The Summer Times - July 22, 2010

THE SUMMER TIMES

First Class Mail U.S. Postage Paid Mailed from 03833 Permit Number 78

‘The Summer Newspaper of Phillips Exeter Academy’

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Vol. XXXIV, Number 3

Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire

War Abroad, Peace at Academy

MOUNTAINEERING-EXETER STYLE

By THO TRAN, OSCAR SANTIAGO and MADAI MONTES Summer Times Staff Writers

Out there, in the world beyond Exeter, civilizations and cultures clash. Conflicts pit Greece and Turkey over the Aegean, Israelis and Arabs over Mideast land, Mexico and the United States over illegal immigration. But how do students from those countries grapple with the issues heres? Do different views drive them apart? We asked them this week to discuss their feelings and experiences.

Ralph Blumenthal/The Summer Times

A construction worker doing roof repairs balances atop the Phelps Science Center. A related construction story about the replacement of steam pipes and disruptions to students and faculty is on page 3.

It was in the evening, after dinner, as the usual group gathered outside to play a good-natured game of volleyball. As always, other students became interested in the game and asked to join.

On that particular day, several Turkish and Greek students joined the revelry. Within a matter of moments, however, somehow the friendly competition became a joking debate over the ownership of the Aegean Sea. The tension between the countries of Greece and Turkey is not new—since the rule of the Ottomans, the two nations have been in conflict. Lately, the newest issue is over the Aegean . Who owns it?

Gaining the Aegean would mean access to the air and waterways in the area—an unmistakable military threat.

But these troubles over the Aegean—have they led to conflict here in Exeter, NH? And what about the Mideast -- Israelis and Arabs? Or South Kooreans and Japanese? And Mexicans and (North)Americans?

Careful observation and questioning would answer no.

Apart from the brief soccer outburst, clearly meant in jest, there have been no reported incidences of conflict between the Greek and Turkish students. The two groups have sat at adjacent tables in the dining hall and the Grill, competed on the same athletic courts, and shared the same fields. Even in the students’s responses to interview questions it is evident that they are on the same page, willing to put any differences behind to forge a stronger community.

“We don’t have a problem with the Greek students. I think everything is just political,” Turkish student Cansu C. Cindoruk, 15, pointed out.

See STUDENTS, page 2

Campus Theft Concerns Students

Romance: The Heat is On

By NAZLI TUNCER, BETTY CHEN and JOSE SOSA Summer Times Staff Writers

By DANIEL HOFFMAN

All of us came to Exeter with some expectations; learning about unknown topics and cultures, interacting with others, experiencing what it is like to live independently far away from your parents, and of course, having fun. Also, even though it is hard to admit, some of us came here with the expectation of finding something or someone to make them feel complete– yes, some of us came here hoping to find love.

The topic of love and romance has been a big issue since Adam and Eve and one of the major themes in literature, famously Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”

When love has such a great part in our lives it would be impossible for it to not exist in our summer school. And during these past two and a half weeks love has shown its beauty around the campus.

A Latino couple, who met each other here, explain how they found love at Ex-

Summer Times Staff Writer

Recent incidents of theft on campus and in the dorms have alarmed students, interns and teachers alike. There have been cases of disappearing backpacks that have left the victims short of money and sometimes their most valuable possessions.

The thieves could be fellow students, or outsiders who have easy access to the campus.

Among those who have experienced such losses is Nari Savanorke-Joyce, a rising senior at PEA who is interning at the summer school. Savanorke-Joyce was in the Love Gym last Sunday at 2 pm, on her way to go swimming. “I left my bag on the bench of the locker room to go change, for about 5 minutes,” she said. “When I came back my backpack was gone.”

Savanorke-Joyce immediately spoke with security to try to find her bag. “Security helped me look around for it, but it wasn’t there,” she said. Since her PEA keycard was in the bag, security decided to track down the card. They “saw that someone had gotten into Amen Hall using my keycard at 2:13 pm, which is right after my bag went missing,” said Savanorke-Joyce.

Security disabled the keycard so that whoever had it could

Oscar Santiago/The Summer Times

Anna Drescher, 16, and Tom Chiodo, 17, sit under a tree on the quad. They are one of the many couples on campus this summer.

eter: “We had a common friend from Venezuela and with his help we met each other at The Grill. After that we started talking to each other even though we had completely different classes and were taking different sports. Now we spend most of our time together at The Grill.”.

There are also some people who are pursuing their love which started before Exeter. Alex Williams and Krysti Courchesne, who have been dating over a year and a half, remember the first day they started dating as if it was yesterday.

Courchesne says, “He was my best friend and we were watching a movie. He used the ‘stretching-my-arm’ move to put his arm around my shoulder. After that day we started dating.”

Courchesne and Williams, who are attending the same school and who live close to each other are looking positively to the future. To the question about what will happen after Exeter, Williams says, “I don’t think anything will change. We will See SUMMER, page 2

See CASE, page 2

Access Student Expelled: The Rules Rule

By TEDDY CHOW Summer Times Staff Writer

“We don’t like to see students being kicked out due to discipline issues, but then it happens every summer!” said Senora Glassner, a member of the Ewald dorm faculty since 1999. “After all, we have strict rules!”

Rules rule – at Exeter, this “doctrine” is almost too apparent. The 10 rules and regulations are posted in every single dorm throughout the campus. They are printed clearly on posters – in red. The dorm heads have clearly cited how important it is for students to abide by the rules, and that breaking any one of them probably means a trip back home.

But still – some students just can’t keep themselves out of trouble’s way.

Last week, an Access Exeter student from Knight House was expelled from summer school, because he committed the first offense in the rules and regulations list: hazing other students. The representative of the discipline team, Evelyn Christoph, refused to provide further information about the student’s misbehavior, saying that “the privacy of students is of utmost importance.”

But given the nature of the summer school community, news – or rumor and gossip, if you prefer – travels fast.

When questioned about the content of the expelled student’s misbehavior, several students’ responses, anonymous, to be sure, are coincidentally unanimous: “He is accused of calling a girl in Access Exeter extremely bad names. The girl

undoubtedly feels harassed and disturbed.”

The disciplinary process involved in sentencing a misbehaving student in Exeter is one of a kind. “It’s different from other summer schools in USA, where deans have the full authority to decide punishments,” said Burke Scarbrough, a member of the discipline team. “Here in Exeter, we have a discipline committee which consists of eight faculty members who vote, and a non-voting chair.”

According to the “discipline” section of the student handbook: “the Committee will hear the charge submitted by the Dean. The chair will read aloud both the reporting faculty member’s and the student’s factual statement. The eight voting memSee EXPELLED, page 2

Mike Dunbar/The Summer Times

Exeter celebrated Independence Day this past weekend. 5.

Polar Bear Swim

Madai Montes/The Summer Times

Students dived into icy cold water during the Polar Bear swim.

5.

Summer Session’s discipline committee consists of eight faculty members who vote on each disciplinary response.

EXETER FORECAST

Inside The Summer Times Revolutionary Day

Courtesy of www.google.com

Exeter’s Staff

Amani Loggins/The Summer Times

Bertha Cassat is one of the Academy’s dedicated staff members. 6.

Friday: Partly Cloudy High 84, Low 67 Saturday: Partly Cloudy High 86, Low 72 Sunday: Scattered T-Storms High 86, Low 65

THE SUMMER TIMES

2

NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010

Summer Sparks Relationships Across Campus SUMMER, continued from page 1 be just as we are now.”

In addition to people who are experiencing love here at Exeter there are also some people who are continuing their love over a long distance. “Love is the shortest distance between hearts,” as they say; don’t measure the distance, measure the love.

Danielle Louie, 15, from New York shares her LDR experience and talks about how she copes with it while in Exeter: “After a while, I began to adjust to the distance but I still miss him and stay in contact with him through internet or phone. It can be difficult at times because

I was here during our 14-month anniversary so I missed him a lot that day especially.”.

While Louie relies on social networking services like Skype and Facebook to connect with her boyfriend all the way back in New York, she concludes her experience on an optimistic note. “ I think after summer school when I see him it’ll be a huge relief and lots of happiness in the air. Sometimes distance is a good thing, so you give each other space.”

As Louie talks about space being a positive issue, Victoria Yang, 15, of Taiwan shares how her LDR experience ended because of “too much space.” As Yang relates: “He told me that his feelings faded away because he sensed that

I was reluctant to talk to him. He thought I lost interest and thought the relationship was going nowhere.”

