The Index Eutαxia Swzein Dokei
April 2013
Volume LXXIV, No. 8
Haverford, Pennsylvania - haverfordindex.com
BACK ON TOP On Page 7, Connor Atkins ‘15 discusses Haverford lacrosse and their recent statement wins. Photo credit: Ms. Lisa Ament Dr. Nagl speaking at the 2013 Parker Lecture.
Ms. Dawn Blake
Dr. John Nagl Meets the Haverford Community Greg Boyek ‘14 reviews Dr. Nagl’s goal as headmaster is “to create smart, adaptive young men who care deeply about their country and will make the world a better place.” Greg Boyek ‘14
Dr. John Nagl, Haverford School’s 9th Headmaster designate, made his first public appearance in the Haverford School community as the 23rd Annual Parker History Lecturer. As Dr. Joseph Cox concludes the last few months of his fifteen years of outstanding service to the school, the Haverford community prepares to receive Dr. Nagl as the new leader of the school. The Parker History Lectures are designed to present an opportunity to learn relevant historical connections to solve modernday problems. Dr. Nagl approached the development and deployment of counterinsurgency strategy in Iraq by studying the history of past counterinsurgents and insurgents, especially Lawrence of Arabia and the Vietnam War. His use of historical study to solve problems facing our nation today makes Dr. Nagl supremely qualified both as a Parker Lecturer and as a Headmaster of the Haverford School. Dr. Nagl hopes to bring the lessons he has learned in global security politics to the education of Haverford students. During a seminar with history students in Ball Auditorium, Nagl presented his goals for education at Haverford. “When I was like you I spent a lot of time learning facts,” he said. “However, knowing facts is no longer a competitive advantage…the question is what you do with the facts.” Dr. Nagl cited the historical theory presented in the book Future Shock. The three great revolutions of humanity have been the agricultural, the industrial, and the information revolutions, each arriving at a more rapid pace than the one that preceded it. Dr. Nagl explained that the great impact of the information revolution upon education is
Also inside this Issue...
The varsity Lacrosse team playing a game against Salisbury.
that the wide democratization and availability of facts through internet technology, such as smartphones and Wikipedia, has made memorizing such facts redundant. Education must teach students how to understand the deluge of information hurled at them daily in modern culture. In presentations to young military officers, Dr. Nagl said that he would ask the attending officers whether experience or study is more important. The fresh Second Lieutenants instantly responded that they wanted experience. Dr. Nagl, however, has come to realize that study is worth far more than firsthand experience. Dr. Nagl hopes to provide the opportunity for Haverford students to learn about the world beyond Haverford before they must engage it personally. He underscored the emphasis on the value of study by concluding “too many of my friends died trying to get experience. Hit the books.” The book written by Dr. Nagl, Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife, presents his theories on organizational development, which can be translated from the military to an independent school. In his book, Dr. Nagl states that, “The institutional learning process begins with the recognition of shortcomings in organizational knowledge and performance. It moves through the critical phase of searching for and achieving consensus on the right solution for the shortcomings to the adoption and dissemination of modified doctrine. The process then repeats itself endlessly.” Dr. Nagl is bringing to the community an excellent understanding of the way in which an organization must function within a strategic environment to adapt to change and carry out its goals. Continued on Page 5
Economic Inequality at Haverford
Conducting thorough interviews with Haverford administration and students, Brendan Burns ‘15 composed this article that discusses how life at Haverford is shaped by socioeconomic status. Brendan Burns ‘15
What are the costs of a Haverford education, both financially and socially, and what should Haverford do to make its education more affordable? At a school with annual tuition of $34,800 (according to the Admissions Department) and numerous additional expenses for students and their families, including food, school supplies, and sports gear, this is an inevitable question. Whether students’ financial backgrounds affect their experience academically or socially is an important question that will arise at any private school similar to Haverford. First, just how economically diverse is Haverford? More so than stereotypes of elite private school students may suggest, and Haverford students recognize this: 61 out of the 100 Haverford Upper School students who responded to an online survey agreed with the statement that Haverford students come from “a broad spectrum of economic backgrounds,” while 36 agreed with the statement that Haverford students are “mostly from the same economic background.” What percentage of Haverford students come from relatively less privileged economic backgrounds? According to the Admissions Department, approximately 30% of all Haverford Upper School students receive tuition assistance (TA). The average grant to students receiving TA is between $19,500 and $20,000 – approximately 57% of the cost of tuition. Mr. Henry Fairfax, Director of Haverford Admissions, states that financial aid is given out with the goal in mind of coming “as close to supporting the demonstrated need [of a particular student] as possible.” With this approach, Haverford distributed $5,487,000 in tuition assistance for the 20112012 school year – approximately 17% of total tuition costs for all Haverford students.
Sixth Form Columnist Niticon Davis has been writing his De Libris book reviews for close to two years - read his penultimate edition. Index Staff
Sixth Former and De Libris columnist Niticon Davis.
And similarly to the admissions process at top colleges, the admissions process at Haverford is “need-blind,” meaning that applicants are evaluated with their financial need as a nonfactor in admissions decisions. Mr. Fairfax emphasizes that “finding the right fit” for Haverford and the “strategic mission of the school” take precedent during the process: applicants are admitted, and only then their respective financial needs are assessed. This approach is important especially given that the admissions process to enroll in Haverford’s Upper School is very selective; according to Mr. Fairfax, approximately 65% of all applicants to Haverford’s Upper School inquire about tuition assistance. But have these efforts – helping to integrate harmoniously into today’s increasingly diverse workplace – been successful in creating a balanced and diverse learning environment? Mr. Fairfax says that since his arrival at Haverford in Fourth Form as a tuition-assisted student in 1995, there has been “significant progress” in this regard. Mr. Douglas Knight, Associate Director of Admissions, agrees, but also states that “[Haverford] still has a long way to go” in this area. What specifically needs to be improved? Mr. Christopher Avery, Director of Community at Haverford, believes that one of the largest potential areas of improvement is assisting students in avenues other than tuition. Mr. Avery directs the Haverford Scholars program, which provides a growing number of students with financial assistance for school supplies, athletic uniforms, transportation, and dining hall food in order to support students’ families whose lack of financial resources would otherwise prevent them from having “full access to the school.” Continued on Page 5
Make sure to read the Letter from the President on Page 2. It is a short, fun read that President Mike Green put a lot of effort into. If you have not been reading along all year and liked this one, check haverfordindex.com.
Article Letter from the Editors Career Column Artist of the Issue Dr. Gottlieb Midyear Mayhem March Madness Review New Entrance Exam Gay Marriage Debate Outdex
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The Index
Editorials
April 2013
Letter from the President Letter from the Editors Dear Student Body,
What is “Senior-itis?” The overpowering epidemic taking over our innocent seniors has always been prevalent but why has it (in the recent years) become an epidemic? Beginning with the most famous unknown man in the history of the world, more famous than Forest Gump and more unknown than Bersh McGoo (still not sure who he is): this man is Refif Kram. Kram went to school with notable alumni including: George Washington, Genghis Khan, Moses, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Fred Savage. You may ask: how is that possible? And to this question I respond: don’t question me. Kram was a great student, and was into the college of his choice, but when spring came around, something was overcoming his body and mind. He couldn’t focus on work, in class, or Index Staff even listen to his parents. His body was forcing him to wear Ray-Band sunglasses, not tuck in his shirt, never wear his jacket, and stopped raising his hand in class (just shouting out questions and answers). But nobody confronted him until he was kicked out of the library eight times in four days. As his condition grew worse, more students began showing similar symptoms, and pretty Mike Green President Michael Green. soon scientists began studying why this was happening. According to these scientists, “Senior-itis” comes from an immense amount of stress built up in the adolescent’s body. The stress then leads to a built up of adrenaline. Once the pressure is dropped in a dramatic way, the stress immediately releases into a happy invulnerable feeling. This invulnerable feeling then leads to an empty feeling in the stomach (usually concerning hunger). But this is where it gets strange: the adolescent will not eat healthy food, in fact, his diet consists of only foods that will cause immediate nap-time and flatulence; such as Chipotle, Taco Bell, McDonald’s, and (of course) Cinnabun. You may be asking: I eat these foods often, why don’t I have “Senior-itis?” I don’t tuck in my shirt, how about me? I get kicked out of libraries, why don’t I have it? And to these questions, I answer once again: don’t question me. These are the facts, and if you don’t believe me then you may have the “itis.” But do not fear, scientists have not found a cure but have found some advice to cure the symptoms. One, don’t be a senior in high school. Two, save time and take naps at the restaurants that you are eating at, in fact, it is highly recommended to fall asleep on the table you just ate on like a bear being tranquillized. And three, think about all the…oh no, I forgot…my symptoms are kicking in. Sincerely, President Mike (yawn, nap, basketball, food, nap) Green
Dear Reader,
Editors-in-Chief Manav Khandelwal (left) and Grayson Sessa (right).
Brendan Burns
As you embark on the final leg of the journey that is the 2012-2013 Haverford school year, also known as the “home stretch,” we here at The Index hope you remain vigilant. This message does not merely apply to the Sixth Form class, which may or may not be suffering from undiagnosed, malign cases of “senioritis,” but to the entire student body. The fourth quarter, despite being the shortest and most tedious one of the year, counts just as much as as any other quarter. Finals are also just around the corner, so every Haverford student needs to continue being prompt and wellprepared for class as well as being engaged and reflective in it. Although you should probably be studying trigonometric identities, Chinese tones, or electron orbital configurations, while you are holding this paper we might as well recommend several articles for you to read. On Page 3, Sam Dyer ‘15 profiles Artist of the Issue Amar Patel ‘13, who leads an unsung group of talented musicians who deserve more recognition than they receive. On Page 4, Tim Delaney ‘15 profiles math and economics teacher and tennis coach Dr. Mark Gottlieb, one of the more interesting men in the Haverford community. On Page 9, Jackson Simon ‘15 discusses the undefeated tennis team, and on Page 10, Jack Henderson ‘15 argues for an entrance exam for all Form II students who wish to enter Haverford’s Upper School We hope you all enjoy this issue of The Index! Sincerely, Grayson Sessa ‘13 and Manav Khandelwal ‘15 Editors-in-Chief
De Libris: This Is How You Lose Her ~ Junot Diaz Niticon Davis ‘13 Following his Pulitzer Prize winning The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, in 2012 Junot Diaz released his collection of short stories entitled This Is How You Lose Her. Gripping and intensely personal, these short stories are as equally engaging as Diaz’s previous novel, though obviously different in form. Those familiar with Diaz’s previous works will recognize in this novel Yunior, Diaz’s dysfunctional alter-ego who narrated The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and who strings these short stories together. In these stories Diaz explores his usual topics of love, family, colonialism, racism, and infidelity; however, this time he implicates himself, delving deeply into his personal life to
tell the stories of the various women who have been in his life, his relationship with his father, his brother’s battle with cancer, and his own infidelity. The stories culminate in the last narrative, “The Cheater’s Guide to Love,” a story about a fully adult Yunior, who is now living in Boston and has become an author and college professor who swears way too often, a life that closely parallels Diaz’s own. In this story, Diaz explores Yunior’s/Diaz’s devastatingly frequent infidelity and the consequences it has for him and his partners. One begins to wonder if Yunior will ever be able to atone for his actions, and some redemption is offered when upon realizing what he has lost because of his cheating, he declares that, “The half-life of love is forever.”
