VOL. CI
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Musical Preview: The Drowsy Chaperone
NO. 4
Grit & Grace on the Battlefield BY don a l d son n '12
BY m a e m u l l e n '14 After months of preparation, Westminster’s Dramat is nearly ready to present this year’s winter musical, The Drowsy Chaperone. Opening on February 17th, the same day as Class Visit Day for parents, it will be a rollicking show. Westminster actors take on the roles of numerous zany and larger-than-life characters. In this “musical within a comedy,” the fun starts when The Man in the Chair who just wants a good show (Randy Doyle '12) plays a record of his favorite musical - and it comes to life right in his living room! The show is set in the '20s, but Prohibition doesn’t stop the Drowsy Chaperone (Madison Caan '13) from getting “drowsy,” and it doesn’t put a damper on the casts’ enthusiasm. The musical features actors with all levels of experience. Sam Boures '12, Maggie Hark '12 and Heather Frew '13 are Williams Hill Players and veterans of Westminster’s stage, while Asante Asiedu '13, Jay Attys '12, Rachel Cha n '14, George Craw ford '15,and Rosie Wetzel '14 are new
to Westminster Dramat’s productions. Andrew Weinschreider '13 worked in the tech shop for last year’s musical, but this year decided to come into the spotlight as “the best man George.” With George Crawford, George Brown, and the character George, three people answer to one name in rehearsal! The tech shop, led by tech director Bill Liebert and production leads Gwen Pastor '12 and Grace Brown '12, is full of talented behind-the-scenes workers, who are trying to figure out how to get an airplane on and off the stage. They are also building half of an apartment, and parts of the inside of a mansion. Despite some late-in-thegame casting alterations and technical challenges, the musical is coming along wonderfully. Come see George Crawford on rollerblades! Come see tapdancing! Come see Sam ‘show off ’! Google “Aldolpho,” then come see Alastair Smith '13 make you die laughing! Support your friends, and come be entertained!
For many, the most surprising part about retired Army First Sergeant Matthew P. Eversmann wa sn’t his involvement in a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Somalia. Rather, it was his humbling attitude and his refreshingly straightforward, yet politically correct, rhetoric that grabbed everyone by surprise. Mr. Eversmann joined the We st m i n ster c om mu n it y i n Werner Centennial Center on a Tuesday morning to talk about a range of topics such as leadership and strategic shock based on his experience as a commander of Ranger Chalk Four. Many may recall his experience in Somalia from watching Black Hawk Down, a 2001 film rendi-
RICHARD BERGEN PHOTOGRAPHY
tion of the operation. While Mr. Eversmann may have poked fun at the scripted events in the movie that never occurred in real life, the oncoming barrage of enemy fire in the form of bullets and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) were no exaggeration. In the midst of this chaos, Eversmann had to deal with two US Black Hawk helicopters that crashed and three others that were damaged, along with the many personnel who were injured or dead inside the aircraft. Leading by example, he talked about his experience motivating others to also be leaders. “The definition of self less service is putting the needs of others first,” he said. “To be a champion, you
need selfless service. This was a tremendous revelation. Going to war was doing for others what they couldn’t do for themselves.” A n o t h e r f o c u s o f M r. Eversmann’s talk was on strategic shock, defined as encountering an unexpected occurrence, especially during a time of high tension and uncertainty. He focused his talk on doing the right thing and counting upon other people to do the same, relating to his times of fighting through Somalia resistance groups with his teammates. Thanks to the efforts of John Timken '99, a friend of Mr. Eversmann who made him aware of Westminster, the school community was able to benefit from his message about the importance of leadership and trust. The undivided attention the students gave him during the entirety of the speech, as well as the long applause he received at the end, was a testament to how much the students benefited from his visit. And last, but certainly not least, it was of no small significance that Mr. Eversmann described our school’s motto “Grit and Grace” as a perfect encapsulation of the spirit of leadership and unerring determination to what is right and just.
Silent Movement Speaks Loudly BY a l em a n t e t edl a '13
INSIDE
Please see full cast list on Page 2
Hale School Jazz Orchestra Dress Code Change Club Spotlight: SMO Meet Finn and Eda
Page 2 Page 2 Page 7 Page 8
O n Ja nu a r y 10 t h , t h e Westminster community took part in the Silent Movement during chapel. There was no assigned seating, as students and faculty were asked to arrive and to sit together as a class. Leading the service were Multicultural Student Union Co-president Carissa Shannon '12 and Head Prefect Will Stevens '12. They read a variety of questions ranging from age, gender, ethnicity, religious affiliation to sexuality and family situation. The people to whom the question applied, silently stood up. After each question, students and faculty were asked to look around and reflect on the significance of those who had stood and of those who had remained seated. Everyone in the chapel remained silent at all times. The goal of the exercise was to learn about how diverse our community is and to get a better sense of the variety of challenges
that members of our community endure. The silence established an environment where members of the student body and faculty felt comfortable to be honest and admit personal information. The silence demonstrated respect towards the differences among people in our community. Students and faculty had the option not to stand up if they felt uncomfortable with any particular question. I asked Ms. Hachette '05, the Director of Multicultural Affairs, who organized the event, to ref lect upon the success of the Silent Movement. News: In your opinion, how did it turn out? Hatchette: I think it was well received by the community and sparked a lot of productive conversation among faculty and students. I am proud of the pre-work and post-work that was done which I believe was pertinent to the success of the exercise.
Hockey History Hear from alumni what hockey was like back in the day. page 3, 4,5
News: Is there anything that you would change if we have the opportunity to do this again? Hatchette: Based on our assessment and the feedback we have received, there are number of things we would change if we were to have the chance to do it again. We would allot more time for the activity so we could have more time for people to ref lect after each statement was read. We would also take things to the next level by asking more specific questions as we remained more general the first time around. The other thing we talked about changing is the venue, having it in the gym where everyone could be seated on the ground in more or less of a circle so people could see one another better. The Silent Movement was an important reminder to the community that we are all diverse in many ways, and that we do not know what is underneath the surface of any human being.
Mrs. Maureen Lamb Who is she? page 6
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Tuesday, February 7, 2012
2
Features
Dress Code Change
Girls’ Blazers Dropped for Winter Term
Hale School Jazz Orchestra BY m aggie h a rk '12
BY Mol ly m u l l e n '13
Ms. O’Brien '05 and Tyler O’Neil '12 model the new “two-layer” dress code There is a subtle but welcome change in the girls’ dress code this winter: girls may now wear a sweater, instead of a blazer with pants, for classroom dress. For some, this change only legalizes outfits they were already wearing. Julia Benson '13 admits, “Last year, I didn’t own any real blazers. Now I can wear a sweater and not break dress code.” For others, it gives permission to be more comfortable. “I hated wearing blazers, so I always wore a skirt on cold days and I would be freezing! Now when it’s cold, I can wear pants and a sweater and be warm,” says Cara Dealy '13. Even Mrs. Nancy Urner-Berry, who has amassed a varied collection of blazers during her 25 years teaching at Westminster, says “I think it is great to try something new.” Faculty are still tentative about the change, reminding girls of the need to dress appropriately and make an effort to follow the new rules. However, removing the girls’ blazer rule from the dress code even for a trial period raises two other questions: what does it mean both for Westminster’s image to people who tour and interview here, and for boys, who are still wearing blazers? Overwhelmingly, students and faculty think that changing to a two-layer rule rather than a blazer actually improves Westminster’s first impression on prospective students who come to tour and interview. “The one comment I hear from visitors is that girls wear skirts that are too short,” notes Mrs. Urner- Berry. If the dress code modification succeeds, more girls will wear pants in the winter and will look more appropriate to families who tour the campus. Some touring students probably won’t even notice.