While LDR’s can all end on different notes, some tips can help you not let the distance get in the way of your love: Trust him/her, and trust yourself. Yes, we’ve all heard of the infamous trust issue, but most people would agree that most of the long lived relationships only work because each partner trusts the other to stay loyal and devoted.

Accept that you will fight. LDR’s are very prone to arguments and emotions tend to become very unstable, but don’t let that clobber your relationship. Deal with it, and move on.

P.S., flowers always work.

Remember to say “I love you.” Always remind your partner that you do. As easy as it is, those three words create the healthiest relationships.

Apart from people who are dealing with love on campus there are also people who have not yet found love or who have chosen to stay away from that “headache.”

It is a person’s own choice and freedom whether or not to think about love but if you want to give it a shot there will be a “SpeedFriending” event on Friday evening, July 23rd, from 7 pm to 8.30 pm. Just like The Beatles said “All You Need Is Love.”

Students Unite Despite Conflicts at Home Fundraiser to Help STUDENTS, continued from page 1 Whatever the grievances the two groups have is aimed at politicians, not the people.

As Ege Sonmez, 15, from Turkey explains: “The only problem is there are some misunderstandings between the politicians. It’s not between the people.”

Greek students John Moschos, 16, and Emre Chatzloglou, 17, agree. “Frankly, there is a difference between the people and the politics,” says Chatzloglou, “The top authorities are the ones making the decisions.”

Moschos elaborates. “I try to see people as individuals. I don’t judge them because of where they’re from.” Moschos talks about how he and a few Turkish students are on the same basketball team, and how the two groups have discussed some of the common words that the two cultures share.

The students here seem to understand the community expectations of getting along and are determined to let what happens in the Aegean stay in the Aegean. While the two groups have not yet merged into a single, huge cluster, they are friendly when they see each other, as they are with students from every other country. Their affable coexistence on campus demonstrates the success of the summer school in creating an environment of peaceful, international relationships.

Mexicans and (North)Americans “The government should control illegal immigration,” said Marie Sterba, 14, from Waldorf, Md. She added that many Mexicans work for better lives, but “others cause violence.”

Asked about the recent Arizona law to prosecute and deport illegal immigrants whom police have “reason to suspect” are illegal, Sterba called the law “not ethical, but necessary.” But while she said Mexico and the U.S. might be in conflict over the issue, she is on friendly terms with fellow students from Mexico.

The same questions were put to Ayana Reynolds, 17, from Memphis, Tenn., who stated that it “makes Mexico look bad.” She said the bill passed in Arizona was “racist” and “goes back to slavery.” And she too has made Mexican friends.

An Exeter student of Mexican descent, Maria Cervantes, 16, from Manchester, NH, said the immigration issue was surrounded by misconceptions. “We are not taking their jobs,” she said.

She said the territory of Arizona was Mexico’s in the first place, but lost in a war that was not fair and called she the Arizona bill “stupid.”

Gail Valverde, 15, from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, also supported his country. “We do tasks that most Americans don’t do,” Valverde said. He also called the Arizona bill “unfair,” but the conflict between Mexico and the

United States did not interfere with his friendships at Phillips Exeter Academy. “People in Exeter are really nice,” Valverde said.

Bryan Castro, 17 from Memphis, said America was “made of illegal immigrants” and that there is “no point in keeping them away.” Tim Nash, 17, from Stratham, N.H., agreed, calling the Arizona bill “discriminating,” or as Castro puts it, ”idiotic.”

Nash and Castro, although coming from different backgrounds, showed similar views and noted they get along with any Mexican or American.

The debate between countries may never end, but it can reveal respect for one another, at least to judge from what these Exeter students have revealed from their perspective.

Israelis and Arabs When it comes to the Middle East, emotions run high. Olivia Taic from Israel feels strongly about an Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, held incommunicado by Hamas. She says the price they are asking for one man’s return is too much. “It’s a very big issue in our country,” she said.Taic supports her country and presidents saying he is working hard to keep her country strong during this time of great controversy.

“In Israel you have to go into the army.”

She said. “Everyone who turns 18 has to. My sister is in the army right now,” she exclaimed with teary eyes. “It is very important that the government works hard to show that we support our troops, To let them know that someone here will do anything for you.”

Asked how Arab students have acted around her she declared “Nobody has said anything rude.” Although both groups of students say that they have nothing against each other, they also do not go out of their way to become great friends. Taic regrettably adds, “I should be proud being from Israel.

But I get scared.”

America has been on Israel’s side for a long time. “I think America helps us a lot, we couldn’t do it without them,” Taic said. “Having someone on your side is good.”

Addressing the issue of land claimed by both sides, she said, “I understand that in some way it is their land, but if we have permission, they should stop terrorizing us.”

Saudi Arabian students Abdulaziz Khoshaim and Sultan Turki Alwaseamer took a starkly different position, saying of Israel. “It’s really harsh what they did to Palestine.”

Interviewed together, they said Israelis “aren’t supposed to be in Palestine, it is not their country.” They claimed “The Palestinians have nothing” and that “it’s unfair for Israel to fight with big guns while the Palestinian people are fighting with rocks.

One can see how deep this hate runs between these two countries. What exactly caused all this turmoil in the first place? “It

is the holy land for Muslims and the most important place,” the Saudi Arabians said.

But when asked about the students here from Israel, Khoshaim said: “I don’t care if they are from Israel, the people cannot control what the government does, and it’s the people who are in charge that I hate. We hate the ideology, not them.”

It raises the question of whether land is worth fighting for. Maybe both countries should set aside their differences and share the land?

Mateus Cocco, from Washington D.C. spoke for many when he said, “We are very tolerant people while we are here. We come from all different places and if you are biased in any way, you won’t have any friends. If you are not tolerant in this school you are not going to make it.”

South Koreans, North Koreans and Japanese The Far East is another hot spot with tensions exported here.

Jenna Lee from South Korea feels strongly about her country’s long conflict with North Korea. “I hate Kim Jong Il.” she said. “The incident in March where our boat was sunk by North Korean boats killed over 50 sailors and they won’t apologize or say they’ve done it even if we found the evidence.”

But Lee, too, doesn’t blame the people.

“I feel bad that they’re trapped in that country, it’s almost impossible to get out and worse, they’re sent to Gulag you know, labor camps,” she said. “North Korea has done horrible things from the past like shooting our planes [and] now sinking our boat but I’m only going to blame Kim Jong Il and his little workers, not the North Korean people. I do hope there will be reunification into one Korea in the future.” She added, “I’m proud of my country really and I always feel patriotism.”

Students from two of America’s allies, South Korea and Japan, also had their differences. A young man on campus asked how many students were here from Japan. When told 13, he cried out “DARN!” What alarmed this student you might ask? The fact that the number of students from South Korea is only eight, and since the Japanese and Koreans “don’t get along,” the disappointment of being outnumbered sincerely shattered his hopes.

When asked why he didn’t get along well with the Japanese, he said he wasn’t really sure, but they had a history.

Fellow student Minako Yashiro from Japan said that “We don’t hate the South Koreans, but they have heard from their grandparents who have had horrible experiences in the past wars and now those children struggle with getting along with Japanese.”

Even though there are opposing countries here, many students have set aside their differences and enjoyed coming together.

Expelled: Discipline Rules at Academy EXPELLED, continued from page 1 bers of the Committee then decide on the most appropriate disciplinary response.”

The excerpt surely does remind us of a formal law-court setting.

There have also been some milder discipline cases. For example, a boy in Upper School was punished for sleeping in class. He was required to check-in at 8 pm for 6 days and was not allowed to join the Boston Common trip last Sunday.

While Exeter summer school boasts a fair and equal policy towards all discipline cases, some students have been complaining that the summer school is no more than

an inconsiderate disciplinarian.

“I was [angry] !” said the boy who slept in class, using a stronger term. “I could understand why they imposed the curfew on me. But I was super angry when I realized that they were going to cancel my Boston Commons trip as well. That was too harsh.”

Others had their own complaints.

“Students are prohibited from using the shower after eleven,” said a frustrated Upper School girl at summer school. “And if you’re found using the shower after eleven, the punishment is cruel: shower before eight!”

As Scarbrough said, “the discipline

team is not likely to give second chances to rule-breakers, as the summer session is only 5 weeks long – it’s too short for further observation.” To behave is always a good way to keep a safe distance between you and the discipline team (or perhaps your home).

Dan Walden, a history teacher at Exeter summer school, has some suggestions about how students could discipline themselves. “First, knowing the rules would definitely help. Second, remember the fact that although teachers may appear really friendly to students at times, they are still senior to them. Never disrespect teachers!”

