The Thacher Notes - April 2013

The Thacher Notes Vol. LXXXII

Swine for Sustainability Starting and closing the loop of sustainable eating

On the Extinction o f t h e To a d

By Ana Urgiles ‘13 and Olivier Domergue ‘13

T

he Toad is a symbol associated with different parts of Thacher, including serving as our mascot and being the convenient acronym for “Teacher on Active Duty.”

But while the humble toad is beloved by some and has been around for many years, it is time to stop using this amphibian to represent our sports teams because it is no longer representative of our school nor of our sentiments towards athletics.

The Toad is an outdated symbol of a time when Thacher was not an athletically competitive school, and thus must be replaced by a new image that better represents our school’s burgeoning athletics. Mr. (Derf) Coleman, recalls that when the school chose the Toad as its official mascot, there was a negative sentiment on campus surrounding competition and ath-

By Irene Limb ‘13 and Annika Bhasavanich ‘14

D

id you enjoy that pulled pork sandwich?

Well, her name was Topher.

She was the smallest of the drove, black, with a white gash-like mark on her belly. She was the greediest of them all, but also the boldest, braving the unsteady plank as she followed a trail of lettuce to the truck that would lead her to her doom.

Her friends, McGruber and Pablo, continue to root about in the muddy comforts of Carpenter’s Orchard, awaiting their turn to honorably fulfill their duty to the school.

Feeling a little queasy?

The truth is, this is the most guilt-free piece of pork you will ever have the pleasure of sinking your teeth into.

According to Farm Forward, an organization that “implements innovative strategies to promote conscientious food choices, reduce farm animal suffering, and advance sustainable agriculture,” 97% of the pork consumed today comes from factory farms.

These farms are also known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Opera-

No. 4

April 2013

leticism. Competition was seen as counterproductive and unnecessary, and sports themselves were not a major part of the school’s culture.

However, this was decades ago. Today, every student is required to take part in an afternoon activity and most of the options are sports. Sports-related announcements constitute a great part of assembly, and for those students on both JV and Varsity teams, sports consume hours of their time everyday of the week. Athletics is undoubtedly a bigger part of Thacher than it was when the Toad was first adopted. Therefore, we must evolve with the school’s new attitude by choosing a new mascot.

Leo Turpan ‘13, a tri-varsity athlete, shared his opinion of the Toad. He said, “I think [the Toad] downplays the seriousness of Thacher sports and it sends a message that [athletics] are not a significant part of the Cont. pg. 5

April Fools

It’s that time of the year!

Top: Will Muir ‘13, Theo Richardson-Omamo ‘13, Molly Taylor ‘13, and Willie Halsted ‘13 wrap the pork with banana leaves.

Bottom: Maeve Briggs ‘13 and Brittany Holden ‘13 mash steamed vegetables to create a side dish.

tions (CAFOs) that generally consist of a warehouse inhumanely packed with pigs carefully monitored for disease and fat content.

They concentrate on the maximum output of pork

and contain as many controversial issues as they do pigs. The issues range from serious concerns on animal welfare to public health risks like the H1N1 virus.

Cont. pg. 2

Hutton Becker ‘13 parks her Mini Cooper in the dining hall and creates around it a “day student lounge” complete with pingpong tables, red plastic cups, and twerking inflatable dolls.

A

pril Fools - that wonderful day of the year when suddenly it becomes acceptable to perform blatant acts of vandalism all across campus. Indeed, the class of 2013 showed up prepared, coordinated, and ready to milk the opportunity for all its worth.

One long night and sev-

eral hundred Dixie cups later, the seniors could sit back and watch the fruits of their labor, and rightfully so. After all, what other class can boast finishing construction on a new pool and a new dormitory? And it must be said that Casa de Piedra has never looked truer to its name.

Cont. pg. 3

2

The Thacher Notes

April 2013

Swine for Sustainability cont.

From pg. 1 By implementing a hoghousing program on campus, Thacher joins a popular movement to familiarize ourselves with the food we eat.

Leo Turpan ’13, the head of Thacher’s Environmental Action Committee (EAC) says, “The purpose [of raising pigs] is to create a project in which students have hands-on experience with the full life cycle of an animal. This is a learning experience aimed at teaching Thacher students to become knowledgeable consumers... and to have a sense of where our meat comes from.”

The idea of raising pigs first emerged last year from an effort to reduce our dining hall waste. The school would essentially “close a loop” by feeding hogs our leftovers, and then consuming the hogs once they grew to adulthood.

