www.suffieldacademy.org
Esse Quam Videri
The Suffield Bell Volume LXXVIII, NO. 1
Established 1835
October 2012
1950’s Science Building Slated for Renovation Amanda Silverstein ’15
With the goal of making a newly renovated science building available to science students at the commencement of the 201314 school year, FIP Construction, Inc., out of Farmington, CT, using the designs of architect Harvey Kaufman of New Canaan, CT, will begin tearing down walls in Holcomb Hall when March break begins. Holcomb Hall was built in 1959 and named after Alfred E. Holcomb, who left a generous gift to the Academy upon his death. The space was originally used for the arts and sciences. When the Tremaine Visual Arts Center
opened in 1996, art classes found a home of their own. However, to this day Holcomb still has dark rooms for photography, along with other rooms that were originally designed for the arts. Because these rooms are not suitable for science classes and laboratories, they remain unused. It is important to have a large number of classrooms in Holcomb because many Suffield students are involved in multiple disciplines of science, some even at the same time. All students enroll in physics first, chemistry next, and then biology. Before this system, many students had
opted out of science before completing all three courses. Now, however, students not only take these courses but often also take more during their senior year, including challenging AP courses and fascinating electives. This year, there was a waiting list for Honors Environmental Science and Forensics. Some seniors even choose to double up on science courses to make their transcripts stand out in the college admission process. Currently, the limited availability of science classrooms makes a student’s science course selection dictate the rest of his/ her class schedule. The Holcomb space crunch makes it difficult to personalize student schedules. Suffield Academy takes pride in a student’s special classroom experience, which is
largely contributed to by small class size. The average class size is 12 students. However, science classes often have as many as 18 students per section, causing them to feel cramped and taking away from the small class experience. Next September, the renovated Holcomb Hall will have more classrooms and a lighter, brighter interior. It will look like the art building, with its long windows resembling large glass doors. Classrooms will have new technology, along with new furniture and white boards. Laboratory stations will be more technologically advanced, making it easier, simpler, and more enjoyable to learn through labs. The main idea of the internal design is to assure that the building can be used for several years to come. Furniture
will be on wheels rather than stuck to the ground so rooms can be readjusted to better suit the different needs of courses. When school resumes after March break, science classes will be reassigned to different rooms among the academic buildings on campus (such as Memorial, Centurión, and S. Kent Legare Library). Most required laboratory work will be completed prior to the break before construction begins. The 2013 version of Holcomb Hall is much anticipated, as many students are already excited. Amanda Baildon ’15, winner of the 2011-2012 Physics Prize, said, “I look forward to seeing the outcome and working in the new lab. The Holcomb building renovations will really give the sciences a brighter feel.”
Gigantic Fans Installed in Brewster Dining Hall
Preseason Prepares Tigers
Jordan Stanley ’13
Jack Frank ’14
quickly greeted students, but how could they not have noticed immediately the four gigantic contraptions rotating over their heads? The fans function in near silence. As English teacher Joan Brodie observed, “It’s not only cooler but also quieter. The old standing fans were a lose-lose-lose situation. One: they produced a lot of noise. Two: if you weren’t sitting directly in front of one, you were too hot. Three: if you were sitting in front of one, you were getting blown out of your seat. I like this new win-winwin scenario: no noise, not hot, and not in the path of hurricane winds.” First year students will have to take returning students’ words on how much of a privilege these fans truly are. Headmaster Charlie Cahn’s visit to a summer camp sparked the acquisition of the new ceiling fans. While registering his daughter Peyton, Mr. Cahn took note of the fan used in the camp’s main building: “We [Mrs. Cahn and I] were immediately struck by the size and quality of the fan, which led to further investigation
of the devices.” According to Mr. Cahn, the school has always been well aware of the discomfort of the dining hall during early fall and late spring but was hesitant to spend the $500,000 that it would take to purchase an air conditioning system. The fans were the perfect, environmentally friendly solution, costing forty thousands dollars including installation, which is 8% of the cost of air conditioning. With money from various gifts to the school, the planning of CFO Patrick Booth and Physical Plant Director Phil Cyr, and the hard work of the installation crew, the project was able to be completed before the school year began. When asked, Jay O’Brien ’13 simply said, “They are awesome and necessary because the dining hall got mad hot.” Seeming to agree with O’Brien, students all over campus appear exceedingly pleased with the new ceiling fans and thankful for the thoughtfulness and large effort put into making the dining room a more comfortable place.