Aid MS Patients

By MINAKO YASHIRO Summer Times Staff Writer

Suddenly and silently, the body’s immune system attacks its central nervous system, destroying nerve fibers and taking away your ability to control body movement.

This is Multiple Sclerosis, a terrible disease that has resisted all efforts to date to find a cure.

According to the pharmaceutical giant, Bayer, MS, also interpreted as “multiple scars,” targets the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve by damaging myelin, a protective fatty material surrounding the nerves.

But one Access Exeter student, Jason Swain, 13, from Los Angeles, is doing something about it. He is selling orange wristbands that say, “Join the Movement,” calling on people to help MS patients the world over. They are “sold for $1 each, and 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the MS society,” said Swain.

He is not one of the MS patients. Then why did he turn out to be working for this movement?

“One of my friends used to play for the Boston Bruins and he was playing there till he was diagnosed with MS,” Swain said. His friend was Jordan Sigalet, a player for the hockey team.

“In the middle of the game, all the nerves from his neck down were shut down, and then he collapsed,”

Minako Yashiro/The Summer Times

Jason Swain helps MS patients by selling wristbands.

Swain related. “He had to go to a rehabilitation center to learn how to walk and talk. Since then, he has been travelling around the world giving information and motivation to many clubs. I was influenced by his actions and that’s why I started to sell MS wristbands.”

It is said that MS is incurable.

“But selling these wristbands can raise money to find the cure,” said Swain smiling. But then with a serious expression on his face, he eagerly urged: “My saying is, together we can find a cure and shut out MS!” Swain made a movie about a campaign advocating for MS patients, and posted it on YouTube on October 5th, 2007. You can find it at: http://www.facebook. com/pages/Multiple-SclerosisCharity/186120911567. The fundraiser will be held next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday outside the Student Activities office in the afternoon.

Gideons Visit PEA to Spread Their Message

By MINAKO YASHIRO Summer Times Staff Writer

Men in white. Sacred and holy. Maybe you have seen them, those strangers handing out little green books marked “New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs.”

“I wanted to ask who they are, I was wondering why they were handing them out,” said Victor Lin, 15, from Taiwan. Steve Calhoun, 16, had a similar reaction.

Those outsiders came to PEA last Wednesday, July 15th. Two men in white attire were holding out the miniature Bibles with a generous aura at the crosswalk of Elm street dining hall side, about 10 to 15 minutes after the beginning of A format.

“They just seemed like friendly men trying to spread religion,” said Kathleen Lo, 15, from New Jersey. While some students got a benevolent impression from those strangers, others seemed annoyed with them. Josh Spector, 17, from Louisiana responded: “I know those type of people. They scare me. I don’t even bother them.”

Who are they? Where do they come from? Why are they handing out Bibles? The questions were swirling around Exeter.

Well, have you read the first page of the book? “Yeah, I looked through it,” Lin said.

If you open the book like he did you will see it says: “THE GIDEONS INTERNATIONAL is an Association of Christian business and professional men. The purpose of the Association is the promotion of the Gospel of Christ to all people, to the end that they might come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.”

According to religion and psychology professor Russell Weatherspoon, many people confuse Mormons and Gideons. However, they are different in their belief system.

What they’re trying to do, Weatherspoon continued, is to put the New Testament’s principles in the hands of as many people as they can in hotels, hospitals, and schools.

“They don’t stand around to engage people in conversation, they just offer them [Bibles],” he said.

Many wondered whether they needed permission to stand in front of the campus. Weatherspoon replied, “They’re standing on the sidewalk, which is actually a public access. They wouldn’t be allowed to distribute inside the campus.”

The Gideons are a generous community. But take the Bible or not, read it or not, is totally up to you.

Case of the Missing Backpacks: Thefts Eyed Corrections CASE, continued from page 1 not use it any longer. No further clues were found as to who had supposedly taken her bag.

But academy security was not the end of pursuing her bag. “Since I had over $500 worth of belongings in there, I had to file a report with the Exeter police,” she said. After this, there was nothing to be done except wait, and hope for the bag to turn up.

Similar misfortune struck others whose possessions disappeared randomly and can most likely be attributed to theft. Osman Sarmon, a 16-year-old from Turkey, had a comparable encounter late last Saturday night. “When I came back from Canobie Lake, my wallet, which I had left in my room, was missing,” said Sarmon.

Sarmon was very upset since there was “a lot of

money” in his wallet, but he had forgotten to lock his door. “I reported it to my advisor,” he said, but other than that there was nothing else to be done.

In most of these cases it is hard to say whether the cause of disappearance was theft or loss, but similar stories continue to surface. The iPhone of Adrian van Hauwermeiren, a rising sophomore who lives in Paris, disappeared last Monday night. “I brought my iPhone to browse the Internet in a common room in my dorm,” he said. He left it there for only a few minutes to visit another room. “When I came back it wasn’t there.”

Assuming it was theft, Van Hauwermeiren reported it to his dorm advisors, and searched everywhere. But the following day at about 1 pm, he found his phone in a bathroom. “I had never been in that bathroom before, I was just looking everywhere for

my phone,” he said.

Such instances continue to disturb the victims, but theft on campus also occurs on smaller, less serious scales. Peter Kim, a rising sophomore from New York, experienced a minor situation. “My scooter was taken without permission and I didn’t know where it was,” he said. “But I didn’t mind since the person who used it gave it back a day later.”

These thefts are not uncommon to Summer School Dean A.J. Cosgrove. “We’ve had several backpacks taken -- sometimes they were returned though,” he said. If students are careless with their belongings, they are vulnerable to theft. But many supposed thefts can be prevented. “I advise not to leave anything valuable in your backpack, and don’t bring it to the dining hall if you don’t have to,” said Cosgrove.

In the July 15, 2010 issue of t h e S u m m e r Ti m e s , t h e Wo r l d Cup bracket on page 7 mistakenly showed Argentina beating Germany.

Of course, the actual winner was Germany.

In the same issue, the picture with the Q&A with the Deans of Fun mislabeled two of the deans, Matthew Gargas and Brian Calnan.

Actually, Calnan was second from the right and Gargas was on the right.

NEWS

THE SUMMER TIMES

3

THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010

Pipe Down: The Big Dig ($20 M) Must Go On

By AZOR COLE Summer Times Staff Writer

Exeter has been making some important fixes for weeks now. The work: major construction on many dorms, and most noticeably, directly outside Langdell Hall.

Girls from Langdell Hall have experienced some inconveniences due to the construction.

Marta Surillo, 15, from Puerto Rico, says that “it is noisy in the morning.” Along with the noise, girls must take a detour in order to escape the confines of their dorm. Surillo explains that nobody particularly enjoys the construction and they are not allowed to interact with the workers.

When asked, Summer School director Ethan Shapiro explained that the construction outside of Langdell Hall was dealing with the school’s steam pipes, keeping them up to date. The pipes provide the heat for the entire school.

As many may have also noticed, behind the gym is a major construction site as well. The reason is that behind the gym is the central heating plant. All pipes connect here and rely on it to work to carry heat throughout the school. The director of facilities management here at Exeter Roger Wakemen, said that “steam is generated by natural gas fired boilers at the central heating point behind the gym.” Once the steam cools, it condenses into liquid and is taken back to the central heating plant by another set of pipes.

This is only the first year of major work on the steam pipes and according to Wakemen, “this is a four year process.” The estimated total cost will be around $20 million with each year averaging $5 million.

With this immense heat, many may be skeptical of the importance of these heaters but they are essential. In the regular school year, particularly in the winter, it gets extremely cold

and snows every year. Without the steam pipes, students and teachers alike would be driven mad by the frigid, icy temperature.

Many other buildings all around the Exeter campus are going through heavy construction.

Many dorms as well as the Phelps Science Center are undergoing construction. Shapiro explained that “there are over 100 buildings at Exeter”, and that all throughout the year there is construction fixing minor, and sometimes major problems. The school is under “constant maintenance”, says Shapiro, whether it is fixing a staircase, replacing windows, fixing sinks, replacing walls, or even adding stories.

Phillips Exeter Academy is a wonderful place to receive an education. With up-to-date facilities and great dorms it is a fun and effective environment. Without the construction teams to constantly work to keep the academy in good shape this place would be in shambles.

Nari Savanorke-Joyce/The Summer Times

Facilities management embarked on a $20 million construction project to update the Academy’s steam pipes.

Did Storm Warnings Come Late?

