Tatler Print Edition 2022

MEMPHIS, TENN.

ST. M A RY 'S EPI SCOPA L SCHOOL

DEC. 2, 2022

Title wr itten, stor y unfinished The 50th anniver sar y of Title I X reveals long-ter m impact

Grace Ciaramitaro (center, 12) prepares for her race on the diving block at the 2022 Junior National Championships. Ciaramitaro and all female athletes have benefited from the implementation of Title IX. (Photo by Courtney Ciaramitaro)

By Hana Barber At 5:00 AM, while many students are still in bed, Grace Ciaramitaro (12) can be found at the pool, practicing her freestyle or breaststroke. After Ciaramitaro?s one-hour practice, she heads to school, which is followed by another two-hour swim practice and a 45-minute workout.

She does all of this work in

hopes of swimming in a Division One collegiate level program. However, Ciaramitaro?s dream is only possible today because of the passing of Title IX 50 years ago.

What is Title I X? Title IX, also known as the Education Act Amendments of 1972, is a legislation that barred

the discrimination of a person based on their sex in any education program that received federal financial assistance. The legislation opened up a plethora of opportunities for female high school and college students not only in athletics but also in universities, colleges and in the workplace.

On June 23, 1972, Title IX was passed by Congress and

signed by President Richard M. Nixon, and it was the second of three landmark decisions focused on women?s rights passed in 1972 and 1973. Title IX is the only decision out of the three still remaining.

The new legislation required schools to provide girls and boys equal athletic opportunities from the provision of equipment to equal access to locker rooms.

To implement equality in schools in the fastest way possible, three options were written to provide more equal opportunities for female athletes: "proportionality," "progress" and "satisfied interests."

Through "proportionality," girls would receive the same percentage of athletic opportunities as the percentage of girls in the student body.

"Progress" directs schools to add new sports for girls on a regular basis, expanding the options available to girls. "Satisfied interest" aimed to ask female students what sports they are interested in and to add those sports in the future.

The growth resulting from Title IX is remarkable: according to the Women?s Sports Foundation, the 15% of female college athletes before Title IX in 1971 had increased to 44% in 2001, and three million more female high schoolers have participated in sports since 1972. Regardless of

this progress, future advancements are still to be made.

L ife before Title I X Dr. Patti Ray (?65), former Head of Upper School and current School Historian, was a student at St. Mary?s before Title IX was passed. She recalls the importance of this law as a step towards gender equality. ?Title IX was necessary to make sure that doors opened, particularly for females,? said Ray. ?I think that level of support from a national federal level was necessary to make sure doors opened.?

Ray played high school basketball in the 1960s, pre-Title IX. She remembers there being a clear difference between high school basketball then versus now. ?As far as playing sports in the 60s, it was interesting because, at that time, they didn?t open up girls' basketball to a full court,? said Ray. ?They didn't think girls were able to run the full court.?

Not only were girls limited to half courts, but also specific skills were restricted to certain positions. Guards, like Ray, were limited to guarding while forwards were limited to shooting. At the time, female students rarely had the opportunity to be on a basketball team and were lucky to have one if they did.

Continued on page 10 ...

Home of the blues, land of the br ave Recent violence has students asking, " Should we choose 901?"

By Lily Mirza and Wallis Rogin This September, Memphis was rocked by a series of violent crimes. Just a few short days after the kidnapping and murder of St. Mary?s Lower School teacher Eliza Fletcher, a man went on a shooting spree across the city that ended four lives.

Chloie Madden (11) was driving home from church during the shooting. ?I saw what was like a normal accident, and there was a man running in the street,? Madden said. ?I just turned onto a different street to avoid it, and

then I got back on Poplar ? and I was driving down, and there were, no joke, 50 police cars.?

She later realized that they were in pursuit of the active shooter.

Madden, who lives in the area where the shooting took place, said the incident brought home the issue of crime in Memphis. ?Everything happened way too close for comfort,? she said. ?I have always known that it is a dangerous city, but now I think it can happen to anybody. It has made me more aware of my surroundings.?

The recent violence in Memphis is making students question whether returning to their hometown is the best option.

When considering where to live after college, students look at the level of safety in the area. For many, Memphis will permanently be known as home, but crime remains a problem, causing some to turn their backs to the city.

For Sara Ottinger (12), it is difficult to feel safe doing normal activities because crime feels so common.

Continued on page 4...

On the money Where do tuition dollar s go?

By Kate Wolfkill Senior and lifer Charlie LaMountain (12) realized one day that she had no idea where her tuition dollars were going.

Out of curiosity about how much tuition has cost the lifers of the Class of 2023 over 15 years, LaMountain calculated it.

According to her math, the 33 lifers in her graduating class had spent a collective total of $6 million. While this calculation did not take into account the changes in tuition over the years, it is the kind of number that raises questions. Where does the money go? ?I think it?s important to

understand the cost of this school, especially since after graduating, students have to figure out the reality of financing their college and everyday lives,? LaMountain said. ?I would like to know how our tuition is spent.?

It is a question many have asked over the years, and one that has answers.

What does it cost to r un St. M ar y's?

St. Mary?s tuition bills may seem big, but placed along comparable schools, they are only average.

Continued on page 7...

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Tatler Staff.

MEMPHIS, TENN. EDI TOR-I N-CHI EF Cam Hart (12) DEPUTY EDI TOR Brennan Seltzer (11) EDI TOR OF ART AND M EDI A Emily Smith (11) SOCI AL M EDI A M ANAGER Holden Taylor (10)

ST. M A RY 'S EPI SCOPA L SCHOOL

DEC. 2, 2022

L ETTER FROM THE EDI TOR: Creating this print edition opened my eyes to a world of new perspectives. Articles like Lea Thomas's "It's not just Kanye," Ella Curlin's "Styrofoam?!" and Bianca Dishmon's review of "Don't Worry Darling" confront and challenge the narratives that society forces onto us. Other articles discuss the crime in Memphis, Title IX and its legacy, underappreciated sports and so much more. I'm so proud of the work the Tatler staff has created, and I hope that as you read, your eyes are also opened to some new perspectives and ideas. Major thanks to Tatler's adviser Dr. Robertson, my Deputy Editor Brennan Seltzer and every Tatler staff member.

So, get reading, and as always ? live, love, Tatler.

EDI TORI AL :

STAFF EDI TORS Maggie Akers (12) Ella Curlin (11) Bianca Dishmon (11) Averie Howell (11) Hannah Kerlan (12)

Staff editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board. Letters to the editor in response to the editorial are encouraged.

The Editorial Board: Cam Hart, Brennan Seltzer, Emily Smith, Maggie Akers, Ella Curlin, Bianca Dishmon, Averie Howell, Hannah Kerlan and Anna Smith

Anna Smith (11)

ASSI STANT EDI TORS Hana Barber (10) Eshaal Hassan (10) Wallis Rogin (10) Kate Wolfkill (10)

REPORTERS Mary Elizabeth Dyer (10) Kim Huang (10) Molly Kirshbaum (9) Lily Mirza (10) Lillian Nazarova (11) Eve Pai (10) Blaney Rowe (10) Natalie Smith (10) Lea Thomas (12) Sophie Wallace (10) Callie Wittmann (12)

ARTI STS Evie Bartlett (10) Allie Burkhart (12) Sophie Jordan (11) Michelle Jun (12) Charlie LaMountain (12) Sarah Moon (11) Ellis Rougeou (11) Virginia Skipworth (11) Tracy Zhang (10)

The difference between complaints and questions Do you know where your tuition money is going?

Probably not, but you might want to.

St. Mary?s prides itself in being an open institution; there are open-door policies, questions are encouraged and curiosity is never dismissed. So, why are the finances of St. Mary's such a mystery?

Because we let them be.

Empty complaints are at the root of the problem. We tend to complain just for complaining?s sake, with no action ever taken to solve the issue.

People complain on a daily basis. It is rare to go through a school day without hearing, ?I already give the school enough money? or

?Why should I have to pay extra if I am giving so much to even be here??

Being curious like this and asking these questions is completely understandable, but it is pointless if it is just a complaint.

As ?St. Mary?s girls,? we are meant to be inquisitive. We are meant to be powerful women who do not budge when someone tries to push us down.