Corrections
A caption on the October issue about Community Service Day misidentified the place as Foodshare in Hartford. The correct place is Eno Memorial Hall in Simsbury. The photographer for the pic-
Nadrina Ebrahimi '15 says “I think it still looks formal to people touring,” and Julia Benson adds, “I don’t think it would have mattered to me when I toured.” Mr. Tony Griffith, Director of Student Life thinks that dress code modifications will eventually recede into the background of school life. He believes that the Westminster community needs to consider “what we look like” in the context of the school’s broader mission. Open to suggestions, Mr. Griffith said that he would be happy to engage in a town hall d iscu ssion reg a rd ing school dress code. There are no plans yet for such a discussion, but it would theoretically be open to both faculty and students, and it could either focus on modifying points of the dress code or consider overhauling the entire dress code and starting from scratch. Mr. Griffith points out that the jacket and tie for boys has traditionally been a part of Westminster’s culture, but he considers it more important to decide what a jacket and tie, or any dress code rule, means in relation to Westminster’s mission and its goals as a school. For those not immediately familiar with Westminster’s mission statement, it is reprinted here from the W Book: “The Westminster community inspires young men and women of promise to cultivate a passion for learning, explore and develop diverse talents in a balanced program, to reach well beyond the ordinary, to live with intelligence and character, and to commit to a life of service beyond self.” Westminster’s mission and core values do not explicitly mention a dress code or even a formal environment to learn in. The question is, then, is casual dress so distracting that it prevents students from “living with intelligence and character,” or is formal dress so inspiring that it encourages students to “explore and develop diverse talents”? Mr. Griffith says that for him, the ideal dress code “would be two words, dress appropriately, and everyone would understand what that meant.” After a brief pause to let that sink in, he added, “Of course, I would also like the Cubs to go 162 and 0.” Last year, the Chicago Cubs lost more games than they won, but the Westminster Martlets have a chance to pull together and make one of these wild dreams come true. ture in the October issue accompanying First Boys’ Cross Country is Louise Shipway. The photographer for Randy Doyle’s '12 portrait accompanying a spotlight about him in the December issue is Jake Benedict '11.
The Hale School Jazz Orchestra on stage in the Werner Centennial Center. The Westminster community gathered in Werner Centennial Center to listen to the moving jazz music played by the Hale School Ja zz Orchestra from Australia. The orchestra was made up of boys between the ages of 13 and 17, who played an array of instruments. Westminster students and faculty connected well with the musicians. “I had no idea that the band was going to be kids our age. I feel like that made it more special. They were incredibly talented for such young musicians,” says Abby Woodhouse '12. It seems that everyone was pleasantly surprised by the talent in the orchestra. The audience was especially impressed by a young soloist who could play both the clarinet and saxophone in one song.
The conductor, Mr. Gavin Kerr, amused the audience with f u nny commenta r y bet ween nu mbers. Perhaps t he most memorable moment was when Head Prefect, Will Stevens '12, tried “Australian comfort food.” Despite Will’s reaction to the food, Marquez Cummings'12 says, “I wish I could have tried the vegemite.” Mr. Kerr not only conducted the orchestra but played the drums with them as well. Mr. Kerr says, “I have been playing [the drums] since I was 16… I am 40 now. I play around town in various groups as well, from pop to blues to jazz. I don’t play with the boys often but it is always fun when I do!” Mr. Kerr really enjoyed the tour. He enjoyed vis-
iting schools, like Westminster, and visiting New York, where he and the Hale School boys experienced some amazing jazz music. Mr. Kerr was very happy with the boys’ performance and glad that they were well received by the Westminster audience. A f ter their performance, members of the orchestra experienced a day in the life of a We st m i n ster st udent. T he y went on a campus tour, sat in on classes, and ate lunch with Westminster students. “The be st pa r t of per form i ng at Westminster was meeting new people and seeing how jazz and music are played in different parts of the world,” says Aiden Deering of the Hale School. However, it seems as if the Hale students’ favorite part of their trip was visiting New York City because “it had a different atmosphere than Perth.” Hale students were impressed with Westminster. Similarly, our community was impressed with the Hale students and their performance. It was a great experience to have the Hale School on Westminster’s campus. Hopefully, our community will have the opportunity to experience many more exciting performances in the future!
Drowsy Chaperone Cast List Cast Man in Chair - Randy Doyle Mrs. Tottendale - Maggie Hark Underling - Jack Rubino Robert Martin - George Crawford George - Andrew Weinschrieder Feldzieg - George Brown Kitty - Heather Frew Gangster #1 - Asante Asiedu Gangster #2 - Jay Attys Aldolpho - Alastair Janet Van De Graaff - Sam Boures The Drowsy Chaperone Madison Caan Trix the Aviatrix - Rosie Wetzel Superintendent - Brooks King Ensemble Rachel Chan Shebly Gamble Chanice Gooden Mae Mullen Tech Grace Brown Gwen Pastor Ronald Yeung, Randy Doyle Musicians Karlie Werdmolder-Flute Ronald Yeung-Keyboards
Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Caroline Brady
Associate Editor-in-Chief Ronald Yeung News Editors Isha Garg Julia Lee
Opinions Editors Mae Mullen Donald Sonn
Students Editors Jake Cahill Kathleen Gudas
Features Editors Bella Zimmer Molly Mullen
Sports Editors Darby Drake Greg Jarvis
Layout Editor Danielle Amiot
Creative Editor Sam Boures
Faculty Advisor Sara Deveaux
Photo Editor Charlie Beck
Caitlin Pittorie Julie LeBlanc Gwen Pastor Atesha Gifford Julia Benson Contact Us The Westminster News Westminster School 995 Hopmeadow St. Simsbury, CT 06070-1880 © 2012 The Westminster News The text of the articles is printed in 10-point Adobe Garamond.
Staff
Laura Tingley Bridget Gorham Sarah Holmes Tommy Griffith
The opinions expressed represent those of the authors, not necessarily those of The Westminster News or Westminster School. We invite all members of the community to share their opinions in these pages. The News reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, clarity, or factual accuracy, and are published at The News’s discretion. Anyone interested in contributing to The Westminster News should contact Caroline Brady '12, Ronald Yeung '13, or any member of the Editorial Board for information on how to submit writing, phtographs, etc.