KRAZY KARAOKE

By MIKE DUNBAR Summer Times Staff Writer

Ralph Blumenthal/The Summer Times

Caitlin Deming, 16, and Indrani Krishnan-Luckomski, 17, belt one out at karaoke night in Elm Street Dining Hall last Thursday. Students were able to sing and drink root beer floats during this event.

A communication failure led to confusion among students across campus this Friday as the third major storm of the summer hit Exeter.

The deluge that drenched Exeter just days ago came on fast.

Many students were caught off guard, partly because they didn’t receive an email to tell them of the weather ban. This, combined with the fact that some students could not hear the automated alert system, left some thinking it was safe to go outside.

Jessica Hoffman, 15, of Massachusetts was one of those caught in the storm. She was forced to run from her dorm, Wheelwright, to the Science Center, seeking shelter. As she ran through the dark by herself, she heard a sound behind her. She turned, realizing she had narrowly avoided being hit by a falling tree branch.

This was not the first time Hoffman had been left unaware of an impending storm. “The first time we had a major storm I was in my dorm and it was time for sports so I went outside.” said Hoffman.

“No one in my dorm heard the alarm. I didn’t hear any alarm.”

Despite Ethan Shapiro’s warnings about the severity of New England storms, even some dorm advisors were caught off guard.

Two advisee groups from Wentworth Hall were on a trip to a local ice cream stand when the storm hit.

“It was raining when we got out of the minibus,” said Charles Wright,16, from London. “We got our ice creams and started eating. Then the thunder and lightening started.” Wright described huddling with his dorm mates outside under an awning, hoping to wait out the storm. When asked what it was like being trapped at an ice cream parlor, he said, “It was awesome, but a little bit frightening.” He, too, reported receiving no email alert prior to the storm.

With at least two possible thunderstorms approaching Exeter in the next week, the danger is far from over. This last storm makes it clear that students have the responsibility to check the weather for themselves before going out. Campus Safety did not respond to messages asking why emails were apparently not sent out this time.

Too Much He Made It to Exeter-Finally Homework?

By CHARLES WRIGHT Summer Times Staff Writer

By RAVEN SANCHEZ Summer Times Staff Writer

Homework: that one word could have you squirming in your seat wishing you could go one night without having to deal with teachers trying to put new information in your head or keep it in there.

It’s basically the bane of our teenage existence. That word causes us moans and groans all around. But here at Phillips Exeter Academy, homework is just a normal part of the day.

Some students call homework annoying, boring, hard, and something they’d simply rather not do. “It’s summer school, of course there’s going to be homework” says Cassiopeia Pattea, 15, from Mesa, Arizona.

Phillips Exeter Academy states that the normal homework load is about an hour to an hour and a half for each class.

“That’s too much homework,” said Laura Marshall, a teacher who has been teaching for five years at PEA. “I’d say about an hour is pretty reasonable.”

Some teachers agree that more than an hour of homework is too much. But homework is necessary for practice at whatever class you’re taking. As for me, for the classes I am taking this summer, I certainly could use the practice; otherwise I would forget everything I learned overnight.

Kerri Burkle, a first-year intern here at PEA, agrees that practice outside of class is important. “It’s important to have your classes and have fun but classes are a big part.” And classes mean homework.

So between all your classes, your sports activities, your trips, and the extra time you have for your friends and eating, just be glad that there is a set time for you to do your homework.

While you’re on Facebook updating your status or playing FarmVille, remember that the time you’re using is supposed to be for your homework and it’s not fun waking up early in the morning to do what you could’ve done the night before.

Homework is a normal part of school and it is summer school -- therefore it is part of our day.

As you may have read last issue, five students were unable to participate in the Phillips Exeter Academy summer school program due to issues with visas. However, one of the students, Danial Farooqi, 16, from England, was finally able to join the summer school on July 15th, after a long process that required the intervention of the school. His fellow students from the same school got their visas on time, yet his was held back for undisclosed reasons.

Farooqi was overjoyed at being able to finally attend the summer session, and we managed to get a Q and A session with him.

Question: Hello Dan. How does it feel to finally be at Phillips Exeter Academy?

Danial: Great, it’s a great opportunity, you know.

Q: What were your feelings and emotions when you were told you would be unable to fly out to the summer session?

D: Upset, of course, and a little angry. I had packed all my stuff already, so it was very annoying.

Q: What was the visa application process like? How far in advance did you apply?

D: I had applied two months in advance, and ended up having to wait two weeks into the summer session. Without the school’s help, it would have been impossible for me to fly out here.

Q: How are you getting on with your lessons? Has entering them late affected you?

D: Physics has been hard to start with, because I was late into it. Statistics has been O.K. so far, and I’ve learnt some useful stuff. Algebra is the subject I am most confident in.

Q: How have people reacted to your accent?

D: The Americans have been annoying me by asking me to repeat everything I say! And then afterwards, they try and copy it; badly of course.

Q: How do you react to the news that there were four others in your situation?

D: I’m not surprised, to be honest, especially with the trouble I had with getting one. I suppose with the amount of people coming here, and the amount of different nationalities involved, there are bound to be some that aren’t accepted.

Of course, it’s upsetting to hear that people couldn’t come at all.

Q: What was your experience at the airport like?

D: Just as bad really. I got checked in England about five times, and I had a bag search done. Then, in America, they separated me from my teacher and took me to a room to interview me with questions like ‘Do you have any family here?’ and stuff like that.

Q: Why do you think your visa was held up so long?

D: I think it’s probably because of my ethnic background; because I have a German nationality, a Pakistani father, and I live in England. Obviously that would have held it up, but I can’t believe it took them well over two months to sort it out.

Q: What sports are you doing here at Exeter?

D: Soccer, because I like to think I’m pretty good at it, and it’s the English game of course!

Q: What are your hopes and goals for the summer session?

D: I want to make some new friends, learn some new skills in the lessons I’m taking, and just have a good time overall. Oh, and I want to buy lots of cheap clothes!

So, Phillips Exeter Academy welcomes one more new student to the seven hundred and sixty or so who are already here. Hopefully four more will be able to join us in the coming days – or next year for sure.

4

THE SUMMER TIMES

THE SUMMER TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD ISSUE 3 Leyla Ates Teddy Chow Tanisha Raj Irmak Saritas Tho Tran

SUMMER TIMES STAFF REPORTERS Lindsey Burgess Betty Chen Azor Cole Lindsay Duddy Mike Dunbar

Daniel Hoffman Amani Loggins Madai Montes Raven Sanchez

Oscar Santiago Jose Sosa Nazli Tuncer Charles Wright Minako Yashiro

OPINIONS

THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010

Married to the Mob Where the Party’s At Tho Tran During the first week of summer school, you could see them out on the fields near the Elm Street Dining Hall. Lately, they have been reported to be cheering at soccer games and meeting behind the Grill. Who is this “they” I speak of?

They are the Crowd.

They are that one big group of students who spontaneously travel in hordes from one location on campus to another. And the most miraculous thing about them is that they can somehow gather such a large group of students without much prior planning.

When at first presented with the question of how they know where the student-organized events are, many students have offered a similar answer: “Follow the music. Where there is music, there will be people.”

But is this simply a magical Pied Piper effect? As I asked around, Karina Chavez, 17, from Memphis, Tenn., and Johnattan Gonzalez, 16, from Connecticut, offered a much more logical

explanation.

In a way, the Crowd is like a beehive or ant colony. These social groups communicate information from one member to another, such as about where events or resources can be found.

Generally, the news is spread by word of mouth, texts, and Facebook messages.

Everyone wants to be a part of the fun, as Chavez says, “The mentality is to be drawn to the group.” The problem is when students start feeling excluded. As we reach the middle of summer, sometimes circles of friends seem daunting to the lonely.

But as Chavez and Gonzalez noted, “You have to meet people half way.” When you put in the effort to talk to people, say hi, or even smile, others will return the friendliness.

And for those who are already in established groups of friends, it is always a nice gesture to reach out a hand to those who have yet to find a sense of belonging.

FACULTY ADVISOR

Ralph Blumenthal The Summer Times is written and edited by Mr. Blumenthal's A and B format Journalism classes. It is produced by Summer Times Proctors Yun Jee Kang '10 and Nari Savanorke-Joyce '11.

The Summer Times welcomes Letters to the Editor, which can be sent via email to exetersummer@gmail.com. The editors reserve the right to print Letters to the Editor in a timely fashion and to edit them for content and clarity. The Summer Times welcomes submissions, photos, and suggestions.

