Vol. LXXXVI, No. 9
Respect Gets A Second Look
DEERFIELD ACADEMY, DEERFIELD, MA 01342
Deerfield Innkeepers Anticipate Reopening in Fall By MADDIE LANE Staff Writer
By CHARLOTTE ALLEN and NICKY RAULT Staff Writers Students and faculty members congregated in the Black Box Theater on February 9 and held a forum to discuss respect as it applies to the community. One idea brought up at the forum was the search for an innovative code, which has been narrowed down to two possibilities. Head of School Margarita Curtis, working in tandem with the Student Council, launched an initiative to formulate a solid honor code this year. Her worry was that “students were much more focused on rules and regulations concerning alcohol and parietals, and not on what constitutes strong character or fosters an inclusive, respectful community.” Twelve recent Disciplinary Committee hearings involving values and honor also motivated this project, as Dr. Curtis explained, “We can say the word ‘respect’ frequently, but it is simply an empty, tired word if it does not inform our behaviors and actions in the community. Think of the difference between ‘rhetoric’ and ‘practice.’” At the forum, Student Council Representative Teddy Romeyn ’13 remarked, “Student interactions are the core of the community, and I think that is where our focus is going to head in the coming months.” Continued on Page 4
Proctor Picks By ZOË PEROT Staff Writer
The time has come for proctors from the class of 2013 to be selected, and fewer students are eligible than ever before. Last year, Dean of Ethical and Spiritual Life Jan Flaska revealed that Peer Counselors would not be eligible for proctorship. Members of the Academic Honor Committee and Disciplinary Committee are also ineligible. Mr. Flaska explained that this would “ensure that there wasn’t too much overlap between major school leadership roles and provide more students with the opportunity to have these roles.” This year’s application process consists of a written application, peer review, and an interview. Current proctors Allie Nagurney ’12 and Zatio Kone ’12 commented on the surprises of proctorship. “You really have to take it day by day,” explained Kone. Nagurney added, “My proctees help me! They put things in perspective.” They added, “Who you are as a person is the most important part of your application.”
February 29, 2012
Ashley So Award-winning documentarian Ken Burns addresses students.
Mold in the Russell Gallery Threatens Artworks By ANNA AUERSPERG Staff Writer With the humidity of the Pocumtuck Valley, and the fact that the Russell Gallery’s paintings are kept in a vault in the basement of the Memorial Building, mold has become a pressing issue. “The worst thing that can happen to a painting is huge changes in relative humidity and huge changes in temperature,” explained art teacher Robert Moorhead. According to Mr. Moorhead, the building’s proximity to the water table and a climate control system that “never worked properly” over the thirty years of the gallery’s existence are at fault. Physical Plant has tried many different approaches to the mold issue, including removing the carpeting in the gallery. However,
work on new website designs, and a test kitchen at our house is allowing us the chance to work The Deerfield Inn will not on new menu designs with our reopen until early next school chefs,” Ms. Howard said. year, according to innkeeper Though they are making Jane Howard. positive headway, it will be “Surprises in both buildings months before they consider have slowed things down reopening. tremendously,” said Ms. Howard. “It’s important not to rush into “The extent of the damage was an opening without everything in well over the percentage allowed place,” said Ms. Howard. for this old building to be “We still don’t have a timeline grandfathered for things not up for completion, but it is looking to Massachusetts code.” as if we will not be able to take Ms. Howard and her husband reservations in September,” Karl Sabo are keeping a positive Ms. Howard explained. “It will, outlook. “We are trying to look in addition, take many weeks at it as an opportunity rather once the work is completed than as a disaster,” she said. and we receive our certificate They are using it as a of occupancy, to hire and train chance to make many changes, staff and to clean up and put including converting one of the everything back together. rooms destroyed in the flood “The inn is so sad standing handicapped accessible, creating empty, but its duende will be a new event space on the restored quickly once there is Terrace and a larger tavern area life and activity and laughter for Champney’s “with a big bar again,” Ms. Howard said. “It will to sit at and fireplaces.” They be better than before when we are also improving their kitchen finally get there, and we are so facilities with new cooking grateful for the positive thoughts equipment and a pizza oven. and words of good cheer and “A clean slate can be very encouragement from our guests positive as we have the time to whom we have been missing so revisit systems and procedures, much.”
this issue will not be completely resolved until a new gallery is created. “A new gallery is going to be built, and a new storage area is going to be built, and according to the architects it will once again be a climate controlled space,” Mr. Moorhead said. “The second thing that I’m sure will happen is as the paintings are moved they will be looked at individually.” According to Mr. Moorhead, this new gallery will be attached to the Hilson Gallery, and should solve all the mold problems, as it will be above ground level and at grade. The Russell Gallery was built in 1989 during the original expansion of the Memorial Building. Since then, it has been used to keep the Russell Collection of paintings, including works by John Singleton Copley and Childe Hassam.
The reopening of the Deerfield Inn is tentatively set for fall 2012.
to negotiation, and the Student Council has found the deans both “receptive” and “willing to compromise” as they try to accommodate as many members of the community as possible. Like most of the senior class, Student Council Representative Jack Vallar ’12 feels that “Our grade has done a good job leading the school and the deans should reward that good behavior.” It seems the deans feel the same way—they have permitted
senior day students to drive other seniors, and they are willing to compromise further with students in the weeks leading up to spring term. Not surprisingly, controversy has arisen over what other privileges the senior class should ask for. “The thing about senior privileges is that they need to be for the entire class,” commented health teacher Kristen Loftus. “They can’t only benefit a
Ashley So
SENIORS, NOT SO PRIVILEGED: Faculty to Vote on Parietals, Curfew, and Food Delivery By CAITLIN CLEARY Staff Writer
The faculty will vote on two sets of privileges put forth by the senior class and already approved by Dean Amie Creagh. In addition to sign-in parietals for senior-senior couples on select weekdays, bids for extended curfew and proposals to allow later food deliveries to campus have been put forth. The proposals are subject
FEATURES Free the Children
A&E Madrigal Chorus to perform at Six Flags
select few. Sign-in parietals, for example, are only relevant to some students.” In response to criticisms that the debate over privileges has been dragged out for too long, Student Body President Theodore Lipsky ’12 stated that the privileges “were only supposed to be for the spring term, so there has not been any delay due to the ongoing conversation between the student council, the faculty, and the deans.”
