ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO TATTLE November 2014 • Estd. 1892 • Vol. 122 #8 • Published Monthly • www.ihsTattler.com Ithaca High School, 1401 N. Cayuga St, Ithaca, NY 14850 • FREE
Trumble Assumes Leadership of IHS After Powers Departs; High Principal Turnover Rate Continues By CONOR COUTTS and KALIL HENDEL
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On October 15, ICSD announced that Chief Secondary Officer Jason Trumble would assume leadership of IHS for the remainder of the 2014–2015 school year following the departure of incumbent principal Jarett Powers. On October 21, Powers departed ICSD to assume leadership of Union Springs Central Schools. “Mr. Trumble’s leadership at Ithaca High School this academic year will allow for the school’s positive momentum and stellar performance to continue without interruption,” said ICSD superintendent Luvelle Brown in a press release. Trumble’s new position is not exactly a principal position; rather, it is titledChief Administrative Officer. A substitute administrator will be appointed to full duties in that capacity while Trumble serves at the high school. Many students applauded the selec-
Jason Trumble succeeded Jarett Powers as head of IHS administration on October 22.
tion of Trumble as principal, recalling him from their middle-school days, when he served for five years as principal at Boynton Middle School and three as associate principal. Trumble also has strong roots at IHS, having been a social studies teacher for 11 years before entering the administrative spectrum of ICSD. He has also coached track and field and
cross country. Following his appointment, Trumble began to shadow Mr. Powers immediately. “My door is always open,” he said to students in the cafeteria. “I will greet all of you in the hall and I expect you to greet me back.” Continued on Page 5.
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November 2014
opinion
Editorial
D ear M r . T rumble,
We are very excited to have you as our new principal. There are big shoes for you to fill, but don’t worry—they don’t have to be khaki suede. As students, we have advice for you so that you may better serve our school community. The most important thing is to be approachable, helpful, and relatable. As you were the principal of Boynton Middle School, we’re sure that you understand how culturally diverse Ithaca is and how that diversity is exemplified by our student body. Being able to understand all the socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds of students and being able to easily talk to students is essential to being a great principal— mutual respect between students and a principal helps improve school unity. Whether in classrooms, hallways, the library, or the cafeteria, students hope to be greeted with a friendly smile, a high-five, or a fistbump. Reach out to us and we’ll reach out to you. Another thing that students hope to find in their principal is transparency. Transparency means being open and communicative about all school policies. We would like you to establish clear and fair rules, consistently hold students and staff accountable for their actions, and allow students to ask questions about your policies. Take, for example, the new controversial library policy that forbids students from signing in to the library, going to buy food from the cafeteria, and then returning to the library to work. Many students are finding it difficult to balance their need for food and their need to finish work during the school day. By maintaining the open-door policy that has already been established, students would be able to find you easily and ask any questions that they may have about The Tattler is the student-run newspaper of Ithaca High School. It was founded this policy and others in 1892 and is published monthly. like it. Two significant acAs an open forum, the Tattler invites complishments made opinion piece submissions and letters to during Mr. Powers’s the editor from all community members. tenure, the 90 perDrop off submissions in E25 or email them cent graduation rate to: editor@ihsTattler.com and holding students responsible for attenMail letters to: dance, have improved The IHS Tattler student performance. 1401 N. Cayuga St. We hope you will conIthaca, NY 14850 tinue to maintain and improve the school on The Tattler reserves the right to edit these issues. all submissions. Submissions do not We are sure that necessarily reflect the views you will be successful. of editorial staff. Good luck! Sincerely, The IHS Tattler
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November 2014
An Interview with Former Principal Powers By KALIL HENDEL IMAGE BY JOHN YOON
NEWS
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WRITE
Anyone is welcome to write for the Tattler! Email editor@ihsTattler.com
IHS’s former head of administration truly powered through his years here.
IHS recently saw the last day of its former principal, Jarett Powers. The Tattler talked with him about his reflections on his time at IHS.
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Tattler: What’s your most significant memory from your time here? Jarett Powers: My most significant memory. . . . I think I’ll remember being in Ms. Zolnik’s science class. It was maybe her second or third week of teaching. I was doing the teacher observation, and all of a sudden, water started coming into her classroom from outside, and we had to get the kids to higher ground because E-Building was going under. Turns out a culvert had backed up and the parking lot had filled up. I’m sitting there doing my observation and I look up and there’s just water. E-Building was floating. T: What’s a piece of advice you’d like to pass on to your successor? JP: Just do right. Take care of people, treat people as you want to be treated, and try to do right by everyone, and you’ll be okay. T: What accomplishment from your 11 years at IHS are you most proud of? JP: I’m most proud of the cultural shift in the school that has enabled us to achieve very solid performance in terms of graduation rate and student achievement and allowed us to achieve a significant decrease in stuContinued on Page 4.
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November 2014
NEWS
IHS Students Involved in IPD Use of Force Incident; Mayor Subsequently Proposes IPD Reforms By NICHOLAS BOGEL-BURROUGHS
On the night of August 9, several IHS teens were riding their bikes near Shortstop Deli. There had been multiple arsons around Ithaca earlier that day, so an off-duty police sergeant was on patrol downtown. When he noticed the boys, he began to follow them in his personal car. The boys, allegedly not knowing that the unmarked car slowly following them was that of a policeman, began to head towards one of their homes, leading the officer to call for backup. Once other officers arrived, the boys—according to police reports—initially ignored commands to stop running. When the boys eventually stopped running and began to walk back towards the officers, the off-duty sergeant pulled out his gun and pointed it at the ground. Accounts differ, however, about what the officer proceeded to do. Some witnesses claim that the sergeant yelled, “Lie down or you’re done!” to the 15-year-old boys, and then pointed the gun at their backs while they were on the ground. The Ithaca Police Department (IPD) maintains, however, that the officer kept the gun pointed at the ground and that his actions were “wholly consistent” with
IPD protocol. The event occurred on the night of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. In Ithaca, four of the boys who were stopped were of color, while the officer was white, leading many members of the community to attribute the officer’s heavy-handed response to the boys’ race. The community’s tension culminated on September 3 in a protest outside of mayor Svante Myrick’s office, where the families of the boys, community members, Cornell advisors, and professors from Ithaca College’s Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity rallied against what they called an excessive and inappropriate response by the IPD. While the police department’s internal review claimed that the officer followed standard procedure and was justified in his actions, Mr. Myrick seemed to try and stake out a middle ground, proposing that the IPD make seven specific changes. One of the more notable reforms was the proposition that officers wear body cameras at all times in order to discourage them from straying from protocol. Body cameras
Powers Interview Continued from Page 3. dent discipline—a significant decrease in students cutting class. I thank the team effort that went into that from the community, from the BoE, from the teachers, and from the administrative team. T: Were these changes natural effects or did they come about from deliberate actions? JP: Pretty deliberate planning went into it. It involved policy work, it involved budgetary initiatives, it involved personnel decisions. There’s a lot more to be done, and I think that if we continue to expand and modify our systems as situations and needs arise, there’s no limit to how far this high school could go. T: How has IHS changed since your first day teaching here?
are expensive, however, ranging from $800 to $1200 each. The majority of the cost, surprisingly, is in storing days and days of video data on police department servers. The New Orleans Police Department, for example, bought 350 cameras and expect them to cost $1.2 million over five years. However, body cameras have proven effective in reducing police brutality and civilian complaints. The police department in Rialto, California stated that since it began using body cameras in 2012, “useof-force incidents” have declined by 60 percent and civilian complaints have decreased by 88 percent since 2011. Mayor Myrick also proposed a more drastic and controversial change: a requirement that all IPD officers “establish their primary residence in the City within one year of their hiring.” This has created a backlash from the IPD, which put out its own statement saying that it saw no evidence that a requirement of officers living in the city would reduce community problems. It was later reported by the Ithaca Voice that only five of the 63 IPD officers live within city limits.