We have dignity.

But, we, the Editorial Board of Tatler, worry that we are disrupting this foundation we have as students with all of this ?complaining? ? and not just complaining about tuition or costs at our school but also about grades, friendships, politics,

college, anything.

There is a difference between complaining and being inquisitive.

Complaining has its limits, but curiosity leads to answers. So, go ask the questions.

New reporter on staff and sophomore Kate Wolfkill asked the questions. She got the answers about tuition that many of us have complained about for so long. She knocked on the doors of Chief of Financial Officer Ms. Lynn Isaacs, Board Member Mr. Jeffrey Block and Director of Admission and Financial Aid Ms. Nicole Hernandez. She stopped complaining and started asking questions.

And you know what?

The answers are really interesting.

We urge you to complain for a minute, then stop and go get answers. Be inquisitive.

Very few people in this world have the guts to stand up and speak out, but, if we want to truly be the definition of a St. Mary?s girl, this is exactly what we must do.

While the administration has to keep some information private, they work to involve students and families in their decision-making ? but first, we have to knock on the door. Whatever their response, it doesn?t hurt to ask.

If you, like us, want to take a step beyond complaining and get answers, read ?On the money: Where do tuition dollars go??

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Opinions.

MEMPHIS, TENN.

ST. M A RY 'S EPI SCOPA L SCHOOL

DEC. 2, 2022

The opinions represented in this section are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the Tatler staff. We encourage letters to the editor in response.

I t's not j ust K anye

By Lea Thomas It was recently reported that Kanye West originally hoped his album that was released as ?Ye? would be titled ?Hitler.?

According to a business executive who worked for the rapper and record producer, ?[Kanye] would praise Hitler by saying how incredible it was that he was able to accumulate so much power and would talk about all the great things he and the Nazi Party achieved for the German people.?

This revelation is just one in a long line of antisemitic statements from West, and he has rightly been called out on social media.

Companies like Adidas, Balenciaga, Vogue, MRC documentary and the CAA (Creative Artists Agency) have ended their partnerships with Kanye as a result.

Responding to my request for comment, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) wrote in an email about his reaction to West?s comments, the recent acts of antisemitism and the response it has drawn in the media. ?Kanye West?s remarks are despicable, but it is uplifting to see all those condemning them and cutting off relations with him as they repudiate antisemitism,?

Cohen said. ?There may be more antisemitism in the country and in the world now than at any time since World War II. This is a great concern to the Jewish people and to all people of goodwill.?

However, the response has not all been positive. On Oct. 24, an antisemitic hate group hung up signs on the 405 freeway in Los Angeles saying, ?Honk if you know Kanye is right about the Jews.?

People still listen to Kanye?s music, buy his clothing and make excuses for him and for people like him, like actor Gina Carano or politician Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Just as Carano still acts and Greene still holds office, those with power or fame get off the hook for normalized antisemitic behavior.

It is no secret that antisemitism is on the rise. According to a report

by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), in 2021, there were an average of seven antisemitic incidents per day, 34% higher than the previous year.

Seventy-seven years after the Holocaust, we are still seeing antisemitism increase at a dangerous rate.

These statistics from the ADL may seem like just numbers, but 2,717 reported incidents and an increase of 167% in assaults in one year is not normal. We are four years after the deadliest assault on Jewish people in the United States, the Tree of Life shooting. But for some reason, 11 people being murdered was not enough for the world to put a stop to antisemitism. ?Generally, when there?s antisemitism, there?s prejudice that comes out openly against others based on religion, race, gender and sexual orientation,?

Cohen wrote. ?None of that is good for society.?

The fact is antisemitism has been normalized not by the ?big? things like swastikas or the banners seen on the 405, but by the ?little? things like supporting problematic celebrities and media that hold small, yet immense, symbols of hate.

Movies and TV shows that stereotype Jews or, even worse, dehumanize them, seem to get a ?free pass.? ?Do Revenge? was released on Sept. 16, 2022. Despite the 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, antisemitism remained a large theme throughout the movie.

The main antagonist, a wealthy, elite and politically connected teenager, is seen wearing a button-up shirt with the top buttons unhooked exposing his Jewish star necklace.

Viewers learn the character is Jewish at the same moment that he is revealed to be the antagonist. This perpetuates the image that Jewish people are inherently ?villainous.? This antisemitic symbolism can also be seen today in the 21st century as Jewish people have been blamed for various events such as the 9/11 attacks, causing the COVID-19 pandemic and controlling the government.

The ?Harry Potter? series is the third most widely read book across the world, but the series integrates antisemitic tropes and hatred for Jewish people.

J.K. Rowling describes the goblins in the book series as a

Ar t by Ellis Rou geou ?secretive cabal of hook-nosed bankers, who maintain a contentious relationship with the wizarding world, who view them with deep suspicion.?

Hook-noses, bankers and greediness are all classic antisemitic stereotypes. The movie portrays the goblins similarly to the representation of Jewish people in Nazi propoganda posters.

Roald Dahl, the children?s book author famous for ?Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? and ?Matilda,? is viewed as a literary icon. He also admitted that he was antisemitic in an interview in 1983 prior to his death and argued that Hilter ?didn?t just pick on [Jewish people] for no reason.?

The fourth season of the much-loved series ?Stranger Things? also brought accusations of antisemitism.

The filming for the prison camp scenes was done in the Luki?k?s Prison in Vilnius, Lithuania, a center that imprisoned and murdered Jews during the Holocaust.

On May 27, 2022, the Lithuanian National Radio and Television announced that Luki?k?s would be joining with AirBnB to make a ?Stranger Things?-themed cell available for public use.

Evelyn Frick, Jewish advocate, writer and comedian, said, ?To put that in context: For 107 Euros ($114) a night, Luki?k?s Prison and AirBnB offered ?Stranger Things?fans the opportunity to light-heartedly eat waffles in a place where Jews were held before they were murdered, and Soviet political prisoners were tortured and executed.?

In addition, Eleven, a character in the show, has ?011? tattooed on her wrist. Fans have recently been getting matching ones, which the creators of ?Stranger Things? have been encouraging by reposting them on their official Instagram account ? ignoring the obvious parallels to Jewish prisoners during the Holocaust.

This past summer, I traveled with a group of Jewish teenagers to Poland, and we had to be accompanied by a security guard. I saw the horrors of the Holocaust and a freshly painted swastika. When our group would sing songs in Hebrew or pray in a service, people walking by would stop, listen and video us.

I realized it was because they had never seen Jewish people before. All of the Jewish people from the area were murdered over 70 years ago.

Celebrities and media are choosing to ignore this history and sending the message that antisemitism is a normal part of life.

I have gotten used to the Jewish side characters being classically weird, annoying and full of other Jewish stereotypes, but personally, I never canceled my Netflix subscription, I read the ?Harry Potter? series and the majority of Roald Dahl books, and I have worn my brother?s Yeezys. Does that make me any

better than the person paying to stay at the Luki?k?s Prison AirBnB? A few weeks ago, during Yom Kippur services at Baron Hirsch synagogue, we were forced to go into lockdown. While we later found out that nothing concerning had occurred, I was very frightened, as all I saw were the security guards pulling out massive guns and herding us into a different space. Needing protection at a place of worship is not a reality that should be normalized, but the doors into my synagogue are bullet proof and manned by armed security guards.

As humans and leaders of the next generation, we have the opportunity to denormalize events like these. Education is the key to eradicating antisemitism, and all other forms of hate.

Unfortunately, as states ban books and remove Holocaust curriculum in schools, the ignorance will just continue to become more prevalent. The swift backlash to Kanye?s tweets show a step towards progress that should be admired and continued.

Rayna Rose Exelbierd, third-generation Holocaust survivor and author believes that the best way to raise awareness about antisemitism is through educating those close to you. ?For any cause, you need people outside of the affected community to bring light and attention,?

Exelbierd said. ?It is important to call out hate and educate others, most importantly on the interpersonal levels. This is where true progress is created.? ?Knowledge is power,?

Exelbierd said. ?Each person has the ability to make a difference in their own network collectively creating a more accepting world. "

4

News.

MEMPHIS, TENN.