To realize this notion, the kitchen crew, members of the EAC, and volunteers have worked tirelessly to encourage members of the community to carefully separate their compostable leftovers for delivery to the pigs every morning.

The transport of the pig’s feed is a morning job performed by several Thacher students. Many have commented on how this particular chore is as much pleasure as it is business.

Annie LeFevre ’14 says, “The job is really fun, not just because you can drive the golf cart very recklessly at approximately 7 mph.

Isobel [Hayne ‘14] and I feed together, and we usu-

ally spend [some time] in the pen hanging out with the pigs. The pigs are very cute, even when they chase you around with gross food falling out of their mouths.”

Nu Xiong ’13 added, “[Jacqueline King ’13 and I] get a chance to not only feed some hungry pigs but also enjoy the beautiful scenery at Carp.”

After several months, the pigs accrue a thick layer of fat from their rich diet of dining hall waste.

Finally, on February 7th, Molly Taylor ’13, the student head of the pig program, and several other inquisitive students ventured out to Santa Paula with Mr. Doyle, Topher in tow.

The purpose of the ride: to slaughter the great beast.

The crew drove to the Old Fashion Country Butcher, a place famous for

their high quality customslaughter. When the truck pulled up to the side of the room reserved for slaughter, the pig was then shot once in the head, resulting in immediate death. Then, it was efficiently and methodically skinned, beheaded, and gutted.

Ana Urgiles ’13, a student volunteer says, “I thought the butcher was very ethical. He killed the pig quickly and everything was clean and sanitized. It was good to know where my food comes from because I think it is important to understand the process and if it doesn’t go against my morals.”

On the other hand Molly Taylor commented on the impact the gruesome scene had on her dietary habits.

“Personally, I’ve become closer to a vegetarian than I ever have been before,” said

new additions to the community.

The campus had been readily awaiting their arrival since Gavin Snyder’s charming announcement at assembly. The morning of the delivery, Mr. Snyder notified the school of the birth of Zoey Mikela Mr. Snyder provided the photo of the twins soon af- Snyder, 7 lbs, and Luke Michael Snyder, 6 lbs, with ter their birth. news that Mrs. Snyder was

By Inga Conyngham ‘15 recovering well.

Upon first hearing that On March 27th at 8:01 their family would be exa.m., Thacher received two panding by two rather than

one, Mr. Snyder recollects, “We were pretty scared by the idea of having two babies at the same time... Now we couldn’t possibly imagine it any other way.”

This overwhelming excitement is felt especially by one individual in the community: the twins’ older brother Gavin.

“Gavin has been nothing short of awesome,” says Mr. Snyder. “He adores his brother and sister and likes to tell them, ‘Oh, I love you.

So much.’ He’s nicknamed

Left: Mr. Doyle rubs the seasoning into a piece of pork.

Upper right: Employees of the Old Fashion Country Butcher wash down the freshly killed pig with a hose.

Lower right: Jacob Nelson ‘13, Jackson Dolphin ‘14, Liam Driscoll ‘13, and Mr. Franco shred the cooked pork before serving it to the school.

Taylor ‘13. “I’m even less of a meat-eater [than I was] because the smell of blood and a dying corpse is not really appetizing.”

Some students at Thacher agree with Molly on the disturbing nature of eating pigs raised from “piglethood” and declined to eat at the luau.

Mr. Cam “Spauldo” Spaulding CdeP 1992, resident “wildman,” lacrosse coach, and part-time teacher, undertook the momentous task of seasoning and steaming Topher.

With the help of several students, the Mr. Spaulding dug a large pit, filled it with firewood and large porous rocks, and let it burn down to an intensely hot bed of coals.

On this was placed layers of lettuce, banana leaves, and finally the wrapped up pig parts. The pit covered once

again, the pork was left to steam to perfection for 10 sultry hours.

On March 23, faculty and students gathered at the Upper School lawn to celebrate Topher’s life and death. The luau displayed a fantastic buffet of shredded pork, steamed potatoes and sweet potatoes, and other condiments; a feast fit for a king.

In recent years, the EAC has definitely embarked on journeys uncharted in Thacher’s history, all to raise awareness of an environment that is suffering due to mankind.

Strictly speaking, Thacher has an infinitesimal influence on the global issue.

But with the EAC’s campaigns, Thacher can dispatch an increasing number of conscious thinkers into the world.

Snyder Twins Take Thacher by Storm Zoey ‘Zozo’.”

These twins couldn’t have a more appreciative and entertaining older brother, or a more enthusiastic community.

