The Index Eutxia Swzein Dokei
Volume LXXII, No. 4
February 2011
Haverford, Pennsylvania
Tragedy in Tucson Ryan Blake ‘11 On January 8, 2011, our nation was horrified to learn of the shooting rampage in Tucson, Arizona that left six people dead and thirteen injured. Twenty-two year old Jared Loughner took a cab to a “Congress on Your Corner” event, where he proceeded to open fire. Among those killed were a federal judge and nine year old Christina Green, granddaughter of former Phillies pitcher and manager Dallas Green. Though only nine, Christina expressed an interest in politics, and had gone to the event to hear U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords speak. Congresswoman Giffords was critically injured in the shooting, having sustained a gunshot wound to the head. The Tucson tragedy has left Americans with many questions. First and foremost, what can be done to help ensure that nothing like this ever happens again? Loughner was exhibiting signs of blatant instability and irrational behavior long before January 8th. The warning signs were there. Could measures have been taken to preempt his deadly rampage? Loughner’s classmates and teachers repeatedly expressed their concerns about his presence in the classroom at Pima Community College, where he was disruptively shouting nonsensical questions, insulting classmates and teachers, and convincing some that he posed a physical threat. Campus police had to intervene seven times before he was finally suspended, pending psychological counseling. But Jared Loughner never threatened anyone specifically, and the school followed the strict protocols refined in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech massacre: protecting the college community, but also safeguarding the rights of the individual until he is judged to be an imminent danger to himself or others. Unfortunately, there is a nebulous aspect to that modus operandi, leading one to speculate – should the college have notified the authorities? Could that possibly have prevented this heartbreaking atrocity? We’ll never know, but we do know that Loughner was deeply disturbed for at least a few years prior to the shooting, yet he did not receive the mental healthcare he so desperately needed. While Loughner was slipping through the cracks, he was slipping into a deranged world of hatred and violence. There has been much speculation about what pushed Loughner over the edge. He began fixating on Representative Giffords after she didn’t respond to an incoherent question he asked her at a previous event. The only thing we can be entirely sure of is that from all accounts, prior to January 8th, Loughner was a ticking time bomb. Should we, in the future, take more drastic measures when witnessing such abnormal behavior? Certainly, when there is a series of bizarre incidents, as there was with Loughner, the authorities should be notified.
When asked about the difficulties schools face in dealing with the psychology of their students, and what precautions Haverford takes to make sure a cry for help do not go unnoticed, Consulting School Psychologist Dr. Michael Reichert responded, “Laws make it very difficult to order help involuntarily, and often, even when it is ordered, as in the case of 23-year-old Seung-Hui Cho, who went on a shooting rampage at Virginia Tech after he was released from an involuntary commitment to a state hospital, it is ineffective.” Dr. Reichert continued, “In the Tucson case, many noticed this young man’s deterioration, including the school, which suspended him until he sought help, and his father,
noticing boys who exhibit struggles, and getting appropriate supports to them in a timely manner.” Haverford’s School Counselor Mrs. Janet Heed added, “At Haverford, there is an emphasis on being supportive of all students. If a student has to go on medical leave, he will be supported throughout the process, and helped to reintegrate back into the community. The advisory system was established, in part, so that every student would have an advocate, and someone that would know them on a more personal level. There is also an Upper School support team consisting of the school counselor, the learning center, and the school psychologist.” She concluded by
Inside This Issue... Pg. 2, Letter from the President Pg. 3, Robotics Update Pg. 4, James Tarte on Basketball Fans Pg. 5, In-depth view on Sleep Deprivation Pg. 7-8, The Power of Social Media Pg. 9-11, Winter Sports Wrap-Ups Pg. 12, Artist of the Issue and Urinetown Preview And much more...
Photo Courtesy of Google who ran after him that very morning, but no one seemed able to take effective action. At Haverford, we have organized an extensive student support system that the school takes quite seriously. It begins with teachers who meet regularly to review students who may be showing signs of difficulty. We have also created a peer counseling program for Fourth and Fifth Formers, which trains boys to offer help to each other. In addition, the school has an advisory system in which every boy is assigned a teacher who is responsible for getting to know the student and communicating with his family.” Dr. Reichert closed by asserting, “When issues arise, teachers and advisors have been trained to turn to the school counselor, Mrs. Heed, whose role is to investigate and intervene, as needed. My own role has evolved over the 22 years I have been on staff, but I presently supervise the school’s counseling staff, and consult, in general, to the student services team. Overall, this network of supports and services is designed to catch a boy who might be struggling, and to intervene in whatever ways are necessary to help him. I am sure there are situations the system misses, but in my years at the school, the system has been very effective at
saying, “At Haverford, there is a commitment to mental health and having a strong support structure. Student health is a high priority.” Those are comforting words in these difficult times. Now, as the entire country closely follows the daily progress of Congresswoman Giffords, one wonders if security should be stepped up for politicians who speak at public forums. Though we know these types of shootings have occurred at other venues, political figures seem to be especially vulnerable. And as we pray for Representative Giffords’ complete recovery, we realize there is much to be done to prevent this type of incident from ever happening again. Several provocative questions remain. Do we want a wall between the public and public servants? Do drastic measures need be taken, or would a simple increase in the presence of uniformed officers help serve as a deterrent? Should gun laws be stricter, with more intense background checks? Finally, is it possible to mitigate the risks, without trampling over civil liberties? This is a discussion that will, no doubt, continue in the weeks and months ahead, hopefully leading to better insight and, perhaps, some resolution in the face of this terrible tragedy.
Above: Jared Loughner at his court hearing.
THE INDEX: Informing the Student Body Since 1888.
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February 2011
News & Features A Letter from the President
Letter from the Editors-in-Chief
As society gets deeper and deeper into the age of incessant status updates, nagging event notifications, and useless Twitter feeds, institutions like Haverford are trying to find efficient uses for social networking. The potential for these networks is wasted when only used to rummage through picture albums and to “Poke” a friend. Don’t get me wrong, these features are what make Facebook fun. But there has to be something more – there has to be a better use. Take Egypt for example. Protests were organized by status updates and Tweets until the Mubarek government shut down the Internet. The outcry after the Iranian presidential “elections” was facilitated by tweets, generating the moniker “The Twitter Revolution.” So yes, these sites have value besides just entertainment. They can be used to organize a government upheaval, or, on a smaller scale, advertising an upcoming school dance (March 4th – BE THERE!). So how can Facebook be used for school? Could a teacher create a private group to share assignments or handouts with his or her class? Could students easily communicate with each other if a deadline is fast approaching? Could the administration announce a snow day by sending out a message? Could a student post a link of a fascinating lecture on his teacher’s wall? Could a member of Student Council again shamelessly plug an upcoming school dance on March 4th from 7:30-10:30 pm in the Wrestling Room? Members of our community have tried out these possibilities with varying degrees of success. These ideas look and sound great, but the execution could be better. If you are committed to making Haverford more connected, the first step is to like “The Haverford School” page and join the Student Council group on Facebook. By no means is this mandatory, but it could be the first step in making our community more informed and more connected. Let’s make Facebook more than just a way to see what your friends are up to; let’s make it Haverford’s newest asset. Armen Melikian ‘11
community Service Update B.G. Lemmon ‘12 On Sunday, February 27, The Agnes Irwin School and The Haverford School will host Empty Bowls, an international fight against hunger. You can help be a part of it. We will have a soup supper with all of the bowls that everyone has so kindly made over the past couple of weeks. Empty Bowls will take place at Agnes Irwin’s Laura Thomas Buck ’49 Pavilion. Bring family and friends to the event. At $10 per student, it is a great way to become involved in community service. If you have any questions, please ask any of the service board members, Ms. Loos, or join the Facebook Event Page. We hope we see all of you there!
