Friday, May 4, 2012
Vol CXVII Num. 15
French Exchange Students Visit Milton By Rebecca Chernick ‘14 News Writer
Co Ulisse Hahang
The French Exchange students travel around Boston
Twenty French students and two chaperones from Lycée International Georges Duby in Aix, a small city in the south of France, arrived at Milton Academy on Sunday, April 15 for a two week stay as part of an exchange program. While in the United States, the French exchange students had an opportunity to experience many aspects of American culture and Milton life. Although the visit concluded on Sunday, April 26, the Milton students who hosted the French visitors will travel to France for two weeks on May 24. The French students spent most of their first week visiting sites in the Boston area.
Mara-A-Pula Palooza By Neil Chandra ‘14 News Writer
Thursday April 26, students from the Mara-a-Pula school in Botswana arrived at Milton Academy, marking the beginning of a three-day visit with an entertaining marimba concert. Milton’s jazz program will host these students for the weekend, as they share their talent with the Milton community before continuing their United States tour to raise funds to provide scholarships to AIDS orphans who attend their school. . A few hours after arriving on campus on Thursday, the Mara-a-Pula marimba band members set up their instruments in King Theatre and played an energetic set of over an hour’s worth of music. The group, led by director Tlotlego Enamile Gaogakwe, is composed entirely of students from the Mara-a-Pula private school in Goborone, Botswana. Having developed a relationship with the Mara-a-Pula school many years ago, Milton Academy’s jazz program had the privilege of hosting the Mara-a-Pula school’s marimba band in 2008. During the school’s 2008 tour of the United States, the group had to overcome unforeseen adversity. Due to air-
This Week’s
Measure
line regulations, the group was not permitted to check their instruments on to the plane. Fortunately, help came from the unlikeliest of places; a woman from Syracuse who had fashioned nine of her own Zimbabwean F# (F sharp) marimbas offered to lend the group her instruments for the duration of their tour. The sheer unlikelihood of the occurrence drew attention to CBS Evening National News, on which the group was featured. The Zimbabwean F# marimba is a percussion instrument consisting of wooden bars held over a resonation chamber. The varying lengths of the bars produce a variety of pitches that create unique melodies. The Mara-a-Pula group uses four different styles of marimbas and various percussion instruments to create harmonious and energetic melodies. Most important within the musical structure of these tunes is the rhythm, all of which derive itself directly from the work of Mr. Gaogakwe, who is described as “a modern day, marimba Beethoven” by Scott Tarantino, director of the Tungurura Marimba ensemble. Many students enjoyed the Maimba band concert not only as an entertaining activContinued on page 4
NEWS
Senior Projects, pg. 4 Mara-a-Pula pg. 4
One day, the students toured the Freedom Trail and the State House, while another day they went Whale Watching in the harbor. The students also visited Harvard University and Harvard Square, and went to a performance by the Blue Man Group. Later, the group went to Cape Cod, biking and touring the area. Unfortunately, due to the rain last Monday, the students were unable to visit Plimoth Plantation, but they were able to stay on campus and attend Milton classes instead. On the weekends, the French students spent time with their host families and attended many on-campus events including Arts Night, Improv Night, and the Spring Carnival, as well as shop- Continued on page 4
Seminar Day By Amanda Beaudoin ‘13 Editor-in-Chief
Courtesy of Mara-A-Pula School
Marimba band engages audience during performance
Onyx Hosts Inter-School Dance By Mallika Iyer ‘12 News Writer On Saturday, April 28th, Milton once again hosted the annual and highly anticipated Onyx Dance, to which we invited many peer high schools in the Boston area. Onyx is often referred to as the best dance of the year, and the excitement is built up weeks in advance. Much of the excitement is due to the number of students from other schools that attend, and, as one senior said, “The chance to meet, chill, and have a good time with people who you aren’t going to see every day at school.” Nevertheless,
OPINION
Noam Chomsky, pg. 5 SGA Bylaws, pg. 8
Onyx has evoked various opinions from our student body. There are those who champion that Onyx is a dance that deserves the anticipation it gets. Those students believe that Onyx comes at the ideal time of year. Spring is hectic, with term papers and DYO reports, and only a few weeks left to raise grades, so Onyx is the perfect way to release all the stress on our shoulders. On the other hand, there were several members from the sophomore, junior and senior classes who recounted memories from Onyx using adjectives such as, “creepy, weird, and off-putContinued on page 4
A&E
Spring Productions, pg.9 Improv at Milton, pg. 9
Students filed into the ACC at 8am on this past Wednesday to begin the bi-annual Seminar Day hosted by the Public Issues Board. Having registered online for their top choices of seminars, students attended four different speeches over the course of the morning, including a keynote speech by renowned and controversial linguist, philosopher, and political commentator Noam Chomsky. This years’ speakers consisted of a wide variety of professional and political ground-breakers, from Milton alumni to the parents of current Milton Students. The speakers presented on an array of topics: Students could hear both a serious address from the Director of Public Affairs for the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, and a light-hearted talk from Will Graham, a Milton Alumnus who currently serves as Executive Producer and Director of the satirical Onion News Network. Other speakers included Dr. Cumrum Vafa, a Continued on page 5
SPORTS
Boys Tennis, pg. 10 Track, pg. 11
Editorial
May 4, 2012 | Page 2
MEASURE T h e Mi l t o n est. 1894
Editors-in-Chief Benjamin Scharfstein ‘12 and Gina Starfield ‘12 Managing Editors Watson Leffel ‘12 Henry Arndt ‘12 Copy Editor Siddharth Raju ‘12
Senior Editors Nathan Daniel ‘12 Matthew Lebovitz ‘12 Stewart Pollock ‘12 *
Amanda Beaudoin ‘13 and Daniel Kim ‘13, News/Feature Editors Katherine Ballinger ‘12 and Nelson Barrette ‘13, Opinion Editors Louis McWilliams ‘12 and Catherine Kulke, A&E Editor Jesse Pagliuca ‘12 and Tucker Hamlin ‘13, Sports Editors McKean Tompkins ‘12 and Andy Zhang ‘12, Photo Editors Lindsay Atkeson ‘13, Haejun Cho ‘13, Siyu Lu ‘15 Layout Editors Brandon Daly ‘12 and Christian Castillo ‘12 Humor Writers Jeremy Mittleman ‘13 Webmaster * Larry Pollans, Faculty Advisor
News Rachael Allen ‘14 Ashley Bae ‘12 Gabriella Blake ‘14 Danielle Cahoon ‘13 Neil Chandra ‘14 Rebecca Chernick ‘14 Elana Golub ‘14 Mallika Iyer ‘13 Akanshu Srivastav ‘12
Opinion Nicole Acheampong ‘13 Ilve Bayturk ‘14 Daphne Chow ‘14 Raj Davae ‘15 Shannon Peters ‘13 Mykayla Sandler ‘14 Charles Wang ‘13 Monique Williams ‘13 Liam White ‘14
Sports Sam Barrett-Cotter ‘13 Charles Blasberg ‘14 Joshua Ellis ‘13 Sophia Tsanotelis ‘13 Joshua Pomper ‘13 Ari Spilo ‘13 James Wang ‘12
A&E Olivia Atwood ‘13 Alexander Lee ‘13 Louisa Moore ‘14 Regan Simeone ‘12 Kat Fearey ‘14 Ashley Koo ‘14 Faith Pang ‘15 Photography Michaela Carey ‘12 Alexander King ‘13 Jenna Lee ‘14 Grace Li ‘13 Victoria Parker ‘14
The Milton Measure is Online! We created the website last year as part of our effors to keep up with technological advances.