Continued from page 1... ?It?s really terrifying that the place I love so much is not even safe for me to go out and do things with my friends because I am constantly running the risk of being seriously hurt or even killed,? said Ottinger.

Some seniors like Ottinger are wondering whether or not they should return to Memphis in the future because of the high crime rate.

Crime in Memphis has increased in recent years. Since 2006, gun violence rose by 8.3%, murder went up by 7.2% and aggravated assault increased by 2.4% In 2021, Memphis experienced a record-breaking number of murders according to Memphiscrime.org.

For alumnae Hannah Chancellor (?22), Memphis became less appealing when she went away and realized while living in Auburn, Ala., how dangerous Memphis is in comparison. At the same time, it is important to note that large cities like Memphis are generally more dangerous than smaller cities like Auburn.

ST. M A RY 'S EPI SCOPA L SCHOOL ?As I came [to Auburn], I realized after talking to so many people about where they came from and hearing about their experiences versus things that happened in Memphis, I realized how truly bad and abnormal [the crime] is,?

Chancellor said.

Not everyone feels the same, however.

Memphis is known for its music and barbecue. Each year, tourists flock to downtown Memphis to experience all the ?Home of the Blues? has to offer. Not only is it home to the Civil Rights Museum and Graceland, but also lots of small, hole-in-the-wall cafes and coffee shops.

Many native Memphians enjoyed growing up here and experiencing its beauty firsthand. Those with families that are rooted in Memphis feel especially connected.

Native Memphian and Assistant Head of School Hillary Robinson (?90) moved back to Memphis after college.

Egypt in M emphis Agents seize illegal ar tifact

leave. In her sophomore year, Grayson Finks (12) was attacked in front of the Planet Fitness in Midtown by a man experiencing homelessness. Despite what she says was a traumatic experience, she still loves Memphis. ?It has not [impacted my view of Memphis],? said Finks. ?The only thing that happens is that I hold a key in my hand for protection when I walk to my car.?

For Camille McMullen, a judge on the Tennessee Court of Appeals Western Section, one of the city?s best qualities is the people living here. ?I believe that the people of Memphis historically have been strong, gritty,? she said, ?and that sort of thing is what makes a community stronger and able to come together ? [ordinary people?s] everyday lives have a ripple effect. Smile more.

Support people. Be conscious of your everyday behavior.?

Along with the assistance of all Memphians, McMullen said that city officials can help.

?I think that it really is a policy issue, and to address crime, you really have to work at a comprehensive solution,? she said. ?People have different talents and skills, and we need to promote not only college graduates but also those who have trade skills. They are equally as important.?

While awaiting a solution, Memphians are reflecting on recent crimes and how they will affect them. ?I?ve lived here my whole life, so it?s just my perception of how my home is. Even with the crime, this is Memphis, and that is okay,?

Finks said. ?I love Memphis despite the crime because it is my home.?

While citizens like Finks are confident that living in Memphis is worth living with crime, others like Ottinger are not so certain that the good outweighs the bad. ?Memphis is a beautiful place with all sorts of rich culture and wonderful people,? said Ottinger, ?but it would be silly if I did not take it at face value that it is a very dangerous place. It is hard to love Memphis so much but also be so afraid of it.?

You snooze, you lose St. M ar y?s gir ls tr ade shuteye for excellence

By Bianca Dishmon Since Aug. 17, the University of Memphis has been in possession of a canopic jar after it was seized by Homeland Security?s Department of Cultural Property, Art and Antiquities (CPAA), a subunit of Homeland Security?s International Operations unit.

The jar, known as the Canopic Jar Lid of Imnesty, was first found on Gallery Listing, an auction website with its roots in the United Kingdom. These jars have bases of concrete, and the one in possession of the University of Memphis is believed to date back to 1550-1292 B.C. It is illegal in the United States for artifacts to enter and exit countries without following certain guidelines set by Homeland Security, and, because of this, the Canopic Jar that was illegally imported was intercepted by the CPAA. The experts at the University of Memphis were able to authenticate the jar and connect it to the Egyptian Third Intermediate Period between 1069 to 653 B.C., giving the jar an estimated age of 3,000 years. After authentication, the University of Memphis handed the jar back to the CPAA, which plans on returning the artifact back to its original location in Egypt.

It is important to remember artifacts are worth far more historically than they could ever be materially. Dr. Lorelei Corcoran,

?We were living in Jackson, [Miss.], and we had no family there, so we just wanted to be closer to family,? said Robinson. ?At the time, we had three children under the age of five, and we wanted to be back home.?

Those who have family in Memphis have a stronger sense of community there, which can be an attractive force.

In addition to family, Memphis also has a strong and supportive public community united by its collective experiences. Madden was amazed by how many Memphians gathered during a citywide run honoring Eliza Fletcher. ?We have such a strong community even though all this has happened,? Madden said. ?I went to the run for Eliza Fletcher, and so many people were there, people who did not even know her. It was amazing.?

Even some students who have experienced crime firsthand do not necessarily feel the need to

DEC. 2, 2022

By Lily Mirza

Ar t by Tr acy Zh an g Egyptopology professor at the University of Memphis who was involved in identifying the jar, feels that selling artifacts in such ways as the Canopic Jar Lid of Imnesty was wrong, that artifacts such as this can never have a price tag put on them. ?We believe these pieces are invaluable because they are history,? said Corcoran.

CPAA agent Keith Hale explained in a lecture at University of Memphis on Egyptology and artifacts that the government does much more than just tax. It also helps protect these ancient works from corruption. Had the government not intercepted the Canopic Jar, an artifact with real ties to ancient history would have been illegally sold. ?I hope [you can] appreciate some of the awesome things [the government] does, instead of just all the awful things that are talked about [in the news],?

Hale said.

Getting enough sleep is a luxury most St. Mary?s girls cannot afford. A recent poll from 132 St. Mary?s high school students revealed that only 7.6% of them get the eight to 10 hours of sleep recommended by the CDC. On a typical school night, Rebecca Schweitzer (11) stays up past midnight doing homework, and exhaustion can make it hard to concentrate. ?I find it really hard to focus, especially when studying,? said Schweitzer.

Schweitzer sees other people at St. Mary?s using energy drinks like coffee, Celsius and Red Bull to stay wide awake. ?At St. Mary?s it is almost normalized, the lack of sleep,?

Schweitzer said. ?I think that a lot of people just accept that going to bed late is just part of academics here.?

It is especially difficult for student athletes, like Claire Chauhan (10), a member of the varsity swim team, to squeeze a good night?s sleep into their schedules. ?I get probably seven or seven and a half hours [of sleep], and I am the type of person that really relies on a lot of sleep, so it is kind of hard for me,? said Chauhan.

Chauhan actually falls on the

better side of the spectrum.

According to the Tatler?s sleep survey, the average St. Mary?s high school student gets about six and a half hours of sleep.

Schweitzer observes that students at other schools seem to get more sleep. ?My sister went to high school at Briarcrest, [Christian School]? she said. ?I would see her every night on the phone talking to friends and getting to bed, like the night was free time.?

Sleep deprivation increases the risk of disease, mental health issues, injury and car accidents.

It corresponds to a lower grade point average since it impairs cognitive function and memory consolidation, according to the National Library of Medicine.

In addition, most students do not reach their full potential when they are exhausted. ?I'm frequently not as engaged in class [when I have not slept enough],? said Chauhan.

Spanish teacher Ms. Sarah Kerst said she notices the effects that sleep deprivation has on her students. ?You can see it in their eyes and their appearance,? Kerst said. ?Sometimes their brains really can not understand what is happening.?

Kerst hopes her students will choose rest over crash studying. ?You can study so much, but if you stay up until 4:00 in the

morning and try to take a test, it is not going to work,? said Kerst. ?The more important thing is that you get at least six or seven hours of sleep.?

The student poll revealed that 55.7% of students stay up because they need to complete their homework and prepare for assessments.

Schweitzer said she thinks that more could be done by St. Mary?s teachers to help students get enough sleep. ?I definitely feel like it could be accommodated for by talking about it with teachers. I think they could be lenient,? she said.

When she knows her students are busy, Kerst adjusts her schedule. ?I always try to take into consideration the events that you guys have and the extracurriculars and try to work around that,? said Kerst.