The Index 2010-2011 Staff
This is it. We’ve really outdone ourselves this time. It is a rebirth, like the first flower that pops out of the ground after a long season of cold. Forgive us, but a great issue of The Index has long been overdue. Readers have been asking for more coverage on issues that don’t necessarily revolve around the school. We’ve got it covered. Diehard jokesters have demanded that we publish an Outdex. We have delivered. The conservatives have asked us to not mess around with the formatting. Unfortunately, new times call for new looks and The Index is no exception. The material in this newspaper has been gathered from a wide cross-section of the student population, so we guarantee that there’s something in here that will grab your attention. From the traditional winter sports recaps, to student perspectives on school life, to examinations of sleep deprivation and the power of social media, we have it all. We’d like to take this moment to remind the community once again that the newspaper only serves as a medium for voices to be heard. And as such, we encourage everyone to submit anything of interest to us at hsindex@gmail.com. Meanwhile, we’d also like to announce the advent of the online version of The Index. Sixth Former Jacob White and Fifth Former Fitz Tepper have been working diligently on the website, and his project will debut sometime this spring. Now go find a chair, grab a cup of coffee, and relax. We’ll take care of things from here on and out. Happy reading, Ryan Blake and Changhee Han
Honor Council Update Jonathan Smith ‘12
Thankfully, there have only been three Honor Council hearings this year. The Honor Council would like to thank the entire student body for upholding the Honor Code as well as the overarching principles of Haverford. In other news, the Honor Council recently presented case studies and had a question and answer session with the Middle School. This was followed up with a visit to the Lower School where students there played a rendition of “Are you Smarter than a Fifth-Grader” with questions relating to the themes of respect, honesty, and courage. In the upcoming months, the Haverford “Day of Honor” will return for it’s second year with a guest speaker and then “breakout” sessions held in classrooms as well as for the Honor Council to gain as much insight as they can about other honor systems. Please remain firm in upholding Haverford’s principles throughout the rest of the year. Keep up the good work.
Submissions are welcomed at: hsindex@gmail.com
Ryan Blake, Editor-in-Chief
Changhee Han, Editor-in-Chief
The Index is a student-run publication of The Haverford School. All opinions and viewpoints expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of The Index or the school. We welcome all articles and editorials as well as unsolicited material.
Peter Thompson, News and Features Editor
The Index is designed and produced digitally. Photographs may be retouched.
Will Offit, Sports Editor
Hardware: Apple Macbook
Taylor Mansmann, Arts & Entertainment Editor
Software: Adobe InDesign C3
Connell Kling, Staff Photographer
Printing by School Publications Company. Neptune, N.J.
Mr. Thomas Stambaugh, Faculty Advisor
Copyright 2011.
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February 2011
News & Features Robotics Tadas Antanavicius ‘12 This year’s Robotics team has made major changes that it hopes will result in much more success than last year’s disappointing conclusion. Sixth Form Captains Jacob White and Rameen Vafa have worked with Director of Technology Mrs. Megan Connolly to carry out much-needed adjustments. First, the Haverford Robotics team has paired with the newly-founded Baldwin Robotics team, an addition of a handful of students from The Baldwin School. To help organize and teach the suddenly large team, a couple of college mentors were brought in. Andrew Adaman, a sophomore at Delaware County Community College, and Chuck Glick, a junior at Drexel University, bring the element of experience to the team, something it has lacked in years past. The team will be competing, as it did last year, in the VEX competition. This year, the game created by VEX is called “Round Up.” In “Round Up,” robots must drive around a 12’ x 12’ field, picking up donut-shaped tubes and placing them on posts spread throughout the field to score points. Many qualifying competitions have been held, and several more are to come in the season’s remaining weeks to determine the teams that will move on to the World Championship at Disney World in April. Haverford’s team has found success early. Fourth Former Evan Kuritzkes drove a robot built by the mentors to a first-place finish in the competition in Downingtown, PA on November 20th. As the season progressed and the team built some of its own robots, two more robots qualified for the World Championship after a stellar showing at the January 22nd competition in Lansdale, Pa. The team had three robots qualified going into its February 19th competition in Washington, DC. The ultimate goal is to qualify five robots so that the entire Robotics team, which is split into five separate teams - each building their own robot, would be able to attend the World Championships. Overall, the team seems to have turned the corner since last year and is heading in the right direction.
Above: Captains Jacob White and Rameen Vafa along with member Evan Kuritzkes and a Baldwin student oversee the creation of a VEX robot. Below: Fifth Former Chris Compendio making crucial modifications.
Above: Sixth Former Kyle Kane and Fifth Former Deepak Bhagat at work on the Urinetown set.
Stage Crew
Bradley Scherer ‘13 Many overlook the driving force behind school plays that gives them their sparkle. Some know, however, that he stage crew is a major part of any production. While not literarally in the spotlight, they are the ones controlling it. The stage crew controls every aspect of special effects available in productions. Be it lighting, sound, scenery, or less practical elements, such as confetti cannons or pyrotechnics on rare occasions, the members must be creative in augmenting a performance. Since they must perform multiple different jobs to expand their area of knowledge on all of the effects, meetings vary from day to day; some days focus on the operation of different machinery, while other days focus on building them. Fifth Former Deepak Bhagat jokingly explained, “In stage crew, we’re either building or destroying something.” When working with actors during rehearsals, the stage crew must help with scenery to create different settings and atmospheres during scenes. During performances, the stage crew correlates with the actors and takes into account the end of scene cues and the amount of time between scenes to properly set the scenery for the next scene. Those working the lights must note the actors’ blocking and stage directions when using a spotlight. The stage crew assembles from 3:00-5:00 every day after school behind the stage of Centennial Hall. These practices increase in length when preparing for the one of the four productions. However, the stage crew’s agenda consists of many more events, as it gives services to multiple different schools this year, and even will be providing special effects for a middle school play, an opera, and ten dance companies. Assistant Director of Centennial Hall Mr. Stefan Didizian recommends stage crew for, “Everyone, especially people interested in the theater. It’s great when freshmen join because they grow with experience every year.” Stage crew is also an activity where students take leadership roles, “The students here work just as the teachers do,” Mr. Didizian indicates; during performances there is an equal effort among the team to generate the effects. Everyone participates. Still, one distinguishing characteristic of the stage crew is its usually casual and laid-back atmosphere that provides an outlet for academic stress. Third Former Paul Addonizio frankly said, “It’s fun. Stage crew is a place where you can talk with friends and have a good time.” Participating in stage crew is not only a good way to become a “Hermes” of theatrical effects, it is an outlet for academic stresses and a place to forge new friendships.
Below: Mr. Stefan Didizian cutting out a Urinetown scenic element.
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February 2011
News & Features In the Arena: The Effectiveness of Assembly Speakers Matt Galetta ‘13 Transgender alums, Mount Everest conquerors, Holocaust survivors. Each hero has mounted the podium in front of what can be a daunting crowd of Haverford upper school students. The community period at The Haverford School occurs four days a week, typically lasting a half hour to an hour. Periodically a guest speaker is invited to speak in front of the upper school during community. Students, teachers, and graduates also make their way onto stage for presentations known as Reflections. However, the effect the speaker has on each student can vary a great deal. Some students attempt to go unnoticed, drifting off into their own thoughts. Others listen attentively. But how many kids actually take something away from the visitors who speak in Centennial Hall? Mr. Mark Fifer, Dean of Students who coordinates the speakers that come to the school said, “The speakers are an extension of school curriculum. We look for diverse speakers with different perspectives to educate students on life stories.” Mr. Fifer also noted that although not all students can be affected, he hopes most students will take something away from the speaker. With that came many positive responses across the school about the occasional guest speaker. “I believe guest speakers have made an impact in my life on a daily basis, especially Jenny Boylan. She completely changed my view of transgender people,” said Fourth Former Michael Green. Sixth Former Alex Kumar has been greatly affected by the guest speakers throughout his years Haverford. “Listening to Ms. Boylan and Mr. [Arlen] Green shows you how much the community has changed and moved on. It has changed me as a person, and it gives me something to think about each week,” said Kumar. Some of the best speeches come from Haverford’s students and teachers. Fifth Former Geoff Bocobo went on to say, “I remember the lessons the speakers have said, and it has have definitely taught me something. Mr. Loving’s speech touched me on a personal level, telling us that even guys can show their emotions.” Not all students respond so well to the speakers. Michael Galetta, Haverford graduate of 2007, said that during his time at Haverford he does not remember any one speaker that had a memorable effect. Some students even found the guest speakers to be a waste of time. Sixth Former Thomas Harper said, “I feel like many of the speakers are repetitive. I would rather just get out of school 30 minutes earlier.” Students who do not approve of guest speakers or reflections gave other ideas of ways to spend the community time, such as more clubs and community awareness meetings, an organized study hall period, an additional 9 o’clock start, or simply ending school earlier.