Mr. Snyder writes, “We’ve felt overwhelmed by the love and support of our wonderful friends among the faculty and students. We’re blown away by

how lucky we are to live in a place with such open-hearted people. These babies are going to grow up in a oneof-a-kind place, and we can’t wait for everybody to get to know them - and for them to have the chance to learn from all the wonderful people in this community.”

We can’t wait either.

April 2013

The Thacher Notes Left: Mr. Carney, famous for encouraging students to “lock in” academically, has become immortalized through a personalized meme.

Right: Seniors poke fun at the slow construction of the Casa dormitory by piling a bunch of rocks to create their own “Casa de Piedra”; literally, a house of rocks.

From pg. 1 Everything from the Mini Cooper in the dining hall to the high-jump mat on the pergola was up to par.

Though the seniors certainly set the bar high, it cannot be said that students of years past were not pulling their weight. In such a vein, here are some performances of years past that have stuck with the faculty. May they serve as inspiration for years to come.

Here’s to looking at you, juniors!

Mrs. Vickery recalls walking into her classroom to find that Dan Hu had set up his bedroom inside her classroom, stating “Dan slept through my class once

or twice… once we went to his room to wake him up.

On April Fools’ first period.

Dan was in his

bed in my classroom… various room decorations were also included.

We had class on the bed and the floor.”

Mrs. Perry remembers one year in which the senior class set up a full soccer field in Mr. Coleman’s classroom, complete with turf, lines, and miniature nets. Reports vary on whether homie did or did not play that.

Mrs. Hooper recollects a particularly elaborate makeover called, “Hotel Humanities,” with each classroom having a different theme, including a “massive Yan-

Top right: Due to the complete disappearance of all freshman tables from the dining hall, Teddy Williams ‘16 and his classmates utilize the sandwich bar as a table for breakfast.

Top left: Approximately 2200 dixie cups filled with water are set up on the floor of the Commons, inhibiting all passerbys from traveling through this hallway.

Bottom right: Magazine covers, famous art, and photographs photoshopped to include the faculty cover the Commons’ windows. They display “news” such as the election of the new Pope Shagam and the birth of Mr. Brad Pitt’s and Mrs. Snyder’s twins.

3 more cautionary tale of when students managed to remove a faculty member’s car and transport it down to the lower field. While the transport itself went off without a hitch, the field’s sprinklers found their way through the car’s open windows and flooded it, “putting it completely and I mean completely - out of commission.”

kees display in Mr. Carney’s room and a

romantic honeymoon suite in Mr. Elmore’s [now Mr. St. George’s] classroom.”

Mrs. Morales Kent looks back fondly on the addition

of a giant inflatable bear to the Forest-Cook lawn, saying, “It was such a shock and a surprise to come upon it in the morning on the way to school… it was huge.

Faculty kids loved it.”

Mrs. Mulligan recalls a

Mrs. Mahoney believes that the most memorable pranks were “nothing that should be put in print or admitted even years later!”

Mrs. Snyder declined to comment.

By Owen Driscoll ‘15

4 Freedoms for

Firearms?

By Taylor Bacon ‘15

I

n mid-April, the U.S. Senate blocked the Manchin-Toomey amendment to expand background checks on firearms by a 54-46 vote.

The vote is just an indication of the controversial nature of the gun control issue.

All perspectives on the issue must have their validity recognized and considered in order to move forward and resolve this national issue.

Those who wish to protect the Second Amendment claim that stricter gun control laws infringe on Americans’ constitutional rights. They also argue that undermining the Second Amendment has the potential to chip away at a set of ideals that is the foundation of the U.S. government. The first ten amendments are absolute rights guaranteed to Americans in order to protect them from a tyrannical government. The integrity of the Constitution cannot be maintained if the second amendment is overturned.

Conversely, those who support some measure of gun control believe that the Constitution should be viewed as a living document that adapts to modern times. The Second Amendment was put in place to give people the ability to rebel against an oppressive government, an obsolete concept now.

These supporters claim that if the United States government has nuclear weapons and drones in the sky, then the idea that a civilian militia could overthrow a military superpower, if needed, is absurd. Secondly, when the founding fathers wrote the second amendment, 21st century assault rifles were inconceivable.

No civilian needs access to

The Thacher Notes automatic weapons capable of mass slaughter.

The opposition thus rebuffs these claims and then argue that these weapons make civilians safer by acting as a deterrent. With an estimated 270,000,000 guns in the United States and an immense weapons trafficking problem, guns are already in the hands of the criminals. Private citizens have a right to guns for selfdefense.