JP: It was certainly a structurally different building— there’s been lots of new construction. I think that culturally, it’s changed for the better. Students can find their success far earlier in their high-school careers rather than trying to recover it after it’s essentially run its course. Staff turnover has been significant, so a lot of people whom I started with aren’t here, but you know, those who have stayed are a pretty solid core group of teachers who are doing the work and really making IHS what it is. I think it’s changed for the better, and I think we’re leaving it better than we found it. T: If you could bring three albums to a desert island, what would they be? JP: Three albums? Wow. . . . Well, I think I would bring something of Sinatra’s of course. I would probably bring Andrea Bocelli. And I think . . . the soundtrack to Les Mis. Yeah, definitely Les Mis.
NEWS
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Mr. Trumble and Principal Departures of IHS Continued from Page 1.
Randy Ehrenberg (interim), 1989–1991 Ehrenberg holds the distinct honor of being the high school’s first female principal. Her leadership was strong, substantiated by the sheer amount of experience she had: by her retirement in 2010, Ehrenberg had accrued 42 years of involvement in public education, 27 of which were at ICSD.
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Leslie Graves (interim), 1988–1989 The recently deceased Graves was the interim principal who filled in for his predecessor, John Caren. Originally a science teacher, his first stint as a principal was in 1950 in the town of Laurens, New York. He held many principalships and superintendent positions throughout his life.
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A Glimpse into Principal Turnover at IHS: Moving administrators from the central offices to the high school is a recurring theme with ICSD. Former principal Powers was just the latest in a long line of principals who rarely stayed on staff for more than a couple years at a time. Let’s take a trip back in time and look back at the rich history of leadership at IHS. Our story opens in 1988, when the turnover trend first began to show its face.
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George Kiley, 1991–1993 Mark Piechota (interim), Kiley was known for his 1993–1994 tough standard of disci Piechota, who was hired as pline, exemplified when he a temp after Kiley’s position suspended 29 students on was vacated, had to face more his first day as principal. than he signed up for during He did, however, maintain his term. A former faculty a very personable relationmember had been arrested ship with everyone at the for growing marijuana, a stoschool through eating with ry which the Tattler picked students in the cafeteria up and attempted to publish. and hosting quarterly barPiechota, however, deemed beques for staff and stuthe article inappropriate and dents. He left IHS to be- removed it from the paper. His decision has been cited in arcome a superintendent in ticles concerning cases of principals censoring journalism. Geneva, New York. Continued on Page 6.
The Tattler accepts submissions of poetry and creative writing! Email editor@ihsTattler.com
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November 2014
NEWS
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Mr. Trumble and Principal Departures of IHS Continued from Page 5. Kathryn Hellweg, 1994–1996 In her two years at the high school, Hellweg had to deal with everything from interdepartmental stress to streaking track-and-field runners, cross burnings and skinheads. Her principalship was very well received, and in an interview, she expressed that she would have liked to have stayed longer. The main challenges of her time at IHS were racial and economic splits within the school. Much of her time and effort was spent trying to foster communication and tolerance among students and families from wildly diverse backgrounds. She also implemented a revised science program that received national attention, helping the school move toward its current broad curriculum.
Kevin Mack (interim), 1996– 1997 Unfortunately, no information on the elusive Kevin Mack could be found.
Susan Strauss, 1997–2000 Continuing Hellweg’s work on tackling racial stratification was a major task during Strauss’s principalship. She spearheaded the New Tomorrows Leadership Team, which addressed racism and classism at IHS, and worked closely with community and student groups to try and handle minority issues within the school. She was fond of a certain reindeer puppet named Darryl, whose familial relationship to Rudolph remains hotly debated.
Ismael Villafañe, 2000–2003 Villafañe, who hails from Puerto Rico, focused on bucking the trend of short-term principals and bringing stability to the school. During his term, he introduced the Latin language program, provided laptops for teachers, and worked heavily on the quality of administration. As principal during 9/11, Villafañe dealt with the tragedy by offering in-school resources to help students discuss and cope with the events, and promoted a culture of unwavering tolerance and peace.
Charles LaBarbera (interim), 2003–2004 A Vietnam veteran, LaBarbera was known as a sincere and straightforward administrator. He established and stuck to an open-door policy that encouraged student drop-ins and communication with staff. He was known for his emphasis on teamwork and personal responsibility.
Continued on Page 7.
NEWS
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Mr. Trumble and Principal Departures of IHS Continued from Page 6.
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Donald Mills, 2009–2011 In the wake of the turmoil and stress of the previous years, Mills’s term as principal was marked by progress that brought IHS into a form that would be more recognizable to a current student. Renovations to Kulp and the gym, among others, were planned and begun, and the school’s current attendance policy was implemented. Mills also confronted the beginning of the budget crisis, working with ICSD to ensure as smooth a ride as possible for the following years.
Joseph Wilson, 2004–2009 During his five year’s as principal, the longest time an IHS principal has served since 1979, Wilson dealt with some of the most severe tension, controversy, and violence that the high school had ever seen. The first major event of Wilson’s time involved his censorship of the Tattler, which caused considerable upset within the school and continued in the form of a lawsuit. Wilson’s time also saw a boiling-over of the race and class tensions that had plagued former principals. His primary goals concerned the stability of the school and the academic performance of students, which some criticized as insufficient, considering the other issues IHS was facing. Nevertheless, Wilson will also be remembered for introducing programs such as AVID and Link Crew, which remain invaluable to some students.
Jarett Powers, 2011–2014 Powers, also known as JPow, Power Powers, Jarrett, and Jarret, was known for the profound improvement in discipline, attendance, and graduation rates that he brought to IHS, as well as his guidance during the budget crisis. Students fondly remember everything from his open-door policy and class drop-ins to his suede steps and impromptu rap verses. Powers oversaw the introduction of new classes like AP Psychology, worked with the teachers’ union on the well-received teacher observation system, and worked to ensure the safety of students on campus. He maintained very close relationships with students, staff, and the Ithaca community, and will be sorely missed.
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November 2014
Pro–Modern Art IMAGE PROVIDED
opinion
By OLIVIA SALOMON
Tracking Troubles By SASCHA PACUN
If you’ve been at IHS for a while, you have probably noticed something strange. Every new year you come to school, you have a new schedule and go about your new classes, but something about them doesn’t seem new. Voila! You realize that you are interacting with fewer and fewer different students each year. Year after year, you come to school, talk to the same group of students, walk to class with them, and attend classes with them. This is de facto tracking. Simply put, tracking is the separation of students into groups based on academic ability. Tracking can take the form of anything from the creation of different-leveled courses to the micromanaging of class compositions, even to the creation of completely different schools. The advantages of tracking cater mostly to students deemed to be “high achievers”. Tracking allows those kids to complete more-challenging coursework, learn more in class, and achieve more than they would without tracking. In theory, a class of students with similar academic abilities would be able to move quicker and also prevent bright students from attaining an inflated sense of self-importance. But what about the students who aren’t Continued on Page 10.
Modern art or kitchen tiles?
Modern art that is nonrepresentational or abstract receives a lot of hate from the general public. Pieces are often seen as devoid of meaning, undemonstrative of an artist’s skill, or just plain ugly. I can see why people emphasize these qualities in certain pieces of abstract art—but I think that these are not necessarily flaws. Even if they do occasionally detract from individual pieces, one cannot automatically categorize the whole genre as “bad”. The idea that abstract art can’t contain meaning is built on the belief that meaning can only be conveyed through representational imagery; however, pieces lacking in representational imagery are not inherently lacking in meaning. One does not have to be looking at a person or a place to be reminded of a human emotion. The art of Jackson Pollock (whose work is essentially splashes of paint on large canvases), for example, doesn’t depict anything recognizable in our world, but still manages to convey the ideas of spontaneity, chaos, and connectivity. The meaning need not be political or social; not all art has to be a call to action for it to be thought-provoking. In fact, art does not need to have a meaning at all. Art composed only with regard for aesthetics still has potential to be interesting. It requires artistic skill to produce the types of patterns and spatial relationships seen in the work of abstract artists, and despite what non-believers say, these compositions can’t be made by just anyone. It’s also important to remember when thinking about art that aesthetics are subjective. Those who hate abstract art because they aren’t interested in nonrepresentative shapes composed on a canvas can’t then say that this type of art is inherently bad, because that’s just their opinion. All are entitled to their own opinion as long as they understand that it doesn’t speak for everyone. Those in serious opposition to modern art go so far as to say that it isn’t art at all. My younger brother, Ben Salomon ’17, is someone of that opinion. He is aggravated whenever the topic is brought up, angered that there are people who dump piles of glass on the floor and call it art (Robert SmithContinued on Page 10.