President Hu Jintao’s Visit to America Amar Patel ‘13
Diplomatic relations between the United States and China have been anything but amicable. The last time President Hu Jintao visited America in 2006, he was greeted by U.S. President George Bush. Instead of having the customary elegant state dinner, Bush offered an informal lunch, greatly offending the Chinese head of state. In addition, as the Chinese national anthem was being sung, the announcer referred to the visiting country as the “Republic of China,” which is the official name of Taiwan, an island off the east coast of China in the Pacific Ocean, instead of the correct, “People’s Republic of China.” In addition, a Chinese protestor succeeded in slipping through the security and interrupting President Hu Jintao’s speech. Nevertheless, following President Barack Obama’s relatively unsuccessful trip to China, President Hu Jintao agreed to come to the United States for a formal stay for the first time in thirteen years. The leaders of the world’s two largest economies finally met on January 19, 2011 to discuss several Sino-American issues. First, Obama and his advisors urged China to release 2010 Noble Peace Prize Winner Liu Xiaobo from prison and to implement human rights laws in general. Secondly, Hu Jintao agreed to stop inflation of the Renminbi Yuan, Chinese currency, and hopefully increase it to its true value. In 1989, a multitude of students gathered to protest the new political reforms instated by the Communist government, set up by Mao Zedong earlier that century. Throughout the time period known as the Cultural Revolution, intellectuals were forbidden freedom of speech, press, and political democracy. In addition, people began to vanish. The government was slowly beginning to control every aspect of Chinese life. In order to protest these harsh new laws, students gathered in Tiananmen Square and protested for several months, before the army slaughtered thousands of protestors on June 4, 1989. One of the survivors was Liu Xiaobo. Over the last two decades, he has continued to press for human rights and basic freedom for the Chinese people. His life’s work culminated in his manifesto published two years ago, which sent him to jail. For his efforts to bring his nation out of the darkness of Mao’s shadow, (Continued on page 6)
Above: Haverford’s sports fan club, complete in togas during Varsity Basketball’s final home game.
Basketball Fans James Tarte ‘13 After being urged by his peers, Fourth Former Tommy Curry grabbed his fake pony and headed for the opponent’s free throw line. Wearing a cowboy hat, zebra vest, and no undershirt, Curry proceeded to ride his fake pony behind the basket. At almost every home varsity basketball game, the student section picks a different costume theme. Past themes include cowboy night, Christmas sweater night, jersey night, big white t-shirt night, and animal night. Each night is a unique experience as students yell, cheer, throw baby powder, shout insults and wave props in an attempt to distract opposing players. Whether or not the student section is successful in their attempts to psych out opponents is debatable. Still, no matter the outcome, dressing up in costume is quickly becoming a tradition at The Haverford School. Head coach Steve Cloran stated, “Dressing up for games is creative, exciting, and gets the crowd fired up.” When asked if the student section has ever crossed a line, he replied, “We have come pretty close, but I believe it is all in good fun.” Assistant Coach and Upper School Dean of Students Mark Fifer believes that dressing up in costume “shows great school spirit. It provides an opportunity for the entire school to get together. We haven’t crossed the line to date, but we should keep it in mind whenever we get dressed up.” Coaches and faculty have reached the consensus that theme nights are positive events. To date, there has never been a major behavioral incident at any of the games. Students are creative while cheering on their teams, and teachers generally do not have a problem with their efforts. While the costumes, chants, and props are meant to throw off opponents, one might wonder if they distract the Haverford players as well. Third Form varsity basketball player Eric Anderson believes that “the costumes are hilarious, and as a player they definitely don’t distract you.” Sixth Form varsity Captain Andrew Acker also believes that the costume nights are a positive event for the community. “They are just funny and show great school spirit.” Haverford School players, coaches, and fans love theme nights and are always looking for ways to improve them. For the future, coaches and players have suggested ideas like Mr. Fifer night, cartoon night, and U.S. Presidents night.
Photo courtesy of Google
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February 2011
News and Features Sleep Deprivation at the Haverford school Tadas Antanavicius ‘12
Sleep. The action we spend nearly a third of our lives performing. The one thing that remains constant without fail in our daily lives. One of the few basic needs of human beings. Yet, sometimes sleep manages to fall to the bottom of our to-do lists. One short night becomes two, two become three, and so on. “I see a lot of kids coming in early in the morning very groggy. They don’t really pay attention, especially in their first few classes,” says Fourth Former Scott Jaster. Are students aware that they might not be getting enough sleep? If they are, do they realize the impact it has on them? Probably not. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services believes that someone who sleeps less than eight hours per night is more likely than not suffering from at least some degree of sleep deprivation. It may sound cliché, but it is true. Someone experiencing sleep deprivation may not even remember the feeling of being wide awake and alert; it may be normal for you to zone out and feel drowsy during class, but fact is, you would not be feeling that way if you had been up to speed on your sleep. To understand why we need sleep, we must first understand exactly how sleep works. Sleep occurs in four stages: stages one and two are considered to cause “light sleep” while three and four, the “rapid-eye movement” (REM) stages, cause “deep sleep.” All of the stages cause brain wave activity - stimulation to prepare your brain for the rigors of the day to some extent. REM sleep is the most crucial phase which determines how tired or awake you feel the next day overall. You first enter REM sleep between 60 and 90 minutes after falling asleep. The stages repeat over and over, resulting in a total of 90 minutes per cycle. Generally, the longer you sleep, REM sleep begins to take up a greater portion of those 90 minutes. Because we sleep in cycles, we may find our alarm clocks waking us out of a deep sleep stage. For some people, this may make for a difficult, drowsy morning. Again, each sleep cycle lasts for 90 minutes, and the
beginning of each is when you are in your lightest stages of sleep. Striving to set your alarm for a 90 minute interval of sleep (6, 7.5, or 9 hours) could help alleviate this problem, although it may be difficult to consistently balance this technique and the minimum required amount of sleep. If you fail to achieve the appropriate amount of sleep, the effect is two-fold. Not only will you suffer a decrease in performance the following day, but you also incur sleep debt. A chemical called adenosine is believed to measure sleep debt by constantly building up when you are awake. When you sleep, it is broken down. This forces you to make up as much sleep as possible when given the opportunity, such as during the weekend. Although a routine like this may compensate, partially, for sleep debt, the daily performance effects remain. It is true that a person can adapt and feel fine on a shorter sleep schedule. However, this change may merely be psychological. As mentioned before, you may only feel active and awake because you have forgotten what it feels like to be actually active and awake due to prolonged sleep deprivation. Consistently acquiring eight hours of sleep would leave you much better off than consistently acquiring six hours of sleep. “Better off” how, exactly? To begin, many thinking processes vital to a
student’s daily life are part of the brain-activity preparation that occurs during sleep. Ability to learn, memory, focus, confusion, decision-making, and reaction time are all factors significantly affected by sleep deprivation. Theoretically, more sleep should directly correlate to a higher quality and quantity of learning and ability during the day. In this sense,
if you are looking for an easy way to help boost your grades or even athletic ability as we approach the end of the year, getting the right amount of sleep is one way to do it. Sleep deprivation affects not only your cognitive state, but also your emotional state. Studies have shown people to be more irritable and generally unhappy after a shorter night of sleep. Eventually, sleep deprivation could even lead to depression. Again, even if you think you feel fine, you could have simply already forgotten what it feels like to feel truly satisfied. Every minute of sleep counts. An hour less than is necessary means a significant portion of your final cycle is cut off. Considering that your REM stages of sleep grow longer the more you sleep, losing that portion could leave you considerably more tired than if you had that sleep. Interestingly, for many people, less sleep leads to feeling and acting more active during the day - yet another way to be fooled into a false sense of
security despite suffering from sleep deprivation. The first step to fighting sleep deprivation is acknowledging that it is a problem. Once that has been done, those eight hours per night must be freed up. Sixth Former Abdul Sesay believes, “One big [reason students do not get enough sleep] is distractions. Things like Facebook and video games lead to procrastination and therefore less sleep.” Similarly, Third Former Jonathan Paras thinks the reason for sleep deprivation is “a lack of preparation. If [students would] prepare and not wait until the last minute, they wouldn’t have to stay up to finish all the homework they could have done a couple of days ago.” Nevertheless, even though it is primarily up to the students to make use of time more wisely, sometimes it may not always be their fault. “Students cannot control how much homework they get each night,” says Sesay. “The workload that Haverford puts on its students might be a little bit too much,” opined Jaster. Jaster also offered a way teachers could help students by becoming more aware of students’ workloads. “The test calendar shouldn’t be used
just for tests; I think it should be used for teachers to be able to see how much homework they should be expecting certain kids in their class to get,” he noted. A system similar to this would likely be very difficult to implement, but if done, it would most certainly be of benefit to everyone. The end of sleep deprivation would mean an increase in student morale, grades, and ability, all while pleasing the teachers with higher quality work and a more engaged classroom.