Please submit them to exetersummer@gmail.com

The Rules of Common Sense MIKE DUNBAR Summer Times Staff writer

Keeping more than 700 kids in line is no easy job. Get a bunch of teens together, away from their parents for what may be their first time, and you’re bound to have trouble. Look around. Uniformed Campus Safety officers are seen daily, driving around town in identical white cars. Signs around Campus list the ten “Fundamental Rules.”

To some extent, all these rules aren’t such bad things-most are common sense. Just in case, let’s go over some of these rules together, kids, shall we?

Rules include bans on hazing, plagiarism, alcohol, fire crackers in dorms, you know, the usual.

But I have a serious question- Has PEA actually had issues with people lighting off fire-crackers in their dorms? If someone attending Exeter has decided it’s a good idea to celebrate the 4th of July indoors, I’m not so much worried about them getting kicked out as to how they got in the first place.

Is that insensitive of me?

Now, gambling for money is another no-no. In other words, the next time your friend says, “I bet you five bucks I can sneak over to the girls dorm and not get caught,” politely refuse unless he’s willing to pay you back in chicken tenders.

You are also specifically forbidden from possessing “empty alcoholic beverage containers.” So, if your dorm-mates decide it’s a good idea to sneak a few drinks, I wouldn’t offer to do the recycling for a few days.

Drugs are a bad idea, too, folks. They absolutely impair your judgement. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re going up to Mr. Shapiro and telling him how much his voice sounds like George Clooney’s. Just say no.

According to Teddy Chow’s page one article, falling asleep in class can get you in some hot water. I mean, I’m not talking “I-gotcaught-smoking-while-playing-Texas-Hold-‘Em-for-Rubles-trouble,” but I still wouldn’t recommend it. Unfortunately, the human body simply wasn’t built to fall asleep at 1 a.m. and get up for Polar Bear at 5. Not that people won’t try.

Now remember, the following things are not allowed in your rooms; beanbag chairs, refrigerators, televisions, and all heatproducing items including flat irons, coffee pots, corn poppers, hot plates, toasters, electric immersion coils, high-voltage electrical appliances, halogen floor lamps, and high intensity lamps that generate excessive heat.

That’s right- so for those of you planned on running a small movie theatre/concession stand/tanning salon out of your room, we’re afraid you’ll have to take your ventures elsewhere.

Lastly, make sure you use the rest room before lights out. From what I hear, more than one unmindful Exonian has found him- or herself regretting spending the last hour on Facebook instead of getting ready for bed. But the rules are clear-Phillips Exeter even trumps Mother Nature on this one.

As Chow’s article put it, at Phillips Exeter Academy, rules rule.

Common sense, on the other hand, is still up for debate.

Disagree or agree with anything on this page? The Summer Times gladly welcomes your thoughtful commentary. Submit Letters to the Editor to exetersummer@ gmail.com by Sunday evening for the coming Thursday’s newspaper.

We Are What We Wear

Irmak Saritas

Fashion is a variable pleasure that can change through people’s opinion. We cannot compare the clothes that an old woman wears with those of a teenage girl because there is a huge difference between each of their styles. Older people like to wear comfortable clothes, and on the other hand, adolescents – like us here at Exeter -- like to wear trendy clothing: for girls, mini and high-waist skirts, dresses, or colorful jeans. Furthermore for accessories some teenagers wear big flowers in their hair.

Nowadays boys like to wear tight jeans in order to look skinnier. They usually put on a belt to put their tee shirts inside their jeans.

In my opinion, the things you wear show your personality and character. Since I am a teenager, of course I like our fashion. I really enjoy wearing colorful things: for example pantaloons, watches, and blouses. They reflect me as more amusing and entertaining. You need confidence in order to wear different styles. If you don’t have confidence in yourself then you can’t wear what you like. Teenagers shouldn’t be afraid of their friends’s opinions even if they are harsh..

There are lots of things that are not fashionable now, even though they were last year, for example Converse. Some people still wear them, but I think that they are not as popular as before. Young people prefer Tiger, Superga and sandals. Furthermore, in the past wearing high-waist clothing was not trendy at all. On the contrary, when people saw someone wearing that they would mock you. However, now it is really explicit that they are very fashionable.

At Phillips Exeter Academy, different cultures wear different styles of clothing. For example, for bags most of the Turkish people carry Eastpak. American people like to wear Silly Bandz on their wrists.

In our school, it is known that shorts are the most popular clothing for boys and girls. Especially because of the hot weather.

In almost every country, people like Abercrombie and Fitch. But outside of America, the stores are few and far between. Therefore, on summer school trips when students go to a mall they usually visit Abercrombie and Fitch. In addition to that, American Eagle Outfitters and Hollister are also often on this list. These three stores are most popular and fashionable ones.

The summer school also makes trips to Wal-Mart and generally the buses fill up. Exeter students snap up the clothing, for example, tee shirts and jeans. The prices are very convenient!

I will tell you my advice…

Just be yourself!

PEA Home of World Peace Leyla Ates Summer Times Staff Writer Wars, fights and feuds have been present in mankind’s life since day one. Even Adam and Eve, the first humans, probably fought about which cave to live in or which animal was easier to catch. As mankind got more civilized the fights became more and more brutal. First stones, then swords. As technology evolved guns got bigger, then smaller, stronger, even quieter – but more lethal.. Nuclear bombs were created and used, ruining millions of lives. Now --today -- we are suffering violence and cold war.

Achieving world peace has become an utopian concept. But is it really?

At Phillips Exeter Academy summer school there are around 760 students from 47 different countries. It seems difficult and almost impossible for such a variety of cultures to live together in peace, right? Well, somehow it works. Israelis and Arabs, Mexicans and Americans, Turks and Greeks all live under the same roof in peace and harmony. Despite the historical or recent disputes none of the students act on their preconceived opinions and give in to prejudices. The fact that a massive group of teenagers can put their differences aside and become friends or maybe even date is hard to grasp for narrow-minded adults. Well guess what? We can do it so, you can too.

It is funny how my first actual culture mix experience ended in anger – mine.

Second day of camp was full of hectic students running around campus trying to find out where they had to be and what they needed to do. Having a confused and dazed look on your face was the most “in” thing. People were wearing it more than Abercrombie & Fitch tee shirts. Tired from all the confusion and rush, I and several of my Turkish friends sat around a tree in the front

lawn to chat about first impressions of Exeter. Out of nowhere a blond tallish guy sat next to us and joined the conversation. I was impressed; it took courage to jump in to a pool of people you do not know. As the conversation progressed it dawned on him to ask where we where from. As soon as the word Turkish got uttered his face changed.

“You guys kill people!” That sentence had caught me off guard. Shocked and angry, I questioned what he meant. We ended up getting in to a heated yet civil discussion on the controversial Armenian genocide. He believed that it had occurred and that we intentionally killed thousands of Armenians for no reason. Which we strongly disagreed on. The conversation really frustrated me and ended up inclusive.

Despite his harsh accusations we managed to put them aside and get along. Some Turks have even become truly close friends with him. As growing young adults it is vital for us to see cultural conflicts and find ways to solve them or simply put them aside.

Forty-seven countries, 760 students. Exeter is a simulation of the real world in a more compact form. If it is true that teenagers are immature and headstrong, stubborn and adamant why can we live in “world peace” but mature and perspective adults fail to do so?

Putting aside differences and letting go of touchy emotional matters is part of the experience we call summer camp. All the diverse cultures here are parts of a jigsaw puzzle. With even one piece missing out of hundreds, completing it would be impossible.

In the end all pieces come together flawlessly to form the perfect picture we call Phillips Exeter Academy!

FEATURES

THE SUMMER TIMES

5

THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010

Town of Exeter Celebrates Revolutionary Roots

By MIKE DUNBAR and IRMAK SARITAS

original furniture.”

Their love of history also plays a big part in their love for each other.

“We were married in an 18th century wedding,” said Mrs. Spencer. “Everybody at the wedding was in colonial clothing, it was in a 300-year-old barn, we had a contra- dance [a traditional 18th century dance form].”

“We based our ceremony on people who got married in New Hampshire in the 18th century,” Spencer said. “A friend of ours, who is actually here today, is a pastor, but also a reenactor. He had the official vestments that they would have worn in the 18th century, a 200-year-old Bible, and we did it in the way that they would have done it.”

Mrs. Spencer responded, smiling: “We had a marriage contract with the seal of New Hampshire from 1770 that we researched and printed on parchment ourselves. You and the best man signed the marriage contract by candlelight.”