To read us online, visit www.miltonmeasure.org
Electronic Copies of The Milton Measure If you would like to begin receiving copies of The Measure via email, please send your email adress to Nelson Barrette or Amanda Beaudoin at: Nelson_Barette13@milton.edu OR Amanda_Beaudoin13@milton.edu
Letters to the Editors Please either email our editors or mail to: The Milton Measure 170 Centre Street Milton, MA 02186 Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
The Milton Measure
Swan Song The commitment we have made to The Milton Measure this year is unlike any other we have made at Milton. Each week we feel a responsibility to the community and to ourselves to produce something actually worth reading. For those not on a newspaper, it’s hard to comprehend just how much work we put into printing each issue. At times, working on the Measure has felt like a full-time job, and without a doubt, more time consuming and difficult than homework. At times, we have questioned why we give up our valuable weeknights every other week to produce a newspaper that will be discarded and forgotten a week, or even a day later. But for all that we have given to the Measure, it has given an equal, if not greater amount in return. The friendships we have formed throughout our time here have made the experience enjoyable. We have always been able to depend on one another and look to each other for motivation. We would not have been able to succeed without each other. We have gained perspective and the ability to reflect on Milton Academy through being a part of an organization that has a tangible impact. Throughout our time at Milton, many of our peers have complained that students here cannot incite change. Yet the Measure has demonstrated first hand the power of the student body. It has challenged us to examine the community and given us a forum for our voices to be heard. We have learnt responsibility and accountability in understanding how to balance what we wish to publish with what is feasible and appropriate. We now know how to be flexible and adapt, for the vision we have Monday night is almost invariably different from the image on Friday morning. To see the product of so much time and effort in print every other Friday morning provided a sense of pride, accomplishment, and excitement that will forever remain unrivaled. We would like to thank our readers for their continual feedback and support. We would also like to thank our faculty advisor Mr. Pollans for his guidance. Aside from possibly being the only person on campus who reads every article, he has been the one to challenge us to reach our full potential. He has supported us each step of the way. Our time has been memorable and we will each carry with us the lessons we have learnt as we leave Milton. We wish the new board luck in all of their endeavors. “In my time working with the Measure, I have learned a lot about journalism and about myself. It occupied the role of a job in my life and reserved a greater importance than any of my other commitments. The Measure introduced me to the intangible rewards of hard work.”- Henry Arndt “I’ve always felt that a high school student’s ultimate objective should be to challenge himself, pursue his interests, and, of course, have fun. Finding the right balance between these three objectives can be difficult, yet my experience on the Milton Measure has managed to fulfill all three.” - Nate Daniels “When I first started writing for the newspaper, there was nothing like the rush of seeing my byline in an official publication on Friday mornings. However, when I joined the board and learned all the work that goes into churning out an issue, I realized nothing could match the pride I felt standing with my fellow board members, passing out a fresh copy of the Milton Measure. It’s a great feeling.” -Matt Lebovitz “I have learned so much from my fellow classmates on the board. The dedication, time and energy put into the each issue is so impressive and it is extremely rewarding to see the measure in final print at the end of the week” - Watson Leffel “For me, the greatest part of my time at the Measure was the sense of progression, from writing to editing, then to the board. Throughout it all, I felt increased responsibility coincided with more interesting work and often the chance to contribute to others work as well as my own.” -Stewart Pollock “I enjoy handing out the Measure during Friday recess. My pleasure is not dependent on the readers, however. It actually arises from circulating the physical manifestation of our hours of work. Even if the greater public does not read our publication thoroughly, we have at least produced something we can be proud of, and that is reward enough for sacrificing our leisure, sleep, and sanity.” -Sid Raju “The Measure has pushed me to my limits in every way. I have never worked harder, or given more to anything. However, for all that I have put into the Measure, it has given back infinitely more in return. The Measure has been the single most rewarding experience at Milton, and what I have learned this year will be with me for the rest of my life.”Ben Scharfstein “I am very thankful to the Measure for all it has given me. Without the Measure, I would not be ready to say goodbye to Milton. It has allowed me to feel like I have done my part and contributed to the community. With the Measure, I have left my mark here and am now more ready to move on.” -Gina Starfield
The Milton Measure
Opinion
From the Archives: May 1969
May 4, 2012 | Page 3
Faculty Confronts Race Problem Caroline Casey The conference in its conception was to be a meeting where faculty members from all three schools could discuss the problems of black students at Milton; and if possible, to come to some conclusions on how the problems could be solved or ameliorated. The conference was extremely well organized by Miss Jane Martin, Mr. John Zilliax, and others, but I do not know what the achievement of the conference was, or even if it lived up to the standards hoped for by the planners, because I was only there for one afternoon. The conference continued for two days. The plan for the part of the meeting which I attended was that the faculty should be divided into small discussion groups, go to their assigned rooms, discuss cases, then return to the Thatcher Room for a short summary period. The summary period consisted of a spokesman for each group giving a brief (one minute) resume of the ideas expressed in his group. The conference was opened with an introduction by Mr. Wicks in which he stated a maxim, “How do you know what you think until you know what you say?” He stated that there would be no one in charge other than for purposes of adhering to the schedule. Everyone was totally free to say anything. Mr. Zilliax followed with an introduction of guests who were there, including: Mr. James Cooper, of the ABC program; Mr. Howard Neman, executive vice-president of a corporation in Roxbury; three black Milton graduates—Mr. Lawrence Rawles; Mr. Larry Bagley; Mr. John Sussewell. Mr. Zilliax also added a maxim that you “don’t hear someone talk to you, until you have talked yourself.” He stressed the importance of timing: the groups should return promptly to the summary room when scheduled to do so. They should keep their resumes down to one minute (laughter followed these instructions which put teachers in the positions of their students). Timing was the strongest and the weakest feature of the conference. It kept the structure from crumbling, yet it seemed to break the flow of continuity. Groups who were often in mid-discussion were obliged to stop and return to summary periods. One often felt that not all sides were being heard. With only a minute to telescope a discussion many sides were left out. The spokesman decided what was least important and reported accordingly. The audience therefore must deal with the bias of the reporters in each summary. Close timing might also have inhibited participants’ reactions because of the feeling, “we’re behind schedule, maybe this comment isn’t that important.” There was a continued urgency to keep “on schedule.” The alternative to this pressure would have been to dispense with all but the loosest of scheduling. The faults with this are self-evident and many of the best features of this conference would have been lost (i.e., the rapid covering of many cases, the partial elimination of repetition). The cases presented were all real cases from Milton. The first case was summarized in this way: “A teacher in the sixth grade discovers, moments before class that a book she is planning to read during the period contains the word ‘nigger.’ She is worried about how the one black child in the class will react. What would you do?” The spokesman from the Lane room group stated the reactions in section. The first reaction was that it was fantastically poor planning on the part of the teacher to discover the “problem” only “moments before class.” Many felt strongly that the word should definitely not be censored. The responses as to how to handle the situation differed greatly. One extreme was that the word should be ignored unless brought up by a class member. The opposite extreme was to discuss the word “nigger” thoroughly, emphasizing: historical importance, social lessons, and social progress in the realm of brotherhood. Groups from rooms 9, 10 and 11 also had the same case. Many points were identical with the above. There was one new idea which I found intriguing if slightly repugnant. It was that the teacher should open class discussion on the subject of derogatory names for all racial and ethnic groups (“spic” for Spaniard, “kike” for Jew, “wop” for Italian, etc.). Someone then said that he thought class discussion
