poetry I write are emotional, with metaphors, allegories and symbols, or naturefocused. As for the style that I write in, I suppose I don’t really have a preference - I just choose the type to fit what I’m trying to express. Writing is very much about finding styles that work with each other than forcing them together. I can’t say I write limericks that often.

2. What led you to be fascinated with poetry and encouraged you to be involved in it?

This was a few years ago: in the bookshelf in my house was a big blue book of poems. And when I say ‘big’, I mean literally thousands of poems.

I spent a whole rainy day one summer going through and reading all the different types of poems in the book- it was cut up into sections like ‘nature’, ‘loss’ and ‘freedom’ so I would spend literally an hour on one subject. That was as good a way to entrench myself in poetry as I can think of.

3. As a kid were you a big Dr. Seuss fan?

As a kid? Is there anyone who wasn’t?

4. Who are some of your favorite poets whose works you really enjoy reading?

Hands down, I’d say that Ogden Nash is my favorite. He consistently

Biscoll

shows wit and humor, and has enough control over the language to do it in less than four lines. I think many people miss the fun that poetry can be, and Nash really embodies that aspect of the art. I guess that taste varies from person to person, but I prefer a lot of his clever, short and sharp works to a long, tedious elegy. He does have a few sad ones, like ‘Old Men’, though.

Two of my favorites are ‘The Camel’ and ‘The Octopus’.

5. Do you have any advice for aspiring poets here at Malvern?

I wouldn’t call myself a master of poetry, but I do know that there are two things every poet is bettered by doing; reading and writing. It’s pretty simple: like anything else, it helps to see the skill in action (read) and to practice it (write). Finding the time is tricky, but worth it. Also, you’ll find out what you like to write best, and when you know what you want to do, then actually doing it is a breeze.

6. Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers?

We have a poetry magazine at Malvern, Impressions. I’d love to have some more work for the issue, since we start putting it together shortly after we come back from break. So anyone with anything, feel welcome to submit it to the magazine!

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear Joe Canuso ‘14 REPORTER

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Friday December 6, the Malvern Men’s Chorus and the Notre Dame Women’s Chorale came together to spread Christmas cheer at the Malvern Bible Chapel as part of the Victorian Christmas Celebration. Under the direction of Mr. Liga and the accompaniment of Mrs. Miller, the group did two back-to-back performances and warmed the hearts of many. n

The weather that night was despicable. Both singers and guests fought cold, drenching, relentless rain on their way into the church, but that didn’t matter. The spirits were high and the voices were loud as the group sang their hearts out.

The groups performed some st a nda rds such as “ T he Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Here We Come A-Caroling.” The singers also performed the “Hallelujah Chorus,” at the start of which the entire audience stood up, which is

common when that song is played.

Solos included those of Shannon Cattie (‘14) and Anthony Abron (‘14) in “Joy to the World,” the closing piece. Jordan Pietrafitta (‘16) delighted the audience with her flute accompaniment in “Here We Come A-Caroling.”

It was a long night for all of the singers. By the end, there were plenty of fatigued voices, but it was truly an experience that the group enjoyed.  Choral Performers at winter arts festival Mr. Colameco, Flikr

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December 2013

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

ARTS

Dr. Fry offers audition insights Dr. Fry took a break from a busy audition schedule to talk West Side Story and what it takes to be a lead performer John McClatchy ‘17 REPORTER

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year, Malvern Prep, with cooperation from Villa Maria and Notre Dame, puts on three plays: a fall drama and a spring musical for the upper school, and a musical for the lower school.

During the past week, there have been auditions and callbacks for the upper school spring musical, West Side Story. At the head of all productions at Malvern is Dr. James Fry, Director of Student Life and the Malvern Theatre Society. v ery

features] a large ensemble cast, plenty of parts, and it’s got great music,” he notes. “It’s a story everyone can understand, and it is timeless, both in the relationships and the conflicts.”

For those of you who don’t know anything about West Side Story, Dr. Fry provided a teaser for the plot. “It parallels Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. There are two gangs, the Sharks, [who are] Puerto Ricans, and the Jets, [who are] American high school students. It takes place in the 1950’s, and there is a huge rivalry between the Puerto Ricans and the Americans.”