SPORTS Grant Fletcher takes over school sports media
2 The Deerfield Scroll
OPINION/EDITORIAL
VOL. LXXXVI, NO. 9
FEBRUARY 29, 2012
Editor-in-Chief ANNA GONZALES Front Page SARAH WOOLF
Graphics DANIEL HAN
Opinion/Editorial ELIZABETH WHITTON
Online JAKE BARNWELL MARLY MORGUS
Arts & Entertainment HADLEY NEWTON Features DANIELLE DALTON Sports MARLY MORGUS Photography BEN BOLOTIN
Video KEVIN TANG Editorial Associates SAMMY HIRSHLAND KRISTY HONG CASEY BUTLER JOHN LEE Graphics Associate TATUM MCINERNEY
Advisors SUZANNE HANNAY & JOHN PALMER
The Deerfield Scroll, established in 1925, is the official student newspaper of Deerfield Academy. The Scroll encourages informed discussion of pertinent issues that concern the Academy and the world. Signed letters to the editor that express legitimate opinions are welcomed. We hold the right to edit for brevity. The Scroll is published eight times yearly. Advertising rates provided upon request.
February 29, 2012
Letter from the Editor
On September 26, 2011, an anonymous commenter on The Scroll Online under the name “Worthy Of His Heritage” wrote to the editorial board, “Get a grip, stop polishing the school’s fragile reputation and focus on what goes on inside.” In the nine issues of Volume LXXXVI, we hope we have brought The Scroll closer to achieving this objective. We covered and wrote editorials on a number of issues that directly affect students, as was our goal, including the implementation of the Imagine Deerfield strategic plan, the gender balancing proposal for Student Council, the Respect Forum, the Koch Center graffiti, new dormitories, Hurricane Irene, dress code and schedule changes, limited time at school meeting, a curriculum overhaul, college athletic recruiting and legacies, the reaccreditation survey, letters of reprimand, Choate Day cheering restrictions, day student inclusivity, and record-high levels of student stress. We also looked outside of Deerfield to examine issues that will affect us as we expand beyond Deerfield’s boundaries, such as Bin Laden’s death, Occupy Wall Street, the Arab Spring, the 2012 election, Palestine and Israel, sports sex scandals, ecotourism, and the Tea Party. We expanded our readership by placing The Scroll in dorm rooms and promoting our Online edition, recruiting a wide range of contributors so as to ensure we represent the broadest range and the most accurate cross-section of the student body as possible. I could not have done any of this without the enormously talented and fiercely dedicated Scroll editors, associates, writers, and photographers, who relentlessly sought truth and grammatical errors all while eating pizza, tolerating Front Page Editor Sarah Woolf ’s music, and wrangling interviewees. When trying to thank Ms. Hannay and Mr. Palmer for their patience, genius, time, and love, I am confronted with the hopeless inadequacy of the English language. To next volume’s Editor-in-Chief Kristy Hong and her board: congratulations, good luck, and in the words of Samuel Hazo via Ms. McConnell, “I wish you what I wish myself: hard questions and the nights to answer them, the grace of disappointment and the right to seem the fool for justice. That’s enough. Cowards might ask for more. Heroes have died for less.” -Anna Gonzales, Editor-in-Chief
Opinion articles with contributors’ names attached represent the views of the respective writers. Opinion articles without names represent the consensus views of the editorial staff.
The Rise of Super-PACS Super-PACs, independent spending groups that defame GOP candidates with ads funded by wealthy individuals, unions, and corporations, are affecting the outcomes of political campaigns. Wealthy individuals and corporations have the power to shape the course of campaigns by writing checks to these private groups, whose members can broadcast ads that arouse public sentiment against featured, and disparaged, opponents. The law says that GOP candidates cannot coordinate with the PACs in any way. Candidates supposedly have no say in the content of these ads and the strategies that are employed in them. Yet there are many loopholes in this requirement, such as the discrepancy of whether the candidate can publicly address the PAC (and tell them what he wants them to do) as an American citizen first, a GOP candidate second. That the nation’s richest people possess a powerful conduit to exert tremendous influence and control over the outcome of the 2012 elections greatly concerns us. Campaigns embody the nation’s values for fair politics, as well as the integrity of voicing critical needs and concerns of the American people and presenting viable solutions. PACs alter our own basis of judgment when choosing the best presidential candidate. PACs heavily focus on their opponents’ mistakes and shortcomings in ads, projecting negative tones of the opposition, and turning the GOP campaign into a competition of which PAC has more money to buy more airtime. We believe that PACs are an attempt by the rich to gain more political power and influence to sway the public’s opinions of the candidates. With power comes responsibility, so the adage goes, and necessitates a scrupulous check on the values and morals of those who assume it. As a microcosm of the wider, politically conscious world, Deerfield, too, depends on individuals in positions of power to make decisions that reflect our code of values. We hope that all individuals will prioritize the integrity of fair play, freedom of thought, and the best interests of the whole over those of the elite few.
Why Enforce Same-Sex Parietals? By SARAH WOOLF Front Page Editor Through a series of, first, hilarious and, retrospectively, outrageous events, I was recently thrown into the center of the question about same-sex parietals on campus. After the fact, I realized the greater implications of my interaction with the school authorities. Nobody has the right to demand somebody’s sexual preference, neither constitutionally nor personally. So what about the rules? The more I’ve come to think about it, regardless of the school’s obligation to uphold rules, what happened to me was completely inappropriate. But more importantly, what next? Is there any point in having a same-sex parietals rule? If there is, would any individual who came out be required to check with a faculty member before going into anybody’s room, opposite sex or not? The only options I see now are a) abolishing parietals rules or b) everybody has to get parietals with anybody, those of both same and different sexes. Is there a middle ground? We wish to extend our deepest sympathy to Michael Silipo and to his family on the death of his father
SALVATORE JOSEPH SILIPO 1919 - 2012
Sports Page Editor Marly Morgus’ take on the Internet “meme” phenomenon.