Coming Soon... The Index Online at HaverfordIndex.com
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News and Features
February 2011
Midterm Dilemma: An Opinion Will Schwartz ‘12 Midterms have become a rather controversial topic these days at Haverford. What purpose do they serve? Is it too difficult for students to take Midterms after break? Personally I have split opinions on the subject. While I know that if I do well during the semester, exams are nothing more than a routine test at the end of the semester. The key to exam success is building a foundation of knowledge throughout the semester. If one only needs to do well during the semester, and make an impeccable effort to study, why is an exam necessary if a student has already shown that they know the material? The timing of Midterms a week and a half after the end of winter break is a cause of controversy for many. I attribute this to lackluster effort in dealing with stress. A week and a half in between break and exams is plenty of time to prepare for exams if one has studied throughout the semester. We had a 17-day break this year - you have gross time management issues if one cannot find a balance between studying and spending significant leisure time over the break. If exams were to be moved to December, the schedule of the year would be greatly imbalanced. The second semester would represent about 60 percent of the school year, and the margin for error in the first semester would be so small that one poor assessment score could put a damper on a Quarter, Semester and Year grade. The period from the first day of school until the first is simply not a long enough space to administer an exam that is not only fair, but covers enough material to provide somewhat of a challenge. Final Exams that are not cumulative would cover an unprecedented amount of material that would tip the scales to create an unfair exam. Exams in December fit a College Schedule that could have a break as long as five weeks, but our two and a half week break with another week and a half to prepare for exams makes it logical to place exams in mid-January. I would personally find preparing for exams that took place a week before a long break a focus nightmare. Exams are by no means fun, but they can be a reward for a semester’s worth of hard work if a student applies himself and prepares to succeed. If a student is struggling with his courses, he is out of luck and exams will present a serious issue. Midterms are unnecessary yet harmless, so I cannot complain if they remain or are eliminated from the curriculum. The reality is, an exam day is a two or four-hour school day of one or two long tests. How harmful can that be?
China - Continued from page 4 even though he remains confined to a jail cell. Although Barack Obama implored Hu Jintao to release Liu Xiaobo, it is still unclear whether or not any action will be taken. The other issue discussed by the presidents was the value of the Yuan. Currently the U.S. Dollar is 30% more valuable than the Chinese Yuan. Thus, it provides a 30% subsidy for Chinese manufacturers for the goods imported by America. As a result, China gains a large advantage over American-made goods. This benefit allows China’s economy to continue booming. So, in order to maintain the low value for the Yuan, China has been buying American dollars on the open market because it forces more printing of the Yuan. Therefore, the overvaluation of the U.S. Dollar in comparison to the Yuan is the main cause of the trade deficit as well as a problem for American manufacturers. Hu Jintao seems to have taken this supplication into consideration as the Chinese government will soon impose property taxes in Shanghai and Chongqing to tame Chinese inflation. Hu Jintao concluded his visit on January 22, 2010, with many of Obama’s questions left unanswered. Will he free Liu Xiaobo? Will he really try to allow the value of the Yuan to rise? Only time will tell, but hopefully we will have an answer by the end of this year.
The Dining Hall at the Haverford School Grayson Sessa ‘13
Philadelphia Magazine declared it to be the best school dining hall, but how do Haverford students themselves feel about their award-winning food? Whether with cash, a meal plan, or their debit account, every day Haverford School students from all three divisions of the school make their way to the Dining Hall in the early afternoon. The throngs of students ordering and eating their lunches seem to be the only permanent fixture in an every-changing facility. Mr. Garrett O’Neill, the manager of Haverford’s culinary services, may be the most important, but also most obscure of these changes. Mr. O’Neill, who has been working in culinary services for about twenty-five years, has been at Haverford for just a little over one. Never before having served in a K-12 institution, he and the Haverford Culinary Team are interested in providing great food enjoyed by a variety of age groups. According to many Haverford students, Mr. O’Neill and the Culinary Team are doing exactly that. While noting that cafeteria food is not expected to be the best, Fifth Former Ryan Lynch says, “I do think that we have some of the better food.” On the whole, Haverford students are supportive of changes to the dining hall. Lynch said that one of the Dining Hall’s strong points, especially compared to other facilities, was “some of the healthier foods that we have on the menu now.” Third Former Chris Boerner notes the sushi and larger selection of juices as standout improvements. But some older students nostalgically remember the offerings that were on the menu in earlier years. Sixth Former Matthew Senior recalls, “My sixth-grade year there was actually soda” and there used to be “different [pizza] toppings.” Fourth Former Scott Jaster agrees, remarking that he “would like soda back.” Although Lynch concedes that he “loves soda,” he agreed that there was a logical reason for keeping soda out of the dining hall and café. Despite these reservations, Senior still characterized the offerings as generally “good,” giving particular emphasis to the wide variety. Many others, including Lynch, shared similar ideas. Another change rippling through the dining hall is the dramatic increase in eco-friendly offerings. Senior noted the “going-green” effort as one potential reason for Haverford receiving praise from Philadelphia Magazine. English teacher Ms. Rebecca Smedley agrees seeing value in the Dining Hall’s “efforts to be more ‘green’ with the paper products.” However, this view is not universally accepted. Fourth Former Max Schmidt says “the [new] silverware is a problem because it breaks” when stressed. Regarding food, Mr. O’Neill touts the healthy options, pointing out that Haverford “was an early pioneer to remove soda and nuts” and “does not own a fryer.” Health and Physical Education Chair Mr. Bruce Kennett said, “The nutritional value of the food served in the cafeteria is very good,” noting the wide variety of selections. However, in contrast to the opinions of some students, Mr. Kennett describes the removal of soda as “a great call” and would like “to eliminate all the cookies and doughnuts.” Despite popular belief, students interviewed support the repositioning of the menu toward healthier selections. In fact, the survey conducted last fall showed an increase of 5.4% in interest in healthy choices. On another note, these surveys do lead to positive changes in the dining hall: next year new events, such as “Recipes from Home” and “Food from around the World,” will debut, according to Mr. O’Neill. The Dining Hall will likely continue to head towards its current trajectory of healthier foods and more sustainable practices, but with events like these, Haverford students will continue to have a great affection for their lunches and the staff who make them.