However, other classes are not as flexible. ?Different teachers will have different opinions around your work given at night,? she said. ?Homework is as important as our tests, but I think we could do a better job of coordinating test days.?

Kerst thinks it is time to reconsider treating sleep like a nonnecessity.

She said, ?It is an active issue in our society, the idea of achievement over self care.?

5

News.

MEMPHIS, TENN.

ST. M A RY 'S EPI SCOPA L SCHOOL

DEC. 2, 2022

The double life of a high school baller ina Rosamond M ullinax?s schedule keeps her on her toes

By Cam Hart On any average day this October, Rosamond Mullinax came to school just like you and me, ready for whatever tests or homework checks come her way, but when ALAPP arrived, she packed up her bag, got her hair in a bun and left.

Starting in August, Mullinax understudied for a role in ?Dracula? for Ballet Memphis, a company show. This means the people she worked with were professional dancers who perform for a living, so rehearsals took place during the school day. Once ?Dracula? ended, her busy schedule continued as she began rehearsals for the company show ?Nutcracker? that is performed in the Orpheum.

Her schedule was designed to make this middle-of-the-day rehearsal schedule work. With free periods in the middle portion of her days, she has not missed much actual school, but she does stay very busy.

Arriving back in time to eat a quick lunch before running off to her final two classes for the day, she leaves school with the rest of us at 3:15 p.m. But she does not go home to take a nap or do homework. She returns to a different studio where she has another student rehearsal.

Ultimately, on her longest day of ballet classes, Mullinax spends about six hours dancing.

This semester alone she has balanced being an understudy in ?Dracula,? having a role in ?The Nutcracker,? attending student practices and socializing with her friends. ?I have somewhat of a social life,? she said. ?It's not like I make it a

priority to go out every Friday anyways. But I feel like I've been able to do stuff with my friends, but there are obviously times where I'm just too tired.?

In her 14 years of ballet experience, Mullinax has found that her mental wellbeing is not often negatively impacted by her teachers or peers, despite the stereotypes. ?There are definitely some places in the ballet world that are super toxic and do [make negative comments about bodies and eating]. Everyone else recognizes how it's so wrong,? Mullinax said. ?But, that is a slight misconception about ballet that everyone in ballet [restricts] food and [tells] people they need to lose weight.?

She said that the environment at Ballet Memphis is positive, though her love for ballet fluctuates season to season. ?[My motivation] kind of ebbs and flows,? she said. ?At times, I feel so drained, and I don?t even want to go.?

With ?The Nutcracker? rehearsals in full swing and the performances happening on Dec. 16-18, Mullinax observes a change in heart. ?There's something about ?Nutcracker?season, though,?

Mullinax said. ?I'm excited for it because it?s so nostalgic.

I?m excited for it, even though I know in the middle of it I'm going to feel super tired.?

Rosam on d M u llin ax (11) w r aps h er h air in t o a bu n at sch ool bef or e leavin g f or dan ce r eh ear sal. Sh e h as spen t m ost of h er f ir st sem est er of ju n ior year leavin g sch ool du r in g t h e day f or ballet . (Ph ot o by Cam Har t ) Despite her achievements, Mullinax does not know what the future holds for her yet where dance is concerned. ?I'm so unsure at this point. I definitely could see myself continuing it in some way after I graduate, but at the same time, I

could get to the end of senior year and I could feel done with it,?

Mullinax said. ?At this point I'm really not sure, and I can see myself in either situation.?

But no matter what, Mullinax loves what she does. ?It's the times when [a

performance] doesn't go badly ? and you feel like all your work paid off,? she said. ?I can never be perfect, but I can always feel like I did the best I could at that time, and next time I do it, I might do it better.?

M other M ir anda has big hopes for chapel

By Brennan Seltzer

M ot h er M ir an da Cu lly plan s ch apel in h er of f ice. Sh e pr eviou sly w or k ed at St . Joh n's Episcopal Ch u r ch .

(Ph ot o by Br en n an Selt zer )

Chapel is a time for busy students to settle into their pew for a speech, some songs or a meditation. Seniors pass on their wisdom, bands and singers perform and announcements are made.

Leading the school through this daily ritual is the new Head Chaplain, Reverend Miranda Cully, or as she prefers to be called, Mother Miranda. After working at St. John?s Episcopal Church as a priest for four years, she moved into the St. Mary?s community at the start of this new school year.

Shelby Williams (11), a church-goer at St. John?s and St. Mary?s lifer, said she thinks Mother Miranda is a good fit for St. Mary's. ?She is really such a calming presence that I think people really appreciate,? said Williams. ?I feel like everyone is always kind of stressed out ? and she has a very calming voice. She kinda balances us out because we are chaotic.?

Mother Miranda has spent these past couple of months learning about and observing the St. Mary?s community.

?I already knew that there was a strong St. Mary?s bond, a strong St. Mary?s heritage and tradition,? said Mother Miranda, ?but people here actually care about each other ? it is very real ? and you do not see groups of people that are that tight very often.?

Mother Miranda hopes to expand her ministry as a chaplain and bring her thoughts and experiences to a younger generation and different community. ?I loved being a priest ? and I had gotten where I was with adults a lot, and I missed being around younger people ? and I was just ready to be in a different environment,? said Mother Miranda.

As Mother Miranda aims to be as inclusive as possible and incorporate other faiths and spiritualities so that chapel can be a safe space for everyone. ?Our Christian faith, as Episcopalians see it, should be an inclusive one,? said Mother Miranda. ?I like to see people take ownership of their own traditions, their own interests, their own culture and feel free to bring them to chapel? I would love to see more participation and more

voices.?

Maya Iyengar (10) recently helped in creating the Diwali chapel celebrating the Hindu festival of lights to welcome the new year. ?I like [the inclusivity of chapel] because we just had our Diwali chapel and [Mother Miranda] was super open to different ideas, and she is trying to incorporate more channels that have not been included in the past of smaller minorities,? said Iyengar.

Hilary Robinson (?90), Associate Head of School, was involved in Mother Miranda?s hiring process and recalled in a memo why she was the perfect candidate. ?Mother Miranda showed us that she is collaborative and wise,? she wrote. ?She is an ordained Episcopalian priest who is a perfect fit for our St. Mary?s community.? ?Mother Miranda immediately drew me in with her warmth and caring,? said Robinson. ?[She] is so St. Mary?s. She brings a lot to the table, and I can?t wait for everyone to really get to know her.?

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Styrofoam?!

DEC. 2, 2022

Read more on our website:

Sustainability comes at too high a cost in the dining hall

By Ella Curlin When you walk out of the dining hall at the end of lunch, you might notice the four trash cans overflowing with single-use dinnerware, specifically plates and bowls made of styrofoam, a notoriously non-eco friendly plastic that sheds polluting microplastics and is almost impossible to recycle. This might bother you, or perhaps you feel guilty, but ultimately, there is not much you can do about it.

Earlier this year Sage Dining Services, St. Mary?s lunch provider, swapped for the second time since the beginning of the pandemic from the biodegradable plates listed in their ?commitment to sustainability? statement online to styrofoam.

Like Sage, St. Mary?s has pledged itself to ?long term sustainability.? What?s holding us back?

This sacrifice of sustainability came partially in the name of budgeting. Sage operates on a fixed budget that is determined by the administration. Director of Operations Sarah Jenks has found that supply chain issues and inflation have caused raised prices and forced compromises in certain areas. ?We have seen a significant increase in food cost ? [and] huge increases in inflation,? Jenks said. ?We did not pass that cost along to [students and parents], so ? we are making other determinations of things we might sacrifice.?

Sage was able to continue using compostable napkins, silverware and cups. However, Sage?s Food Service Director Chef Stav Goehl said that the usual compostable bamboo plates have become both hard to find and too expensive.

Goehl explained that not only is it difficult to find enough bamboo plates to last through lunch, but they are significantly more expensive than the styrofoam plates. ?The cost management of [the plates] is just astronomical,? Goehl said.

In the Lower School, Sage avoids this issue by having students use reusable bento boxes, but the Upper School dining hall is not built to support that system.