GRADES: MASKING THE VALUE OF THE DEERFIELD EXPERIENCE? By DANIELLE DALTON Arts and Entertainment Editor
Despite grades ranging from the upper 70s to around 96, grade inflation cannot be definitively labeled as the source of the narrow range of students’ grades. With a host of other confounding variables lurking in the background, there could be dozens of potential causes. Perhaps today’s students are truly equal with their peers and thus, all the grades rightfully do hover together, or perhaps there is indeed unintentional grade inflation on campus. Given the information available, however, I, like my peers, cannot definitively identify the reason as to why campus grades fall within less than twenty points of one another. The murmurs of grade inflation creeping into campus dialogue, however, signifies an issue is present. It does not signify that grades themselves are an issue, but rather that the meaning of a Deerfield education
might be lost in the trivial distinction between an 89 and a 91, realistically the difference of one multiple choice question or a simple arithmetic error on a test. Yet when grades are so close, one could argue that the two points could actually represent a rather large difference in mastery of the material. The goal of a Deerfield education is to equip students with the tools to succeed in the world beyond Boyden Lane, not to make sure that each student can correctly conjugate the verbs of the foreign language he studies or distinguish third person omniscient narration from limited third person. In life, far beyond college, I don’t know when I will need to call upon my knowledge of the specific differences between narration styles, but I do know that the skills I unintentionally picked up as I worked my way through The Odyssey or the study of statistics, such as balancing a demanding schedule or articulating my thoughts through
writing, will serve me long after I leave the Pioneer Valley. The value of a Deerfield education far exceeds the numbers on a transcript. How do you measure that which cannot be quantified? Does a 69% on my chemistry final really do justice to the skills I learned as I persevered my way through the course? When students realize this hidden value, courses shift from being centered around numbers to material, with grades becoming byproducts of learning. Murmurs of grade inflation threaten the integrity of academics at Deerfield because they steer the focus of academics towards numbers. Hypothetical grade inflation is not a “problem” that needs to be “fixed.” Rather this discussion is the perfect opportunity to evaluate academics. As we stand in the midst of the reaccreditation process and Imagine Deerfield campaign, there is no better time to ensure that academics reflect their mission.
The Deerfield Scroll
OPINION/EDITORIAL
February 29, 2012 3
RESPONSES TO THE DEERFIELD RESPECT FORUM When I was asked to write a piece about respect, Aretha Franklin’s soulful voice sang in my head for the rest of the day, “R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.” That classic hit from the soundtrack of my youth seemed to say it all: “Give me some respect.” Everybody wants respect. It’s a basic human need. Not as important as food and shelter, but at least as important as money. Respect is a type of social currency. It is earned, paid, won, and lost. The amount of respect accumulated determines the status of respectability. Some people go to great lengths to try to obtain respect. Some will never have any self-respect of their own. As I picked up napkins from the floor and brought back dishes and glasses that were left from breakfast, it struck me that while Aretha was singing about respect, people were marching in the streets, facing fire hoses and police dogs to earn the basic respect of civil rights. At that time the U.S. was also bogged down in a war in Vietnam because nobody could figure out how to stop it without a loss of respect. “R-E-S-P-E-C-T,” a powerful message and a powerful force. While I moved tables and chairs to set up for the next day’s buffet, I pondered the question, what is this respect anyway? I also noticed that every table and a large percentage of the chairs had gum stuck to the bottom of them. The August before the Dining Hall fire, I scraped enough gum off the furniture to fill two large cans. I spoke about this at a lunchtime announcement. A year and a half ago, all of the dining hall furniture was refinished, but I digressed, “R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me!” Respect starts with an awareness of oneself and society. You realize that there is a complex of laws, codes, and customs that help define people’s rights, freedoms, and responsibilities within that society. By adhering to these guidelines, we pay our respect. By being members of a society we earn the respect of human rights. Through self-awareness and acknowledgement of one’s abilities, one gains selfrespect. To those who excel, we bestow honor and esteem. Awareness leads to consideration of others’ rights, beliefs, and customs. It is a consideration that all actions have a ripple effect. As I cleared a full plate of food that someone took from the buffet line and returned untouched, the saxophone riff from “RESPECT” played in my head. I struggled for a way to wrap this up, when the lyrics from another song by the Beatles hit me: “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” Respect is a lot like that. The more you pay, the more you earn.
I’m extremely glad that we were able to have a discussion about respect that included students, faculty, and staff, though I think that the conversation needs to go beyond the superficial (picking up gum wrappers and napkins, not using cell phones, and learning names) to a deeper level of understanding. For me, the most important aspects of respect on campus have been inclusivity and a willingness to get to know others without prior judgment. Because there are so many different people from diverse backgrounds on campus, it can be easy to judge people based on how they dress, who their friends are, or what rumors we hear. When we judge people like this, we shut the door on a potential acquaintance or friend. During my underclassman years, I was frequently guilty of this kind of judgment and disrespect. I was intimidated by kids who were older than I and even kids in my own class who seemed to already know each other before they arrived at school. I decided that I would simply choose other friends and not bother getting to know any of these students. I disrespected these people when I did this. When I became an upperclassman I realized that many of these people went through the same types of struggles that I did. I respected them much more, and in return I felt much more respected by them. This same kind of understanding needs to happen between students and staff. I hear students complain that they feel judged by staff members who think that Deerfield students are arrogant, and I hear staff members complain that students don’t say hello to them or pick up after themselves. As I progress through my time at Deerfield, I also find I have more and more respect not for only what the staff does, but also for how welcome they have made me feel at school. Perhaps the solution to this disconnection and perceived disrespect on both ends is simply the formation of deeper relationships between students and staff. I’ll never forget Bernie Motyka’s congratulations to me on my acceptance to Deerfield, the countless hugs I have received from Susie Driver and Norm Therien after athletic practices and games, or my homesick conversations with Sandy Magdalenski, the woman who cleaned my dorm during both of my underclassman years. These people reached out to me in a way that made me feel included and respected. I don’t mean to imply that we need to be best friends with everyone we meet on campus. I do believe that we owe it to everyone in the community to have an open mind in terms of respect and the recent respect forum. We need to try our best not to judge others in order to be respectful.