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Tuesday, February 7, 2012
3
Hockey Rink History
The Evolution of Westminster’s Hockey Rinks Westminster’s hockey program has certainly come a long way since its’ founding; while the hockey team today enjoys the luxury of an indoor ice rink, the first Westminster hockey team’s practice schedule revolved around the amount of ice build-up on the Farmington river. Despite Westminster’s lack of an indoor rink for much of the hockey program’s history, hockey became a popular sport among students right from the start in the early 1900s. Despite its popularity, many students, and even some teachers, have very limited knowledege about how Westminster’s hockey program came to be. Hadley DesMeules '12, Ryan Strange '13, Alli Devins '13, and Eleni Tebano '13 took the time to interview Mr. Peter Briggs '71, Mr. David Hovey '78, and Mr. Michael Jackson '49, participants in Westminster’s hockey program (and in Mr. Briggs and Mr. Jackson’s case, their participation continued as coaches) in order to gain some insight into what it was like to play Westminster hockey in the 20th century. Over the next three pages, we will hear the stories and accounts of what hockey on the hill was like before the the Jackson Rink was fully enclosed and before there was the addition of the 3-season locker rooms.
Interview with Mr. Peter Briggs '71 BY h a dl ey desmeu l es '12
“When I think of memorable lines I have coached, two stand out a bit above the rest. In 1971 Peter Briggs centered a line which had Steve Scott on left wing and Jask Westerfield on right wing. No line I have coached since has worked harder than this one which led its team to an 18-1-1 season.” 70 years of Westminster Hockey, written by Jonathan O’Brien Hadley DesMeules '12 interviewed Mr. Peter Briggs '71 for the Westminster News. News: What was the rink like when you were a student? Briggs: I came here in September, 1968, nine months after the rink roof collapsed. So when I was here as a student we didn’t have a roof on the rink. It was where the present rink is but we played under the stars or the sun. We had to clean off the rink by shoveling off snow so that the Zamboni could do its thing. But in some cases, there was too much snow and the Zamboni couldn’t go out. I remember it being cold, but also incredibly refreshing. There was only chicken wire at either end, no glass up and during big snow years the fans would be standing almost board high, looking over you. It was a little dangerous because pucks would be flying this way and that. Several people got whacked with pucks and sticks. But it was exciting! We had a pretty darn good team my senior year. I think we were 18-1 so we had a lot of fans down there and a lot of snow that year as well. It was sort of like the Roman Colosseum - people were standing over you because the snow was piled so high. And I remember
it was very loud too because the noise wasn’t contained. News: Were there any specific cheers you can remember that the fans came up with? Briggs: Not that I can remember. But again we had a very good team that year and we were able to win the league championship so we had a pretty good following. It was fun. News: Did you have any particular rival schools? Briggs: Kent was a rival back then, South Kent as well. We weren’t in the current Founders League with Pomfret at that time so that rivalry hadn’t developed yet. News: What are some of your more vivid memories of hockey at Westminster? Briggs: In those days the students and faculty were much more engaged in the preparation of the rink. We’d go down and hose the rinks down at night; since the beginning of hockey at Westminster, students and faculty prepared the rink. We’d go on shifts late at night, really cold nights, and spray the ice. Then, we’d go to a faculty home, typically John O’Brien’s who was our coach at the time, and he’d have laid out cocoa and coffee and things like that because we’d be
freezing afterwards. I remember we were far more engaged in the preparation and the maintenance of the ice back then. Very different from what happens now. N e w s : M r. J a c k s o n m e n tioned having students drive the Zamboni, how did those kids earn that privilege? Briggs: We did have a couple guys who did the Zamboni. I think that they were sort of mechanically minded and they either didn’t have a sport or really enjoyed Mr. Jackson, because he was incredibly mechanically minded, so it just sort of fell into their laps. And they were responsible too, I mean really responsible kids who just enjoyed that task. News: Were there locker rooms? Briggs: For a number of years we kept our stuff up in the upper locker rooms and brought it down everyday on the path between Werner Centennial Center and Pettee gym. It was legendary because on very icy winters it was absolutely treacherous going down there. You had a rope that you held onto, but very often it was so slippery that the rope was inconsequential. So a lot of people would ride their hockey bags down like a toboggan or bobsled run. And it was absolutely, in some cases, terrifying, exciting, and fun. But we lost a couple players from time to time because they’d get injured going down to the rink. And we did have locker rooms, the old ones, near the Zamboni door. They had roofs when the rest of the rink didn’t. But, we couldn’t store our stuff down there, so we had locker rooms to put our skates in but had to haul the rest of our gear
up and down the path. News: How many different rinks did you experience while you were a student here? Briggs: Just the one that currently exists, the Jackson Rink. And of course the present rink evolved in stages. We had two walls on either side, and in the mid 90s they completely redid the whole thing as it stands now. They added locker rooms after that. It went from an open-roof rink with no sides, completely open, to the addition of the warming hut,and then came the wall behind the team benches in the mid 90s. A few years later, the entire rink was enclosed. After that we put in the current 3-season locker room facilities, so it came in stages. Ne w s: Ha s t he ic e su r f ac e changed in size? Briggs: When we redid the rink in the mid 90’s we changed the size of the rink and it’s a little wider now than it was. I’d say now it’s about 3-4 feet wider than it was when I played. News: Did other students go and skate just for fun? Briggs: Other students definitely went and skated on the weekends. I had several friends not involved in hockey who, on a Saturday night or Sunday, would go and skate. Other students definitely took advantage of the ice. I can’t remember if it was rented on Sundays as it is now. News: How have you seen the playing style evolve over the years? Briggs: That’s the most remarkable change. As I said, we had a good team, we were quite successful, but in terms of all the play, I would suspect one of my better JV teams in the last few years
would have given our first team a very good run. It’s just the combination of new equipment, playing from the time you can just about walk and really far more investment in hockey in terms of time and money. We didn’t have that type of investment, we loved it, but it was less organized for us, which was good in a way. We had a lot of pick up games as opposed to real organized hockey. If you look at the first teams, boys and girls today, I think those classmates of mine who come back and see what both teams can do, just marvel at your accomplishments News: Anything else you’d like to add? Briggs: I think that the program, and hockey in general, is an integral part of Westminster lore and I’m thankful to be a part of it. But I’ve got to say that you guys have it really good in terms of the facility. It was a really different time in terms of preparation and amenities that you enjoy and know. A part of me yearns for the old days, because it is almost too easy for you guys, and I think it provided a certain toughness for those who had to endure that walk up and down and do all the late-night shoveling and preparing of the rink. It made us appreciate and get more attached to the program, not to say that today’s teams aren’t very attached and invested, but it’s a different type of attachment. But it’s all good! Progress ain’t bad either!
Students Construct and Maintain the Rinks Special thanks to Westminster’s Archivist Mr. Gilman for providing photos and dates and to Mr. Shipway '61 for giving the editors the idea for this article.
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Tuesday, February 7, 2012
4
Features
Fun Facts
Mr. David Hovey Jr. '78
BY M r . J ackson '49
BY rya n s t r a nge '13
Westminster students play hockey in Westminster’s first “indoor” hockey rink. This rink collapsed at 8pm on Sunday, January 14th, 1968
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discussion of Westminster Hockey should note that coaching the first team led to several future he ad m a ster sh ips. A rc her Harmon to St. George’s, Dave Kennedy to DeVaux, Dick Flood to Salisbury - must be something in the ice. How we cleaned the ice in the North of Pettee Gym: The scoop had a body about three feet wide and two feet deep with a metal lip in front, sides and back about 6 inches high and two handles and a cross bar in back to push with. How we kept the rink frozen: We strung cables over the rink in a N-S direction from which we hung curtains (made out of the tobacco netting so familiar to Tobacco Valley). When building the first rink indoors: The building, the largest free standing segmented arch aluminum structure in the world according to the architect, was completed in the fall in the place that the present rink now stands.