opinion
Does Pop Culture Deserve Serious Study? By EMMA KARNES
For centuries, scholars have pored over ancient Greek poetry, Shakespearean plays, the music of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, and modern yet highly regarded films such as those of Jean-Luc Godard. Through serious study of these often esoteric pieces of art, important moral messages and cultural conclusions about society have been drawn. Do elements of today’s popular culture deserve the same scholarly attention as classical era works? What, if anything, can be learned from examining the popular music, TV shows, books, and movies of today? I think that pop culture is extremely important, and can and should be used as a tool for studying our society and culture. The study of pop culture can be especially beneficial in understanding the development of young people. The social influence pop culture has on youth is immense. Kids look up
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to singers and movie stars when deciding how to act, dress, and even think about themselves. Stances taken on social issues in popular culture continue to influence the popular opinion of people of all ages. To understand a culture as a whole, one must examine every aspect of that culture, and in the case of our society, that includes everything from trashy reality TV to Jodi Picoult bestsellers. Whether revered by intellectuals and average citizens, or generally looked down upon by the public, features of pop culture are significant because of the attention they receive. Of course, this attention can be overwhelmingly negative, positive, or polarizing, but whatever the case, the features’ status as part of pop culture adds to the history of our era, and once a part of history, it can never and should never be omitted. Scholars should examine every clue they have about the culture of a society. In the end, serious study aims to uncover the truth, and if the truth of our culture today is embedded in the scandal of Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball”, the epic friendship and bravery in the Harry Potter books, or the popularization of social interaction and idea-spreading via social media with this summer’s ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, then these are as much a part of our history as anything.
A Sagging Society By ELISE REYNOLDS
Beginning in the 1990s, belts abruptly began to disappear. What had become of these innocent leather goods? It seemed that they had been deserted, left coiled in closets as men and boys took to the streets bearing their backsides. “Sagging”—purposefully wearing pants below the waistline—had become a national phenomenon. Originating in prisons, where inmates were given ill-fitting uniforms and belts were banned due to their potential as weapons, the unintentional fad was appropriated by 1990s hip-hop culture. The lowhanging fashion, propagated by icons such as Ice-T, quickly made its way outside of prisons to ascend to a new “urban vogue” status— and a nationwide problem. Underneath the more public complications of sagging is a fundamental impracticality. Any fashion choice that compels its wearers to waddle around like a nesting emperor penguin must be immedi-
ately called into question. Though the waistline became lower and lower in practice, this change never made its way into the fabrication of the pants themselves, resulting in a choice that renders its wearer both immobile and uncomfortable. To remedy this discomfort, wikiHow recommends wearing pants “below your buttocks and some inches below your genitals.” However, such a proposition completely neglects the other significant discomfort resulting from sagging—that of onlookers. For those whose zippers fall at their hips and not their knees, there are manifold concerns raised by the proliferation of “low-riding”. Temporarily disregarding obscenity, sagging lowers overall assthetics. In order to maximize the ‘Maximus, pants should fall at the lower waist. A belt may be added for additional accentuation. These measures preserve a level of decency and taste that ensures that there
will be no distraction to those who find themselves walking or sitting in a desk behind saggers. Mounting concern about the disturbance and obscenity of lowriding has caused a rising movement of anti-sagging legislation, especially among Southern towns. In Delcambre, Louisiana, gravity-yielding trousers can run perpetrators up to $500 in fines or six months in jail. Fines for public indecency reveal a potential economic benefit of the crusade against sagging. The institution of a stringent policy requiring saggers to pull up or pay up could bring a much-needed financial boost to small-town economies. In Fort Worth, Texas, baring too much underwear can deny individuals the privilege of using their public bus system. Signs posted around the city read, "Pull 'em up or find another ride.” Town officials all echo the same sentiment: sagging has Continued on Page 10.
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opinion
November 2014
in the upper-level classes? Do they reap the benefits of tracking? Simply put, no. The students on whom tracking has the worst effect are the students in lower tracks—those who tend to struggle. In theory, tracking should boost the self-confidence of all students. By keeping students separate, nobody should feel uncomfortable, resulting in a boost in confidence and improved academic achievement. This is not so; the stigmatization involved with a lower-level track is enough to cause many students in the track to give up on subjects. For these students, tracking does nothing but enforce the achievement gap. Once a student is placed in a lower track, he or she will find it very difficult to move into a higher track, especially if the courses in the track are sequential. As such, tracking just pushes them down. Tracking promotes a fixed mindset about learning. In general, tracking works well for those who already find themselves at the top of the chain. But how do we determine who is at the top? It is accepted that people learn at different rates and in different ways, yet we still feel the need to categorize students based on potential achievement from day one. Tracking does nothing but reinforce the way things are and stop any sort of flexibility in courses. Students should not be categorized into tracks of achievement, and they should not feel that they are stupid because they didn’t take all Honors or all APs. That being said, the creation of higher-level courses generally does help the students who participate in them. The ability of students to achieve should not be limited from year to year. In the end, students should be encouraged to excel, and the choice of whether to do so or not should fall to them. Pro-Modern Art Continued from Page 8. son, Map of Broken Glass (Atlantis), 1969). But I think that the strong negative reaction modern art provokes in him is only proof that nontraditional compositions such as the paintings of Jackson Pollock, the sculptures of Richard Serra, and the drawings of Sol Lewitt are, in fact, art—and good art at that. Because what is art, if not something that inspires a response? What is art, if not something that makes the viewer challenge or define his or her beliefs? Abstract art, however ridiculous it can be, does this, and should therefore be celebrated.
A Sagging Society Continued from Page 9. IMAGE PROVIDED
Tracking Troubles Continued from Page 8.
Radical saggers are protested by even more radical anti-saggers.
gone beyond public nuisance to become blatantly disrespectful and distracting. Of course, such legislation has raised concerns of constitutionality. These concerns have been voiced by the population of sagging youth, stating their wish and their right to reject the current of mainstream society. Even the ACLU has dissented, citing freedom to dress as an extension of the freedom of expression. Of course, it is understandable that, with the growth in popularity of undergarments in every conceivable pattern, young people wish to embrace boxers as yet another canvas for expression. However, there are few patterns or messages found on boxers that could not be adequately depicted or conveyed on a T-shirt or other less intimate forms of memorabilia. The time has come for the renaissance of the belt. When worn properly, the practicality, comfort, and visual pleasure of both the trousers and the backside underneath are magnified. The recent surge of legal action against sagging conveys the magnitude of discontent with a national trend that has remained prolific for decades. Ultimately, it is not saggers’ fundamental rejection of the mainstream that is concerning, but the ill-fitting manner in which they accomplish that objective. Perhaps no one has put it more eloquently than General Larry Platt: Hey! Get your pants off the ground! Lookin like a fool! Walkin', talkin', with your pants on the ground!
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It’s Not Greek to Me BY TRISTAN ENGST
features
Although the Honors English 2–Global 2 Combined class (co-taught by Ms. Mellander and Mr. Ballard) is often perceived as a lot of work, it’s worth it. One of the highlights of the class involves the four student-directed theme events held throughout the year, the first of which is Greek Olympic Day. After two weeks of preparation, our entire toga-clad class marched outside on October 10 to host the Olympics. Greek Olympic Day coincides with the Ancient Civilizations unit in the Combined curriculum. Although the modern Olympic Games mainly focus on athletic events, the ancient Olympics also included religious festivities and giant celebrations. Prior to the event, the class was divided into four Greek city-states: Continued on Page 16.
The Hall Monitor INTERVIEW AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY LINDSEY YUAN
What are you thankful for?
Katie White ’15 “I’m extremely thankful for the town I live in because it’s really beautiful. I’m also very thankful for my parents and my friends and music.”
Christian Henry ’17 “My amazing friends.”
Alex Wolczanski ’15 Maddi Carroll ’18 “I’m thankful for Panera “I am thankful for the fact that because they make delicious I have a voice that I can use to sandwiches.” make other people happy.”