According to them, widespread, legal gun ownership deters criminals from assaulting civilians if they think the civilian can violently retaliate. Moreover, they claim that guns allow women, and more susceptible members of the population, to protect themselves against rape and assault.

Their final argument claims that if stricter gun laws are implemented, the police will be too overwhelmed with crime to protect all citizens. Plus, illegal arms trades would become more profitable.

Pro-gun control advocates disagree. Putting more guns in the hands of civilians make them a danger to themselves, not to criminals.

To prevent unintentional injury, a gun would have to be kept in a safe, relatively inaccessible place. No gun in a safe location could be easily accessible if the owner was attacked. They point to cities with stricter gun control laws that have seen a decline in violence rather than an increase. Additionally, accessibility to guns gives the mentally unstable, bullied teens, and even a disgruntled employee violent and deadly capabilities.

Meanwhile, talks are quietly under way on Capitol Hill with a group of bipartisan senators who aim to bridge the gap between the parties so that an overhaul of laws and regulations can be created in the wake of recent horrific events.

April 2013

Lane Sohn ‘13 guides pupil Ruby Intner, a local elementary school student, through a science worksheet after classes in the Thacher library.

Photo provided by Beatrice Land ‘14

What Teaching Has Taught Me

W

hen people asked me what my independent was about, I would answer “tutoring kids.” That would usually illicit a “no, really?” or a “how?” or my favorite “that’s a joke.”

But the thing is, it was hard to answer the question of what my independent entailed without more time to better reflect. The question couldn’t be answered with one word, like “photography” or “painting”, and not even my tried and true response, “tutoring kids” honestly reflected how I spent my winter afternoons.

I devoted myself to four fourth graders, an hour each per week. Although I expected to follow a rigid schedule, every week was subject to sudden change because it was never about helping the kids with homework as the label “tutoring” would imply. It was more about trying to bolster their desire to learn through games and academic activities that they wouldn’t be able to try in a normal class setting.

This idea all stemmed from an article from Washington State University stating that a mere 10 extracurricular hours spent on a subject could drastically improve test scores. I took a similar track in hopes of teaching kids a desire to learn and engendering in them a better attitude about.

But, it felt like the only way I could interest them was to mask the academics behind a game or activity.

By Lane Sohn‘14

Worksheets did not hold their attention for our hourlong sessions. Games with rewards were most successful, especially if the reward was candy.

Every lesson I tried to sneak in a little learning, but some of those kids, one particular shaggy haired 4th grade boy, saw through me better than others. Those that uncovered my subterfuges did not attempt to hide what they were feeling either. They looked bored, made excuses, or clearly demonstrated their desire to leave.

I tried one activity with three different students. We went around campus picking specimens to examine under a microscope. I would have a paper prepared for them, divided into 8 rectangles. In each rectangle, they’d draw what they saw under the microscope, which magnification they used, and required three observations.

I thought that the utilization of a microscope would be fun and by doing this, they could prepare for an activity that is regularly done in AP Biology.

The results varied. One kid loved it. He thought it was the neatest thing and wasn’t satisfied by observing just 8 objects. He wanted to look at more and was adamant that we did.

With one of the girls, she had such a great look of indifference on her face, it felt like she was watching paint dry.

And then with the third, he just flat out refused to finish the activity. It was frustrating to say the least. He refused to follow directions and just did whatever he wanted to do which defeated the point of the activity.

So every day presented its struggles. The difficulty I found one on one probably can’t parallel one teacher taking on 30 to 40 in a typical public school. Trying to get a fourth grader who hated math to comprehend division seemed almost impossible.

Most of us probably can’t remember when we learned multiplication or division.

Now it comes naturally. But instilling the basics takes a process of repetition that takes patience and resilience.

This made me wonder what the children must be going through at school to warrant such boredom at anything educational.

School and learning should not be something to dread at a mere 9 years old. They shouldn’t be feeling the Monday blues.

What I realized is that their disinterest stems from the strict focus on testing in schools. This proliferation causes a dread at having to mindlessly master the tricks of testing.

This mindset isn’t healthy, and places the emphasis on results. Unfortuantely, the education system seems unlikely to stop this current trajectory despite the jeopardy it puts on the learning process.

April 2013

The Thacher Notes

On the Extinction of the Toad cont.

5

Arguing against a mascot Thacher developed from an alumni’s quip

From pg. 1 school. When the Toad was originally created, a bunch of other schools took the same approach of choosing unassuming mascots. Today, sports are very competitive and they provide opportunity for college scholarships, team-building, cooperation, and demonstrating leadership.

The Toad should remain a part of our community, (like the Teacher on Active Duty) but I think the mascot should be changed.”