Mr. Hovey grew up on The Hill, went to school on The Hill, and even watched his kids experience life on The Hill. While at West minster, Mr. Hove y thrived as a student and as an athlete, playing football, hockey, and lacrosse. When asked about hockey, Mr. Hovey shared some memories that make the history of Westminster’s rinks and hockey program, all the more significant. News: What was the rink like when you were growing up on The Hill? Hovey: In the 1960’s, there was a large metal dome that covered the rink and was open on all sides. In January of 1968, the structure collapsed during a nasty New England ice storm. It was a Sunday evening during the regular time that a group of Westminster faculty and local hockey “dads”, known as the Simsbury Convalescents, were scheduled for their weekly skate. Fortunately, this session was cancelled due to the weather. Many students recalled hearing what sounded like a truck slamming into a tree, only to wake up to see a metal roof that had totally imploded onto the ice surface. Today, the notable wooden roof stands in its place and the Sunday night group, including many current coaches, faculty members, continue to lace up their skates for a couple of hours before heading back to the dorms for evening study hall or to prepare for Monday classes. Mr. Stevens serves as our “Commissioner”. News: Has there always been one rink at Westminster? Hovey: For many years, there was a rink located just above the current rink in the field below the new gym (current home of the
1909: Shin-high boards as pictured on right
1910: Students skated on the Farmington River and Eno Jan. 18, 1905: First Westminster Pond Hockey Game played at Elizabeth Park in downtown Hartford
Westminster community garden and misc. sporting equipment). This rink did not have the traditional cooling coils, and therefore students flooded and maintained it on a regular basis. This rink was used for various practices and open “shinny” games, when the
Trips down to the r ink be ca m e a sport unto itself as players raced down the icy, winding path, wearing their cleats for extra speed. Return trips up the hill were met less enthusiastically, particularly after a long, tiring practice. weather permitted. News: A lot of people know that Westminster’s rink is very cold. How was the temperature of the rink back then? Hovey: Westminster’s rink had the reputation for being one of the coldest spots in Connecticut. The rink was closed in at the Zamboni/ locker room end and open on the other three sides. The wind blew straight through and temperatures were often below zero on cold winter nights. Hockey sticks routinely broke like tooth picks as they went from the
warmth of the locker room to the arctic temperatures. News: How were the rink conditions? Hovey: Until the current locker rooms were built, players dressed above the rink in the old gym. Trips down the path became a sport unto itself as players raced down the icy, winding path, wearing their cleats for extra speed. Return trips up the hill were met less enthusiastically, particularly after a long, tiring practice. For many years, there was no Plexiglas along the boards with the exception of wire screening behind either goals. As a result, the student body lined the side opposite the benches and actually pounded on the inside of the boards between whistles. It was always a highlight when an opposing player was checked over the boards and into the crowd. News: I heard that the students got to drive the Zamboni. Is that true? Hovey: W hile I wa s at Westminster in the late 70’s, all coaches were responsible for driving the Zamboni and they re-surfaced the ice in advance of their practices. In addition, there were a few Fifth and Sixth Formers who were taught how to drive the Zamboni. Before big night games, it was common to see one of them dressed in a tuxedo for the between period resurfacing. News: What are some of your best memories at the rink? Hovey: During vacations, many hours were spent playing “shinny” games. At that time, the rink lights were only turned on when the ice was rented in the evenings. We played with the light that came in from the sides and on the snow that built up on the ice throughout the course of the
day. The lone light outside the Zamboni door provided enough light for a small-sided game in the near corner. News: Do you still come down to the rink to skate? Hovey: As you saw from the
Ma n y s t u d e n t s recalled hearing what sounded like a truck slamming into a tree, only to wake up to see a metal roof that had totally imploded onto the ice surface. recent Alumni game, I still enjoy logging in hours at the Jackson R ink. In addition to Sunday nig ht s, t here is a group of Simsbury Youth Hockey coaches that play on Thursday nights at Westminster. Other regulars include Griffith, Deveaux, Pope, Stevens and Desjardins. It has been especially fun to skate with my boys, Davey & Tommy, who have been playing with both groups during their winter break from St. Lawrence. It’s a great way to keep active and it gives me an excuse not to have to go to the weight room...
1915: Hockey on the east lawn, where Keyes Garden is now, stretching past Pratt House
1929: Headmaster McOrmond hires first hockey coach
Rink on the Quad in front of Memorial and Pettee Gym
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Tuesday, February 7, 2012
5
Features
Mr. Michael Jackson '49 BY a l l i devi ns '13 & e l e n i t eb a no '13 “I wa nt to tha nk ever y hockey player who has skidded his way down the path to our rinks, as well as every We s t m i n s t e r s t u d e nt w ho has plowed through the snow at sub-zero temperatures at 3: 0 0 a m to f lood t he la nd rink. But most of all, I want to thank coaches Mike Jackson, Jake Nolde, Dick Hopley, Dave Hovey Sr. and Dick Flood for the dedication, energy, expertise and enthusiasm that they have given to our hockey program. Hockey never has been, is not now a nd never w ill be simply a varsity sport at Westminster, and these men have formed the backbone of our program for as long as I have been on the hill. I know of no ot her sc hool w h ic h can match them.” 70 years of Westminster Hockey, written by Jonathan O’Brien Mr. Jackson was a student at Westminster from 1941-1949 (he was a first and second former when the school had First and Second Forms). He then taught math and general science and coached football, hockey and baseball at Westminster from 1953-1970 and 1972-1996. Alli Devins '13 and Eleni Tebano '13 created numerous questions for Mr. Jackson which he answered in four single-spaced pages. Unfortunately, they never had the opportunity to talk to Mr. Jackson directly as he was on a boat with friends headed to the Bahamas. The questions and answers give a wonderfully vivid and clear insight into the many rinks. interviewed The current
rink is named after Mr. Jackson. News: What was your most vivid memory of skating on Eno Pond? Jackson: I recall vividly one day in mid-December, when Dave Kennedy had the first team candidates on Eno Pond (across Hopmeadow Street) for practice. He told them to spread out while he was talking because there was only a thin layer of black ice on the water. As he gave instructions, the players slowly coasted in towards him and the inevitable happened. That was the last practice we had on the pond that year because the ice gave in. Players and coaches were in the water surrounded by sheets of ice.” News: What was one of the biggest challenges with the next rink North of the Pettee Gym? Jack son: This rink (next to Pettee) had the advantage of substantial shade from the gym, but the north boards were in full sunlight raising havoc with the ice (turned it into corn snow). Mr. Edwin Pratt gave a very fine set of boards for that rink sometime in the late 40’s. We had no mechanical snow movers then; the clearing was done by faculty and students on skates pushing snow scoops.” News: How did you overcome the problem with the sun on the “lower” rink? Jackson: The “lower rink” also had sun problems for which we, over a period of years, devised several system to “tame” the sunlight. First we came up with a system which allowed us to flip over the boards on the north side of the rink so the morning and early afternoon sun did not reflect off the boards onto the ice. News: How did the community
help build the rink below the one by the Pettee Gym? Jackson: Sometime in the mid 60’s under the direction of Coach David Kennedy we built another rink below the one by Pettee Gym. Faculty and students built
“I recall vividly one day... when Dave Kennedy had the first team candidates on Eno Pond for practice... That was the first and last practice we had that season because the ice gave in. Players and coaches ended up in the water surrounded by sheets of floating ice.” the boards, set the posts, and assembled the rink (see phots on page 3). It was 220’ long and just under 100’ wide, the largest rink in the area at that time.” News: How did they maintain the ice through the season? Jackson: By this time we had far more sophisticated equipment for clearing snow, but the critical maintenance of the ice was done entirely by students who would spray the ice every night possible
brought in a new winter sport - Zamboni Crew. W hen the Zamboni arrived from California nobody at school had ever operated one. I became the selfappointed head of the Zamboni team. The first year I had two fifth formers, John Lape and Matt Snyder on the team. The three of us learned to prepare the ice for practices and games. I had two or three student drivers each year and they all did a great job. In all my years as head of the team we only had a couple of “accidents” involving Zamboni vs boards (at least one happened with a faculty driver). News: How has the quality of hockey improved since your First Form year at Westminster? Jackson: The quality of hockey played at Westminster (as well as the rest of the schools in our league) has grown by leaps and bounds since my First Form (seventh grade) year when I put on some goalie pads which you would find rather curious looking today. When I come back to watch an occasional practice or game, it seems to me as if I am looking at college level games compared to kindergarten when I was in the goal. A similar change has taken place in the girls hockey program over far fewer years. News: Would you like to add anything else? Jackson: My congratulations to all the coaches and players on a great start this winter. I hope you all continue to excel.