Leo Song ’18 “I’m thankful for my parents.”
Serena Stern ’16 “I’m thankful for my sister because she’s awesome and perfect.”
Mr. Miller “Owen Zhang.”
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Teacher Feature: Frederick Deppe IMAGE BY OWEN ZHANG
By SOPHIA SHI
that I could teach history, too, but my memory’s not that good for all the facts. I think that, to be a good history teacher, you have to be a really good storyteller. I don’t think my memory’s very good for that.
Math is fun and fun is good.
Mr. Deppe’s classroom is tucked away in a corner of upstairs H-Building, sometimes overlooked but always welcoming. The man inside, too, is always willing to help students with their work. I sat down with him to learn more about this math enthusiast. Sophia Shi ’15: Where did you grow up/ go to school? Frederick Deppe: I grew up in Chicago and went to Morgan Park High School. I lived in the south side of Chicago, then I moved to Evanston, then we moved back to the south side of Chicago. SS: Tell us about your family. FD: I have a brother and a sister (and my mom and my dad). I was a preacher’s kid, and we were connected to the church a lot. We also were involved in the Peace Movement and things like that. When I was seven, I remember campaigning for George McGovern. I went to a lot of rallies and protests. I have four kids. One is 26 and working, one is at Ohio State right now, in his first year there, one is in high school, and one is in middle school. My wife works here in town.
SS: What type of student were you in high school? FD: I was a good student. I worked really hard—did all my homework. That’s about it. SS: Has your high-school experience influenced how you approach teaching? FD: Yeah. My math teacher whom I had for three years was a really great teacher, and he influenced me in ways that I can’t explain—little things; for example, how important it is to visualize a problem to see what’s going on. He tried to get me to specialize in math right away, but I resisted that. I went into sociology and other things before coming back to math. I’ve since connected with him over the Internet and thanked him for everything he did for me. It took me a long time to do that. SS: When did you become interested in mathematics? FD: I’ve always really liked math, and it’s just something that comes naturally to me. It’s really fun to learn, and it always makes sense. Once I get it, it just kind of sticks in my brain in a way that other stuff doesn’t. I love other subjects. I took so many history classes in college
SS: You used to be involved in social work. Why did you transition to teaching? FD: When I went to college, I just wanted to learn about everything. Sociology was a major that made sense to me because I love working with people, but it was sort of analytical, so it satisfied both needs. Plus, it allowed me the most electives. When I got out, I had a bachelor’s in sociology and didn’t know what to do with it. I was thinking about further education, but I ended up getting into social work, working with the homeless. We would go to shelters, drop-in centers, and even people on the street and provide them with services. We tried to provide a holistic approach to helping the homeless with their health needs and trying to get them into housing, treatment, jobs, and things like that. Then, I transitioned to a behind-the-scenes job in support—the Illinois State Support Center. When I started with them, we provided resources for the people on the front lines. Then the funding dried up and I became unemployed for a time. Then I helped with getting teens jobs in local establishments with money from the [Chicago] Mayor’s Office of Employment and Training. We were training them to get a job and keep the job. It was pretty successful. While I was working in social work, I was trying to figure out what I really wanted to do. I really did like working with people, but sometimes it felt like the system was so set up against their success that it was hopeless. That was hard to deal with. But I still wanted to work with people, and it dawned on me that teaching would be a great thing beContinued on Page 17.
features The First Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta By ISAAC LAWSON-HUGHES
November 2014
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Lexical Laboratory By SOPHIA SHI
IMAGE BY MR. SCOTT BREIGLE AND ALEX WOLCZANSKI
The College Board will roll out the first redesigned SAT in spring 2016. Among the notable changes is the revision of the critical reading section. Instead of testing esoteric vocabulary words, the SAT will shift its focus to context-based word comprehension. However, all those hours of studying lists of words were not for a lost cause. Although very few people use “nugatom” and “esurient” on a regular basis, some of these vocabulary terms are actually quite prevalent and very useful in writing and speech. Here are some that you might want to remember: loquacious (adj.): Full of excessive talk Owen’s loquacious tendencies made him a hit at parties but a nuisance in class. The boat engine make noise.
On October 3, a blustery Friday afternoon, around 50 spectators crowded into the bleachers surrounding the IHS pool. The strange thing was, instead of the girls’ swim team, there were 24 boys and one girl next to ten cardboard boats resting on the cold tiled floor. No announcements had been made, no flyers posted, but somehow, more and more spectators piled into the hot, chlorine-scented room to witness the masterfully engineered spectacle of a regatta that was to come. It had all begun three weeks prior in the Engineering Design and Development (EDD) course, the capstone to a five-class sequence called Project Lead the Way. In EDD, students spend the year on one mini-project and one self-guided main project. The goal of the class is to teach aspiring engineers the design process without the constraints that are pervasive throughout high-school classes. The mini-project serves to get students’ feet wet in the engineering process in order to prepare for the eight-month main project; hence, cardboard boats. Students are immediately thrown into groups and given a document outlining the individual steps of engineering design. Each class period is spent working in groups doing what is necessary to meet the three-week deadline. Daunting to many at first, the design process is difficult, as students must base their designs on real-world solutions and research relevant to their problem. The great thing about EDD, though, is that whenever it seems a dead end has been hit, students are able to consult two great mentors, Mr. Breigle and Mr. Krywe. With all of the creativity of an independent study and the support of a normal class, EDD synthesizes a combination that is intriguing to students who don’t like the typical classroom setting. In terms of logistics, students spent about two weeks researching the history of cardboard boats, current designs, and features of normal boats that could be incorporated into solutions, which are then tested. After teacher approval, students build their full-scale designs based on their hours of research while creating documentation for the project as a whole. In the end, each group ends up with a Continued on Page 17.
perspicacity (n.): Acute mental vision or discernment The perspicacity of Lindsey’s essay on climate change brought environmental policy back to the forefront of national politics. recalcitrant (adj.): Obstinately defiant of authority or restraint The recalcitrant students in Pearse’s gym class made it difficult to play a reasonable game of tennis. idiosyncrasy (n.): The individuality of a person's outlook, temperament, or behaviour; the distinctive nature of something One of Sophia’s idiosyncrasies is her ability to differentiate between Helvetica and Arial (most of the time). ostensibly (adv.): The manner of being such in appearance; plausible rather than demonstrably true or real Judging from the title, Girl with a Pearl Earring is ostensibly based on the Vermeer painting of the same name. paragon (n.): A model of excellence or perfection Kalil is of the opinion that Kleenex is the paragon of facial tissues. Continued on Page 17.
Center Spread
Election Day 2014: November 4th NY-23 Republican incumbent Congressman Tom Reed and Tompkins County legislator Martha Robert-
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son will go head to head on election day for the representation of Ithaca’s Congressional Seat.
Congressional hopeful Robertson of Ithaca runs on a platform of strengthening the middle class.
Congressman Reed of Corning runs on his beliefs of limited government and job creation.
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The National Scale 6
The number of seats needed for Republican majority in the U.S. Senate
425
The number of Congressional seats up for grabs on Election Day
latest 12.8% Congress’s approval rate
200
job
Number of acts passed by Congress and signed into law during the 114th Congress
“Voting is a civic sacrament; the highest responsibility we have as Americans.” — Christine Pelosi
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Unforgettable Election 2014 Moments During an October debate, incumbent Florida governor Rick Scott briefly protested the debate by not showing up for the first few minutes because of a small fan former
Republican Senate hopeful Joni Ernst of Iowa gained national attention for a campaign wherein the first words were “I grew up castrating pigs on an Iowa farm.” Ernst went on to cite her
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governor Charlie Crist (D) had at his podium.