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february 2011
Sports Swimming and Diving Fisher Pressman ‘13 With the season at an end, the swimming and diving teams reflect on what was done, and to what must be in Easterns. Coach Sean Hansen commented, “The season is going great. We are currently 6-2, and coming off the bulk of our season’s training. We have put up some very impressive early season times, but our main goal is to swim the best times at Easterns at the end of February.” This season, the team went through a number of challenging meets. Racing Lawrenceville early in the season, Haverford easily won with such swimmers as Matt Luminias (V) and Justin Giorgio (VI) winning first places for the team. Later the same week, Haverford beat Haverford High School with underclassmen Dan McGrath (III) and Jack Kling (IV) stealing first places. Away at Episcopal Academy, Haverford was victorious with contributions from Andrew Helber (V) and Matt Luminais (V), who has set three team records, and two pool records in the first three dual meets. Finally, in an extremely close college-style meet with Woodbury Forest, Will Nelligan (VI) and Connor O’Prey (V) won the meet with first-place finishes. Moving on from the training trip, the hardest meets and Easterns met the team head on. Coach Hansen said, “The training trip to Ft. Lauderdale is really what makes or breaks our season.” With the individual specific practices and the great coach to swimmer ratio, the training trip to Florida was a great achievement for the team, aiding in the skills of all who attended. Coach Hansen added, “we are heading into the bulk of our season’s hard meets.” Starting the second half of the season, the team met Penn Charter. Andrew Helber (V), won three first–place finishes and Jimmy Orsini (V), winning first in diving, aided in a victory. However, the team did lose, though very closely, to both Malvern Prep and Germantown Academy in the following weeks. Still, they finished off their regular season with a win against Pennsbury in January. The diving team, though small, put up some very good scores and aided in the victories of the season. With such divers as Orsisi (V), Will Pierce (III), Davis Schwenke (V), and Dan O’Connor (III), the team was a crucial part in the team’s victories. Coach Justin Gaudreau commented, “The divers have performed up to and exceeded my expectations. They have all worked tremendously hard. For the new divers they strained to learn a sport that they have never even thought of doing before and performed very well throughout the season.” Hansen agreed, saying, “Things have run smoothly. This is a close-knit team that supports one another and continues to work hard for themselves and one another.” As to what must be done in the remaining meet, Easterns, all of the team’s hard work and perseverance will certainly pay off in the long run. All the swimming and lifting, meets and practices will certainly help in the most important event of the year. Helber says “There is one meet we are really looking forward to: Easterns, which we shave and taper for to put up our best times of the year.” For the divers, Mr. Gaudreau added, “The divers are working extremely hard to ready themselves for Easterns at the end of the month. They all seem extremely psyched and ready to take part in our end of the season championships.” Easterns will keep the swimmers busy; the team is looking for their first top-six finish. Coach Hansen anticipated a strong finish, saying, “While we will give all of these teams a run for their money, our main focus and team goal is finishing well at Easterns. Our best team finish came two years ago, when we finished in 7th place behind Malvern Prep. The top-six teams are awarded a team cup for overall points. We have one goal for the year, and that is to bring a cup back to Haverford.”
Above: The Fords diving team has been crucial in wracking up points. Right: Sixth Former Luke Miller on the ice.
Above: Fourth Former Henry Brooks weaves in and out of the Harriton opposition while keeping the puck in control.
Ice Hockey Gerard Hoetzel ‘13 Despite a rocky beginning to its season, the Haverford Varsity hockey team has been on a roll with a two-game win streak. Tackling both EA and Lawrenceville in the Inter-Ac, the Fords recovered from an 0-6 start and fought their way forward to 2-6. Leading the pack was Chris Vattima, racking up 13 goals and leading the team in assists. The starting lineup consists of Fifth Former Chris Vattima at center, along with Fourth Former Henry Brooks and Fifth Former Toby Blumberg at his wings. On the defensive side of the ice are Henry Blynn and Chris Miller, and Third Form goalie Cameron Isen guards the net. Recently there’s been a lot of speculation around the school about how hard the team works and its seriousness as a varsity sport. Henry Brooks explains this issue, “Towards the beginning of the season not many people were showing up to practice and nobody really seemed to care too much, but when we realized we were throwing away our season, everyone committed themselves and was motivated to improve.” The players’ change in attitude definitely seems to be a change for the better, as they took down two of the better teams in the Inter-Ac in consecutive games. After a commanding 4-0 win over Lawrenceville and a 5-4 victory over Episcopal Academy, Henry Brooks was first to explain the team’s quick retaliation. “When we play hard and as a team we are capable of much more than we’ve done this season. We played our best game of the year last week against EA, and our true talent can be seen from that.” Brooks does not seem to be the only one looking to turn the Fords’ hockey season around. Fourth Former D.J. Conner also sees improvement. “When all of us actually try to win, show up for practice, take it seriously, and work as a team,” Conner said, “we play some of the best hockey in the league. What was holding us back before was the team’s attitude, but I’m looking forward to playing hockey here for the next two years.” After suffering a couple of upsetting losses throughout the first half of the season, a change of aggressiveness and emotion as a team seems to have paved a bright future for the Fords this season, as well as the seasons to come.
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Sports
Winter Track Abdul Aziz Sesay ‘11
“It has been a rebuilding season that will prepare us for next year,” said Fifth Former Geoff Bocobo of his perspective of the season. Contrary to popular belief, the Winter Track team enjoyed a successful season regardless of the loss of a strong Sixth Form class. As Coach Jay Wright put it, “The number-one challenge of the season was to fill in the huge void left behind by graduating runners, such as Tom [Hopkins] and Taylor [Gregory]. A lot of guys who ran in few meets or none at all have stepped up to the occasion.” Some of the highlights of the season included the 4 x 200 meter team, which consisted of Sixth Former Brendan McGrath, Fifth Former Geoff Bocobo, and Fourth Formers Andrew Wiener and Matt Galetta running excellent times and breaking their own practice record time on several occasions. The Sophomore/ Freshman 4 x 200 team finished first overall in their relay. Fourth Former Lucas Elek ran a personal best of 2:06 in the 800 meters open. Runners who did not medal in a Winter Track meet were given the opportunity to shine in the annual Novice Meet; they did not disappoint. The team accumulated an impressive seven medals. Fourth Former Matt Cook placed fifth in the shot put, Fourth Former Erich Prince finished third in the mile, and the Fourth Form 4 x 400 team, consisting of Niticon Davis, Travis Chou, Kerry Kynett, and Henry Scales, made a laudable effort to finish in fourth place after fumbling the baton during the first exchange. The aforementioned individual and team accolades are just a snapshot of the team’s success this season. Due to inclement weather, some meets were cancelled. However, this unexpected hindrance did not slow down the team. “The guys showed up to practice every day and competed at a high level,” commented Coach Wright, referring to the team’s work ethic. “They did everything that the coaches asked them to do.” Sixth Former Alex Kumar agreed. “Whether people were training for spring sports, to stay in shape, or because running is their sport,” Kumar said, “everyone put in the work.” “It has been bittersweet,” reflects Sixth Former Dan Hawkins. “It is something that I love to hate. However, it has been rewarding to see my improvement, especially when I run times I did not think I was capable of running.” Hawkins sums up the feelings shared by students who have participated in Winter Track. It is grueling to run in cold weather, often in harsh conditions. Prince believes that the frigid cold was encouragement for the team “to run quickly during practice in order to return inside the warmth of the Field House.” However, the “sweet” in “bittersweet” arrives when the runner improves his practice record time and, more importantly, his fitness level significantly. Although the team will not be sending anyone to the meet of champions, in the eyes of Coach Wright and the other coaches, this season has been relatively successful. Coach Wright went further on to say that this year’s team is “possibly the best group of guys that he has coached.” He praises the team’s work ethic and the Sixth Formers for “displaying exemplary leadership to the younger guys.” Coach Wright places his confidence on the younger guys who will carry the Winter Track program to new heights in future seasons.