The Index
2012-2013 Staff
Grayson Sessa, Editor-in-Chief Manav Khandelwal, Editor-in-Chief Erich Prince, Head of Photography Henri Mattila, Copy Editor Fisher Pressman, Business Manager Peter Thompson, News and Features Editor James Shecter, Sports Editor Will Tackett, Columns Editor Amar Patel, Arts Editor Jake Pechet, Opinions Editor Matt Larson & Greg Boyek, Politics Editors Sam Bloch & James Tarte, Outdex Editors Manav Khandelwal, Graphics Editor Graham Gaddes, Website Managerr Mr. Kellen Graham, Faculty Advisor
The Index is a student-run publication of the Haverford School that does more than bring news: it provides the diverse perspectives of the Haverford student body. It is an outlet for student writers to take stands on issues they deem important. It chronicles the daily struggles and accomplishments of the Haverford community. The Index also
Diaz’s writes in his classic, emblematic style: a quickly paced and smoothly flowing mix of English, Spanish, and the slang of both languages that never ceases to leave the reader engaged and abreast of the narrative. He taps into every source and draws from every genre he knows to produce an astonishing amalgam, yet many readers are not content with Diaz’s content. Critics often find the raunchiness in his writing less than palatable, but I would argue that his obscenity paints a more than realistic picture of what happens every day for some and does not seek to be obscene for obscenity’s sake. Another common criticism is that Diaz is a sexist or a misogynist for his treatment of the women in his novels, but few male writers understand or relate to women to the extent
that Junot Diaz does. In an interview he is questioned about this same criticism, to which he replied, “On the one hand, we’re told that the sort of proof and excellence of a man is measured by how many girls he can get, by his lack of vulnerability, by his indifference and often his hostility towards what would be considered traditional women’s arenas: domesticity, love, familial bonds, nurturing, family. And then there’s the other side which is: Who can be whole, who can be human without intimacy, without encountering that profound terror that we call love?” With This Is How You Lose Her , Diaz contends with “that profound terror we call love” in a way that very few authors can and tells stories as beautifully crafted as they are heart-wrenching.
provides a forum for discussion of pertinent issues, such as student culture, academic policy, and Haverford’s place in world affairs. The Index presents new ideas and aspires to influence constructive change. All opinions and viewpoints expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of The Index or the school. The Index is designed and produced digitally. Photographs may be retouched. Submissions and letters to the editors regarding any and all articles are welcomed at hsindex@gmail.com. The Index, a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, is composed on Mac OS X, using Adobe InDesign CS5.5. Its surveys are conducted via SurveyMonkey and are advertised on Facebook to current Haverford students. School Publications Company of Neptune, N.J., prints 200-400 copies of each issue, and its editorial staff distributes them in the Upper School on the day of release. The Index serves the needs of a total school population of 1091 community members, consisting of 975 students and 116 faculty members. Contact The Index: 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 hsindex@gmail.com http://www.haverfordindex.com/ (610) 642-3020 x. 1222 Volume LXXIV, No. 8 - April 22, 2013
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The Index
April 2013
Columns
Career Column: The Changing World of Journalism After last month’s focus on financial analysis, Jack Henderson ‘15 moves on to a career very applicable to The Index - journalism. Jack Henderson ‘15
Just over a month ago, an island off the coast of Australia was reported to have gone missing; the island simply disappeared. A Times Square “Cookie Monster” was arrested for assaulting a two-year-old. The Phillies coaching staff and GM Ruben Amaro still “believe” in the health of their ace Roy Halladay and his future in Philly; although no one can quite explain why he has struggled so miserably while the Flyers are desperately looking for a playoff spot. These are just a few of the stories floating around in the local, national, and international news recently. If you are the curious type or find any of these stories intriguing, a career in journalism may be for you. Do you want to find the cutting edge story? Want the opportunity to clarify the rumors and find the truth? Whether it’s crime reporting, sports journalism, column writing, foreign affairs coverage, or political and social cover stories, the incredible field of journalism opens your eyes to everything that occurs in our crazy little world. Journalism is an art, not a science, and a reporter often comes to an interview with
simply a pen and notepad, for the interview should be conversational, yet to the point. Journalists are respectful, but aggressive, nosy, but cautious, willing to do everything it takes to get the story. Whether a journalist is assigned to a story about teacher layoffs at a school around the block or to recent events off in the Middle East, news is everywhere, and journalists are the ones who put the news into words for the world to read and hear. If this sounds interesting to you, it is never too early to start preparing for your future. Get involved at school and in your community. Focus in English class, talk to a local newspaper or a writer you like and research possible internships, and join The Index! Pay attention to the ever-changing world around you. Stay up to date on current events locally, nationally, and internationally. Begin to understand the greater world and realize the incredible amounts of news stories that occur everyday while you are in school. To be a great journalist, you must be a good writer, a skill which is improved from a mind well stocked from reading various genres of literature. Similar to speaking, which is modeled on hearing, writing is modeled on reading. Every good writer is a good reader
Poetry Out Loud Competition
Web Editor Graham Gaddes ‘14 recently competed for Haverford in the Poetry Out Loud competition and now explains it to the rest of the community. Graham Gaddes ‘14
The Poetry Out Loud competition is a relatively new tradition at Haverford, this year being the first Haverford has sent a contender to the regional competition. For the competition, the participants memorize two poems, recite them to an audience, and are scored based on a number of factors, including how well they recite the poem, how difficult the poem is (in terms of length and vocabulary), how well they interpret the poem, and how appropriately dramatic they are during the recital. The regional competition for the Philadelphia area was held at the University
came I recited my poems: “Ozymandias,” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, and “Spring and Fall: To a Young Child,” by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Although I didn’t win the regional competition (the top two spots qualified for the state competition), I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The people there were very friendly and the judges happily gave me tips on what I could do to improve my recitation skills. To anyone who is really interested in poetry, I recommend giving this competition a shot, it was a great experience and it presents a great chance to anyone who is adept at public speaking and wishes to have their skill recognized. I also recommend
The logo of the Poetry Out Loud organization
of the Arts and Sciences in the city. I, being Haverford’s contender, arrived there not really sure what to expect; I had won our school’s competition, but it was largely informal: all competitors had just recited their poems to the teachers, and the teachers had then decided the winner. For the regional competition we were placed on a stage and then faced with a panel of judges and an audience made up of various teachers, parents, and siblings. One by one we recited our poems to the panel of judges. Before I stepped on the stage I was fairly nervous, but the friendly manner of the judges and my fellow competitors set me at ease. When my turn
calvertarts.org
this competition to those of you who don’t like poetry; before the competition I had rarely read poetry outside of English class, and afterwards I found that I had a greater appreciation for the subject. Hearing the poems spoken out loud gave much more weight to the words and gave me a much better understanding of what the author had been trying to express. Importantly, English teachers Mr. Thomas Stambaugh, Mr. Kellen Graham, and Mr. Dan Slack established a modified form of the competitions for their classes. They hope to have an all-school assembly devoted to the event next year.
first. So I ask you to read critically and analytically the works of great writers. I hope that you read because you want to do so and go beyond the books you are required to read and investigate areas of your own interest, such as fiction, biography, or poetry. In addition to reading books for enjoyment, try to observe various authors’ writing Index Staff Writing and editing for The Index is a great way to get involved early. style, noticing how you, and critically think about they each approach different problems or how how the writers differ in style and content. they explore the same problem in different Once you take these steps to improve your ways. Every writer describes the same story writing and apply yourself in school and your differently and by reading from many different community, you will be well on your way to a authors, you develop a broader skill set that bright, prosperous, and enjoyable future in the greatly improves your own writing. fast-paced field of journalism that makes you The most basic approach you can take live on your deadlines, but can also be more to improve your writing is to read as much rewarding than any other job. as you can, discover authors that you enjoy, investigate and reflect on their work, go to a References: The New York Times Company, bookstore and pick up new books that interest Harvard College, and NPR’s PJ Vogt
Artist of the Issue: Violinist Amar Patel
One of the talented Sixth Form artists this year is Amar Patel. Sam Dyer ‘15 profiles his musical history and plans for the coming years. Sam Dyer ‘15
While the soon-graduating Sixth Formers are best known for their contributions in the classroom, on the athletic fields, and on the theater stage, less is known about the few students who excel with musical instruments. Sixth Former Amar Patel is a very talented violinist as well as a scholar and varsity soccer player. Like many musicians, Amar started his musical journey with the piano in first grade. In third grade, however, he switched to violin because, as Patel notes, “I had always loved violins. The way they all moved in unison in an orchestra seemed to fascinate me, so I convinced my parents to let me begin lessons in third grade.” Amar, who notes that he often imitated his cousin Sachin Patel ’11, says his cousin helped to motivate him as a musician when he was younger, but became more of a role model as Amar grew older. Since his novice days, however, violin has opened up numerous opportunities for him, both at Haverford and outside of school. Although Patel enjoys playing the violin for many reasons, his favorite is that “when you perform, you form a connection with the audience through which you communicate feelings and ideas without saying words. It’s such a unique and fantastic feeling.” Patel, who in addition is one of the most talented and serious language students at Haverford, also likes violin because “I have learned to love music of all types as a whole, because music is like a language.” This passion for the language of music has carried Amar to opportunities offered only to the most talented and dedicated musicians. At school, Patel plays in both the Advanced String Orchestra and the
Haverford String Quintet with conductor and teacher Anna Pulaski. Through these groups and the service board, of which he is a copresident, Amar has had a chance to extend his musical talents and use them to help others. For the last several years, Amar has participated and led Haverford’s partnership with Musicopia, a nonprofit organization that provides musical instruction to children in the Greater Philadelphia area. Most often, the participants are children who likely would not have had another opportunity to participate in music at an advanced level. Patel believes Haverford’s connection to Musicopia is special because “it allows us (the Haverford orchestra)
Patel playing the violin.
haverford.org
to share the language of music with members outside of our community. The spring concert has become a great night of collaborating and sharing.” Patel’s combination of musical talent and willingness to help others have made him unique within the Haverford music program. Although Patel does not play in a group outside of school this year, he has played with the Musicopia Quintet in the past. In addition, he takes lessons and plays solo pieces as he strives to become a better musician as he heads towards college. Amar looks forward to taking his musical talents to Yale University in September, as well as continuing his academic success.
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The Index
News
April 2013
Are Grades the Right Choice? Jack Soslow’s investigates whether the Haverford community believes that grades are the strongest means for evaluating students. Jack Soslow ‘15
Here at Haverford, the consensus is unclear: “grades are not perfect” is the general consensus among both teachers and students, but they provide the aesthetic aspect of a report card. Chair of the Art Department Mr. Fox, a strong supporter of a no-grade system, says, “You don’t need someone to say ‘Thats an A or thats a B,’ but it’s the learning that is important”. Some students don’t agree with Mr. Fox, like Fourth Former Mathias Fink. He says, “Grades motivate me to be successful.” All teachers grade, it is the grade that shows up on your report card, and it is the grade that colleges see. Yet, does the grade completely reflect the work you have done? Does the grade represent what you have learned? Is the grade even real? The answer to these questions usually determines whether or not grades are, in fact, the right choice. According to teachers like Mr. Fox, grades are not the best way of showing academic prowess. He says, “Grades are supposed to measure what you are really doing, but if you get caught up in the grades, you lose focus on what you are really doing.” Teachers across the globe use grades as their way of showing how their students do in their class. Yet, Mr. Fox says, “Most teachers in their heart agree that grades are a game.” Fifth Former Graham Gaddes, a proponent of the grade system, on the other hand argues, “Grades are better than many alternative methods” and “to get good grades, you generally have to put in a lot of hard work.” Overall, Mr. Fox thinks that grades aren’t the best way of showing academic success, because they provide an
external goal that isn’t about the learning, while Gaddes thinks that grades are good because they represent the work put in by the student. As of January 19, 2013 there were 37,089 high schools in the United States that use grades, while only 11 are gradeless. Clearly, grades are prominent here in the U.S., but the majority of people think that they aren’t the greatest system for determining academic success. So, why are grades so ubiquitous? Gaddes says that this is because “it gives a rubric for colleges to judge you.” So, perhaps grades are fueled by colleges, and other schools in the area compete for their students to get into better colleges. This begs the question, What do gradeless colleges like Brown think about this? The answer is that schools like Brown focus on what you learn, rather than what grade you get. This is why a high percent of high schools students at St. Ann’s, a gradeless high school in New York, are accepted into Brown, because Brown’s admissions office is focused on what you learn rather than your grade. If Haverford were to switch from a grading system, the Haverford student’s report card would change drastically. Mr. Fox says, “Teachers would go from a one letter report, to a 500 word or 1000 word report on each and every one of their students.” Fourth Former Brendan Burns agrees, saying, “Teachers would have to write comments that are pages long, like Brown does.” At gradeless schools like St. Ann’s and Brown, the report card is filled with teacher essays along with pictures of essays and work made by the student. This system is tempting, but just like grades, it has
flaws.The typical college application of a St. Ann’s student does leave colleges in a difficult place because teachers are not allowed to compare and contrast between students. Fourth Former L.J. Barlow says that one flaw in a gradeless system is, “It would be hard to tell a difference between students at the top of their class and the bottom.” Barlow also says, “This system also takes away from the competitive
even colleges. Mr. Fox thinks that solutions like these are the first step into a gradeless system. Mr. Fox still gives each student a grade, but also has the URL to each of his student’s blogs, from which he can distribute to whomever he pleases. Overall, Mr. Fox is trying to implement gradeless ways of showing off his students’ work because he believes that grades don’t accurately represent the work
Art teacher Mr. Fox, a strong detractor of the grades system.
aspects of schools, which may not push students as hard to beat their fellow classmates in the classroom or on the sports field.” Overall, even though in an Utopia there would be no grades, gradeless alternatives are not perfect either. As of today, Mr. Fox is trying to implement a gradeless way of showing off his students’ work in the artroom. He does this by making his students blog about each of their work. Each student talks about the process that they go through with each painting, each step they take, and within their blog, each student is able to show off their work to friends, family, and
Sanjay Narayanan
done in a specific course. In conclusion, there are pros and cons to grades. Grades are helpful in motivating students into improving work in class. Also, grades give colleges a rubric which they can judge you by. Supporters of a non-grade system, however, think that grades give a non-real goal. Students that work hard in a class, and learn a lot may not receive a better grade than someone that knows less about the subject. “School is about learning,” Fox says, “and when students focus on grades, they lose sight of the real goal, knowledge.”