experience on a farm as to why she should be a fiscally responsible senator. She concluded with the exclamation, “Let’s Make ’em Squeal!” Health Care
Issues of Importance
Immigration
Budget deficit ISIS
features
It’s Not Greek to Me Continued from Page 11. Thebes, Sparta, Athens, and Delphi. The class was also divided into groups under the direction of several event coordinators, each of whom was responsible for one aspect of the event. When we finally convened outside on the field adjacent to Q-Building (the new gym), it took very little time for things to start. Ritual Coordinator Grace McGrath ’17 read an ode to Zeus as everyone else dipped their hands into purified water. While McGrath read, the assembled crowd stood still and listened, the calm before the coming storm of activity. When McGrath ended the ode, the class was rife with bottled-up excitement in anticipation of the next spectacle. Each city-state was represented by a small number of athletes. Kevin Klaben ’17, the Athletic Coordinator, incorporated three competitions into the athletic portion of the day. The first event was a simple footrace, which was followed by pool noodle javelin-throwing. Lastly, athletes engaged in a chariot race, modernized to a wheelbarrow race. Sparta was the overall winner. I was the Military Coordinator, and directed a reenactment of a Greek battle scene. My hoplites were equipped with wooden spears (each featuring heads padded with several pairs of socks, a rolled up T-shirt, and tape), and shields made of trash can lids, plywood, or several layers of cardboard. We separated into two phalanxes, each one a mass of six hoplites in extremely close formation, their shields overlapping for maximum protection. The two groups marched towards each other, and we leveled our spears and charged. After the two phalanxes collided, several minutes of choreographed spear-on-shield whacking and pushing ensued. Sterling WilliamsCeci ’17 summed up the hoplites’ experiences: “I not only learned a lot about what it must have been like for hoplites and their respective phalanxes to fight in war; it was so exhilarating to be able to actually take part in the battle.” Next came a scene from Lysistrata by Aristophanes, excellently directed by Erin Hilgartner ’17. The play is a Greek comedy where women refuse to have
IMAGE BY MR. BALLARD
November 2014
How much honey is in this photo? I don’t know, but it’s a lot. IMAGE BY MR. BALLARD
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On the sunlit grassy plains of the IHS campus, hoplites do battle.
sex with their husbands to stop the Peloponnesian War. Although we didn’t see scenes charged with more sexual humor, we did see superb acting as the Athenian men tried to burn down the Acropolis to gain access to the money inside. However, the besieged women inside were able to put out the fires (with prop pots) and deliver an excellent takedown of their attackers’ sexist notions.
Could there have been any better way of ending the event than with a festival involving sweet food? Abigail Lee ’17 coordinated the production of many Greek desserts involving not sugar, but honey. Students mingled and talked as the event became more of a party than anything else. Unfortunately, we only had two periods of the day, and the event had to end.
features
November 2014
boat and a web site* that clearly shows each part of the project. Equipped only with cardboard and a roll of duct tape, almost every group managed to create a pool-worthy vessel able to hold two or three people. Without much fanfare, the boats set sail one by one across 30 feet of treacherous water. Some students used oars—hastily crafted from cardboard of the boats themselves—to make it across the pool, while others used their hands. In the first few minutes, each group made sure to carefully paddle all the way across and nod triumphantly to a mentor waiting to acknowledge his students’ success. Soon enough, the orderly fleet became disarrayed, with They’re gonna fly this boat to the moon somehow. each vessel sinking at a slightly different rate. In the realization of their imminent fates—beneath four feet of plan and carry out similarly lively water—the groups unspokenly declared war on one another. academic events. Splashes erupted as rival ships were boarded, duct tape was ripped, and entire boats collapsed, all amidst the laughter and *Check out one of the websites enjoyment of everyone in the room. “I’ve never seen so many here: https://sites.google.com/site/ smiles at IHS,” remarked assistant principal Tokinma Killins. theblackpearlofcardboard/home It seems that the first annual Cardboard Boat Regatta brought together students, staff, and education in a way that is not commonly seen. Hopefully, the event will motivate other teachers to Lexical Laboratory Continued from Page 13. obsequious (adj.): Too eager to help or obey someone important Daniel was annoyed that his sister’s obsequious behavior made everyone favor her over him. eschew (v.): To avoid (something) especially because you do not think it is right, proper, etc. Nick, a veritable movie star, was famously private; he eschewed all public appearances and interviews. behoove (v.): To be necessary, proper, or advantageous for Having entered the Oval Office as the successor to an unpopular president, Olivia was behooved to study the faults of her predecessor. hackneyed (adj.): Lacking in freshness or originality John couldn’t stop using the hackneyed phrase, “Time flies when you’re having fun!” All definitions by Merriam-Webster. The “Lexical Laboratory” is a monthly installment. If you have any wonderful words you think people should know, email editor@ihsTattler.com!
IMAGE BY MR. SCOTT BREIGLE AND ALEX WOLCZANSKI
Cardboard Boat Regatta Continued from Page 13.
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Teacher Feature Continued from Page 12. cause I could work with young people before they got into the world, and it would be more hopeful. I could help people in a more proactive way. I realize that I was called to be a teacher. It just took me a long time to figure that out. SS: What’s the hardest part about teaching a subject like math? FD: Finding different ways to explain something and trying to imagine a problem that someone else is having when you aren’t having that problem. When I went into teaching math, I knew that my main problem would be trying to put myself outside of myself to see the blocks that other people have. SS: What do you think of the perception that the sciences and the humanities are mutually exclusive? FD: I don’t really think they’re that mutually exclusive. I was in sociology, so I can kind of see both sides. One of the things I found difficult was that sociology is a social “science”, but I don’t know how scientific you can be when it comes to people and understanding people. I think there’s a limit to what science can tell you. That’s one reason I like teaching math, because math is pretty cut and dry, and that’s the way my brain works. My family’s told me for years that I just see the Continued on Page 18.
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November 2014
features
Teacher Feature Continued from Page 17. black and white, just this or that. SS: A number of students have entered the AP Computer Science class by self-studying, leapfrogging over the Programming 1 and 2 prerequisites. What are your views on this? FD: Some people who don’t take Programming 2 but have other experience may get frustrated because there are things that they should know that they don’t know. But enterprising students who are hardworking and really bright—they can bypass it. It’s just that they’re on their own, because we have a plan for them and they’re trying to do it on their own. I’m open to it and I think that I can handle it either way. My preference is that, if they have the time, they take at least Programming 2 first, because it’s just a smoother transition. If they do well in Programming 2 and they come to AP, they’re almost always going to get a 5 on the AP Exam, which I think is the goal of many students when they take APs. We actually cover material that’s in the AP curriculum in Programming 2. We “cover” it in AP, but it’s a review, and it’s assumed that they already know it. SS: You play the trumpet in the on-campus jazz group, the Players. What draws you to music? FD: Music is kind of a lifeline for me. I listen to and play music all day long, every day—not when I’m teaching, obviously. It helps me go through life. It’s difficult to describe what it does for me, but I guess it uplifts me. It connects me with the rest of the universe in a way. It’s spiritual, too; there’s a religious aspect. Like I said, I was brought up in a church, and it’s impossible to separate the music from the religion and the spirit for me. I like all forms of music, especially jazz, rock, folk, classical, reggae, a little bit of blues. I play whenever I can. And I sing. When I was in college, I sang in the concert choir. My roommate was a vocal major and he dragged me into it, and I was like, “Yeah, this is great!” We went on tour for two years, and there was nothing like that. It was awesome. I had braces when I was a senior in high school and a freshman in college, which was pretty weird, so it kind of got in the way of my trumpet playing. But once the braces came off, I played again. I was in a funk band for a year, and then I got into jazz. I didn’t know a lot about jazz until I was about 18, so I came into jazz really late. But I got really into it. I sat in a lot of clubs in Chicago where you could go after hours just to hear musicians and stuff. My talent is in reading music, but I’m working on improvising. It’s like composing in the moment, so it takes a great amount of thought and talent. You really have to think on your feet. I help out with the Players, run by Jim Scarpulla, who is a great musician. It’s a small jazz combo. We work primarily on improvisation, which is usually learning how to play notes that are part of the chords that are passing along. You’re making music while you’re trying to match the harmony in those chords. It’s really interesting and challenging. SS: What do you like most about IHS/ICSD? FD: I like the diversity. I think that it’s just an amazing group
