Vol. 38 Issue #8
May 17, 2013
The Knightly News Pace Academy 966 West Paces Ferry Road Atlanta, Georgia 30327
p. 3 BBT Makes Her Exit
p. 4 Billy Stonecipher’s Journey
p. 12 Senior Predictions
Class of ‘13 Taking the School Down with Them By: Sam Rubenstein Staff Writer ‘14
With the 2012-2013 school year coming to a close, it is time to say goodbye to the seniors once again. Members of the Class of 2013 will be remembered for their academic successes, school spirit, and as the last students to graduate from the old upper school building. The Class of 2013 began the year with a bang by patriotically parading down West Paces Ferry with an America theme. From the beginning, the class has shown incredible unity and has kept this going all year long. In January, the seniors topped off four years of Spirit Week with a tremendous effort, demonstrating both their school spirit and cohesiveness. This is no surprise, as they have 28 lifers who have remained dedicated to Pace the whole way through. With seven students enrolled in Ivy League schools, the Class of 2013 may be one of the most academically successful classes to ever graduate from Pace. In fact, The Knightly News received inside information that the college counselors believe 2013 was the best year ever for Pace college admissions. This class definitely persevered through the challenges of the Academy. They have
Photo: Lee Wilson Members of the senior class show off their college choices and celebrate their last week of classes. toughed Ms. Smith’s rants on the Thirty Years’ War, endured Mr. Horner’s “Five or Die,” and withstood Dr. K’s fractals. Additionally, the Class of 2013 has something to say for itself when it comes to the arts. In their time here, they took to the stage and beautifully executed the fall musicals “Annie,”
“Fiddler on the Roof,” “Curtains,” and “West Side Story.” Whether it be on canvas or the wheel, in the darkroom, or on the stage, the Class of 2013 has demonstrated mastery in the arts like nobody else. “There have always been strong students, but never so many in one class; and not just in visual arts, but in the
performing arts too,” said drawing and painting teacher Donice Bloodworth. Finally, the Class of 2013 topped off their great year with an equally incredible GAP Day. Excitement was high as they strode into the FAC in their neon T-shirts. The day was awesome and ended in emotional
testimonials. Senior after senior described how unique their class was, with all its quirks and “weirdness.” As they put it, they could be themselves, their very weird selves, as members of this class. Pace Academy will truly miss such a great class, whose members have excelled in all aspects of this great school.
of the Great American Picnic. Everyone knows Mr. Gannon’s famous commentary on the day of cookouts, water fights, and senior slideshows: “It’s not great, it’s not American, and it’s hardly even a picnic,” but most people don’t know the origin of all of these festivities.
The first celebration of this day was in the 1970s, but then it was known as the International Luncheon. “The lunchroom was where the science labs are, downstairs in the academic building, and the kitchen was where Mr. Owens’ classroom is,” Ms. Smith recollected. “All Student Council people cooked all the food on the international menu, and we would serve students as they sat at tables with white tablecloths and napkins. It was so civilized,” she said. The International Luncheon began to morph into a picnic when liability concerns prevented faculty from using the kitchen, so the event was moved outdoors as more of a picnic-like setting. “Then the food became less international and more American with hamburgers and hot dogs,” Ms. Smith said. “This continued for many years until it
turned into the chaos we suffer through today.” Ms. Smith attributes this change to the simple facts that “students are savages” and that “Hobbes was right about human nature.” Mr. Gannon, who joined Pace in 1996, remembers his first GAP Day experience as “the most horrifying event of all time.” He said, “We had a cookout in the garden as the ‘picnic’ portion of it, but then from there it deteriorated into terrorism. Students just ran around campus pouring lemonade on the heads of freshmen and pelting them with hot dogs. Basically, just a cookout and chaos.” The festivities became tamer over the years to become the fun yet structured day students participate in today. “The thing about the Great American Picnic is that it changes; it’s always evolving,” Mr. Gannon said.
Even this year’s GAP day saw changes. “For the next few years the water fight will be up top by the tennis courts to avoid parking lot injuries,” Mr. Gannon explained. “Also just water balloons and guns only, no more buckets.” Mr. Gannon added, “It will probably change even more drastically 15 years from now. Who knows, we could come full circle back to an International Luncheon.” No matter the evolution of festivities, the Great American Picnic is always an anticipated event, even if it is just to get out of class and enjoy the sunshine. “The best thing about GAP is that it is a little bit of the world turned upside down,” Mr. Gannon said. “We run an institution that’s pretty hierarchical, and for the students to be able to act wildly for a bit over the course of the year is a good thing.”
Teachers Reflect on the History of GAP Day By: Riley Muse Staff Writer ‘14 Every year the Friday before AP exams commence, the Pace Academy Upper School celebrates the timeless tradition
Photo: Pacesetter Pace students celebrated GAP Day very differently in 1992.