The Man Behind the Beard: Dr. Gottlieb Profile Tim Delaney ‘15
It is rare to attend an Upper School like Haverford that presents such an experienced staff of teachers with a wide variety of backgrounds and knowledge. In no case is this trait of a “well-rounded” teacher more prevalent than in Dr. Mark Gottlieb. Everyone knows about his extraordinarily baritone voice, impressive beard, leadership in several clubs and the very successful varsity tennis team, but what makes Doc Gottlieb so interesting? The answer may lie in his background. Originally from Ambler, Pennsylvania, Dr. Gottlieb was always interested in the subjects of mathematics and philosophy. After pursuing philosophy, the subject in which he obtained his doctorate, at Wesleyan University and Villanova University, Dr. Gottlieb decided to return to his interests to mathematics. He originally decided to take on philosophy in his younger years over math because math “was too narrow for [his] interests,” and it was in his nature to go back to think about his own philosophical questions and ideas. After teaching for six years at Rutgers Prep from 1996-2002, Dr. Gottlieb decided to take a job at Haverford after moving due to the birth of his twins. Here, Dr. Gottlieb has taught everything from philosophy courses to every range of math classes available in the Upper School. He currently is teaching Microeconomics/Macroeconomics*, Precalculus*, and Accelerated II* (in the last
year the school will offer this course). Math Department Chair Mr. Zack Murtha says, “Dr. Gottlieb, or ‘Doc. Gott.’ as he likes to be called, is one of the most thoughtful, reflective people that many of us will ever meet.” Along with teaching students in the classroom, Dr. Gottlieb is also an extremely involved mentor of extracurricular activities including tennis, DECA, and the Economics Club. Each of these clubs requires work and organization outside of usual club meetings that most teachers may not have the will or motivation to handle along with the rest of their work with grades and class lessons, but Doc manages just fine. He has led the DECA team to international success, controls a wellrun Stock Market Game in the Economics Club while also bringing in guest speakers to present to the club, and also coached the 2012 varsity tennis squad to a 19-0 perfect season, winning the Inter-ac title and also beating the would-be state champs 6-1. Even with all of these other things going on in his life, he still knows his job lies in the classroom. He says that the most difficult part of being his job is “being able to teach each student in an individualized way.” To do this, Dr. Gottlieb will often spend his mornings and free periods with students who seek extra help when the time in class just is not enough for his students to understand some of the advanced topics he teaches in his various honors classes. Sixth Former Scott Jaster says, “As someone who wants to pursue a career
in business and may very well major in economics, Doc’s [economics] class has given me a great foundation to build upon and invaluable knowledge.” Mr. Murtha agrees, “His classes challenge students to engage with abstract material, and anybody who is around in the afternoon has seen him carefully polishing his lessons for the next day. If you ever want a glimpse of just how talented Dr. Gottlieb is, ask to preview the math textbook he is writing; it’s spectacular.” Being a teacher in such a competitive school such as Haverford, however, does yield positives. He says that at Haverford the student body in general is well motivated and determined to grow and develop their skills, which makes it easier to teach classes as well as coach. Dr. Gottlieb believes that the biggest reward of teaching is “seeing young people develop their unique skills and talents.” Dr. Gottlieb is also widely known for his infatuation with the Coati Mundi. It is
arguably dropped the ball when it came to these guidelines. Ultimate Frisbee is a unique sport, because it has no referees. Instead, the contending teams rely on the honor system, or as Ultimate Coach Dr. Andrew Fenton calls it, the “spirit of the game,” in order to officiate the game and make sure all the rules are being followed. For example, if a player throwing the disc is hit on the arm by the player guarding him, he should call a foul as soon as possible in order to reset the play. The other player has the choice of admitting he fouled his opponent or denying the allegations, in which case a
debate ensues. The latter situation is very rare, as the player almost always admits to a foul unless the other team is completely fabricating things. Haverford’s opponent, Science Leadership Academy, a school located in Philadelphia, took advantage of the subjectivity of the rules by calling fouls as often as possible, even when those fouls were rather questionable, demonstrating a lack of “spirit of the game.” In the heat of the moment, however, the Fords retaliated. The details of what happened are hazy at best, but it appears that the Haverford
Dr. Gottlieb at his desk.
indigenous to Costa Rica, where he traveled to last summer. Doctor Gottlieb definitely is not the typical Haverford teacher. He is one of the most involved members of this community, and he is a determined one too. In every outing of school club or sport he participates in, he gives the team his all and virtually always is successful in his strides to make school a better place where students can actually prepare for life, which is the mission of Haverford at its core. And as Mr. Murtha says, “Plus, he loves Bruce Springsteen. And Smashing Pumpkins. The band, not the act of vandalism. How cool is that?”
Public Perception of Haverford: The Frisbee Incident Will Tackett ‘14
The first two points in Haverford’s athletics Code of Conduct are as follows: “1. Remember that your actions on and off the field influence others and reflect on you and your school. 2. Make sportsmanship a top priority.” Recently, these have been called into question by members of an opposing team. In the Haverford Ultimate Frisbee team’s season opener, both Haverford and their opponent, Science Leadership Academy,
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bench was making comments about the coach and once to a player. The SLA coach admonished the Haverford bench for mocking his play-calling, including one play named “Arkansas,” and an SLA player criticized a Haverford player in the middle of game play for cursing. It is possible that both incidents were either isolated or were the products of misunderstanding, but the facts are that SLA came away from the game upset and aggrieved. Continued on Page 9
Page 5
The Index
News
April 2013
Headmaster Designate Dr. Nagl Is Parker Lecturer (cont.)
Can We Have It All: Academics, Athletics, and Arts?
Dr. Nagl said that one of his major goals as Headmaster is to bring a greater sense of political and global awareness. During the history seminar, students asked Dr. Nagl about what direct effects on classes and student life would be produced from his mission to improve students’ understanding of the world beyond Haverford. Dr. Nagl said that although learning foreign language is important, if he could only implement one addition to the curriculum, that class would be geared towards cultural and political awareness. Although in the small breakout group, he said he would like to teach a class on marriage at Haverford. Nagl cited the long and unpopular war in Iraq as a cautionary tale of a lack of cultural understanding. American plans called Ms. Dawn Blake Dr. Nagl speaking at the 2013 Parker Lecture. for the establishment of a democracy in Iraq yet did not battlefield to the classroom. “That’s one of understand that the nation completely lacked the reasons I’m excited to get the chance to the kind of democratic institutions which work with all of you…for the next couple insure the majority rule while protecting the of years,” he enthusiastically stated. “To try minority. As a result, American planners failed and instill more appreciation for cultures, to predict the Shi’a insurgency which drew understanding the value of foreign languages, the United States into a long and complicated understanding of the economies and histories counterinsurgency conflict. Nagl said that and traditions of people all around the Haverford students “should graduate from this globe whose health and well-being is more school...understanding things like the fault line important to us than it’s ever been … in this between Sunni and Shi’a.” interconnected world. So we’ve got a lot of In his study and experience of work to do together.” counterinsurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan,
Haverford’s mission statement proclaims, “We are committed to developing the full intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential in each boy.” The arts play a significant role in the lives of students at Haverford, and each student must take at least one semester of an art class or participate in the play, but does the artistic potential of each student get the recognition it deserves? Fourth Former Eric Denbin thinks, “Absolutely not. I feel the Arts are very much neglected in the Haverford Community.” When asked if he thinks the arts should get more recognition at The Haverford School, he simply said, “Definitely.” But do arts play too large a role? After all, all students are required to fulfill an arts credit during their time at Haverford. Recently, however, there has been a huge number of students attending varsity football and basketball games. During the basketball games near the end of the season, sections above the stands Ms. Dawn Blake and to the sides had to be Mr. Chris Fox’s 2D Art Foundations class. opened for spectators because of the influx. It is true that there are plenty of play posters This suggests a growing devotion to sports pinned to the walls around Haverford. Also, by the student body. There was also a recent students are constantly making announcements ceramics event last month for Empty Bowls. Students could come in and check out some of about upcoming plays. Therefore, plays are the biggest expressions of the artistic potential of the pieces that had been made by the potters. Haverford students. However, it is a fact that There were even opportunities for students athletics at Haverford attract more publicity to make their own bowls. Only about 20 than ceramics exhibitions or art showings. Just Haverford students attended this event. When think, when is the last time you have been to an asked how many football and or basketball art exhibition?
Continued from the Front Page
Nagl expressed that he faced a critical need for young Americans with a better understanding of foreign culture. Consequently, plans to win “hearts and minds” in Afghanistan and Iraq were carried out “not as well as they should have.” Dr. Nagl plans to take that important lesson of cultural awareness from the
Avery Weiss ‘15
games he has attended, Third Former Sebastian Yager said, “I have been to five games between the two sports.” Yager was also asked if he had attended the recent ceramics event: “No I didn’t even know this thing even happened.” It seems that athletics at Haverford come before artistic shows or events. Mr. Fox, the Chair of the Art Department also believes that the artistic potential of Haverford students needs to be expressed to the rest of the school. He suggests, “If the arts at Haverford get more publicity, then more students will attend. Posters and announcements are good ways to do that.”
Economic Inequality: How It Affects Haverford (cont.) Continued from the Front Page “If you don’t have enough financial resources to comfortably afford a meal plan or a team sweatshirt, it makes it more difficult to feel like a full member of the community,” says Mr. Avery. Mr. Avery also states that efforts to bring down costs of attending Haverford for tuitionassisted students have resulted in increased awareness of the expenses associated with school-run extracurriculars, which Mr. Avery describes as a “vital part” of school life: “Your life at Haverford is different, for example, if you can’t afford to go on the DECA trip.” However, “in most cases” school-run summer trips and extracurricular activities are not subsidized for TA students. In addition, TA students that live farther away from school may experience more time constraints and benefit from a smaller academic safety net. Fifth Former Jonathan Paras believes that the “overwhelming majority of low income students, with the proper motivation, have the ability to excel at Haverford”; however, Paras also listed the SAT tutoring process as a caveat: “Two students who may start off at equal base scores can have totally different college trajectories because one of the two can afford tutoring.” This brings into question exactly what Haverford’s role is as far as ensuring the success of less privileged students. Haverford has managed to eliminate inequality of opportunity in many parts of school life – admissions are need-blind, and there is financial aid available for other expenses (of course, with exceptions). The fact that equality of opportunity does not always translate into equality of result (that is, students given the same opportunity financially do not necessarily reach the same levels of performance due to economic background) may be a discrepancy that is beyond the scope of Haverford’s
capabilities to correct. Ms. Rebecca Smedley, English teacher and Faculty advisor of the Diversity Alliance, lists factors such as the presence of highly educated parents who invest in their child’s education outside of school as intangibles that create the discrepancy in the “results” between students of certain economic backgrounds: “If you are born into an upper-middle class family, you have educated parents who have done certain things in their child’s upbringing to place them in good stead,” listing extensive travel, tutoring, and an intellectual atmosphere at home as the differentiating features. As to whether students’ economic backgrounds affect how they are treated at Haverford, Mr. Avery believes that there has been progress in this regard and that peer-to-peer relations are usually affected by “who [the students] are, not their background.” A closer look reveals that a majority of Haverford students agree: in a survey conducted via SurveyMonkey of 100 Haverford Upper School students, 18 agreed with the statement that “economic background determines status at Haverford in many instances” while 58 said that economic background is “rarely” a factor and 24 said it is “never” a factor. In addition, when asked to choose two factors that have a strong influence on their experience at Haverford, with the possible choices being ethnicity, character, political views, economic background, athletic skill, and how long a student has attended Haverford, only 11 of the 100 surveyed listed economic background as one of the two factors. In comparison, 12 respondents listed political views as a factor, 15 listed ethnicity, 18 listed the amount of time that a student has attended Haverford, 61 listed character, and 83
The student parking lot often shows off expensive cars.
respondents listed athletic skill as a factor. Although it is difficult to determine with certainty whether economic status determines status at school, there is data that reflects well on the equity of the Haverford community as far as treatment of less privileged students. According to official School statistics, TA students, on average, are voted into studentelected leadership positions at equal or higher rates than average: in the past five years, 39% of students serving on the Student Council have been beneficiaries of tuition assistance. The same is true for 24% of students that have served on the Honor Council in the same period, 31% of students in the Signet Society, and 52% of students that have served in the Character Mentorship Program (CMP). These rates compare with the roughly 30% of Upper School students that receive tuition assistance. A broader look reveals two important things: Haverford has come a long way in creating a diverse environment with regard to students’ economic backgrounds and has
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created an atmosphere in which a student’s financial background factors less into his experience at the school than ever before in the school’s history, but there is still work to be done. Mr. Brian McBride, Associate Headmaster of External Affairs, introduced Mr. Fairfax to Haverford as a Fourth Former in 1995. “It gives me great satisfaction,” he says, “to give Mr. Fairfax an opportunity to go to the Haverford School…which I believe was a lifealtering experience for him.” Although “the economic impact [of attending Haverford] is a sacrifice for all families,” Ms. Smedley notes that, despite economic and/or social barriers, it is still a “huge benefit for [less-privileged] students to be able to attend Haverford.” Note: The Survey of 100 Haverford students cited in this article was collected via SurveyMonkey from March 1 to March 3, 2013. The data was collected by the Index and is not official school-collected information.