Above: Third Form newcomer Gregory Boyek, also known as “the Heart and Soul of the team,” leads the pack. Behind him are Third Former Faasel Khan and Fourth Formers Travis Chou, Kerry Kynett, and Henry Scales. Lower Right: Fifth Former Ron Tassoni practices getting out from underneath his opponent. Upper right: Sixth Former Nick Lombardo tries to maintain the upper hand on veteran Fifth Former Chris DiBello.
February 2011
Wrestling
Jake Mullin ‘13
This season of Fords wrestling was successful - it was filled with many dual meet victories and tournament champions. The Fords started off the season with wins over Valley Forge Military Academy, St. Joe’s Prep, and Penn Charter. The middle of their season came to a stutter when they encountered some troubles concerning the Disney Duals trip. After scrounging for enough money to take the team to Florida for a few days, the weather got ugly and all flights to Orlando were cancelled. Many of the guys were disappointed that they would not be able to go after looking forward to it for so long, especially the Sixth Formers. After that, the Fords struggled with some close matches against Episcopal Academy, Germantown Friends, and Lawrenceville. It seemed as if the team had been derailed. The Fords came back, however, defeating the undefeated, 69-0 Westtown School by a single point, then crushing Cardinal O’ Hara immediately after. The regular dual-meet season ended with a win in an unexpected match against Monsignor Bonner. The official season is still not over yet, with States and Nationals still ahead. The Fords expect many of their wrestlers to place in the state tournament and move onto the nationals in Lehigh this year. On a different note, this year was the last for a very important member on the team. Sixth Former Dan Tornetta reached the 200-point club, a feat not accomplished in the past six years at Haverford. Along with this achievement, he also earned his 100th win against the Academy of the New Church. Next Season, the team will be led by a few rising athletes currently in the Fifth Form - Dean Feinman, Ronald Tassoni, Zach Rego, and Chris DiBello. These four wrestlers will be the leaders of the team and hopefully help carry them to another successful season. Some other names to watch for next season are Vincent Bellwoar, Stewart Denious, Leith Dennis, and Ben Grobman. The whole team has improved throughout the season, including a lot of individual improvement, thus showing that hard work and determination do pay off in the sport of wrestling. While it may be hard to follow the team out to States and Nationals, the school can still show some support for the team in other ways then just showing up at matches. We hope to see a few Fords place in the upcoming tournaments and wish them luck.
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Sports
Sachin Patel ‘11
Febuary 2011
Squash
Coming off a season in which the Varsity Squash Team graduated two key players at the top of the ladder, many mistakenly assumed this season would be a rebuilding year for the Fords. Instead, the team finished the season as the sixth-best team in the country out of 88 teams. Led by co-captains Bayard Kuensell and Sachin Patel at the top of the ladder, B.G. Lemmon, Ian Rothweiler, Sam Henderson, and Scott Warren also made key contributions. In addition, the Fords added Second Former Jay Losty to the lineup along with Fourth Formers Jon Ruth and Thomas Walker. The Fords even recruited in the conference by bringing in Jason Shein from Episcopal Academy. Armed with fresh talent, the Fords were looking to take down the competition in the toughest league in the country. In their first big match of the season, the team took on the reigning secondranked team in the country, Chestnut Hill Academy. Ultimately, CHA won the match 5-4. The match was close from the start, but the ultimate difference was two five-game losses for the Fords. Looking to bounce back from defeat, the Fords headed to Episcopal Academy to take on the two-time defending national champions. Despite another hardfought effort by the Fords, the team fell 6-3. Following a winter break which featured intense practice and conditioning, the Fords sought revenge against the Blue Devils. This match proved to be closer than the first. Yet again, CHA won 5-4 as the Fords were plagued by three more matches that were lost in five games. Later in the week, when Episcopal Academy visited Haverford, the stage was set for an upset. The team was ready to hand Episcopal Academy its first loss in two years; however, in sticking with the trend of the season, the Fords fell to the Churchmice 5-4 with the decisive match decided by an 11-9 margin in the fifth game. The Fords finished the regular season with a 6-5 record. Still, the team played confidently heading into the end of season tournaments. At the Mid-Atlantic Squash Association Tournament, the Fords were hoping to draw CHA in the first round. They did. Psyched up to defeat the team that handed them two losses in the regular season, the Fords took to the courts at Lawrenceville with an upset in mind. Nevertheless, the squash gods again had other plans, as the team was handed its third consecutive 5-4 loss to the Blue Devils. The Fords ultimately finished the tournament in fourth place. For many teams, these losses would have had negative implications for the upcoming High School National Tournament at Yale; however, this team was different. The Fords built on their losses and learned from their experience all in preparation for one final tournament. In the first round of High School Nationals, the Fords played Lawrenceville, whom they had defeated by a 6-3 margin earlier in the season. The atmosphere was electric. In a match that would have been a catastrophic loss for the Fords, Jason Shein came back from a 2-0 deficit and from four match balls down in the fourth game to grab a huge win. With the score tied at 3-3, the pressure fell on Third Former Ian Rothweiler. With cheers and screaming between each point, Rothweiler pulled out a 3-1 victory for the Fords to put them in the quarterfinals. There, the team faced the number-two seeded Taft School. Taft had armed themselves with two international recruits who hadn’t lost a game, let alone a match, let alone more than five points in a school match all season. In a match the Fords could have won, they lost 4-3. Despite the loss, the Fords fought hard the rest of the tournament and achieved a respectful sixth-place finish, which placed them as the sixth-ranked team in the country out of 88 teams. As this went on for the Varsity squash, the JV team was battling in Division 2. The team ultimately placed eighth in Division 2, which ranked them as 25th in the country out of 88 teams. For many teams, the disappointment of repeat close losses would have been catastrophic. This team, on the other hand, took each loss in stride and sought to improve the next time out. In a season that could have been described as “What could have been,” the Fords learned from their mistakes. They built a team bond that was unmatched by any team from New England or the Mid-Atlantic. They supported each other, helped one another, and picked one another up in a manner that made their captains and coaches proud. The whole season they lived by the motto: “Have fun.” It also earned them the distinction of being the sixth-best high school team in the country.
Above: Captain Andrew Acker dominates the net.
Basketball
Colin Heffernan ‘11 The 2010-2011-basketball season was one of high expectations for the Fords. With only two Sixth Formers lost to graduation, the Fords returned with the majority of their key players this year. Among them were Fourth Former Sema’j Reed, Fifth Formers Brendan Purcell and RaShaan Hollman, Fifth Former captain Zach Thomas, and Sixth Form captains Andrew Acker and Conor Kelly. The Fords were also pleased to welcome Third Formers Eric Anderson and Ben Bentil as well as Fourth Former Darren Watson to the squad this year. Under the leadership of Coach Stephen Cloran, the Fords performed well in an exciting non-league schedule that included trips to Virginia and Florida and a game against a prep school from Australia. After opening strongly against Germantown Friends, the Fords headed down to Alexandria, Virginia for games against Episcopal High School and St. Stevens-St. Agnes School. The cowboys of the fan section then rode the Fords to an exciting win of the Inaugural Don McBride Classic at Haverford before they flew down to Boca Raton, Florida to participate in the St. Andrew’s School Holiday Classic over winter break. With fresh legs after a few days off, the Fords rallied in their last game of 2010 to blow out Cardinal O’Hara. With 2011 came a new attitude for the Fords, as they prepared to open the chase for what was expected to be a wide-open Inter-Ac title at the Annual Inter-Ac Triple Header at Cabrini College against Malvern. This new attitude worked wonders for the Fords in the first half as they shot well enough to create a fifteen-point halftime lead. However, this was not enough insurance for Malvern’s second-half run that ended with a devastating seven-point Fords defeat to the Friars. The Fords continued to battle adversity in an upand-down Inter-Ac season but were able to establish some momentum with a successful sweep of CHA heading into their final league game against EA at home. After honoring their Sixth Form players: Nate Volpert, Colin Heffernan, Joe McCallion, Conor Kelly, and Andrew Acker, in front of a packed field house full of Greeks and Roman togas, the Fords found their groove late in the game to rally to a 71-59 victory over the Churchmen, justifying Mr. Green’s bold choice to don a toga. This victory brought the Fords back up to the .500 mark and to a positive note on which to end league play. Hard off-season work and departures of key players from other Inter-Ac schools left the Fords in high expectations at the beginning of league play. Despite not meeting these high expectations, the Fords finished with a tie for second place in the league, their best finish in years, and a first-team AllInter-Ac selection in Andrew Acker. While there is nothing like a league title, a second-place finish in a league as competitive as the Inter-Ac is a notable achievement.