would be easier with boys, since his group had agreed that “girls were more insidious than boys.” This brought a loud burst of applause from the boys’ school faculty. It was strange to see this outbreak of loyalty and “school spirit” on the part of the teachers for their school. Discussion was opened. Many of the same ideas were repeated but one black member said that something similar to this case had happened to her as a child. She would have preferred to have had the word “nigger” censored, as it was damaging to a young child and had been “a harmful experience” for her. The second case presented was one where a second grade black student had objected to the reading of Snow White as a racist book. The major reaction to this was interesting in that instead of dealing with the problem, many questioned its validity. They questioned that the child knew what the word “racist” meant and thereby avoided the issue. It was reported by Mr. Cooper (of ABC) that many of his particular group became “defensive” and “began to justify Snow White.” They were “mad at the child.” This was followed by an exchange between Mr. Cooper and a teacher who said that she would be “amazed” at a child in the second grade “having those feelings and the use of those words to express them.” This last statement was leapt upon by several people who felt that a black child in the second grade would certainly have experienced racism even though he might not yet have a word for it. Finally Miss Martin said that “you should confront the issue, don’t question whether it happened. It did.” Some people began to think about the issue of whether Snow White was racist. The subject was treated frivolously by some in off-hand remarks. Many never recovered from the hilarity of the situation. “Now I’ve heard everything, next they’ll be condemning Cinderella,” said one teacher nearby. Again there was a wide difference of opinion. Larry Bagley summarized one viewpoint by saying that there is “more pro-white in the story than what’s in the title. The book equates white with beauty and is therefore racist.” The values presented were “distorted and therefore harmful.” The opposing article was slightly reminiscent of the early 60’s civil rights “craze.” That was when the “no-difference” phraseology was popular. John Sussewell stated the argument, “Don’t cloud the issues with color. If someone asks me am I proud to be black, I wouldn’t know what to say. I am proud to be a man.” If this philosophy is nine years out of date it was evidently enjoying a renaissance on the afternoon of the eighteenth. Sussewell’s philosophy was received with enthusiastic applause. Larry Rawles answered, “You must realize that you are a black man. People look at you that way.” This did not meet with such a lavish response. One of the last cases I heard was one where a black student, later asked to leave Milton, did not seem to “fit in.” The questions were asked “What does Milton offer the black student?”, “”How does Milton suppress him?” It was stressed that blacks should be encouraged to be black and not pushed into a mold. Mrs. Zilliax gave perhaps the most articulate response summarizing the way many people feel. She said that today “must be a learning process. A time will come when conditions here are bettered. We must remain responsive and open the needs of black students. This institution is ill-equipped to deal with many problems, blackness is only one.” At the end of the conference, one teacher recommended: 1) that black daystudents be admitted immediately from the Roxbury area; 2) that more black be admitted on scholarship, to the boarding departments; 3) that black teachers be hired. It remains to be seen if the administration acts upon recommendations that came out of the conference for expanding Milton’s commitment to blacks. Many teachers and students are hopeful. However, we should keep in mind that, “the art of holding on to power is the American system’s special grace. The trick is to make reform seem so tantalizingly close as to dull the edge of militancy.” (The New York Times). I do not imply that delay on the part of the administration would be in any part intentional. They want reform as much as anybody. But we do live in “the American system.”
Introducing the CXVIII Editorial Board
MEASURE T h e M ilto n est. 1894
Editors-in-Chief Nelson Barrette ‘13 and Amanda Beaudoin ‘13 Managing Editors Tucker Hamilin ‘13 Copy and Layout Editors Lindsay Atkeson ‘13 Brian Cho ‘13
Senior Editors Kat Kulke ‘13 Charles Wang’13 Jonathan Esty ‘13 Web Editor Jeremy Mittleman ‘13
News The Milton Measure Exchange Students Onyx Hosts Inter-school Dance May 4, 2012 | Page 4
Continued from page 1 ping on Newbury Street and touring Boston with their host families. Chloe, a French Student, said that one of her favorite activities was seeing the Blue Man Group performance. Julie, another French student, said that all of the activities were “great”, but she especially enjoyed shopping. While the students had the chance to go on many trips, the group also enjoyed planned activities on the Milton campus in addition shadowing their Milton counterparts and attending classes and sports. For example, the French students attended a French Club meeting on Tuesday, April 24, where they participated in a trivia game about French culture. Dance teacher, Kelli Edwards, even taught the group square dancing. She said, “They were really awesome. I think they had fun, and they picked it up really fast—faster than other groups I have taught. They just jumped right into it.” Madame Carpenter, a French teacher who is helping to coordinate the exchange said, “The French Exchange is a wonderful opportunity for students from both countries to learn about each other’s culture and language.” The students on the exchange, both French and American, said that their favorite part of the whole experience was getting to know their foreign counterpart. Claire Hernon (III) said, “It was really fun to meet new people—they were all so nice. It went by so fast!” Charlotte Goddu (III) agreed, saying, “I liked getting to hang out with Chloe!” Like Charlotte, William White (III) said that his favorite part of the exchange was getting to spend time with his French counterpart. William said, “They did a really good job pairing me up. He’s really willing to try American things—maple syrup, waffles,
peanut butter—the works. He is also finding things that he likes, including baseball and Forbes Dining Hall.” Many other Milton students participating in the exchange expressed their enjoyment of the opportunity to get to know someone from another culture. The trip was, in various ways, a learning experience. Mr. Kernohan, a physics teacher who hosted an exchange student said, “The students have been learning about what is different about the United States.” He said that his French student, Laura, remarked that, “Everything is bigger here. It’s like a movie.” Many of the French students agreed that there are some differences between America and France. For instance, one French student said that Americans eat dinner very early; in France, they do not typically eat until 8 or 9 o’clock. Also, the classes at Milton are much smaller than at their school, where the classes have 30 or more people. The Milton campus is also much larger than the campus at their school. Devon Moehlenkamp (III) said, “It’s fun learning about differences in our cultures and introducing [my exchange counterpart] to parts of our culture that she doesn’t know about.” Monsieur Morlot, another one of the French teachers coordinating the exchange program, and traveling with the group to France in May, said that the exchange is an important experience because, “Many French people are passionate about the United States, but have stereotypes about Americans. The exchange helps the students to find out if the stereotypes are true or not.” Milton and French students and teachers alike agree that the exchange is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy and learn about another culture.
Mara-A-Pula
Continued from page 1 ergetic melodies. Most important within the musical structure of these tunes is the rhythm, which derives itself directly from the work of Mr. Gaogakwe, who is described as “a modern day marimba Beethoven” by Scott Tarantino, director of the Tungurura Marimba ensemble. Many students enjoyed the Marimba band concert as not only an entertaining activity, but also a learning experience. Nathan Stanfield (III), a member of the Jazz program and an avid drummer, mentioned that he found the Marimba concert
to be extremely “helpful to [his] rhythm” and “unusually cool.” Many other jazz students echoed Nathan’s sentiment because of the opportunity to exchange thoughts, rhythms, and ideas through music. The Mara-a-Pula band members share Milton students’ enthusiasm about the visit. Felicity, one marimba band member, expressed that “[she] had such a good time [here] at Milton Academy,” later indicating that “she really enjoyed the opportunity to share music.”
Continued from page 1 putting.” None of these people wanted their names published. There have been rumors that Onyx won’t take place again, but there’s never been any serious effort to cancel it. Mr. Heard, who says that Onyx has been a Milton tradition since he was a student here, does not think that kids are more likely to get in trouble or violate school rules any more than they would at another dance. When asked about how the presence of non-Milton students could incite risqué behavior, he said, “Any big dance is a big dance, doesn’t matter if it’s Onyx or Prom or Swap-it.” At the same time, there is more adult supervision at Onyx. Ms. Taylor,
who coordinates the guest list, arranges for a number of additional chaperones to make sure the dance does not get out of control. Each school invited is required to bring at least one faculty member to chaperone. Mr. Heard says that “we’re really dependent on schools to bring chaperones, because it relies on both participants and chaperones to make sure we’re creating a safe space. What happens in the middle of the dance floor is a lot harder to get to, and it’s obvious that not everybody who goes into the middle is going for the best reasons. We do the best we can.” The change in location has also been a defining factor in the planning of Onyx. Onyx has been hosted in Thatcher,
Wigg, and, for the first time last year, in the CSG. While students seem to favor Wigg or the Student Center for dances, the goal in choosing a location is to select one where students have enough space to move around and to dance freely without being on top of each other. This year, the dance was once again be held in the CSG. Mr. Heard recalled his own experiences of chaperoning, saying that the dance was “hot and sweaty, but it always seemed like people were definitely fun.” He added, “It’s a little disappointing in how some of our kids decide to dress up,” but at the end of the day, Mr. Heard conceded that the students who typically follow the rules will continue to do so.