Page 6
The Index
April 2013
News Midyear Mayhem: Another System, Another Problem which in my opinion is more than enough time.” Ms. Smedley doesn’t assess or give homework during the entire week, but although It’s the week before midyear exams. You she allows for plenty of time, if she did not may or may have not studied for tests that will know about this “rule,” who did? count as 20% of your semester grade. But you Fourth Form Latin teacher Dr. Andrew have time right? Maybe not. Fenton said, “I don’t remember when we were Considered by Sixth Former Amar Patel instructed, I know we got some [information] to be the “second hardest week of the year,” but I do not remember when.” Form Five math midyear exams require an adequate amount of teacher Mr. Zach Murtha concurred, “I am not study time. But when new material, quizzes, sure when I was instructed, but that is usually and tests are piled up just a few days before the policy that there is a few review days taking this important assessment, studying before midterms and final exams.” often becomes a task pushed to the side. The confusion could be directly linked to However, these quizzes and tests may help the end of the second quarter. Wrapping up provide a valuable way to review and for some a two-month period can be very hard, and the current system allowed for plenty time to trying to fit in tests and quizzes to either meet study. Either take on it, midyears are always a specific curriculum or make a student’s grade questioned, so did we do it right this year? more fair is difficult for the teachers. When Teachers were supposedly told that they asked about how the quarter ended this year were not allowed to give extraneous work, before midyears, Fourth Former Ryan Bowman whether it be a test, quiz, or homework, after said, “The end of quarter had way too much Wednesday, December 12th, which was work, but I can understand why it did. I think three days before the weekend leading up to that because of [all the work] it made it very midyear exams. However after being asked hard for me to study for the midterm.” Fourth about this “rule,” Third Form English teacher Former Jack Soslow agreed and added, “I think Mrs. Rebecca Smedley said, “I honestly was that the end of [the previous] quarter was so not told about the rule, I just assumed that we bad because it was really short, which caused our teachers to have to fit in a lot of assessments right before we took the midterm.” Some students complained about learning new material in the week before midyears. Soslow stated, “In all of my classes I had new material and I learned new things.” Jack then stated, “In most cases (the new material) was given in the form of tests or projects right before Despite receiving the system that they desired after last year, some students the last day they were may still be unhappy with the status quo. These results are from a survey allowed to be given.” Bowman conducted on Survey Monkey in early 2012 by James Shecter ‘13. also said that he “learned a little more material” and “had a couple more tests should give some time for our students. I take and quizzes.” However, Fifth Former Naryan that review time very seriously and normally Rustgi learned no new material, and was not give a week for my Third Formers to study, Logan Atkins ‘15
Mr. Green has been a driving force behind the changes.
assessed during the week. Sixth Former Henry Scales was in a similar situation as Rustgi, and said, “I really did not have much work or learn new material, and I think the teachers were fair and allowed a good amount of time to study for our exams.” Teachers have tests and quizzes to help the students review, but Fourth Former Manav Khandelwal disagrees, “If anything, having tests [and quizzes] can be detrimental to the studying process. I could see how teachers would think that they are helpful, but when you have four or five tests or quizzes piled up it can be very hard to find time to study.” Fifth Former Troy Trauger had a similar view saying, “I think that having tests and quizzes just take away from the actual review. I think that pure review would be much more beneficial.” Fourth Former Mason Hall had a more neutral feeling on the topic, “Having tests in the last week allow me to review the most recent material, where I have already been tested on the older stuff, but I think that they should be spread out and not all in one day.” The system is always susceptible to change, and Fourth Former George Hall said that he would want to adjust the current system; “I think that it should be mandatory for teachers to allow three days for review. I also think that those three days should be X days so I do not drop any of my classes, and I can also maximize my review.” Fourth Former Spencer
Elias Economou
Rappaport said that there should not even be homework in the week before midyear exams let alone tests and quizzes. The reason why Head of the Upper School Mr. Matthew Green and Dean of Students Mr. Mark Fifer along with the entire faculty decided on having midyear exams before break was to maximize the curriculum for the students. Last year, there were no midyear exams, which allowed for teachers to present new material to their students without taking an extensive amount of time on exams. This thought process is definitely a reason for taking only three days for review. But is trying to avoid too much time away from learning really a good idea? Khandelwal disagrees, “I think that teachers should look at the last two weeks [before midyear exams] as a time to put in the same work as they would put in for one week. That would distribute the work more evenly and allow more time for us to study.” Pressure is constantly set upon Haverford students to do well and complete their work, so was there really enough time given to the students to succeed on the midyear exams? Was there enough time for the students to finish the quarter strong? For the most part, people enjoy having exams before a lengthy break, but when it comes down to: Did Haverford successfully plan midyears? Maybe Haverford did not have enough time.
Is Haverford Preparing Third Formers for Next Year Well? Jack Henderson ‘15, a current Fourth Former, interviews other Fourth Formers to determine whether they feel that they were prepared enough for the increased difficulty. Jack Henderson ‘15
for the challenge, responsibility, and enjoyment of being in the Upper School. However, there Preparing Boys For Life. That is is one area where many students agree that the Haverford’s slogan, one that it achieves and school does not do all that it could to prepare surpasses in many ways. However, before the students properly. school can prepare students for the real world, The jump from Form III to Form IV. they must prepare them to handle the various Homework increases dramatically. The stages of the school itself. expectations rise for how quickly students can The Lower School provides an excellent understand difficult concepts and employ the foundation, as the boys prepare for the higher concepts on assessments. The overall rigor of responsibility of a student in the Middle each class in Form IV is significantly greater School. Many agree that the Middle School than Form III. Most students do not believe is full of great teachers and provides students the Form IV year is too difficult to handle, but with the skills and knowledge necessary for rather freshman year simply does not prepare success in the Upper School. them for the challenges of Form IV. When students enter the Upper School as Fourth Former Louie Brown states, “I feel, freshmen, they are excited and well prepared along with most students, that the workload jump from freshman to sophomore year is a little ridiculous, although I can’t comment on the latter years. I don’t necessarily think that my workload now is too outrageous, I just feel that coming into the year I was left entirely unprepared from freshman year, Mr. Trocano’s Chemistry* Class, whose lab space is pictured, is considered one of the Index Staff and it’s been hardest classes.
difficult to adjust.” Fourth Former Jake Pechet explains, “The leap from freshman to sophomore year was certainly a big one for me. When I was a freshman, my workload was relatively light, and less was expected of me because I was ‘just a freshman.’ However, once I became a sophomore, the rigor of my classes increased, and the amount of homework I had at least doubled.” Many students simply feel that Form II does not prepare them for Form III; there is too big of a gap between these grades for the workload and class difficulty. Pechet goes on to say, “[In sophomore year] no longer was I new to the Upper School, just trying to find my way. I’d had a full year to acclimate and learn what was expected of me. Pechet says, “Now, I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining, because I’m not. I think a large component of why this year is so much harder than last is because of the classes I chose to take. Honors Chemistry has likely been the reason why sophomore year has been so much harder than freshman. The class is extremely challenging and requires a substantial amount of time. But, Mr. Trocano does an excellent job of supporting everyone and setting you up for success, provided that you put in the work.” Fourth Former Jackson Simon believes the increase in difficulty is due to the opportunity to take more honors level courses. Simon clarifies, “The transition from freshman to sophomore year has been tough, but I have managed pretty well… From my experience, the amount of homework has not been too different from freshman year. It’s the difficulty of the classes that challenges you to be your best.” Pechet concludes, “I think the reason
sophomore year is harder than freshman year is because expectations are higher. No longer are you trying to become accustomed to a new environment and adjust to expectations of Upper School teachers, and you also have a science class that is infinitely harder than freshman Physics.” Fourth Former Jamie Leyden agrees. Leyden explains, “The workload increase from freshman to sophomore year is definitely a big jump. However, the class difficulty increase provides a good challenge and is needed to prepare students who will soon be looking at colleges and need to be prepared for the workload of college.” Most students agree with Leyden, but they feel that, while still being prepared for a rigorous college course load, the Form II year could ease them into the difficulty of sophomore year. Fourth Former Jordan Siegal believes that “the workload increased a lot this year and most sophomores can agree that it’s harder and takes more work to keep good grades this year. Even teachers acknowledge the large jump from freshman to sophomore year.” If even teachers are aware of the issue, why does the school not do anything? The school should not decrease the Fourth Form course load, but perhaps increase the challenge of Third Form year. Brown goes on to say, “I would like to emphasize the fact that I don’t have too much of an issue on my present workload as a sophomore. I just think that we as a school could do more to prepare the freshmen for the work hike that comes with moving up in the school.” It is a problem that the school must address and will require much collaboration and deliberation to decide the plan of action. But it will most likely be years before this problem is solved.
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The Index
Sports
April 2013
Back on Top: Lacrosse Riding Eight-Game Win Streak Connor Atkins ‘15 After a tough start to the season, the lacrosse team has now bounced back and is now on a roll. Winning their past eight games straight, the lacrosse team now sits at 8-3 after victories over Salisbury, Germantown Academy, Penn Charter, Radnor, St. Joseph’s Prep, Calverton, and McDonough. The entire team has improved in every single game and the team is gaining confidence as they begins their Inter-Ac schedule. Of Haverford’s early struggles, sophomore attackman Grant Ament commented, “Coach Nostrant said in the beginning of the year, ‘We have an enormous amount of talent but we are young and inexperienced.’ I feel that after those first three losses we all came together as a team with the mindset that we aren’t losing no matter what.” This 8-game winning streak began with a 6-5 win over a very good Maryland team, McDonough. This victory was huge not only because it put the Fords on the right track to improve their season but also because McDonough has always been a rival of the Fords. Two sophomores, Drew Supinski and Grant Ament, put in goals in the first half and the Fords then went on to win the game in dramatic fashion, 6-5, snapping their 3-game losing streak. Next up for the Fords was Calverton, another team from Maryland. Although the Fords started off slow, they quickly took control of the game, winning in the end 17-6. Gavin McBride (Princeton), senior captain, led the Fords to victory with a hat trick. This was a good victory because this was the first doubledigit lead for Haverford this season.