Our new mascot should be one that demonstrates that we are a school with promising and talented athletes, a school that encourages and promotes sports, and above all, a school that acknowledges the value in competition and friendly rivalry. The Toad does not represent any of these principles that the school now highly regards.

The reasoning behind the selection of the Toad is flawed and irrelevant to our school today. Nick Thacher CdeP 1963 first proposed the idea of permanently linking the Toad with the school by touting the Toad as a modest creature.

He once said: “Unlike the insecure schools whose machismo necessitates their adopting hopelessly arrogant nomenclature such as ‘Tigers’ and ‘Lions’ and ‘Spartans,’ [we] felt no necessity to advertise arrogance or virility. Instead ‘Toads’ seemed appropriate because the nature of such beasts is one of humility and quiet persistence.”

The intention behind choosing the Toad is respectable, but there are also major limitations in this reasoning. First, a school’s mascot need not dictate the attitude of its athletes. If we

change the Toad to something less deferential, for example, the Stallion or the Pegasus, our athletes would still have the same values of

figures that are more symbolic of our school. Many students and faculty share the common experience of riding a horse five days a week and spending countless hours in the barns.

One of the only times students relate Thacher to the Toad is during March Magic, when someone wearing a costume reminiscent of a dinosoaur competes with Cate’s ram. sportsmanship and fair play upheld today.

Second, choosing the Toad because it is humble is contradictory. We are being pretentious by advertising our humility. It is not humble to say that we are humble.

Most importantly, even Nick Thacher himself admitted during an assembly this year that when entries for a new mascot were taking place, he “submitted the Toad as a joke.” If even the original supporter of the Toad deems is to be a joke, it is about time that

Hardly a day goes by where a Thacher student does not see a horse, whether he or she is involved in the expansive horse program or not.

Even making the Pig our mascot would make more sense than the Toad. After all, we raise, feed, and eat pigs, and last time we checked, our toad husbandry program was not exactly thriving. We personally have no idea how the toad

of toads in Libbey Swamp before the recent effects of climate change dried it up?

Though the Toad might have deep-roots to our school’s history, it is also important to acknowledge that our school has changed.

Jasmynn Roman ‘13, another tri-varsity athlete, expressed her attachment to the current mascot.

“I love the Toad, I do not want it to change. I think that the whole foundation of why we chose the Toad is awesome. We have so many stories and legends and I love the one of our school’s mascot. It fits Thacher and the way we are as a school.”

But regardl e s s of the Toad’s

supporters, few students want to be associated with a slimy, ugly wart-covered amphibian. The toad was meant to be a mockery of athletics and competition.

the toad has been (and still is to an extent) associated with plague, poison, demons, and witchcraft. Are these the ideas we want other schools to think about when they hear our name?

A big part of sports competitions is the mental evaluation between teams before a game or a race.

For example, when doing a team warm-up before a game, we are taught to do the exercise as an organized and focused unit. We do this not only to intimidate the other teams, but more importantly, to show that we are performing to the best of our abilities. If we call ourselves the toads, we create an awkward discrepancy between the weak nonchalant image of the toad, and the way we act as athletes.

In addition, our mascot should more accurately depict how we see ourselves. We should be proud

of our team and its mascot, but then why do none of our uniforms have “Thacher Toads” embroidered on them? Why does hardly anyone cheer “Let’s go, Toads!”?

Headmaster Michael Mulligan believes that the Toad is a “fun mascot.” He adds, “I can see the arguments from both sides, and am open to discussions on this issue.”

Although the Toad is an old and cherished emblem of our school, it is time to adopt a mascot that better embodies our sentiments towards athletics and our school in general. And in

It is difficult to think of an animal less appropriate or one that brings to mind more negative connotations. Throughout history,

the words of Nick Thacher himself, when deciding on the extinction of the Toad as our official mascot, “the choice is yours.”

“Even making the Pig our mascot would make more sense than the Toad.” we, as a community, decide to choose another mascot to represent our athletic team.

The Toad should be replaced by other animals or

was somehow relevant to the Thacher School. Is there some lake or river that we do not know about? Was there a thriving population

The Thacher Notes

6

April 2013

Casa: a Bittersweet Change

A

By Sydney Wilder ‘15

s every Thacher student knows by now, the reconstruction of the beloved Casa de Piedra dormitory is currently underway.

While this is an extremely exciting step forward for the Thacher community, the feeling is bittersweet for the dorm’s previous inhabitants. As anyone who has lived in Casa will tell you, one year in that building is a year you will never forget.