-Bruce MacConnell Dining Hall Staff Member
-Sammy Hirshland ’13 Editorial Associate
I saw Medea this past week in the Black Box and thought again about the forum on respect that took place around and across that very same stage the week before. If you caught the production or have read it, you know that Medea tells the grim tale of a woman who will not compromise. But of course, in Greek tragedy, blame is portioned out equally among the cast of variously troubled souls, and Medea’s outcome cannot be the fault of just one character. Everyone is complicit, everyone is responsible. Martin Luther King Jr. writes about the very same stumbling block that Euripides, 2500 years before him, negotiates—one that many of us, enough of the time, refuse to acknowledge: that all of us are “tied in a single garment of destiny.” As far as I can tell, the remedy for tragedy on a Greek scale (or for the peevishness you feel at the person who tosses down an orange peel as she makes her way between dining hall and dorm) is always engagement, empathy. A willingness to extend yourself, to begin a conversation. Looking around the theater last week at the gathered group of self-selecting students and many of my colleagues, I felt a mixture of excitement and doubt. King’s life, violently cut short, shows us what happens when we cannot work it out. And Medea does the same. The solution is people talking, people collaborating, all of us reminding ourselves as often as we can manage that we are in this together. -Heather Liske English Teacher
Maddie McGraw ’13
56.7% of 9th Graders 60.9% of 10th Graders 56.1% of 11th Graders 53.0% of 12th Graders Data provided by Office of the Academic Dean
GRADES: WHY ON THE RISE? By LIBBY WHITTON Opinion-Editorial Editor
According to Academic Dean Peter Warsaw, Deerfield Academy student grade point averages are on the rise. Does this mean we have grade inflation? Recent student speculation about this upward trend and possible causes evoked my interest. Mr. Warsaw asked me an interesting question in the midst of his analysis of the situation: What was the combined average of the six students placed on Academic Probation last spring? I thought about this for a moment and projected a seemingly appropriate number: 75%. Mr. Warsaw responded that the combined average of the Academic Probation students was 81.3%.
I was shocked. What does this mean? Is this a good thing, or a bad thing? If the weakest students are rising out of the 70s and into the 80s, where will the top ones go? The 100s? Ideally, grades are increasing because the admission acceptance rates and the academic talent of those accepted are connected and inversely correlated. The acceptance rate this year will be the most competitive it has ever been. With fewer spots to fill and more applicants to choose from, it is logical to expect that the accepted pool of students will be more able and earn higher grades than ten years ago. The cut-off for Cum Laude was recently changed. Math teacher and president of the Deerfield Cum Laude chapter
Sean Keller said that they are constrained by the number of students they can induct as juniors, and eventually as an entire class. Using six consecutive terms of a 90% or above would have forced them to reject students who were meeting their published standard. Are students at Deerfield smarter today than they were ten years ago? Will they be smarter in ten years than they are today? Other possible positive factors include: a more responsive Academic Standing process, students working harder than they have historically, teachers providing clearer instruction, the academy offering more proactive academic support with monitored study halls and peer tutor availability, better placement of students into appropriate
levels with effective placement exams and generous deadlines for dropping levels, and wider opportunity for students to do test corrections, have extra time, or write multiple drafts in order to improve a grade on a specific assignment. All of these factors are, in my opinion, positive. However, there are potential negative contributors as well. Unfortunately, application rates and grades are not the only things on the rise. Student stress is at an all-time high with the increase in pressure from external sources. The constant barrage from colleges, teachers, parents, athletic commitments, and extracurricular expectations might suggest other possible factors contributing to the rise in grade point averages. Are students working for the grade rather than for the “joy of learning”? Mr. Warsaw said, “In recent years some teachers have reported having to reduce their expectations for nightly reading assignments.” Are students overreaching with their schedules to feel competitive in the college application process? Mr. Warsaw said that he would look first at the grades of younger students, the freshmen and sophomores, for signs of inflation. If freshmen and
sophomore grades—earned by our least experienced students taking almost exclusively required courses—are high, then that would drive the entire scale up. But Mr. Warsaw does not think we know whether there’s grade inflation. He wants to identify and analyze the many factors that could correlate with the increase in grades before drawing any conclusions. Now as I embark on my final months at Deerfield I anticipate that I will worry less and less about the number that appears online for my average. Yet I cannot help but keep in mind that the cut off for Honor Roll is, as of this year, no longer an 87% but a 90%. I also keep in mind that if I were to have an 87% average I would fall near the top of the 5th and bottom quintile of my class. Last year this same average would have been rewarded with an email from Mr. Warsaw commending me for my achievements and for reaching Honor Roll. Although many complain about the harshness of gradelevel quintiles on DAinfo, the bottom line is that they help people gauge reality. Rather than complaining, we should discuss possible factors involved in this complicated process and system.