One hundred and seventyfive Suffield Academy athletes participated in the September 4-8 on-campus preseason, a program that offers motivated athletes an opportunity to get primed for the season and bond with teammates. Athletes from every fall sport that competes at a varsity level (boys’ and girls’ soccer, boys’ and girls’ cross country, football, boys’ water polo, girls’ volleyball, and field hockey) participated in challenging practices that began early in the morning and did not finish up until the evening hours. Prior to the on-campus program, 24 students participated in the boys’ soccer preseason trip to Jamaica. Most athletes believe that the physical toll of twice a day practices was challenging, but nothing in comparison to the individual growth of a player and the collective growth of a team. Gustaf Lidfeldt, a new
junior, attended this year’s preseason for cross-country. He believes that “the hard training was worth it” and asserts that he “would do it all over.” Preseason allowed varsity captains to get a better sense of their teams. Angelina Massoia ’13, captain of the girls’ varsity volleyball team, believes that “The head start our team got in preseason will allow us to be more competitive and more supportive of each other on the court this season.” For coaches, preseason was a chance to work with their teams for the first time. According to Mr. Gamere, head football coach and new athletic director, “The multiple practices and various team building activities that occur during preseason allow our teams to come together and hopefully develop a strong chemistry that will carry into the season.”
Alex Fabricant ’14
During a sweltering, sticky orientation week, students who visited Brewster dining hall to grab a cool drink, sit down, and socialize often were found gaping and pointing as they looked upward. The eye of a diner—that was at first focused on the beverage machines and then on finding a table to sit at with friends— would eventually catch a glean of silver, forcing it upward to be greeted by the sight of gigantic, rotating, helicopter-like blades. Returning students knew what to expect upon their September arrival: the joy of seeing friends they hadn’t seen since May, get-the-ballrolling orientation meetings, spirited Tiger Games, and, yes, the staggering stuffiness of the dining hall during late summer days. Though Suffield students have always found Brewster Hall dining room to be a source of excellent food, up until this year they also found its stifling heat and poor circulation to be difficult to endure. This September, upon entering the dining hall, a cool, comfortable atmosphere
2 The Bell October 2012
Editorials
What’s What in the Presidential Campaign?
VOTE! Anna Strzempko ’13
If you are going to be eligible to vote in November for the upcoming presidential election, you need to vote. It is that simple. We currently live in a country on the brink of major cultural change and ensnared in an unstable economic and international position. As Americans, because we are gifted with the right to freedom of speech, we have a tendency to complain, whine, debate, dispute, and flat out argue about politics in our country. This is great! Critiquing our government is an essential part of being an American that our founding fathers hoped would continue into our generation. However, in
entrepreneurship and, therefore, job creation. This reduction applies to the monetary elite as well. Because of his conservative and traditional view of America, Governor Romney invests in the belief that each American has the potential to create prosperity for himself or herself; therefore, the middle class does not need support from the government. With a traditionally capitalist view, he promotes deregulating businesses in order to remain true to the American value of free markets. Another hot button issue of this election season has been women’s issues. Surprisingly, abortion has taken a national spotlight— arguably the largest spotlight it has taken since the seventies. Throughout President Obama’s political career, he has remained firmly pro-choice and has recently expressed his opinion that contraception should be covered by health insurance. He views abortion as a medical issue. Governor Romney’s views on abortion are more muddled because he has drastically changed his stances throughout his career. When running for the Senate in 1994, he expressed
order to see change, we need to create it. As students of Suffield Academy, we have all heard many times that we need to “be the change we wish to see in the world.” If you are unhappy with our president’s economic policies, go out and vote to change them! Those who participate in the political process reap the greatest benefits. Nearly seventy percent of senior citizens usually vote, compared to less than fifty percent of youth. If we continue to let the vote be dominated by the generation above us, our complaints for change will mean nothing. Among developed countries with free elections, the United States already has one of the poorest voter turnout records; and, with the exception of the 2008 election, the turnout rates