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Arts and Entertainment
February 2011
Artist of the Issue: Ryan Sanna ‘11 Taylor Mansmann ‘11 The Haverford School is littered with artists of every variety. Strumming guitars in Mr. Stroud’s room, shaping pottery in the art studio, harnessing the poetic rhythm of a pen, or embodying a character on stage, each individual artist dives wholeheartedly into his own perpetual battle to better himself, understand his art, and produce something that will affect others in very real, often inexplicable ways. Sixth Former Ryan Sanna’s weapon of choice over the past four years has been the paintbrush. Sanna recently described what it is to be an artist. “I guess to be an artist you really need the imagination to create. It’s having that creative spark, whether it’s being able to improv when you’re acting or thinking how you’re going to manipulate your painting if it’s not going the way you want.” Sanna continued, “There’s definitely that improvisational piece to it, and that thinking outside the box.” His interest in art developing since middle school, Sanna has strengthened his identity as an artist over the past three years, each year narrowing in on a specific aspect of his work. “Freshman year paintings ranged from sports to cartoon characters. Sophomore year was more trying to catch the reality of a space, an open space, so I was into the Western landscapes and mountains. Junior year it kind of evolved into capturing a believable person— how he looks, his face, his
Dan Hawkins ‘11 It’s a show about peeing, literally. The show’s plot revolves around the concept of the town’s people having to pay to use disgusting public bathrooms that are controlled by a single monopolizing company called Urine Good Company, or UGC. The UGC is run by the sadistic Caldwell B. Cladwell (Justin Giorgio). Eventually, the poor, fed up with the increasing fee hikes to use the public amenities, start a revolution to pee for free with the strapping young hero of the show, Bobby Strong (Peter Rogers), as their leader. In all the hysteria of the first confrontation between Cladwell and Bobby, the poor kidnap Cladwell’s daughter, Hope (Michaela Shuchman), with whom Bobby is in love. Act II unfolds as Bobby tries to deal with the kidnapping of Cladwell’s daughter and attempts to “Follow his Heart,” as the poor become increasingly bloodthirsty and desperate in their revenge against Cladwell. Throughout the show, the two characters of Officer Lockstock (Jake Winoski) and Little Sally (Julia Hopkins) narrate and question the logic of the writing of the show, constantly reminding the audience that this is Urinetown: The Musical, not Urinetown the place. Urinetown, possibly the most ridiculous premise for a Broadway musical, will hit Haverford’s Centennial Hall stage on March 10th, 11th, and 12th. This landmark musical that was
Above: Sixth Former Ryan Sanna and his work “The Empty Boat” features—so you can recognize who you’re looking at.” And now, after exploring each of these realms in a quest to “develop [his] own niche,” Ryan makes the transition back to landscapes, only now with a more unconventional tool in hand: “The pallet knife is just a metal tool you use to paint with instead of a brush. The resulting painting is blotchy, less specific in detail. You have to develop those details with blotches, so it’ll look detailed from far away, but as soon as you get
close you’ll be able to see the different marks. I guess it’s just more impressionistic.” Ryan has no doubt become accustomed to how taxing the painting process can be. In his comparison of this process and his dabbling in woodwork, Ryan states, “You can make a wooden pen in an hour, whereas a painting can take you days, weeks, years.” So what is it about painting that draws Ryan in, the process or the end result or both? “The process is definitely a hectic one,” Ryan elucidates. “It can
never go how you planned it in the beginning. It’s always fun to see where some new idea or aspect of the project will take you. And finishing a painting, completing it and looking at it—it’s probably not what you expected it to be when you started, but you do feel a real sense of accomplishment.” As one studies a piece of Ryan’s work it is clear that what is so delicately put into it goes beyond canvas, paint, or even mere skill with a brush. But what is this elusive, ineffable ingredient? “I usually don’t try to put a piece of me out there. I shoot for realistic expressions of the world around me. If I do try to express something it’s normally symbolic.” Is symbolism the power behind his work? Ryan describes one of his more symbolic paintings: “It’s just a rowboat sitting in the middle of an ocean during a storm. Just empty. Just empty in the middle of the ocean.” Whether it is due to its symbolism or some other force emanating from his work, this is no doubt a powerful image. Even if only seen for a moment, the lone boat draws its viewer in. Sanna passionately exclaims, “I want people to feel like they can walk into my painting. Go to that place. Hop into that boat.” So the next time you walk through halls past the paintings on the wall, stop for a moment and allow yourself to go on a journey: perhaps a voyage in an empty boat on a stormy sea.
Urinetown Preview nominated for ten Tony awards, winning three, has been called “risqué,” “offensive,” and “absolutely hilarious.” The writing of Urinetown is brilliant and funny. Urinetown will be the funniest musical Haverford has done in recent years simply because of the outlandish writing and the witty, unique characters created by the cast. Urinetown has many new faces in the show from the Haverford community, primarily Sixth Formers. One such Sixth Former is Andrew Webb, a cop and a member of the Urinetown ensemble. When asked about his first ever stage experience, Webb said, “It’s a lot different than I expected. It’s enjoyable doing a show for the first time at Haverford, and especially with a great group of guys. I think it’ll be one of Haverford’s best shows yet.” After the interview, Webb proceeded to put on his minor league River Bandits’ flat-brim hat and return to learning the dance for “The Cop Song,” which will be one of the songs previewed in the trailer on March 7th. No stranger to the stage, Sixth Former Martin O’Riordan also had a comment to add about Urinetown: “I personally guarantee this show will be the best Haverford musical production since I’ve been in High School. The cast is great, the script is great, the music is great, and I’m great.” The cast of Urinetown looks to begin to hit its stride as the performance nears.
