T he L og Tabor Academy’s Student Newspaper
thelog@taboracademy.org
Volume 92, Number 3
December 2017
A Review of This Year’s Fall Plays
Photo by Photopool Photo by Photopool
Tabor’s New Schedule ! "##$ %& &'( &)*+(,&() ,-,&(+ by Danielle Plunkett by Hannah Frisch
This year’s Fall Drama program brought two interesting and unique shows to life in the Black Box. See Rock City wove several distinct stories into one cohesive production using music, a genre typically reserved for the Winter Musical but very well executed by this season’s cast. The stories ranged in tone and emotion, keeping the audience engaged and invested in each plot line. From three sisters coming together to spread their father’s ashes to an extra-terrestrial enthusiast waiting alone in the desert, the variety of characters provided an exciting energy as the show jumped from scene to scene with only poster boards hanging on the wall to clue the audience into the shift. As compelling as each plot was, the cast of talented actors and vocalists was what made the show particularly impressive and enjoyable. The cast of The Diaries of Adam and Eve brought an equally admirable talent to the stage in their retelling of Mark Twain’s story about humanity’s first power couple. The play itself was an interesting interpretation of a classic Bible story, and the cast did an excellent job of portraying Adam and Eve’s emotions as they discover themselves, each other, and the world outside of their paradise. The scenes ranged from humorous to surprisingly heart-wrenching in their delivery, overall making for a well-rounded and entertaining performance. The most fascinating part of the play was how each scene had a different pair of actors playing the same characters, each pair bringing a unique dynamic to the relationship between Adam and Eve.
After three months of school, the first trimester is coming to an end. Students are able to take advantage of more classes at Tabor because they can now take up to three electives per year, rather than two. The end of the first trimester presents an ideal time to investigate how both students and teachers feel about the shortened time for their elective studies. Senior India Daniel asserts that she loves the longer class times in the new trimester schedule. She also finds that the shortened length of the trimester, as compared to the semester, results in less stress over the grades she will send to colleges. Fellow senior Kiley O’Leary concurs, stating that she “appreciate[s] the multiple English electives” she is able to take as she will take three different electives. Inthe first trimester, Kiley was in Rebel, Rebel with Mr. White, but she is eagerly anticipating the transition to The Web of Waiting in Trimester 2. Mr. Bratton, who teaches the trimester class Civil Rights, particularly loves the longer 75-minute class periods. In his words, “the new schedule allows for good thinking, which translates into good writing.” Yet he realizes that there are bumps in the road. He says that “...it’s one thing to have a theoretical plan on what you want to cover...” but he knows that he has to be ready to modify his plan, if necessary, to fit the new timeframe. Ms. Albright teaches Marine Field Ecology and welcomes the new schedule because it has reduced the amount of rushing during class time. In Marine Field Ecology, students need a given amount of time to put on ocean-appropriate gear, specifically waders. Putting on gear can take upwards of 10 to 15 minutes of class time. With the extra 25 minutes, there is also more time to gather data. Data that used to take three days to collect now only takes two days. Ms. Albright admits that there have been some cuts made to the unit, but as the outside fieldwork wraps up with the advent of colder weather, the trimester’s end came at a rather natural and ideal time.
Once again, the Fall Drama program has not failed to provide the community with two entertaining and well executed performances that showcased a variety of talents, leaving everyone impatient for the winter season’s theater productions to take the stage in February.
Please recycle this paper.
A Day in the Life... p. 3. All-A-Eat-O, p. 4
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TA Mysteries SPECIAL DOUBLE EDITION! What’s the story of the Chapel Kneelers? by Owen Sughrue
Twice a week, the Tabor community gathers in the chapel in the heat of the late summer and the cold of pretty much every other part of the year. Visible to everyone sitting in the rows of the chapel, but not always noticed, are the chapel kneelers. Kneelers have been in the chapel since 1971, after Headmaster Wickenden liked the kneelers he saw in the American Cathedral in Paris during a trip to Europe. Faculty Emeritus Mrs. Joan Roller remembers the kneelers from when she and Mr. Roller came to Tabor a few years before the project was taken over by Dorothy Lazarus in 1977. “They have been in the chapel since just after the chapel was dedicated,” Mrs. Roller says. Mrs. Lazarus, who had her own needlepoint business nearby, took over the kneeler program for families of students to design and make the kneelers we see in chapel today. Often during
her tenure, Director of Parent Programs Dorelle Zahn visited Mrs. Lazarus. Mrs. Zahn explains that “families of students would submit a design to Mrs. Lazarus, who would come up with a needlepoint template for the families to make the kneeler themselves.” After they made the kneeler using Mrs. Lazarus’ template, families would bring the kneeler back to Tabor, where it could be hung on the back of a pew in the chapel and used for prayer. For some families, the kneelers are a way to remember their Tabor experience, while for others it is a contribution to the school and the chapel. Whatever the reason may be, each kneeler has a story, and Tabor’s tradition of displaying them in the chapel for all to see is our way of remembering those stories. To see some of the kneelers without trekking over to the chapel, please see some of Mrs. Zahn’s photos below. She has photographed each kneeler individually.