After this game, Haverford faced off with Saint Joe’s Prep, an always anticipated game on the Fords schedule. The Fords jumped out to an early lead, taking control of the game in the first half by going up 11-3. The team received contributions from almost everyone on the squad to help propel the Fords to a decisive 15-4 win over The Prep. Next up on the schedule for the Fords was a highly-anticipated game against one of the area’s top teams, Radnor, ranked 6th in the city when Haverford played them. After the Fords took a slim lead of 6-5 into the half, goals from seniors Timmy Brooks (Richmond) and Reilly Hupfeldt (UPenn) and solid goaltending from senior Jake Landman (Dartmouth) gave the team its fourth win of the season, 9-7. The Fords next game came against highly-touted Penn Charter, ranked ahead of Haverford by PhillyLacrosse.com when these two teams played, in the team’s InterAc opener. After a slow start in the first quarter, the team pulled away with major contributions from Gavin McBride, Junior defenseman Connor Keating, and a couple of underclassmen, including freshman Tommy McNamara. Final score: Haverford 14, Penn Charter 6. Up next on the Fords’ Inter-Ac schedule was Germantown Academy. Every game in the Inter-Ac is intense and important. Coming off of a victory against Penn Charter, the Fords were on a streak and they jumped out to an early 6-1 lead after the first quarter. Major contributions from senior attackmen Reilly Hupfeldt and Gavin McBride led the Fords in a 14-2 rout. One of the major lacrosse events of the year the Fords lacrosse team participated and hosts
The varsity Lacrosse team playing in a game against Salisbury.
is the annual Checking for Cancer tournament. Coach Nostrant created this tournament five years ago in order to support the research of different types of cancer. On this day their are multiple games, and the Fords took on the number three ranked team in the country, Salisbury (Connecticut). Goals by sophomores Grant Ament, Phil Poquie, and Drew Supinski gave the Fords an early 3-0 lead. However, Salisbury fought back to make it a 4-3 game until Reilly Hupfeldt scored back-to-back goals to put the Fords up 6-4 at the half. The Fords did not relinquish their lead in the second half, and a hat trick of goals from sophomore Grant Ament led to a huge 13-9 victory over the third-ranked team in the country. Of the team’s big win over Salisbury, Ament says, “It was without a doubt an important game to get under our belt. I knew
it was going to be a tough one but we definitely left it all on the field and that is why we came out on top.” In their most recent game, Haverford played the newlynamed Springside Chestnut Hill in their 3rd league game of the season. Thanks to a big day from the McBride family (Gavin ‘13, Shane ‘15, and Tucker ‘15 all scored at least two goals), the Fords were able to secure their fourth double-digit victory of the season, 20-6 at home on Sabol Field. Currently 8-3 overall, and 3-0 in the Inter-Ac (tied for first with Episcopal Academy), the Fords are focused on finishing Ms. Lisa Ament out their Inter-Ac schedule with a couple of out-of-league games sprinkled in (La Salle, Conestoga). The Fords have been led offensively by seniors Reilly Hupfeldt (28 goals), Gavin McBride (23 goals, 13 assists), and Timmy Brooks (11 goals before his injury). Sophomores Grant Ament (13 goals, 12 assists) and Drew Supinski (12 goals) have also made an impact. Defensively, the Fords are anchored by the likes of Juniors Connor Keating (28 ground balls) and Connor Black (17 ground balls) and freshman Tommy McNamara (22 ground balls). The Fords are clearly improving with every game and with good leadership, the Fords have won the past seven games and look to continue their streak as they finish off their 2013 campaign.
Frisbee Completes Successful Season Opener Will Tackett ‘14 Spring weather is finally here, so the Haverford Ultimate Frisbee team’s season is getting into full swing. Under the direction of Coaches Dr. Andrew Fenton and Ms. Rachael Jennings, the team has spent half of its time at Polo Field in Bryn Mawr and the other half at Eagle Field at Haverford, practicing and preparing for another great year of frisbee. The team, lead by Fifth Form Captains Nate McManus and Christman Henderer, started practice in the last week of March. It began with a record fifty initial sign-ups, but despite this number, the team was able to maintain its no-cuts policy by allowing for
some natural attrition. For the first game of the season, the team had around twenty-five to thirty players, split (by player’s choice) among two teams, the competitive and noncompetitive teams. That game, the season opener, was held at Sabol Field on Tuesday, April 9th. Haverford’s opponent was the Science Leadership Academy from Philadelphia. The Fords opened the game with a quick touchdown, but found themselves in a hole just as quickly. Luckily, the Fords kept their cool and dominated the rest of the game en route to a 15-8 victory. Fifth Former Nick Helber scored five of those touchdowns including a brilliant diving catch. McManus and Henderer had three and four
total touchdowns (including total touchdowns), respectively. The game was a far cry from last season’s opener against Penncrest, which the Fords lost 15-4 due to a critical weakness: speed and endurance. After conditioning for the first two weeks of practice this year, Haverford Ultimate Frisbee made speed and endurance a relative strength and simply outran the competition in this year’s home opener. For the game, Coach Fenton decided to only play the seventeen returning players because the rules of frisbee are slightly nuanced. They also rely on the honor system or “spirit of the game” as Coach Fenton likes to call it, because there are no referees.
Unfortunately, “spirit of the game” played a role in the Ford’s opener in a negative light. Science Leadership Academy attempted to take advantage of the rules by continually calling fouls in gray-area situations. The Haverford bench retaliated by verbally responding to this lack of sportsmanship, resulting in one of the SLA players posting a long complaint about Haverford’s own sportsmanship on Facebook. Despite this incident, the game was an overall success for Haverford and a great start to the season. In the words of Nate McManus, “I was really impressed the way that we played against SLA. The new players seemed to step up in their roles and the returning players play with a lot of heart and skill.”
March Madness Recap from Haverford Perspective Kenny Fitzpatrick ‘16 If you are reading this article you have probably heard about what an amazing yet crippling march madness this has been this year up until the final second. Like most years, people are kicking themselves for the occasional upset, but in a way upsets should happen; however, this year was different. In the round of 64, only 10 lower seeds defeated their opponent. If you put aside Oregon, who many believed deserved a higher seed and the 9-8 games (because, they are expected to be competitive) you still saw teams like LaSalle (13), Harvard (14 seed), Ole Miss (12 seed), Minnesota (11 seed), California (12 seed) and Florida Gulf Coast (15 seed) who advanced, three in which won the following game. Of these “Cinderella” teams the one whom most were surprised by and may not have even known the name of was FGCU. After shocking the Georgetown Hoyas (2 seed), the Eagles went on to defeat a very talented San Diego State team. Unfortunately, the story ended there when the Eagles fell to a very talented and focused Florida team. What happened with the other teams? Well, Harvard ended up falling in the round of 32 in a very closely contested game with Arizona, Minnesota lost to Florida (round of 32), California lost in a nail biter to Syracuse (round of 32), and Lasalle (who defeated Ole
Miss in the round of 32) fell to a story within itself: Wichita State. This Wichita St. squad meant business from the very beginning when they put on a clinic against Pittsburgh in the round of 64. However, the magic had not begun until they took down Gonzaga (a one seed). It actually turned out that the shockers were actually living up to their name! After breezing by Lasalle and punching their ballot into the elite eight the shockers shocked the Buckeyes to advance to the Final Four (the last time being 1965). The run had to end somewhere when the shockers lost in a close one to Louisville. However, I am almost sure the shockers felt no shame considering Louisville went on to snag the title game. Putting the “madness” aside this March was also filled with plenty of historic marks as well as plenty of headlines (along with tragedies). Probably the one in which most people heard about was the “Kevin Ware” injury. Yeah, it even has its own name. The scene was the Louisville-Duke matchup (elite-eight). About Midway through the first half (6:33 remaining) Ware went to contest a wide open three pointer (shot by Tyler Thornton) by propelling high into the air. When Ware’s leg hit the ground it viciously buckled out and appeared to what looked like a right angle. When this happened his bone shot out and was easily visible for the entire people on the floor to see. In fact, the Louisville bench simultaneously all turned
around to shield themselves from viewing the injury. Louisville players on the court were either in tears or could not stand to look. Thornton who had drained the three immediately turned around with a look of despair on his face when he saw what had happened. Although devastating to the team, this event did not break down the team but rather built them up. After the injury it was all Louisville, who dominated Duke and went on to win the national title and who cut the net? Ware himself. Now most of you are probably wondering (if you did not follow the tournament), how did the Philly teams do? They had their bright and their dark spots. Entering the tournament four teams represent the Philadelphia area One of the many exciting moments of this year’s Mr. Michael Dwyer (Memphis, Villanova, Lasalle, and tournament. a dangerous Temple). The highest seed of the four UNC team. The was held by Memphis (6 seed) who were set to result? Temple went on the beat NC St. in a play St. Mary’s in the round of 64. Although close game (76-72) but in the south ‘Nova fell Memphis won the matchup they only very to UNC in a game where many die-hard fans eked out the win when SMU had a chance to thought that ‘Nova had a chance in the end. tie or win in the final seconds. This win set This leaves the 13-seeded LaSalle who made a them up to play the Michigan St. Spartans who miraculous unexpected run. In the round of 64, blew out Memphis 70-48. Following Memphis Lasalle faced off against 4th seeded Kansas St were Temple and Villanova who were both who they shocked in a closely-contested game fairly respective 9 seeds. In the round of 64 63-61. As explained earlier in the article they Memphis was scheduled to face off against went on to beat Ole Miss but fell to Wichita St. a talented NC St squad and Villanova with in the Sweet 16.
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The Index
April 2013
Sports
Fords’ Focus: Third Form Making Presence Felt in Spring In Haverford’s foremost sports column, Manav Khandelwal ‘15 discusses the important contributions current Third Formers are making on spring teams. Manav Khandelwal ‘15
A lot of the talk with Haverford Spring athletics is about the Sixth Formers, and for good reason. As you saw in my February edition of “Fords Focus,” where I profiled this year’s Sixth Form commits, over two-dozen seniors are committed to playing a sport at a Division I program. Their leadership and talent is what has driven Haverford to stay in the Heyward Cup lead and will lead as many as four Inter-Ac championship teams this Spring. Third Formers, however, have had their own role in the Fords’ athletic success in baseball, lacrosse, track, and tennis. Whether they joined the Haverford community this year or have been here since 1st grade, Form III student-athletes have certainly made their presence felt on the sports field thus far this Spring. Haverford baseball has had a lot of success in the past due to a strong Third Form class, and that trend continues in 2013. Catcher James McConnon, son of Form I English teacher Mr. Mark McConnon, headlines this group. McConnon, who plays legion baseball for Springfield among other non-school teams, has started most of the games at catcher despite having experienced upperclassmen to compete with. McConnon has hit 5-14 (.357 batting
average) with 5 runs and 6 RBIs. “It’s been a great opportunity that I am trying to make the most out of,” says McConnon. “What I am learning now will help me in a few years teach the younger guys like the upperclassmen have taught me. Almost all of the seniors have been really helpful in teaching me how to catch a high school game and not is it just benefiting me, but the team as a whole.” Other Third Formers that populate the Fords’ varsity roster are Frank Cresta and Ben Tracy. Both pitch, and have seen a fair amount of time on the mound this season. At the plate, Cresta is 5-for-15 (.333) with four runs scored and 2 runs batted in. He also has 6 walks, boasting an impressive .523 on-base percentage. Tracy, in more limited at-bats, has 1 RBI and 2 runs scored. Fords Lacrosse is especially laden with Form Three talent. Midfielders Tommy McNamara, Brendan O’Neill, Dox Aitken, and Luke Desperito have made their presence felt very early on in their Haverford careers. O’Neill and Aitken have lit up the stat sheet, with 6 goals and 2 goals and 6 assists respectively. McNamara has received a lot of playing time early on as well, doing the dirty work on loose balls (20 ground balls, good for 2nd on the team) and on defense. Of his early success, O’Neill says, “Being able to get
McNamara in a gane against Salisbury.
Ms. Lisa Ament
playing time as a freshman especially this year, has made me and all the other underclassmen better. The group of seniors this year is amazing and it’s an honor to be able to play with them.” Forry Smith (attack)—the first Third Former ever to commit to a Division I lacrosse program (John’s Hopkins)—and Alex DeMarco (goalie) have received a little bit less when it comes to playing time but that can be attributed to strong upperclassmen leadership at their respective positions, namely Gavin McBride, Reilly Hupfeldt, and Jake Landman. Both are extremely talented and are certainly going to be First-Team All-Inter Ac by Fifth
and Sixth year. On the track team, three freshmen have separated themselves not only from their school peers, but nationally as well. Max Arias (400 meters), Dan Kielty (100 m), and Micah Sims (long jump) have all qualified for freshman nationals very early in the Spring season. Kielty ran a blistering 11.66 seconds in the 100, faster than the 11.8 qualifying time, while Sims jumped an impressive 20 feet, 9 inches in the long jump, 6 inches farther than the qualifying distance of 20 feet, 3 inches. Arias, who was part of this winter’s recordsetting 4 x 800 relay with Alex Keszeli, Alex Kim, and Lucas Elek, has also separated himself in the 400 and 800 as one of the fastest runners not only on the team, but in the area. The tennis team features just one Third Former, Drew Clark, but he’s been vital in keeping the team’s 38 (and counting)-game win streak alive. Due to national tournaments and sickness, Haverford has missed some of its top players, Jordan Lieb, Zach Lieb, Ben Lieb, Nathan Kidambi, and Andrew Gushner, in key matches this season, especially against Lawrenceville when the team’s win streak was put to its ultimate test. On a day when the team was missing 3 of those players, Clark stepped up to play 3rd doubles with Fifth Former George Avetian and crushed Lawrenceville’s 3rd doubles team 6-0, 6-0. Thus far this season, Clark has won all 8 of his doubles matches (either 3rd or 4th doubles) and will be a fixture on the team for years to come. *Note: All statistics are unofficial and as of April 15th.