The Dining Hall opened in January 2020 as part of the newly built Athletic and Wellness Facility. During its design process, the administration decided that the

cons of reusable dinnerware outweighed the benefits. As a result, the Upper School cafeteria does not have the structure necessary to support reusability.

Jenks explained that the decision was motivated by a variety of factors, including the problem of student mobility during lunch. ?Student[s] at a higher level? have autonomy and [can] go places to eat lunch [other than the dining hall],? she said. ?So can you imagine ? the cost involved of having to go and search around for that plate, that cup, that everything else.?

Jenks recalls the administration also being concerned about the potential financial burden. ?The added cost of what it would have been in a cafeteria to add two more employees just for

dishwashing, extra drying, more utility bills? we looked at all those things,? she said.

Additionally, the administration had concerns about the actual environmental benefits of reusability. ?Look at the chemicals that it takes to sterilize and wash [the dinnerware]... and the amount of water that it takes, and heating that water,? Jenks said.

Despite these concerns, most experts agree that reusables are usually preferable over single-use dinnerware, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. The process of creating, disposing of and transporting single-use materials has to be repeated for each use, building up waste, releasing greenhouse gasses and using up natural resources. For reusable items, continued use over a longer lifetime helps to

balance out the environmental cost.

All of these concerns, from student autonomy to saving money, raise questions about where priorities should lie.

To Environmental Club President Naisha Gaur (12), these questions are of utmost importance. ?If we continue to live as we are living, the [global] warming will be too great for natural earth systems to counterbalance,? Gaur said. ?So we have to change ? if we want to stay on this planet.?

Gaur emphasized that our future and our children?s futures depend on everything we do now. ?We?re the generation that will get to see the impacts of what the previous generation has done to our planet,? Gaur said. ?So we really have to care.?

Fr ance tr ip launches revival of Global Education Progr am

By Averie Howell

Teacher s in the wild

By Molly Kirshbaum

A year of change for M ock Tr ial

By Blaney Rowe

Af t er lu n ch , t h e t r ash piles u p in t h e gar bage can s. Wit h ou t r ecyclin g or r eu sable dish w ar e, st u den t s h ave n ot h ad ot h er opt ion s f or w h er e t o pu t t h eir t r ash . (Ph ot o by Ella Cu r lin )

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Continued from page 1...

According to the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), which gathers data on independent schools, the average tuition for all combined grade levels of independent day schools is $27,950. St. Mary?s Upper School tuition tops out at $24,475.

Ms. Lynn Isaacs, St. Mary?s chief financial officer, explains the connection between NAIS and the St. Mary?s tuition number. ?[NAIS] compiles data from schools like us,? said Isaacs. ?We submit data for them on a yearly basis, and they use it to ? compile averages across the country.?

Those averages then get used as guidelines for setting things like faculty and staff salaries, the largest expense the school faces. ?That?s a tool we?re using to make sure we stay with the market,? Isaacs said.

Salaries alone consume around 75% of each student?s annual tuition.

While Isaacs didn?t give an exact average salary for faculty and staff at St. Mary?s, she explained that a number of factors are weighed. ?[Teacher salary] varies and depends on a lot of things. St. Mary?s considers things like years of experience, advanced degrees, and overall performance,? Issacs said.

Isaacs, who has been CFO for three years, oversees anything and everything related to the school?s finances, including accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll.

The St. Mary?s Board only has direct oversight of the Head of School?s contract and salary. Other salaries are decided by Head of School Albert Throckmorton, Associate Head of School Hilary Robinson, Director of Operations Sarah Jenks and Isaacs, in conjunction with division heads and other managers.

After salary expenses, the utilities, operating, cleaning and repair of the buildings, as well as security costs, are significant expenditures funded by tuition. ?You have cleaning, you have repairs, you have utilities. Those are big costs,? said Isaacs.

Students might be surprised to learn that tuition only funds 85-90% of the budget annually, with the balance coming from fundraising and other programs.

How is tuition set?

Jeffrey Block, a six-year member of the Board, recently finished his term as chair of the Finance Committee.

Block explained that the Board is responsible for many tasks, and while some of these tasks can be

delegated to other members of administration, there is one that cannot. ?[Tuition setting] is one of the charges. That is one of the duties [the Board] cannot pass off to something else. They have to set the tuition numbers,? Block said.

There are numerous projections of expenses that are brought up when creating the yearly budget. Block explained that the early work preceding the refinement of the budget requires a certain amount of educated guesswork. ?We?re dealing with what energy is projected to do, and there's a little bit of a dartboard involved,? Block said. ?We are going ?Hey, what do we think the budget [for energy] is going to be???

November marks the institution of budget conversations for the next school year that last until September of the following year. From there, tuition is one of the first topics discussed, since tuition rates for the following school year are published in early January.

In that discussion, questions surround what sum of tuition will cover expenses, what the competitive market is and what peer schools in Memphis are doing.

Another aspect of formulating the final tuition number is grade level and demand.

By the end of November, the Finance Committee finalizes their recommendations for tuition, and they are then refined and authorized by the Board as a whole.

After the January tuition publication date, projections for student body numbers and financial aid come out and faculty contracts are negotiated, all before the end of May. Between December and May, the Finance Committee works closely with school leadership, including Throckmorton, Jenks, Isaacs, Robinson and the department heads, to determine budgetary priorities for their specific operations. Block feels that students have access to every resource they could need to fulfill their educational goals. ?We always try to make sure that we have allocations for those things that are needed for the mission of the school, for the girls to reach their potential, in all those different ways that we want that to happen,? Block said.

In the September board meeting of the following year, the budget is completely

finalized.

What about financial aid?

Running St. Mary?s for an average year costs around $15-$20 million, with 85-90% being funded by tuition.

The rest of the budget is supplemented by the St. Mary?s Annual Fund, which makes about $1 million per year, and the invested endowment, which has over 50 named funds so that donors can give to a specific cause in which they are interested.

Around four percent is removed from the total of the endowment?s named funds per year. Specific funds include faculty enrichment, travel and financial aid, which plays a large role in many St. Mary?s girls?experiences.

Annually, approximately $1.5 million is given in financial aid, with the average award being $9,500 per student, including an added meal plan discount.

This amount is totally separate from the 50% discount given to one daughter of faculty and staff and to active, ordained clergy of all faith traditions.

To be considered for aid, a family must first fill out a comprehensive application on a third-party website called School and Student Services, which requires a $55 estimated fee.

Families provide information about family size, assets, incomes and expenses. School and Student Services then provides a monetary amount that families should be able to pay, divided by the number of students attending tuition-charging schools.

After a family has a chance to see their potential financial aid package from St. Mary?s, they are able to appeal, and in some cases, financial aid can be adjusted.

Over the last year, Nicole Hernandez, Director of Admission and Financial Aid, has been including fees in the amount that is eligible for aid. ?This year we tried to wrap in a lot of those instructional and supply fees,? said Hernandez. ?So looking at those costs when we awarded [financial aid], we added tuition and fees to look at [families?] total ? obligation.?

According to Isaacs and Hernandez, the $675 Instructional and Activities Fee listed on the website covers some of the school?s technology costs. ?Think of all of the

instructional materials that you are using, even in chemistry class, to the things you are doing in your labs,? Hernandez said. ?All of those extra materials that are consumable materials, that we cannot reuse year over year, are things also that are covered in this fee.?

There are discounts and awards available for costs ranging from required student travel to textbooks to the meal plan. Hernandez?s goal is for students to have the ability to fully invest themselves in the school, without worrying about

costs. ?We are trying to do everything we can to enable more girls to come here so that tuition is not a burden for them,? Hernandez said.

In the long run, St. Mary?s uses zero-based budgeting. The school does not budget for a profit. The goal is for expenses to equal income. ?We are not trying to charge anyone just to charge them [ . . . ] It?s a lot of money to send your kids to private school,? Block said. ?We try to be the best stewards of that money.?

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Exam study tips from M r s. Chr isty Askew

M eet the teacher s' pets

Give your self enough time to study.

By Hannah Kerlan

Write down how many exams you have and what days they're occurring, and then organize your study time accordingly.

Or ganize your study space.

Make sure your chair is comfortable, but not too comfortable so you don't fall asleep. And finally, make sure any distractions (cell phone, TV, computer games) are out of sight.