Photos from Mrs. Zahn
AC in the AC? by Abby LaCasse
Have you ever wondered why on those first days of school the acky is boiling hot while the library is cool? This reporter spoke with Mr. Winslow to find out why some buildings at Tabor have AC while others do not. It turns out that only the administration wing, Matsumura dorm, the library, the dining hall, and the math wing have this precious resource. Putting AC into all the dorms, the entire Acky, Hoyt, and the Chapel would be expensive, costing almost $75,000 for the Lyndons and $50,000 for each academic wing alone. Despite these expensive drawbacks, Mr. Winslow says he “recognizes the need” to install more AC units. However, Tabor’s administration and the financial team are
reluctant to invest so much money into something as seasonal as AC, when they could invest in technology that could be used year-round. Since few donors attach their names to infrastructure like AC units, fundraising for this project is a challenge; consequently, investment in it has, so far, been minimal. Mr. Winslow notes that “it is very painful to see [students] suffer because [they] are the clients and I work for [them].” Still, he remains optimistic that someday all Tabor’s buildings could be a cool seventy degrees in the first and last few weeks of school.
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A Day in the Life of a TA Athlete by Hannah Frisch
Olivia Finocchiaro ’18 is a tri-varsity captain of field hockey, hockey, and lacrosse who is committed to Division 1 Boston College for hockey. To be the best she can be, Liv adheres to a strict regimen in both academics and sports. In her view, “training for [her] sport translates into training herself for life. By being so scheduled, [she] makes herself the best for [her] sport, as well as [her] best self.” But she also admits she’s not perfect; there are days when she wishes she did not have to follow her rigorous schedule. “Those are the days I MUST train,” she concedes. “It is so easy to miss one day, and then one day leads into another and another. The hardest part of my schedule is being consistent.” She recognizes that as long as she puts 100% effort into every single day, she can live without regrets. By planning her time, managing sports, school, and extracurriculars, she knows that she has done everything that she can possibly do to be her best. She accepts that when a test is over or the season is finished, “[she] cannot be upset about anything because [she] did everything she could.” Liv’s persistence and tenacity is admirable, and her desire to triumph is evident in her sports, as well as in her living. The following is an inside look at one of her long days, including a midday workout, hockey skills practice, and followed by a field hockey practice. Preface: On Sunday nights, Liv plans out her week on a calendar. She looks on myTA to see what her homework load is going to be for the upcoming week, and she notes her “frees” so she can plan out when she will work out during the day. Liv also uses an app called “Plant Nanny,” which uses a timer to constantly remind her to drink water.
On a typical Tuesday or Thursday during the Fall: 7:30 AM: Liv wakes up. After getting dressed and ready for the day, she ALWAYS eats breakfast, either at the Dining Hall, the Beebe, or Dunkin’ Donuts. Her breakfast is high in carbs and protein-rich. Because she is currently trying to gain weight for hockey season, eating is crucial to her overall athletic ability.
10:00 AM: At meeting block, she usually eats the snack she grabbed before leaving the dorm. 12:00 PM: Depending on the day, if she has lunch block free, she eats first, followed by a quick weight lift in the gym. 1:30 PM: She leaves the gym half-an-hour before class starts to shower and get ready for the remaining block. After lifting, she drinks a protein drink to sustain what she just gained in the gym. 3:15 PM: Following the academic day, but before practice, she eats a granola bar for a quick source of protein and carbs to get her through practice. 3:45-5:45 PM: Field hockey practice. 5:45 PM: Following practice, she suits up for hockey skills practice. She either eats a cheese stick or yogurt before she skates. 6:00-7:30 PM: Skills practice for hockey. 7:30PM: Following skills, she showers in the locker room and then goes up to the Bebee to get Gatorade and chocolate milk. She then goes back to the dorm to eat a meal she already prepared specifically for these practices. This week, in particular, she ate chicken salad. 8:00-10:00 PM: She concentrates on her homework during Study Hall. During this time, she eats a protein-based snack. 10:30 PM: Before bed, she and her roommate, Kelly Browne, stretch and roll out with foam rollers. She finds rolling to be imperative to feeling good after her workout and for her practice the following day. 10:40 PM: Right before bed, she always tries to eat a peanut butter sandwich on deli whole grain bread. 10:50 PM: She goes to sleep; she will need her rest to do the same thing over again the next day.