4 The Deerfield Scroll
FEATURES
RESPECT GETS A SECOND LOOK (Continued from Front Page) Another contributor at the forum, Assistant Academic Dean Peter Nilsson, shed some etymological light on the word respect. The root, “spect,” comes from the Latin verb spectare, meaning to look or consider. According to Mr. Nilsson, “Respect, therefore, means literally to look again or to consider another perspective.” The Deerfield community prides itself on being tightknit as well as respectful of its members, but recently discovered that broad definitions of these principles may not be enough. This idea of more explicitly defining respectful behavior is not a new one and was even brought up by a previous student council chair, Liza Cowan ’07. She formulated a paragraph that
states, “I understand and value the culture and spirit of honor at Deerfield and recognize my personal responsibility to uphold the Academy’s integrity. I hereby pledge to honor myself and my school by demonstrating this sense of integrity in my academic, athletic, and social endeavors.” The statement was placed in a green book that students had the opportunity to sign after Sunday sit-down meals, and although the community was very supportive of this new tradition during the first year, as time went on, according to Student Council Representative Cleo Siderides ’13, “It soon fell off the map.” Many may feel as though upholding the honor of Deerfield is simply implied, a part of the package that comes with being a student. As the values of the Academy are questioned,
however, it makes sense to eliminate the grey areas. According to Student Body President Theo Lipsky ’12, the possible respect codes are still in the revision process. Siderides explained, along with the code, the idea of a term-long honor code class that would be taken by sophomores, in which they would listen to a guest speaker every week and discuss the actions of the Disciplinary Committee concerning honor. “This process is all about raising awareness,” commented Dr. Curtis, “and how we can take this abstract concept and translate it into our day-to-day practices. Just because we are doing well doesn’t mean we can’t do better. From day one, Mr. Boyden wanted to make sure he was sending respectful students into the world.”
As Schools Match Wits
February 29, 2012
ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE & “GOTCHA” By MARIAH KENNEDY CUOMO Staff Writer
The fateful tap on a shoulder and chilling whisper of “Gotcha” send shivers and shrieks all across campus. Winter term brings Gotcha, a campus-wide game where every student must say “gotcha” to their assigned target, not allowing anyone else to hear the word. “It makes the winter a lot more fun,” said 2011 Gotcha champion Rose Fisher ’13. Fisher commented on her story of success, saying, “I didn’t make it my goal to win until the second or third round. I didn’t know how well I was doing!” Fisher won in the spring when she got Hannah Insuik ’13 out. “She thought that she would be fine, but I saw her walking alone. So, I hid behind a tree and got her,” recalled Fisher. Although the game is stressful
at times, most students enjoy participating. Fisher, a lover of the game, advised others, “Stay relaxed about it. Have fun. Know who to trust. This game is a conversation starter that defies friendship lines.” Fisher advises “always watching your back and being suspicious of people.” However, the most common defensive technique—finding out who has you—was not on her list. “Most of the time I didn’t know who had me,” admitted Fisher. Of this year’s Gotcha experience thus far, Fisher commented, “It takes a lot of planning to get people out and it’s a lot harder junior year.” Whether you are helping a friend get someone out or trying to get your next target, Fisher recommended, “The most important thing is to not take this game too seriously. At the end of the day, it’s just a game.”
New Club on Campus: Free the Children By EMMA DECAMP Contributing Writer
Sheryl Cabral Jade Moon, Eliza Mott, Mohan Yin, Edric Tam, and John Lee stand on the set of As Schools Match Wits, in which they progressed to the quarterfinals.
By EMILY NG Staff Writer Eliza Mott ’12, Edric Tam ’12, Mohan Yin ’12, and Jade Moon ’13 represented Deerfield this winter on the PBS high school quiz show As Schools Match Wits. The team won against Suffield Academy 260-235 in a regular season match but lost to Hopkins Academy 315-225 in the quarterfinals. While this is not your usual Deerfield opportunity, Mott certainly enjoyed the experience and wholeheartedly recommended that others take up the chance if offered. “It was so fun. It’s one of
the most self-consciously dorky things I have ever done, but it’s fun,” exclaimed Mott. Math Department Head Sheryl Cabral selected all team members with the help of faculty members’ opinions, including alternate John Lee ’13. “The criteria for the members are kids who are bright and confident. In addition, the whole team together has to be well rounded in many sections,” stated Ms. Cabral. On competition day, the representatives arrived and quickly received the game’s rules. “We had to introduce ourselves to the camera. The set seemed really legitimate, as the host had
a teleprompter,” revealed Yin. “Then we just played through the match. There was nothing made up or fake about it.” Contestants received questions on a wide range of topics, from boy bands to chemistry, and Wisconsin to classic literature. “Mohan and I both studied a little bit for it, but once we got there, we realized that what we studied didn’t really help us at all. We mostly had to rely on what we already knew—and some luck,” said Moon. “The show was a good exercise, because it required me to act on impulse and to have faith in my knowledge,” said Mott.
Exploring Careers During Co-Curricular Exemptions By EMILY NG Staff Writer
When you hear the word “exemption,” you think of flying lessons, swim training in the fall, and practicing the cello. This past winter, however, Louisa Hanson ’13 pursued her passion for medicine at Franklin County Hospital, and this spring, Zatio Kone ’12 will explore her interest in social psychology. Hanson sees herself becoming a doctor and decided to see what the life is like. “I had been talking about programs that I could do during the summer with science teacher Dr. Ivory Hills, and he suggested taking a summer program idea and applying it to a science exemption,” said Hanson. Hanson works four days a week with various people at the hospital. She is at Franklin
Adult Medicine, a primary care doctor’s office, two days a week, and shadows Dr. Sara Rourke to watch her consultations, checkups, and appointments. In addition, Hanson works with Nurse Rosy Feldman to create her final project: a care plan and a follow up plan for two different diabetic patients. On Tuesdays, Hanson works with hospitalists to care for patients admitted into the ER. For Hanson’s last day, she works with Dr. Stephen Fox, who helped her plan the exemption. She also observes surgeries or endoscopy with Dr. Fox. “The first time I went into the Operating Room was incredible. I was nervous that I would pass out, but it was so interesting to see them operating on a person,” recalled Hanson. Meanwhile this spring, Zatio Kone will conduct a directed
study with Dr. Stuart Bicknell, the school psychologist. “My directed study is a course that focuses on social psychology, in particular the study of how the individual relates to the larger group,” revealed Kone. During each of the eight weeks in the term, Kone will study a famous social psychology experiment and write a paper on the experiment. “I will be studying the most influential experiments in social psychology, such as the Asch Test on Conformity and Stanley Milgrim’s Study on Obedience,” she said. Dr. Bicknell stated, “One of our aims for this directed study is to apply the knowledge gained from the experiments to the phenomenon of how groups develop and the ‘power of the situation’ here at Deerfield Academy.”