Use flow char ts and diagr ams.

Visual aids can be super helpful when studying. Try writing down everything you know about a topic and then highlighting where the gaps are. Then, condense it into one-page diagrams.

Take past ver sions of tests/exams for that class.

This can help you get used to the format of questions, and if you time yourself, it can help you make sure you're spending the right amount of time on each question/section.

(Photo by Margo Huber)

Explain your answer s to other s.

Use your family members and/or friends to help you study. This definitely helps you get things clear in your head and also highlights which areas you might need to study a little more.

Or ganize study groups with fr iends.

First up, meet Physics teacher Ms. Margo Huber?s dog named Millie! An experienced trickster, Millie once jumped up at the door and locked herself in the bathroom. After searching for Millie for quite some time, Ms. Huber finally located her.

Door = busted down.

You may have questions they can answer and vice versa.

Take regular breaks.

You may think it's best to study for as many hours as possible, but this can actually be counter-productive. If you study better in the morning, start early and take a break at lunchtime. It's also great to get outside when you're taking a break.

Watch what you eat.

Stay away from junk food. What you eat can really have an impact on energy levels. I know it's hard ? trust me. I love me some junk food! Here are some foods that have been proven to help with concentration and memory: fish, nuts, yogurt, seeds and blueberries. On exam days, eat a good meal, and try to stay away from sugar.

Plan your exam days.

Get organized ahead of time. You don't want to be running late and frazzled when you start your exam.

Dr ink plenty of water.

Being hydrated is essential for your brain to work at its best!

M emphis Communiver sity

(Photo by Mason Brown) Meet college counselor Ms. Mason Brown's cat named Poe! (Yes, like the Edgar Allan) A neighborhood bandit, Poe once escaped the house and beat up the cat two doors down.

Reflecting, ?the audacity,? Brown said, ?to beat them up in their own domain.?

Calling all high schoolers! Memphis Communiversity was founded by Calculus teacher Mr. Mason Soun in 2019. The vision states that it is a non-profit organization "dedicated to helping students improve their scores for standardized tests." Specializing in the ACT, tutors are high school or college students who have a score of 32 or higher in their prospective section. Anyone with any score can sign up to be tutored at memphiscommuniversity.org.

There are also options for general math tutoring.

So, sophomores and juniors, start prepping for the most exciting part of high school by signing up for FREE tutoring (in-person or virtual) with Memphis Communiveristy.

Follow ou r social m edia!

@st m ar yst at ler (Photo by Holly Hensarling)

Wan t t o r espon d t o an ar t icle?

Em ail t at ler edit or @st m ar yssch ool.or g

A fan favorite for those who witnessed the adoption in Coach Casey?s office last year, meet AP World History and Director of Student Life Coach Holly Hensarling?s cat named Puppy! A dream come true (quite literally), Puppy.

Ar ts & Enter tainment.

MEMPHIS, TENN.

ST. M A RY 'S EPI SCOPA L SCHOOL

9

DEC. 2, 2022

" Don't Wor r y Dar ling" falls shor t of feminist ambition Spoiler aler t!

By Bianca Dishmon When asked to describe ?Don?t Worry Darling,? director Olivia Wilde said it was ??The Feminine Mystique?on acid,? a reference to Betty Friedan?s feminist classic, a film intended to make the audience, as Wilde explained, ?realize how rarely they see female hunger.?

But is the film a true representation of what Wilde described it to be? ?Don?t Worry Darling,? a psychological thriller starring A-list celebrities including Florence Pugh, Harry Styles and Chris Pine, is set in a 1950s California neighborhood that might be harboring deeper secrets than it seems, specifically in regards to an incident involving one of the neighbors. At the heart of the film are the housewives, the driving forces behind the husbands who leave for work each morning and expect the house to be perfectly prepared upon their arrival home, a premise that draws comparisons to one of the film?s inspirations: ?The Stepford Wives.? ?The Stepford Wives? is a science fiction comedy based on the 1972 novel of the same name written by Ira Levin. In both films, the role of women is to be a

housewife and nothing more; however, as the settings in both films are also fictitious, the viewers discover throughout the film that in actuality, the women play a much more important role than just housewife.

Historian Michelle Arrow called the ?Stepford Wives? ?a satire of male fears of women?s liberation,? a description that can also be applied to ?Don?t Worry Darling.?

The film?s male protagonist Jack Chambers (Styles) brainwashes his girlfriend, Alice Chambers (Pugh), as a result of both his insecurity with their relationship and the importance of her work. Seeing as this act is committed without Alice?s consent, it serves as representation of male-dominated society that exists both in the modern-day world and the fictional town of the Victory Project that Jack and Alice are transported into.

However, despite the pressure of subordination in both communities, the women seemingly find a way to overcome it; in the case of ?Don?t Worry Darling,? Alice overcomes by killing Jack and escaping the Victory Project. But is one out of the many affected escaping enough to overpower the theme of overt subordination?

Although Alice is able to escape the Victory Project for good, viewers leave the film without knowing what happened to the other women forced into the Victory Project?s utopian society.

However, while the ending might not be considered a full victory for feminism, it is extremely realistic. Nearly 22 million women worldwide are stuck in forced marriages, a similar yet far more drastic and realistic situation than that of the Victory Project women.

Female communities can and do empower one another and support each other despite all the hardships women face in their everyday lives. Unfortunately, Wilde?s film does not demonstrate this.

Instead of a supportive female community, we are shown one ridden with gaslighting, emotional disregard and an overall lack of compassion for one another. Despite the film?s ending providing us with some sense of feminism, we as the viewers are still unaware of what could happen to the women remaining.

I admire the film?s realism and its easy relation to modern-day struggles. But do I think it deserves to be referred to as a ?feminist movie?? Definitely not.

Unapologetic recommendation:

The K ar dashians

By Anna Smith The Kardashians have been on their hit reality TV show for as long as I can remember, from 2007 (when I was two years old) to 2021.

And now, we can all keep up with the family on their new Hulu show, ?The Kardashians.?

While the original show built a large fan base, it is also controversial: people either love it or hate it. I love it.

Once a week, I curl up on the couch snuggling with my puppy, and I watch 45 minutes of Kim, Khloe, Kris, Kourtney, Kendall and Kylie living their lives. I watch as they fly on private jets to their various houses, photo shoots and jobs (if that is what you want to call what they do).

And I love every minute.

However, I often find myself asking, why do I enjoy this? The

Kardashians are very out of touch with reality. But, there is something entertaining about watching billionaires live their constantly amusing lives and worry about which outfit to wear or what new car to buy. It helps me escape from my more ?worldly? worries.

Through watching the Kardashians, I have also learned something oddly comforting. Certain aspects of the human experience are universal. No amount of money can buy you out of heartbreak, the loss of a loved one or worries over health. It can certainly help, but we as a society often believe that if we had as much money as people like the Kardasians, we would be saved from all the other heartbreaks the world has to offer. They have shown me that is simply untrue.

Not only do I find comfort in the reminder of the universal human experience, but I also find comfort in the value the Kardasians have for their family. Throughout all the things that happen in their lives, they stick together. That is quite admirable.

If you watch the Kardashians, and you feel that you are wasting an hour of your life, remember it is alright.

Humans are humans, and humans find comfort in anything that they can.

For me, that is spending an hour watching Kim and Kourtney arguing over a missing earring.

In the first four days post-release, Taylor Swift's " Midnights" was streamed 357 million times ? the most for any album so far this year. (Photo from Republic Records)

Swift's " M idnights" disappoints

By Anna Smith It was a midnight of my own ? well, actually it was just 11 o'clock (the time of release.)

I woke myself up from my half-asleep state, and I listened to Taylor Swift?s new album that came out at 11:00 p.m. in Memphis. Or, at least, I tried to listen. Ultimately, I ended up falling asleep.

The release of Taylor Swift?s new album titled ?Midnights? had been in the back of my mind for the majority of the week leading up to it. I am not necessarily a Swiftie (Taylor Swift?s biggest fans), but I have been an intrigued listener since I was a little girl.

With Taylor?s recent releases of ?Folklore,? ?Evermore,? ?All too well (10-minute long version)? and ?Nothing New (ft. Phoebe Bridgers),? I was expecting something great, but that is not what I received.