1995-2000: Modification made to the existing Jackson Rink: warming room added, rink is enclosed on all four sides, 3-season locker rooms added.
1960’s: Rink below the one north of Pettee Gym, another rink was built, longer than Olympic size
Late 1940’s: Boards donated by Mr. Edwin Pratt
(i.e. below freezing & not snowing). They would work two at a time and when their hour was over hot cocoa and cinnamon toast were available at the coaches house to warm up the frozen toes. News: Do you remember a time where you faced trouble with ice conditions at other rinks? Jackson: I remember once when I was head coach being assured by Hap Rudd, the Salisbury coach, that the ice on Salisbury’s pond was excellent only to find on our arrival a small, but significant area of open water in front of one of the cages. We ended up playing the game at Berkshire’s upper rink basically in the dark getting home at 9:30 or so. News: We have heard that the roof collapsed on a Sunday evening. How did you overcome the adversity of this roof collapse? Jackson: The rest of the hockey season was a series of bus rides to neighboring schools - the first team played only two games at home that year. At the annual athletic banquet at the end of that season, the place mats were road maps, symbolizing the many road trips we had to make to play our games. News: Could you describe the look of the collapsed rink? Jackson: A fter practicing all season on the upper rink, it was tough looking down at the corpse of our beautiful building (looking much like a crushed grasshopper). We were relieved to have a demolition team remove the bent aluminum beams and corrugated roofing clearing the area for the next era. News: We have heard about a Zamboni Crew? What was it? The arriva l of the Zamboni
January 14th, 1968: Aluminum roof of rink collapses while students attend a concert in the chapel by the New Music Quartet of Hartford.
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THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Sports and Community First Girls’ Swimming
First Girls’ Hockey BY tommy griffi t h '14
BY S a r a h Hol mes '13 The current record (1-6) does not ref lect how hard the Fi rst Gi rl s’ Sw i m m i ng a nd Diving team has worked everyday to develop this small but m i g ht y te a m . C o - C apt a i n s Natalie Biedron '12 and Emily Teschner '12 are key swimmers in the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relays. Co-Captain Sarah Dimmitt '12 has broken her own diving record several times this season and in the meet against Kent she broke 300 points. Kayla Foley '13 and Caroline Brady '12 are also very strong on the board and often win the top three spots along with Dimmitt. Other key swimmers are Emily Kunsman '14 in the 200 Individual Medley and 100 breaststroke, Aubrey Moulton '15 in the 200 freestyle, Sarah Holmes '13 in the 100 Butterfly and 500 Freestyle, and Eda Tepebag '15 in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. The team also includes Mary Anderson '14, Jelena Koncar '13, Cristina Lynch '15, and Emily Sirbaugh '13. All the swimmers contribute to the final score and are working to improve their times. As Coach Gritzmacher says, “we might not win the swim meet, but we will win the cheering competition!”
First Boys’ Swimming BY Greg j a rvis '13
Coaches Gritzmacher, de Kanter, and Sandoval together with Captains Jake Cahill '12, Josh Kokulis '12, and Connor Mullen '12 have worked tirelessly to develop a strong team of returning veterans, such as John Fitzpatrick '13, Drew Poling '13, Herbert Cheng '13, and Charlie Januszewski '13, as well as new swimmers such as Emil Henry '12, Patrick Holowesko '12, and Henry Chou '14. Many veteran swimmers have already broken previously set persoanl records from last year. So far, the team has a record of 5-2, with wins against Simsbury High School and Milton Academy. Their win against Milton Academy came in an exciting dual meet which also included Suffield Academy. Many breakout times and season bests were recorded, but unfortunately the team was unable to gain a victory against a very strong Suffield team. The Westminster squad is excited that they will be hosting the New England Tournament in the Hibbard Aquatic Center during the first weekend in March. There is no doubt that more experience, practice, and conditioning workouts will lead the team to even stronger performances down the road.