Photos by Photo Pool
8:15 AM: Following breakfast, she leaves her dorm for class. Before leaving, she grabs either trail mix, a protein bar, or fruit, along with her water bottle. Because she constantly needs to be fueling her body, it is critical that she has a snack between breakfast and lunch.
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E A L L A
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by Danielle Plunkett It seems that by the time everyone is done hanging up their Halloween costumes, the holiday spirit has already taken over the public’s mind. Stockings replace jack-o’-lanterns, holiday sales start popping up in every store, and all too soon, “Jingle Bells” takes over the radio stations. Therefore, it is only appropriate that for this issue’s installment of local food reviews, we focus on the special edition, holiday-themed treats you can find around Tabor! Peppermint Hot Chocolate Dunkin’ Donuts: With red and green holiday cups stacked high on their counter, Dunks is definitely ready for the holiday season. However, if you’re about to make the trek up Spring Street for a steaming cup of peppermint hot chocolate during these chilly holiday months, you might want to reconsider. The drink itself is watery and a bit bland, and you can barely taste the peppermint flavor. The price isn’t bad at $1.85 for a small cup, but considering the quality, you’re better off going somewhere else for your hot chocolate fix. Uncle Jon’s: Uncle Jon’s has a convenience factor that becomes increasingly important in the winter, especially when those New England Nor’easters hit and maroon students here on campus. The location is just a bonus, however, since their peppermint hot chocolate is already superior to the one at Dunks in flavor and consistency. Their drink is rich, creamy, and delicious with the perfect thick texture and subtle but present peppermint flavoring; it’s exactly the drink you want to snuggle up next to a fire with when you’re done building snowmen and having snowball fights out in a winter wonderland. The only drawback is the price, a small costs $2.77, but you get more in a small at Uncle Jon’s than you do at Dunks. The cost and size coupled with every other factor weighing in makes Uncle Jon’s the place to go to satisfy your holiday sweet tooth. Candy Cane Themed Snacks General Store: The holiday-themed pickings at the General Store were pretty slim when I visited just before Thanksgiving, and I was only able to find a few flavors of Pepperidge Farm cookies to choose from. I got the Candy Cane Milanos, a delicious cookie in its own right, but was underwhelmed by the featured flavor. The holiday cookie was essentially unchanged from the original version with just a thin layer of what I assume was peppermint chocolate over the regular chocolate interior. The cookie tasted good, and you get about 16 for $3.69, but you can’t really taste the candy cane flavor that’s supposed to be featured. Overall, the Milanos are a nice treat to have (maybe even with a cup of Uncle Jon’s hot chocolate), but they don’t exactly get you in the holiday spirit. Cumberland Farms: Cumbies was also lacking in the holiday-treat department, but I managed to find a candy cane flavored Hershey’s chocolate bar; you can never go wrong with Hershey’s. The minty white chocolate with bits of candy cane inside was sweet and creamy, the candy pieces giving it an appealing texture and crunch. Of all the treats I sampled, this was definitely the best as far as actual peppermint flavoring goes. At just under $2.00, the candy bar is absolutely the snack I’d get a second time.
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by Jack Marshall
This holiday season, Tabor is continuing its tradition of community service to the Greater Southcoast community through a program called Holiday Hope, run by Child and Family Services of New Bedford. According to Ms. Wright, the current director of the Holiday Hope Program at Tabor, Tabor got involved with Holiday Hope many years ago. She states that the mission of the program is “to help families in need enjoy the holidays with their loved ones, just as we all hope to, without the added stress of financial burden.” Tabor and Holiday Hope will impact families in numerous ways during this holiday season. Ms. Wright explains that “the holidays can be a source of financial and emotional stress for many, and (Tabor’s) participation in this program is our community’s small way of bringing joy to these families--our neighbors--during the holidays by donating wishlist items and grocery food cards.” If you want to get involved, please talk to your advisor, dorm parent, or a faculty member about how you can help this upcoming holiday season.