To be honest, I did not make it through the album the first time I listened to it.

The first track, ?Lavender Haze,? gave me the feeling of walking around an H& M late at night. The lyrics of ?Anti-Hero,? (?Everybody is a sexy baby.? What?!), made me, well, a little uncomfortable.

Overall, I felt as if many of the songs felt like rejects from her older albums, ?1989? or ?Reputation.?

To be fair, I enjoyed some of the songs on the album like ?Snow on the Beach (ft. Lana Del Rey)? (even though it did not really feature Lana Del Rey?), ?The Great War? and ?Would?ve, Could?ve, Should?ve.?

But then again, the album as a whole was brought down by the weird lyrics about ?purring like a cat in my lap? from ?Karma,? the discomfort of ?Vigilante S* * * ? and more department store vibes in ?Bejeweled.? I also found it weird to hear Taylor talk about drug use and her use of cursing (in a non-emotional way).

However, I think that my judgment of this album comes from a place of a disappointed fan. As I said, I believe that some of Taylor Swift?s best work is ?Folklore? and ?Evermore.? I was expecting another album like that, an emotional retelling of some of Taylor?s sleepless nights, nights where she was kept awake by heartbreak, fear and anxiety.

I just did not expect a pop album. I did not want a pop album.

I do not believe that Taylor should have returned to pop music after showing what she was capable of with her most recent releases.

But maybe that is not fair. In her Netflix documentary, ?Miss Americana,? Swift said, in order for a female artist to remain relevant, she has to constantly reinvent herself ? which she definitely has done yet again with this new album.

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Continued from page 1...

In the 1960s, the only sports available at St. Mary?s, an all-girls school, were basketball and cheerleading, even without the competition for funding and facilities created by boys?sports.

Once Title IX was passed, the girls?basketball team proceeded to use full courts, and the players ceased to be restricted to certain roles. Furthermore, the number of sports available to students continued to grow, starting with the additions of soccer and lacrosse.

Ray?s pre-Title IX experience is only one example of the rapid progress that has occurred over the last 50 years. Not only were high schools progressing towards more equal opportunities within athletics and enrollment, but colleges and universities were also making advancements as well.

Mary Lou Johns, the first head coach of the University of Memphis women?s basketball team who was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame last year, recalls the recognition that female athletes received after Title IX was passed. ?No one knew that women even played golf or played tennis or played basketball because it was kind of shoved under the rug,? said Johns.

Johns, a pioneer in women?s college basketball, experienced the shift in opportunities for collegiate women's basketball players when Title IX was enacted. ?If Title IX had not come into effect, I would've never been a college coach at Memphis State because there wouldn't have been a team,?said Johns. ?We got where we had more money to spend on uniforms, [and] coaches had more money to recruit and travel. It just gradually started changing.?

Johns?career as the women?s Memphis Tigers?basketball coach from 1972 to 1991 showcases 368 victories, making her the fifth-highest winning NCAA Division I head coach in the state of Tennessee women?s basketball history. However, Johns prefers to view her success in a different light. ?I'm hoping I was more successful in directing the lives of the young,?

Johns said. ?In any sport, coaches are teaching skills, but it is also important to teach other things like life lessons, discipline and being part of a team and an organization.?

Enacted, but is it being upheld?

Although a wave of progress was sweeping over the country, the transition was not without its challenges.

Mary Murphy, currently the head coach of Hutchison's high school golf team, remembers an uphill battle for the acceptance of women?s sports

Mary Lou Johns coaching the Memphis Tigers women's basketball team. (Photo courtesy of Memphis Tigers Athletics) when she was playing collegiate golf at Southern Methodist University in the late 70s to early 80s. ?The NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association] did not condone women's sports, support women's sports or host women's sports because there was no money in it,? said Murphy. ?The president of the NCAA clearly stated that he thought women's sports were a joke.?

Murphy, who was the number one ranked junior golfer in the country and first team all-American in collegiate women?s sports, received a full athletic scholarship for her four years at Southern Methodist University through the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. ?That was the only way that the girls got a chance to get their scholarships and play for national championships and all that good stuff because the NCAA refused to even consider hosting women's sports championships."

In 1979, Murphy and her team won the National Championship, but the remaining records show otherwise. ?In 1982, the NCAA came in and said, ?Okay, we're going to do women's sports now. Now that you've done all the work, we're going to take this over.'"

The NCAA not only began to administer athletic scholarships for women, but they also forced universities

to choose the NCAA over AIAW, threatening to no longer sanction schools that associate their women?s athletics with the AIAW. In 1981, the AIAW unsuccessfully sued the NCAA for ?unlawfully using its monopoly power in men?s college sports to facilitate its entry into women?s college sports and to force the AIAW out of existence.? The AIAW ceased to exist on June 30, 1983 and along with it, most of its records. ?NCAA doesn't even recognize our records, and that's getting ready to change. They don't have me in as as a national championship winner.? said Murphy.

For Murphy and her teammates, her National Championship ring is one of the only remaining proofs of their victory in 1979. ?It's like it never happened.

They can pretend all they want that it didn't happen, but of course it did. According to the NCAA Mary Murphy didn't play collegiate golf, nor did she win a national championship,? said Murphy.

Where we are today Today, Title IX?s impact reaches athletes of all levels, from intermediate players to those aspiring to play professionally.

Memphian and St. Agnes Academy alumna Rachel Heck is an athlete who has received spotlight recognition for her achievements as a collegiate golfer at Stanford University.

The junior is ranked fourth on

DEC. 2, 2022

the World Amateur Golf ?Coach Johns was right when Rankings. she said, ?Don't forget about it ?I started playing golf just as [Title IX]?, you know. She's still a fun activity that my sisters fighting the fight and it's pretty and dad and I could do incredible." together,? Heck wrote in She is not the only one. Today, response to my questions. ?At Murphy and her teammates from the time we didn?t know about SMU are working towards tournaments and college bringing their collegiate scholarships or any of that. accomplishments the recognition Once we learned about Title IX they deserve. They are gathering and the potential for athletic records by searching through old scholarships, it provided even newspaper microfilms and more motivation to keep personal scrapbooks, and so far, working on my game.? they have collected 10 years of Heck is not only grateful for concealed history, like the 1979 her opportunity to compete at National Championship. the collegiate level because of And sex discrimination in Title IX, but also is thankful for school sports is not just a thing of the bonds and memories she has the past. Female high school water created as well. polo players in Hawaii are ?My freshman year, I won the currently pursuing a individual NCAA discrimination case using Title IX. championship,? she wrote. ?But Female athletes were expected to the best memories have been practice water polo in the ocean when I?ve been a part of a and change into their uniforms at special team. Nothing compares the local Burger King, while the to the feeling of having male athletes practiced in pools teammates, practicing together, and were provided their own and playing for each other. No locker rooms by the high school. individual success will ever ?Maybe it [the 50th year mean more than [that].? anniversary of Title IX] will Heck?s position on the enlighten some female athletes to Cardinals?golf team is not sit back and not speak up well-decorated with awards and when you don't think things are championships, including the fair and you're not being treated 2022 NCAA Women's Golf equally,? Johns said. ?It's National Championship, the important that women and girls Annika Award and 2021 NCAA keep fighting to make everything Women's Golf National equal, as equal as can be. And to Championship Individual give young girls an opportunity to medalist. chase their dreams.?

Heck?s high school golf coach Next year at 5:00 AM, you will at St. Agnes Academy, Cynthia likely still find Ciaramitaro Giannini, is a highly recognized practicing her breaststroke in a coach with 18 regional pool, but then the swimmer will be championships and six state practicing in the facilities of her golf titles. She recognizes the dream college, Vanderbilt opportunities her own golfers University. have had due to Title IX. Ciaramitaro was able to achieve ?Title IX has opened the door her dream of attending a Division for not only female athletes at One college with an athletic Rachel Heck?s level but for all scholarship after countless hours levels,? she said. ?Rachel has of practice and diligence. been able to attend her dream A dream that would not have school, Stanford been possible without Title IX. University, to pursue academics and play golf for the top school in the country. At Stanford she was also able to join the Air Force ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) program due to Title IX being passed.?