Crew Continues Winning History Under New Leadership A long-term member of the Haverford crew team, RJ Meiers ‘14 writes an article focusing on how the crew team has adjusted under a new coach. RJ Meiers ‘14
At about a quarter of the way into the spring rowing season, reinvigorated by the presence of a new coach, the Haverford Crew is poised and ready to return to the forefront of prominent rowing programs. In the crew team’s latest race, the 4th Manny Flick of April 14th, Haverford’s top boats performed remarkably well. The team’s Varsity Four, the oldest boat, composed solely of seniors, Wick Egan, Colin Meehan, Max Freundlich and John McMichael, and coxed by junior Leith Holden Dennis, placed 1st in their heat and had the 2nd overall time of their race. The lightweight four placed 3rd in their heat and third overall in the
event. However, there was some trouble in paradise; both the Junior Varsity four and Junior Varsity double struggled slightly in their races. Despite these less than stellar results, these boats are sure to rebuff their efforts and comeback ready to win next week. The freshmen and novice rowers performed admirably, as the Novice four won its heat and place 1st in the event. The freshmen eight, coxed by Ben Berger placed 3rd overall in their event. The crew team, since the departure of Coach Barker, has made enormous strides, according to Fifth Former Sanjay Naryanan, “The crew team has taken huge leaps this year
The Haverford Quad in the Navy Day Regatta.
under the direction of Coach Stephanik. The Varsity crew has put in an enormous amount of work toward this Spring Season - beginning training as early as August of last year- and the effects have definitely been visible so far in the season. In addition, the freshmen and novice rowers have
Ms. Ann Glavin
been quick to learn how to pull, and have even managed to win some races. Everyone on the team is happy to see the fruits of their labor, but we still have a lot of work to do. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season.” Clearly, the crew team has a lot to look forward to.
Recent Sports Credit Changes: What? and Why? Matt Larson ‘14 discusses controversial changes to the sports credit system: namely, that stage crew and ultimate frisbee were reduced to “replacement activities.” Matt Larson ‘14
Recently, the decision was made to downgrade two activities from sports credits to “replacement activities” – Stage Crew and Ultimate Frisbee. The leader and captain of the respective “activities,” Paul Addonizio ’14 and Nate McManus ’14, have been interviewed regarding what they feel is a somewhat unjust decision. Addonizio did not necessarily agree with the removal of the sports credit label—keep in mind that doing stage crew for the full year does count as a credit. As he explained, “there is physical labor involved, especially during production weeks… [the work involved] takes a huge amount of time.” Usually, stage crew takes up “about 8 hours during normal weeks, 15 during production weeks, [and] 30 during show weeks.” Addonizio also noted that “the hours above do not count any outside activity or weekend work days,” which could also be extensive depending on how busy Centennial Hall might be. Fortunately, he does not think that the decision to downgrade stage crew will affect its turnout among newcomers.
McManus took a different and more passionate approach to his answer. Ultimate frisbee “practice[s] 5 days a week as long as it is not raining…this year we have about 13 regular season games, 2 tournaments, and the playoffs.” Clearly, there is a sizable time commitment, like there would be for other sports that earn a credit. McManus does not have a problem with Ultimate Frisbee being downgraded only because “about two-thirds of our players” play “because they enjoy the sport,” not “for the credit.” However, he does have a problem with the way his team has been treated by the athletic department. “A lot of people at this school do not consider Ultimate a sport, but if they ever tried to play an actual [game]…they would realize how tiresome it actually is.” He explained that “not only do you need to know how to throw at least two different ways, but you need endurance, speed, and the ability to catch [the frisbee].” McManus acknowledged that “ the school has started to treat Ultimate better since my freshman year,” for the team is “funded, we can use on campus facilities for practices & games at least 2-3 times a week, and this year
The Centennial Hall stage where stage crew works.
Index Staff
we’ve had the most people show up for Ultimate Frisbee” in the years it has been running. He cites, however, Andrew Helber ’12 as a prime example of how Ultimate Frisbee has not been given the status it deserves. For those who do not know, Helber played water polo during the fall, swam for the school during the winter, and played for the Ultimate team in the spring instead of another sport which cost him an Iron Man Award (according to McManus). No doubt it is an issue worth considering; should physically demanding activities like Ultimate frisbee and stage crew be considered “sports” even though they are not nationally recognized as prominent parts of school culture? Only time will tell if these two are upgraded once more, earning the respect their leaders believe they should.
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The Index
Sports
April 2013
Still Streaking: Tennis Team Extends Win Streak to 38 Jackson Simon ‘15 Following an undefeated season last year, the tennis team is back in action and training hard in hopes of another outstanding season. With the recent additions of Juniors Will Pierce and George Avetian, Sophomore Gage Bowser, and Freshman Drew “Bobby” Clark, the tennis team is stronger than ever. The team is anticipating yet another formidable season after a great yet nerve racking start to the season. After a 7-0 victory against the State finalists, Harriton, the tennis team took on Penn Charter. Despite the losses of core players due to several ailments, the Fords competed with the additional help of Freshman Peter Merhige, Sophomore Ross Higgins and Sophomore Teddy Selverian. After some long and grueling matches, the Fords pulled out a 6-1 victory. The Fords then took on yet another strong adversary in Lawrenceville. Once again, despite not having Captain James Shecter, #1
The varsity tennis team after winning the Mayor’s Cup.
singles Zach Lieb, and #2 singles Ben Lieb, the Fords showed true passion and team spirit as they played their hearts out. The Fords went up 3-2 in matches and the players anxiously gathered to cheer on their two remaining teammates who were both in a tight third set singles match. Andrew Gushner and James Tarte both grinded in nearly three hour-long singles marathons; they truly embodied the characteristics of a Ford. Despite questionable line calls and tantrums of anger from his opponent, Andrew Gushner kept his calm.
When it came down to the pressure moments, James Tarte saved a match point down 4-5 in the second set with the team’s 31 game win streak on the line. He eventually clinched a Ford’s victory with his miraculous come from behind thriller with a final score of 2-6, 7-5,64. The match was the closest and most nerve racking match that the tennis team has ever had.. Coach Fink remarked that this match countered the stereotype of the tennis team’s success. People had assumed that they won because of incredible skill yet the Fords won because of their heart and fighting spirit. The Fords then competed in The Mayor’s Cup invitational, a selective tournament with the best teams in the area. Despite still not having a full line-up due to various illnesses with James Shecter and Andrew Gushner, the Fords made their mark as they swept all three rounds by beating St. Joe’s, Penn Charter and the defending champion La Salle. Although the 7-0 sweep can be deceiving, the Fords had to dig deep and work for the victory in the finals. Zach Lieb downed La Salle’s big serving #1 singles Christian Lutschaunig 6-3, 6-3 with high percentage counter punching and brilliant passing shots. Ben Lieb pulled off a three set come from behind victory against La Salle’s #2 singles, Peter Dewitt. Jordan Lieb outdueled La Salle’s # 3 singles, R.J. Napolitano, in another three setter by a final score of 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Nathan Kidambi with his powerful forehand along with Naryan Rustgi’s quick hands at net outplayed La Salle’s #1 doubles 6-0, 6-3.. Captain James Tarte’s notorious drop shots Ms. Alice Simon and touch along with Jackson Simon’s consistency pulled off a come from behind win with a final score of 3-6, 6-0, 6-3. George Avetian’s solid serve and netplay along with Gage Bowser’s craftiness led them to a 6-1, 6-1 victory at third doubles. Will Pierce’s serving and John Zipf’s two handed backhands dominated to complete the sweep in the finals of the tournament. The Fords’ winning streak was extended to 36 matches. Two more wins over former state champs Conestoga and Chestnut Hill have the streak at 38.
After a successful offseason playing highly competitive USTA tournaments, the infamous Lieb brother trio will return to compete in all three singles positions. Although singles is vital to our team’s success, players know that matches are won by outstanding doubles due to the fact that there are four doubles teams which can single handedly win you the head to head match against the opposing school. During one practice session on the Haverford Tennis courts, Coach Antonio Fink revealed that, “Singles is an art while doubles is a science.” By this he meant that doubles teams will always win if they apply the same “scientific” method for each match. This method entails attacking the net and closing in on the shot. “Doubles teams must move as a unit as if they are tied by a rope,” according to coach Fink. “They must either be both back at the baseline if they are returning a big serve or preferably both up at net attacking the middle of the court.” Coach Mark Gottlieb can tell you that “one up one back” doubles will only work against amateurs. Just picture this: from behind the baseline you have less than 20 degrees of angle while from just 5 feet away from the net, you have 120 degrees. Anybody who has taken geometry can understand the immense advantages of closing in on the net. Not only do you have more angles at the net, but you apply significant amounts of pressure on your opponents to hit a passing shot. If you play by the percentages and win two out of every three points at the net, the match is yours by a score of six to love. The tennis team is coming along fairly quickly in understanding the “scientific method” of doubles. Doubles players Nathan Kidambi, Andrew Gushner, James Shecter, James Tarte, Naryan Rustgi, Jackson Simon, George Avetian, Drew Clark, Will Pierce and Gage bowser are putting these tactics to use. Singles on the other hand is an art according to coach Fink. Strategy is of course pertinent to singles but not to the same extent as in doubles. Singles requires tremendous athleticism. Explosive muscles are needed for quick and agile movements all around the court. Endurance is needed for long matches that can last multiple hours. According to
Medical Doctor Mark Gottlieb, a strong core is necessary to twist and unleash large amounts of force and torque on the tennis ball which in turn will produce height, depth and spin: the three qualities that differentiate pros from juniors. In both doubles and singles, the mind can either be your greatest friend or worst enemy. If you play each point independently of the next with maximum focus and intensity, your effort will yield positive results. Of course strategy is vital to our success but there is one attribute that we must accentuate above all others: work ethic and tenacity. Senior captain James Shecter speaks on behalf of the team’s work ethic when he states, “We’ve been practicing in freezing cold weather. Weather that no one in the right mind would ever consider proper tennis weather. Despite the temperature, we’ve been able to train intensely and efficiently, day in and day out. None of that would’ve been possible if it weren’t for the spirit and camaraderie we have on the team. We really rally around each other and make sure everyone’s getting the most out of each practice and having such strong bonds on the team makes training and working hard much more fun.” Tennis is an individual sport. All year round, players are playing for themselves and not their teams or schools. Typically on tennis teams, there is internal competition and rivalry amongst players. Coach Fink and Gottlieb are coaching us successfully in that they eliminate the rivalry on the team and promote an environment of camaraderie and team collaboration. This is evident in the fact that each player attends each match whether they have a starting position or are sitting on the bench. When their match is finished, the players shake hands like a gentleman and then they quickly rush over to the adjacent court to cheer on their teammates. The players on the majority of the teams that we face experience no sense of unity or camaraderie like we do here at Haverford. They leave when their match is over and don’t even bother to cheer on their teammates. The team looks forward to another successful season not just in the win column but by learning and enjoying from a sport that we will have for the rest of our lives.