his view that a woman’s right to choose is private and that any breach on that right becomes a breach of privacy. In 2007, Governor Romney renounced this statement and began to identify as firmly pro-life. He is not, however, as extreme as some of his fellow Republican officeholders, who do not believe in abortion even in cases of rape, incest, and risk to the mother’s health. Because of the constant and confusing discussion of abortion rights amongst politicians, it has been easy for voters to identify Governor Romney with some of his more extreme fellow Republicans. Regarding contraceptive rights, Governor Romney feels that the coverage of contraception by all insurance providers is a breach of separation of church and state, as some providers are affiliated with religions that do not morally believe in contraception. While it is not easy, it is incredibly important to stay informed about the truth during this election season. We have to keep our focus instead of getting distracted by every news story that touts President Obama as a socialist and Governor Romney as a woman-hater.
for the young are falling. The 2008 election is a prime example of why it is important for young people to be involved in the action. Political scientists believe that the youth vote provided President Obama with a crucial upper hand over Senator John McCain in the election. In addition to these numerous, substantial reasons, the most important reason to vote is that it is your civic duty as an American. We are lucky enough to live in a country that values our opinion; therefore, it is our responsibility to give it. Our republic only functions the way its creators intended if we all participate in the political process. Regardless of your views, if you want to see something changed (or not changed) in our government this coming election, exercise your right and vote!
CAST SELECTED
The Suffield Bell
Anna Strzempko ’13
With so much political talk in our country, it is easy to get your facts lost in the media machine. Often we find ourselves asking, “Who really believes what?” We wonder if it is even possible to get at the truth in our hyper-wired world. Fortunately, it’s not. It just takes a bit of work. Our two presidential candidates differ on the major issues in essentially the same way the parties differ. To most Americans, the most important matter is currently the economy. Have jobs been created? How are we going to get the economy on the right track? According to President Obama, the answer is to cut taxes for small businesses and increase taxes for any household that brings in more than $250,000 a year in income. He also plans to continue a greater regulation on business in order to keep big businesses playing by the rules. He believes in a focus on the middle class and a mindset that we all must contribute to the wellbeing of the nation to boost the economy and to avoid having just the elite control the wealth. Regarding the economy, Governor Romney feels that a reduction of taxes will stimulate
October 2012 The Bell 3
Art
EDITORS
contributors
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Kiley Caravella ’13 Angelina Massoia ’13
writers Amanda Baildon ’15 Kira Demitrus ’15 Jack Frank ’14 Lindsay Hayden ’15 Piper Holliday ’15 Nicole Matysiak ’14 Amanda Silverstein ’15 Hannah Thrall ’13
LAYOUT Julie Doten ’14 NEWS Anna Strzempko ’13 FEATURES Jordan Stanley ’13 ARTS Bozhou Luo ’13 PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Byun ’13 Dennis Kim ’13 FACULTY ADVISOR Joan Brodie
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Principle Cast J. Pierrepont Finch Jay O’Brien Rosemary Pilkington Izzara Ugarte J.B. Biggley Logan Barer Smitty Clare Guerreiro Bud Frump Harrison Moore Hedy LaRue Alexis Sarris Mr. Bratt Cole Hills Miss Jones Briana Matthews
Photographers Billy Cordes ’16 Alex Fabricant ’14 Jun Park ’14 layout designers Kiley Caravella ’13 Julie Doten ’14 Sarah Hong ’13 Bozhou Luo ’13 CARTOONIST Caroline Vianney ’14
FOZZIE Recently, all of us, including the underclassmen, have been given advice to “not stress” about college. But, this front is silly. We all know the college process is important. As students, we know that they know the college process is important, given the countless hours spent talking about which classes to take and how to raise our SAT scores. So why, then, are the adults in our lives telling us to “calm down,” “don’t stress,” and, my favorite, “chill out.” And, why are our signs of stress sometimes viewed as “overly emotional” or somehow “cute”? Therein lies the paradox, my friends. I am here to tell you that it is perfectly normal, acceptable, and healthy to feel stressed about the college process. Why shouldn’t we feel stressed regarding an important issue? Obviously, I am not advocating that students work themselves into such a frenzy that their emotional health is compromised, but I do believe that a bit of stress keeps the motor running. And, let’s face it, the motor better be running if we are going to process all those application details and meet all those deadlines. By realizing the weight of this process, we are reminded to keep doing the things we need to and to do them well.
