Vol. XCIII, No. 4
Deerfield, Massachusetts
Whit Sheppard ’83 Returns to Campus
COURTESY OF WHIT SHEPPARD Mr. Sheppard received a standing ovation at school meeting after speaking candidly about his experiences at Deerfield in the 1980s.
SARAH JUNG Associate Editor Whit Sheppard ’83 returned to campus on Sep. 26, ending 35 years of distance from the site of his traumatic experiences as a Deerfield student. In a sincere address to the community filled with personal anecdotes, he emphasized the importance of embracing growth under the most challenging of
circumstances. During his senior year at Deerfield, Sheppard was repeatedly molested by former faculty member Peter Hindle. It wasn’t until 2012 that he wrote an email to Head of School Margarita Curtis, telling her specifically what had occurred and finally sharing Hindle’s name. He described his decision to come forward as a conscious choice
to “take control of the narrative,” acknowledging that in today’s society, not many victims have the opportunity to tell their side of the story. Mr. Sheppard’s story prompted a thorough internal investigation that ultimately revealed that Hindle had sexually abused Sheppard, along with one another student, while he was a teacher at Deerfield. Mr. Sheppard publicly shared his story in an opinion piece for the Boston Globe, which was published in July 2013. Dr. Curtis has continued to keep in touch with Sheppard. Given that this year is her final year at Deerfield, Sheppard expressed that he felt compelled to revisit campus before her retirement. Mr. Sheppard arrived as a “naive, fresh-faced freshman” in the fall of 1979. He emphasized how much more cynical and unaccepting Deerfield was during the 1980s, illustrating his point with his class chant: “Sex, Drugs, LSD. We’re the class of ’83!” He described his regretful behavior while a student at Deerfield. “I got high at Deerfield multiple times a day. I cheated on tests. I bought an English term paper my senior year for two bottles of whiskey. I didn’t exhibit a whole lot of character,” he said. Gemma Bishop ’19 said, “His stories reminded me of what my dad says his experience was like at Deerfield. I always thought my dad was exaggerating, but I’m grateful that Mr. Sheppard gave us a strikingly different perspective of Deerfield that most people would never have imagined.” Continued on News, p. 4
October 11, 2018
Opinion: The Black Experience at Deerfield ADEBISI AKILO Contributing Writer This week I have slept through first period, done poorly on multiple assessments, and accumulated an interesting amount of APs. It’s not the end of the world, but sometimes at Deerfield it can feel that way, especially when I see all the people around me thriving. I have faith, mostly, that I will eventually get there at my own pace. But for now, I am disappointed in myself. I spent so much time trying to craft the best way to catch people’s attention to highlight the
had never experienced before. Then, I got here and I realized my capacity to anticipate was very, very small. I was ready for the difference, but not the unkindness. I did not want to be here and I found myself retreating into pieces of a much younger me: weak, frail, and painfully quiet. So, I called my mother and I told her I didn’t want to be here. I knew then that my mother was going to tell me that she didn’t want to be at work, but that’s where she is, so I should get over it sooner rather than later. I called anyway seeking maybe some comfort, reassurance
“I smiled and walked away to avoid being stereotyped as the militant and aggressive black girl.” challenges I have faced without offending them. I wanted, like all of us do, to be liked, embraced, and accepted. I was afraid to write this article because I didn’t want to mess up. But if I never start to share with others how I have experienced the world, we will never learn to do better as a collective. So I will start in the summer of 2017. I had anticipated, to my capacity, all the ways Deerfield would be different from home. I knew from my revisit day, the diversity statistics available online, and the cost of attending this school that the people here wouldn’t look or behave the same way my friends back home did. But I was fine with that. I wanted to experience what I
that things would be okay, or just something. But I was not at home anymore. And when a girl told me in the Johnson 1 common room that she had mistaken me for Khalyse Benjamin, who is at least a foot taller than me and three shades lighter, because “you and all your friends look the same,” it reinforced for me that I don’t belong here. I was caught in between responding to what I know she meant, which is that all of the black girls in my grade looked the same, and what she said. But I smiled and walked away to avoid being stereotyped as the militant and aggressive black girl. Continued on Op-Ed, p. 3
Petition Circulates Against David Koch’s Position as Lifetime Trustee ANNA FU Associate Editor On July 9, Edward Plimpton ’70 publically began a petition to oppose Class of 1958 graduate David Koch’s title of Lifetime Trustee. As of Oct. 11, over 250 current students and alumni have signed the petition. “We object to Mr. Koch being presented as the exemplar of the Deerfield ideal and to honoring him as a Lifetime Trustee,” Mr. Plimpton stated in the petition. “It is time to reevaluate whether Mr. Koch truly represents all that Boyden hoped for in graduates of the institution he so lovingly nourished.” In response to the petition, Head of School Margarita Curtis said, “The Academy does not consider political ideology when appointing trustees, honoring alumni, designing the curriculum, or in any other school business.” The petition stems from discontent towards Mr. Koch’s family corporation, Koch Industries, and its history of supporting climate change denial. The corporation has faced several controversies, including a $30 million EPA fine in 2000 for Koch Industries’ contribution to over 300 oil spills. According to Greenpeace, in October 2013, the Koch Pipeline
Opinion and Editorial, p. 2
Deerfield Needs an AllGender Dorm Molly Fischer argues an all-gender dorm would create a safe and comfortable environment for students of all gender identities.
Company was determined responsible for a 17,000-gallon oil spill that contaminated several water and livestock sources. Specifically addressing the environmental issues targeted in the petition, Dr. Curtis explained, “I can assure you that anyone visiting the campus today would see an emphasis on environmental sustainability embedded in virtually
aspiration.” Maggie Tydings ’20 expressed that she believes Mr. Koch deserves credit and recognition for this financial support. “There’s no question that David Koch has helped this school immeasurably. Without his generous contributions, Deerfield would not be the school that it is today,” she said. “Regardless of his political
“It is time to reevaluate whether Mr. Koch truly represents all that Boyden hoped for ...” – Edward Plimpton ’70 every aspect of our program and our operations.” Supporters have pointed to Mr. Koch’s philanthropic activities rather than his environmental views as the distinguishing feature of his legacy. For Deerfield specifically, Mr. Koch contributed to a significant portion of the funding for the Koch Pool in 1995 and the Koch Center in 2007, and this has garnered the praise of several members of the Deerfield community. In 2010, Phillip Greer, the former chairman of the Board of Trustees, said, “David Koch is the living example of Mr. Boyden’s
views, we should be grateful for his service to the Academy.” The Board awarded Mr. Koch the title of “Lifetime Trustee” in 2010, giving him the ability to vote, attend board meetings, and maintain all other powers of a board member for the rest of his life. Mr. Koch was the first person to be given this honor, and Mr. Greer also was named a Lifetime Trustee when he stepped down from the Board in 2014. As of now, Mr. Koch and Mr. Greer remain Deerfield’s only two Lifetime Trustees.
Opinion and Editorial, p. 3
Arts, p. 8
The Role of Politics in the Classroom Claire Quan calls for teachers to facilitate healthy discussions about politics rather than forcing their own views on students.
DEERFIELD ACADEMY ARCHIVES
Continued on News, p. 4
Artist of the Issue: Cam Taylor Get an inside look at what fuels Cam Taylor’s passion for rap and poetry.
David Koch’s senior photo in the 1958 Pocumtuck yearbook. Mr. Koch was a member of the Cum Laude society and the Scroll Business Board.
Sports, p. 12
Athletic Center Prepares for Opening Day An exclusive photo preview of the numerous facilities within Deerfield’s new Athletic Center.
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