of people, especially the students. I guess the faculty, as people know, could be more diverse, but the student body is really a great mix of kids. I come from a diverse background in a way because my high school was 40 percent white and around 60 percent black. I’m used to dealing with a lot of different people, and I like that. And it’s not just ethnic diversity here. We have both the very poor and the very rich and we have people from rural settings and as urban a setting as you can get in Upstate New York. We have really really bright students and we have students with all kinds of needs. I think it’s just really cool to interact with all these different people. SS: What would you change about the school? FD: Nothing! SS: What’s your fondest memory of the high school? FD: I mentioned that my memory is not very good, right? In general, it’s when students have that “a-ha moment” or if I just hear a student say, “I love math!” or something like that (if they’re not saying it for me—if I just overhear somebody saying it). That’s what it’s all about for me. The main thing I have in mind at the end of the day and at the end of the year is that the students just find that joy in doing math that I have. That’s why it says on my board “Math Is Fun and Fun Is Good”— that’s what I’m all about! SS: What’s the craziest thing you ever did in high school/college? FD: Got a ride from this guy into Milwaukee. It was no big deal—we were hitchhiking, but it was a little bit different then. Anyways, when he dropped us off, he asked us if we wanted to come over to his house, and we were like, “No, no, that’s alright.” We had somewhere to go, anyways. It wasn’t really a weird thing at the time, but that was it. Later on, when it came out that Jeffrey Dahmer was in the news and stuff, he lived in Milwaukee. My friend read about him in Time magazine, and saw one of the pictures and said, “I recognize that vehicle.” SS: What advice would you give to students? FD: Work hard all the time, not just before the test. And then the night before the test, you get a good night’s rest, and be well prepared. Don’t cram. SS: Quick! Tell us your favorite math joke. FD: What did the tree say to the bush? “Gee, I’m a tree!” I told you I don’t remember jokes very well! Fun facts: Favorite high-school subjects: Math and history Favorite theorem: This year, the fundamental theorem of calculus Smoothest jazz cat there ever was: John Coltrane Favorite food: All kinds of seafood Desert island necessity: Besides my family, something to make music with
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November 2014
A&e Young Adult Films By IJEYI ONAH
We are all familiar with movies such as Twilight, The Hunger Games, and Divergent as well as the one that made us spill tears and drench our shirts: The Fault in our Stars. However, there is a clichéd topic in many young-adult movies of today: the scorching romance between one boy and one girl, how nothing seems to exist to them without the other, and how either would die without the other. As much as I love romance movies myself, they fail to capture the reality of romantic situations. In real life, the guy doesn’t always get the girl, and the girl doesn’t always get the guy of her dreams (thank you Divergent for clearing that up the fact that the guy may get the girl, but may not get to keep the girl). People also seem to gather from watching these romantic movies that there are certain things a man can do in a relationship that a woman can’t (thank you Tris for making it clear to girls that we in fact can the strong ones in a relationship). A lot of young-adult filmmakers fail to realize that you don’t need romance to make a hit. For example, I love a good adventure movie, so it kind of throws me off when the girl suddenly feels the need to kiss the guy right when they are about to die. Too often do relationships bloom at the end of a movie, instead of the time being used to show the development of other characters, settings, or even the end goal of the film.
A Leviathan of a Playlist: Part 1—Induction By PEARSE ANDERSON
For the past several weeks, I have been compiling a vast array of music into one playlist. This playlist is my masterpiece. It jumps from French pop to experimental Canadian to Yiddish folk. At the time of this writing, the playlist is leaning on eight hours, but will soon surpass eight and keep building. I have been warned not to post the entire playlist into one issue, as it is around 120 songs. Instead, I have listed the first 20 tracks below, all of which can be found on Spotify. There are too many songs to leave a description for each, so I have provided a key that specifies the genre of each one. What kind of playlist is this, you may ask? I can only describe it by listing words I associate with the playlist. They include: Foxtail / compass rose / greenhouse / gorge / true north / longhouse / windbreaker / scarf / tame / anchor / butternut / feral / small of back / Adam’s apple / trumpet / heavy stubble / lamppost / brass / drumlin / windowsill / Roman / boxcar / stray / bathtub / cairn / plump / ear of corn / shepherd / cuneiform / blistered / hushpuppy / pumpkin / hunt / firecracker / flesh / mousehole / smoke / fraction / heart / fountain / howling / jerky / trailhead. If you want to listen to these words set to music, listen to my playlist. If you don’t, at least try to. Playlist Key “Night of the Skeptic”: Tin Hat (J) J: Jazz/blues “Grand Canyon”: Timber Timbre (J) A: Ambient/experimental “A dream of water”: Colin Stetson (A) E: Electronic “The Maelstrom”: Jim Guthrie (E) C: Classical “Main Titles”: David Snell, John Lenehan (C) F: Folk “Pie IX”: Suuns (A) R: Rock “Fog”: Mason Proper (F) P: Pop “Charlie Boy”: The Lumineers (F) V: Vocal/choral “Roll, Jordan, Roll”: Topsy Chapman, Chiwetel Ejiofor (V) “Medicine”: Daughter (F) “No More, My Lawd”: Alan Lomax (V) “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.”: Sufjan Stevens (F) “The Dead Flag Blues”: Godspeed You! Black Emperor (A) “Meadowlarks”: Fleet Foxes (F) “Song for Jesse”: Nick Cave, Warren Ellis (C) “Wolf ”: First Aid Kit (F) “A Great Adventure”: Carter Burwell (C) “Stand by Me”: Ben E. King (J) “Didn’t Leave Nobody but the Baby”: Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch (V) “In the Morning Twilight”: Steffen Basho-Junghans (F)
A&e The Skeleton WINS! By CASSIDY EASTON
IMAGE PROVIDED
The Skeleton Twins has to be one of the best movies I have seen all year. In my opinion, this movie was perfectly executed from start to finish. I may only be saying this because I was blinded by its beautiful cinematography, stellar acting, and enthralling storyline. This film follows two siblings, Maggie and Milo, as they attempt to deal with their relationships issues and their personal problems. Maggie The twins put a spin on sharing is a married woman who skin as kin with discipline. can’t seem to stay faithful to her loving husband, and Milo is a struggling gay actor who has been reunited with his sister after attempting to take his own life. The events that ensue are a mixture of hilarity, alternately heartwarming and heart-wrenching drama, and startling reality. One reason to love this movie is the fact that it stars Bill Hader (the cop from Superbad) in a remarkably real and serious role. Nevertheless, Hader is able to make the audience laugh uncontrollably at times. The other comedy-oriented actors in the film—among them Kristen Wiig and Luke Wilson—also manage to shine in serious roles. Overall, this movie threw me from tears of laughter to tears of sadness and back in a matter of minutes. In addition, this movie presents the audience with situations and relationships that have been underexplored in film. It explores the themes of child molestation, forbidden love, and infidelity in ways that put a new spin on how you might think of them. Not only are the acting and plot within The Skeleton Twins captivating; every single shot is either beautiful or symbolic. The director uses simple elements such as symmetry and lighting to produce visually appealing scenes. Symbolic objects or acts are also used to get the most visceral and emotional reaction out of the audience. Just before Milo tries to kill himself in the beginning, the audience is looking down on him laying in the bath. The shot is symmetrical and the scene seems normal until we see blood start to seep into the water. The blood stands out against the color of the tub and Milo’s skin, creating a sudden feeling of unease. I suggest that you go see this movie while you still have time; otherwise you will have to suffer and wait for it to come out on DVD. Don’t do that to yourself—go to Cinemapolis. Watch this movie. Rating: 10/10—PERFECT MOVIE.