Piper Holliday ’15
Cartoon by Caroline Vianney ’14
The Mystic Art of Bill Butcher at Mystic Art Center
Need Byline ’15
I understand and accept the stress, tears, and general insanity that go along with the college process. Therefore, I do not need to be tricked into thinking it is nothing to stress about while simultaneously being told to make sure my essay is just right and that the early action deadline is right around the corner. If I am mature enough to go to college, I am mature enough to hear it straight without any euphemisms or coddling. Students, be aware that some (or a lot of, in some cases) stress in the college process is typical, and it does not mean that you are tense or too sensitive. Finally, here’s some helpful advice about stress during the college process: There’s no reason to feel bad about yourself when some well-meaning adult tells you to stop stressing.
Amanda Baildon ’15 There’s nothing more wonderful than seeing someone in his or her natural habitat. This applies to an athlete on the court, a scholar in the classroom, a performer on the stage, and especially an artist in his studio. I spoke with Mr. Bill Butcher, the head of our Visual Arts Department, about his showcased solo exhibition in the 56th Regional Juried Show in Mystic, CT, that ran from August 2 to September 22 at Mystic Art Center. Mr. Butcher sat comfortably on a paint-splattered stool as we spoke at a similarly paint-splattered table. During our chat, he was enthusiastic to speak about his art, and he spoke selflessly about his students. Primarily, we spoke about the success of his exhibition as well
as his passion for participating. Mr. Butcher described the show as “a personal exhibition of paintings that have been accomplished over four to five years.” Q: What techniques did you use for your paintings? A: All of my pictures are acrylicbased artist paints. My works range in size from 18” x 24” to 6’ x 8’. They explore colors and textures as an expressive medium. Q: How do you find inspiration for your projects? A: As an artist for more than 50 years, my inspiration usually unfolds—I’m not sure of the exact moment, but somewhere after I’ve started something random.
Q: What is your motive for teaching students at Suffield Academy? A: When I was a student, I had great high school and college professors, and that’s when art became a life-long passion. I hope to convey to them my own passion and excitement through experience with technique and skill. I want them to come to realize that each has his/her own talents. It is my job to understand and implement those talents. Believing that “Creating is a spiritual act in itself, as it is largely intuitive and often illusive and understood but little,” Mr. Butcher hopes to evoke the passion he has for art in his students.