It is easy to assume that with trailblazers like Johns, Murphy, Giannini and Heck, Title IX's work is complete. But there are still startling inequalities in school sports for women. ?It's still nowhere equal, and I don't know if Mary Murphy won a 1979 it ever will be totally National Championship Ring equal. It is better, but after her golf team won the national championship. (Photo there's still a lot that can courtesy of Murphy) be done,? Johns said.

Murphy agrees.

11

Spor ts.

MEMPHIS, TENN.

ST. M A RY 'S EPI SCOPA L SCHOOL

DEC. 2, 2022

Golf, tr ap and bowling may not be the most popular, but they are j ust as accomplished

By Wallis Rogin As of right now, there are 17 sports teams in the Upper School; however, some receive more attention than others. Because these sports are played on off-campus locations, the trap, bowling and golf teams are not discussed as much as the ?big? three: lacrosse, soccer and volleyball. These sports are unfamiliar to some, so it is time to shine the spotlight on the golf, trap and bowling teams.

Golf Almost every sport requires mental focus, but golf demands a unique kind of attention and precision. Golf team coach, Mr. Jeff McCalla, emphasizes the importance of mental toughness needed to play golf. ?Golf is so mental. You have to be so strong mentally since you do not get to rely on anyone else, and it is just yourself,?

McCalla said. ?Building that kind of strength and fortitude and also being able to stand up for yourself [is important].?

In part because of McCalla?s coaching these past few years, the golf team has encountered great success at the individual level. The addition of Hana Barber (10, full disclosure: Barber is on the staff of the Tatler), who ranked third in last year?s state tournament, took the team to the next level.

Though Barber naturally thrives in golf, she explains the importance of keeping calm when there is a setback. ?A lesson that golf has taught me is to stay optimistic and really focus on what is next,? Barber said, ?and not to dwell on the past.?

For Sophia Wilson (9), who is new to St. Mary?s this year, golf provides her with a place to connect with her new classmates. ?It almost feels like more of a team sport, and we like to cheer each other on,? Wilson said. "We are all friends.?

During a golf match, players must judge themselves since there is no designated referee. Since St. Mary?s upholds a strict honor code, SMS golfers are known for their integrity on the green. ?[Golf] is a game of honor, and one of the things that stands out about our girls is that they don?t cheat,? McCalla said.

Because of the long matches and determination needed to play golf, it is not everyone?s first choice when they enter Upper School. Even Barber was not certain about playing at first. However, she explains her reasons why she decided to pursue the sport. ?When I was in sixth grade, I had to make a decision about a middle school sport,? she said, ?and my dad said why don?t you do golf,? Barber said.

Barber also considered what her future would look like with a sport. ?It is really cool to see how you can use golf later on in your life,? she said.

Bowling The St. Mary?s bowling team is one of the newest sports offered in the Upper School, and they just started their 2022-23 season under the coaching of Geometry teacher, Ms. Crystal Hogan. Her dedication and commitment means she seeks out opportunities to learn more. ?I?ve been to several workshops where I learned some things that I?ve been able to share with the team in terms of technique,? Hogan said.

Hogan cares about her athletes, and the feeling is mutual. Former bowling team member Catie Lockhart (?20) credits Hogan with her love for the sport. ?I remember how much Ms. Hogan really influenced me, and how much [she] brought me to enjoy [bowling],? Lockhart said.

Because of the community that the bowling team provided Lockhart, she decided to take the sport to the next level and join her college bowling team. ?[Bowling] not only made me feel more tied to home, but I also continued enjoying it considering how much I loved it while I was at St. Mary?s,?

Lockhart said.

Current member of the bowling team, Lydia Glomski (11) also shares the same passion for bowling, as she recounts the time she joined the bowling team. ?I actually started as an eighth grader because I wanted to get involved in some type of sport that I felt like suited my personality,? Glomski said. ?And

Lydia Glomski (11) (Photo by Ellis Rougeou)

I just got more passionate as I started [playing].?

Even though the team either wins together or loses together, bowling is an individual sport.

Glomski believes there are major differences between competing on an individual level instead of a team sport. ?I used to play soccer, and there is definitely a big difference in, like, the culture of the team,? Glomski said. ?But a lot of pressure is put on you specifically ? even if you are bowling together, you?re still the only one up there.?

While last season did not go as planned, the Turkeys are off to a striking start this season, beating Briarcrest?s team on Oct. 18.

Tr ap Sophia Wilson (9) (Photo by Mr. Jeff McCalla)

Emery Taylor (9) (Photo by Sabine Wood)

The trap team has one of the best records in the school. It is the only team to have members competing on a national level, and Gabby Smith (12) is included in that statistic. In Smith?s 2022 season, she placed fourth in the Scholastic Clay Target Program National Trap Tournament out of 350 high school girls across the country.

Smith may be winning titles as an upperclassman, but she was unaware of the sport coming into Upper School. ?I joined trap freshman year not really knowing much about it, and I kind of went into it blind, but I?ve come to really enjoy it,? Smith said.

The success of this team is due in part to its experienced coaching staff. When Head Coach Bill Quinlen joined the team 12 years ago, not only did the size more than double, but the team started to gain recognition in the city.

One of his athletes was the 2020 Commercial Appeal Courage Award winner, Emily Ferguson (?19).

One of Quinlen?s proudest moments is when Ferguson was on the team. ?In 2019, when Emily Ferguson finished second in the nation,? Quinlen said. ?She was also the second lady to shoot a 199/200. It was incredible.?

Currently, Ferguson is on her college trap team at the University of Tennessee Southern and has continued to thrive, winning the national championship alongside her team this past year. Like Smith, Ferguson did not know much about the trap team when she entered high school. However, she soon realized that trap was the best fit for her. ?It was something different, and it was a different way of spending time with your teammates,?

Ferguson said. ?I?ve played soccer, I?ve played tennis, but I really loved [trap].?

Trap has been a historically male sport, but SMS girls are setting new records as the number of female trappers rises. The Ruby Cup is awarded every year to the best trap shooter from Tennessee on the national level. Since the creation of this award, 100% of the winners were male, until Ferguson. ?At the time that I got [the Ruby Cup], I was the only female to do that, and that was exciting,?

Ferguson said.

Trap is an individual sport. To some, that might seem like a bad thing, but Quinlen disagrees. ?For the team sports, if you are not a starter, then you are sort of wasting your time,? she said, ?but with an individual sport, everybody gets to play. It?s just a lot more fun.?

With the addition of nine new freshmen, the trap team is hoping to have another successful season in spring of 2023.

Puzzles.

MEMPHIS, TENN.

12 ST. M A RY 'S EPI SCOPA L SCHOOL

What season are you?

By Charlie LaMountain and Michelle Jun

December Crosswor d!

By Sarah Moon

DEC. 2, 2022

Hint: M ake sure to have read the ar ticles!

DOWN

ACROSS

1. Homeland Security agent who commented on the illegal artifact confiscated in Memphis.

2. Who is the editor-in-chief of Tatler?

3. What drink is most popular in the winter?

4. Senior who calculated how much the lifers of the Class of 2023 spent in tuition over 15 years.

8. What season is in December?

9. Congressman who commented on the rise in antisemitism.

5. Who can tell if you have been naughty or nice?

10. My name is _____ and I like warm hugs!

7. How many candles are placed on a menorah?

12. "Sleep _________ increases the risk of disease."

11. Show in October that Rosamond Mullinax understudied in.

13. What do you need to make s'mores?

14. We never have a White Christmas because it never ______ in Memphis.

Answers

6. What holiday is considered "festival of the lights"?

15. What holiday takes place on December 25th?

16. Song that reminded Anna Smith of being in an H& M. 17. Amendment that barred the discrimination of a person based on their sex.

18. Church where Mother Miranda used to work before SMS. 19. Where Ms. Robinson lived before returning to Memphis.

(1) Keith Hale (2) Cam Hart (3) Hot chocolate (4) Charlie (5) Santa (6) Hanukkah (7) Nine (8) Winter (9) Steve Cohen (10) Olaf (11) Dracula (12) Deprivation (13) Fire (14) Snows (15) Christmas (16) Lavender Haze (17) Title IX (18) St. John's (19) Jackson