At the age of four, Masih, a young Pakistani boy, was sold into slavery. He escaped at age nine only to be shot by his former employers a few months later. Craig Keilburger, age nine, shared Masih’s story with his seventhgrade class. When he asked his classmates for help, eleven kids raised their hands. Free the Children was established. Free the Children is now a worldwide organization of children helping children through education. Its main goal is to “Free children from poverty and exploitation and free young people from the notion that they are powerless to affect positive change in the world.” Free the
Children intends to accomplish just this with a simple equation: education + health care + water + alternative income = sustainable development. Katie Swindell ’14 and Emma DeCamp ’14 started a Free the Children club at Deerfield. It is not your average charity-based club, though. “We are supporting not only a community overseas, but we also recognize the need in Franklin County,” Swindell said. Keeping in mind how fortunate and privileged students are to attend Deerfield, Swindell and DeCamp hope to provide opportunities for students to help those less fortunate. For additional information on how to become involved, contact kswindell@deerfield.edu or edecamp@deerfield.edu.
Student Spotlight: Sebastian del Aguila By CAROLINE KJORLIEN Staff Writer Excited to return to the United States after living in Peru, Sebastian del Aguila arrived at Deerfield this term ready to immerse himself in the boarding school lifestyle. Del Aguila has been to America a number of times before and even spent a term at Brooks School. He found out about Deerfield through Round Square. “I came to Deerfield because I wanted to experience boarding school life. I looked at the pictures of Deerfield in Round Square, and the school looked really nice. Also, I have family and friends in Boston, so I wanted to visit them and catch up,” he said. In Peru, Del Aguila attended a British school, with all classes taught in English. Studying English for ten years, he hopes to attend college in America. “I’m very busy with lots of homework,” explained Del Aguila. He considers the workload here to be very similar to that of his school in Peru.
Though he wrestles this winter, he does martial arts and soccer back home. Del Aguila was even offered a scholarship to play soccer at Brooks School. However, Del Aguila said, “I missed my home too much two years ago, but now I’m ready to spend time here.” Del Aguila does not miss home, as he explained that he makes frequent phone calls. He also added, “People are really inclusive. They just tell me to join in anything that’s going on.” Adjusting to Deerfield life wasn’t difficult, but he did mention, “I’m still getting used to the weather here.” After he departs before spring break, Del Aguila will probably not return to the United States until college. “I want to study business or international affairs in college,” he said. Determined to play soccer in college, he is considering the University of Southern California. Upon reflection, Del Aguila commented, “I don’t go to boarding school in Peru, but I think it’s much more fun being with friends all the time.”
The Deerfield Scroll
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
February 29, 2012
5
Mac McDonald: Artist of the Issue By ANNA PETTEE Staff Writer
The vibrant green of a dandelion sprouting from a blacktop and red-brick background; the black and white story of a rainy day; New York City in overexposed light. These are just three of the images that Mac McDonald ’13 has captured on camera and turned into beautiful photographs. McDonald appreciates the breadth of photography and realizes the ability the photographer has to influence his viewers. “You can look at the world from a different point of view and shape peoples’ views of different things by taking the picture a certain way,” he noted. McDonald became interested in photography last year in Photo I and continues his pursuits in AP Photography this
year, experimenting with new techniques through different projects in class. “Over the last two weeks Mac has experimented with printing processes dating back to the 19th century. He will be submitting two gorgeous photographs to the College Board printed with the Platinum/Palladium process. He used contact negatives, handcoated paper, and UV rays from the sun to create these prints,” explained photography teacher Tim Trelease. McDonald’s self-portrait currently hangs in the lower level of the Arms building, and exhibits his new favorite photography technique: overexposure. “I really like overexposed images. Super bright, or maybe a little out of focus. For instance, in my portrait there are only highlights. There is no visual junk so you only get what is necessary in the picture,” McDonald said
BOUND BY SONG BEYOND THE PIONEER VALLEY By TARA MURTY Staff Writer The Madrigal Choir, known for its layered voices booming through the Large Auditorium during school meetings, has swung open the Memorial Building doors to perform on new stages. This year, the elite group of student singers led by Music Director Daniel Roihl will explore the new venues of television broadcasting and choir festivals together. The Madrigal Choir traveled to Springfield on February 14 to record for the Together in Song festival that will air on WGBY, a regional PBS station. “The Together in Song festival invites choirs from around Western Massachusetts including school choirs, church choirs, and community choirs to celebrate the chorus work in the region,” Mr. Roihl explained. In addition to the celebration, Together in Song provides new opportunities for committed Madrigal singers. Annie Blau ’13, a member of the Choir, said, “I think it’s great that we can do something we love and get recognition for it outside of Deerfield.” Willa Gustavson ’12 echoed the importance of recognizing the arts: “It makes the arts, and chorus in particular, a lot more out in the open, and I am more excited to sing in chorus if others are going to enjoy it.” “The point of singing is interacting with the audience. We have worked on group dynamics and emotions to better communicate the messages of the two songs we will be recording
for WGBY, ” Gustavson said. “‘Alma Redemptoris Mater’ is a beautiful Latin song and ‘Ride the Chariot’ is a southern soul song,” Blau explained. These two songs comprise the fourminute performance that may qualify Deerfield Academy for a competitive next level in the Together in Song festival. Mr. Roihl described the second festival in which the Madrigal choir will be performing this year: “Great East Festivals specialize in offering an opportunity for choirs to become adjudicated.” The choir will perform for thirty minutes and receive comments, critiques and evaluation from Michele Holt, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association. Mr. Roihl said with a smile, “[These festivals] are definitely an added layer to not only to my plate but to the singers’. It hasn’t been done in recent memory, and at Deerfield, time is the most precious commodity. It is nice to have an opportunity like this for our most talented musicians to invest this time in music. I consider it time well spent.” “Mr. Roihl is trying to transform the arts program to make it more accessible and to have more opportunities to showcase our talents,” Blau said. Mr. Roihl’s vision for Deerfield Academy singers involves showcasing talents in more off-campus performances and showcases. “It is my hope that in a few years we may have the opportunity to go even further: an extended tour somewhere out of state, perhaps even a summer tour, or an international tour,” Mr. Roihl said.