Senior Projects By Danielle Cahoon ‘13 News Writer On Thursday May 3, the senior class of 2012 will begin their month long Senior Projects. The planning process began in late February. Seniors have the option of pursuing an independent project, keeping their classes, or balancing a combination of the two. Despite the common perception of ‘senior spring’ as being a vacationlike period of freedom, many seniors are prepared to use this month as a time to vigorously explore a passion which they will share with the school in a final presentation in early June. For his senior project, Eric Davis plans to produce a five song mix-tape with fellow senior Greg Blaize. Davis discovered a passion for words—both writing and rapping—at a young age, his biggest inspiration being the legendary Dr. Seuss. As he continued to write poetry as a kid, Davis’s talents evolved from basic written prose to impressive freestyle rap. For his senior project mixtape entitled ‘Re:Public’ (regarding the public), Eric will integrate freestyle with various instrumental pieces and collaborations. Greg’s role in the project will be to capture this process on film in a carefully edited documentary following Eric’s journey in pursuing his passion. On Senior Project Day, students can look forward to viewing this film in addition to a live performance of some of the tracks the two produced. Matt Chen, not yet ready to give up the rigorous academic aspects of his senior year, plans to write and publish an academic journal for
Enterprise Brotherhood
his senior project. Chen will channel his knowledge of air travel into a 6000 - 7000 word piece entitled “The Globalization of the International Aviation Industry.” He hopes to submit the final product for publication in ‘The Journal of Aviation Management and Education,’ a collection of original manuscripts concerning logistics of air travel. As his title reveals, Chen’s investigation will focus on relations between global airlines, especially merger, acquisition, and joint venture cases. Because he has been writing for Airways, an international aviation magazine, since sophomore year, Chen is already very familiar with the professional writing and publication process. However, this will be Chen’s first experience writing for an academic journal. Matt plans to work primarily on his own, gathering extensive research on campus, at MIT, and at the Boston Public Library. Additionally, he hopes to utilize the editor of Airways Magazine, John Wegg, faculty supervisor Mr. Emmott, Mr. Bean,
Titania Nguyen/TMM
and a few professors as helpful resources in the process. Chen intends to give others a “deeper understanding of the international aviation world” through his journal’s publication and a short presentation on Senior Project Day. Henry Arndt, Jonathan Franco, Rob O’Gara and James Wang are working together to create a movie. Their movie Brotherhood II: Retribution is a sequel to the movie which the Goodwin seniors created last year. It is a tale of love, revenge, and, most importantly, brotherhood. Their project promises entertainment for all. The cases presented here are but a small sampling of the endeavors seniors will pursue this month. Each senior has undergone an extensive application process, and each passed project should be of interest to the community.
News/Opinion
The Milton Measure
May 4, 2012 | Page 5
Noam Chomsky By Benjamin Scharfstein ‘12 Editor in Chief Coming into Noam Chomsky’s keynote speech this past Wednesday, I have to admit I was expecting something extremely controversial and possibly offensive. I thought that at the very least, Professor Chomsky would accuse the United States and Israel of supporting terrorist activity, if not outright terrorism. Although he wasn’t outright offensive, Professor Chomsky did make some pretty outlandish assumptions and told a very one sided story. He did ask some interesting questions for us all to ponder, but for a man whose main premise is that the United States is biased in our foreign policy, his biased speech on Iran, the Arab Spring, and the Israel-Palestine conflict was quite disappointing. I took issue with Chomsky’s argumentation that Iran solely wanted to obtain
nuclear weapons as a means of deterrence. He was operating under the assumption that Iran is a “rational actor”, whose leaders would adhere to a classical understanding of political theory which states that any country would be completely out of their mind to use a nuclear bomb against another country with nuclear weapons and a reliable second strike capability. But Chomsky himself stated that the biggest threat to the Iranian people is the Iranian government itself. To say an “elected” government is a threat to its people is basically to say that the government is irrational. So why would Chomsky assume that the Iranian government would ever be rational and only use a nuclear weapon as a means of deterrence, especially since Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has himself stated that he wants to “wipe Israel off the map”? Even if Iran itself were
not to use a nuclear weapon against Israel, an Iranian built nuclear weapon might very well be used against the Jewish nation. Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based terrorist organization (Chomsky wouldn’t have called it that), has close ties to Iran. Considering the erratic leadership of the Iranian government and their close ties to terrorist groups, it was utterly absurd for Chomsky to claim that Iran only wanted a bomb for “deterrence.” Chomsky’s grasp of the issues is apparently foolproof and whose record is so distinguished that it is hard to argue with his views. However, Chomsky, as most of us do, fell into the trap of only providing one side of the story. For me, his antiIsrael and anti-American bias hugely undermined his ultimate message which was that there may very well be solutions to many of the problems in the Middle East.
Seminar Day Continued from page 1 string theorist who is the father of Keyon (I) and Neekon (IV), and the eminent Harvard Law School Professor Randall Kennedy, who lead a seminar entitled “Racial Politics in the Age of Obama.” The Public Issues Board has devoted much of its time this year to the planning of Seminar Day. By reaching out to the friends and families of current Milton
His address on the nature of U.S. policy in the Middle East focused on three regional factors: the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the ongoing Arab Spring, and the Israel-Palestine conflict. As expected, Professor Chomsky presented a highly critical appraisal of U.S. Near Eastern policy. Citing direct quotations from a diverse array of sources without uti-
sor Chomsky also noted a Western tendency to support dictators until “the last minute” before their overthrow, and the U.S.’s continued obstruction of comprehensive settlements on both Iran’s nuclear program and the Israel-Palestine conflict. Other highlights of the day included former gubernatorial candidate Warren Tolman, Latin America human
As Mr. Bland noted in his introduction, Chompsky is a “...part of American history.” students and making use of the Development Office’s large compilation of Milton alumni engaged in fascinating endeavors, the Board was able to assemble the numerous speakers who comprised Wednesday’s program. Professor Chomsky was undoubtedly the most notable speaker of the day. Currently a Professor of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Chompsky has received worldwide recognition for his political commentary, specifically American foreign policy. As Mr. Bland noted in his introduction, Chompsky is a “... part of American history.”
lizing any notes, Professor Chomsky addressed every topic with the intellectual rigor for which he is known, and presented a case not often heard in discussions of U.S. foreign relations. Describing what he termed as the United States’s destabilizing countries in order to “stabilize” them: The Unitied States’ repeated insistence on destruct popularly supported governments in order to implement unpopular leadership willing to comply with US officials, Professor Chomsky argued that this strategy served to create “subordinate client state[s]” around the world. Profes-
rights researcher Kate Doyle, Dave Jenkins, a Milton alumnus engaged in environmental justice work in Roxbury, and Steven Tolman, a former Massachusetts State Senator and President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. In all, 23 speakers participated in this year’s Seminar Day, and brought a considerable and intriguing change of pace to the typical Milton week.