Dr. Fry has been involved in some aspect of theater production for 16 years. This is his 12th year at Malvern Prep, and his third year as Director of the Malvern Theater Society. When asked what drew him to Malvern, Dr. Fry said, “... what drew me here was how friendly everyone was, the feeling of community, [and] the high value the school has placed in education, both in the classroom and in a social component.”

Selecting the musical is not an easy decision, said Dr. Fry. “Those conversations started after the spring play ended last year. I make the final decision, but everyone can suggest their ideas. Everyone shares their opinions, and we talk about the pros and cons.

Conversations continue through the summer, and ideally, the season should be decided on by the end of the summer, though the royalty company can get in the way.”

Dr. Fry selected West Side Story for the Spring 2014 music. “[The play

What does it take to be selected for a lead role in a musical? Dr. Fry

Jake Sorensen ‘15 NEWS EDITOR

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Written by Cuarón, Gravity focuses on the space journey of Dr. Ryan Stone (portrayed by Sandra Bullock), a medical engineer who is on her first shuttle mission. While Dr. Stone and astronaut Matt Kowalsky (portrayed by George Clooney) are out on a routine space walk to maintain their shuttle, some high-speed space debris comes around and damages their space shuttle. As soon as they go back to reexamine the extent of the damage, they find that the shuttle is inoperable, everybody on board dead, and that they both cannot reach mission control down in Houston. With only Stone and Kowalsky left in this accident, the two must find a way back to earth.

said said he looks for, “someone who is hard working, someone who is able to sing the parts, and someone who is not afraid to jump in and face the challenges in producing Leonard Bernstein, [who is] a classic Broadway producer.”

“He/She also needs to embrace the character, and they need to have fun.”

For anyone interested in seeing the MTS production of West Side Story, the performance dates are the first two weekends in March. The cast will be announced prior to Malvern’s winter break. 

Devout members of our community have already said much about him.

Teachers like Mr. Boyce have praised him bringing a “new dynamic” to the modern church. Father Thom found his “genteel” demeanor commendable.

Fr. Flynn himself noted how Francis seems more “visible and transparent” than previous popes. As 2013 ends, Pope Francis hasn’t strayed far from these first impressions.

He’s managed to accomplish a lot so far, too. In October, he explained that he hoped to direct today’s Catholics away from the heavily politicized issues of abortion and same-sex marriage. Some major media outlets misinterpreted it as his OK on both, which deviates from Catholic doctrine.

Soon after that, Pope Francis was once again dominating the headlines, embracing a disfigured man, who “quivered… [and] felt great warmth” afterwards. Recently, he was seen sneaking out of the Vatican palace

The storyline of Gravity is extremely intriguing. Much of it is extremely unpredictable, and it allows the audience to stay on the edge of their seats throughout the entire movie.

Most of the movie is very straightforward and easy to understand. There are little to no flashbacks, dreams, or anything else to detract from the current action. However, at some points of the movie, there is a lot of talking and not much action. Other times, I found that there was too much action for the audience to understand what was going on. Despite this, the plot was very enjoyable. movieweb.com

One of the biggest things that this movie was praised for was the use of special effects, as well as the accuracy of the events that were portrayed. Every single detail was carefully considered and throughout. From the layout and appearance of the space shuttle all the way to the sound of the drills in space, all aspects of the film are extremely accurate. Not only that, the utilization of 3D effects enhanced the movie even further. While some movies use 3D poorly or not as much as they should, Gravity makes full use of it. Everything from space debris to floating helmets is portrayed well, and

you hadn’t already heard, Pope Francis has been named “TIME Person of the Year,” beating Edward Snowden, the man who first leaked questionable practices of the NSA. Pope Francis, who succeeded the retiring Pope Benedict, has been well received by the Malvern community - and the rest of the world. With a humble backstory and a goal of revising the image of the modern Church, it’s not difficult to see why.

late in the night to care for the homeless. There seems to be no end to his charity.

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Alfonso Cuarón’s latest science fiction film does not disappoint

ovies that take place in outer space are often a mixed bag. On one hand, some of the best movies are ones that take place in space. Movies such as Wall-E and 2001: A Space Odyssey have been hailed as works of art. However, with the amount of movies out that have to do with outer space, it is sometimes considered an overused and almost cliche subject. I am glad to say that Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity breaks any and all negative perceptions of space movies.