of his aesthetic. McDonald has taken advantage of opportunities to take pictures outside of the Deerfield area. His picture of Times Square is currently on display at a gallery in Greenfield. He explained, “We took a field trip to New York City and went to the Museum of Modern Art, the International Center of Photography, and Times Square. Mr. Trelease told me it is very hard to capture Times Square, one of the most photographed areas in the world, and make it your own.” Hoping to make more locations his own through photography, McDonald plans on taking his camera on his upcoming travels. McDonald noted, “I’m going to the Island School soon, and I’m bringing the school camera with me, and this summer I’m going to back to Cambodia.”
Ashley So
Mac McDonald Mac McDonald’s self-portrait is ethereal.
Mieka Pauley Croons in the Greer By AYESHA KAPUR Staff Writer Singer Mieka Pauley’s husky, enchanting voice rang through the aisles of the Greer on a recent Friday night. In this age of auto-tune, many students found it refreshing to hear someone perform without special effects as a reminder that there are true artists out there. During her performance, Pauley sang covers such as “Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley, but mostly stuck to her original compositions. Linda Anael Kegne ’14 described the performance, saying, “I felt like she sang the same way as she sang on her music video, and even better.
The songs that she sang seemed to reflect her personality. One could feel her connection to her lyrics. As an audience member, I could sense her trying to engage us with her songs.” Pauley explained that her writing process defines her music, noting that the music she writes herself is generally very dark and personal. Whenever she faces a struggle, Pauley said, “I let it marinate in my subconscious or unconscious. It comes out later when I am not actually in that moment. I am not inspired by external things, things that happen outside of me.” On the subject of influences, Pauley said, “I am very inspired by female vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald and Billy Holiday.”
Lena Mazel Mieka Pauley strums her guitar in the Greer, after cracking a few jokes.
For Pauley, the plus side of the music industry is the feeling of being on stage and connecting with her audience. She also loves the community of musicians that she meets. “I initially thought music would be a solitary pursuit. It’s not,” Pauley said. When asked about the challenges she faces, Pauley said, “I don’t understand business, and business is a huge part of music. I wish I had a more inherent feel for it. A lot of times I need to trust other people to make decisions for me. Pay attention to business early on, because people can really take advantage of you.” She noted, “I hate the idea of treating yourself like a company. You earn money and you put it back into yourself. It’s not just artistic creativity.” Though she has opened for Eric Clapton and featured on billboards across the country, Pauley considers other, more personal experiences to be the most rewarding. “Twice I got to sing the national anthem for the Red Sox at Fenway. That was huge, because it was like my life coming together. My family are huge Red Sox fans. To be able to tell them that I was singing the national anthem for the Red Sox actually meant something to them,” remembered Pauley. Despite her great talent, Pauley said, “Singing has always been a part of my life, but the first time I actually realized that I could sing for a living was after college.” She noted, “Knowing that I had a Harvard degree let me take chances that I would not have otherwise taken.” Pauley added that although she is not exactly where she would have envisioned herself as a singer, she is extremely grateful that she can make a living by doing what she really loves to do.
The Vow: A Movie Not Worth The Commitment By DELANEY BERMAN Staff Writer This Valentine’s Weekend, Greenfield Garden Cinemas was packed with Deerfield students. I have seen movies at this theater in Greenfield before, and occasionally run into other DA kids, but never like this. There must have been thirty girls in a single theater. And we weren’t the only ones who went to see The Vow this Valentine’s weekend—it ranked number one in the box office, grossing over forty-two million dollars.
The Vow is a dramatic, if not tragic, love story based upon true events of a young couple whose relationship is derailed by a devastating car accident. Paige (Rachel McAdams) slips into a coma after going through the windshield upon impact. When Paige wakes up, her husband Leo (Channing Tatum) is startled to discover that she does not remember the past five years. Paige does not know who Leo is, nor does she remember her career as a sculptor, moving from the suburbs to the city or her estranged relationship with
her family. Leo spends the rest of the movie trying to rekindle his relationship with Paige with great difficulty. In her mind, she is still in love with her ex-fiancé Jeremy (Scott Speedman) and resists many of Leo’s attempts to help her regain her memory. He assures her that in a way, she is lucky because she gets to reexperience their falling in love. McAdams and Tatum are both romance movie heavyweight champs and their performances, while sweet and convincing, do not live up to the success of their
roles in earlier films (McAdams in Nicholas Sparks’s heartwrenching classic The Notebook and Tatum in Dear John). Unfortunately, the audience does not get to watch this second time-around romance unfold, as the movie ends before the couple officially gets back together (though a fairytale ending is implied). The greatest, most romantic parts of the film are shown in the trailer. While The Vow had all of the makings of a great movie, it fell short of its anticipated, starpowered potential.