Ensemble Roles Mr. Twimble/Act Two Ensemble Adam Leibowitz Miss Krumholtz Jasmine Brooks Wally Womper/Act One Ensemble Bryant O’Connor Miss Johnson Jenny Teich Jenkins/Mail Worker Alex Mainolfi Kathy/First Scrubwoman Piper Holliday Miss Grabowski/Second Scrubwoman Denny Smythe Tackaberry/Mail Worker Jay Hutzler
Irene/Dance Captain Caroline Vianney* Peterson Ryan Malley Matthews/TV Announcer Greg Pentz Gatch/Act Two Ensemble Jono Nelson Mr. Ovington/Act Two Ensemble Mikhail Kozak Toynbee David Gingold Allen/Policeman/Coffee Man David Johnston Meredith/Dance Captain Micaela Martini* Nancy Amanda Baildon* Lily Nicole Matysiak* Shirley Christie Arnold* Joyce Yasmin Geradeau Davis Peter Eckhardt Marilyn Katie Madrak* Laverne Charlotte Hinrichs* Betty Noel Nakamura Helen Amanda Mancuso Simmons Jesse Phillips * The Yo-Ho-Ho Dancers
After a workshop on Friday, Sept. 14, thirty-five hopeful actors, singers, and dancers turned out on Sunday, Sept. 16, and Monday, Sept.17, for auditions for the popular musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Each night, the group was divided in two. Half of the auditioning students performed a brief dance routine to “Brotherhood Of Men” while the girls in the other half sang “Paris Original” and the boys sang “How To Succeed.” After the performances, the groups traded places, giving each student a chance to show his/her dancing and singing talent. In the end, Jay O’Brien ’13 was selected to play the lead male role and Izzara Ugarte ’14 was selected to play the lead female role. The show revolves around a young window washer who strives to be an accomplished businessman. When J. Pierrepont Finch (O’Brien) comes across a little book called How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, his whole life is turned around as he quickly and easily ascends the corporate ladder. On his way up, he catches the eye of a young secretary, Rosemary Pilkington (Ugarte). During an interview, Harrison Moore ’14, who will play the role of the arrogant and lazy Bud Frump, answered several questions:
Q: Will we see a lot of new faces in the musical this year? A: Yes, there are a lot of new people getting into theater from all the classes. Q: How will the show differ from last year? A: Last year’s show did not have a big cast. However, everyone who auditioned this year got a part, which means we can have much larger dance numbers, which will be fun. Q: What goes on backstage? A: Usually backstage can be a place where people get into costume, read over lines, or just hang out with other cast members. Q: What is the hardest part about being in the school musical? A: I think the hardest part is trying to balance all of your work during production week, as rehearsals tend to run into study hall. But, in the end, it’s well worth it [because] the school musical is one of the best times I’ve had here at Suffield Academy. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying will be performed on the stage of the Jeanice Seaverns Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 13, 14, and 15.
POLL RESULTS Kira Demitrus ’15
2012
Here’s what the 169 students who responded to the poll questions posted on FirstClass had to say:
Photo by Billy Cordes ‘16
What do you think of the new fans in the dining hall? A. They’re fan-tastic! 125 student votes B. I don’t really mind. 39 student votes C. I’m not a fan. 5 student votes
74% 23% 3%
How do you feel about Dance-a-thon being cancelled? A. I don’t care. 36 student votes B. It was cancelled? 11 student votes C. I’m outraged! 120 student votes
21% 7% 72%
4 The Bell October 2012
Features
PG Mickey Keating Answers a Few Questions
SA Lingo
Angelina Massoia ’13
Nicole Matysiak ’14
Q: How has it been being back in high school? A: It is weird being back in high school because all of the kids that I graduated with are now in college, but I still believe I made the right decision.
Photo by Jun Park ’14
Q: What sports do you play? A: Football and baseball. Q: Why did you choose Suffield for a postgrad year? A: I chose to do a PG year because last year during football I tore my ACL. I wanted to play high school football again after my season was cut short. So I
figured I would take another year so I could let my knee fully heal and have another year to get looks from coaches. I also want to try and play baseball in college. I chose Suffield because I liked all the people I met during the tour, and I’ll get the opportunity to play both sports at my positions.
Q: What has been your favorite part about Suffield and the PG experience so far? A: My favorite part of Suffield so far has been that they make the PGs part of the senior class rather than our own separate mini-class. Q: Do you have any plans yet for next year? A: I don’t know about my plans for next year, but it seems that the faculty at Suffield provides more help in the college search than my old school did.