Pope Francis: Person of the Year Roman Catholic leader named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year

Gravity features unpredictable plot, outstanding special effects Christopher Bunn ‘16 REPORTER

NEWS

really adds to the experience. Many scenes of space in the movie were very believable and a sight to behold. It is obvious that Cuarón has worked very closely with special effects to ensure that every detail is portrayed perfectly.

Overall, the hype that has been around Gravity is very true. While the plotline was nothing to sneeze at, the careful attention and care that Cuarón has taken to produce is evident. The movie itself is a pleasure to behold, and many of the scene was visually stunning. It is definitely worth the time to see this movie. 

Interestingly, TIME magazine isn’t the only magazine to award this annual title. The Advocate, a U.S. based LGBT-themed magazine, has honored Pope Francis for his “stark change in rhetoric from his predecessors.” One Pope Francis quote the editors of the magazine adored was, “If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?”

The Advocate’s editors also cited this Pope Francis quote, from an interview in America magazine: “A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality.

I replied with another question: ‘Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?’ We must always consider the person.” ope Francis has become famed to many now, and it isn’t hard to see way. He has appealed both sides of the spectrum with his words and actions. He lived a humble life before his papacy, and it seems he will continue that lifestyle in it. The Catholic Church’s new Pope wants to bring more of all diverities of people to Christ. We can already tell he’s off to a great start. 

> MATH CONNECTIONS, 1

> SNOW DAY, 1

explosion in stat”, a huge boom of students taking statistics courses across America. But still, this is nowhere near enough potential workers to fill the many statistics careers in our world.

could have Malvern plowed and ready to be open on time.

D e c e m b e r ’s M a t h e m a t i c a l Connections was on statistics, but the field of study changes with each month. The upcoming year is filled with a diversity of speakers: astronomers, pilots, as well as physicists will soon be visiting. If you’re interested in attending, just send an email to Dr. J at joechsle@malvernprep.org. 

If all the signals point to a day off or a 2-hour delay the next part of the plan goes into effect. Mr. Valyo calls Mr. LeStrange who sends out the mass text messages with the alert. Then the news is posted on the website, and Mr. Valyo calls the TV and radio stations to inform them of the decision.

When he was president, Mr. Stewart held this position for decades.

Last year Fr. Flynn was the one making the call, but now the responsibility is up to Mr. Valyo as Assistant Head of School.

The next time you are considering that crucial decision, “Should I really do all my homework and study for that big Econ test tomorrow?” be extra courteous to Mr. Valyo around campus. We might just get a snow day out of it. 

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

December 2013

> HOLY GHOST PREP, 2

PARTING PERSPECTIVES

Coming home from Camden Some perspectives on Urban Challenge 2013 Jake Sorensen ‘15 News Editor

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it was only a few weeks ago, I am more than confident in saying that I’ll remember what happened in Urban Challenge for the rest of my life. And I can honestly say that I had no previous hopes of expecting me to come home with such thoughts. Last year at Old St. Augustine’s, where we slept overnight on the floor of a church’s basement, I left with mixed feelings; I was happy with how much we bonded in a day, yet I was disappointed with the service we attempted there. Camden was nothing like that, all. hough

I remember a few months before of what I thought it was going to be like. I’ve heard all of the horror stories, like how having a phone guarantees your mugging and how the compound we stayed on had fences lined with needles. This didn’t help my anxiety towards communal living, either.

For once in my life I had to make my own food and clean my own dishes, and sleep in an extremely creaky and uncomfortable bed for three long nights. Only the bed, however, was something I barely got through.

Probably the most enlightening

thing about the trip was how much I enjoyed communal living. Long story short, everyone played a part in making our weekend the weekend a good one. Nobody skimped on the clean up, and I can’t recall anyone complaining about the restrictions either. Since the people who worked at the Romero center didn’t have a hard time with us, we were awarded the title of “best group”. All in all, I had a great time in the center itself, which I something I didn’t really expect. That didn’t stop the beds from being terrible though.

Since we’re there for two whole days, we go out in small groups to various service sites. For service, I looked for a new experience, so I opted to go the MLK Jr. Day Care. In hindsight, it was a fantastic idea. The toddlers there were so adorable. One 3 year old, Raven, started playing with the zipper on my jacket… which I let her pull up and down for the next five minutes, since I didn’t mind it. We did leave the site remembering one cruel fact however: only 49% of those kids will graduate, thanks to the poor education system of Camden.

The second site I want to was actually on the outskirts of Philly.