The Deerfield Scroll
SPORTS
A Full-Time Commitment By JON VICTOR Staff Writer On most squads, practices last for two hours each day, and then the team’s obligation is over. For the small squad of about ten wrestlers, however, their commitment to excellence stretches past the mats. Coaches Mark Teutsch and Vincent Ramirez lead the wrestling team, whose varsity
and j.v. groups practice together as a single team. In a sport where your opponent is determined based on your weight, the amount of weight you can lose becomes critical to your success. In order to lose the weight at a stable and healthy rate, the wrestlers are given a program at the beginning of the season. Thus commences the brutal and painstaking process that is known as “cutting weight.” The athletes’ weights are monitored daily. At every practice, they must weigh in to see if they are on track to be wrestling at a certain weight on match day. To cut weight, having a light breakfast is fine, but then the
wrestler must resist temptation for the rest of the day. For co-captain Maksat Kalymgazinov ’12, who has wrestled for all of his three years at Deerfield, cutting weight has become part of the sport. “Not eating food is fine, but the worst part is that you can’t drink because water and other drinks are very heavy and add significant weight to your body,” Kalymgazinov explained. He also spoke to the effect that cutting weight has on his performance in class: “It’s tough but usually it’s only the day before the match, either on Tuesday or Friday. As long as you’re concentrating on topics other than food, you will be fine.”
Ashley So Luke Mario ’12 grapples with Sloan Damon ’13 during a tough practice.
Wardwell: #Winning By RYAN LOGIE Staff Writer Any varsity sport requires an immense amount of time. Add another, non-Deerfield affiliated team, proctorship, and senior year and you’re talking non-stop, on-the-go action. While students do a great job juggling their busy schedules of class, sports, and social lives, few manage as well as Julie Wardwell ’12. Wardwell’s commitment is most clearly expressed on the athletic front. She plays on a yearlong outside travel hockey team, serves as the captain of the girls’ varsity ice hockey and lacrosse
teams and contributes immensely to both. When asked about her dedication to hockey, the sport she will continue to play next year at Middlebury College, Wardwell said, “Hockey has been a part of my life for so long that it has become a part of me. It’s my way to relieve stress and leave everything else behind. Although it takes up a lot of time, every hockey team I’ve been on has been like a family, so going to practice is the equivalent of hanging out with friends.” This family aspect, Wardwell said, is one of her favorite parts of her experience. “Because hockey is such a long season, the team gets really close, which makes the long bus rides, team dinners, and locker room dance parties all the more fun.” The fun doesn’t stop with
hockey. With one of the girls’ hockey team’s best seasons in recent history coming to a close, Wardwell still has the captaining of lacrosse to look forward to this spring. “Lacrosse season is always so much fun because the weather begins to turn warm and because it is such a short season. It is exciting to jump right into games and to see just how far a team is willing to go to succeed in a short time period.” If Wardwell’s devotion to and talent in athletics don’t convince you how much she embodies a Deerfield athlete, her school spirit certainly will. “I love the pride that comes with playing at Deerfield. Everyone comes out to support all of the teams, which just makes every game more exciting when you have a fun crowd to cheer you on.”
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DSPN: The Latest in Sports
By SARAH SUTPHIN Staff Writer
Marc Dancer Congratulations to the girls’ and boys’ ski teams on defending their New England titles!
February 29, 2012
Though Communications revamped the Academy website this year, Grant Fletcher ’13 noticed that the site’s interscholastic scoreboard was not remodeled. Instead of complaining to the busy Communications office, Fletcher has taken the matter into his own hands, or rather onto his own Facebook. DSPN, Deerfield SPorts Network, is currently established as a “Like” page on Facebook. Students who “become a fan” of DSPN have access to updates on scores for all sports teams. “The sports page on the website is great, but we hope to fill holes,” Fletcher explained. Fletcher updates the page with the help of JR Mastro ’13 and Nicky Rault ’13. “I’m in charge of it currently. JR and Nicky are able to contribute to it. JR puts up the team photos and posts occasional scores,” Fletcher said. When asked if the page was a work in progress, Fletcher said, “I’d like to think that it is. Recently we’ve gained more fans, more scores, more stats. We have
Young Bloods Refresh Boys’ Swimming By MAC MCDONALD Staff Writer Is younger faster? This year, boys’ varsity swimming, one of Deerfield’s most successful teams, seeks to explore that notion, with underclassmen making huge contributions to the team in points and work ethic. Quinn Smith ’14 is the fastest swimmer on the team for the 200-meter individual medley and the 100-meter breaststroke. As Smith put it, “Having new, talented swimmers is helpful to both this and future seasons.” Freshman Matt Hrabchak comes to the team with impressive swimming experience. Last year he won the New England Championship for his club swimming league in the mile, 1,000-yard, and 500yard freestyle, qualifying for the Junior National Championships.
more support and more people wanting to get involved. We may be getting into interviewing players to find out more about them as individuals.” Plans for the future? “My hope is that next year, this could maybe become a club that gets people going to games. If we get the club running, we can get more people involved in contributing. Quite frankly, school spirit is big here and a lot of people would like to know what’s going on. I believe there is definitely good interest,” Fletcher said. Next year’s DSPN club will reach out to sports fans and artists. When it comes to photos, the DSPN webpage displays team shots taken by school photographer Jeff Brown. In the future, Fletcher hopes to encourage interested photographers to capture our sports teams’ greatest plays. DSPN seeks financial support as well, which is why Fletcher revealed, “We’re thinking about ordering hats for this spring.” Fletcher hopes to innovate not only the method by which students are updated on scores, but also create a positive change in the community. This year, he is the number one swimmer for the 200 and 500-meter freestyle events. So far, Hrabchak has had a positive experience swimming in the Koch Pool. “It’s a good team. Everyone’s willing to put a lot of effort into our goal of winning New England’s,” he said. Motts “Pistol” Warnock ’14, who swims the 50-meter freestyle, also adds talent to the roster. Travis Russell ’14, along with Warnock, adds breadth to a talented group of sprinters, while Alan Tang ’15 and Alan Lam ’14 build on the strength of the longdistance swimmers. Both Smith and Hrabchak praise their coaches, including Head Coach John Burke and Assistant Coach Wayne Berger. Hrabchack proclaimed, “Our coaches are very passionate about their coaching positions and help us strive to do better.” The team, young and old, endures long practices and competitive meets as they strive to achieve their overall goal of taking home the gold at the New England Championship.