Elsewhere, reenactor Dirk Mahling sang a period song called “Over the Hills and Far Away.” He strummed the tune on a mandola, a relative of the mandolin. He and fiddler Francis Smith sat under a tent and tried to get onlookers to sing along. In between traditional ballads, we caught Mahling strumming the tune to “Iron Man.” At 2:00, crowds watched a mock battle between the American revolutionaries and the British. Sympathetic, “aw”’s came from the sidelines each time a soldier was “shot.”

One onlooker was Exeter Summer School Upper Charlie Wright from London. “I’m here for the away team,” he said.

Then, another flurry of gunshots snapped all eyes back to the battle taking place just feet away.

Summer Times Staff Writers

Gunshots rang out at two o’clock last Saturday afternoon just blocks from Phillips Exeter Academy. Battle drums sounded. Plumes of white smoke rose as muskets fired.

But no one called 911 or 4444.

Hours earlier, Exeter residents kicked off a day-long festival celebrating the United States’s Declaration of Independence from England. July 17 marks the anniversary of the first reading of the Declaration to Exeter citizens- it took 13 days for word to travel from Philadelphia. Speakers at the festival included New Hampshire’s Governor John Lynch, local politicians-- and even “Gen. George Washington” himself.

Suddenly, chest-rattling explosions echoed from Swayze Parkway as battle cannons fired.

Along the parkway, reenactors dressed in period garb recreated life in a Revolutionary War camp.

We found British soldier Adam Spencer and his wife Mary trying to keep cool under the shade of a tree. Mr. Spencer stood out in his crisp red coat and helmet.

Spencer explained why he decided to portray a British soldier; “What I tell people about the British is that they were just trying to keep order. The British soldier I portray is somebody who says, ‘These people are up in arms, we need to keep order.’ So you have to look at it from both sides of the coin. There were people who wanted change, but then there were plenty of people who said, ‘Oh no, we don’t want change, we don’t want riots in the streets.’”

“My wife and I are very into our history,” Spencer said. “We live in a restored house with

Oh, the Places

Then vs Now: History of Summer School

You’ll Go!

By LINDSEY BURGESS Summer Times Staff Writer

By BETTY CHEN Summer Times Staff Writer

On a typical summer weekday or Sunday morning, Exeter awakens to a fleet of yellow caravans heading for destinations like Fox Run Mall, Boston Commons, Ice Skating, Whale Watching, or a long list of off-campus trips.

But while some are contentedly boarding the steps of the bus, others only wait by the sidewalk watching and thinking how good it would be if it were them -- and if only there were enough tickets.

Sonia Hung, 15, from Taiwan, felt contrite about not having bought tickets earlier for the Dartmouth College Visit trip she had eagerly anticipated. “ I purchased some of my tickets on the first week or so, and left the others for the second week, and Dartmouth was one of them,” she said. “All my friends had signed up for that trip and I wanted to do the same, except student activities office turned me down saying they had no more tickets.”

Similarly, other students who wanted to buy tickets for some of the more popular choices like Water Country, were denied because of the limited number of tickets open for sale. “ It was annoying how the school didn’t consider the reasonable number of tickets to sell for the students,” Jean Kwon, 15, of South Korea says, “And because of this, I’ve been buying a lot of tickets in advance so something like this won’t happen again.”

Mike Dunbar/The Summer Times

Top: Adam and Mary Spencer, a British soldier and his wife, relax under a tree. Bottom left: Jack Paige of Sutton Mills, NH is a blacksmith.

Bottom right: A Revolutionary soldier advances towards the Redcoats.

Courtesy of www.exeter.edu

Three Summer School students from last year look over a lobster during one of the off-campus trips.

Dean of Fun Brian Calnan, explains: “Sometimes with trips like water country, it’s the number of tickets we can get for admission. Water Country this year was a trip that filled up faster than previous years even with 225 tickets open, which was an additional 50 more than last year.”

Whether it be you or your friends not able to get certain tickets, Exeter is a place where something is going on every minute.

Calnan offers some perspective. “You can’t find Water Country everywhere, I know, but there are water parks all around, or maybe something a little different. There’s a baseball game on Sunday, or shopping at the outlets.”

Head down to the Academy Center and pay a visit to the Student Activities Office.

A suggestion box is always there open for new suggestions as well. As Calnan reveals, not this year, but next year there might be a MIT trip.

Brrraving the Polar Bear

By MADAI MONTES Summer Times Staff Writer

Before the rooster crows you awake, only to be confronted with a long bus ride dressed in nothing but your swimsuit, you arrive and are greeted with ice water sloshing around your waist, freezing shards of waves knocking your feet into numbness, and the gentle fresh breeze of the Atlantic Ocean.

What exactly would drive a student to participate in such an activity – the regular Polar Bear swims of Phillips Exeter Academy’s summer session?

Sofia Ramos Calderon has gone to every Polar Bear since it began last Tuesday. She says that she does it because its a very entertaining experience. “Its funny to see and hear all the people screaming when they get into the freezing water,” she said “ Plus, when you’re running towards the ocean you feel a sense of freedom, but once you touch the water reality sets in and all you feel is your legs getting numb.”

Matthew. Gargas from the Summer School office is one of the main supervisors of Polar Bear. Every morning he corrals around 90 students to travel on the bus and jump into the ocean at five in the morning. Yet despite the hardship, there are more interested students than available places so whoever is interested in participating should sign up way ahead of time online.

“The last trip, if there is a huge demand, we will attempt to satisfy those who want to go by bringing at least four or five buses,” said Gargas.

But he said the rumors circulating around campus about winning a teeshirt for attending every single Polar Bear are not true explains. However, he said, “if you go every single time, you might get something out of it.”

Calderon explains that she is planning to go every single time. “Many don’t want to go because its too early, but its worth it to try at least once,” she said. “ It’s not something you can do every day at home. It’s fun to enjoy yourself freezing with your friends.”

Polar Bear has been around for about nine or ten years, possibly started

by Chad Gordan. “One of the old Deans of Fun was pretty crazy I guess and decided that jumping into the ocean early in the morning would be fun,” explained Gargas.

The downsides to Polar Bear? Gargas explains that “people have never gotten sick of hypothermia, but they do tend to skip class, which isn’t good, you could be put on the NFL --no fun list -- if you do that too much.”

Calderon backs up this remark by adding, “it’s hard to stay awake during classes but it’s the price we got to pay.”

Sofia Ramos Calderon/The Summer Times

As you stroll along the lush green lawns of Phillips Exeter Academy, you will be drowned in diversity. With at least 37 states and 47 countries represented, it’s hard not to become absorbed in the variety that surrounds you.

PEA is a Summer School like no other. You are put in an environment with people of different cultures, social status, and backgrounds contrary to yours. In addition to mingling with various ethnicities and exercising your Turkish and Venezuelan accents, you also get to further your knowledge about your choice of particular studies and, not to forget, to envelop yourself in the world renowned “Harkness table method.”

However, the PEA that we have known and grown to love has not always been this way. When Summer School was first contrived in 1919, it was exclusive to only American and European males who came from wealthy backgrounds and prominent families. In retrospect, the school was the complete opposite of what it has become now. In 1919, in addition to the Summer School program, it also had athletic sports camps, which it later abandoned and replaced with Access Exeter.

Werner Brandes, a German native, has seen the Summer School program grow and flourish. “I came to Summer School in 1964,” he says smiling while he reminisces. “They had just built the old music building.” Although you can find him teaching in Room 130 this summer, he is an excellent source of information on bygone Exeter. He remembers the times when there were just preppy white males entering the doors of Phillips Hall.

“I became interested and wanted to see more,”

Brandes said. “I never thought about teaching here. I was intrigued by old Exeter,” he says with eyes glowing.

There was a different vision of PEA Summer School introduced in the 1960’s. This consisted of a more international student body. In 1961, still a male-oriented camp, the Academy began accepting boys from other countries. Although the Summer School was not as highly diverse as it is now, it was a new era of change that was soon to sweep the Academy.

PEA’s Summer School was known as the guinea pig for its regular session, and Exeter used that to its full advantage. In 1970, for the first time, it tried out a coeducational classroom setting. With both males and females attending, it was not only an equally balanced summer program, but also a thriving one as well.

Exeter remained stable throughout, and in the 90’s it introduced a new academic curriculum.

Brandes describes the innovation as “far-reaching and high level courses” that can be found modified today in class settings.

Ninety-one years of hard work, dedication, new changes, and mold-breaking have been the reasons why PEA Summer School has been shaped into one of the most successful and well known prep school programs in the world.