RICHARD BERGEN PHOTOGRAPHY
The First Girls’ hockey team started its regular season off with three straight wins, defeating St. Mark’s 6-3, Kent 3-0, and Loomis-Chaffee 6-1. Syndey Daniels '13 and co-captain Rachel Kennedy '12 led the team, with solid play by Eleni Tebano '13, co-captain Brooke Heron '12, Alli Devins '13, Tori DeAngelis '14, and Molly O’Sullivan '12. The team was 3-0 heading into their holiday tournament, the Harrington Invitational. They won their f irst game against Milton 3 -2 before losing to Buckingham Browne and Nichols 2-0, a shoot out loss to Williston Northampton, and a 4-2 loss to St. Mark’s. After struggling in the tournament, the girls got off to a very good start in the New Year. They won their first three games by defeating Greenwich Academy (6-0), Taft (4-0) and Choate (5-2). Despite losing to Northfield Mount Hermon 3-1, the girls 7-3-1 record is good enough to be fifth in the prep polls. The Martlets have also gone 4-0-0 in the Founders’ League, which puts them in first place. Both Brooke Wolejko '14 and Emily Wigdale '13 have provided solid goaltending and deserve credit for the teams winning record. Last week, I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Pope about his team and his season. What Mr. Pope values in his team year in and year out is “the people who played peripheral roles, being able to step into leading roles.” This is especially important because the team lost some true leaders last year, leaving big shoes to fill. Going into the invi-
tational Mr. Pope felt that “his team had played pretty well up until that point.” But things did not go as planned. He was not expecting Sydney Daniels '13 to get injured or Rachel Kennedy '12 to be unable to play in one game. However, Mr. Pope was able to learn from these games. The tournament “taught me that we needed to get back to basics and work harder as a team, making sure that everyone is on board.” In addition, Mr. Pope was pleased with his team after they returned from break, saying “(The team) played exceptionally well after break in the first three games.” The loss to Northfield though “forced us to reassess how hard we were working.” Mr. Pope’s goals have not changed since the beginning of the season; he “still wants this team to become the close-nit group that works hard no matter what the score.” When asked who has had the biggest impact on the team, he responded that “Tori DeAngelis '14 has done a great job as a forward, Kaitlin Tse '15 is in the regular rotation of D, and Emily Wigdale '13 has played well in net.” He also mentioned that “Laura Moore '14 and Sarah Stevens '15 are getting better everyday.” Halfway through the season the Martlets have captured the Founders’ League title and are at the top of the prep polls with a 10-5-2 record. Mr. Pope hopes his team to be “sad that the season is over”, signifying that the girls have not only been successful, but have enjoyed playing together.
By the Numbers BY ATE SH A GIFFOR D '12
388: the number of students thankful for the last Hill Holiday 4: the number of inches of snow in the month of January, 2012 24: the number of inches of snow in one day - Saturday, October 29, 2011 33: the average high temp for the week... Wait what? 5: the number of times I’ve witnessed people slip and fall 70: the percentage of girls who wear pants more often thanks to the modified dress code
10 Facts About Mrs. Lamb
BY j u l i a be nson '13 & bridge t gorh a m '13 Zealand. They will visit sights like those in the Lord of the Rings. She is especially excited to see Hobbiton. 2. As a child, she and her two younger sisters were forced to wear matching outfits for all holidays. 3. She has a lifelong passion for all things John Adams because she is originally from Quincy, Massachusetts. She did a onewoman portrayal of John Adams at National History Day (dressed authentically as John Adams, of course). 4. Her godfather and uncle, Jack JEN ALTON PHOTOGRAPHY You may have met Miss Potter, was the postmaster general Gassert in Latin class, on the of the United States from 2001cross country course, or on the 2009. dance floor as she split you up at 5. She has sung in church choirs a dance with her light saber. Most since she was seven years old, of you also know that she recently including St. Mary’s in Simsbury. tied the knot, officially becom- 6. She hates gum, doughnuts, and ing Mrs. Lamb. On December whipped cream. 31, 2011, Mrs. Lamb, wearing a 7. As a child, her family had five wedding dress passed down to her fish tanks with more than 70 fish. from her mother and her grand- She knew all of their names. mother, married Patrick Lamb. 8. She drove to 35 states with her The couple arrived at the recep- family on a cross country trip as tion to the Star Wars theme with a child. light saber accompaniment. Their 9. Since the age of three, her cake had Wall-E and Eve cake favorite dinosaur is a brontosaurus toppers. And if you already knew because it means “thunder lizard” that much about her, here are ten in Ancient Greek. more facts about everyone’s favor- 10. She plays clarinet in a local ite Latin teacher and Star Wars community band. She was in bands throughout high school fan. 1. For their honeymoon, Mrs. and college. She has a marching and Mr. Lamb are going to New band plumed hat to prove it.
Dear Sage Dear Sage, I have an issue with the away uniforms we wear to games. The gold does not match my skin tone AT ALL. I mean I’m trying everything to make it work! No matter what I do, the gold clashes and I look like a mess. What should I do? Fashion on the Field Dear Field, You have two options. You can either write a well-worded letter to the school, requesting to change the school colors, which we have had since 1888. Or, you could focus your anger on the game and score for your team! It’s okay if the uniform clashes with your skin tone, because everyone is too busy watching the game! Remember, it’s not what’s on the outside that matters, but who wins the game. Dear Sage, I have a New Years’ resolution to make Summus, but I didn’t realize how hard it was! I study 4 hours every night but my average is still an 89.7! I also go to the library whenever I can to ensure that I am in a learning environment. What should I do? Worried for Grades Dear Grades, Well, it seems like you’re really doing your best, which is all
that really matters. Except we all know that really it’s the grades that matter. So you need to step it up! Go see teachers for extra help, and make sure you really understand the material. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to make your teachers some homemade cookies! You could also bake for your favorite newspaper columnist who has offered you this help… Good luck! Dear Sage, I don’t think my afternoon commitment is giving me enough of a workout. I’m on Third Boys’ Basketball, and when I get back to the dorm, I can’t even open up my laptop! I always have to ask my roommate to do it for me. I’m scared he’s going to tell everyone, and no girl will want to date me, because I am too weak! What should I do? Lacking Strength Dear Lacking, The best advice I can give you is to invest in a MacBook Air. Also, why don’t you go hit the weights at the Gym? I’m sure there will be multiple hockey players there to lend a hand and help you get fit. Also, don’t fret! Some girls like weak boys; keyword, SOME. So I think it’s time you make yourself a gym schedule. Hope I was helpful!
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Sports and Community First Boys’ Hockey BY tommy griffi t h '14
RICHARD BERGEN PHOTOGRAPHY
The Ma rt lets ca me into the season ranked #7 in the preseason prep polls on a team made up of new faces and veterans. On December 3rd, when most of us were at winter formal, the team was at Northfield Mount Hermon starting their season. The Martlets handled the Hoggers pretty easily, defeating them 7-2. David Hallisey '13 led the team with a hat trick. They returned home for their next win, defeating Choate 4-2. This time it was tri-captain Chris Izmirlian '12 leading the team with two goals and one assist. The team’s last game before the winter break was a Friday night game at home. Despite the fact that they won 3-1, this was a tougher test for the Martlets, who scored 3 unanswered goals in the exciting win. Heading into the Flood-Marr, the Martlet’s 3-0 record was good enough for Westminster to be ranked third in the polls. The team, however, struggled in the tournament. Winning one
out four games, the team lost its place in the top ten. Since then, the First Boys’ team has defeated Kent 5-2, Brunswick 5-2, Trinity Pawling 6-3, and Taft 4-3. More recently though, the squad suffered a setback. They lost to Salisbury 4-1, their first lost in the Founders’ League. As of right now David Hallisey '13 leads the team with eleven goals, Chris Izmirlian '12 leads the team with twelve assists, and another captain, Patrick Spano '12 leads the team in the goal. Over the course of the season, Coach Joncas’ one expectation is “to leave the rink each day a better team.” For Mr. Joncas, success is def ined by “Commitment, Accountability, and Work.” Heading into the Flood-Marr with a 3-0 record Mr. Joncas “felt that we were ready go.” But in the first game the team’s “effort was not there and we spent the rest of the weekend trying to dig our way out of the early hole we had put our-
selves in.” Despite a disappointing tourna ment record-wise, Mr. Joncas “was pleased with his team’s performance at the tournament,” and felt that “we were able to take some major strides as a group that will help us in the long run.” Since the beginning of the New Year, Coach Joncas has been happy with his team’s performance. “Practices have been very good and our complete level in our games so far has been excellent.” Mr. Joncas also mentioned that over the season his goal will never change, the team’s only goal is “to focus on what we have control over and that is our commitment, accountability, and work ethic to improve as a team everyday.” When asked about which one of the new guys had made the biggest impact he did not give a specific answer. He has been very pleased with the performance of each and every player, new and old. “To me, that is the greatest part of being on a team, the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts.” With the second half of the season beginning, the boys look to continue their winning ways, and make it to the New England tournament at the end of the season.