From frogs leaping out of sinks to a system of roomconnecting holes, Casa was less like a building and more like a living, breathing organism that forced anyone inside its walls to embrace the community with open arms. Whether they liked it or not, most girls were at one point woken up at some ungodly hour by an alarm from three rooms over, or a blood-curdling scream for help following the discovery of a large insect.

There was never a dull moment in Casa, and it was easy to disregard the pervasively lingering smell of horse manure in the air when just stepping outside was enough to admire the remarkable Ojai sunset.

However, as we look forward to the new edition of an old favorite, the future is nothing but promising. Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds Chuck Evans expects the dorm to be near completion as we approach the beginning of the next school year, with its first inhabitants moving in within a couple weeks of opening day.

“We’ve had some delays, but we expect the dorm to be done around the first of September,” says Evans.

Although the familiar cave-like character of Casa will be missed, the new plans intend to emulate the original overall concept of the dorm, while enhancing

Before the reconstruction of old Casa, freshman girls of 2011-2012 celebrate the end of the school year with a dorm banquet on the beautiful lawn.

some areas with highly anticipated renovations.

These additions include a larger common room with a full kitchen, larger prefect rooms with balconies, a study room which expands into an outdoor garden feature, automated skylight windows, two brand new room wings, and individual thermostats in each room. With all its brand new luxuries, the dorm will

be built to house freshmen for years to come.

Chuck Evans says in support of this claim, “We’re using upper school as a sort of model, since it’s over a hundred years old. The goal is to make a dorm that will last one hundred years and still be fabulous.”

As any member of the final class to dwell in the old Casa would understand, it is

sad to see the dorm go, but incredible to watch the new and improved Casa dormitory take shape. The community built within this dorm will be as lasting as the structure itself, and with all of the hard work and incredible planning that has gone into the construction of this fantastic new building, it will be standing before we know it.

A panarama of Casa in its current state: the basis of the structure has been laid while construction on the main stucture is soon to begin.

Most recently, the framing has begun, and walls are being constructed.

Life in the Courts for the Sophomore Girls

T

By Jillian Elkin ‘14

his year, the beloved Casa has been under construction, fordcing the sophomore girls to live in the Courts, where a few faculty members have previously lived.

For most of these girls, the initial reaction was excitement and enthusiasm.

They will miss this home dearly next year as they have grown to love it immensely.

The Courts is adored, first and foremost, for its prime location on campus. Even the sophomore boys envy the Courts proximity to the fitness center, gym, dining hall, tennis courts, barn, and that is downhill of the classrooms.

Unlike previous years, the sophomore girls do not live directly next to the sophomore boys, but this hasn’t presented any problems,

considering there is space outside of each dorm and in between for hanging out.

However, there is plenty of activity within the Courts. During the warm weather, groups of girls can be spotted eating or talking outside by the picnic tables or between the trailers. Unlike the other dorms, the Courts is composed of multiple common spaces, one of them being the main common room.

The girls comment on how it is more “like living in little individual houses” than a dorm, offering independence to its inhabitants.

“You can always smell something baking in the oven,” says Sarah Cunningham ’15.

Each trailer has its own kitchenette, washing ma-

Laura Kirkland ‘15 and Bailey Cypheridge ‘15 prepare to bake a cake in one of the many kitchens in the Courts. The girls enjoy their dorm living rooms.

chines and dryers, and bathrooms. Another great treat is that each trailer has a bathtub: a luxury that allows them to relax.

“The best part is that every Thursday night, after a long night of working, we get quesadillas - homemade

by Mr. Jacobsen,” says Meagan Rodriguez ’15.

Additionally, Ms. Merlini, the Courts’s dorm head, organizes post check-in pizza parties, ice-cream scavenger hunts, and cold treats before afternoon sports.

Ms. Merlini says, “Not only are they smart and dedicated to their academics, but they are also fun, love to laugh (can handle an

April Fool’s joke) and have created a wonderful community in the Courts.”

The Courts offers plenty of chances to relax and balance work with play. No matter next year’s changes, the Courts will be remembered for the fun activities and its ability to bond the sophomore girls like never before.

April 2013

The Thacher Notes

7

Upperclassmen Reflect on New Prefect System

By Ana Levy ‘14 and Wallace Kalkin ‘14

P

refectship is one of the most highly anticipated responsibilities of senior year. Thacher students forge strong, deep bonds with their prefects and dream of a day when they, too, can fill the shoes of those who preceded them.

Before this year, the system had been the same for as long as any of us could remember: one prefect per about five prefectees.

However, this tradition radically changed last spring when the administration announced that things would be a bit different in the junior/senior dorms.