Above and below: Students from Baldwin, Agnes Irwin, and Haverford doing vocal exercises
Page 11
February 2011
Opinions
Mubarak Bears the Brunt of a Misguided Foreign Policy Grayson Sessa ‘13 Over the past few weeks it has become increasingly clear that the United States government’s current approach to foreign policy is one with unreasonable priorities. Former Alaska Governor and former Vice-Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin said, “I’m not real enthused about what it is that, that’s being done on a national level and from D.C. in regards to understanding all the situation there in Egypt,” because we do not know “who will be taking the place of Mubarak.” During the last thirty years, Hosni Mubarak functioned as President of Egypt and a long-term ally of the United States since 1981, a rare combination in the politics of the Middle East. Moreover, Mubarak has proved himself to be a friend of Israel, evidenced by his support for the bilateral peace treaty imposed in 1979. While Mubarak was certainly not the greatest defender of civil liberties, journalist Fareed Zakaria notes that Egypt may be in a worse position now, civil rights-wise, than it was under Mubarak. Zakaria says that Egypt may become “a country with reasonably free and fair elections, but the elected majority restricts individual rights and freedoms, curtails civil society and uses the state as its instrument of power.” Still, following in the footsteps of
the Tunisian people, the citizens of Egypt began a series of protests in order to gain a stronger democracy. The issue here is not the voracious hunger for a real voting process, which is completely justified; it is the way the United States government responded to the situation. As Mubarak was thrown onto the world stage and into the court of public opinion, the reaction he received from the United States was completely negative. Frank Wisner, the envoy sent on behalf of the Obama Administration, told Mubarak to step aside and not be involved in the future government of Egypt. Some senators, most notably John McCain of Arizona, have accepted the administration’s position and called for Mubarak to resign. All this came from politicians of a nation with which he had collaborated faithfully, going as far as feeding Middle Eastern intelligence information to the United States. This partnership, lasting from 1975, when Mubarak was Vice President under Sadat, up until this past week, came to an abrupt, unfortunate end. Some politicians justified the government’s response, noting that countries with democracies are inevitably more stable. But this premise is fundamentally flawed. First of all, the Muslim Brotherhood, of which 64% of Egyptians have a positive
opinion according to a World Public Opinion poll in 2009, could potentially take power. An even higher percent of Egyptians view the group as “democratic”; the international community, however, would disagree. A nation, democratic or not, controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood poses significant problems for the United States and her allies. This organization, of whom the terrorist group Hamas considers itself to be a part, would like to create a theocratic state out of the currently secular Egypt and end the longterm peace treaty with Israel, which should come as no surprise since the group is openly antiIsrael. Their goals would shatter the careful balance that lasted during Mubarak’s tenure between Israel and Egypt and could serve to envelope the Middle East in a new outbreak of violence. Israel’s president Shimon Peres said of Mubarak, “he kept the peace in the Middle East.” Also, the protests headed in a direction frightening for the United States. During the chaos, armed gangs facilitated prison breaks from four jails, many of these released prisoners being Islamic fundamentalists and members of the Muslim Brotherhood, according to The Guardian of the U.K. A rebellion expressed in this form elicits questions regarding the political beliefs of the potential Egyptian democracy.
One thing is for sure: a new government will not collaborate with the United States and her allies in the same way Mubarak did: Egyptians hold an 85% disapproval rating of the U.S., according to a Zogby poll last July. Republican Comgressman Thaddeus McCotter summarized the situation well, saying “America must stand with her ally Egypt to preserve an imperfect government capable of reform; and prevent a tyrannical government capable of harm.” Marc Lynch, a journalist for Foreign Policy, said that the government’s stance on Egypt will now threaten the United States’ relations with other U.S.friendly leaders in the Middle East. Citizens “of the world” can agree that the Egyptian people deserve a fair, representative government, but the U.S. ought not to condemn a loyal ally. An Israeli journalist explained the situation with this headline: “A Bullet in the Back from Uncle Sam.” If the United States chooses to treat a long-term ally in this way, what message does it send to other U.S. allies?
The Giffords Shooting:
Just Another Politicization of a Tragedy Jonathan Smith ‘12 On January 8, 2011, Jared Loughner went to a Safeway supermarket where Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was hosting a meeting with her constituents. Loughner proceeded to fire a handgun into the crowd, injuring thirteen people, killing six others, and wounding Congresswoman Giffords with a gunshot wound to the head. After the shooting, questions naturally were raised concerning why Loughner wanted to kill Representative Giffords. The country seemed to be inflicted with an epidemic of speculation. Everyone from the media to the Pima County Sherriff, Clarence Dupnik, speculated on why Loughner attacked the Congresswoman. In the span of a few days, people blamed the Tea Party, conservative talk radio hosts, and Sarah Palin. First and foremost, blaming one political side or another for a tragedy like this is disgusting. Before any facts had come out, the right was lambasted and called out by several pundits and even the Pima County Sheriff. Sheriff Dupnik, in his initial press release, stated that the attack was in part due to “the extreme vitriol”
by our political pundits. When it was later revealed that there was no association with Loughner and the right (and it was even discovered that Loughner was an avid reader of Mein Kampf and The Communist Manifesto - not exactly the most conservative documents), Dupnik held firm to his original statement. On CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer” Dupnik acknowledged his lack of evidence but remarked that “it’s a gutfeeling based on my fifty years in law enforcement.” Instead of trying to take another fifteen minutes of fame, my advice to the Sheriff is that he actually look into how Loughner was able to commit his crime. Loughner had made numerous death threats both against Giffords and Pima government employees, yet there was no followup by the police or even a psychiatrist. In fact, there was no security on hand for Giffords’ meeting. While some public officials choose not to have a police presence on hand, it is usually customary for events with the chance for large crowds to have police present. The ensuing debates that followed held one main point tone down the rhetoric. While that message certainly should be
heeded as our punditry and our political system are becoming increasingly partisan, the message became a bit skewed. After a discussion about the Chicago mayoral race with Rahm Emmanuel “in the crosshairs” as one analyst said, CNN’s John King responded with this after the commercial break: “Before we go to break, I want to make a quick point. We were having a discussion about the Chicago mayoral race. My friend Andy Shaw used the term ‘in the crosshairs’ in talking about the candidates. We’re trying, we’re trying to get away from that language. Andy is a good friend, he’s covered politics for a long time, but we’re trying to get away from that kind of language.” Honestly, what viewer listening to that broadcast would have naturally assumed that the analyst literally wanted Rahm Emmanuel to be in the crosshairs of a gun? When did pundits start to think that people cannot discern between a euphemism and an actual call to action? The backlash to the phrase “in the crosshairs” continued when it was discovered that before a Congressional Race, Sarah Palin’s website put up pictures of districts that were going to be targeted by the Republican Party. The targeted districts had crosshairs over them,
and Gabrielle Gifford’s district was one of them. Many proponents of Sheriff Dupnik highlight this as a key point of evidence in the “vitriol debate.” Did you know that the Democratic Party previously used pictures of districts with bullseyes over them? Why hasn’t anyone thrown a dart at a public official in any of those areas? That would be the next logical progression if we’re to follow Dupnik’s thinking. If it was a crosshairs over the candidate’s face, I can understand the outrage as that appears to be a legitimately threatening ad. In all honesty, it shouldn’t matter whether it was crosshairs or a bullseye. I think the American people are a bit more discerning than that to make a connection to a bit of ClipArt over a politically targeted area and actually going out and shooting several people. What was a tragic event became turned into another partisan debate even though there were no facts to support either side at the time. What should have been a time for healing was turned into a time for division. It is a shame to have seen that happen. Hopefully, in the future this type of reaction will not occur again and we, as a nation, can focus on the healing, which is what truly matters.
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Bush League
The Outdex Where Things Just Don’t Make Sense The Blurb
Sixth Former Joe McCallion, upon hearing of Jim Orsini’s goldfish dare, swallowed the 65-lb hunk of meat in the cafetera whole for two dollars. Sixth Form All-American Dan Hawkins will captain the school’s tennis team to the Inter-Ac Champs this year. Abdul Sesay’s forehead keeps growing bigger. DECA says it’s ready to face Iran in a diplomatic showdown. The librarians have now decreed that everyone is banned from the library forever. Pegasus Submissions are due on Feb. 28th. As the spring sports season finally approaches, we remind all faculty that lax players are exempt from the school dress code. There is no longer a spring track team. The Haverford School has lost all credibility as a top high school after students failed to recognize that Charmeleon evolves at level 36. Mr. Deasey is a vegan.
Teacher Interview with Mr. Evan Wilson! Q: Hey there, Dennis! A: Okay, I’m done. Bye. And there you have it, folks! Mr. Dennis Wilson!
DNA Forensics Confirm Class of 2010’s Scott Gehlot is Mr. Tirado’s Long-lost Son
After discovering that Scott Gehlot was indeed his long-lost son, Mr. Tirado painted his entire room blue and rearranged his desks in the shape of smiley-face. The two reunited family members then spent the rest of the day turning a projecter on and off while staring off into space in awkward moments of silence. “I always... ,” Mr. Tirado paused for five minutes before commenting, “... knew.” “Yeah, we definitely look alike,” agreed Gehlot. Both of them abruptly left the interview. The next day, Mr. Tirado cancelled all his classes and flew off with Scott to explore the world in a grand father-son adventure. The Diplomacy Club and the JV Basketball team are now disbanded.