BY Di l l on t i n er '12
Wit h t he w inter sea son well underway, the Westminster First Boys’ Basketball team has a record of 2-6 with wins over Williston and Pomfret. The team started their season with the adversity posed by a few fall sport injuries. Kris Hargraves '13 dislocated his shoulder during football preseason and looks forward to his return in February. Brandon Kumnick '12 dislocated his knee at the end of the fall during a soccer practice, but was able to return after winter break. In spite of these obstacles, the team has found strength in their defense, holding many teams to scores well below their average. This trend is exemplified in both wins and losses. Against Pomfret, a team that puts up anywhere from the mid fifties to even the high seventies, the Martlet defense secured a 47-41 win in what was for their opponent a very frustrating offensive game. Again when they played Suffield, who consistently scores in the high sixties to mid eighties, the opponent was only able to score 62 with free throws making up a majority of their final points. Games have been characterized by very close second half scores, but in most losses, the opponent has edged away with the help of one consistent
RICHARD BERGEN PHOTOGRAPHY
three-point shooter. However, once the team finds that defensive foothold, they develop the confidence and poise that allows for players like high-scorer Tim Lyons '12 and rebound-leader Alex Tomashoff '13 to generate offensive momentum. Simply put, if the players can meet Coach Newman’s expectations of true athletic toughness and keep a defense-first mentality, they will win games. T he We s t m i n s t e r Fi r s t Girls’ Basketball team currently stands at 3-6. The girls won their home opener 48-34 against Hopkins with 27 points from Meg R ichard '15, nine from Rachel Monroe '14, and six from co-captain Meaghan O’Herron
Club Spotlight: Student Music Organization BY l au r a t i ngl ey '13 One of t he most popu- have so much talent in the school, lar clubs in this school in 2011- its fun to hear other people per2012 is t he St udent Mu sic form. It brings us together as a Organization (SMO), led by community,” says Lauren Darnis Co-Presidents Lauren Darnis '12. Every year, SMO organizes '12 and Conor Mullen '12. Both 3-5 events to promote student presidents are active performers at performances. SMO plans on holding a talWestminster and have impressive ent show in February. “It will be musical backgrounds. Lauren typheld in Centennial and is open ically plays her guitar and sings to more than just musical acts. folk and soft rock songs. Conor It will also allow for more elecplays the electric guitar and listens tric, rather than acoustic, full to classic rock and indie music. Student who belong to the band performances that the cofSMO organize music performanc- fee house setting could not facilies for the Coffeehouse, a long tate,” Conor Mullen '12 said. The standing Westminster tradition. talent show will also be a fundCoffee houses are an important raiser for a school in Costa Rica aspect to the club because it gives where Lauren has volunteered in students and teachers the oppor- the past. SMO encourages any tunity to perform in front of their student to join the club or to perpeers. “I like to do it because form in either the Coffeehouse or when I first played the guitar for the talent show! people, I was nervous. Because we
First Boys’ Squash By Greg J a rvis '13
RICHARD BERGEN PHOTOGRAPHY
First Boys’ & Girls’ Basketball '12. The team returned from winter break to start the new year with back-to-back wins for the first time in recent seasons. They earned one against Greenwich Academy at home with strong all-around play by Annie Lacey '14 and Meg Richard'15 while Rachel Monroe'14 made clutch transition plays late in the game. The Martlets then carried this momentum and they emerged the victor over Ethel Walker. Meg Richard '15 led the charge with 24 points, 12 rebounds, 8 steals, and 3 blocks. Also, Rachel Monroe'15, Charlotte Gould '13, and Laura Tingley '13 each added six points to the 43-39. These wins have brought confidence to a program that is coming off of a 0-20 season. Co-captains Me a g h a n O’ Her ron'12 a nd Marielle Lafaire '12 attribute this success to an improved team mentality, saying that little things like being on time and bringing a consistent enthusiasm to practice have allowed them to find their rhythm in games. The team hopes to build on the foundation that they have developed and really hit their stride in the second half of the season.
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T he First Boy s’ Squ a sh team is off to a tremendous start this winter. Head Coach Mr. Doucette and Captain Michael LeBlanc '12 have led the team off to eight 7-0 wins and only one loss to Brunswick. The team is made up of a surprising number of under-formers, Will O’Donnell '13, Beau Orchard '13, Harry Ganek '14, Ben Shively '14, and Alvin Heumann '14 with Sixth Form veterans Michael LeBlanc, Ahmed Abdel Khalek,
and Sandro Giacometti. So far their record speaks for itself; the entire squash team has only lost five matches in total, with all of those losses in the same meeting at Br u ns w ick . T he most notable match of the season was a double meeting with Loomis and Berkshire. Their sweep of Berkshire wasn’t much of a problem for the team, but Loomis was much more competitive and required some of every players’ best efforts to achieve a consecutive 7-0 win. Coming off of a second place finish in all of New England last year, the team is off to a similar start this year that will carry them through the remainder of the season and hopefully lead to great achievements.
Dorm Room Spotlight BY J a n e l ee '13
Kathleen Gudas '12 lives on the second floor of Edge. When you first enter the room, a myriad collection of photos and posters surrounds you. The photos and posters range from framed butterflies to Audrey Hepburn. The plethora of posters leaves the visitor amazed. Each poster and
photo means something special to Kathleen. Although very different in characteristics and topics, the overall turquoise color of the posters harmonizes well with Kathleen’s comforter, carpet, and pillows. A room large enough to fit ten people, Kathleen enjoys a neat room that portrays her organized demeanor. Kathleen has a built-in closet that is full of the most chic clothes that complete her “Westy” look. A diligent student, Kathleen has piles of books for her AP Art History and English class on her desk. The set-up of this room creates a cozy environment despite the large area. The aroma of lavender permeates throughout the room and songs of Coldplay are on repeat.
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Tuesday, February 7, 2012
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Student Life
What is Your New Years’ Resolution? BY C A I TL I N PI TTOR I E '13 & J u l ie Lebl a nc '13
Fred Baker '15: To eat better. Ahmed Abdel Khalek '12: To learn how to play squash and to find a good friend. Alli Devins '13: To talk to my friends from home everyday. Atesha Gifford '12: To get more swagger. Lauren Darnis '12: To buy my sister a custom cake from Carlos Bakery for her 16th birthday. Noah Zempsky '13: To lose some weight. Herbert Cheng '13: To grow a fu man shu.