“Yes we have had growing pains, but we corrected the mistakes early on,” says Brandes, who shows that the road to success for Exeter Summer School has not always been smooth.

But there is no doubt that Exeter will continue to thrive with its diverse students and rigorous curriculum. As Brandes firmly states, with perhaps only a little exaggeration: “All the good that has happened in this country is because of Exeter.”

Town and Gown

By LINDSAY DUDDY Summer Times Staff Writer

You don’t see gowns much these days in the streets of Exeter, but Town and Gown remain intertwined here as they have been for hundreds of years in intellectual communities.

The term “Town and Gown” originated in the Middle Ages but still pertains today to relations between academic institutions and the towns in which they are situated. When the phrase originated it was used to describe the competing interests that pitted students against townspeople. As the expression has evolved, it has come to represent the relationship of the town and the school and how the two coexist. Philips Exeter Academy and its host town of Exeter, NH., are an example of this relationship.

Daniel Chartrand, the owner of the Water Street Bookstore on Main Street , explained his businesses relationship to Exeter Academy: “If the academy was not here, I would not be here,” he says. Without Exeter Academy, he added “there would not be enough people to support my independent business.” The school, Chartrand said, “also creates a feel of a college town. In the last twenty years the town has worked very hard to eliminate the wall between the school and the town.”

The school has been good for the town, figures show.

According to the Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau, Phillips Exeter Academy is the second largest employer in the town of Exeter. The school employs 520 people, second only to the local hospital. All the other local businesses employ people in much smaller numbers.

It may be no accident that the average per capita income in Rockingham County, containing Exeter, is the highest in the 10 counties of the state --$26,656 as com-

Courtesy of Google

An aerial view of Phillips Exeter Academy and the town of Exeter, NH. pared with $17,218 in Coos County, the lowest of the 10.

Similarly, the 2010 unemployment rate for the state of New Hampshire is 6.3%, yet Exeter’s unemployment rate is 2.9 %. The role the Academy plays in creating employment opportunities is one of the undeniable benefits that the “gown community” brings to the town community.

The comparatively high standard of living can work for and against the relationship of the school to the town.

The large student body, much larger than the number of students in the public schools, generates social and business activity. Yet if the students are seen as richer or elitist, this may cause resentment to grow between the townspeople and the “gowns people,” or academic community.

Katie Lebonte, an Upper School student from Deep River, Conn., commented on the town from a student’s perspective: “ I believe that the school is a big part of the town because students volunteer in town and participate in the events. I feel the town supports us.”

Exeter Academy tries to reach out to the town and seek connections between its campus and academic community and the town. It is a valuable effort. Working together, the town and the Academy can each be stronger, thus avoiding the original town and gown conflict.

6

SPOTLIGHTS

THE SUMMER TIMES

THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010

THE UNSUNG STORIES OF EXETER STAFF

By AMANI LOGGINS Summer Times Staff Writer

They greet us each day with warm, inviting thing,” said Ms. Bertha Cassat, a six-year hostess smiles. They prepare our breakfast, lunch, and at the Elm Street Dining Hall. “We only have so dinner daily. They clean up any and all messes much time to set up things and clean everything, that students leave behind. They converse with so it would really be helpful for me if they could students in need of a friendly conversation. They pick up after themselves. That’s the hardest part discover our lost valuables and place them in lost of this job.”

Cassat loves her job, meeting and found. different people, and getting to Who are these pleasant, kindhearted people? They are Small acts of gratitude know international students, but the Phillips Exeter Academy such as smiling, picking with people unnecessarily contribstaff here to fill our stom- up your trash, and making uting to her work, it makes it less achs, make our environment the smallest mess possible enjoyable.

“Most of the time,” she feels more sanitary, and brighten may seem to go unnoticed, our day. but in actuality they make appreciated, says Mary DesrochesThe PEA staff can be a noticeable and lasting Wilson, lead hostess at the dining found everywhere. They are d i f f e r e n c e t o o u r d e d i - hall. “Sometimes they forget. I know everybody has a bad day. So in the dining hall, the Grill, cated staff. we try to nicely remind them to pick the Academy Building, Philup things.” lips Hall, Phelps Science What does she think is the best part of her Building, the Academy Center, the gym, and the dorms making sure routinely that our surround- job? “Coming in and seeing the staff and meeting ings are immaculately clean and that our food is the students,” Desroches-Wilson said. “Sometimes some students are very lonely so we try to talk to satisfying.

Though their job may appear simple, it is made each one and encourage them just to get them to more tedious with additional work that students may smile, it’s important.”

Linda Smith, a member of the Academy Buildcontribute to without noticing. For example, leaving your tray on the table at the dining hall when ing facilities staff, also had a few words to say you could easily put it up creates more work for about students showing their appreciation and the dining hall staff who already have their hands respect. “Following the rules and picking up their full. Or eating a bag of potato chips in an assembly trash would be helpful for everyone, not just me,” and leaving the bag there for facilities to discover she stated.

Small acts of gratitude such as smiling, picking and clean up. You may see these actions as “no big deal,” but to our hardworking staff, it never goes up your trash, and making the smallest mess possible may seem to go unnoticed, but in actuality disregarded.

“I would really like to see everybody keep their they make a noticeable and lasting difference to area they’ve eaten at clean, that’s the most important our dedicated staff.

“

”

Amani Loggins/The Summer Times

Top: Bertha Cassat, a six-year hostess at Elm Street Dining Hall.

Bottom: Mary Desroches-Wilson, lead hostess at Elm Street Dining Hall.

Artist Spotlights: Stage Superstars The Music Behind the Man

By LEYLA ATES Summer Times Staff Writer

Yun Jee Kang/The Summer Times

Theo Goetemann rarely performs in front of others but instead enjoys playing music for himself.

Sixteen-year-old Theo Goetemann from Lincoln, Mass., roams in Exeter’s halls like a normal student yet he is far from it. He has a talent that is envied by many: being an outstanding musician.

He has been playing the piano since he was 5 years old and is also capable of playing the cello, timpani, steel drums and guitar.

Interesting enough, this multi-talented musician has no relatives who share the same passion. “I had a musical longing ever since I was little,” said Goetemann, who particularly loves the piano. “When I first heard it, I realized I wanted to play it.” Like most nice guys his inspiration is his mother.

Asked about his future plans for his music career, Goetemann was unsure. “ I just enjoy playing it,” said. “It is a good way to get emotions out.” He is inspired by Simon and

Garfunkel and enjoys playing soft music. When asked about musicians, John Legend and Leonard Cohen are the first two that popped into his head.

He even started writing his own songs at the young age of 14. He has composed for the piano and the guitar. Goetemann admits that he rarely plays in front of crowds. It is not because he has stage fright -- he simply does not like to do it. “I don’t feel the need to share the music, just play it,” he said. Being an easygoing guy, Goetemann does not have a specific drive that pushes him forward, “ I like trying to interpret what composers put in their music and replicate it through the piano,” was his simple answer to why he plays music.

The only advice Goetemann wants to give aspiring musicians is to practice, practice a lot.

The Guitar Hero of PEA

By TANISHA RAJ Summer Times Staff Writer

On the greens of Phillips Exeter Academy, Jesse Hardman strums his acoustic guitar and sings “Stop This Train” by John Mayer. This 17-year-old musician from Raymond, NH, with his blues voice, isn’t afraid to show his talent.

Hardman was inspired by his uncle to start learning the guitar. It has been four years now and he enjoys the music of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis. His all time favorite? BB King.

“At first I used to be nervous but now I’ve grown used to playing music,” said

Hardman. “It’s connected to me in a way that it’s something I know I want to do.”

He has been playing at the evening prayers at PEA and has been writing his own songs for two years. His favorite song to perform is an original called “Ambitions,” “’cause I can dance to it when I play!”

Hardman doesn’t plan his performances; “If you want to hear me, I’ll play.”

His future looks bright. “After college, I’ll go for getting a contract and touring the world,” he said. Hardman is most

comfortable with blues but he’s willing to try something new. His passion for music is hard to explain, “It’s just the feeling you get from it.”

“I would say that one should be patient and practice,” he said. “It’s hard to learn music, you can never master the instrument.”

Hardman practices for at least an hour a day. “I guess my identity is kind of shaped around it, “ he said. “It has become a piece of me.”

Come hear Hardman play at Evening Prayer tonight at Phillips Church.

Tanisha Raj/The Summer Times

Jesse Hardman’s slogan is “be patient and practice.”

He plays covers and also writes his own songs.

What’s So Common About Boston Commons?