Mckean Tomkins/TMM
MIT Professor Emeritus Noam Chomsky addresses students as the keynote speaker for Seminar Day
France Elections By Yvonne Fu ‘14 Opinion Writer
On April 23, France woke up with the knowledge that Socialist candidate François Hollande had won the first round of the country’s presidential election, picking up 28.63% of the vote. While Nicolas Sarkozy finished at a close second (27.08%), he is still likely to become the first incumbent French president to lose reelection since World War II. As neither won a majority of the votes, Hollande and Sarkozy will participate in the runoff on May 6. The result will depend largely on where the rest of the electorate stands. Polls now show that Hollande appeals to the majority of people who voted for left-wing candidates in the first round, but whether supporters of the major conservative candidate, Marine Le Pen, will turn to Sarkozy remains unknown. The incumbent president has taken increasingly harsh positions on immigration and foreign imports, fishing for Le Pen’s voters, who made up 18% of the electorate on April 23. Though Le Pen may have been labeled “far-right” for her anti-Islamist rhetoric, she models herself as the “workers’ champion” and has attracted a lot of anti-establishment and anti-Sarkozy voters, many of whom are expected to vote for Hollande in the runoff. As Le Pen supporters remain split between the top two candidates, Hollande enjoyed a comfortable double-digit lead in a recent poll, and Sarkozy, as The Economist put it, now has “a mountain to climb.” But some still wonder what has made François Hollande the frontrunner of the race. Instead of supporting Nicolas Sarkozy, who boasts both do-
mestic achievements (pension reforms) and international success (overthrowing Gaddafi in Libya), voters turn to a man who has never served in the cabinet and lacks experience in handling a national crisis. After all, the Socialist Party’s last president was Francois Mitterrand, who left office in 1995. Rather than focusing on choosing the most competent leader, the French electorate voted by sending out a message which has been echoed all around Europe: these are tough times. The strong showing by the left and the anger on the political extremes seemed to reflect a desire for change after 17 years of centrist, conservative French presidents. And it is likely to continue an anti-incumbency trend that began with the economic crisis in Western Europe, where center-right governments dominated in Britain, Spain, Germany, and many other nations. A Hollande presidency could potentially hit a reset button on all issues Sarkozy agreed upon with other European leaders. According to The New York Times, the incumbent president has had “contentious but valuable relationships with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, a fellow conservative, on European and euro zone issues; with the British on defense issues, including the Libyan war; and with President Obama on issues involving Iran and Israel, NATO and Russia.” For a candidate who converted a general dislike for the incumbent and vague promises of economic growth into a 10-point lead, Hollande has a long way to go before he can turn things around in France. And the European debt crisis will be waiting to confront whoever becomes President of France.
May 4, 2012 | Page 6
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The Milton Measure
Freshman of the Week: Clay Desir Age: 14 Gender: Male Zodiac Sign: Gemini Hometown: Carlisle, MA When and why did you decide to come to Milton? I decided to come to Milton during the year 1798. What is your favorite thing to do outside of school? Wrestling, it’s something I have done for a long time. What do you hope to accomplish in your time at Milton? What are your goals for the next 4 years? I hope to become House Monitor of Goodwin House and become a three time All-American wrestler. If you could have 1 wish what would it be? Beating Jude Suplice. Senior crush: Nicole Rufus... I’m like her biggest fan.
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@SingaporeSling4 “if i had a dime for ever time a gaggle of white girls confused me for an asian delivery carrying takeout, I’d be rich”- Confucius
@MACelloproblems Strolling around the college fair in my navy colour suit and yale sweater. #letthemcometoyou
@MattRawwr: Starting a history paper at 1230 is definitely one of my better ideas #juniorspring
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The Milton Measure
May 4, 2012 | Page 7
Senior of the Week: Tina Cho
Age: 18 Gender: Female Zodiac Sign: Capricorn Hometown: Gangnung, Korea
What is your best memory from your time at Milton? Caroling, hands-down. This year Chris Fay sang to me while holding my hand and it was magical. What’s your favorite way to spend a Saturday afternoon?
Brunch at Norris then Pinkberry in Harvard Square, followed by Chipotle and Lava Cakes from Dominos around check-in. I also like talking to my friends. If you had to be an animal what animal would you be and why? I’d be an alpaca because when I look at someone, I look right into their soul. Where can you usually be found on campus? Loitering in the student center or working up a sweat with Coach Mac in the ACC. What’s your favorite song? You Only Live Once by The Strokes Facebook
Freshman crush: Rick Dionne (2nd place Hari Patel)
Seminar Day Survey Did you enjoy Seminar Day?
11.5%
32.8%
Very much It was okay No
55.7%
“The string theory one was the most interesting seminar, because the speaker was able to explain a lot of cool physics and math concepts without showing us complex math. It was a very interesting topic that he explained with just the right amount of detail.” – Male Class II “I think we should have Seminar Days more often because it is a nice break from the Milton “norm” and we have a chance to listen to people who are experts in their field.” – Female Class I
“I liked my seminar speech about economic stimulation in Afghanistan because it was not only informative but it gave insight of what a former milton student is doing today.” “I like Seminar Day and Community Ser– Male Class II vice Day about the same. I think seminar “My favorite Seminar was the Onion one. It day does a better job of providing food for thought...” – Female Class III was funny.” – Male Class III
Opinion
May 4, 2012 | Page 8
The Milton Measure
Service and Education: an Unnecessary Compromise By Nicole Acheampong‘13 Opinion Writer Seminar Day and Community Service Day, which alternate yearly, have become Milton Academy traditions. During Seminar Day, students have the opportunity to listen to a host of different speakers, and the event usually sparks conversations that continue outside of the seminars themselves. What I remember most about my first Seminar Day, freshman year, was the chance to interact with students of all grade levels in the Upper School as well as a few students from the middle school. This mixed environment provided a unique
experience, and facilitated the sharing of ideas that is central to Seminar Day. Community Service Day takes a different approach, separating students by advisory group and grade and dispatching them to service sites around Greater Boston. Despite the smaller groups, the actual service is rewarding and distinct in itself. Both days serve as excellent ways to guide Milton students out of the ‘bubble’ for a brief time in the spring. Although Community Service Day and Seminar Day work well on their own, their cumulative effects may be restricted by the current, biannual format. In particular, the events of
Seminar Day are quite separated from the rest of Milton Academy life. The chance to learn in seminar format about a diverse array of topics is only available twice in each student’s Milton career. Learning about the world by hearing from leaders in many fields is a highly beneficial adjunct to any education. There is no reason why Seminar Day should not take place, in some adapted form, on a more regular basis. While many students choose to partake in community service throughout their time at Milton, this path is optional and does require a substantial time commitment. The entire sophomore class begins the year with
service, as part of Class Day. This experience is a great way to set the tone for the rest of the year and would have an even greater effect if the whole upper school partook on a yearly basis. According to servicelearning.org, youths who participate in community service boast an “increased sense of self-efficacy” as well as a greater interest in academic achievement. Clearly, service is as beneficial for the participants as it is for the targeted community. Seminar Day and Community Service Day offer separate and significant learning opportunities. For this reason, the current system of alternating between
the two does not make the most sense; they are not interchangeable and therefore should stand alone. Perhaps the school could consider hosting one of the two days in the fall and the other in the spring. However Milton resolves the situation, we should take full advantage of educational opportunities that extend beyond our classroom curriculums. By simply making these two days more regular in our lives, we come closer to becoming a community educated not only as students but also as citizens.