Baseball Poised for Inter-Ac Success After Strong Start Drew Field ‘13 The Fords baseball team has gotten out to a good start to the season and has high hopes heading into the Inter-Ac portion of the schedule. So far, the squad is 11-5 overall and 2-0 in Inter-Ac play after a 1-0 thriller against Penn Charter on April 9th to kick off the Inter-Ac season and another close win over Germantown Academy, 8-7, just 3 days later. The pitching staff, led by Sixth Formers Pat Valentine and Matt Galetta and Fifth Former Connor Burke, has gotten off to an excellent start, managing to quell the lineups of many of the top teams in the state. Valentine has been especially strong, posting a 2-1 record and an impressive 2.99 ERA. He’s also struck out 24 batters in 18.1 innings pitched, an incredible 12 strikeouts/per nine innings. The relief staff, anchored by seniors Stewart
Denious and Steve Fitzgerald and Fourth Former Nick Greco has also been solid. While pitching has kept the Fords within striking distance in all of the games, strong performances by the lineup, led by No. 3 hitter Steve Fitzgerald and Fourth Form clean-up hitter Kevin McGowan, have provided all of the offensive support necessary to win ballgames. The Inter-Ac is perhaps as wide-open as ever this year, with no dominant teams or clear favorite; instead, it features many capable squads with a lot of talent. With strong senior leadership and a talented group of young players, the Fords feel they are poised to win both the league championship and the state tournament at the end of the year, which they won back in 2010. Wins against SCHA and Malvern in the next couple weeks will go a long way in helping the Fords meet these goals.
Sixth Form ace Pat Valentine pitches in a game vs. GFS.
Index Staff
Public Perception of Haverford: Frisbee Incident (cont.) Continued from Page 4 Later that night, an SLA student took the tension to Facebook, posting a long status about the lack of sportsmanship on the part of Haverford. He denounced private schools in general as not instilling “good sportsmanship,” and “lacking in many areas of innovative learning.” He also wrote about hearing “how a team of spoiled brats...curses out my school and my principle [sic] over a frisbee game of all things.” He further claimed that the typical Haverford student is arrogant, has a trust fund, and is not diverse. Haverford Ultimate’s captains, Fifth Formers Nate McManus and Christman Henderer, on the other hand denied the
allegations of unsportsmanlike conduct to the degree described by the SLA student. Said Henderer, “Nobody did anything [the SLA student] claimed we did, including cursing out the coach, which I can confidently say did not happen.” Further, the two captains condemned the generalities made by the SLA student: “I believe the SLA player was out of line for stereotyping an entire school like that...the SLA player’s statement was uncalled for,” said McManus. He continued, “ That being said, I do believe that we need to work a little on our team’s sportsmanship.” He attributed the alleged unsportsmanlike conduct as a product of the passion of the team: “We are known to play with a lot of heart and we might have been very out going that game.”
Sportsmanship has been an issue in a few incidents in recent years, especially last year. For instance, controversy ensued after a Malvern football player called a Haverford player a racial epithet during the game. Later in the year, Episcopal Academy’s fan section also used racial stereotyping to taunt a Haverford player during a basketball game. They continuously chanted “Where’s your green card?” in reference to the fact the Haverford player was foreign-born. That incident mirrored another that occurred a year earlier, at EA Day, when Haverford fans used the green card jeer against EA’s Spanish-born water polo player. The issue between SLA and Haverford’s frisbee teams was not even the first time such debacles spilled over onto social media. Last
year, a Malvern water polo player made a tweet calling out a Haverford player. Then, during the game, he punched Haverford’s player in the eye, hospitalizing him. He and his teammates then proceeded to celebrate, even after the Malvern player was ejected. The status posted by the SLA student brought up another issue besides sportsmanship: public perception of Haverford. The extent to which he stereotyped members of our school was extreme, but is it uncommon? One thing is for certain, arrogance and lack of sportsmanship, whether perceived or real, hurts our reputation as a school, so a good strategy would be to always conduct ourselves in the best manner possible and thus leave no doubt whatsoever as to whether Haverford students are upstanding citizens or not.
Page 10
The Index
Opinions
April 2013
Current Haverford Second Formers Should Take Entrance Exam to Qualify for Upper School Jack Henderson ‘15 presents a controversial opinion that Haverford Second Formers ought to take an entrance exam to ensure that they are academically-deserving of and ready to enter the Upper School. Jack Henderson ‘15 Admission into Haverford is very competitive, and prospective families take many different approaches that they think will provide them the best chance to be admitted into the school. Some families attempt to have their son enter Haverford in Junior Kindergarten; others decide to wait and apply in later years. However, sixth grade and Form III offer the highest increase in students at Haverford. This fact does not necessarily mean Haverford receives more applications for these grades, but rather they simply have more open spots to fill. With this in mind, the various strategies that families use for admission into Haverford have different benefits and drawbacks. Those who are admitted into Junior Kindergarten at Haverford no longer have to worry about applying; their son is already into Haverford. However, many families choose not to apply and wait, willing to take their chances in later years because they may not be able to afford the tuition at Haverford for more than six or four years. This article will describe a possible addition to the admissions process into the Upper School for not only prospective students, but also students in Form II at Haverford. Many students are aware of the incredible competition for the limited number of open spots for students entering Form III. Many of the applying students are extremely qualified and have worked hard at their previous schools to acquire an education that will prepare them for success at Haverford
and beyond. On the other side of the spectrum, the students at Haverford are receiving an excellent education in Lower School and then the Middle School, all while paying the high tuition, and then preparing to enter the Upper School. Under this current situation, there may be instances where the prospective students in eighth grade applying to enter the Upper School in Form III have more qualifications and arguably more potential than certain students in the Form II at Haverford. Therefore, we must ask: whom should we choose if there is only one spot open? The loyal student of Haverford whose family has paid the tuition for years or the prospective student who may be more qualified and use the excellent resources in the Upper School at Haverford to a greater degree that will further develop their education and potential for success? Should students have the right to buy their way into the Upper School by entering in earlier grades or should the school admit the students most qualified for the Upper School, regardless of whether they are currently enrolled at Haverford? I believe it is somewhere in between. It is fair to reward the loyal student who has been at Haverford prior to entering the Upper School. However, in certain situations there may be a Haverford student who has not applied himself to his studies and a prospective student who is well qualified to attend Haverford. In such a situation where only one spot remains open for these two students, I believe the prospective student deserves to attend Haverford if there is
However, this may seem unfair to the current Haverford student. And I agree under most instances. However, there are certain situations where the student truly has not utilized the resources at Haverford and has not applied himself in school. If the school determines that the current Haverford student has a significant Mrs. Maryanne Quinn’s class of Form II Latin students. Index Staff not taken advantage quantitative of a Haverford education, and the prospective difference between the qualifications of the student shows promise to greater improve with Haverford student and the prospective student. Even if others agree with me, we must come a Haverford education, the prospective student deserves admission into Haverford. up with a way to quantify this “difference” in But make note that the prospective student qualifications and compare students currently must significantly score higher on the entrance enrolled in Form II at Haverford with other exam and prove to the school that he has more eighth grade students applying to Haverford. potential for success at Haverford and in his Many people have offered the idea of a Form later years with a Haverford education. II to Form III entrance exam that all Form II The school must ask itself if current eighth students would take, as well as all prospective grade students automatically deserve a spot students applying for Form III, to measure in the Upper School. And my answer is this: their competence and readiness for the rigor of if an enrolled Haverford student has made a a Haverford Upper School education. negative impact on the school or its students, With this system in place, the school can and if he has shown that he will not appreciate compare applicants with current Haverford the excellent education and dedicate himself eighth graders and determine those most qualified to enter the Upper School. The school to his studies, and the qualified applicant has shown that he will truly excel with a Haverford and the admissions office must determine to education, which would largely be determined what degree the applicants must surpass the by the entrance exam, the applicant should current Haverford student, but there should be admitted into Haverford, and the current be a margin that would allow the prospective student asked to leave. student to be admitted over the current student.
Fracking and Energy Independence: Why It Isn’t Worth It A critic of fracking, Brendan Burns ‘15 takes a controversial stance that both energy independence and fracking are not necessary goals for the U.S. to pursue. Brendan Burns ‘15
Since the housing bubble burst in 2008 and the US entered a recession, few positive developments have occurred for our country’s economy. It is propped up artificially by a loosening of credit and an increase in money supply. Political progress of any kind – whether in a conservative or liberal direction – has been at a standstill for three years. While it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel, there has been positive change in a few areas. Arguably one of the most dramatic trends that can be seen nationwide is a decrease in US reliance on imported energy. According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), the net import share of total US energy consumption was 19% in 2011. While this is a substantial amount, that same share represented 30% of total consumption just six years earlier, in 2005. It is projected that by 2040 that share will drop to 9%. What accounts for the decreased reliance on foreign oil during a period of supposed increasing resource depletion and scarcity? The answer lies in increased exploitation of domestic energy sources, specifically shale oil and natural gas. Natural gas is forecasted to comprise almost 35% of US energy production in 2040 compared to under 25% today. The increased exploitation of newly discovered domestic energy sources is predicted to transform the US economy: in November of 2012, the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted that the United States will surpass Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest producer of energy in 2020, be an exporter of oil in 2030, and be entirely energy independent by
2035. Mukesh Ambani, Indian billionaire and business magnate, predicts that the US could be energy-independent as soon as 2018. The benefits of these trends cannot be overstated. Since US oil production peaked in the 1970s, it has been reliant on politically or economically unstable countries such as Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Nigeria for oil imports. Even though oil imports from the Middle East account for less than a quarter of total US imports, this dependency magnifies the effects of political instability in that region on the American consumer in the form of higher gas prices, reduced economic output, and direct US involvement in Middle East countries. In addition, the boom in natural gas and shale oil production is forecasted to set off a new “golden age” for the US economy as it becomes an exporter of energy in a time when demand from undeveloped countries, especially China and India, will increase dramatically, resulting in shrinking trade deficits and increased economic production (Wall Street Journal). So what is not to like about these changes? In order to assess the downsides of this increased energy production, it is necessary to examine the two technologies that are making it possible. The first (and arguably more technologically impressive) is the practice known as horizontal drilling. This is exactly what it sounds like - the newly developed practice of drilling horizontal wells. This enables operators of these wells to extract the maximum amount of hydrocarbons from each well as a horizontal well contacts far more rock than a vertical one, which results in fewer wells being drilled, which in turn results in less land disturbance, fewer emissions, and an
altogether more efficient drilling operation (horizontal wells extract up to five times more gas than vertical wells). By itself, horizontal drilling presents no tangible danger. The second, more controversial technology is the procedure of hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as ‘fracking’. This process involves injecting fracturing fluid (composed of globalwaterforum.org The supposedly dangerous method of fracking. water, sand, and other from conventional wells. chemicals) at very high pressures into An ever greater concern lies in the pollution a shale formation in order to fracture the rock of valuable groundwater and aquifers with and allow shale gas to escape. The purpose of fracturing fluid. The EPA recently blamed the sand in this process is to hold the cracks fracking for large-scale groundwater open so that as much gas as possible will rise contamination in Wyoming. A report prepared to the surface. Horizontal drilling enables a for House Democratic members revealed horizontal well to be constructed in the source that, of approximately 2,500 products used in rock so that the well will be as productive hydraulic fracturing, more than 650 contained as possible (think of a well shaped like an chemicals classified as carcinogens, hazardous “L”, with the vertical portion penetrating air pollutants, or regulated substances under thousands of feet deep and the horizontal the Safe Water Drinking Act. In addition, portion embedded in the source rock that many chemicals used in the fracking process contains the natural gas). The main benefit of are proprietary and their compositions are fracking is that previously unaccessible rock unknown to regulators as they do not need formations (or formations that previously were to be disclosed. A study conducted on wells not economically viable to exploit) containing in Pennsylvania and Virginia revealed that vast quantities of valuable hydrocarbons can water released following the fracking process be accessed. However, there are enormous contains high amounts of radium, a harmful environmental drawbacks to this process. radioactive element, but the fracturing A Cornell University study showed that process is exempt from the regulations of the as much as 8% of the methane (a strong Safe Water Drinking Act, meaning that this greenhouse gas) from shale gas production pollution occurs without any blowback. And, escapes into the atmosphere over the lifetime farmland that has been fracked will never yield of a well. Many studies show that emissions crops again. from shale gas production (i.e. production Continued on the Next Page involving fracking) are far higher than those
Page 11
The Index
Politics
April 2013
Gay Marriage: Should It Be Legal? Haverford Debates No Yes Brendan Burns ‘15 In today’s political climate there is no issue more hotly contested and debated than whether or not the US government should allow samesex marriage. By all indications, support for same-sex marriage has grown in the past 10 years and is still increasing (according to a recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 53% back gay marriage). In 1996, 84 senators, including Joe Biden, voted to pass the Defense of Marriage Act which prohibited the Federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage. Biden, the current vice president, is now a firm supporter of same-sex marriage. In 1996, twice as many Senate Democrats voted that marriage should be strictly defined as between one man and one woman than not. Today, people who oppose same-sex marriage, especially those who oppose it for religious reasons, are labeled as “bigots” and Congressional Democrats are engaged in a race to articulate their advocacy for same-sex marriage faster than their colleagues. Debating whether Americans have just gotten a lot more tolerant and open-minded or support for same-sex marriage is simply due to ‘moral decay’ is pointless. Instead, examining the legal rationales is more rational. Proponents of same-sex marriage argue that it is unconstitutional to exclude same-sex couples from marriage, as individuals have no control over their sexual orientation. However,
conventions. Changing the definition of marriage from “a union between one man and one woman” to “a union of any two consenting adults who would like to have their relationship formally acknowledged” will have enormous societal consequences. These can be seen in European countries that have thoroughly de-institutionalized marriage through both recognition of unconventional marriages and government policies that incentivize procreation outside of marriage, such as Denmark, in which over 60% of firstborn children are born out of wedlock. Although there is not a direct cause and effect relationship present, the trends seen in Denmark (and other Scandinavian countries) are a good indication of the results of deinstitutionalizing marriage. In addition, there is a plethora of studies detailing the harmful effects of children being raised without a mother or without a father. Furthermore, if same-sex marriage is legalized on a federal level, religious groups, especially JudeoChristians and Muslims that denounce homosexual relations, will be subject to legal pressure to accept the redefinition of marriage. This could cause what Pulitzer prize-winning columnist Charles Krauthammer says will be an “assault on religion”. Most importantly, marriage is a fundamental pillar of society and has been so for
Protestors against same-sex marriage.