By DANIEL HOFFMAN Summer Times Staff Writer

Last Sunday, a caravan of yellow buses transported dozens of Exeter summer students into the depths of Boston. But once the students stepped off the buses, they were unsupervised by Exeter faculty and had 6 hours to roam Boston however they wished.

This Exeter-sponsored trip required parental consent since there was no supervision. Students had to pay $25 for transportation and provide a permission slip. Besides this, all the students needed to know was that the buses were coming back at 6 p.m.

Students were warned that if they missed the bus back, they would have to provide their own transportation. This could involve a $100 taxi ride or navigating a series of trains back to Exeter. Trip advisors also reminded students that buying substances such as alcohol and cigarettes was strictly prohibited, noting that there have been a few cases of such in the past.

Besides these formalities, most students were very excited to have free time in Boston. Paul Rapisardi, a rising sophomore from New York said, “I was eager to explore

Courtesy of Google

A view of Boston Commons, where Summer School students explored freely last Sunday. shops and restaurants, and ride the trolleys across the city.”

Students chose to do a variety of things: shop, eat, walk around, and even go to a baseball game.

Rex Johnson, a rising junior from Con-

necticut, and Bob Owlett, a rising junior from Pennsylvania, decided to buy tickets off the street to see baseball. “A lot of people wanted to go shopping, but I [went for] an authentic Socks game,” said Johnson.

Johnson really got a Boston experience.

“We ended up getting $25 peanut-free standing section tickets, but it was rowdy so it was a lot of fun,” he said.

Others chose to seek out good dining options. “My favorite part was finding a good restaurant in the North End,” said Rapisardi, who ate at Café Pompei, an authentic Italian restaurant.

For some, Boston was not as exciting as it could have been. Alex Qw, a rising sophomore from Massachusetts, said, “The trip was not as interesting since I go to Boston a lot, but it was still fun.”

But for people who had never seen the city before, it was “really cool to see the shops and the cool areas,” said Alberto Ciaraldi, a rising sophomore from Italy.

The architectural beauty was also much appreciated by those who had not seen Boston before. “The churches were very beautiful and nice to look at,” said Ciaraldi.

Many look forward to Boston trips in the future. There will be two more trips there, on the following two Sundays. “Overall it was a great experience,” said Johnson.

FUN

THE SUMMER TIMES

7

THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010

Mad Libs Summer School Style: Billy’s First Week at Exeter

By THO TRAN Summer Times Staff Writer

You know how the game is played: we asked “Billy” to write a letter to his family leaving certain spaces missing. Then we asked other students to provide random words: nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs to fill in the blanks. Here’s what came out:

Dear Mom and Dad,

beautiful !

My first week at Exeter has been

screaming

and

-ING VERB

I’ve really enjoyed

dancing

cheese

with the

-ING VERB

. Anyway, I’m sure you’d like to know

NOUN

what a day at Exeter is like for me, so I’ll tell you what happened last

3,271.5

I woke up in the morning to find that

playing

were

NUMBER

noisily

-ING VERB

.

reading -ING VERB

ADJECTIVE

Wednesday

.

DAY OF THE WEEK

bricks

had invaded my room and

PLURAL NOUN

As you can probably tell, I was very

ADVERB

afraid

.

ADJECTIVE

Every day, my first class starts at 8:30 AM. On this particular day, after evading the

bricks

LAST NOUN USED

cats NOUN

and

, I rushed to the Dining Hall where I quickly ate my breakfast of

trash bags

hoping

,

that I would not be late for class. My break-

-ING VERB

NOUN

cute

fast, might I add, was truly

.

ADJECTIVE

My favorite class is

Physics

. I like it best because the teacher is really

CLASS

hairy

and my classmates are really

knees

and how they could

ADJECTIVE BODY PART

After class, I played hibition on the

grass

eat

tennis

quiet

. We have so much fun discussing

ADJECTIVE

the school

VERB

.

NOUN

, right in the middle of practice!

I usually eat dinner at 8:00 PM. Afterwards, I would

Africa NOUN

held an ex-

PLURAL NOUN

NOUN

side. On that particular

flowers

. There was one time when

SPORT

Wednesday

fail

with my friends out-

VERB

, however, our routine was interrupted when

DAY USED BEFORE

started

jumping -ING VERB

on our field!

With much love, Billy

Teddy’s Words of Wisdom

By TEDDY CHOW Summer Times Staff Writer

Dear Editor, There’s way too much homework. I’m tired. I’m troubled. And I’m stressed out!

Meeting new friends, chilling out, having fun – these are what I’d first expected when I applied for the Exeter Summer School – NOT a stack of homework that’s piled high enough to be called Mt. Everest. Every day, our teachers bombard us with: page after page of readings (which I was able struggle through thanks to the help of a “Bible-sized” dictionary), essay assignments that are meant to be polished (double-spaced, at least 4 pages, with sophisticated use of vocab), math problems that are probably too hard for us, but okay for Albert Einstein, and library research over the weekends (the library is closed on Saturdays and Sundays). And what’s more, homework keeps on accumulating. The poor, thin legs of my desk – I’d be surprised if they didn’t collapse due to the immense weight.

What truly ticks me off is that my teachers don’t seem to realize that I do have three burdensome courses to deal with. They are oblivious to the fact that their colleagues are just as enthusiastic about assigning homework as they are.

Every night, I work until the wee hours. Slouching on my bed, I would gradually doze off with a book in one hand, and a pen in the other. The next morning – I’m late. No shower. No brushing teeth. No changing. No breakfast. I rush straight to class. Homework time starts right after afternoon sports, lasting through the remainder of the day.

Can you see how bad this is? I really want to make friends and meet different people from all around the world, but time doesn’t allow me the luxury to do so. I’m also stressed out. The workload here is massive!

Please tell me how to manage my time wisely, so that I’d be able to play with my friends, but still finish homework on time. Please also give me suggestions about how I could relieve my stress, and fully enjoy myself at Exeter.

Yours, Troubled Soul Dear Troubled Soul, I’m sure that some readers would definitely empathize with your situation. Homework is indeed a debatable issue at Exeter Summer School. Students definitely think it’s too much – and that’s understandable. Being enrolled in journalism, speech making, and understanding arguments classes myself, I also do find homework a bit too overwhelming at times. Trust me, you are not alone.

And you’ve probably even voiced the complaints of your

fellow 749 peers in the school community.

No one likes to do homework.

Similarly, teachers don’t fancy reviewing students’ homework. It’s boring – especially when it’s summer time now, and they are supposed to retire from a year-long’s hard work. But why do they still insist upon assigning homework? The answer is simple – they care for us. They believe that this is how we learn.

“Before everything else, getting ready is the secret to success” -- I quote, from Henry Ford. I love this quote.

It recalls that sufficient preparation is always the key to success. Doing homework is by all means a kind of preparation. By doing homework, you consolidate and solidify the knowledge you’ve learned in class. You solve your misunderstandings too. Only after a consolidation process are you ready to move on to the next stage, and absorb new knowledge.

I understand that the lack of leisure time is frustrating.

After all, you came here expecting a relaxing summer, not an intensive homework-packed academic enhancement program. However, homework does not necessarily compromise your leisure time. You can still finish your homework on time, and reserve a chunk of time to play with your friends, or laze about on the lawn – if you’re smart enough.

The key lies in time management. Challenge yourself to manage your time wisely, set out priorities, and come up with a schedule to which you’re going to stick closely.

Very often, students waste time on homework, because they don’t have a schedule. Be sure to include deadlines in every single event of your schedule, no matter lunch or dinner, fun or homework. That way, you urge yourself to finish everything before the deadline arrives.

Finally, I’d like to wrap up my advice by introducing you to the 2 “R”s.

The first “R” is respond. You mentioned that your teachers are overtly demanding – tell them! Don’t keep everything to yourself. Don’t be shy. Respond to the actions of your teachers by telling them how you feel.

If you say, “it’s too much!” I’m sure they’ll understand.

They’ll rethink the workload.

The second “R” is relax. There’s no better way to relieve stress than to actually relax and face obstacles optimistically. Whenever you feel overwhelmed by homework – STOP. Take a deep breath, go outdoors with a few friends, and chat for a few minutes before you consider your homework again.

Sympathetically, Teddy Chow Editor of the Summer Times P.S. Come talk to me! I’m at Ewald! :D

THE SUMMER TIMES

PHOTOSPREAD

THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010

SUMMER SENSATIONS

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: RALPH BLUMENTHAL, CRISTIAN GIRON, L. GENE HOWARD, MADAI MONTES and OSCAR SANTIAGO

8