Excessive Assemblies By Mykayla Sandler ‘14 Opinion Writer What would you do with an extra half hour in the morning? Spend time with friends? Do a little more homework? Talk to a teacher? Get more sleep? Given how packed our Milton weeks are, I just cannot see how there is time for an extra, unnecessary 20 minutes spent on Tuesday morning assemblies. Having just recently gone through the head monitor elections, as well as elections for other SGA positions, we as a student body have heard about the many aspects of Milton that some would like to change. Each candidate has his/her own opinion on specific flaws and ways to remedy them, but almost all mentioned a desire to get rid of some of our assemblies. Specifically, many believe that Tuesday assemblies should be eliminated. In general, assemblies are an efficient way to carry a message to the entire school. Well run, all-school assemblies with focused agendas are a good use of time. Also, the assemblies with notable guest speakers are worthwhile for the entire school, as they are fascinating and educational. But what about when there is no essential message to convey? On many an occasion, we simply do not have enough substantive announcements to fill up an assembly. Instead, we get “filler announcements.” You know the ones I mean…. the “this club is meeting today. Come out!” Is there really not a better use of our time? As Tuesday assemblies often do not convey any salient messages, let’s cancel them. I’m guessing the faculty could use the time just as much as
the students; who would decry some extra time to sleep or grade papers? From my standpoint, a more relaxed morning with rolling check-in would be very beneficial, especially during stressful periods. But what about the other assemblies? Should we keep Monday and Wednesday assemblies? Sure. Thursday and Friday too? How about one or the other, based on need. Better yet, how about only Monday, Wednesday and Friday? We can bring back Thursday assemblies only during weeks when they are absolutely necessary. While we are at it, let’s focus on content, not length, in the assemblies that we do have. Announcements should be short, sweet and focused. Moreover, assemblies should be filled with more engaging activities, such as students reading poetry or presenting artwork. Also, we could have more performances, both musical and theatrical, and more traditions like the clip of the week and the donut drawing. In considering the benefits of altering Milton’s assembly schedule, the reasons for their popularity in election speeches become clear. Changing the amount of assemblies per week is a simple way to make the Milton experience better and easier for all of us. Like any campaign promise, however, shifting the assembly schedule is easier said than done. Words must be followed by deeds, and in the case of Milton assemblies, just as in national politics, more deeds and fewer words would be welcome.
Students sleepily sit in Straus during morning assembly
Milton Academy Flickr
Bylaw Amendment Controversy By Monique Williams ‘13 Opinion Writer Being a part of the Milton student body, I have realized that there are things that we care about and things that we say we care about. During the past Monday assembly, our former head monitors announced two proposed changes to the SGA bylaws. The first would make the length of head monitor speeches official, and the second would change the system of ratifying amendments to the SGA constitution so that future changes could be made with a ¾ vote of the SGA council, as opposed to a majority vote of the student body. I do not know how significant these changes are; when I first heard them proposed, I could have cared less. I barely understood what was being said; I only realized that it was expected that we follow blindly, like sheep, and simply vote ‘yes.’ Although I was slightly affronted by this approach, it quickly left my mind as I was too distracted with bigger deci-
sions like if I could make it to breakfast before my first class. The matter did not cross my mind again until I saw Martin Page’s (I) email urging us to exercise our rights as students. It was a valid, yet unexpected, point. If we want a true student democracy, we cannot simply hand over all our collective power to a few SGA representatives. These representatives are present to represent the voices of the students, not to speak for us. We already have the means of making changes, regardless of how small, so why don’t we use them? Honestly, I was never planning on voting for either of these proposals, partly because I did not really understand them and had no intention of trying to do so. It was not until a few days later that it hit me: my lackadaisical attitude was a poster child of the classic ‘all talk, no action’ syndrome. We constantly complain about our voices not being heard by the administration and the faculty, and we often want more opportunities to make changes in our school. We set aside hours to man-
ufacture long speeches about students’ rights and the need for change, yet we cannot sacrifice a few seconds to go online and vote. How many people ranted on about their ideal head monitors? How many people actually voted for next year’s head monitors? Milton kids fight to have a voice and be heard, but when it really comes down to it I think we just want something to say. Clearly, many of us do not actually care; the voting statistics from the head monitor elections seem to indicate as much. Once we have what we desire it is no longer important. The SGA should not have the power to vote for these changes only amongst themselves. I do not believe this because I do not value their judgement, but because I trust my own judgement more. I understand that the SGA finds it difficult to depend on an uninterested student body, but it is their role to educate us and encourage us to fulfil our responsibilities, not coax us away from them. In return, it is our responsibility to care.
Arts and Entertainment May 4, 2012 | Page 9 Upcoming Spring Productions Improv Opportunities at Milton The Milton Measure
By Faith Pang ‘15 A&E Writer
Every new season at Milton brings a number of new productions from the performing arts program. Three shows are currently rehearsing to perform later this spring: a dance concert, a main-stage play, and a 1212. The Spring Dance Concert will take place the Friday before graduation in the dance studio at the Kellner Performing Arts Center. Zaria Smalls (IV) and Rebecca Chernick (III) are each choreographing a dance, and Kasia Ifill (II) and Monique Williams (II) are choreographing a third act as a duo. The show will be a diverse set of performances. Zaria’s dance specifically features dancers from the freshman class: Allison Choi (IV), Faith Pang (IV), Abby Animashaun (IV), Caitlin Connelly (IV), and Thia Simon (IV). The Class IV dancers will perform to a remix of Judas/ R3hab by Lady Gaga. In contrast, Rebecca’s dance is classical and harmonic, utilizing a significant amount of point work. Kasia and Monique are presenting a hop-hop dance to She Doesn’t Mind by Sean Paul. Mr. Baker and Kelli Edwards
have also choreographed a number of other dances including mambos, classical dances, and modern dances. Arabian Nights, the spring main-stage play directed by Mr. Shane Fuller of the Performing Arts department is performing in just two weeks time. Despite common misconceptions, the play is not about Aladdin. It is an adapted version of the classical story One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. In the ancient tale, a Persian King, Shahryar, marries a young bride who he later discovers is unfaithful. Overcome with grief, he executes her and resolves to do the same to all women he marries. From then onwards, each morning, he executes a new bride. Scheherazade, one of his new brides, begins to tell the sultan a story on their wedding night so that he will be forced to postpone her execution. When she finishes a story, she starts another on the same night and withholds the denouement so the Sultan will want to hear the story the next night. For a thousand and one nights, she continues her tales. Arabian Nights focuses on about ten of these stories. Mr. Fuller describes the play as “multi-layered…almost like Inception!” Mr. Full-
er, who has gained a reputation for his innovative sets, has decided to tech his fifth play on a thrust stage. As opposed to the classic stage, which is mounted at the front of the theater, a thrust stage protrudes into the audience and is surrounded by audience members on three sides. Mr. Fuller feels that the stage will add to the interactive nature of the play, ensuring that action goes “right up to the audience!” Over the past few years, Mr. Parisi has masterfully executed a number of ambitious 1212 productions. This year’s 1212 play, A Streetcar Named Desire, will be a tribute to Tennessee Williams’ classic Southern Drama. The cast, which features Adam Basri (II) and Clare Dingle (II), has demonstrated tremendous dedication to the show, and promises a first-rate performance. Last night, the opening night of the show, the audience was captivated by the believability of each scene. As Blanche, Clare Dingle (II) captured the audience’s heart and sympathy. Shannon Reilly (IV) also gave a truthful performance and fully committed to her role as Stella. Adam Basri (I) embodied Stanley and lived up to the high expectations held by many lovers of Tennesee’s classic play.