November 2014
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Surrealism Lecture Review By GRACE MCGRATH
The exhibition on surrealism takes place at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, and is an interesting showcase to see in order to develop a new perspective on the world. The lecture given by Celia Rabinovitch took place on October 14 and focused on surrealism through the mirror of magic on the forms of hidden things—alternative paths to knowledge. Celia Rabinovitch is a historian, artist, and author of Surrealism and the Sacred: Power, Eros, and the Occult in Modern Art. In this lecture, she talked about the different forms of magic, and about the rational and irrational view of surrealism. She spoke about famous surrealist painters such as Salvador Dali and the many levels of understanding their paintings conveyed. The subject matter that was shown exhibited many different elements such as the use of women, childlike aspects, unfixity, mesmerism, magic, and observation. Magic can come in many different forms, like cooking and painting. Magic comes in forms like cooking and painting because you are creating a new product, generating something new from the blended elements. Many aspects of an environment bring out magic, for example fragrance, atmosphere, and mood. These examples bring out an emotional effect, making you feel different. According to the exhibit, there are two types of magic: contagious and sympathetic magic. The difference between the two forms are the way they are depicted: contagious magic is spread from one another, compared to sympathetic magic, which is more playful. Another compelling idea she talked about was how surrealism thought evolves. You have to look into your interior vision for surreal thought. This can happen through dreams or lack of eyesight. This new outlook on the world forces you to rely heavily on your other senses. In turn, you create a new way to show the world through art, cooking, or other mediums. Throughout the lecture, Rabinovitch showed us many types of art. One interesting piece was an iron that had nails on the bottom of it. It was a counter to what an iron would be used for; instead of smoothing clothes it was tearing them up. This goes against our rational, functioning view of reality. It makes us look at our world differently in our minds. Why someone would want to have an iron that would rip up clothes? This work makes us take a second glance. The iron is open to interpretation. The bizarreness of this piece made me think more about it. I would highly recommend going to see this exhibit. You get to look at different forms of art and pictures, many of which have hidden messages in them that you have to find. However if you don’t have time to go the exhibit, Celia Rabinovitch has written two essays on the topic or surrealism that are worth reading. Both these papers and the exhibit show an intriguing new way of looking at daily life. “Surrealism and Magic” takes place from August 30 to December 21 at the Johnson Museum of Art. The Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Along with the exhibit, there will be a screening of the film Witchcraft Through the Ages on November 14 at 7:00 p.m.
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November 2014
A&e
Haikus and Television The Leftovers By PEARSE ANDERSON
Such a cool premise Lindelof, what did you do? Poor execution.
The Blacklist
Freaks and Geeks By FRANNY ALANI
Green army jacket Finding her identity Teens in the ’90s.
Bates Motel
By BENJAMIN MONAGHAN
By NICHOLAS BOGEL-BURROUGHS
No no no no no, No no no no no, no no Don’t make me watch it.
Boy surrounded by Murder and marijuana. Yes, it’s on Netflix.
The Office
The Mindy Project
By OLIVIA SALOMON
By ELISE REYNOLDS
Paper co-workers "Friends" till season 4, ep. 2 Salespeople of love.
Not Kelly Kapoor Doctor and fashion icon Love in NYC.
A&e
IMAGE PROVIDED
By CASSIDY EASTON
Minho (Ki Hong Lee), Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), and Newt (Tomas Sangster).
Although The Maze Runner has to be one of the most accurate book-to-film adaptations I have seen in a long time, its conclusion leaves much to be desired. The movie stays completely true to the novel—even improving upon a few things in the book—until the very end. Towards the end of the third act, it seems as though the director gave up and tried to close the movie off as quickly as possible, leaving out all the mystery, intrigue, and wonder of what will happen to our heroes next. It seems as if the audience is violently thrown into an extremely obvious setup for a sequel. This, while frustrating, doesn’t make The Maze Runner a bad movie; in fact, anyone who hasn’t read the books would not have a problem with this movie. The plot revolves around a boy named Thomas and his sudden arrival at a mysterious place called the Glade. He has no memories of his past or who he is; all he knows is what he is told when he arrives at the Glade: he and the rest of the inhabitants of the Glade are trying to find a way out through the dangerous and ever-changing maze that surrounds them. The only obstacles are the mindbending riddles the maze presents and dangerous monsters called Greavers that prowl the maze at night. Almost every character and scene in the film—especially the Glade and the Maze—was how I imagined it after reading the book. I was blown away by how almost everything was spot on. The Greavers may not have been as I had imagined, but they were actually changed for the better. The filmmakers could not have made the Greavers any cooler or scarier than they were in the movie. I was delighted with everything the director decided to do for the majority of the movie. My delight, however, was abruptly cut off when the director started omitting things from the book towards the end. Suddenly, key events and plans were missing. Entire riddles, clues, and plot points were just forgotten. Even the Maze’s very design were thrown out the window. This isn’t a major offense if you haven’t read the books, but it is extremely disappointing if you have. I suggest that those who have read the book watch with caution. All others should go enjoy the movie. Rating: 8 Greavers out of 10.
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Album of the Month: Kaleidoscope Heart By DRACO
Hey, Tattler readers! In this new column I will be reviewing an album each month. The point of these reviews is to encourage you to expand your taste and knowledge of music. I believe that everything you’re asked to listen to should be listened to at least once. Here are my . . . as opposed to microscope soul thoughts on Sara Bareilles’s Kaleidoscope Heart. Kaleidoscope Heart is a pop-rock, jazz, and soul album with sounds similar to Billy Joel, Allen Stone, or even a littleless-’90s version of Amy Grant. The types of songs range from a capella, slow piano, and voice ballads to catchy rock and upbeat dance songs. My favorite thing about Bareilles’s album is the unique instrumentation. In Kaleidoscope Heart, Bareilles takes a departure from more well-known pop artists and incorporates the use of string accompaniments, slick, funky brass/horn licks, and hip backbeats that make you want to smile and dance. The use of these textures creates more musically interesting songs—I notice new textures every time I listen to them. The whole album is like this, but tracks I recommend for listening more than anything else are “Kaleidoscope Heart”, “King of Anything”, and “Bluebird”. These songs, all contrasting in texture and style, are prime examples of the delicacy and emotion in Bareilles’s voice, the effectiveness of her lyrics, and the depth of her musical passion and identity. I love the easy-listening aspect to this album as well. No matter how heavy and driving Bareilles’s songs get, they always feel listenable. I think this is a part of her musical genius. After hearing the album over and over, I’ve come to realize that it is not the building of instruments that increases the excitement of her songs or the change in drum patterns, but the correlation between the lyrics and the music. For example, in her song “Hold My Heart”, when she starts singing about her broken heart, the piano line changes to a consistent, pulsing figure that could be symbolic of a heartbeat. Then, after the dynamic has changed to a soft, quiet texture, when she asks, “Is anyone listening?”, the dynamic increases. As Bareilles repeats the question, she plays harder into the piano and her voice becomes more serious and desperate. These little things we don’t immediately notice make the song more memorable when we subconsciously take them in. In my opinion, Kaleidoscope Heart never gets old. It is simply another album to add to our own constantly revolving kaleidoscopes of music. Check it out. IMAGE PROVIDED
The Maze Runner: A Review
November 2014
November 2014
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NFL Domestic Violence: How It Starts and How It Impacts Our View of the NFL By AUSTIN LAMB IMAGE PROVIDED
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Who Will Win the UEFA Champions League? By YAFET ANDEMARIAM
The FIFA World Cup ended on July 15, when Mario Götze’s extra-time goal deservedly gave Germany the victory. While we are waiting for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the UEFA Champions League (UCL) will certainly take its place as the elite competition for the best European clubs. Real Madrid won last year’s competition by beating crosstown rivals Atlético 4–1 in extra time with goals by Sergio Ramos, Gareth Bale, Marcelo Vieira, and Cristiano Ronaldo. As the current champions, they decided to splash cash on star players such as Toni Kroos and James Rodríguez with acquisitions such as Robert Lewandowski, Diego Costa, Cesc Fàbregas, Alexis Sánchez, and the talented cannibal (talented not at biting players, but at soccer) Luis Suárez. These transfers certainly raise the threat level of the listed teams. But with competition growing, the question is, who will win? Group stage winners: Bayern Munich Chelsea Porto Barcelona Continued on Page 26.
Ray Rice was suspended indefinitely from the Baltimore Ravens after assaulting his girlfriend in March.
It’s a nice, quiet late summer night. My NFL fantasy football draft is about to start. First up, Peyton Manning is selected. Then it’s my pick. Looking through all of the available players, I select Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings. At the time, I had no idea that Peterson would be suspended after his first game. After my head wanted to explode because my first pick was a bust, I looked more closely into why Peterson was suspended. As it turns out, the cause was domestic violence. Peterson had disciplined his child with a switch and had been charged. A month later, he is still facing charges, and the Vikings have announced that he will not practice or play until his case is settled. Last February, prior to the Peterson ordeal, Ray Rice, previously of the Baltimore Ravens, assaulted his fiancée in an elevator. Though the incident was technically not an instance of domestic violence, it became a pressing issue in the NFL. Rice was convicted last March and dropped by the Ravens in September. In addition to driving fantasy football owners crazy, Peterson and Rice, among other NFL players facing charges, have sparked a national debate on domestic violence within the NFL. People are wondering what punishments domestic violence offenders should face, whether the players should be suspended, and whether being a superstar can help one avoid charges. Many people assume that having wealth, fame, and power increases the likelihood that one will participate in domestic violence. However, in Adrian Peterson’s case, he was disciplined with a switch as a child. Domestic violence involving athletes also has roots in high school, when Continued on Page 25.