History of a Tradition by Cat Shakin
’Tis the season to be jolly at Tabor Academy. Not only because Winter Break is on the horizon, but the holiday season also brings some of Tabor’s best traditions. Lessons and Carols, for example, is Tabor’s own version of the Boston Pops. Brought to Tabor in 1980 by Mr. Bruce Cobbold, a recently retired member of Tabor’s faculty, Lessons and Carols has been a highlight of Tabor’s holiday season for over thirty years. A widespread English boarding school tradition, Tabor brings its own twist to the classic model of Lessons and Carols through Mr. Horne’s hand-picked holiday list of songs and carols. This year, on December 10, 2017, Lessons and Carols will be held at 7:30 pm in the Wickenden Chapel. Should you attend, you can expect performances from Tabor’s Mixed Chorus, the Chamber Choirs, and the Madrigal Singers, as well as readings from the Bible by various Tabor students. Perfectly timed to overlap with Marion’s Holiday Stroll, Lessons and Carols welcomes not only people from the Tabor community, but also anyone from Marion. While the service does originate from Christian traditions, the festival recognizes other religions as well as pagan rites. Mr. Horne’s mission for Lessons and Carols is for both Tabor Academy and the town to be able to come together to celebrate the holiday season, and to remember that “the way to peace is not from the application of the precepts of any particular religion,” but rather from the ability to celebrate together as a community. Come out to support the hard work of Tabor’s talented singers this holiday season at Tabor’s Lessons and Carols!
A Literary Christmas Tradition at Tabor Reporting by Lillie Lovell with response from Mr. Horne
Lillie Lovell asked Mr. Horne about how he began his tradition of reading A Christmas Carol. Here’s what he said: This will be my fifth reading of the Dickens’ Classic. What inspired me? Well, I have been reading the story to several of my classes for a good many years as a way of winding down in the days that follow the Festival of Lessons and Carols, and one of my students suggested that there might be others who would like to hear this lovely tale of the TRUE meaning of Christmas (apart from the veneration due its sacred nature.) My favorite part of the story is a difficult question to answer. I LOVE the language; the exchanges between Scrooge and his nephew, as well as the Spirits of Christmas. I also love the descriptions of the food and the nostalgia evident in the accounts of Christmases past—particularly Fezziwig’s Christmas party. I have always secretly wanted to be an actor, and it is evident from the writing that Dickens meant this tale to be told aloud. He was famous for reading the entire story to sold out audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, and carrying on the tradition seems to be entirely in keeping with the spirit of the season. To finish, I will allow Dickens’ own words to explain far better than I could, the significance of this wonderful little book. Here is Fred’s speech to his crusty uncle, Ebeneezer Scrooge, explaining why he celebrates Christmas: “There are many things from which I might have derived good by which I have not profited, I dare say,” returned the nephew, “Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas-time, when it has come round-apart from... the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that-as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, Uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!”
Photo from Mrs. Sughrue
Tabor’s Holiday Hope
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Survey
What is your opinion of kneeling, sitting, or linking arms for the National Anthem?
SAYS All survey images produced by SurveyMonkey
What is your favorite Charlie Brown movie?
Follow-up question to question from last issue: If you find yourself going to bed later than last year, why?
Follow-up question to question from last issue: If you find yourself going to bed earlier than last year, why?
T he L og Co-Editors: Danielle Plunkett Madison LaCasse
Managing Editors: Sydney Farrell (Layout) Hannah Frisch (News) Mary Hanrahan (Opinions) Abigail LaCasse (Arts/Features) Owen Sughrue (Sports)
Faculty Advisor: Helene Sughrue
Photography: Photo Pool
Lady Squashers Take a Stand by Sophie Browning
Is squash a sport? The four-walled court is home to much commitment and criticism in the winter season. Why is this sport not treated like the great ice hockey and basketball teams? Pulled from Nationals in February of last year, the title of champions was plucked away from the girls’ squash team because of the threat of a small impending snowstorm that never actually hit. However, this was not the beginning of what seems to be the indifference towards of girls’ squash. The long and far rides of away matches would span hours, rarely receiving recognition when victory was achieved. Last year the all-school announcements to “pack the basketball court” or “swarm the ice rink” got the whole school bustling with spirit and excitement. Meanwhile the question many had during those cold winter days was, what about girls’ squash? This seemingly forgotten sport, or as some say, “activity,” rarely had fans. Cheering and encouragement from our student body was nowhere to be found. Onlookers passed by the courts often puzzled by the rules or scoring of a match. Is this tennis? No. This intricate sport not only takes sheer intelligence and precision but also calls for a strict mentality of pure focus. Fellow lady squasher Cat Shakin says, “No longer can the girls’ squash team exist unknown. No longer will the team be segregated from our fellow winter sportsmen. No longer will the team quietly and idly sit through the laughs and pointing fingers of disapproval.” Squash is sport that you can play from 3 years old to 80--not true for basketball or ice hockey. This winter sport is a lifestyle that has endured years of student and faculty negligence. Stand up and speak out–join girls’ squash today and come see us in action!