The Spring Orchestra Concert By Ashley Koo ‘14 Section Writer Students in the Chamber Orchestra, an audition-based orchestra, and the Orchestra, an orchestra open to all, have been working with Dr. Dregalla for the past several months to prepare music for this year’s spring concert. The Chamber Orchestra opened the concert with three pieces: “American Elegy,” the three movements of “Symphony #103,” by Franz Josef Hayden, and “Zigeunerweisen,” composed by Pablo de Sarasate. Clarinetists Elly Day, Dan Kim and Genevieve Iwanicki also performed a short quartet piece, “An der Wiege Op. 68 #5,” accompanied by Kate Ballinger on the alto saxophone. While all of the student musicians demonstrated skill and passion, Karen Li (I) stood out during her featured solo in “Zigeunerweisen.” Li, who plays first violin, captured the audience with her confident and elegant playing. The Orchestra performed next, presenting four pieces including “Wedding Day At Troldhaugen Op. 65 #6” and the “Second American Folk Rhapsody.” One of the pieces titled,
The Communications Office
The Orchestra practices in preparation for the Spring Concert
“4 Minutes 33 Seconds”, composed by John Cage, particularly sparked the audience’s interest. The modern piece had no instrumental parts. Instead, each musician held his or her instrument in his or her lap and remained quiet for a total of four minutes and thirty-three seconds. During this time, the audience members were asked to embrace the music in “quietness” and observe the sounds around them. As a musician in both the Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra, I can honestly say that performing for the Milton
community was an extremely rewarding experience. Deirdre McGovern (III) shared her positive experience at the weekend’s concert, “I love watching all of my friends perform, and especially in concerts…It’s great to see that students at Milton enjoy what they do and are willing to share their passion with the community.” I encourage everyone on campus to take the time to watch future performances and honor the hard work of Milton’s student orchestras.
By Olivia Atwood ‘13 A&E Writer Improv club and Improv class performances have been a higlight at Milton. I decided to go to Improv Club a couple of weeks ago. I figured that, after listening to Harry Wood’s (II) announcements, I should give it a shot. After going once, I proceeded to go every single week. I kept going because, to my surprise, it was fun. The club begins with improv games such as “Deaf,” “Prop,” and “Freeze.” The atmosphere is laid-back, and the games are hilarious. The things people can come up with on the spot never cease to amaze. “I think the hardest thing is to come up with something in such a short amount of time— [They have] super fast minds,” awes Jazmine Alicea (II). Last week’s Arts Night ended with a hilarious showing of Improv, from the Improv art course’s class. With several performances by a variety of people, the show was a success. What really makes improv, according to many of the viewers, is the different people who take it. “It’s this whole variety of people who can make up stuff at the drop of a hat,” a freshman girl says, “It’s hilarious because you never would have expected that.” Natalie Solomon, a senior who performed, says that “It was a great night.” The audience definitely agreed. Emma City(II) notes that, in her mind, the most impressive part of Improv is “how people work together to come up with really funny scenes.” What makes improv so hard is that each person needs to build off the others. One of the principal rules of successful improvisation is to always say “yes.” Saying “no” ends the scene completely, cutting off the person and throwing the plot to the sharks below. If your partner gets on one knee and says, “Will you marry me?” you can’t simply reply with “No!”, no matter how much you may want to. However, you could say “Oh, Franklin, I’d love to but...my mother told me I’m not allowed to marry my cousin.” That lifts the scene, and allows it to travel other places. Each person needs to react and respond with
ease. Improv Night was a success because “Everyone did really well and worked together wonderfully,” says Natalie Solomon (I). The Improv assemblies are always packed with people. Every year, including this one, people pile into the theatre to claim seats. The showing is always hilarious, embarrassing, and often just a little bit crude. The kids finagle the game “Freeze” to force couples to work together. “Freeze” involves two people and a random setting, such as the beach. Those two people begin a scene on a beach and try and work in as many big “physicals” as possible. They offer to put sunscreen on one another. Then someone shouts, “Freeze!” The two on stage are frozen in their sunscreen position, and someone comes up to tap a person out. The new people must now create a scene out of the blue that’s completely different from what was going on before. In short, it’s hilarious. A personal favorite of mine took place a few years back, when Sophie Panarese led Nick Powers around a pharmacy to buy his “vitamins.” To this day, I pronounce vitamins “Vita-mins” with a short “I”. A lot of people choose to take improv because of the hilarious performances they have seen or because they want to learn how to think on their feet. Creating something out of nothing is a huge draw. It’s incredible to watch stories form when nothing existed, or objects built out of the air. It’s hardest to deal with “a dud scene,” a current student explains, “When nothing is working and no one is stopping it.” But even then, the students must pull back and work it out, adding what they can to save the story. Louis McWilliams(I) sums it up by saying, “Improv: awesome time.” So when you’re looking to find an art’s course, check out improv. And if you can’t quite fit it into your schedule, we’ll always be making things up in the studio theatre at Improv club, Fridays at 3.
Sports
May 4, 2012 | Page 10
The Milton Measure
Milton Tennis By Matt Lebovitz ‘12 Senior Editor Compared to most years, when the team has been regarded as an ISL powerhouse, the Boys Varsity Tennis Team has had a rough start to the year. Compared to second place finishes in the ISL the past two years, the team has been ranking much lower this season. The Boys’ team is 5-4 in the ISL and 5-5 overall, with an out-of-league loss to Dexter. Though starting off a little inconsistent, the team seems to have improved their act this last week. When asked to give his thoughts on this year’s tennis season, Captain Matt Lebovitz (I) commented, “The team had a rough start to the season but has really turned things around lately.” This past Wednesday and Saturday, the Boys team dominated Thayer and Lawrence, winning both matches 15-0. The Lawrence win was achieved in spite of the ab-
sence of their aforementioned captain and their number four singles player, Alex Leighton (IV). With these two landslide victories, it appears that the team is on track to finish the season on a high note. However, this past Wednesday, the squad faced the top team in the league, Roxbury Latin, hoping to pull off the near impossible upset. After the doubles, the boys were only down 2-1; Chris Mcdonough (III) and Henry Ardnt (I) played their best tennis of the season to pull out the win. Still, the team could not carry the momentum into the singles, with each member of the top six losing in tightly contested sets. The final score of the match was 14-1. This Saturday, the team travels to Governor’s in hopes of gaining a much needed victory. With a solid combination of veteran players and young talent, hopefully the boys can finish strong as they near the end of the season.
Milton Sailing By Charlie Blasberg ‘14 Sports Writer Last week, the New England Sailing rankings came out, placing Milton Academy at 9th place. Coach Judy Krimski states, “I’m excited about our progress, but we have to remember that there is still half a season left. There are three teams ranked above us that we haven’t raced yet. We have good momentum going right now.” The Mustangs started the season 3-0, blowing out BC High, Sharon, and Fairfield Prep in a four-way meet. However, the team had to toughen up in the next weeks because they had to take on defending national champions Tabor Academy and New England powerhouses, St. George’s, Portsmouth Abbey, Duxbury, and Moses Brown. Each of these meets was in the opposition’s waters, and the home advantage seemed to have paid off for Milton’s opponents. The shifty wind conditions of Tabor and Duxbury caught the Mustangs off guard, while the wind they encountered in Newport against St. George’s and Portsmouth Abbey overpowered the light team. Coach Judy Krimski remarks on
the loss against St. George’s that, “Results don’t show the tremendous amount of effort that went into that meet.” The season’s success can be largely attributed to the hard work of two stud freshmen Nick DiGiovanni (IV) and Russell Clarida (IV). They sail very fast boats and mix quick thinking with impeccable boat handling. Both come from impressive sailing backgrounds, competing internationally on USA’s Optimist team. Russell sails aggressively, and opponents know that when he is on the racecourse, nothing comes easily. DiGiovanni has found a balance of power and finesse in his sailing, and at times can single-handedly dictate the tempo of a race. With these two skippers sailing at the top of their games, the Milton Academy sailing team is unstoppable. The Mustangs control their own destiny now. With a couple strong wins, they will qualify for the New England Championships. They have the talent, they have done the preparation, and they have positive mindsets, so there is no reason why they won’t be able to put it all together in the postseason and do some damage.