this is unsustainable legal logic. Marriage is not a right. Society can choose to endorse certain sexual arrangements in the form of benefits. Marriage has existed up to this point at a legal level in order to reward procreation and the existence of a family unit in which a man and a woman raise their children. Although Justice Elena Kagan rightfully pointed out that the logic of refusing marriage licenses to homosexual couples on the basis of protecting procreation could then be applied to refusing licenses to heterosexual couples over the age of 55, the fact remains that procreation results only from heterosexual unions. But, after all, this isn’t Russia or Japan – the United States has a birth rate of approximately 2 births per woman, which is not below the replacement rate. So why oppose same-sex marriage? The answer is that the debate over gay marriage isn’t about gay rights – many gay rights groups hold the view that even civil unions that provide the same benefits as marriage are not sufficient and that reserving the mere term “marriage” for heterosexual unions is wrongfully discriminatory. The debate over gay marriage isn’t about discrimination, or homophobia, or “marriage equality”. If this was simply a question of rights, aggressive gay rights groups would have settled for civil unions (with all the same legal rights as marriage) long ago. The debate over gay marriage stems from disagreement over whether it is appropriate to redefine the concept of marriage – and redefine society. Legalizing same-sex marriage on a federal level is equivalent to pronouncing marriage and the traditional concept of a family unit as we have understood them thus far in human history to be outdated and discriminatory
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thousands of years. The notion that interest groups of any kind have the right to redefine that concept is absurd as it is a term with not only legal, but religious significance. If a certain group dislikes the concept of marriage – in which one man and one woman form a union – that group has the right to reject marriage (or petition for civil unions), but not to alter the definition of marriage to suit its own needs. Those who support same-sex marriage need to decide whether their support for “marriage equality” means that they are willing to reshape society into a place in which the family is no longer a base unit and marriage exists solely to provide financial rights. Accepting same-sex marriage will likely mean the eventual destruction of marriage in society (indeed, the first gay rights supporters of the 1970s described marriage as an “oppressive institution” and the family as a “patriarchal prison” that “enslaves children”, and did not seek equal marriage rights). If the majority Americans truly desire a society that is not based on traditional concepts of marriage and family, then so be it; but, I would argue that this is not the case. Instead, a handful of aggressive groups have attempted (successfully) to discredit and demonize those who do not agree with their uncompromising agenda. This year, the US Supreme Court will vote on U.S. vs. Windsor and Hollingsworth vs. Perry, which will determine the fates of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act and California’s Proposition 8, respectively. Americans need to decide whether their support for “marriage equality” means that they are willing to dramatically change societal norms far beyond the scope of gay rights.
Americans, women, and other minority groups to vote and also gave them the same The United States of America was founded role as every other caucasian male in society. However, there is still one group left out of the on the idea that any person could practice equal rights picture: gay people on the issue of whatever belief or lifestyle they chose to same-sex marriage. without being prosecuted. That is what is Same-sex marriage was first made illegal by the Defense of Marriage Act, passed in 1996 by then-President Bill Clinton. The law made it through both houses of Congress by large majorities and recognizes marriage between only people of opposite sex. Same-sex marriage has been opposed by some religious groups and social conservatives. Same-sex marriage is a very polarizing and a much debated topic in the nation’s capital, especially as of late. The Supreme Court hearing on United States v. Windsor, which took place on March 27th, 2013, was a case in which a gay couple filed a lawsuit against the government. This lawsuit states that the Defense of Marriage Act infringes the 5th Amendment. If Windsor wins, it could mean huge strides in the pro-same-sex marriage movement. Here are some facts about gay marriage. Currently, Iowa, Vermont, Maine, New York, Connecticut, Washington, Maryland, New Hampshire and Massachusetts have legalized gay marriage. This is a small but soon to be increasing number; on the flip side, 38 states have put a legal ban on same-sex marriage. In recent polls, about 70 percent of voters under Myspace Protestors supporting same-sex marriage. the age of 30 support same-sex marriage. In the 2010 census, over 1.2 million people meant by the 1st Amendment of the US listed themselves as homosexual. Constitution, which “says that people have Legalizing gay marriage includes economic the right to speak freely without government advantages for same sex couples. Receptions, interference, as well as protects each engagements, parties, and jewelry can all person’s right to practice (or not practice) pump some much needed funds back into any faith without government interference.” the wobbling economy of the United States. (Freedom Forum). To add specific context, According to the Williams institute, after the the government’s act of not allowing gay legalization the effects provided an $88 million marriage is infringing on people’s rights. dollar boost to the state and local economy This also infringes the rights of the 5th of the state of Washington (The Governor, Amendment of the Constitution, which Christine Gregoire, legalized gay marriage in guarantees equal protection to all citizens of the state on February 13th, 2012). the United States of America. Same-sex marriage should be legalized The United States and the world as nationally. There is no real threat to the society a whole are inching closer and closer to or the United States of America if same-sex becoming an egalitarian state. Not so long marriage is permitted. If done, the only real ago, America was a place where if you were effect will be one thing: people of the same not a heterosexual white man you had very sex will be able to marry. We will not all go to little power or voice in society. Since then, hell. The world will not explode. Over 600,000 the government has passed the 15th and 19th homosexual couples will be able to legally Amendments as well as the Civil Rights marry in the United States. Act. These documents enabled AfricanDrew Sterman ‘16
Fracking: Not Worth It for the United States (cont.) Continued from the Previous Page This debate is especially important in Pennsylvania, which, along with New York, West Virginia, and Ohio, is home to one of the largest shale reserves, known as the Marcellus formation. Fracking promises more local tax revenues and more jobs in areas of the country that previously saw no energy production. But the benefits don’t outweigh the downsides. Fracking is seen as an enormous breakthrough because it is the latest excuse for the United States to avoid confronting the problem that is its reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels. Even President Obama, a supposed proponent of green energy, seems torn between promoting windmills and solar power and abandoning his renewable energy platform altogether to support the new “revolution” in “cleaner” fossil fuels. As if a
transition from coal to natural gas will be the harbinger of change. In reality, hydraulic fracturing allows the United States and its government to kick the can down the road for a little while longer, at the expense of future generations, and the environment, as vast tracts of land will be permanently and irreparably damaged. The US has decided to limit offshore drilling permits because offshore drilling is a risky and harmful process. It has decreed the same when it comes to exploiting the oil contained in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), a 19 million-acre preserve in Alaska whose oil fields have been left untouched since the 1970s. Why is fracturing now heralded as the savior of America’s economy? Because the mistaken belief is that, if the shortterm economic potential is high enough, it outweighs the downsides of permanent destruction of the environment – in short, the ends justify the means. These short-term solutions will give the US a temporary reprieve from its greater problems, and nothing more.
Page 12
The Index
April 2013
Outdex Recently at The Haverford School... Sam Bloch ‘13, Noah Cutler ‘14, James Tarte ‘13, Stewart Denious ‘13, Terry Rossi ‘14, Lucas Elek ‘13, RJ Meiers ‘14, Dylan Henderson ‘14 and Jake Mullin ‘13
As seen on Twitter:
Couldn’t concentrate knowing girls were at Haverford Bosak really does make them good girls go bad #EnoughSaid “It smells like girls in the hallway” These girls really need to chill with the perfume in the morning Sometimes I get scared that all the bugs I’ve flushed down the toilet are going to come back up one day and attack me while I’m pooping
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Jay Losty has a sister? While drawing Grayson Sessa, the caricature artist almost decided to base the portrait on Grayson’s actual head, but she decided to go with something a little less cartoonish. Jack Armstrong and Mr. Fifer thoroughly enjoyed National Sibling Appreciation Day today. Students say they thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Nagl’s assembly, especially those moments when he wrestled a laser pointer. Dr. Nagl, this year’s Parker Lecture speaker, simply did not have a strong enough resume. One wonders what he’s done with his life up to this point. We were going to have a moment of silence for the senior “prank,” but those were already the quietest two periods in Haverford history. Students were deeply moved by Sachin’s Amar Patel’s poignant assembly. The Baldwin and AIS seniors did more work in two hours at Haverford than they normally do in an entire week at their respective schools. After making numerous comments slandering the Marines during his school, Dr. Nagl’s windshield was found to have been smashed in and his suspects have been named but investigators are reportedly puzzled by the Track Rocks!” written 287 times all over the car.
latest talk at the tires slashed. No phrase “Winter
Dr. Ehrhart’s mustache is older than your mom. Where does Mr. Siderer get all of his stylish hats from? 4/12/13... the quietest day at Haverford ever confirmed. Michigan had a good season, and that’s all that matters, right, Bloch? Dr. John Nagl has just finished writing his third soon-to-be best-seller, “Passing Notes in Class: The Diplomacy™ Counterinsurgency Field In addition to the Counterinsurgency Field Manual, Dr. Nagl has published such as 50 Shades of Fluffy Kitties, Johnny Goes to Candy Land, and The Fairy Diaries People.
Manual” other well-known works IV: Revenge of the Flower Noah Cutler
The Mysterious Life of Dr. Mark Gottlieb, M.D. Brendan Burns ‘15 In other news, Medical Doctor Mark Gottlieb, M.D., has opened a plastic surgery clinic on the Main Line after practicing in New Jersey for the last decade. Before receiving his medical degree from the Philadelphia Institute of Culinary Arts in 1997, Dr. Gottlieb says he was not sure what career path to take. He says that, after converting to Vajrayana Buddhism in his late teenage years, he contemplated a career at his family’s Coatimundi rescue clinic in Costa Rica. When asked why he abandoned a simple life dedicated to the conservation of the ubiquitous furry animal in favor of performing liposuctions and nose jobs, Dr. Gottlieb says, in a high-pitched voice overflowing with emotion, “I wanted to raise a few eyebrows.” And Dr. Gottlieb believes his career choice has paid off, not only for his wallet, but also for his patients: one uninsured motorist credited her 42-HHH breast implants with saving her life after a car crash. The woman then auctioned off the inserts for an undisclosed amount,
covering the costs of both her surgery and a new vehicle. Dr. Gottlieb says it was his years of experience that saved the woman’s life, noting that he always injects “just the right combination of tire sealant, cement, and paint thinner.” In his free time, Dr. Gottlieb plays and coaches tennis. “It’s all about the wrist action,” he says. It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, however: Dr. Gottlieb does mention the extreme difficulty of playing a grueling team sport like tennis with such a copious amount of facial hair. “Not only is it difficult to see the ball,” he declares, “but it’s even harder to keep the ball over the plate without getting a yellow card for a crease violation.” Indeed, caring for a beard of the caliber that Dr. Gottlieb possesses is practically a second job. Dr. Gottlieb says that due to the incredible amount of maintenance required, he has hired a full-time beard care expert. He also finds that, due to his beard, he is often a victim of racial profiling: “I’ve been mistaken for Sasquatch at least three times,” Dr. Gottlieb says.
Index Staff
Dr. Gottlieb is playing with his dinosaurs again...