The Hill and Sespe would merge to become one unit with both junior and senior girls living in the two buildings. In addition, the junior dorms would host not one, but four prefects per group.

When this was announced last year to the sophomore girls living in the Hill, the murmurs of protest ranged from audible cries of outrage to silent expressions of contempt.

The rising seniors also seriously questioned the adjustment. Many felt angry that the position of a junior prefect seemed to fall in importance and exclusivity, and they doubted that multiple prefects could ever work cohesively.

Now, almost a year later, we asked the present juniors and seniors; was this new system an unexpected success or a projected failure?

The overarching consensus in the Hill is that the ex-

perience this year has been a positive one. Of 38 junior and senior girls polled, 20 like it, 8 dislike it, and 10 were neutral. While many girls remained skeptical of the new system well into the fall, the vast majority has been won over by the close sense of community and compatibility between the senior and junior classes.

“Personally, I didn’t care,” said Nayla Kidd ‘14.

“I knew that as a Junior, it really wouldn’t matter to me who my prefect was.

Besides, the class of 2013 is so cool, the likelihood of me getting someone I didn’t like was low.”

Many Hill girls have remarked on the feeling of camaraderie forged between the two upper classes because of the new prefect system. We asked some Hill girls for their initial reaction to the change as well as their opinion now.

Kidd remarked, “When they announced it last year, people were so upset, and it was the main topic of discussion and complaint for about a week. But, I love the new system. I have four amazing prefects and I like their individual and combined company in every way. It seems to me that everyone is satisfied and it has worked out for the better.”

Brisha Howe ‘13 also added, “When they announced the new system last year I was really concerned about people feeling isolated if they weren’t prefects. My misunderstand-

Above: Jarrett Kong ‘13 and Olivier Domergue ‘13 head back to Upper School after a grueling tennis practice. This year’s prefect system has had mixed reviews.

ing was that I didn’t realize that everyone who applied would automatically become a prefect.”

“I thought that there were just going to be more, not everyone,” Howe continued. “I was really worried for some possible selfesteem issues that could arise for people who still weren’t chosen to be prefects. Now that we’ve seen the system run successfully, I like it. It’s not stressful at all and everyone up here seems happy. The teams have become closer than I think they would have become without a push from the school.”

There was not as much of a reaction last year from the junir and senior boys of Upper School when the new system was announced, perhaps because they had always been mixed in the dorm. But, the boys seem to have had less success than the girls with this system.

Out of 28 junior and senior

Above: The newest dormitory, The Hill is known for both its uphill location and novelty. This year the dorm, along with Sespe, has been a junior / senior dorm.

boys polled, 20 disliked the new system, 7 were neutral, and 1 liked it.

Many senior boys this year have felt that there is a lack of cohesiveness to the way the prefect groups run, leaving some of the seniors with all of the work and others doing almost nothing in terms of leadership.

“It doesn’t work because there’s no necessity for responsibility,” explained Sandy Ballou ‘13. “There’s this general assumption that if you don’t do something, someone else will pick up the slack. But, nobody does because they’re under the same assumption. Also, all meaning for being a prefect has been negated. Upper School prefects aren’t really prefects now, they’re just seniors with more work.

Nobody wins and it doesn’t contribute to the dorm in any tangible way.”

Others believe the juniors no longer respect their prefects since the power is spread out and because the juniors do not have only one person to report to.

“By giving everyone power, you’ve given it to none,” claims Emiliano Vargas ‘13. “It has completely destroyed any semblance of privilege that should naturally come from taking care of a group of juniors.”

Not only are the prefects unhappy, but the juniors are no more content with the apparent lack of organization and sense of community.

Anand Shah ‘14 complains that there aren’t as many munchouts and prefect activities as in years past.

There are obvious reasons why the dorm faculty

have decided to enact the new system. Seniors claim that the new system is better for them when they are busy because now the juniors have access to three other prefects in case one senior is not available. The system also permits certain prefects to be off-duty, making it possible for them to wander almost every night.

Others have noted that the variety of personalities and skill sets in a group is helpful for the juniors, especially now that senior leadership is being brought up. The ability to have close relationships with seniors in all kinds of positions is invaluable.

One change in the coming year is Mr. Franco’s assumption of the position of Upper School dorm head.

“With next year, we’re looking forward to working on parts of the system that need tweaking,” says Mr. Franco. “It’s what you make of it and we’re just excited about what’s to come.”