Courtesy of Milton.edu
Andrew Haser (II) fires a pitch
Strong Start for Baseball By Josh Ellis ‘13 Sports Writer Coming out on the field on Saturday April 28th to face a tough Lawrence Academy squad, the Mustangs Baseball team enjoyed a 9-0 start to their season. Six wins in the Independent School League (ISL), highlighted by a 5-0 victory over Belmont Hill, placed the ‘Stangs on top of the ISL. With ace Mike Davis (III) getting the nod to start the game, the ‘Stangs hoped to continue this hot winning streak. Unfortunately, Davis’ powerful start became diluted with a few unlucky bounces and some very questionable calls from the umpires. The Mustangs lost their first game of the season, leaving their record at 9-1 as they exited Nash Field. Before this tough loss, the ‘Stangs powered through
their opponents’ pitching, remaining virtually flawless defensively. Thus far, Milton’s powerful offense has been led by its “classic” three- and five-hitters, Captain Tyler Starks (I) and Captain Brooks English (I) respectively. Both hitters have said, “we are the best hitters in the ISL; forget about the D1 commits and potential first round draft picks.” Although some may view this as cocky, the ‘Stangs love the confidence, trusting those two to get the ball over the fence. Starks will take his talents to the NESCAC powerhouse that is Colby College, and English will take his talents to Vassar College. Captain Jared Friedberg (I), attending Hamilton College next year, emerges as one of the best outfielders in Milton Academy history. His ability to read fly balls and
communicate with other outfielders shows his expertise, an expertise that allows him to take his game to the next level. Furthermore, Milton Academy’s Head Monitor, Thomas Schnoor (I) has officially committed to Georgetown University, a school with a Division I baseball program. As well, Otis Handy (I), a football recruit to Saint Lawrence University, hopes of “using [his] signature left-handed swing to walk onto the baseball team.” Finally, Jesse Francese (I) will take his talents to the Berklee College of Music. Amidst all these commits, the ‘Stangs have been able to keep their heads in the game. Hopefully the ‘Stangs can finish up the year in strong fashion, with an ISL championship to claim their own.
Chester Holtz (II) and Alistair Hutching (I) sail towards victory
Courtesy of Milton.edu
The Milton Measure
Boston Red Sox By Sam Barrett-Cotter ‘13 News Writer The Boston Red Sox opened the 2012 baseball season in a manner eerily reminiscent of last year’s. Everyone knows how the story went: slow start, mid season dominance, and finally the disastrous September freefall that has received far more than a healthy amount of press. The Sox began with a 4-10 record, good enough for last place in the American League East. With new manager and media magnet Bobby Valentine at the team’s helm, Boston fans had an easy scapegoat for the slow start. Many fans unjustly cite Valentine’s relationship with moody divas like Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia as the reason for the Sox’s struggles, as well as his in-your-face personality. “He’s naturally going to be the scapegoat because he’s so outspoken,” said Milton Academy’s Red Sox insider Jake Greenberg (II). Continued Greenberg: “I’ve never liked him.” Valentine is a complete opposite to Boston’s previous manager, Terry Francona. Francona’s ‘buddy-buddy’ style of leadership sharply contrasts Bobby V’s ‘tell-it-like-it-is’ attitude. Valentine faced criticism earlier in April for publicly questioning Kevin Youkilis’ effort. Youkilis missed extended time last season for a sports hernia that many didn’t believe existed. The criticism weakened clubhouse relations and many fans called for Valentine to be fired.
“He definitely should have been fired for those comments,” said Sox fan Rob O’Gara (I). However, these fans, who blame Bobby Valentine, are wrong. The Bullpen is an atrocity, and the starting pitchers have underperformed thus far. “This season’s past and coming failures are the result of Ben Cherington’s awful bullpen, not Bobby’s inadequacy,” said Greenberg. The bullpen lost its two strongest pitchers this spring. Closer Jonathan Papelbon was traded to Philadelphia. (His replacement, Andrew Bailey, is out for the season), and set up man Daniel Bard earned a spot in the starting rotation after his strong performance in spring training. The next best reliever, Alfredo Aceves, was forced to move to a closing role after Bailey went down with a thumb injury. The Sox are currently optimistic after a three game sweep in Minnesota against the Twins and back-to-back wins against the White Sox. If the team that is 2nd in the Majors in runs, hits, and batting average offense can continue to produce, the Red Sox may finally see success. But without improvements to pitching, their woes will continue. “Every team has their moments,” concluded Greenberg. “I don’t think this streak is indicative of good things to come.”
Sports
May 4, 2012 | Page 11
Girls and Boys Track By Jeremy Mittleman ‘13 and Charles Wang ‘13 The 2012 Track & Field season has gotten off to a great start. Promising new additions, both coaches and athletes, to the team have allowed for amazing performances in events across the board This year, the boy’s team has received much needed addition from strong, competitive athletes. Max Motroni (II), Anthony Sabitzky (II), and Jude Simplice (IV), all new to the team, have together taken crucial seconds off the boy’s 4x100m relay. Nelson Barrette (I) and Bobby Gilmore (IV), both who have been male track athletes of the week, have had an immediate impact thanks to their participation in the 110m and 300m hurdle races and the
triple jump. Kevin Lee (III) has made terrific leaps in pole vault, jumping 12’ this year; he aspires to break the school record of 13’ 8”. Unsurprisingly, Ben Bosworth has had a phenomenal running season. Last Saturday, Ben ran the 1500m, 400m, and 800m and still had the energy to run the fastest split for Milton in the 4x400m. The boy’s team, led by Captains Vincent Kennedy (I) and Ben Bosworth (II), have had a successful season so far with early wins over Lawrence, St. George’s, and Roxbury Latin and are charging towards the finish line. Led by Captains Elly Day (I) and Kate Ballinger (I), the girl’s team has produced equally impressive results this season. Star distance runners Lindsay Atkeson (II), Ab-
bie Higgins (II) and Danielle Frederick (I) have been dominating their respective running events that include the 800m, 1500m and 3000m races. Megan Kim has been a vital addition to the girl’s sprinting and jumping crew. Since joining track, Megan has produced competitive results for all her events, which include the 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m, and long jump. Coming off a record 3rd place in the ISL championship, coaches and athletes alike have high hopes for the upcoming championships. With Milton Academy hosting the annual ISL championship meet this year, both the boy’s and girl’s team hope to bring home the trophy.
Adam Rochelle (II) sprints down the track
Scores from Wednesday 1st Baseball vs. Roxbury Latin - L 8 - 3 2nd Baseball @ Roxbury Latin - L 7 - 6 3rd Baseball @ Roxbury Latin - T 1 - 1 OT 1st Softball vs. Southfield - W 18 - 1 2nd Softball @ Dana Hall - L 18 - 11 1st Boys’ Lacrosse vs. Roxbury Latin - L 11 - 6 2nd Boys’ Lacrosse vs. Roxbury Latin - L 8 - 4 3rd Boys’ Lacrosse @ Fay - W 6 - 2 1st Boys’ Tennis vs. Roxbury Latin - L 14 - 1 2nd Boys’ Tennis @ Roxbury Latin - L 7 - 5 3rd Boys’ Tennis @ Roxbury Latin - W 4 - 3 1st Girls’ Tennis vs. Exeter - W 9 - 6 2nd Girls’ Tennis vs. Exeter - L 10 - 2 Boys Track @ Belmont Hill - L 77 - 23.5 with Roxbury Latin L 77.5 - 23.5 Girls’ Track @ Winsor - DNR* Sailing @ Barnstable - L 2 - 1 with Cape Cod - W 2 - 1 & Dartmouth - W 3 - 0
Henry Arndt/TMM
May 4, 2012 | Page 12
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