The Inglis House was a unique hospital where all of the patients were

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in wheelchairs. There were only 300 people being cared for, but each and every room was set up specifically for their needs. While quite a few were mentally impaired, there were still some people who were only unable to walk. For the whole time, we stayed in a sort of “living room” that had shuffle boarding, loads of board games, and some cards. While we played these games for six hours, I listened to what many of them had to say, with their stories ranging from how enjoyable speeding around on an automatic wheelchair is, to creating incredible paintings with only his mouth. I felt terrible seeing how many of them would be stuck here, but I’m certain that our visit really made their day.

I really had a unique and satisfying experience in Camden. Though it was pretty intimidating, I can say that it’s not as bad as it could seem.

The poverty there is shocking, and it’s certainly visible in a little “experiment” you carry out in the first day (which I don’t want to spoil for the Sophomores). It really taught me how better off I am, and I’m sure it has prepared me for what’ll be doing in the Summer. I am very happy with how it turned out, and I’m hoping that whoever does it next year will get as much out of it as I did. 

sexual orientation, and that’s been accepted by the Board. So I think we would be in a different situation,” said Fr. Drennen.

It must be said that Father Chris is not condoning the actions of Mr. Griffin. He emphasized that marriage is such a public act that a Catholic school had to say something. He also thought the school could have halted the teacher’s contract when they were in a civil union. A civil union is also a public show of love.

One would think that the Church should be happy with the man’s decision. He chose love and commitment to a partner over his career. Isn’t that what we look for in heterosexual marriage? People are people no matter what lifestyle they practice.

One of Griffin’s former students was quoted in the Huffington Post: “Being homosexual outside of the school does not affect a man’s ability to teach or a student’s ability to learn.”

If schools fires teachers because of their beliefs, is the next step expelling students because of theirs? There are some students who are pro-choice on campus, yet they love the Catholic education they are receiving. We have atheists on our campus who chose to go to Malvern over a public school, there must be a reason.

The bottom line is the that your personal beliefs or lifestyle should not matter when it comes to teaching a class. Two quotes that should have been the reaction to the news are by Pope Francis and one by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Who am I to judge?”

“We must learn to live together as brothers, or we will perish together as fools.”

Holy Ghost, your peers are watching you. 

Happy Holidays from the Black Friar Chronicle!

Make it a New Year’s Resolution to write for your school paper in 2014.

Reporters meetings every Day 2, beginning Thursday, January 10! > COLAMECO, 3 that we needed to make a change. And, to be honest with you, not everyone wants to teach it because of the test at the end of the year, and that kind of reflects on how well you did. American history was something that I wanted to teach and learn about, and so I made the decision as department head that I would go about teaching the class. It was also at that time that we divided it into the two year class that it is today.

9. What do you think it was about history that really stuck out to you?

Well, first of all, in college I was not a history major. I majored in sociology and took a lot of political science courses. So that was why it was hard for me to teach, because I had to read a lot about it on my own. Once I took over the AP program, I was up late at night studying.

10. But do you think that that reflected on the students’ performances on the test?

I’m sure that did the first couple of years. The first year I taught the course, only a little better than half of the class passed the test. But I’ve never been that low since. I think the lowest I’ve had since then was 67%. Since then I’ve usually been up in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

11. What do you think was the day that really stuck out to you, or that you remember the most?

I’m going to have to say that it was the day the juniors and seniors decided to hold a protest in front of the Duffy Center for the Senator Sestak thing. Whatever the reason was, the school decided to cancel the meeting. What I found tremendous was that the students decided to take action on their own. To me, I once heard someone heard say, “The only we know if education has occured is if behavior changes”. Behavior changed that day. They did that -Colameco on their own, and it hasn’t happened since. The students actually took an initiative, and they organized it, planned it, and initiated it. And that morning was a great morning.

Behavior changed that day. They did that on their onw, and it hasn’t happened since.

The students actually took an initiative, and they organized it, planned it, and intiated it. And that morning was a great morning.

12. One more question, I have to ask this: Where did the whole “Communist” thing come up? (laughs) When I started teaching here, President Reagan was in office, and it’s no secret that I think he was one of the worst presidents we’ve ever had. I guess I disagreed with everything he ever did, and the kids in class I guess started joking that I was a communist. Once something like that starts going, it’s kind of like the peace symbol that exists under my chin, which doesn’t actually exist. 