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NFL Domestic Violence Continued from Page 24.
Adrian Peterson was suspended for one game by the Minnesota Viking after allegedly beating his four-year-old son.
many athlete assaults against women first occur. This brings up the issue of athletes not being informed about domestic violence, an issue that can lead to trouble in college and adulthood. At Florida State University, there have been numerous cases of domestic violence involving football players in which no charges have been filed or only minor punishments have resulted. Last year, quarterback Jameis Winston was allegedly the perpetrator in a rape case. Police allegedly ignored obvious clues pointing toward Jameis Winston, and after a couple of weeks, the case was dropped. A police interview with Winston was conducted two weeks after the initial rape report, and Winston’s DNA was not collected. In addition, some of the evidence at hand seemingly just “disappeared”. In a New York Times article, an unnamed student reported that Bobo Wilson, a wide receiver for FSU, stole his motorcycle. Later, after Wilson had been stopped while riding the stolen motorcycle, the student learned that Wilson had not been arrested because the police didn’t want to make the mistake of arresting a potentially innocent FSU player and “ruining his record.” With colleges such as Florida State, which racks up to $10 million from a home football game, it is hard not to wonder whether there is any police corruption that goes on due to the amount of profit these colleges make from games. Regardless, from some of the aforementioned cases, it’s clear that there is some kind of special treatment of athletes going on. And if these college players don’t face charges and have not been educated about domestic violence, it is no wonder that they have little self-restraint by the time they make it to the NFL. While it may seem that domestic violence mainly
happens at the professional level, many athletes have been getting away with crimes since high school or college. These domestic violence crimes not only create disorder in the NFL, but also affect our perception of the game. The NFL is becoming a showcase for domestic violence and other crimes. Many people view players as self-centered brutes who think that they are above the law. While this is not true of many players, it certainly applies to some. And it is hard to blame people for thinking this. The fame and wealth from playing professional football and the special treatment some players receive in college makes these players who they are. The concept of playing football professionally just for the enjoyment of the sport has diminished in popularity. Some players have become worried about how much money they are making, and the more money they make, the more selfish they may become. And that selfishness and power can carry on to family life. Players may think they are the dominant person in a relationship, and this may cause issues such as domestic violence. The more crimes committed in the NFL, the more people view the NFL as a violent and disorganized league. What many are wondering is, how will the NFL turn itself around? Although I do regret picking Adrian Peterson, by picking him, I was exposed to the national debate on domestic violence within the NFL. There are multiple ways in which the NFL may change—or not change at all—as a result of this debate. And the NFL might not be the only thing that has to change. Education for young adults about domestic violence and its consequences could prove beneficial to the future of American professional football. These young adults may be the ones who will change the NFL.
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UEFA Champions League Continued from Page 24.
On August 18, Chelsea beat Burnley 3–1.
Dortmund Atlético Madrid Real Madrid Benfica Group stage runner-ups: Roma Sporting CP Shakhtar Arsenal Juventus Liverpool Bayer Leverkusen Paris Saint-Germain I predict that Chelsea will win the UCL for the 2014–2015 season. Managed by the mastermind José Mourinho, Chelsea is well rounded, with great players in each section of the team. Diego Costa, the striker, has scored eight goals for Chelsea, while Cesc Fàbregas provides many assists and recently scored against Crystal Palace. Nemanja Matić will get to perform for Chelsea in this year’s UCL, as he missed out last year, hav-
ing played for Benfica. With backups such as Loïc Rémy, John Obi Mikel, Willian, and Kurt Zouma, Chelsea is packed with quality players. Bayern Munich has a great team overall but a weak starter in Dante, shown by his performance in the disastrous Brazil–Germany game. Arsenal has a strong squad, but its defense has been quite poor in recent UCL runs, with Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny at the back. However, I’m not ruling them out as long as they cover their weakest spots in the winter transfer window. Real Madrid will get far, but lacks a Xabi Alonso–esque player in the midfield, as Kroos has failed to perform so far for Real Madrid. Atlético Madrid has a great squad, but is shaky in defense, as seen in its 2–3 defeat at the hands of Olympiacos. Dortmund, like Atlético Madrid, is a great team, but has nevertheless failed to win its past four games. With players including the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ciro Immobile, and Shinji Kagawa, they really
should be challenging Bayern for the title. Barcelona is a team with potential to win the Champions League. With a solid backline and a deadly trio up front, nothing is impossible for them. However, I suppose a team will eventually stop Lionel Messi and company with the often used Park-the-Bus tactic. Roma, Liverpool, and Benfica are teams with quality, but are not quite good enough to outshine teams such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern. As an Inter fan, I have to agree with the fact that Juventus is underrated, but I can’t see them getting to the semifinals of the competition. They’ve had solid defense in Serie A, but in UCL, they look a bit shaky. In fact, they didn’t make it out of the UCL group stages last year, losing to the likes of Galatasaray. This time, Carlos Tevez will be the difference to Juventus. Overall, this is an unpredictable UCL; many teams having gotten stronger. Nevertheless, I think Chelsea will win the trophy with a close scoreline over Bayern Munich. Brackets:
penultimate Mister Miller Look-Alikes IMAGE PROVIDED
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Mr. Miller: English teacher by day, master of disguise by night.
Dmitri Desgoffe und Taxis (played by Adrien Brody), the son of the deceased Madame Céline Villeneuve Desgoffe und Taxis in The Grand Budapest Hotel.
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Kyle Simmons, Bastille’s keyboard and synth guy.
Wink Garrett, a most excellent news broadcaster.
Rejected Baby Names
People actually tried to give their kids these names, no joke. But still hilarious. 1. Mafia No Fear: New Zealand 2. IKEA: Sweden 3. Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii: New Zealand 4. 4real: New Zealand 5. . (period): New Zealand 6. @: China 7. * (asterisk): New Zealand 8. III: New Zealand 9. Roman Numerals III: New Zealand 10.Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116 (pronounced Albin): Sweden
the
backpage Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21): You may feel like an onion, but you'll become everyone's favorite green hero. Just be sure to check yourself before you (shh) wreck yourself. Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): If yuh had tha chance ta catch uh Night Fury, wouldya? Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19): You may feel a little down with a Syndrome now, but don’t worry—you’ll find your incredibleness again. Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18): With a little help from Alfredo Linguine, you’ll prove that “anyone can cook”.
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Horoscopes Pisces (Feb. 19–Mar. 20): I don’t have your horoscope. I lost it at P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney.
Cancer (June 21–July 22): You will learn the secret ingredient to your adoptive goose father’s secret ingredient soup.
Aries (Mar. 21–Apr. 19): After breaking a few curses, freeing a fire demon, and ending a war, your hair will look like starlight.
Leo (July 23–Aug. 22): You will get lost in the bathhouse, meet a few duck spirits, and fall in love with a river.
Taurus (Apr. 20–May 20): You scare because you care. Don’t forget the power of laughter or the danger of socks. Gemini (May 21–June 20): You’ll be prepared with a house, a few balloons, a wilderness explorer, a talking dog, and a rare bird. Adventure is out there.
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Masquerade concert Myrick Meal Football food Misplaced hysteria Deadlines Sexist Halloween costumes
Solutions to June’s Sudoku
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Upcoming Literary Issue
Saying goodbye to the German exchange students
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Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22): You will find someone who will take you to infinity and beyond with the power of fist-bumpingly awesome friendship. Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22): If you manage to find the Piece of Resistance and thwart the deadly Taco Tuesday plan, SPACESHIP you will become the greatest, most interesting person of all time. SPACESHIP.
Mr. Trumble
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