The success in the Hill indicates that this system can work in the right conditions, and hopefully this success can be realized in Upper School as well. Only time will tell if these changes become permanent fixture at Thacher, or just a plan that never accomplished its true potential.

Mr. Franco added, “I think everyone understood there would be a learning and curve. Faculty have always viewed it as a threeyear plan. Soon it won’t be “the new prefect system,” and everyone will understand that it’s the proper prefect system for the way we run our school.”

The Thacher Notes

8

Gender “equality” in leadership

Phillips Academy’s school newspaper, The Phillipian, publishes an issue with a cover photo highlighting the unequal gender distribution in student leadership.

By Annika Bhasavanich ‘14

O

n March 1st of this year, a group of students at Phillips Andover Academy wrote a letter to their school newspaper commenting on the low number of female student body presidents elected since the school became coeducational in 1973.

Since then, this letter has stirred up heated debate across the well-groomed East coast campus, almost upending a student council election, and received considerable media attention, including a recent article in the New York Times.

These Andover students have joined a raging controversy that has overtaken the nation surrounding feminism and its place in the modern world –a world where women seem to have succeeded in securing legal equality, but where the disparity between men and women in leadership positions is undeniable.

Their letter addresses this exact issue, stating that the lack of female representation within the student governing

Staff

Faculty Joel Sohn Bonnie LaForge Editors in Chief Irene Limb ‘13 Ana Urgiles ‘13 Managing Editor Sandy Ballou ‘13

body is indicative of deeper flaws in Andover’s underlying attitudes toward gender and challenges their claims of “progressivism” and “forward-thinking ideals.”

The students state, “Strong role models create a positive cycle through which young students, male or female, are inspired to become role models themselves. Boys have myriad opportunities to look up to the established, visible— and male—student leaders at this school. Sadly, our current female students lack these public figures.”

They go on to say that this has resulted in the real reason female students aren’t being voted into office –they aren’t running for office. Last year at Andover, only two of the fourteen candidates were female, a trend that echoes the theories of a recently released and controversial book written by the female COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg.

Sandberg’s debut, Lean In, a title that also lends itself to her new nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and training women to become leaders, has amassed Writers Olivier Domergue ‘13 Annika Bhasavanich ‘14 Jillian Elkin ‘14 Wallace Kalkin ‘14 Lane Sohn ‘14 Ana Levy ‘14 Taylor Bacon ‘15 Inga Conyngham ‘15 Owen Driscoll ‘15 Sydney Wilder ‘15 Photographers David Amano ‘15 Marissa Lopez ‘15

critique for its appraisal of women in the workplace, who, Sandberg says, “hold [themselves] back in ways both big and small, by lacking self-confidence, by not raising [their] hands, and by pulling back when [they] should be leaning in.” Sandberg is currently ranked number 10 on Forbes’ list of Most Powerful Women and is worth almost $1 billion, but her success has failed to win over many feminists to her beliefs.

Many women and men have been up in arms over these statements, describing them as “blaming the victims” and undermining decades of feminism by placing fault in women for the still rampant disparities.

Sweeping generalizations of female passivity, they say, do not account for statistics such as the 77¢ a woman makes for every dollar a man makes (US News & World Report) or that women only make up 3% of the Forbes Fortune 500 despite the fact that more women graduate college than men.

Others view Sandberg’s ideas as inspirational and a much needed call for women to push for success rather than let it take a backseat or give up on corporate stardom before they’ve even had a chance to prove themselves. Sandberg suggests that women too often hesitate out of fear of seeming overly aggressive “ice queens,” a stereotype that has dominated conversations regarding female leadership from The Devil Wears Prada to Hillary Clinton.

Interviewed Andover students also spoke of another, more malignant, stereotype - that girls don’t make good leaders.

“Right off the bat, it’s not a meritocracy for girls,” said one Andover senior, “they’re

April 2013

starting behind because we don’t associate leadership qualities with them.”

Other students theorized that girls see less success in their student council elections because they have to “act seriously to be taken seriously”, a tactic that puts them at a disadvantage in a race that is most often won by the most outgoing or entertaining candidate rather than a stern one.

Although these events may have taken place on the other side of the country,

they uncover issues that are pertinent to all schools and governing bodies - including Thacher. Following the controversies of the election, Andover’s new school presidents (both male) plan to lead multiple discussions regarding gender equity next school year.

This topic will be further discussed in the next issue of the Notes, with special attention to perspectives of gender equity at Thacher.

DAY OF

SILENCE

On April 19th, students and faculty dress in red for the Day of Silence, the annual day of action to protest the harassment of LGBT students and their supporters.

Photo taken by Ms. Vancisin

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