Chinese Cuisine: Expectation Vs. Reality Hannah Thrall ’13 “I’d rather be pleasantly surprised than fatally disappointed”: that is the mindset I tried to have when I set out on my six-week, language-intensive trip to China this summer (Julia Glass, I See You Everywhere). Of course, going into any new place, one is bound to have a set of expectations. These expectations are kind of like stereotypes. Sometimes they are partly true, but more often than not they are completely inaccurate or far too generalized. Prior to my trip, I was bombarded by stereotypical beliefs about China, which, I am glad to say, were mostly false. A common stereotype was the belief that “the food is weird.” What was meant by “weird”? At first, I wasn’t completely sure, but eventually I came to the understanding that most people who were telling me this believed authentic Chinese food to be made up of oddly prepared meats and insects such as scorpions. While there was one street, Wangfujing, where you could buy all sorts of interesting foods such as scorpions or animal innards, I found the typical cuisine to be delicious, extremely healthy, and not wholly different from what I was accustomed to. The most prevalent dish I found at my homestays in the Yunnan province was a tomatoegg dish. Typically, during the sit-down meals at my rural homestays, an individual bowl of rice would be served with each meal. Multiple communal dishes, including vegetables, soups, and meats, were served along with a type of bread-like loaf and a cup of tea. I was never
Members of the Suffield Academy community use acronyms and nicknames when referring to certain people, locations, or resources on campus. If you are new to the community, or you have spent the majority of your time hiding in your dorm or library, you may be having difficulty deciphering the Academy code. Here’s the short list of lingo that will put you on the fast track to becoming Suffield-savvy! Blue Card: allows for supportive, non-disciplinary intervention for students who are in dangerous situations. The Cage: the area between the set of swinging doors in Tisch Field House near Kinne Court from which you can ask Victor Dotel, equipment manager, to borrow sports gear and equipment. Just make sure to bring it back by the end of the season! D.C.: stands for Discipline Committee, the group in front of which a student must stand if he/she has been accused of violating a major school policy. This group consists of four faculty members and four elected seniors. DSL: Day Student Locker room (located in the basement of Memorial Building). Freshman Corner: area of the Union near the vending machines where freshmen sit.
L.W./L.T. Periods: Slots during Wednesdays and Thursdays for club meetings, extra help, and Thursday junior-year leadership classes. P.O.D.: Person On Duty, both on weekdays and weekends. On weekdays, the P.O.D. is the adult with the cell phone who is responsible for things such as driving a student to the hospital; on weekends, it is the team that covers activities, the Union, and the phone. Senior Corner: the corner of the Union that only the seniors sit in—be careful not to make direct eye contact! SOLO Barn: the center for “Suffield Outdoor Leadership Opportunities,” located in the cornfields on campus Tiger Den: On-campus day care for faculty children.
Baozi, a Chinese dish
once disappointed with a meal I ate at any of my homestays nor completely caught off guard by any of the foods. In the city, breakfast usually consisted of bread with peanut butter and a cup of milk. Lunch was a quick trip to any one of the baozi (thicker dumplings) shops. Dinner, a much more formal sitdown event, was the same in both the rural and urban homestays. I can honestly say that the Chinese foods I ate were some of the freshest, yummiest dishes that I have ever had. I still think back on those baozi, and my mouth starts watering. The expectation was completely inconsistent with reality. While there were times when I would think, “This isn’t what I’m used to,” more often I would look at the meal and think, “This is how this should be prepared.” The only thing that did match up to my expectation was the thought that I will never be able to fully enjoy American-Chinese food again.
Please Recycle!
HOT or NOT Lindsay Hayden ’15
Chipotle
Moe’s
Dance-a-thon Dances
It being cancelled Saturday night detention
Fall weather
Rainy days
Football
No white-out game
G free
Fourth floor Memorial
iPhone5
iPhone4
New bagels
Please Recycle!
Getting rid of flavors
Please Recycle!
Please Recycle!