A Taste of Westy BY C a i t l i n pi t torie '12
When you go up to the salad bar in the dining hall, do you find yourself looking at an array of choices, but have no idea what to do? Does salmon taste good with olives? Which lettuce should you use? Do all salads really need dressing? A salad that actually tastes good can be a very tricky thing. However, now all your problems are solved! Here is a recipe for a Westminster salad-barfriendly salad, and even a dressing recipe to make your own healthy and delicious dressing. Don’t worry! I know everyone out there who just cannot cook is freaking out because they can’t handle making a salad. It’s a very complicated thing to do; I don’t blame you for being worried, but I have not forgotten about you! Today, we are also going to learn how to make the ever famous and oh-so-classic, Toast. Westminster Classic Salad and Dressing Ingredients: 10 cherry tomatoes 1/4 cup dried apricots and cranberries 1/4 cup chick peas 2 hard boiled eggs (yolks optional) 2 cups spinach leaves
1/4 cup of red beans, kidney beans, etc. (any beans when available) 1/4 cup of peas Dressing: 1-2 T Spicy Mustard Enough Balsamic Vinegar to coat the bottom of a dining hall bowl A few dashes of olive oil Directions: 1) Mix a ll sa lad ingredients together on a plate 2) Mix all salad dressing ingredients in a bowl, stirring gently with a spoon 3) Pour dressing on to salad and enjoy! For Those Who Cannot Cook: Toast Ingredients: 1 slice of bread (your choice) 1 toaster 1 spread of choice (i.e. jelly, butter, etc.) Directions: 1) Put toast directly into toaster 2) Wait 3 ) R e m o v e ( WA R N I N G : TOAST WILL MOST LIKELY BE HOT) 4) Optional: using a knife, apply an even coating of desired spread. Enjoy!
Student Life in Turkey BY eda t epeb ag '13
Student life in Turkey has many similarities and differences to student life in America. On we e k d ay s , s t ud e nt s wake early for school. Usually a father or mother wakes up his or her child, but some responsible students use an alarm on their mobile phones to wake up. After getting ready for school, students have a hearty and nutritious breakfast to ensure that they will be attentive in class. The classroom environment in Turkey is similar to that in America. One difference, however, is that some students are
naturally prone to cheating, however, this often depends on the discipline of the student. After school hours, students either go to a coffee shop to chat, or a friend’s house to do homework. They can also go to the cinema or parties if there are no exams the next day. Although every student eventually returns home, parents are often very anxious if their child comes back later than expected. When students get home, they usually have dinner with their family and then finish their homework assignments. In Turkey, dinner is a time
Finn Houston Crosses the Pond BY da rby dr a ke '12
Only 48 hours a f ter his arrival on campus, I had a chance to inter view Finn Houston, the English Spea k ing Union exchange student from Dollar Academy in Scotland. He was more than willing to sit down and talk right away before his schedule got too busy. Below are some of the questions I was able to ask him: News: W hat wa s your f irst impression of Simsbury? Houston: It was pretty tidy, very nice. Simsbury is really widespread compared to back home where everything is cramped in. News: W hat wa s your f irst impression of Westminster? Houston: Cold and spacious. All of the people were really friendly, they all introduced themselves. News: W hat wa s your f irst impression of the girls and the guys? Houston: The girls are all quite nice, and very smart. They’re all really good looking and ‘fit.’ The guys are sporty. They’re all obsessed with a sport. I’ve never seen anyone quite so obsessed with sports before. I came into the dorm and they were all playing with lacrosse sticks. Swinging their sticks from side to side, I just said, ‘hi, I’m not going to shake you’re hand to interrupt that, it’s fine.’ News: What do you think of your classes? Houston: They’re hard here, but the teachers are all very nice. They’re quite chill but you still learn just as much as if they were really strict, telling you what to do all the time. It’s also different because they don’t have a set course to follow. They’re able to kind of do what they want sometimes. News: Have you studied the W Book? Houston: To be honest, I’ve only read part of it, still more to do. It’s long. News: What were you expecting when you came to Westminster? Houston: I thought I would have less freedom than I do at home, which is true, but faculty are not as strict as they could be. You also have more privileges as a senior,
which is nice. I would hate to be an underformer. News: Where does your interest in the bagpipes come from? Houston: Oh there’s a stor y behind it. When I was 5, my family and I were at a parade in town and a guy walked by and I asked ‘Mom, Mom, Mom, what’s that guy doing to that chicken?’ and she answered ‘Oh, he’s playing the
when the whole fa mily gets together. Dinner begins after the oldest person at the table takes the first bite. Dinner conversation usually consists of talking about the day or making plans for the future. After dinner, most students spend time on their computers so that they can communicate with their friends or play computer games. Some intellectually curious students try to increase their knowledge, however, by reading the news or watching documentary movies. On we e k end s , s t udent s will usually wake up late in the morning. They sometimes eat large breakfasts with their families. After breakfast, most stu-
dents play sports, music, or other extra-curricular activities. If not, they can go shopping with their friends. Because everyone lives in the city, it is very easy to meet up
“I went to Walmart and it was amazing. It has everything. You could buy a tent, set it up in the middle of the floor and just live there. I love Walmart. I also went to Taco Bell and Five Guys. And after Five Guys, I felt like I was eating heart failure.” bagpipes’. I was enamored. And then when I was seven, I moved schools and they offered piping lessons so I said ‘yeah, sure I’ll do it.’ I have them with me. I have my kilt as well. I welcomed James in it. I’m not sure how he took it. News: What’s been your favorite part of Westminster thus far? Houston: It’s all been pretty good, actually very good. Meeting people has probably been a highlight, but it’s not like there’s one specific person that’s particularly stood out. News: Has it been easy to integrate into the community? Houston: Yeah, it has been really easy. Everyone likes a Scot. News: Can you tell me a little bit more about your first hockey game?
Eda and her friends in Turkey
Houston: So basically, I saw these four guys get painted up, and I was thinking that they needed a fifth to spell ‘WESTY’, and so I went over and asked if they needed an extra letter, and they said no for some reason and then two minutes later they were like “wait a minute, we need a Y. Finn get over here.” So I went over there, took off my shirt, painted my Y on, and then started shivering. It was so cold. And then when I leaned back with the paint, it peeled off. It was the best nonprofessional sports game though. It was really good, great atmosphere. News: Did you enjoy staying with a host family? Houston: Well there is a guy from Avon who came to Dollar, so I stayed with him before school started here. I went to Walmart and it was amazing. It has everything. You could buy a tent, set it up in the middle of the floor and just live there. I love Walmart. I also went to Taco Bell and Five Guys. And after Five Guys, I felt like I was having heart failure. News: Do you like living in the dorm? Have you ever lived with a roommate before? Houston: It’s good. I thought I wasn’t going to have any time when I could just relax, but you actually can, so it’s not that different. When I arrived, I didn’t have a bed or anything, and Connor’s stuff was all over the place. So I found two guys and sent them off to go get everything for me. It’s good now though. I get along really well with all of the guys in the dorm. News: Are you homesick? Houston: No, not yet. News: What do you miss most? Houston: Rugby. I miss rugby so badly. I played four times a week, which is a lot for home; I know it isn’t here. News: Thank you, Finn!
with friends. O vera l l, st udent li fe in Turkey is very similar to student life in America.